evaluation :]

MUSIC VIDEO

This piece as a whole, to me is sufficient in fulfilling this section of the brief. Most prominently, this music video is very playful and frivolous (without compromising quality of ideas, filming, mise en scene and editing), as is aimed at the 3-7 years age group. We researched into this niche devising what it is that is amusing to them and what kind of song would fit this conclusion of audience choice. Searching through our Ipods and on the web, we came across ‘The Ugly Bug Ball’ which fitted perfectly, reflecting on this it was a well made decision. We then had to key all aspects in with this song and what type of energy we wanted it to give off. This is shown by the vibrant colours, plot of the music video (in that it works well with the lyrics but is presented in unique and not predictable way with stop motion, varied angles/framing, effects etc, which I’m pretty sure will entertain the younger generation), the costumes and dances are quite hilarious and odd which adds to this fun factor which all relates to the upbeat song choice. Working with the results of my questionnaire, analyzing and critiquing each individually, responding in favor of these, adapting and influencing the product so provides entertainment and enjoyment for the viewer to the best of our technical abilities.

The creativeness of the music video also would spark an older generation of viewers as they would be able to appreciate the ability level needed to create such a piece in comparison to the target audience, who would take it as is. This media isn’t perfect (stop motion introduction), the imperfections I feel add to the rawness and spirit of ’The ugly bug ball’, despite using the technologies and software’s to the degree of skill we have at this stage and with the timetable, I feel it is the best we could physically produce. Though the concept was a handful, I am pleased we didn’t stick to the conventional music video as it provokes some sort of reaction than the same old ‘couple walking, arguing blah’ plot which for me is tiresome at the least.

The skills I have gained are abundant, from planning each area of the filming process too detailed tweaking of effects. The pairing went well for the majority of filming with some small hiccups on the way, but this was a good task for me to develop my group working capabilities. Sharing ideas, compromising for the greater good of the work, enforcing a schedule and generally working well as a team. I also had to get to grips with more complex areas of Premiere pro editing because of the type of video and the ideas we had. Importing the stop motion images which were separated into each cut and exporting as a video, then importing and changing the timescale until the frames flowed like a video. Then chroma keying the backdrop so the models were the only objects apparent on screen. This was a hassle as the blue screen appeared grey which meant when I added the chroma key effect it ate away at parts of the models, with no option of re-shooting, I had make do and create the best outcome in these circumstances. Attention to detail was key in many areas of making and producing this media, which consumed a lot of hours. This was a struggle as we had to fit this work in with both of our schedules and organizing lifts (when it was snowing- as am motorcyclist) doing as much in these slots. But also this large workload meant we had to stay positive, and when starting this idea, seeing it through.

When it came to editing, we found some errors in continuity which meant we had to re-film these else it would let down the whole piece. This is one negative that came from our large work load as small details like for example; dancer wearing coat in one shot then not the next, were missed and formed extra work to be completed. Another thing that didn’t go to plan was the idea for the switch from stop motion to real footage, as needed somebody who could do the worm dance and who was also available on the filming dates, which as seen by the video didn’t work out and we had to settle on a rather dull transition in comparison (walking through a door).

If I were to change anything or improve the music video and the work that went into it, it would be to organize dates earlier as I feel some time was wasted. Also it would have bin a lot easier to have done a simplistic video with diverse effects, shots, costumes etc which would have presented the basic skills more prominently. However this was the idea we chose and we were persistent in doing so, working as best we can with the technologies, time and with our capabilities at this stage. On the whole I am pleased with the final result as it is a well thought through and constructed media which achieves the brief set, shown by the overall reaction and feedback but also, I feel it was a success.In the current market, there are no music videos quite like ours, with the chosen genre not being exploited to its full capacity in this medium giving a wide playing field for the product to be consumed. The song is branched from a Disney movie and would be showcased on music channels with the mainstream videos, this challenges the idea of what can be broad-casted on regular tv as this age group does have a niche area for this kind of song/movie. As i researched into the 'dance' music videos, the vast arrangements of shots of people dancing and enjoying themselves struck me as a key component of this music video type as evokes the onlooker to respond in the same way (dance). We wanted this effect to be a counter focus from the story being told via actors portraying (with movement, expression etc) and by the song itself. Also the media production itself does bend the conventions of the music video as many music videos stick to one format of filming, unlike mine which merges two together giving new aspects for the viewer to appreciate.

