RESEARCH: HISTORY OF MUSIC VIDEOS

RESEARCH: HISTORY OF MUSIC

The Evolution of Music Videos

Over the time music videos underwent a massive development and overtime drastically evolved together with the technology and audiences. Modern videos have become a way of polysemy and help the artist to sell their work to global audiences. They are visually more appealing and technically advanced in contrast to traditional, basic videos. This allows artists to experiment with different editing techniques to enhance their image or narrative of the video.  Today’s music videos can have a variety in terms of location. Many music videos will constantly jump from one setting to another in order to keep the viewer interested and alert. This is also done through costumes and other aspects of mise en scene. In addition, music videos now use many cinematography techniques to add variations to their music videos. In the past the artist could only afford few similar shots using basic equipment. However today artists utilize cranes, dolly shots, hand held cameras etc to get the best angles/ shots of themselves. Furthermore, today there is more variation in the types of music videos, which helps to appeal to broader audiences. There are different genres and types (concept, performance or narrative videos) to fulfill even the most refined tastes. For example, now the viewer has a choice between approx. 1, 264 genres whereas before only the popular artist got to create music videos that got aired and consumed by audiences. In terms of consumption, modern music videos are accessible on different platforms whereas before TV was the only way to see a music video. This allows even the niche audiences to see videos of their favorite artist. Simultaneously, today’s music videos have different purpose then before. Today a video can be used as a way of film promotion, advertisement or product sell. In contrast the music videos in the past were commonly just to entertain. These are just some of the key examples of the development in the music video industry over time and simultaneously shows how they are under constant development.

Music Video Timeline

1929: Bessie Smith, Saint Louis Blues – The song remains a fundamental part of jazz music to this date. It is considered to be one of the first music videos ever and was. The video includes Bessie who sings by the bar, thus inventing the primary idea of a music video and lip sync. The video was shot with simple cuts and shots due to the lack of equipment and knowledge about videos. The video is actually a part of a film with Bessie. The video applies Goodwin's Theory through the performance and lip sync which could classify 'Saint Louis Blues' as a music video. 

 

1940: Walt Disney, Fantasia. Disney created an animated film which is accompanied by classical music. The soundtrack was recorded with multiple audio channels. It was the first film to be shown in stereophonic sound. Fantasia was partly classified as a music video due to the visuals accompanied by sound which are conventions of a music video. In addition, it was breakthrough for its time to have visuals and audio together. Fantasia has a narrative and there is a relationship between the music and the visuals, as proposed by Goodwin. However, Walt Disney didn't create Fantasia to serve the purpose of a music video but a movie. 

1950-60: Tony Bennett, Strangers in Paradise. Tony filmed ‘Stranger in Paradise’ in Hyde Park, London and was distributed across both UK and US television. Despite Bessie Smith performance and her video, he claimed that it was him who created the first ever video because he intended on using his song specifically for a video rather than a film like Bessie and his work got distributed on television. There is a clear star image, performance and genre characteristics which supports Goodwin's theory and classifies Tony's work as a music video.

1964: The Beatles. This was a crucial moment in the development of music videos. ‘A Hard Days Night’ by Beatles was released and is argued to be the basic set out and beginning of contemporary music videos. It had included a narrative with fast paced cuts and a variety of cinematography. It has set a new era of videos and artist tried to come up with narratives and attract audiences. 

1966- 1968: The Monkees. It was a TV show aired for two years from 1966-68. Every episode had a short film which was created to accompany songs by Monkees. This helped to develop the fundamentals of today’s music videos and allowed practice for artist who made videos.

 

1966: The Birth of ‘The Top of the Pops’. Top of the Pops was a TV program created by the BBC. Its purpose was to promote singles. Due to the limit the show had, artists had to compete in order to be aired which meant that only famous or popular musicians were shown to the audiences.

