Organisation & Time Management

Me and my media partner have recently planned out when and how we are going to get each task and individual section of this project completed, so that we finish it in time for the deadline, and to a good standard. 

Here is a scheduled calendar of as to when we are going to get everything completed by:

Here is who we have decided is in charge of what:
Time management: Sophie and Helen (both)
Research into target audience: Sophie and Helen (both)
Print production - Layouts: Sophie and Helen (both separately)
Performers - Casting: Sophie and Helen (both)
Organisation of locations/permission: (Helen)
Costumes and props:Sophie and Helen (both)
Choreography/movements and blocking: Helen 
Shotlists and Storyboarding: Sophie
THIS IS ALL TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY STARTS

Media Trip Evaluation

On Tuesday 9th November, my class and I went on a trip to London to meet the Chief examiner and some music video directors/producers. It was a very valuable experience and I learnt a lot from it. The music video directors, producers and the chief examiner all gave us a lecture about the life of working in that industry and some very helpful tips. 

We also had to come up with an concept for our own music video, for Biffy Clyro - God and Satan. The directors, producers and chief examiner all gave us feedback on it.
Throughout the talks that were being given, I made some notes one what was being said, in order to improve the music video that me and my media partner are producing:
MOST MUSIC VIDEOS
= AT LEAST 150 SHOTS
= 50 SHOTS PER MINUTE 
Step 0: Limber Up

• Do some exercises with 'found footage' 
• Learn to lip-sync with old student footage
• Do a karaoke multi-angle version for a track for fun

Step 2:

• Pitch for material and strong, simple idea
• Have a clear concept
• Be realistic

Step 3:

• Storyboard - can shoot extra
• Plan people, places, props, costumes
• Get everyone's numbers
• Aim to shoot it early, not against deadline 
• Make sure your performers have rehearsed and know words

Step 4:

• Blog! 
• Work to ideas 
• Photos that inspire/locations, etc
• Videos that influence you (Youtube)

Step 5:

• Know equipment
• Do test shots/try effects
• Tripod
• Take music with us - need external speaker
• Experiment on edit programme

Step 6: On Shoot

• Shoot performance 10 times! Different set ups 
• Plenty cutaways 
• Experiment, extra angles/lighting changes
• Lots of close ups
• Enthuse performers!
• SHOOT MORE THAN NEEDED

Step 7:

• When editing, label each shoot
• Capture whole performance
• Break in manageable chunks

Step 8:

• Sync performances first
• Get whole picture, rather than small detail
• Cut constantly
• KEEP SCREEN PRINTS OF EACH EDIT

Step 9:

• Get feedback when can 
• Youtube

My Main Inspiration

From the feedback of our pitch, one of the main things risen to question was how we would shoot a music video effectively and successfully with a huge crowd of people. Therefore, I have searched around for a music video which involves this concept, (of a huge amount of people involved) to see how the filmmakers and director went about it. I found Katy Perry's new music video, Firework, which is a fine example of all the values, messages, elements and scenarios which we would like to incorporate into our own.


Katy Perry - Firework



I was so fascinated by this music video, that I decided to search further into how it was made, in order to get a grasp of how to organize such a mass of people, (for example, there were 250 people in this video), and how to make the camera work around them - and vise versa. It is evident that co-operation and thorough organization is the ultimate key.


Firework - Behind the Scenes


1:36 onwards is the section as to how they filmed it.

The Pitch

This is what me and my media partner created to show our pitch the class:

• We made this presentation for our pitch on Prezi. 
• We addressed: the song itself (separately), test shots, the mood board, influences, references to research, health and safety, a target audience profile and theory incorporations.

Our song choice is:

Chris Eaton - Dare to Dream
We have also written to the artist for permission, and have received a very positive response.

The importance of creating a pitch was to essentially "sell" our music video idea to the rest of the class, in order to gain a response and constructive feedback from the audience, (this being through question sheets that the class filled in whilst watching our pitch be presented).

We did presented this pitch to the rest of the class because this is what industry music video directors do in the real world, and we need to take the same procedures as they would.

The feedback notes which we received from the class overall had a positive response.
A sample of comments on suitability for stated target audience. 
(Most Significant) Positive Comments:

• "Highly suited for it's target audience. Good detail."
• "Audience was clear. Good audience profile."
• "It's suitable, they want the video to represent them."
• "Very clear target audience, good idea on who would listen to this genre of music."

(Most Significant) Negative Comments:

• "Target audience doesn't immediately strike as the kind of person who would even be interested in music videos - Not sure if there is an audience here."
• "I think the target audience they have chosen could maybe be for younger people."
• "Quite high age audience, video influences are quite young."
• "I think maybe the target audience needs to be at a lower age. The song just sounds too upbeat for a Christian/Private School teacher."

