Task 1
- 2. Use of performance We wanted to use this form to showcase the talent of our artists by having a performance element. Our band have talent and can play instruments and so we used this as a platform for our video. We showcased the artist by using close ups of their face. This helps to promote their star image. Richard Dyer says that star image is “a semi mythological set of meanings attached to the persona of an artist” and it is what makes them unique from other artists. We wanted to have a grungy, indie look for our artists that isn’t going to distract from the music and talent of the band. An example of a very prominent star image is Lady GaGa who is known for her wacky outfits such as her meat dress. An example of the use of close ups from a real music video is The 1975 video ‘Girls’. Artists frequently use close ups in videos to promote and put forward the star image. You are trying to sell the artist so it is important that viewers know who they are and the image they are trying to convey.
- 3. Use of Narrative We gave our media text meaning by using the form of narrative. We created a character for the artist which made him exciting and dangerous. This expanded our target audience. Below is a still shot from the music video ‘Robbers’ by ‘The 1975’. The narrative similarly creates a rebellious, dangerous yet romantic character that appeals to the target audience. We wanted to keep our narrative element ambiguous and so we started in the middle of the fight. This meant that we skipped straight to the action and gave just enough away for the audience to pick up what had happened. This also kept our audience engaged and interested throughout the video. We wanted to have a consistent link throughout our video between the narrative and performance so we cut between the two elements. We had the music and image working together collaboratively. unlike many music videos which focus solely on the band or narrative we decided to incorporate both. We did however do a performance cut but decided that the narrative element enhanced the overall product.
- 4. Artistic Camera Work During the chorus of the song we used the convention of artistic camera work by using handheld shots. The rhythm of the song matches the shaky and unsteady movement of the handheld. We also used the handheld shots for some of the narrative elements which added to the tension and atmosphere of the fight. The 1975 song Robbers frequently uses handheld shots. It feels less staged and helps viewers feel as if they are there on location as opposed to watching it on a screen. The handheld shots also link with they grungy style of the band as they are deliberately not polished and perfect. Our artist is more about talent and the music as apposed to a glamorous star image and video of a pop artist.
- 5. Conspicuous use of lighting We used a light bulb as we felt that that it related to the style of the music and video as it fits in with the indi rock genre. The movement draws links with the narrative and brings the two elements together adding a grungy atmosphere. It contributed to the artists star image by adding to the edgy style that isn’t bright and polished like most mainstream artists such as Nicki Minaj. The 1975 song Chocolate has a light above him in the opening shot. The light draws attention and highlights the artist but not as obviously as a spotlight would. It links in with style of artist as they are an indi band and so it more grungy and less prominent.
- 6. Rhythmic editing We used Adobe premier to cut the footage. It is in full quality and the best version of editing software there is. It has multiple video layers and complex transitions. This meant we could cut from one video channel to another and back again. We had eight takes working simultaneously. Because it’s a music video we had to take into account the rhythmic determent of the music by placing markers on the beats on the timeline to indicate potential cutting points. We assembled he shots sequences so they were dictated by the music. We kept the pace of the video up to match the action that is going on. We did this by having fast cuts to keep it lively and intense.
- 7. Conventions in our digi-pak Having seen the band interact together, we decided that we wanted to promote the band via a 'front man' and we chose the lead singer for this part. The lead singer had the most charisma, and as he was to star in both the performance and narrative element, we decided that he would be the best choice. As a result, we created the idea of 'Carter James', thus our product would centre around a lead singer, but would also include the other band members. We took inspiration from bands such as The Script and the Kaiser Chiefs, who are bands but also use front men to promote the group. Due to this, we have decided that the website and digi-pak will centre on the lead singer.
- 8. Symbolism In all three of our products, we used form to present the images of light bulbs and trees. These images reflect our star image, as the light bulb represents the quirkiness of our band, whilst the trees portray the rebellious mysterious nature of the band. These images are central in our video, as the single light bulb in the performance element is drawn attention to through numerous close ups. Imagine Dragons uses the same image in their website and digipak, and this helps to establish a running theme throughout the bands products. The narrative element is shot in a woods and we also took photos for the digipack, heightening the rebellious star image, but also the authentic and organic nature of the band. Equally, the home page of our website displays an image of a hand holding a light bulb with a tree growing inside. We constructed this image through taking a photo of a tree and a light bulb and merging the two together on Photoshop. You are then able to draw connections between the website and music video. By continually using these two motifs the bands star image was emphasised, but it also helped to familiarise the audience with the band and caused them to identify the band with these two symbols.
- 9. Conventions of Artist Websites We researched bands with a similar star image in order to gain inspiration for our own website. We really liked the black and white theme that The 1975 uses in their website, and how the front page is a mixture of striking images. However, we equally liked the bold image on The Scripts opening webpage. We noticed how both bands had their name in big letters in the opening page, and how it was in the same place on all the other pages as well. After some initial research, we decided that we wanted to have a bold image on the front page of website, in order to entice potential consumers. We chose the light bulb film as it keeps consistency with our artist image.
- 10. We looked at the conventions of different artists websites and decided on 6 main pages. We uploaded all the pictures we had onto the GALLERY page of our website. We also had an ABOUT page of the website. We looked at similar artists websites for inspiration as we wanted to know what generic information we should provide. Thus, we centered the ABOUT page around where the band comes from, and introduced the lead singer as the front man and then the rest of the band members. We did not want the text to be too long, as audiences would lose interest, thus we created a concise summary that explained the bands background. We then focused on the TOUR page of our website, we needed to create a variety of locations where our band would play. We researched various venues that coincided with the star image of the band and then added them to the website. We linked the website with Ticketmaster, as we decided that they were a suitable site that would sell tickets. We also had a sign up page so that people can get in touch and a merchandise page where people can buy products relating to the artist. We realised that T-Shirts were the main product that artists used. There are multiple combinations that can be used to promote the artist.
- 11. Social Media on the Website We wanted our website to be accessible to our target demographic (males aged 17-25), thus we wanted to involve other social media websites where we could promote the band. Having done some basic research, we fond that the most widely used social media by similar artists was Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They were also the mostly widely used by our target audience, thus we set about creating pages for our band. We created a 'Carter James' Facebook and Twitter page, and then linked them to the website. We connected the YouTube page to the video, so that when you click on it, the video immediately begins to play. Again this was about building up a promotional campaign for the band. In relation to this, we created a SIGN UP page for the website, so that we could gain 'feedback' or 'fan mail' from potential audiences. To do this we created a Gmail account for the band and added it as a footer to every page of the website. We hoped that this would encourage audiences to become involved with the artist and thus benefit promotion.