ALL MEDIAS

There is a distinct link throughout all my pieces, using components from one production bridging over all pieces, adapting this to make the piece more attractive and including new features to make for a group of Medias individual but also as one. The stop motion part of the music video was my main inspiration with the other ancillary projects and this gave me a leg up as to where I wanted to go with the ideas, but not just leaving as is developing them to become stand alone Medias when separate and also a collection when together. As a whole they all give off the same vibe but each with unique twist enticing the chosen audience shown through the feedback for each. The questionnaires prior to the making of the medias where vital in finding out what the audience wants to produce a product that sells, which is ultimately the main goal.

DIGI PAC & MAGAZINE

DIGI PAC-

This is my finished digi pac design which majority of elements were created solely by me bar one area (the main butterfly shape was the working of my partner). The front side graphic was mainly formed using tools on fireworks, modelled in fitting with the song/music video, but also so would be eye catching and appealing to the viewer. The front cover design is based around a photo derived from the stop motion part of the filming put together in a pop art format in a broad range of colours. This use of existing imagery was drawn from my research prior to the conception of these ideas as is a more efficient and profitable way of defining the relation to the product. This image had the surrounding colour removed with the magic wand tool so it was ready to be used and furthered in appeal, with the photo editing tools (brightness, contrast, saturation) adding to the digi pac design as a whole. With an inverted image of butterflies as the background (which was also edited with the same tools as the caterpillar) and the title in font- Bauhaus 93 which is in keeping with the pop art 70's style which I changed into colours which were conflicting and didn't merge (distinct from the caterpillars colour- bold). The acid hues behind the main butterfly were created with the paintbrush tool which I used on three specific settings (3D glow, fluid splatter and paint splatter) to make for an almost hypnotic and most defiantly striking location for the textual based and structured butterfly. On the inner side, it reveals the same imagery of the set used in the stop motion, which I had to manipulate to fit the chosen area. I did so by seeing how much one section of the original image would cover the digi pac, once it was apparent that an extra slab was needed I went through the process of cutting the furthest half from the middle edge, reversing this and then merging it in line with the current image. To make certain that this was not apparent I used the pencil tool (in matching colours) to blend this line and continue the sketchy effect over the 3 sections, which was repeated with the grass. For the tree however, I had to go around with the pen tool, then The butterfly photograph, I was lucky to discover in my dad’s collection of pictures he has taken, then using the pen tool I made it free standing and placed to look as if it is collecting nectar from the flower and the caterpillar was simply copied from the cover and shrunk to fit. All images used and incorporated where tweaked using the brightness, contrast and saturation adjuster so the images seemed more professional and distinct. Finally the vortex of butterflies in flight was a using the same template of the large butterfly then shrinking them, getting smaller the closer to the centre the get adjusting colour and forming in a circular pattern. I’m really pleased with the outcome of the initial idea as, when made into the intended shape of a digi pac I feel it will defiantly catch o few gazes. It projects the theme of not belonging, which is the gist of the ugly bug’s feelings in the song, with the front cover presents to us a group of caterpillars, all in various flamboyant colours, but the caterpillar in left corner has a tear drop- revealing the unhappiness (positioning important as being left in the corner represents this feeling of the outsider).

MAGAZINE ADVERT-

The magazine adverts I analysed weren't of the same genre as mine, in that they were aimed at different audiences but they informed me of the involvement of components from the video and song (in a striking and enticing way).

This is my magazine advert. It is a conglomeration of photo imagery, scanned up sketches and computerized effects (created on fireworks).

The work process

My magazine advert was a conversion of the stop motion composition, as I made the setting in plastacine and the caterpillar by my own sketch. The plastacine objects (tree grass and flower) were shaped onto an A4 piece of card which was painted to make for a summer sky. I took a photo of this then on a basic photo editing program I have at home (Picassa 3). I cropped the background image (removing the unwanted faults and constructing cleaner lines) and added a focal black and white effect so that the bottom left corner gradually feathered into monochrome. Next I imported this image onto the fireworks program, with canvas size for an A4 advert (2361 W by 3120 H- in pixels) adjusting the image scale to suit the canvas. I tuned this image using the filter tools (brightness, saturation,contrast and saturation) for a more dynamic and professional piece, adjusting until i was happy with the result.

