Final Group Product Decision- Magazine Advert and CD Design

Through this media production process, we all looked together at our ancillary texts. We all came to a decision of  using Abdullah's magazine advert for our final decision. The magazine advert uses bright colours and it involves a whole idea.
 'The idea of the paper, sky and pencil writing really enforces the idea of concept. When I think of a concept, I normally write some ideas on a piece of paper or look to the sky. The graffiti coming down from the logo 'Just An Idea,' represents the graffiti look we incorporated in the music video. This has followed codes and conventions. This magazine advert doesn't look dark and gritty such as related rap magazines/real media products but as a group we thought that this magazine advert had a relation to our main music video due to experimenting different colours in the music video. This magazine advert still maintains an aggressive look in the artist which is shown throughout these ancillary texts. Also the artist is looking away from the camera which is breaking the codes and conventions and his type of body language towards the camera shows that he is predominant, hard, tough and omnipotent in a way where this brings out the fact that- 'He is too good for the camera as this is why he is not looking directly at it which shows that he is optimistic and it also relates to other music magazine adverts we have analysed as a group. Most rap media products are shown with the artist either looking away from the camera or either looking directly at the camera with an ambitious look about them always which states that maybe the artist is too good for the ideal viewers. The majority of the audience thought that this magazine advert would be good to promote the artist as it looks presentable, professional and would generate a high consumption unit. This is where as a group we decided to use my CD/digipak design as it had a dark and gritty look and also followed codes and coventions as I used dominant colours that have been used in real rap media products which where red, black and white.

As a group, we decided to use my CD/digipak design as it showed a relation to the main product and also showed a link to real media products. When making my CD/digipak design, I maintained the red and black colour throughout as the ideal viewers stated this was very effective in targeting the potential audience. The CD design maintains the aggressive/stern look throughout in the facial expression and body language of the artist. This relates to the music video as the artist is seen to be serious, optimistic and flamboyant. These are the reasons why as a group we chose my CD/digipak design as it related to real media products as shown in my evaluation and also because it shows a link to real media products promoted already. This is where by following these codes and conventions by making a product similar to other products out there, it is giving the addressee exactly what they want because they expect to see the same thing/something in relation which brings out a nice effect for the CD/digipak design to have the potential in being a marketing vehicle.

Media Evaluation Question 2- How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

http://www.slideshare.net/mracheampong456/evaluation-for-media-project-question-2-7238206

Evaluation for media project question 2

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Media Evaluation Question 4- What have you learned from audience feedback?

http://www.slideshare.net/mracheampong456/evaluation-of-media-project-q4-7238152

Evaluation of media project q4

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media evaluation question 3- How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

http://www.slideshare.net/mracheampong456/evaluation-for-media-project-q3-7238151

Evaluation for media project q3

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evaluation question 1- In what ways does your media use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

http://www.slideshare.net/mracheampong456/media-question-1-7237846

Media Question 1

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storyboard for music video

http://www.slideshare.net/mracheampong456/story-board-6984727

The storyboard consists of a collection of shots from the music video. I chose significant shots to draw out and explain in my music video.

audience feeback to magazine advert

My magazine advert has been related to my CD digipak design as I have now decided to put my picture in black and white. The reason why I have made this decision to change the magazine advert from colour to black and white is because I conducted a focus group and also a questionnaire and asked the potential audience what colour theme for the photo would 

 suit better for the magazine advert. The majority of the audience said that black and white would be a good colour theme for the advert so this is why I changed the colour theme as I am promoting the artist to the potential audience and it is important to give the audience what they want to see in the media product. The colour theme was a very important factor as the colour in the advert is what makes the product stand out and can generate a higher consumption unit to make it a marketing vechicle. This is where I followed codes and conventions in making this a good magazine advert that potential consumers will want to consume.

The magazine advert was stated as professional by the potential audience as they thought the layout, framing of the picture and the colour theme red, black and white was seen to be very good in making the advert become a marketing vechicle. The audience also related my magazine advert to my CD digipak design as they thought that everything in my media products kept a consistent flow such as the colour theme, the mise en scene and they like how there was a variety of camera shots with different angles. They also said that the photo for the magazine advert looks professionally taken and that the photo relates to my music video as this is the type of location the video was shot at.

