Max Davies: Music Video: Post-Production: Evaluation 4

4) How did you use new media technologies in the research, planning, construction and evaluation stages?


The use of technology is how we made our project to the best of its ability. We had to fully understand each part of technology, from school equipment and technology to equipment and technology we have bought to help our project succeed.

Overall production we used all types of technology. We used the internet frequently, without it out project would not of been able to start. We used search engines like Google, to gather pictures to create mood boards. We used websites like www.barb.co.uk to find out information about our demographic and what T.V shows are most popular. Along with websites we used magazines and books to find out example music adverts.

The main website used was YouTube, we used this to find our song of choice, find inspiration for our video and find the remix to the song which we use in the second part of the video. We also used social networking websites like Facebook to arrange when we was filming and to communicate within out media group, we also used it to promote our final video and get it around the world.

When creating this project we frequently used software and applications. We used Skype to communicate within and have a group phone call, this was great as we can all discuss outside of school times. The two softwares we used for our project was Photoshop and Final Cut. We used Photoshop to create our digipack and magazine advert and used Final Cut to edit our video and add in effects. Dan also had Final Cut at home so we could edit round his out of school hours. We found difficulties when using these like not understanding layers in Photoshop and taking forever to render on Final Cut.

The final Website used was Blogger. I was constantly blogging, I set it as my homepage on my computer. I tried to do a blog a day, it was a place where we can write about our progression and what has been happening. 

In terms of camera, sound and lighting. Instead of using the school camera we used Daniel's new HD camera, which was a great size and had such a clear image. We also had a brilliant microphone and handle so we could get great swooping shoots and clear sounds. 

We also made some very D.I.Y equipment, we made two cranes out of wood, a scooter, pieces of metal and gaffer tape.

 

We also used a wheelbarrow to create a dolly effect and make a smooth run from a low angle. The strengths of this is that it was cheap however the quality wasn't the best and they fell apart after a while.

In terms of editing we used Final Cut Express and Adobe Photoshop. We split our group up, Daniel used Final Cut more and Me and Efosa used Photoshop. When I started creating the digipack and advert i had never used Photoshop. We had a few lessons on basic stuff by our IT technician Jack, he help me alot in understanding the software. 

                                

                                                     

I learnt about brushes and how to use them, I downloaded them from the internet then imported then to Photoshop and use effectively. 

The controls i learnt about the most was how to use layers, these are vital in making the project look good. They have to be in order and kept in control.

I learnt about adjustments like colour contrast and colour balance. This made the pieces look dark and distorted, to link with the video.

We also the tool of cloning, we was able to imitate a bush with cloning a bush and brushing over.

                      

                      

In terms of the digipack and magazine advert we had to make it look as professional as possible. Our friend Luca Green help us by taking photos of us before a day of filming. We meet early and had a photo shoot, he is a very good photographer and used different lenses and used the sun to make our pictures have a great colour.

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Max Davies: Music Video: Post-Production: Evaluation 3

3) What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Target Audience

For target audience profile, we thought our friend Robin Hirst is the first person we thought of, he is the perfect demographic through our music video. He is 17 year old caucasian boy from Loughton, Essex. A suburb of London, with his mum and brother. He works as a trainee hairdresser in a modern hairdressers and stylist in Camden, London.

He grew up listening to a lot of classic 1980's Rock as it was my parents favourite. So Rock music is always on my iPod, however when he got older, he discovered more Drum n Bass and Electro from parties and raves. So The Prodigy would be something Robin listens to.

Robin likes gigs, fashion, skateboarding, tattoos and piercing. He doesn't like rules and mainstream music.

From researching professional music videos we found some similiar videos to ours. The first is Sigur Ros - Vaka (A.K.A Untitled #1).

Sigur Ros are an Icelandic Post-rock band signed to XL. They are know for their incorporation of classical and minimalist into their music.

This video is about people being trapped by the gas mask in a location with low verisimilitude, it looks like hell. This video is aimed at ambient alternative people as the music is very underground, niche and individual, the complete opposite to main stream music. Our video relates to this as the plot and story is similar. The person in our video is trapped in the gas mask and is 'hunting' a new victim to trap with a gas mask.

The second is the official Spitfire video by The Prodigy. This relates to our video as we the editing is similar and the performance. The editing is similar with use of colours such as red and green. The editing is also quite destructive and distorted, something we used will editing our music video.