The general response here about our target audience is that, in a positive light, people thought our target audience was well suited for our music genre. However, in a critical light, the music video's target audience could be more directed towards a younger audience, because of a combination of the video influences and the upbeat-ness of the song. 
        A person commented on how the target audience we suggested might not even be interested in music videos, but this is justified by the majority of the other people's comments, stating that the music video should just be targeted at a younger audience. 

A sample of comments on the originality of the idea.
(Most Significant) Positive Comments:

• ""Brilliant day to night theme."
• "I like how there is an upbeat side to the video, whilst having a meaning of unity." 
• "Starts day and night, great idea having street atmosphere mixed with dancing."
• "It's different. I would really use glow sticks or a UV theme for this video but it's different and a good idea. I like the idea how it goes through day to night." 

(Most Significant) Negative Comments:

• "Good mixture between redundant and entropic. Bits of it are typical "cheesy" but that's the effect they want."

The feedback we got from this section of the pitch presentation was outstanding. We did not got one completely negative comment. The class responded well to our glow stick and dance concepts for our music video. The only negative criticism we got was that some parts of our ideas are a bit "cheesy," but because that is aimed to attract our target audience, we need to keep that element.

A sample of comments on thoughts and logistical arrangements.
(Most significant) Positive Comments:

• "I think the shooting locations are practical, and the dancing idea is cool."
• "Clear health and safety plans."
• "Thought through and clear."
• "Filming in streets should be fine, and I think organization for this video is going to be the key."

(Most significant) Negative Comments:

• "Thought well about health and safety. Where will they get a huge group of people? Transport location?" 
• "Trying to get a suitable piano and dancing location could be hard."
• "Filming on trains may take a lot of time, which will be difficult with other passengers around."
• "Could be difficult to film being in a public place.

The overall feedback that our class gave us for our given ideas on the logistical arrangements to make our music video practically, were that we had thought carefully about our health and safety arrangements, but we had not thought enough about the practicability of shooting in public places, such as trains and streets. Also, we have concluded that we need to think about the arrangements behind organizing a big group of people, and how we are going to get a piano which suits the genre of the music video (ie, classical).  

Comments on the technical aspects of the idea - does it sound achievable with the college equipment? 
(Most signifiant) Positive Comments:

• "Shown test shots so it is achievable with college equipment."
• "It does sound achieveable and exciting to do. I think the equipment will be fine."
• "Yeah I'm pretty sure the equipment will achieve what they want."
• "Yes as not many effects were mentioned, will come down to level of camera work as well."

(Most signifiant) Negative Comments:

• "Aside from the piano and dancing it seems fairly simple."
• "Sounds achievable, location filming may be difficult with busy streets."
• "It does seem achievable, but it may be hard to film in a very public place, like a city." 
• "Sounds quite achievable, may be difficult to find a large group of people to perform the final scene."

The feedback on this section was very important, because it's made me take into consideration the way that I shall make sure that the filming is to a good, professional looking standard. The positive comments rounded to state how our project ultimately will be fine to film with college equipment; but the negative comments outline the difficulty in filming in public places (as mentioned above) and that it may be hard to film in busy streets with large groups of people.

Does the idea sound realistic? i.e. does it actually sound like an idea for music video/print work? 

(Most significant) Positive Comments:

• "Yes, I was impressed by the examples they used so I can see it being a top class video."
• "It does sound like a good video, very suited to the song."
• "Sounds very realistic. Used research to show how it will look like a music video and with own ideas - Going through to day/night has a meaning."
• "Yes, can imagine bold colours, great dancers."

(Most significant) Negative Comments:

• "Yes, but again may be hard to use large groups of people. (With glow paints etc)."
• "It sounds like a lot of acting but very good achievable idea."
• "Reminds me of the T-Mobile adverts."

We had a really positive response to how realistic the music video sounded. The class said how the examples of the other music video's which influenced us, proved to them that our idea would work. They responded to our music video concept by saying that it sounded exciting and suited to the song/genre which we were using. The idea of bold colours, etc.. stood out as a significant importance to definitely involve in our video. There was not much negativity towards our video concept at all. We just have to be careful and be thorough in the organization of large groups of people being filmed; and the comment about the T-Mobile advert has directed me towards that for more inspiration. 

Overall, does this idea sound exciting and achievable?

(Most significant) Positive Comments:

• "Yes deffo. It sounds exciting and something new, not the conventional dark and gloomy love songs that are out."
• "Yes sounds fun and will attract a lot of people."
• "The idea is very achievable due to good planning and preparation."
• "Yes, glow sticks and bright vibes."

(Most significant) Negative Comments:

• "It sounds interesting, slightly difficult to achieve to a professional standard but it is achievable."
• "Achievable but for me personally it doesn't excite me."