The audience said the use of red in the magazine advert was predominant as red is an effective colour in making the advert stand out as this is what is going to promote the artist. The typography was also known to be a clever idea as the way I wrote JUST AN IDEA relates to the graffiti look we used in our music video. This typography is also used in the other ancillary texts such as the CD digipak design. Also the use of leaving the background in the magazine advert was known to be clever as potential consumers said most rap magazines leave a location background to show where they have come from/just to relate the advert to the music video locations. This was said to be innovative as it represents the artist's identity, job and status within the magazine advert.

The negative feedback that I received from my target audience is that maybe I could have made his face be a bit more bright in other terms I could have added some light to his face which would create a more glamorous look in showing his facial gestures and features. I did take this feedback on board but because my music video is a rap video, I decided to use low level lighting in relating to my other ancillary texts as from most rap magazine adverts that I have seen they intend to use low key/level lighting. This is where I followed the codes and conventions in making sure that audience expectations were met. A minority of the potential audience mentioned this factor that I should use top lighting for the photo. I experimented this but when I saw the outcome not many people liked it as the majority of the audience said when there was low level lighting, the artist stood out more and it created a nice effect whereas the picture with top lighting would decrease the publicity in the product as many people didn't like so it which would result in a low consumption unit.

The audience said that since you have made a rap music video with a high tempo beat and where the artist facial expressions is mostly dark, angry and all in your face then it is best to use low level lighting in the advert as it would suit the genre of the video and make an effective meaning. The audience told me that if the song you made was a different genre of music such as like R n B where the beat would be slow, calm and the artist would seem more relaxed in engaging with the potential audience then top lighting and using key lights when taking the photo for the advert would be a good idea as different genres of music have different ways of engaging/communicating to their potential audience.

Planned out list of how my cd cover will look like at the front

Speech bubble at top left hand corner as he is thinking- write in speech bubble ‘Let me Flow.’- write in red

Just an Idea straight along the bottom- write in red

Write CONCEPT along the top right hand corner- write in red

CD cover example for final copy

There will also be a parental advisory sign which will look graffiti like with the writing of the words dripping down on the wall.

This is how my CD cover design will look like at the front of the cover.

Planned out list of how my cd cover will look like at the back

CD COVER DESIGN FOR THE BACK

To download the album and music video’s go to:

www.myspace.com/concept121
www.youtube.com/user/conceptvids
Facebook Fanpage:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=525670563

This will be at the bottom of the CD cover at the end.

Barcode will be to the left hand side of the artist.

Name of songs will be to the left hand side of the artist starting from the top.

At the top left hand corner- Produced by Daniel ‘Champion’ Acheampong

LET ME FLOW AT TOP OF CD COVER AT THE BACK

EVERYTHING HERE TO BE IN A GRAFFITI LOOK.

Name of songs

1.       LET ME FLOW

2.       I REGRET FT ANGELLE

3.       I GET MONEY

4.       GO HARD

5.       MONEY MONEY MONEY

6.        DEAD PRESIDENTS [FREESTYLE]

7.       DO OR DIE FT. GHETTS

8.       HUSTLE HARD

9.       HEAT WAVE FT BUSY BLOCKZ

10.   SLUMP GUYS FT BUSY BLOCKZ

This will be my image for my CD cover design for the back.

Our final uploaded music video-let me flow with correct framings 4:3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4pukc-6JHE

follow the link above, thank you.

The role of a music video director

A music director is a person who directs the crew in making the video.A director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew in the scene. The director is responsible for overseeing creative aspects of a music video under the producer. The director also plays a key role in post-production. He or she works with the editor to ensure that the emotions of the scene and the close ups, mid shots and wide or long shots appropriately reflect which character is driving the narrative. The director also advises on the (colour) grading of the final images, adding warmth or frigidity to the composition of the shots to reflect the emotional subtext of the character or environment. The director also participates in the sound mix and musical composition of the film. Directors often use storyboards to illustrate sequences and concepts in a music video. Also, directors work closely with the cast and crew to shape the music video in becoming a potential marketing vechicle. Some like to conduct rigorous rehearsals in pre-production while others do so before each scene.

