Evaluation and Analysis Material

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My poster uses the main codes and conventions that real similar media products use. I have used one main image as the poster background. I have made my poster stand out by developing forms and conventions of real media products by changing the text on the poster to look like it is actually written on the wall when in actual fact it is computer generated. The writing is very bold and clear to create a striking and eye-catching vision for the viewer and this is very important in a poster as people may be walking past and it will take something very different and bold for them to look and even stop to read what it says. I have made sure there is a large enough contrast between the font colour and the background colour. This is so they are easily read and not blended in so the viewer would have to stop and focus for a while to be able to read this. This goes against all forms and conventions of a real media product being the poster in this case.

My music video follows the forms and conventions by having a narrative throughout the track that develops the audiences understanding of it as the track goes on. I have challenged the forms and conventions of real media products by making the narrative much more interesting by switching between the past and present time all the time through the track. The past times are made significant through black and white shots. The present shots are made significant by the use of full colour shots. The past times show the events that led to the character feeling the way he does in the present times. This means that it is not too simple for the audience to get bored when watching/listening to it and also is not too complicated for them to give up trying to understand it.

My website follows the codes and conventions of real media products as it has a number of pages on the website that can be accessed through links featured on it. It also has the simple background so that the text and information on the site can be easily read/seen/understood. It has the bands name in a large striking font that seems to be the trend of real media products such as band websites. I have explored these in my research into similar media texts. It has various forms of media that can be viewed on the website such as a music video, posters, album covers, photos and text. It even has a google map of how to contact the band and their whereabouts.

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?I think they are very effective together as they all follow the same style and genre. This means that the audience can get a good feel of what type of band they are. The video tells the story of a character who gets dumped by his girlfriend and the repercussions of this. It shows his feelings and who he overcomes these. The same character is in the poster looking very lonely and deep in thought which follows this theme and in a way promotes the music video. The website allows me to put all of the media products together to be viewed so the similarity is clear to the viewer as they all fit in very well. Most bands will have a theme of their album and have main influences for them. I have stuck to this with mine as the theme is of relationships and deep feelings within. This can be related to by the lyrics and music video and poster where I have used actors to portray this sense of deep emotions during relationships. I have also used colour themes of dark colours to show loneliness and sadness and this has been the same colour scheme throughout each of my media products.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?I have learned a lot from my audience feedback. For example a student and peer, Jonny Bernstein, commented "It needs a transition such as a 'TV crackle' when it is out of signal and this could be used to clarify the change between the past and present time in the music video." This let me know that the clarity was not up to scratch as I will want the audience to watch it for the first time and follow it perfectly in full understanding. I was unable to get a 'TV crackle' effect using the new edition of iMovie that my video was on. But instead I have used a transition that ripples out when it changes to the past and each time it does this I use the same transition making sure that the audience have no way of getting confused as it follows a set trend.
"I thought the continuity was good throughout and was a simple narrative that was shot very well" This was a quote from a peer Dom Norman after viewing the video. It let me know that it was ready to be viewed as the storyline was understandable and the shots coincided very well.


How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
During the construction stage of my project I used various media technologies. These included a Sony 'Handicam' that I used to shoot all of my footage for the music video. This was compatible with the Apple Mac that I was using meaning that I could upload the shots with ease without having to convert the files first. I was editing the shot using the programme 'iMovie' on the Apple Mac. I could use this to cut and edit the movie and completely finish the music video.
For the poster and website I used a Sony 'Cyber-shot' to take the photographs that I uploaded onto 'Photoshop' which is an editing programme on the same Apple Mac.

Questionnaire of Audience Response to Material
Please circle your choice throughout this questionnaire in the multiple answer questions

Would you be happy to watch this type of music video on a music channel online, on a television, phone etc.?
1. Yes
2. No

On a rating of 1-5 (1 being the best suited, 5 being the worst) how well do you think the video fits the music track?
1
2
3
4
5

How clear is the narrative in the music video?
1. Very Clear
2. Reasonably Clear
3. Average
4. Confusing
5. Do not understand it at all


Constructive Criticism
1. (of the transitions)
2. (of the acting)
3. (of the continuity)
4. (general critisism)
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The Next Secondary Task

Home Page

'Music and its roots' and 'track generator'

Gallery

Contact Page

Production of The Next Secondary Task

I will be using 'http://www.wix.com/' to produce my music website.

Editing Process

This is the home page of my music website. I have yet to change the background picture but it will have one main colour to it to allow the information featured on the website to be easily viewed. It will also make it look more professional.


These are the original pictures that I have uploaded onto thegallery on http://www.wix.com/ on my music website. I took the pictures with a Sony digital camera.


