About Me

My photo
Bristol, United Kingdom
I am a media student at John Cabot Academy and I am working in a group with Kayla and Kayleigh to create a music video.

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Final Music Video

This is a link to our final Music Video with showing our audience feedback below

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150161557750319&ref=mf

Friday 7 May 2010

Evaluation. Q1.

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




technologie

Thursday 6 May 2010

Evaluation. Q2.

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



I think our music video and ancillary taks work well together because we have continuously used the same style of costume, props, mis en scene throughout.


All of our music video is in black and white which works well with the cd album cover and the magazine advertisement which we have also created in black & white. These work well together & also give a effect on the style of song we are portraying.




For our ancillary tasks we kept the black & white colour scheme throughout except for a few faded images.




The magazine advertisement we felt we needed to add a bit of colour to make it more interesting and eye catching so we added a few pink swirls. This works well with the inside pages of the cd album cover as we have lowered the saturation of the colour of the image so it looks effective and still fits in with black & white but also shows the pink flower & shows colour from her top.




We have kept the images using direct eye contact throughout except for 'Inside Page 2' which we felt would work well as it would give a little bit of a change.




The font has also stayed very similar throughout.We used the artist name 'storm' the same throughtout to portray her signature.

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Evaluation. Q3.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms & conventions of real media products?

Album Cover:

Use:
- Close up of artist, takes up nearly
whole front cover
- Eye contact with audience
- Bigger name, Little title

Challenges:
We were going to challenge the album cover with a different photo of the artist, it was a faded out colour and she didn’t have eye contact with the audience as she was looking away. We chose not to use this photo as we did not want to challenge those conventions.


We did challenge the conventions of the colour of the album cover, inspired by Beyonce & Lady GaGa we decided to do have a black & white album cover.


Magazine Advertisement:

Use:

- We have used a similar image used to the one in Cheryl Cole’s ‘3 words’ advertisement.
- They both have direct eye contact with the audience and have the same body style both showing the top of there arm.
- We think the black and white effect on Cheryl’s worked well so we decided to use it as well.

Challenge:
- The colour we have used on ours makes it more unique and more interesting for a advertisement.
- We have kept our image more simple and her arm is covered up. On cheryl's her image stands out with a big flower hat and her shoulder is on show.


Music Video:

Use: We used conventions by having narrative and performing shots during are video, we also had mixed. We had conventional dancing, jewellery & clothing.


We used the same style of costume throughout the video & used jewellery & dancing to portray the RnB genre.



Challenge: We challenged conventions by having the whole video in black & white.

These are screenshots of music videos that are similar to ours although not in black white. Some of our dance moves that we use are from what we were inspired by in Cassie's music video. Other clips are what we found from Moulin Rouge, Christina Aguleria & Beyonce. We analysed these artists and there videos which inspired us.



Monday 26 April 2010

Final Project

Magazine Advertisement




Album Cover



Inside Page 1


Inside Page 2



Inside Page 3


Our main blog is where we follow each other & get fans to leave feedback.
We have also created our own Facebook page where there is a easy link to our Music Video to recieve feedback, like the other pages & we keep people updated on our Twitter page.
All of these pages have very similar ways of updating people & recieving feedback.

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Storyboard














Questionnaire - Audience Feedback

Audience Feedback









We used our Facebook page to recieve feedback from our fans & anonomous users.


Questionnaire

Questionnaire - Audience Feedback

Rate out of 5
5 - being the highest.

How would you rate the story line?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

How would you rate the use of camera shots?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Does it look like a R&B music video?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Variety of shot types?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Holding a shot steady where appropriate?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate?
1.
2.
3.
4
5.

Using a variety of shot distances and angles?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Selecting mis-en-scene including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting where appropriate?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Editing so meaning is apparent?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Using effects selectively and appropriately?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Overall, how would you rate the music video out of 5?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Thursday 18 March 2010

Changes

Changes through filming.

Originally: The genre is RnB and we were going to contain a Male Rap artist and a Female RnB artist.
New Idea: Our video contains a female artist.


