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@harveybaileymedia
A2 Links
Research - https://harveybaileymedia.tumblr.com/tagged/A2%20research
Planning - https://harveybaileymedia.tumblr.com/tagged/A2%20planning
Production - https://harveybaileymedia.tumblr.com/tagged/A2%20production
Evaluation - https://harveybaileymedia.tumblr.com/tagged/A2%20evaluation
Directors's Commentary for 'Closer' music video
'How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?'
Evaluation Question 3: What have you learned from your audience feedback?
From our initial idea to our finished product, we have received great feedback from teachers, other pupils and the amount of views we got on YouTube. All of our feedback was mostly positive from teachers and fellow pupils as we see in our focus group and through the comments left on YouTube. We received very little criticism. Looking back at our focus group, it was ideal that we used 18 year olds as they were part of our target audience so any feedback we were given we knew was going to be right from an audience and genre point of view. One of our responses was that they liked the time lapse as it added an entertaining feature into the video and it looked very professional. He also commented on the cutting of the beat and how it worked well in relation to the song and the visuals with the couples. Also, the fact that the moods changed in order to the song, and through the different colors that were used. The use of the camera effects that we used on past, dated shots was brought up and how well it looked in relation to the black and white shots looking back at the couple. One member referred to the cutting on the beat and how it kept a steady rhythm throughout the video. Another positive comment that was said was how we used color correction on all of our shots which made them look very professional and made the shots seem more realistic. Also, they mentioned how well our lip syncing was and how well the lyrics fitted with the visuals.
Other than the focus group, we also used comments from YouTube that people has posted. One comment said how we used the location very well and the use of camera movement. This would perfect as we wanted to cover these aspects well and really make them stand out as we felt they were important. Also, they mentioned how well our production design, interpretation of music and cutting on the beat was, similar to the focus group. We took these comments on board very well as they were all positive and we also received 10 likes and no dislikes.
When receiving feedback about my digipak and advert, my teachers and pupils all gave me very positive comments. My teachers said they loved the use of having the male actor being the main feature on ,y advert and how he was also present throughout my digipak. One pupil commented on the way I used the four different images on my front cover on my digipak and said how it all fitted together really well. They also said how the extra information on my advert with the record labels and ratings made it look very professional and realistic. One improvement that came from my teacher was that next time when producing my digipak, make sure the images are of really goo quality because when viewed on a computer and zoomed in, they became fuzzy and pixalated.
When it comes to negative comments on our music video, we didn't really receive any only a few on our focus group. One comment was that they didn't like the ending with the fading of the main male actor looking out across the lake. We took this into consideration and agreed, it may have looked better without the fade but we were trying to create and sense of loneliness for the boy and how he’s forgetting about the girl. Another person said that they didn't like the still shots that were apparent in our music video and i agreed totally. Looking back now, you can see they stick out completely and look out of place surrounded by quick shots and moving shots. Our final negative comment that was also mentioned in the YouTube comments, was that we could’ve used the lighting better in some of the shots we filmed. You can see that in a shot of the girl lip syncing, the lighting is way too light and blocks out some of the female actor which didn't look professional.
Referring to my digipak and advert, i received very little negative comments as all my feedback was verbal as I only posted my final products a few days ago. However, one comment that was made was that the four images on the front cover of my digipak could’ve been positioned better in relation to the title. Also, someone mentioned how the title could’ve been bigger and bolder on my advert.
If we were to produce a music video next time, we have learned from our feedback that we would make sure we had a lot more time when editing as this is the most important part making everything perfect. Also, planning more shoots in different location was key as this would gives us a range of different location to use when editing and we would have more than enough shots of the same thing to go with and choose the best ones. Next time i would definitely take out the steady shots that were in there and replace them with moving ones as this conformed to our pop genre and keep the shots consistent throughout. A way we could do this is by reviewing our shots after a shoot and seeing where ones could go in relation to our storyboards and plans and then film the same shots at a different location.
For my ancillary texts, i would definitely next time have more photos available to use as i feel this time i was limited to ones with only a black background. A way around this would be to use the shoots when we were out filming to also take photos of the actors and the location in order to use them for our ancillary texts as well.
The comments that i have received have taught me that the production and editing side need to be spent the most time on and to have all the group members available for every session as it allows a flow of ideas and every shot can be perfect. Also, next time i would definitely get feedback when editing as this would allow you to change certain things as you go such as the type of shot of the color of one. This could easily be done. Also, when planning making sure that shoot days are fully planned out making sure everyone can attend and that all props and equipment are accounted for.
For my ancillary texts, the comments have taught me that the quality and amount of images needed is very great as you can use loads of different images and choose which one looks best which you cant do if you are restricted. Also, making sure that the images you choose, especially for your digipak, are of the same color and location (if you want consistency) as it is easy to see if they are not and it can not look professional. Editing also requires a lot of time especially when editing each individual image and importing them onto the final product.
Evaluation Question 2: How effective is the cmbination of your main product and ancillary texts?
This is our focus group after publishing our music video. It asks the questions of what is good and bad, and how we can improve it.