The feedback to the final section of our pitch, questioning if our music video idea sounds exciting and achievable had a tremendously positive response. Almost the entire class commented on how it sounded exciting etc, apart from two people who were worried about it being okay to film at a professional standard, and that it didn't excite another individual - but that might change once it is made. The positive comments generally highlighted the use of bright colours and glow sticks which we wish to use and make significant in the video, as well as the fact that the idea sounds like it would attract a lot of people (especially its target audience).

TARGETS:

- Coherent idea - visual, i.e. photography

- Theory is integral part in what we're doing

Gathering of Creative Ideas (No.1)

Lately I have been gaining a lot of inspiration for our music video through certain images that I have been finding, and through some music videos that I have been coming across through inspirational research.

Within this inspiration, I have pulled out parts which have inspired me to make our music video better:

• The different focuses of the lights in one shot.
• The way that fairy lights are draped around people. 
• The way a whole room is covered in glow paint. 
• The way a simple room, i.e. bathroom, is sprayed with glow paint.
• The way lights come forward towards the camera - as though zooming towards it.
• People's silhouettes against the glow painted walls.
• The pictures of flowers which are created out of different colored glow paints.
• The way people's heads are with glow paint.
• Tents/covers which glow. 
• Blurred lights.
• Dust under the skateboard - as it is lifted up.
• A crowd of people in front of one person looking down at them.
• Pictures of pegs, hanging from trees

I HAVE DECIDED THAT THE CONCLUSIONS FROM THIS PHOTO INSPIRATION IS VERY SUITED TO MY DIGIPAK PROJECT. (as well as for the music video).

Justin Bieber Ft. Usher - Somebody To Love

I really like the use of dust here, which is what I picked up from my previous photographic inspiration of the skateboard lifting above dust. I feel that the "dust effect" in this Justin Bieber music video, as he dances at the beginning, produces an entropic quality and makes the dance look more interesting and captivating than it would if it was without the dust effect.

The close ups on the people's feet dancing in the dust help to emphasize this. The use of the smoke machine in the background creates an atmosphere which links with the dust, and gives purpose. I am considering using something like this for some of the dance parts of our music video.

Yves Larock - Raise Up


This music video expresses the themes and values that we want to express in our own music video. The sense and feeling of 'unity' is very significant in this video, and the quick cuts/shots keep the audience interested and rearing to keep watching. I like the colour tone incorporated in this video (big, bright colours) and I also like the extended use of props to make the 'unity' concept bigger - i.e. skipping ropes, etc.

The varied camera angles make the crowd of people look bigger than it probably was. High shots, low shots, long shots, close ups and varied cut paces keep the conventions of a music video, but makes it look professional and easy to watch, (as it flows well).

Leona Lewis - Forgive Me


The dance element is the main concept to this music video. From this video, I have taken inspiration from the way that the shots are put together when loads of people are dancing together. I also have taken into consideration the way that the camera moves around the people, and the different angles which are incorporated with them.

The use of bright colours given to the dancer's clothes instantly illuminate the atmosphere and vibe given off in the music video, making it light hearted. The camera pans, tracking shots and zooms make the video appear fast paced and makes the dancing look more exciting. I shall take this all into account when creating my own music video with my media partner.

Other Ideas:
Another added idea I found whilst watching MTV, was from P!nk's music video - Raise Your Glass. At the end of the video, P!nk is surrounded by sky lanterns, which I thought would be a nice addition to our music video, if we filmed people letting them off, etc. It would make the finale scene more of an "event."

Analysing Existing Products

CD Digipak Analysis (of a similar genre to my own)

Website findings reference:

http://www.allcdcovers.com/find/music/albums/new

Shakira - Donde Estan Los Ladrones? (1998) Retail CD

This digipak fits well with Shakira's genre of music, as the design expresses her niche and who is she is about. This cover is constructing a brand image of Shakira being innocent, because there is no exposure or revealing clothes being worn. The themes/colors/typography match on each side of the digipak, including the CD. This is what I need to take note on for my own digipak design. This digipak is likely to appeal to its target audience because the theme matches the music type which she has always produced, clearly, it is targeted at a young adult audience, consisting of females.

Stereophonics - Just Enough Education To Perform (11 Tracks) (2001) Retail CD

This digipak is different to the previous because there are no photos, only drawings and graphics. However, this still makes the digipak effective because of the way that it's been carried on, onto each side - which makes it become a key concept/theme for the pack. It reaches out to Stereophonic's target audience (of 17-28 year olds), as their genre is alternative rock, and I feel that this digipak's design portrays this well. I also feel that this is what the target audience's age range would appeal to. The pack's typography/theme/colours, etc... maintains the band's image because it portrays their genre well and signifies an atmosphere about their music and lyrics.