Originally: Have Mike, rapping in the song and narrative shots of him. Use his photos on magazine advertisement & album cover.
New Idea: We cut our video down and we dont feature Mike in the song or the video. He is no longer featured on the album cover or magazine advertisement.

Although filming him may have had more of effect on the song, the story is clear enough without using his part.


Originally: We were going to have a 'dad' figure being filmed to show the abuse and add flashbacks to emphasise this.
New Idea: We have just used the narrative and performing shots & decided not to use any flashbacks of the abuse.

Narrative shots of her in the studio shows the audience that this is where she feels safe and free from her storyline portrayed in the song. This is where she dances & is the person she wants to be.


Orininally:Our ideas at first were to film an ambulance at the end of our shot to show how the actions of her abuse ended

New Idea: We have decided to end our music video with the girl coming off the floor and used editing to make her appear to be lifting off the floor and getting on her feet as a backwards effect.


Originally: We thought of having flashback shots in black in white

New Idea: We have the whole video in black and white and i think it gives a great effect to the style and story to our song.



Originally: we were going to have a faded out colour of artist and she wasnt looking at camera

New Idea: Close up, black & white & she has eye contact with audience

Sunday 7 March 2010

Locations


This is the dance studio where we filmed out narrative.
We chose a dance studio to show a place where the young girl could get away from everything that the song explains, through dance. This is her place where she can be herself.


We used this bench for many of our narrative shots. It makes the young girl seem very closed in and alone as it is a darker cornered off area which portrays this.




We used this place for narrative and to show the girl lying on the floor.



This is where we see some narrative and performing shots.



This is the sofa we used to use narrative & performing shots. We also moved this sofa in the studio. The sofa is used as a prop which makes it more interesting.

Thursday 19 November 2009

Music Video Assesment

I have assesed three music videos made by gcse students.

The first one that i assesed was a song by N Dubz, Ouch. I have assesed it to be a level 3 because the shot transistions are good and the costume fitted the genre. They used the conventions using the jewellery, outfits. To improve they need to have better lighting and add more scenes to show narrative.

The second one that i assesed was a song by Martine Mcutcheon, perfect moment. I gave this a level 3 because there was good steady shots and good editing skills.
To improve they need more narrative and could add flashbacks and smoother cuts.

The third one that i assesed was Mariah Carey, Bye Bye. I assesed this video to be a level 2/3 as the flashbacks were good. To improve the shots need to be steady and need need to make sure people dont walk in on the filming. It is not in sync and the shots were not steady. To improve they need to be more careful when filming to exclude unappropiate elements.

Wednesday 18 November 2009

Targets

I have been given four targets to improve my blog.

1. Analyse music video
2. Test shots
3. Roles & Responsibilities
4. Add flickr
Production
1. High angle shots

Monday 2 November 2009

Reflective Writing

To help me with my media product i have done many things for research.

At first i listed the usual codes & conventions of a magazine advertisemet, a cd cover, and a music video.

I wanted to get more detailed codes and conventions of these so first i analysed cd covers. I need to analyse one more cd cover with a ft artist as this fits what we are doing, (Storm ft Mike).

I then went on to analysing websites. Although are group are sure we are not going to make a website, just cd cover, and a advertisement in a magzine i still thought it would be useful towards my project if i researched into them.

I have analysed one music video which realy helps as it is a female singer ft a male artist which matched our song type. However i will be analysing another music video to make the codes & conventions more clear and help me know what i want to aim for in making our music video.

For my audience and representation research i have made a diagram of common stereotypes so we can focus on targeting the right audience to match our genre. I will be doing a questionnaire to find out what our target audience like and dislike and what they would expect from RnB artists.

I have wrote about the different theories and linked them to my media product.

Me and my group have planned and set ideas for our cd cover, advertisement & music video.
I found all this very useful as it helped me and my group plan and storyboard for our final music video.
Currently we are working to finish the editing, we have finished the magazine advertisement & the album cover is finished.

