FMP - Critical Reflection & Evaluation
Saturday 18th May 2024 - Evaluation
Throughout my project I have developed a clear understanding of the relationship of research, critically analysing resources and their credibility. The BBC report, that only 13% of UK Festival headliners were women in 2022 (Mansfield, Lynch, Woodhead, 2022) sparked the inspiration of my project, as I critically analysed the music industry and the lack of support for female artists. With the female gaze informing design decisions, my understanding of femininity in branding and how colour theory and emotions theory allows us to subtly or strongly evoke feminine attributes; where colours, such as shades of pinks, oranges and purples feel warming, calm and inviting, all becoming core values of my brand. Upon reflection I could have explored the juxtapositioning colours, such as blues and greens, to see how ineffectively or surprisingly effectively they may have worked. The Keychange pledge informed my understanding of the current need to amplify women within music. The pledge began in 2017, with the aim to tackle the issue by 2022, in those 5 years some success has been made but not to the predicted standard that was expected. I criticised the pledges efforts, and highlighted that tackling the music industry as a whole is a daunting and mammoth task. This led me the pick a direct genre of music, tackling the EDM music scene where a significant gender disparity is seen, with women accounting for only four percent of global demand for female DJs (Bohannon, 2022).
As I began the idea generation portion of my project I speculated different and effective approaches that would work as an event based production, these were; A music festival, Online event, Campaign & Exhibition. I decided that tackling the issue through using the device of a music festival, a space where women are underrepresented, and filling up the space with just them. I then speculated about the funding and believability, deciding between a Charity or a Community Event. After consider the 5Ws and H, I decided on the most suitable outcome of a community event. Through this I have consistently drawn back to the current need, highlighting how an inclusive music scene is beneficial to all, but most importantly giving women a space to feel seen, supported and safe. I considered the possibility of a strictly 50/50 lineup music festival, but I reflected how men so easily have everything handed to them, that the festivals main purpose was to but women centre-staged.
I have effectively managed my time through the creation of a time plan and continuously developing my project daily from the beginning. I was able to delegate time effectively and efficiently, allowing myself to work in a timely manner and support my future career aspirations by apply for jobs in my chosen career field, which in turn has led to interviews in London. Through the use of lecture feedback from tutorials and presentations, I was able to progress my project as the feedback elevated my project to industry standard. The complexity of the final major project was able to push me as a designer. Taking the knowledge I have gained over the last 3 years of university and taking into account the external freelance work I have completed, I was able to create a project with breadth and depth. Creating a range of assets ranging from branding & identity which had me exploring the new technology of Adobe Illustrators 3D inflate tool to signify women filling up the space, to promotional assets, where I used Adobe After Effects to create a promotional video as an effective approach.
Upon reflection of my final major project, as well as my time at university, I can see how I have developed and expanded my knowledge in many areas of design, from print-based outcomes, such as posters, and festival assets, to digital outcomes, such as a designed presentation style guide, promotional video and an online presence. As my time here at university concludes I know I have acquired the skills needed as I progress into industry, with the understanding of how to breakdown a brief, research both contextual and contemporary practices, analyse and critically reflect sources and my developments and have extensive knowledge of industry standard programs.