This is a picture of a bass guitar that I have added to the image gallery section on my music website.

This is a picture of a bass guitar that I have added to the image gallery section on my music website.

This is a picture of a bass guitar body that I have added to the image gallery section on my music website.

This is a picture of bass guitar pickups that I have added to the image gallery section on my music website.

This is a picture of a bass guitar head and tuning pegs that I have added to the image gallery section on my music website.

This is a picture of a bass guitar that I have added to the image gallery section on my music website.

This is a picture taken at Seymour Tower in Jersey that may have been a photo I would have used as a background.

This is a picture taken at Seymour Tower in Jersey that may have been a photo I would have used as a background.

This is a picture taken at Seymour Tower in Jersey that may have been a photo I would have used as a background.

This is a picture taken at Seymour Tower in Jersey that may have been a photo I would have used as a background.

This is a picture taken at Seymour Tower in Jersey that may have been a photo I would have used as a background.

This is my final choice of the picture that I used as my music website background.

Here is a screenshot of my website in the final stages of production where the background image has been added and all the fonts and layouts have been set.

Planning of The Next Secondary Task

This is a plan of my music website. It covers the layout that I wish to achieve.
I will use the programme www.wix.com if I use a PC or 'iWeb' if I use an Apple Mac.
I will produce 4 pages on the website. The background will stay the same throughout and the middle box will either rotate or have a different animation to create a transition between the pages. The four pages will be as follows:

1. Home Page - This page will entail a welcoming message to the website and also have the band name written in a large striking font. The background will be a simple image so that the writing over the top doesn't get obscured. A very bright, busy picture would draw the viewers attention away from the important information. To allow the writing and background image to be seen I will use a white background for the text box and make it a reasonably high transparency level to allow the text to stand out and for the viewer to see through the text box to the background image.
2. Mix - This page will include an A5 size text box that will have writing about how the band begun and what their achievements are and facts about them. This will let the viewer get a feel for the band and undertsnad why they make the style of music they do. The other side of the box will be a music player of some sort that will play some previews of tracks that they have released. There will be a tracklisting below so that if the viewer wants to download or buy the single or album they may find out the name of it and access it.
3. Gallery - The third page will be the gallery which will include my music video that I have made. It will have a skin to make it fit the website style and let the viewer watch it all the way through. I will also include some photos of the band or music related photos. These photos may be of guitars or other instruments.
4. Contact - The fourth page will be the page where the viewer may contact the band and will let them know whereabouts their home recording studio is and where the band is originally based. It will also provide email addresses and the address of where to send letters to the band. I may also include a 'Google Map' image of the area or a 'Google Earth' image. This will make it look more proffesional.

Research Into Similar Media Texts For The Next Secondary Task

Taking Back Sunday Official Website (http://www.takingbacksunday.com/)
This website has used the large picture of the band members in a wide close-up shot above the bold writing of the band name 'Taking Back Sunday'. The use of dull colours in the background allows the foreground activity such as titles and other text and videos to easily be read and seen clearly as there is little distractions to draw the eye to outside of this information.

There are many pages in which the viewer can visit to access the information or media they were looking for specifically. These pages include 'home', 'news', 'bio', 'music', 'photos', 'videos', 'diary', 'action', 'community'.

The news section includes articles covering the updates of personalised band items such as christmas '09 merchandise. It also lets the viewer know the up and coming dates the band is playing and its whereabouts allowing the viewer full access to gain entry if required.

The video section doesn't just include the predictable music videos but also has personal interviews with each band member making the fan feel they know them better as people and also creates a closer relationship between band and fans.

On the home page there is a box specially made with all of the tour dates and where they are with a link to more information on each. There is also a section on the band's Twitter and their latest 'tweets' displayed.

Another section they have is one that gets the viewer involved and that is uploading your own photos of TBS to their website.

Kano - Official Website ( http://www.ka-no.com/ )
It uses dark colours in the background and this allows the text to become vibrant and easy to read. This means that every bit of information on the website can be accessed easily and there is nothing difficult for the viewer to see meaning no information can be missed out by an accident. All of the colours flow well together making it seem very tidy and organised so it is aesthetically pleasing for the viewer.
There is a section on how to contact the artist and give your opinions on his work and also comment on the actual website.
There is also a section featuring the artist's music videos without having to open a new window or follow a link.
To allow the viewer to keep up with the artist's latest news, gigs, concerts, releases etc. there is a section for this too on the left.
On the bottom right there is a section with links to view relevant information about the artist and also leads to similar music by other artists.
At the top of the page is a striking font with the artists name next to a large medium close-up shot of the artist himself. Below the artist's name are pictures of the album covers he has released and their names. They all have links to how to purchase them and also how to get more information on them.

