In what ways
does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
My music
video shows many media conventions of real media products. For example
throughout my piece there is a continuity of fast cuts as well as close ups.
Using these in my video has helped me create a “star image”; the term 'star'
refers to the semi-mythological set of meanings constructed around music
performers in order to sell the performer to a large and loyal audience, which
is a theory that Dyer uses. Using close ups and fast cuts in the video has also
helped bring a youthfulness and a sexual magnetism to the video. The locations
I chose were always going to help show off the ‘star’ of the video developing
the conventions of my real media product. My first location that we see is a
plain white background; I did this so that the concentration was on the actor,
once again helping create the star image, selling the image. Another location
is yet another simple backdrop, pastel colored flowers. I decided to use this
as it was playful and helped brighten up the video; it gave a contrast from the
white backdrop as well as helping the audience focus on the actor by enticing
them. We also see the actor in the location of an outside area, in Elvaston Castle.
Using this helped the video be more realistic and helped me achieve the effect
I wanted, flirting to camera, and in this location, playing in leaves was the
action to do so. The choice of costumes and props were also a factor in
developing real forms of media in my music video. The costumes really
complimented the mood and vibe of the product. The chosen costumes were
feminine and appealed to the target audience; they were used in particular to
reflect back to the playfulness and sexiness of the song. Props were not a
major role in my media project; in fact the only prop used was a cat, helping
represent the performance to be carefree, playful and whimsical, challenging
forms and conventions of real media products. The factors camerawork, framing
and editing all develop forms and conventions of real media products in my
music video. Throughout we see fast cuts, close ups and extreme close ups. This
again helped me portray a ‘star image’ and also allows the audience to be drawn
in by using these main features. The colours in my media product reflect forms
and conventions of real media products. For example in Rihanna’s ‘Only girl in the world’ she uses a tinted pink colour
throughout her music video. I wanted to have the same effect but using
different shades. This decision was made as it fits well with the genre and
mood of the song and it fits perfectly, therefore developing the forms and
conventions of real media products. There is no narrative to my media product,
it is performance based and I believe that it has many factors to which it
shows real conventions and forms of a real media product. During the time of my
music video the performance is to of high standards and never fails to bring
the ‘buzz’ of the video down. Just like in professional music videos the actors
are always on top with their performance. From my planning, I wanted the
performance to be flirtatious to camera by trying to draw in the audience, by
also performing to camera being playful, elegant, cheerful, romantic and witty.
All of which were definitely the case in my product. Making it look
professional and having a winning performance, just like we see in the real
music videos. The artist is represented throughout being playful, sexy, witty,
cheerful, light-hearted and stylish. All of which are what we would say
supports the role of a ‘star image’, fulfilling real forms and conventions of
real music products. By using special effects to fir my music video it develops
forms of real music products. I have used several special affects in my product,
for example throughout there is continuity of sped up shots and slowed down
shots, which both help to show wit and sexiness, which is what we see in real
music videos of today, therefore I have fulfilled forms of real media products.
The use of technology used in my music video and during the making of it is
what real directors and editors would use for their products. I used a HD
camera, lighting, tripod and particular software to edit the product. All these
helped me during the making to help me create my music video and to make it
look as real as a media product.