Evaluation Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Music Video:
When planning, filming and editing my music video, I tried t stay as close as i could to Andrew Goodwin’s theory concepts of music video conventions as i thought this would act as a template for our music video. Having a narrative based music video, it allowed us to follow the singer’s message in the song linking to the lyrics. This made us lip sync some major parts of the song but this allowed us to promote the artist, like Goodwin states in his conventions. We used the muse-en-scene to promote this message of the song using dull colors and black and white footage for sad and depressing moods and then vibrant colours and outstanding locations for positive and happy moods. I chose not to include voyeuristic themes of females as this wouldn't fit with the message or the atmosphere of the music video and would just be out of place even though it is a common convention. An example of where we have promoted the artist is through close ups, filling the frame with the artist. Below is a screenshot from our video and one from Coldplay’s ‘Sky Full Of Stars’:
We didn't choose to import any intertextuality in our music video as it would’ve been very difficult to pull off and we didn’t really have any good enough ideas that we could refer to in our music video. However, we did link the visuals of our music video to the lyrics, another of Goodwin’s conventions, by cutting on the beat and having faster and slow motion shots. This allowed us to have the shots refer to the mood of tat part of the song for example, faster cuts when the instrumental kicks in as there arn’t any lyrics.
When referring to genre conventions, there was a lot of common pop genre conventions such as the message is commonly about relationships between two people which was exactly what our song was about; a break up. It was important we followed these genre conventions as it would make our music video feel more professional. A common pop convention is that they are aimed at 16-24 year olds so we decided to use two actors, one male and one female of the age of 18, so it was appealing to our target audience of 16-24 year olds. Another convention is that pop artists use the same concept in alot of their videos for example, the same clothing (part of Richard Dyer’s Star Theory). Therefore, we decided to use the mise-en-scene in a way of dressing the actors in fashionable clothing that our audience would relate to and also a style that the original artist wears in his songs. Also, as our music video was of a narrative style, commonly pop narrative music videos were about relationships so we were able to conform ours to typical genre conventions in other music videos. An example of a common pop music video including a relationship between a male and female is Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?”.
When planning and producing my digipak, i followed the common conventions of having a very clear and bold title that stands out in the center of the panel. Also i had both main actors right on the front of the digipak with only their faces visible as this promotes the artists. As i chose to have both artists on the front cover and only their faces shown, it allowed the audience to understand who they were and what the video was about having the title of ‘Closer’ in between the two actors. An example of how my digipak conforms to the common conventions of promoting the artist is Ed Sheeran’s “+” digipak front cover only showing his face:
However, for my back cover i chose a different pathway and had a more location shot of one of the places in which we filmed the music video and having both actors only just visible on the bridge. I felt as though this challenged some of the common genre conventions of pop digipaks. Apart from that, i included the common feature of a bar code and the track listings. I also added the record label logos and record rights to make it look for professional and to give it a sense of reality.
For the rest of my digipak, i used simple images of the artists without text. I felt as if this gave my digipak more than enough promotion of the artist and the message of the song before the audience even listens to it. I believe this is a good promotion technique. I have one panel of just the male actor looking straight into camera which gives an enticing concept to the audience as they want to hear and listen to the artist. For the last 3, i chose to have the middle panel as both the couple together representing the good times for when they were together but keeping it in black and white. For the other two, i kept them also in black and white and had each one as the male and female on their own looking at each other from different sides of the digipak, representing their break up and how they are apart. This all conforms to the common conventions on a digipak of enticing the audience but also promoting the message of the song and the artist.
When planning and producing my advert, i again conformed to the typical conventions of having the bold title clear and simple to see. I chose to include the male actor with an expressionless face as i believed this promoted the artist in a serious way but also gave a hint of the message of the song. I also included reviews, ratings, a release date and also a preview of the digipak as this gave it a professional look and also a real look. They were also common advert conventions. I also included the record label logos and the record rights to promote the record labels and again for a professional look. However, i chose to have a landscape advert as this subverted the common vertical advert as i felt this gave my advert a unique look. I chose to make the male actor’s shadow much more visible as this allowed it to have a more serious outlook and promote the size of the artist. Below is Wretch 32′s advert that conforms to the general pop advert of having the artist the main feature and the text of extra information around him.
Digipak Advert Making
For my digipak advert, the first thing i did was choose the correct final image that would be the main feature. I again used Photoshop for this. I made a variety of layers taking out the male actor leaving just the black background and the shadow. However, i changed the backgrounds brightness and contrast which allowed me to make the shadow more noticeable. I then layered the male back on top of the background which worked well having edited him as well.
Next, i added my main title in the horizontal way which was easy enough in Photoshop as there was a straight forward tool for it. I was able to easily change the size and font in Photoshop as it was set out very simply as i wanted it to stand out. As well as the title, i added the front cover of my Digipak in the bottom right corner which was easy enough as i just created a new layer and imported it in. I also imported the text above using the same font and colour as my main title.