Ditty Bops Home Page
This website is very unique as it only uses hand-written drawings and writing. The background is extremely simple allowing the text to flourish over the top providing a clear contrast in colour meaning that the text and images are clearly visible to the viewer.

Production of The Secondary Task

This is a video of how I put together my poster using 'Photoshop'.
It doesn't show me actually making it but has a talk-over of how each layer was put together that is clear for the viewer to follow.
To record this video I have used the programme 'ScreenFlow' on the Apple Mac to record my screen and show all the steps I used in making the poster and editing it. It also records the audio of the screen and uses the microphone to record my voice to explain the steps.

Planning For The Secondary Task

Design
I am going to have a picture with a large amount of empty space such as sky or a plain colour so that there is one main focus in the poster. This focus will be the writing and announcement of the release of the new album. The band name and release date will also feature on the poster along with the record label and names and logos of the sponsoring companies if an event is occurring.
The picture will feature one band member or instrument such as a guitar or maybe even both standing on the edge of a cliff of wall or building of some kind. This will portray a powerful image that is very eye catching and will draw the viewer into taking a closer look. It will also mean that if put along side many other posters, this one will be the predominant one that is looked at.

Research Into Similar Media Texts For The Secondary Task

Oasis UK Tour 2009 Poster

This is a very simple custom drawn computer design that uses very few colours. The simplicity of the poster draws more attention than if it had a lot going on in it. This is because the colours draw the eye to view it through the brightness. The use of blank space is very effective as it means that the title can take up a large amount of space getting the message across that the band (Oasis) are touring and what bands are supporting them. This is the main aim of the poster after all (gaining as much publicity as possible).

Versus The Universe Album Release Poster

This is a very bold and striking poster as there is only two main things to focus on in it. The picture is the largest object in the poster and it is a boxing glove which is very eye-catching and represents power. As it has a plain white background it means that the clarity of the poster is very good and all the other colours have a huge contrast.





Sunshine For The Blind Album Release Poster

This poster uses very good conventions to direct the viewers eyes to the important areas of the poster whilst making use of the whole space. They have achieved this by making the full-page picture black and white leaving blank white spaces on top very clear to read the writing over them. The orange areas stand out form afar which means these will be the first areas where the viewer will look and so they have put the orange areas in the name of the album and also a little bit in the name of the band. This puts them in order of importance.

The Main Text

Production of Main Task

Planning of Main Task

I have produced a storyboard to show how my music video will unfold and what the different scenes will entail.

Research Into Target Audience

Target Audience

My target audience will have an age range of anyone from young teenagers to adults(13 - 50 years old). This is because this age range are the most likely to listen to this genre. The genre is light rock and has a unique structure that allows for easy listening without the predicted structure that makes songs boring. The lyrics apply a strong meaning to the song and when accompanied with the gentle guitar melodies and soft (becoming stronger in the powerful 'build-up' areas) vocals it provides an epic story of emotions. This genre can easily be listened to by a large range of people providing a versatile audience.
This music is a genre that can appeal to both the male and female audience and tells the story of a broken heart from a males point-of-view. This means that the male members of the audience can relate to the song and the female audience will, on the whole, enjoy the delicacy of the lyrics that pluck the strings of their emotions.
I have looked at the results of the number of viewers for each channel daily and weekly and have drawn up a table of these results. This will help me get a good insight in how many people watch music videos of the same genre of the music video that I will be producing.


Questionnaire

What type of music do you mainly listen to?

Pop
Rock
Rap
Classical
Hip Hop/Rap


How often do you watch music videos?

Everyday
Once a week
Once a month
Rarely
Never


What things do you look for in a music video?

Good, simple storyline
Complicated storyline
Parties, dancing
Absolute madness, makes no sense but looks impressive
Action, fighting
Easy, heart-felt listening


Where do you watch music videos?

Computer,
Laptop,
Television,
iPod,
iPhone,
Phone


What length do you prefer a music video to be?

Very Short (Under a minute)
Short (Under 2 minutes)
Average (Around 3 minutes)
Long (4 minutes +)


Do you watch music channels? If so, which is your favourite?