The title ‘The Ugly Bug Ball’ was also created in the same way as the caterpillar was, which were both scanned up onto my computer ready for importing and editing. I wanted to create my own style of font for the title as searching through the range on fireworks, none jumped out at me or were in keeping with the quirky and the uniqueness of what I felt the song/lyrics represent, also shown through my other ancillary project. After that i imported the title and used the magic wand tool to remove the white space, leaving the text to be tweaked so was bold (using same filter tools) and finally moved into position. Then beneath this, using flood std font to contrast with the main title I included the song writers name. Importing the most important element (the caterpillar) using the same tools (magic wand and tools for tuning), then moved this in the desired location. To end, I used the paintbrush tool to join the title to the tree, bringing the two together as one dimension, then using the background as the guidelines of the monochrome reworking on the photo. Showing a distinction from the smooth colourfulness of the setting with the sombre mood of the angry scribbles with the black and white with the caterpillar and fading (with lowering the transparency of the paintbrush tool) off into the adjacent area, also using the same tool on the speech bubble displaying the album is 'OUT NOW!'. Continuing the illustrator effect of the caterpillar on the surrounding area and speech bubble.

MAGAZINE ADVERT-

The magazine adverts I analysed weren't of the same genre as mine, in that they were aimed at different audiences but they informed me of the involvement of components from the video and song (in a striking and enticing way).

This is my magazine advert. It is a conglomeration of photo imagery, scanned up sketches and computerized effects (created on fireworks).

The work process

My magazine advert was a conversion of the stop motion composition, as I made the setting in plastacine and the caterpillar by my own sketch. The plastacine objects (tree grass and flower) were shaped onto an A4 piece of card which was painted to make for a summer sky. I took a photo of this then on a basic photo editing program I have at home (Picassa 3). I cropped the background image (removing the unwanted faults and constructing cleaner lines) and added a focal black and white effect so that the bottom left corner gradually feathered into monochrome. Next I imported this image onto the fireworks program, with canvas size for an A4 advert (2361 W by 3120 H- in pixels) adjusting the image scale to suit the canvas. I tuned this image using the filter tools (brightness, saturation,contrast and saturation) for a more dynamic and professional piece, adjusting until i was happy with the result.

The title ‘The Ugly Bug Ball’ was also created in the same way as the caterpillar was, which were both scanned up onto my computer ready for importing and editing. I wanted to create my own style of font for the title as searching through the range on fireworks, none jumped out at me or were in keeping with the quirky and the uniqueness of what I felt the song/lyrics represent, also shown through my other ancillary project. After that i imported the title and used the magic wand tool to remove the white space, leaving the text to be tweaked so was bold (using same filter tools) and finally moved into position. Then beneath this, using flood std font to contrast with the main title I included the song writers name. Importing the most important element (the caterpillar) using the same tools (magic wand and tools for tuning), then moved this in the desired location. To end, I used the paintbrush tool to join the title to the tree, bringing the two together as one dimension, then using the background as the guidelines of the monochrome reworking on the photo. Showing a distinction from the smooth colourfulness of the setting with the sombre mood of the angry scribbles with the black and white with the caterpillar and fading (with lowering the transparency of the paintbrush tool) off into the adjacent area, also using the same tool on the speech bubble displaying the album is 'OUT NOW!'. Continuing the illustrator effect of the caterpillar on the surrounding area and speech bubble.

DIGI PAC QUESTIONNAIRE

Q1) Do you often take note of the album cover when buying CD’s?
Yes/No ANSWER: 6YES 1NO
Q2) Which do you think is more important- the imagery on the cover or the text?
Image/words ANSWER: 5image 2words
Q5) Do you feel that a fantastic and professional CD cover can persuade you to purchase the product?
Yes/No ANSWER: 4YES 3NO

Q6) Do you usually download the music, or purchase it from a shop? it Download /Purchase ANSWER: 5download it 2purchase

Q7) Can you tell the difference between a CD cover and Digipak? Yes/No ANSWER: 6YES 1NO

This tells me how important the digi pac design is as it leaves a lasting impression and can make the difference whether the album is purchased or not, even though from my results, many people are using different venues for there music needs (downloading).