The title
on my digipak is bold and compliments the image used. The text I chose would be
what I would call, retro funky. It stands out well and is well suited for the
artist and gives the album cover the wow factor. I decided to keep the text the
same for the whole digipak as I felt that continuity would suit mine best and
from researching digipak’s in by research stage it would seem that I am
developing forms of real media products. The setting and the location of my
digipak was a plain white background, again I wanted to keep it as simple as
possible and felt that by doing so it would help sell the ‘star image’. I
wanted it all to be kept as simple as possible and keep the focus of the
digipack on the artist. Again, from my research into digipak’s I found that
it’s what my type of genre and target audience would buy, ‘star image’ sells
well, and in my case it would. By doing this and following the ‘star image’
theory that Dyer follows it would seem that I developed forms and conventions
of real media products by doing so. The framing in my images for the digipak
was close up and was done so to sell the artist. Editing was heavily used, I
wanted keep the same sort of energy as I had done in the music video so it felt
appropriate to do the same for the digipak. Doing this, is what I noticed real
artists do, it’s kind of what I would call a theme, whatever the image is like
for the album it is what the rest of the media products are like with certain
artists. For example, Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream digipak has the same theme as
her album, sugar pop and sweet, it uses the same image as Katy is in one of the
music videos from the album, and also what she themed as her world tour. The
genre is 60’s French pop and I believe the text helps represent this, as I used
a font which I like to call, retro funk fitting the genre perfectly and shows
of the artist in a stylish form.
For my
Magazine advert I wanted the title of the album to be bold and stand out so it
would catch the reader’s attention when they turned the page so they would
stop, look, read and go buy the album! The text used was the same as the text
used for the digipak, I thought this would give the album a theme and this text
would be the form of which the artist would be recognized with. The setting
location for the advert was once again to be plain, in the image I chose for
the ad the artist is selling the album by far, its excellent quality and by the
use of framing and editing it would draw the reader straight in. I used a high
brightness affect so the skin of the artist was flawless and I highly brightened
the backdrop too, helping the text to stand out. Therefore the framework,
editing, use of texts I gave on the magazine advert helped me create this
“start image” most definitely and fulfilled what I had as a target, to sell the
artist as simply as possible and by doing so it had forms of real media
products.
How effective is the combination of your main
product and ancillary texts?
There is a similarity and a theme
of continuity that I fulfilled in my music video and then digipak, selling the
star by going by Dyers theory ‘star image’. For example, cats are a theme that
I gave for this album, within the music video as well as the digipak. We find a
cat in both, I did this as from research into the artist I found that Brigitte
Bardot was a lover of animals, cats in particular. I also did it as I thought
it would be a noticeable theme that would help sell the image of the star as
well as the star herself, creating a connection to both texts. An example of
similarities of the two ancillary texts is found within the digipak and
magazine advert. We see the same star image of the artist, close ups, the face
of the artist is the move that I made to sell. In fact, I used a majority of
close ups and extreme close ups in my music video too, these images are what I
believe helps sell the products to the best level.
What have you learned from your audience
feedback?
From getting
audience feedback I’ve learnt what is good in my media products and I’ve found
out what maybe I could do to change or to make better. I learnt this by getting
my results back by scribing what they thought after looking at all ancillary
texts.
The reviews
of my Magazine advert were very positive. One person said he liked the
photograph used in it, he said that it was, quote, “Fresh”. This is a
compliment as I feel that it is a “fresh” image as it’s a clear image that
would help sell the artist. Others commented on the release date, how it was a
good contrast in text from the other texts given. Several thought the reviews
were excellent and they liked the use of stars I used for the rates. An
individual complimented on the photograph as they liked the fact that it is
just the artist alone in it. This is possibly my most praised comment as that’s
what I wanted. I wanted the artist to be able to sell by just their face. Like
Dyers theory of the “star image”. Critiques on the Magazine advert were that
maybe it was a bit too bare/white (backdrop). I take this into account,
however, if I made it too busy then it would’ve taken away the simplicity of my
theme of selling the star with close ups and the theory of the “star image”. Other’s
said maybe I could add in a French magazine as a reviewer and several suggested
that I could have outlined the title of the Album white so it stood out even
more. Overall I feel that the comments made in criticising this product are
reasonable, however, if I did have the chance to change it I wouldn’t as I
think the key is to be simple and to not overdo it.
Comments on
the digipak were of mostly positive. Several liked the font, quote from one
said it was “cool”. Others praised the photographs, and talked about how it would
help memorise the artist. One person in particular, Holly, liked the scarf that
I had in several of the photographs, making it cohesive and recognisable.