1967: Videos utilize Cinematic Techniques. Yet again The Beatles took initiative and drastically changed the look of music videos. In their video ‘Penny Lane’ they utilized effects similar to cinema and film making. Elements like dramatic lighting, camera angles or rhythmic editing. This started the era of edited music videos and professional film making to accompany songs which is still continued today. These new features also support Goodwin's Theory of popular music videos. 

1975: Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody.  Bohemian Rhapsody was the first ever video specifically made to replace live performances on TV. Despite previous videos made by Beatles, it was Queen who made a video for the purpose to be aired on TV to their song. It was the very first video to be made on a video format and set an example for other artists who started to create music videos more frequently causing a large supply. The visuals matched the song and there was a clear star image and genre characteristics. 

1981: MTV Launch and development of music videos. to match the large supply of music videos a full music channel was launched. The introduction of MTV caused more artist to air their music video and people were able to see more of them.  The Buggles released their video called ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ and it was aired as the first ever on MTV. It was a high budget production and used ‘over-lay’ which was deemed as complex editing.  

1984: Micheal Jackson, Thriller.  Thriller has developed the concept of music videos. It had a beginning, middle and end and simulated a short film. It is still considered one of the best music videos ever made. The ‘Top of the Pops’ began to censor video that had controversial content, which is where censorship began and is still continued today. Duran Duran’s ‘Girls on Film’ was censored due to explicit clothing and promiscuity.

1980’s: MTV and Music Success. 80’s was the time of rise in music videos supply. Most for the artists made videos for their songs and debuted on MTV. Madonna began to sell her music through politically and socially controversial content which gained her global recognition and success. Many directors started working on music videos in order to breakthrough in the film industry.

How have Music Videos Developed Over Time?

Over the decades, music videos went through a drastic change and underwent various stimulus. These are some of the causes for such radical evolution:

• ·         Technology/ Equipment Advancement: Over time the technology has developed and there were new inventions which helped to improve the quality of music videos. today you can view videos in HD quality because the filming equipment has improved and artist are able to purchase them. However, before there was only one type of camera and the quality was less effective. Furthermore, today artists are able to edit their videos professionally and have special effects through the use of green screens. They can create surreal imagery or experiment with the variety of effects or corrections. Whereas back in the day the technology was not advanced enough and people didn’t have the knowledge to create such effects. For example, bands like Coldplay utilized a series of green screens and special effects for their concept video Up and Up. The video is visually spectacular and appealing due to the excellent use of technology. Lastly the audio has also improved. Artist work in professional studios with high quality audio equipment and are allowed to edit their sound too.
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• ·         The Distribution and Consumption: The distribution and consumption has also developed over time. there are various polysemy and synergy techniques which can help to promote a video but there are also many ways to distribute/air the video. Modern music videos are can be distributed across different social medias, including sites like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, which also promotes the video/ artist. This is an example of synergy. In addition, a music video can be aired on various music channels like MTV or VIVA but also viewed on YouTube, Vevo or Vimeo where the audience can see the video for free.
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• ·         Star Image and Representation: Over the time artists, especially in popular culture, have underwent changes and generations of performers have changed the way they portray themselves in the music videos. This also depends on genre. For example, today most him hop artists will try to sell the rich lifestyle through their music videos. ‘Candy Shop’ by 50 Cent portrays expensive cars and jewelry in order to attract a particular audience and show off his lavish lifestyle, whereas in the beginning, artist did not have certain representations as the audience didn’t have formed their expectations of each genre.
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• ·         Purpose of Music Videos: There are many purposes to a music video. At the beginning many artists created music videos to simply entertain the audience and breakthrough, however today there are many more ways a video can enhance one’s career. It can be a way of maintaining a bond with the audience or establishing yourself as a solo artist. On the other hand, it can also be an excellent tool to sell the artist’s music. Many modern videos use controversy to gain publicity through their videos, like Robin Thicke in ‘Blurred Lines’. This is a way if polysemy and have gained Robin global media attention and cheap publicity. Lastly a video can also be used as a promotion for another media, like a film. Alicia Keys created a soundtrack for Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014) ‘It’s on Again’ with snapshots of the film.