To expand our skills on fireworks and get a generalized idea of what structures and ingredients come together for a basic magazine advert. We did a exercise in class devised as a ‘round robin’ system where each person executed a task on one advert in a set time (such as title) then moved one place to the left for another part of a new advert, until we were left with 12 diverse designs. This task helped me to widen my horizons on the construction of my own design as when we had completed the round robin exercise the variations were vast but all had positives and negatives, but also becoming more fluent with the program so when it comes to making my own, I know what I am doing

magazine

This is the magazine advert for band the Paramore with title ‘ignorance’. This advert is quite representative in that the two figurines are cutesy innocent girls, which placed together with the title, puts forward a strong message of the innocence to the vulgarity and ruthlessness of how the world can be. Also the font of ‘ignorance’ is quite endeared to this idea of ignorance as is perceived as posh style, which is used for ‘the new single’ as is in response to the song title. The monochrome effect gives off an upper-class old fashion style which contrasts with the placement of the figures (on a common brick wall). The feather effect of the gradient works well with the textual side as gives a prominent backdrop to the opposite colourings of the two. It includes the information needed with the bands name in its classic font so is recognizable to viewers. Although it isn’t very head turning if a fan where to see it they would understand the concept, but it doesn’t make me want to go out and buy it.

Story board + Editing

story board

Digipac- version one

This is the first draft of my digi Pac design. The front side graphic was mainly formed using tools on fireworks, in fitting with the song/music video, but also so would be eye catching and appealing to the viewer. The front cover design is based around a photo derived from the stop motion part of the filming. This use of existing imagery was drawn from my research prior to the creation and is a more efficient and profitable way of defining the relation to the product. This image was then cut around using the lasso tool so it was ready to be used and furthered in appeal adding to the digi pac design as a whole.

I’m really pleased with the outcome of the initial idea as, when made into the intended shape of a digi pac I feel it will defiantly catch o few gazes. It projects the theme of not belonging, which is the gist of the ugly bug’s feelings in the song, with the front cover presents to us a group of caterpillars, all in various flamboyant colours, but the caterpillar in left corner has a tear drop- revealing the unhappiness (positioning important as being left in the corner represents this feeling of the outsider).

cd cover 2

Cute Is What We Aim For - The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch

This album cover is exciting to me, so much so that I almost want to buy it just for the artwork. The seemingly artificial watercolour effect adds a nice level of texture. I also really like the rendering of the girl – provocative though it may be – in contrast to the faceless rendering of the significantly smaller male figures most probably the band). The mixture of pink, green and yellow is also particularly effective though they are not vivid but almost pastel colours. The movement of the paint conveys freedom as are very washy but also contrasts to the splatters which gives the album a movement and a more animated background to the static and almost monochrome figures.

digipac study prior to knowing song for msuci video

Florence + the machine- Lungs

This cd cover’s main image is a photo which is framed by classic lines and heads with the acts title. The name of the artist is Florence + the Machine. My interpretation of ‘+ the Machine’ implies one of that she has a powerful force with her, driving her, perhaps her singing voice. Also her name is given at the start so the target audience can know and relate with who she is.
The chosen font for the name expresses lack of restrictions in that it is almost freehand as it is flowing and curvaceous. Furthermore, the font gives off the impression of being modern and casual as if Florence herself has just written it like an autograph. This also makes the fans feel more connected, as it’s as if it’s a personal item of hers. The album title ‘Lungs’ font however gives off a more professional look. As if it is business writing seeming more clinical which would therefore relate to the word lung’s. The physical appearance of Florence gives off essences that she is at one with herself and her natural surroundings (relating to the genre and presentation- hippy/bohemian pop). Also this is shown by the way she is posing with her hands spread out, showing freedom an inner comfort. Her facial conveys that she is thinking, but not too hard, therefore showing she is very free spirited.