Next, I imported the reviews and ratings in the middle which have the advert a sense of reality and it made it look professional. I also added in the record label logos as well as the rights in very small text at the top of the advert, again for professionalism and reality. Finally, i added in the text for the album name and the song information. All the text was very easily imported as it was all on its own layer.
Digipak Making
The first thing i did when producing my digipak was making my front cover. I used Photoshop to make my whole digipak. Making the front cover, i made each image the same size and fitted them perfectly in each corner. I made this all one layer and locked it in so i couldn't accidentally move them.
Next, I made my back cover. I made the background image and then locked it in, which i edited using Photoshop to make the colors more vibrant. I then imported the song list and positioned it correctly where they were easily visible. For my extra panel (bottom left), I edited the original photo using Photoshop and imported it in and positioned it correctly over the margins. For the rest of my panels, i only needed one layer so they were easy enough to import and position.
Once all my panels were made. I finally edited all the images to make sure they were of the same consistency and they were in the correct position. Having the template in place, it allowed me to position all the images as such in the right place. It also allowed me to see which panels were which. Finally, I made sure each panel was correct, in the right position and of the right color.
Ancillary Texts: Digipak
For my finished digipak, I again stayed close to my plan keeping the four images for the front cover which i felt conformed to the pop genre and had the right colors. However, for the back page, i changed the original image to the this one as i felt it worked better with the layout of the bar code and the track listing. I feel i used the two extra panels on the inside well having the individual actors on their own looking at each other from each side and then a panel in between them of the two together. I feel this conformed to the message of our music video and the meaning of the song. I felt having a main panel just having the male actor worked well on the outside of the digipak as this allowed the audience to know it was his story and he featured the most. Also, linking to my magazine advert, which is purely the male actor, i felt this was necessary.
I edited the whole of my digipak, like my magazine, using Photoshop as this allowed me to position all the images correctly and also edit each image to suit the right colours. Also, being able to use different layers on Photoshop, you can see on my finished digipak image that i used a template in which i layered the final images onto to create my digipak.
Ancillary Texts: Digipak Advert
For my Digipak Advert, I stuck to my original plan using the male actor only with a black background. The image required a minor bit of editing in Photoshop but it was easily corrected in the end. I changed the saturation and brightness in order to create a more in depth shadow. I chose a thicker font than what i wanted as i thought i acted better with the actor and the background color. I decided to put reviews on there from music magazines to give the advert a sense of reality as well as the record labels. These reviews also act as a way of attracting audiences as they will see the five stars. I mainly used Photoshop for this advert as it gave me the tools to edit the background image as well as editing on text.
Album Advert Plan
Digipak Plan
This is our music video of The Chainsmokers song, Closer.
Production Day 4
For our final shoot, we stayed locally and went to Chew Magna. It was very good as it was so quiet so we were able to film a lot of shots. We used the highstreet to film a time lapse which worked really well along with the male actor as it is quite busy so it looked really good with all the cars. However, we only had the male actor for this day so we were only able to film him which was a pain as it would’ve looked really good with both the boy and the girl.
We also filmed by the church of Chew Magna which gave an edgy feel and also it was very quiet so we were able to film lots. The use of the trees and the greenery worked really well. There were also a variety of courtyards available to use which worked well as it gave a good background location in abstract with the male actor.
Production Day 3
On our third shoot we went to the center of Bristol, near the harbor. We went there on a Saturday so it was expected to be very busy. We chose this location as the city conformed to the pop genre and it gave a modern background. For this shoot we only took the shoulder mount as it consisted of the female actor walking towards the camera so we need a steadyish shot. During the instrumental of our music video, we wanted to have a variety of locations. Castle Park was perfect for this as again it was relatable and gave us a different city outlook and contrasted the greenery of chew valley lake with a city atmosphere. The weather was perfect this day so it allowed us to film some great shots. However, there were a lot of obstacles in the way of filming for example trees causing shadows and bins.
We also filmed near the harbor in Bristol which gave us some amazing shots with different backgrounds. We also found the perfect location to film our female actor walking towards the camera lip syncing. This was a good spot as there wasn’t any people in the background. It was also very convenient as it was only a short walk from the Castle Park.
Production Day 2
For our second shoot, our destination was Ashton Court in Bristol and the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Ashton court was a perfect location as it allowed us to film with a variety of different backdrops and different depth of fields. As both were in Bristol however, it did take a while to get there but we were able to drive.
At Ashton Court, we were able to film a variety of shots of the couple together with the main building being in the background. This allowed us to have unique location and allowed the audience to relate if they had been there before. For this shoot, we took both the tripod and the shoulder mount again as we felt this would provide with the steady and unsteady shots. The main disadvantage to filming in such a public area was that there were a few times where the public came into shot. This did however, provide a sense of reality within the music video. We were able to film a lot here as we had both actors.
When we traveled to Clifton, it was abit more difficult to film as it was getting dark however, the shots we were using at Clifton were going to be edited in black and white anyway, so we only had to increase the brightness to make it look lighter. This being such an location, we didn't want to over use it in our video but we decided to film a large amount of shots just in case we had to fill up spaces.