The music video has been edited to black and white to give more of a dramatic effect.

At first we were just going to make the studio shots black and white but in some of themare performing which we dont think will have the effect we wanted. So we have changed the whole video to a black & white effect.



Media Forms, Analysis & Images

Decoding & Encoding

As consumers we have learned to read a ‘media language.’ (decode)

Decoding is the way that we read and understand things as viewers.
We decode signs in the same way that we decode a language.
Encoding is the process used for recognition & interpretation.

As producers we are expected to encode with ideologies and codes and conventions to fit our genre. McMahon And Quinns study (1998) think that texts are encoded by three different forms, these are; technical, symbolic and written.

We are going to encode our video using different angle shots to portray the abuser and victim. These need to be clear so that viewers are able to decode. We will use different camera & angle shots such as high angle shots to emphasise the victim and there vulnerability and low angle shots showing the abuser and their power over the victim. We will use extreme close ups and to show clearer emotions and 2 shots showing the relationship. We want the viewers to decode this understanding the idea of domestic violence / abuse.
We will have a shot of the victim being punched in the face. We will show a fist coming towards the victims face and then cut to a shot of her showing crying emotions which avoids any actual violence being seen but will still be effective.
Just like the conventions of a music video we will use performing shots and narrative.

Semiotics
Denotation: What can I see?
Connotation: What does this signify?

Semiotics is the theory and study of signs and symbols.
From our video we want viewers to be able to read the signs and symbols clearly.
eg. in our music video we are showing performing act of a fist coming towards the victim.
The fist becomes a sign. The actual fist coming towards the face is the signifier. This signifies violence.



Iconic signs: which actually look like what they represent.
Symbolic/arbitrary signs: which have a meaning that must be culturally learned because they don’t actually look like what they represent.
Indexical signs: which have a connection to what they represent and are suggestive rather than directly resembling what they represent.

Our video should show more iconic signs as they are clear and simple to recognise what the actions and shots represent.

Intertextuality


Wednesday 28 October 2009

Ideas. The Music Video

The Music Video

Step By Step
At the beginning of the music video there is 34 second instrumental. In this time gap the ideas so far is to have the rapper ( Mike ) and the singer ( Storm ). Between the two of them there is going to be straight cuts of them both.


The filming is going to consist of filming storm and filming mike for 4-5 minutes in the same place. Either looking down, walking away from the camera walking towards the camera. we can then edited the film so that they fit into the slots.


Places to film
Town,
Centre by the fountains,
Steps. (sitting down)
Sat on grass
Storm led on the floor looking into the camera.
Mike stood in the door way of a run down place.
School
Studio,
On the field, by the trees.
Also on the sofas on the photography room.


We are also going to film the Storm getting hit ( not real ) and then her upset, sad, crying.
This will also be used in the instrumentals and Chorus.


The Chorus is 1-18 mins long.
this will need to include Storm as the main character because she will be singing. we think the filming of this should be of her and flash backs. i think that the editing should be straight cuts.
there is also a second intro which is 1-42 at 1-53 long.
And also a third intro which is 10 seconds long.
Mike comes in the song at 3.35 and then he finishes at 4.42.
we are going to film mike is the studio against the white and the black background we are then going to edit it by adding in different clips of him walking and sitting down rapping.


The end of the music video
The duration of the song is 5.30 mins longs.
The film is going to end with Mike & Storm at the end with mikes arm over her shoulder.
We still need to decide on a few places to film. We think that once we start doing our story boards and start filming everything will come together.

Ideas. Magazine Advertisement

Magazine Advertisement

Images
Mid 2 Shot of Storm & Mike
Close up of Storm (main artist)
Smaller Picture of Mike in Background
The Album Cover

Setting
Inside: In school, In photography Studio, use of different drops.
Outside: Weather conditions (Rain, Cloudy, Sunny), Walking, Sitting, Park, Quiet atmosphere.