More Screen Grabs with special effects [Representation Issues]

This is a new screen grab with a special effect added. The background seems to be light and grey which represents the mood of the setting whereas a bright setting would represent something different such as the mood will be more embracing and happy. The artist has open body language where he is able to show his actions through his feelings. His body gesture emphazize how he is feeling towards the audience.

This screen grab has also been taken with a special effect and it is shot at a straight eye level shot near estates.

Audience feedback to music video

Through the process of my media project which consisted of making a music video, creating a magazine advert and making a CD/digipak design, I have learnt a number of things from audience feedback. I will outline the positive and negative feedback of the music video and explain what I have learnt from this process.

My group and I conducted a couple of questionnaires and surveys on each aspect of the music video which included directing, producing, editing and camerawork. As the director, I showed the music video to the potential audience which is age ranged 16-25 and I asked them to give me individual feedback to tell me what was good about the video and what could have been improved. The music video was shown to the potential audience through social network sites such as Facebook, YouTube and MySpace. I managed to obtain all of the feedback as I made sure all the answers remained anonymous so that no one knew who wrote what.

The positive feedback was that the editing had a nice flow of continuity and was combined very well with the soundtrack as the beat of the song was very fast as editing had quick cuts and was seen to be unique and innovative. The audience also said edits and the camera angles made the music video look professional which I am very pleased with this comment.  The lip syncing was said to be in time with the music which was very important in the music video where the key editor Abdullah and me as the director were responsible for everything to be in sync. The mise-en scene was very good as it brought out a good representation to the genre of the music video. Location scouting was very clever and simple as the audience as the audience said the music video went very well with the locations chosen where the producer Mena and I were responsible in the mise-en scene elements. Also lighting was seen to be consistent and effective to the genre of the music video as the video had different variety of lighting which was said to be interesting. The positive feeback on camerawork was that there was very good framed shots that was directed in the video and also the use of hand held camera shots such as when the artist was walking down the road/walking around the corner which seemed to follow the codes and conventions of our genre which is rap/grime as the audience said the majority of rap music videos are mostly shot with hand held camera movement. Also the audience enjoyed the focus pulls and trombone shots as they said this created an effective outlook and went with the beat of the song. 

There was some negative feedback but not so much as  the majority of the potential audience thought the music video was good. The negative feedback was that the music video could have had a sense of originality to it as most grime/rap music videos are based around estates and secluded roads so there was a lack of diversity here. As being the director of the music video, I had my own personal view on this as I feel that basing the music video around estates, secluded roads and alleyways etc... followed the US codes and conventions even though it is a UK music video. The audience's view about originality has been taken into account as when I first started this media project, as a group we were going to shoot parts of the video in the studio, due to time management, travel and accessibility for the artist and my group, we found it difficult to try this out so we maintained our original plan to shoot the music video in different exterior locations.

There was also a lack in camera angles. The audience explained to me that I should have explored more camera angles such as more high angle shots as this was seen to be limited in the music video. They said it would have created a nice effect to create meaning in the video. Also a small amount of people like 2 or 3 people said that the music video needed more content and variables. This is where I put in more variables in the music video as the video needed something especially in the chorus for it to feel completed. With the comments about music video content, I went out of college and shot a couple more scenes and shots for the video to make the music video look more interesting and consumable.

Music video completed and ready for you tube upload

Before the christmas holidays, the final draft cut of the video was completed but there was no special effects included in the media product. The music video has followed codes and conventions of our music genre which is rap as this is shown through mise en scene, cinematography, sound and editing. On the 17th of January, my group and I went through the media product to check that everything is correct such as the right use of edits, the use of rapid cuts, making sure everything is in sync and that there is a flow of continuity to make sure that selection and construction of the media clips are effective. As the director, I have experimented different special effects and I also kept the original copy of the music video to see which one we like as a group. I will upload both copies of the video on you tube and I will then allow the potential consumers to view and comment on the both copies of the music video. In the end we will keep an original copy of the music video and then the other copy will stay on you tube showing the examiner the other ideas we had for the video. We are still experimenting different special effects to put in the music video to make the video look more interesting.