Several had commented on the contrast in colours and how they liked the colour
scheme. When criticising my digipak two people in particular picked up on how I
don’t have anything wrote inside, they suggested that it would be good if there
was, like a “thanks to...”. To this I do see where they’re coming from, however
from my research into other artists digipak’s they are all reasonably focused
onto the artist and I still wanted the simplicity to remain. Ashley picked up
on how all photographs fall upon the same backdrop, and suggested that I varied
this. Taking into consideration of this I wouldn’t change the photographs, they
were supposed to have that continuity through the digipak so it flowed and
focused on the artist rather than the surroundings.
I’m very
happy with the outcome of the feedback from my music video. Several spoke about
how they enjoyed the performance given by the actor and how it suited the genre
and the theme of the video and that all lip synching was in time. People
praised on the good use of visual shots and how it showed off the artist well.
Holly in particular commented on the use of colour I used, which I’m very happy
about. I wanted a coloured effect of off pinks and enhanced lighting in my
music video to help show off the age of the song; it was from the sixties so I
wanted it to have that old time effect and over exaggerated light. Criticism on
the video consisted of the same comments, more lip synching, which I very well
believe could have been done, more locations. The comment on locations I take
into account, however, the outgoing performance by the actor is what was to
shine through more than the locations. Overall I’m happy with the comments
given, the positives reflect on what I most wanted out of the feedback.
How did you use new
media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation
stages?
During the research for my ancillary texts I found Google and YouTube
highly effective on helping me out during the process. Google helped me
research a mammoth amount of research, such as directors and using so it
filtered to which ones I eventually chose. Here I had to find out as much as
needed about music video directors and about previous work they’ve done and
Google sorted me out! It provided me with information such as music career
background, such as which artists they’ve worked with in the past and what videos
they’re mostly famous for. I also found YouTube without doubt as useful for my
research into music directors too. I searched certain music videos that the
directors had directed and from this I spoke about what it was that I found
most interesting about their pieces of art! For example, Anthony Mandler was
one that I researched with Google and YouTube with; I found out that he had
collaborated with Rihanna and The Killers, two completely different artists.
What I liked the most about his work was what he portrays in
these videos with Rihanna and then The Killers; his style tells a story in
a unique way that shows off the song and the artist. These two particular
music videos both come across as a short film, which I find impressive to do
with in just under 6 minutes. Google and YouTube were also both very
helpful with research into my chosen Artist, Brigitte Bardot and much more.
During my planning time I found Prezi very useful to help me have my plans out
clearly and efficiently and not set out or to be looked at in a dull way and
form. Prezi was useful to me to have as it showed out my plans well and
organised.
When in the process of editing my music video I used a very helpful
programme, Adobe Premier Pro. Using this programme enabled me to use special
effects and to edit my films which were HD. For example, it allowed me to
mirror images, speed up, slow down, edit colour, and add special effects like a
“roll” onto it. I did come across some difficulties where it was hard at the
start to get back to remembering where everything was, however within half an
hour of editing I got the hang of it again. Using the programme also allowed me
to download my music video and export it as YouTube video. Without this it
would have been difficult for me to get it onto my blog to be able to show what
I had created to the class as well as teacher etc. Another difficulty I came
across was right at the end of the editing journey. I had exported it so it was
enabled to be put onto YouTube (YT), however, when uploaded onto YT the “roll”
affect that I had edited in did not work, so I had to go back and see if by
exporting it to different export it would work, again it did not. In the end I
did have to take the edit out, however, I have still got the previous exported
videos so I will send one off on CD to the exam board and see if it works on
that if not then I still have the other version without the “roll” affects on
YT. I used Photoshop in the process of editing my Magazine advert as well as my
digipak. Here I had everything I wanted to make them both as professional
looking as possible. I used it to the full and heavily edited my photographs
with text, brightness, and colour enhance as well as other funny little tools
to enhance certain features on my face on one particular photograph.