Text
Artist name, Album name, Release Date, Featuring songs, Upcoming events

Tuesday 6 October 2009

Ideas. Album Cover

Album Cover

Shots
2 Shot of Storm and Mike, together.
2 Shot of Storm and Mike, one at front, one behind slightly out of focus looking smaller.
Close up of storm, text 'ft Mike / Genesis.

Background/Setting
Studio, black or white backdrop.
All one colour, this will send more focus to the images of the artists.
A picture background, which allows viewers to portray the artists & know more about the album.
Props:
Jewellery, Microphone/Headphones
Colours
Black, Red, White, Gold
Text
Artist name large across the whole width of cover, with the 'ft mike' just below
The artist name and ft name together at bottom of page.
Bold text, Coloured text, make sure it stands out from the background.



Little Young Girl - Storm Ft Genesis

This song is about a girl who gets abused. This is a very moving song and very emotional. Enjoy!

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Theories

Genre Theory
Media text tend to fit in to specific genres, for example films can be classified as romance, comedy, horror and many more. Tv shows and Music can also be sorted into genres for example sitcom, quiz show, soap etc and rnb, pop and rap etc.
John Fiske, a media theorist stated that 'any one programme will bear the main characteristics of its genre, it it is likely to include some others'.
This is known as a 'sub-genre'. An example of this is rom-com (romantic comedy) and slasher which is a sub genre of a horror film.
In music videos i think that they are very generic, meaning they all follow one formula.

Audience Theory
'All the worlds a stage, all the men and all the women merely players'.
Some people seen media audience as being easily manipulated. Masses of people who can be persuaded to buy products through advertising or to follow corrupt leaders through propaganda.

Do you think media separates us or brings us closer together?
I think most media activities now are done alone, which separates us, such as social networking sites, mobile phones, email etc. Media such as cinema, or shows brings us closer together as you wouldn't go on your own.
Herbert Blumer 1950 - Sociologist.

Hypodermic Syringe
Media is like a syringe which injects ideas, attitudes, beliefs into audience who, as a mass audience has very little choice but to be influenced. Music videos do not usually have a age ban on it, as it is available to see by anyone. To help prevent this theory from being too effective we are going to make sure we can portray the violence clearly so viewers can decode but not show any physical violence and just use cuts to show what has happend as they would encode was going to happen but not showing it. Our video will not be able to leave a set image of violence as it is how the audience decode it.

The Culmination Theory
One media text does not have too much effect, years and years of watching more violence, so will make you less sensitive to violence. Our video is not a violent video as it doesnt show any actual violence just the intentions that the victim is being abused by the type of the shots we show. Our video is portrayed more as a recognisation that domestic abuse is happening and the bad effects. The scenes of violece shots will be 'ubtle'.

Two Step Flow
'Masses' will experience media individually but once discussion about what they have watched with others will influence peoples opinions / behaviours. People directly influence eachother.

Uses & Gratification
We make choices about what we want to watch & have expectations; we expect to be gratified by what we watch (being satisfied).

There are five different types
1. Information
2. Entertainment
3. Personal Identity
4. Social
5. Escapism
We will match Andrew Goodmans Theory: We have decided that our music video is going to contain some visual interpretations for example we are going to include some 'subtle' scenes of domestic violence to match the lyrics.


Thursday 9 July 2009

Audience Research

The type of genre that my music fits into is RnB. I am going to need to do audience research to find out what our target audience like and dislike and what they would expect from RnB artists. There are many ways to find this information out such as, Questionnaires, Interviews, Focus Groups etc.

Questionnaires are quick and easy but they will only gove quantative research. However if i choose to do my Audience Research through a Focus Group then i can get qualative research which will give me a better view and understanding of the audiences feedback.

I think the audience that we target are going to be young male/females who are into rap and RnB. If i was to stereotype people, I do not think that the stereotyped groups such as emos, goths or skaters will be into this type of music. However i think the stereotyped groups such as chavs, rappers, indie style will like this type of music. I think that anyone from the ages 15 - 30 would listen to this type of music.

Here are some common stereotypes :