Inside Again - End Of The Beginning (2010) Retail CD

The digipak for this band 'Inside Again' portrays the genre of their music clearly, which is in fact progressive rock/metal.. Even though this is not the same genre as to what my music video/digipak shall be, I thought that the digipak was effective in the way that it's style is the most consistent and stays the most true throughout many other digipaks I have researched. I have learnt something from analyzing this digipak: that the colouring is what connotes the genre of the band's music the most, which would instantly attract its target audience (of young adults, being mostly men). This digipak is maintaining and constructing a brand image through the detail behind the colour co-ordination/typography/photos of the band etc...

Magazine Advert Analysis

This magazine is aimed at a mature audience (20-48 year olds), those of which between A and C1 on the Jicnar's scale. The artists within this magazine would be aimed at around the same genre as my chosen artist. The cover, for example constructs and maintains the band image, by showing that they are a serious band, most likely conducting a christian/pop genre... the concept of the band is implicated through the style of typography, colour choice and the camera shot/angle that the band is focused in. This would be a good magazine choice to have my advert in

This music advert is from a magazine, but it appears to be under the same type of genre as  what my artist's music shall be - the lighting of the photograph, and the way it is edited regarding the coloured/sepia effect helps connote this, as well as with the use of the typography, and the way that the title is centered in the middle of the advert. The band advertised in this advert though however, are obviously able to afford a full page advert, which would cost around £200, but if this was put into a lot of magazines then it would truely add up. However, I like the simplicity in this advert, and it would be aimed at the same target audience age range as mine, because it has the same type of design layout that I've been finding occur in a pattern, aimed at my specific target audience. This advert also shows that it's of a classical genre, possibly, because of the peaceful photo and the way the colours are altered to.

Digipak Research and Planning

The measurements for typical CD digipaks:
12 cm X 12 cm
          = print size, with a spine. 

How will my audience recognize the genre of the music from viewing my digipak?
The digipak shall be suited to the music genre intended by the key concepts which I shall bring present, including the target audience's preferences.
This involves:
- Color type/range
- The clothing/costumes the people wear. Eg, how revealing outfits shall be etc..
- Font, size and color of the text
- How illustrative/amplifying/disjunctive it is in regard to the messages and themes of the music on the "CD"
-The title of the digipak, in reference to the above


How will the 'house style' be linked to the brand image of my band?
How will I link the styles of the video, cover and advert all together, so it all matches?
The style of my work in the three sections shall relate to each other, because I will apply the same set of rules for each detail that I undertake when creating this.
I will use the same:
-Typography style 
-Coloring style/theme
-General concept
-Clothing style 
-Location type
-Link the title in with all the other aspects of advertising and imagery around it


What is the digipak cover for?
Arguably, the way that a digipak works, and the important role which it plays in promoting the music within it has now changed as technology has drastically developed to the stage where the majority of people are buying online. In my opinion, this new change in technology makes the importance of the digipaks appearance extremely necessary to reach out to the target audience; whether getting them to click on it in iTunes or to take it off a shelf in HMV.
The digipak is for:
-Attracting the band's target audience 
-Advertising on the shelf/iTunes charts 
-A collectable, and something to make the band's music appear more special 
-Visual promotion and display of the music that's within it
-A way to get a better feel for the band 
-A way to give more appreciation to what the band's interests and visual values are like outside of just the lyrics 
-A visual way to express the lyrics and songs in general


The size of the advert?
I need to think about the way that the band shall be advertised. Regarding the amount of page space which my chosen band (Chris Eaton.. who I shall explain more about later) could afford to advertise with in a magazine - I would say that he would have an average amount of money to advertise, because although he is not signed to a major label, he is one of Britain's classical songwriters, having worked with Cliff Richard, etc. Therefore he would be able to take up about half the page space. The magazines which are appropriate for my target audience would be for mature audiences, such as the category who enjoy the 'easy listening.' I could save some money by using the advert online though however, for instance - through viral marketing on sites such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and his site alone.
I would need to consider the variable cost of advertising through magazines and through the internet, then sum up which one is most efficient.. or, whether I could advertise both ways, but spend less money on one rather than the other.
Here is my advertising research:

This was found on: 
http://www.marketingminefield.co.uk/traditional-marketing/print-advertising/costs.html
I have established that it would be most effective to advertise through viral marketing on the internet, because that way, word gets out faster and it is free. However, I have found out through this research that it would be approximately £100 for a half page ad in a magazine, which I think my singer could afford, if he advertised in just a few magazines. I would try this out and then see how effective it is, and how well it reaches the target audience, then I would act on the successes of this advertising plan.


How shall I get the photos taken for the digipak?
I shall use my SLR camera D500, to take images for my digipak. I do not wish to take pictures whilst filming my music video, because I want to visually portray the artist's music as a whole, rather than just for the one song which I am shooting the music video for. Therefore, I shall book a separate shoot with specific chosen models, in specific locations to match the artist's concept of what he's all about, and also so that I can reach my target audience effectively.