When creating the music video we had to consider many different elements so that it would appeal to our demographic or target audience.

The characters in our video are the girl being chased, the man with the gas mask and the band. When viewing we went the audience to identify the girl as a 'heroine' as she is viewed as the good, she is trying to escape and get away from the gas mask man who is viewed as the 'villain.'

Another element built into the production of our music video is social groups, examples are gender, age or ethnicity. In our video we have represented gender as the villain is male and has a powerful advantage over the girl, he is dominant.

Audience Feedback


Once our whole project was finished we conducted some audience feedback sessions. We finished our Digipack and Magazine Advert first, so we gathered the class around our computer and presented our digipack:

Everyone received the pack well, it jumped out to them and caught their eyes. Here are some quotes from our feedback:

"Excellent use of photoshop"

"Powerful Images" 

"The colours are dark, dirty and mysterious"

"Font doesn't look tacky"

"Professional Product"

Next we presented out magazine advert:

again here are some quotes from the feedback:

"Image is perfect in showing the members of the band"

"Branding is excellent"

"Font is prominent"

"Would fit straight into a magazine"

Finally we presented the class with our music video:

Here are some quotes from the feedback:

"Good job boy's"

"Really professional piece of media"

"Would see it on a music channel"

We are very pleased with our final product, it is better than we expected. everything just went together perfectly. From looking at the OCR brief we believe our product meet their requirements to obtain a high grade. For the video we read that the candidate must demonstrate 'a variety of shot sizes.' We think we meet this as we made sure we got as many shots which were all different and 'out side the box.' 

For the Digipack and Magazine Advert it says that the candidate must  have 'awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size' we know we have meet this from our audience feedback, in our feedback we are told we use a 'good mixture of fonts.'

Once finished we compared our music video to professional products, by watching music channels like 'Kerrang' to look at videos, we also looked through magazines such as 'Q' to look at adverts and album covers. After we felt very positive that our product was something to be proud of an hopefully get a high grade. 

From our feedback we believe our product has the genres essential ingredients. We were told that from the audience that they would 'watch the video again' and 'buy the album them selves.' They thought the artwork was very 'eye catching', this is something which would be jump out from the shelf in a shop.

Our product is aimed at a mass market and would be distributed and promoted by a major record label, such as XL, The Prodigy are signed by XL at the minute a huge label which has global recognition. In our audience research we found that our product would be placed in magazines such as 'Kerrang' and 'NME', these magazines are sold al over the UK and other countries, with artists which are popular and are making hits which are played all over the radio and T.V. Our audience profile would appeal to our video as he will be aimed as the adverts would be in the magazines he read and the video would be in the music channel he watches.

When creating our product we had to have a USP (unique selling point), this is something which stands out and makes somebody interested in our product. When developing ideas the main idea was the gasmask, when we thought of this we instantly knew this would be the main focus of our product. We like this image and thought it would appeal to people because it is very chilling when you see it. It gives the video an inhuman feel effect, this is something that appeals to teenagers of this day and age, wanting to be different and rebellious. They want to know more as it is mysterious, 'what is under the mask?'

As this image is powerful merchandise would be a great opportunity to maximize profits. We would create t-shirts, Jumpers, iPhone cases, key rings and hats, all items which appeal to our demographic. As iPhones and smart phones are something which are common within society now. The gasmask is a perfect image for branding of the band, when people see the image on merchandise they will instantly think about the band.

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Max Davies: Music Video: Post-Production: Evaluation 2

2) How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

"Branding is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies someones good or service to a market. The term branding came from telling one person's cattle from another with a hot iron stamp. It is important because it is what makes your product stand out and make the customer want it."

In our video we developed many different elements of branding, to make our video unique and significant.

Our overall brand of it is quite dark, gritty with a nightmare/surreal feeling. We feel our audience appeal to this theme of branding. However there are features of the video which go into branding detail and helps create the image we are after. 

The first being the gas mask:

This is our main branding element of our product, we believe it is a striking image with a lot or presence. This will stick in peoples minds.

The second is the use of the heroine:

The use of a girl, helps the brand move to different markets, with an attractive character who teenage girls will look up to.

The third is the mirror:

This is something which pushes the unusual image, something not normal. The mirror is the certain of all of the destruction. 