MTV (All channels)
Kerrang
Scuzz
Clubland
NME TV
ChartHitsTV
Other (please specify)
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What is your favourite music video? Why is it your favourite? (please state below)

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Results
From the first question about what type of genre people mainly listen to I have found that 'Rock' is the predominant one. This is very useful to know as that is the genre of my music track that I am using in my video. This means I may have a very large audience as I asked a range of people in my target audience age range.
I also found out that on the whole people watch music videos on a weekly basis so it is important that my music video has an edge over other videos so that people are able to remember it for good reasons otherwise it will just be forgotten due to the sheer amounts that show up on the music channel that they are watching.
I have found a selection of TV viewing results for the general public on music channels. This has allowed me to see what the population as a whole watch and listen to. Thus meaning I can see how large my target audience will be.
MTV have come out on top. I think this is because the majority of people who watch music channels are the younger generation and therefore are looking for the latest songs that may appear in clubs and on the radio as this is a big part of their lives at this age.

Research Into Similar Media Texts

You Me At Six - Kiss & Tell (Music Video)

The video is set in mainly one room. The band is playing live in sync with the music. The storyline is about a girl who everyone wants except you. It talks about the girl and explains how she makes up her own rules as she goes along. The camera shot then covers her dancing on a sofa in a messy room. The lyrics then say how you decide to make up rules of your own because of this. The camera shot then covers the band going wild whilst playing in a room full of fans going crazy. The party slowly gets more wild throughout the video. They camera is split between the band/crowd and the house party. This means they can see the emotion in the band and crowd but can also help tell the story through the house party events and cover different characters relevant to the storyline.

The Script – Breakeven (Music Video)

This video is based around a relationship that has broken up and its heartbreaks.
All the shots of the male character (played by the lead singer) are in black and white. This relates to the song because in the lyrics he talks about how a heart does not break even and how he has come off much worse as he can’t get over the woman. The dark colours represent sadness and the white signifies emptiness.
The shots of the woman and the man’s memories of their relationship are all in colour signifying that those were the times that he felt alive and happy.
For some shots the band is playing live in black and white in an empty room and they are in sync with the music.
The opening verse is covered on the camera by filming him in a dark room on his own looking at videos on his phone of his girlfriend. The video is in colour and the man and the room are in black and white. The phone is giving off flashing lights on his face and may signify the irregular heartbeat that he has because of the stress from breaking up from the woman he loves. He is singing in sync with the music.
The shots in colour cover not only the memories of their relationship, but also his memories of how they broke up and this shows his sever sadness as she is leaving.

Taking Back Sunday – Liar (Music Video)

This video is based inside a liar detector. The band is filmed playing their instruments live in sync with the music and singing the lyrics in sync also.
It is all about lies and the tricks of getting away with lying.
The colours are all black and white and there are a few objects featured in it including a giant woman, a spider and a web and a key.
The key may symbolise the lie as at one point the lead singer eats the key and this could be symbolising “locking up the lie and throwing away the key” meaning that the secret will never come out.
The woman may be the part of the secret in the lie that the lead singer is trying to block out of his mind because when her face appears you then see his hand push away to hide it.
At the end the camera zooms out into a colour shot and t is of the lead singer plugged into the lie detector and the investigator asks him “Is there anything else?” and he replies “No that’s exactly what happened” to which the investigator says to his colleague “What do you think?” and he replies “I don’t believe a word of it”.
It s mainly computer generated as the footage has been taken in a white room with the characters all wearing black for the great contrast. The lines that are normally seen in a lie detector are also in this generating the picture as it goes along.

Dizzee Rascal – Holiday (Music Video)

This video is based in a holiday destination full of beautiful women in bikinis. The song is all about pleasing your girlfriend and taking her wherever she wants to go and keeping her happy.
The video goes to a party at a villa in an exotic location. The party gets more lively as the video goes along. It follows one girl mostly and her journey from being told about the party on a phone call to arriving at the party and finding Dizzee Rascal in the party to dancing with him.
They then get into an expensive white hummer and the video ends as the door closes behind them leaving the viewer wonder where they are off to next.
The filming includes a lot of slow motion in the fast dance art of the song which creates a large contrast in the speed of the music and the speed of the footage. This is more dramatic and effective and captures Dizzee dancing and everyone going mad to the song.
The camera has very few shots where it is still. There is always a slight pan. This is to cover the whole scenery and make it seem more like a point of view shot aking the viewer feel more a part of the video.

Kano – Ps and Qs (Music Video)

This video is based in the streets of London. The camera stays in front of Kano and films him walking through the streets and goes from normal speed to fast motion in some parts. He begins by rapping in sync with the music and keeps this throughout the video. He is walking in the middle of the road and cars have to wait behind him showing respect.
He begins to slap hands with people and when he starts talking about his crew and people he knows people begin to join him and there ends up being over 20 people following him walking through the streets. In the chorus he is always walking alone as he talks about when he isn’t with his crew he still earns a huge amount of respect.
The views of the camera change and sometimes it is a high angle shot to look up at Kano to signify the way people look up to him and make him an authoritive figure.