Also we used an ident at the beginning of the video, we kept it simple with a creepy effect. This brands our company as it will be shown before every production.

In our digipack I feel our branding is very strong through out, with good colour scheme and pictures which will strengthens brand image.

To create a brand their are many elements within our digipack. 

The use of brushes:

We had to look through brushes on the internet, which are ready  made images that we can 'brush' on to photoshop images. Brushes are used in professional digipacks to make it look more professional, it is simliar to established forms and conventions.

The image choices:

We had a photo shoot to get images for the digipack. Doing this has increased our professional value, the photos came out so well and look so professional. We started at sketches and pictures from phones, but doing a shoot has made our images look much more appealing, professional photos are a convention of an album cover

Band logo:

I did some research into other artists digipack's and how the brand themselves, i found it is a convention in some genres. I found that the use of a logo is a good way of creating brand image. I then search for gas mask images to use for a logo. We will use this logo on all products like, merchandise and magazine advert.

Use of mirror:

We used the image of the mirror in the digipack to emphasis its meaning. The more you see it, the more familiar it becomes and it will be connected to The Prodigy's image.

Colour: 

The colours we wanted to use was dark and gritty, so that it links with the video. We thought dark reds and greens. Good colour scheme is a convention of digipack, the colours are always linked and look good together.

Text:

I think in an artists digipack font is the most important feature to make the product have a brand which will stick. I wanted a font which will link perfectly to the bands image, I searched over the internet to find fonts which will go. I narrowed it down to three, but i pick this one after all.

In terms of influences when creating the digipack, we did a lot of research into covers from artists in the same genre.

The fornt cover was influence by two images. The first is a image of a girl in WW2 wearing a gasmask:

We liked this as it showed the girls innocence and contrasts from the mask.

The second is from the game, we photoshopped her eyes with glowing lights.

In our Magazine advert, i think it is the most professional piece. I think the branding comes through strongly and can sit comfortably in a magazine.

Mirror/image:

In the advert we used the mirror again to link to the digipack and video. It strengthens the mirrors meaning and presence. The image is quite powerful with the band being in the reflection of the band looking significant as the shot is from a low angle. An image of the band is something which is in neary every mass market bands advert, seen as a convention.

Font:

The font we used in the advert is the same as the digipack, this follows the bands image and starts to make the customers recognise the band and their brand. The magazine ratings are in a bold font so that it stands out, however the font is slightly broken up, this links to the bands distorted and rebellious image.

Logo:

We used the logo of the gasmask, which is the logo of the band. Logos are used in professional adverts and is seen as a convention.

                                                    

Colour:

The colour in the advert is quite red and dark, these are colours which are used in the video and digipack.

Ratings:

Ratings are a form and convention of a magazine advert, it is to show the reader how the album is rated by magazines which are respected and a good judgement. 

In terms of influences we did a lot of looking through magazines and searching the internet. We took inspiration for the ratings and the small print. We was looking through our photos and saw this one, we instantly knew this would be our advert. 

Here is our  progression of our magazine:

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Max Davies: Music Video: Post-Production: Evaluation 1

1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products


Our music video have taken on all of the formats, performance, narrative and concept. The performance is off the band singing, playing guitar and drums. The narrative is of the gasmask trying to catch the girl. The concept is off the nightmare feel. The style of presentation is a horror feel, with the dark use of colours and varied use of editing.

We done research into music videos to find out their forms and conventions, we took a few videos and analysed them in terms of camera,sound, editing and mise-en-scene and key media theories, such as Goodwin's 'Music Video Theory' and Dyer's 'Star Theory'. An example is Beastie Boys - Sabotage. We found that the conventions are the format or the video, close ups of the artists are used, theirs relationships between lyrics and visuals, and music and visuals, camera, editing, sound, mise-en-scene and representation.

In this video we found similarities to ours, we used close ups of the artists:

This helps build band image and the audience can distinguish who the band.

Relationships between the lyrics and music:

Fire is written on the back of the guitarist, this happens when 'fire' is sung in the song.

Representation:

The representation is majority masculinity, as the girl is being chased by a man. Also this representations conforms the Rock/Dance genre, as that genre generally appeals to males.

Camera, sound, editing, mise-en-scene

We looked at more professional music videos like Basement Jaxx - Where's Your Head At, this is more similar in terms of genre of music. We looked at the camera, sound, editing and mise-en-scene of the video to see the conventions of a music video in this genre of music.

Camera: we found that 'camera glides' are frequently used, we used this with our new equipment which allowed us to film form all angles and easy movements. The conventions should that the camera is rarely still, we rarely used a tri-pod, this gave the video a quick feel. Along with it being quick we found that videos used slow motion, this is something we endorsed when the music slows down we used slow motion. 

Editing: We found the editing is fast paced, like in the video the pace of editing quickens when the chaos begins. From the research we found visual effects are used, shots that trick the eye and give a vertigo effect, this is something we used when the person in the gasmask grabs the camera and throws it too the floor. Another part conventional editing is super contrast and overexposure, this makes the video seem inhumane. 

Sound: added sound is not a huge part of music videos as the music is what the video is about. But we linked parts of the song with visuals, to emphasis the visuals, like when a drum is hit, the baseball bat smashes the mirror.

Mise-en-scene: Mise-en-scene is a main part of the conventions of dance/rock music videos. We found that costumes is quite unusual and have a gothic feel,  this is something we did, the girl dressed up quite gothy and the gasmask is definitely something which catches the eye and draws people in. We also found the there are unusual objects and words in the background, an example is in the official 'Spitfire' video, strange words appear like 'sex.' We used this with painting words onto Efosa like 'War.'

Intertexuality 

When creating this product we was heavily influenced by all types of media forms. Our biggest influence and what we took stuff from is The Prodigy, From their videos we took editing ideas, costume ideas.

In terms of intertexuality, the gasmask idea came from two places. The first being Shane Meadow's film 'Dead Man Shoe's.' We thought the image is striking and truely chilling, we wanted this feel in our video. Here is a picture: 

Another piece of media which influenced the gasmask is the computer game 'Killzone.' It is a war/action game, but the people all wear gasmasks and the glowing is something which stood out to us, we used the idea of glowing eyes.

Here is a picture:

The idea of the mirror kind of came from the Stanley Kubrick's film '2001: A Space Odyssey.' The film is about encounters between humans and mysterious black monolith (fictional space rock) that are apparently affecting human evolution. Here are some screen shots from the scene which inspired us: 

When choosing costumes for the Chloe, she told us she had a bright red skirt. We thought this would be very effective as we thought of the significant scene in Steven Spielberg's 'Schindler List' when the little girl stands out in a red dress amongst black and white surroundings. The film is set in the war time, so the gas mask would be suiting as well.  

Key Theory

From this project we have learnt about all different Media Key Theory, we have learnt about Andrew Goodwin's 'Music Video Theory', Richard Dyer's 'Star Theory' and Laura Mulvey's 'Male Gaze Theory.' 

When creating our product we could see it conforming to different theories. Goodwin's theory states 6 points:

1) Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics 

2) Relationship between lyrics and visuals

3) Relationship between music and visuals

4) Close ups of artists

5) Notion of looking

6) Intertextuality 

Our video, comply with nearly all points. We show typic genre characteristics with gothy mise-en-scene,  rebellious theme and scary scenery. We show relationship with lyrics and visuals as we paint lyrics on to Efosa. We show relationship with music and visuals when drums are hit in the song a smash happens on the video. We show many close ups to make evident who the artists are. Intertextuality is evident with the gasmask. 

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Music Video: Post-Production: 1.45 Rough Cut

This the cut we are forwarding to classmates for some initial feedback.
In brief;
The class were impressed over the quality with an emphasis on the editing style. Since its been on youtube many people have been commenting on how professional it looks but few people have offered constructive criticism's.
Some of the criticism's our group have agreed on is the consistency of the lighting, we think that we can make it look more professional by having all the clips with the same brightness and contrast. The visual effects in the film worked well with positive feedback about them, however I feel that it needs to be toned down slightly to make it more effective.

Filming is postponed for the moment after we discovered that Chloe took a random trip to new york and is not available for the shoot.
We could possibly re-write the narrative to not include her but given the small amount of footage we have left to shoot anyway we've decided to make  edits, one with the clips so far and another once Chloe returns and we can film. This will ensure we meet the deadline in case of any other unforeseen circumstances that could effect the shoot. This also gives us the opportunity for a directors cut.