Conclusion

After researching into the history of music videos I have a good understanding of the developments the industry underwent throughout the years. I gained essential knowledge which will help me with the general context and understanding of the industry. Overall it is obvious that there are still debates on who created the first video and people have different views. I believe that Tony Bennett was the first one to create an official music video. This is because his ‘Stranger in Paradise’ video had elements that classify as a music video. The clip also follows some of Goodwin’s characteristics like star image. It was also distributed to UK and US which what today’s artist do when distributing their works. The history of music videos also allowed me to see how the those influenced modern artist and how it continues to evolve. 

FINAL PRODUCT: MUSIC VIDEO

FINAL PRODUCT: MAGAZINE ADVERT

FINAL PRODUCT: DIGIPAK

EVALUATION: Q4) HOW DID YOU USE NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND RESEARCH, PLANNING AND EVALUATION STAGES?

Question 4 from Natalia

EVALUATION: Q3) WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT FROM YOUR AUDIENCE FEEDBACK?

EVALUATION: Q3) WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT FROM YOUR AUDIENCE FEEDBACK?

Demographics:

Demographics are traits, which a person cannot force/ influence. They are characteristics often used do evaluate groups of people. After looking at the different demographics and analyzing their psychographics (interest, hobbies etc.) I was able to see what groups of people are drawn into what genre of music. This helped me to establish my own target audience and the demographics for my product.  

This are the key elements, which helped me to identify my target audience:

• ·         Genre: The genre of my music video is indie jazz/ blues. The original song (‘Syrup and Honey’) is performed by a Welsh singer, Duffy.
• ·         Gender: The music video targets all genders. Although one might think that it aims at females due to the female lead, I have targeted all genders because everyone can relate to the themes and issues which the artist struggles to cope with.
• ·         Age: Targeted at people aged 15-35
• ·         Ethnicity: My products target all ethnicities because every ethnicity is able to relate to the issues displayed, and at some point, anyone could experience similar emotions/ feelings as the artist. The video can help them feel less alone.  
• ·         Occupation: E1 to C1: The target audience of my product is the working/ middle class. This is because, similarly to them, the artist is also of lower class and the audience will be able to relate to the character.
• ·         Hobbies and Interests: My products are unique and original therefore can be more appealing to people with niche hobbies, interests, and those who are ‘different’ from the mainstream. However, everyone is welcome to enjoy my products.

My product aims to attract people of mixed gender and ethnicity, and generally anyone above the age of 15. This is a large target audience however; it is evident that the indie genre will only appeal to certain tastes and selective people. Most indie tracks aim to target anyone yet only some will truly enjoy it and appreciate it due to its unconventionality and originality. The themes of mental health, drugs and isolation are also universal which could help to attract wider audiences as anyone will be able to identify with these ideas. Despite the main character being white I reckon that ethnic audiences will still be attracted to my product because I am not promoting any ethnicity but trying to convey a different issue/message which all races will be able to identify with.

Why is it Important to know about audiences when creating a music video?

Before creating a music video, it is important to know about audiences as it gives an insight into their interests and expectations. It is also important to find out about who your target audience is and what they like. If you are familiar with this then you will be able to make the music video relatable to the audience, and create it according to the audience’s expectations. An audience is extremely important, as they are the consumers who can make my music video successful, as their viewings will determine how popular a music video is. If the music video was made accordingly to the audience demand / needs, it is more likely that it will be received well and consumed by larger numbers. This results in financial success.  In order to find out about your audience, it is suitable to collect primary and secondary data, such as various internet research and questionnaires. Over the course I have created, a few questionnaires, which I handed out in order to receive direct feedback. I recorded this information on graphs and charts. These methods allowed me to find out about the audience in a more personal way and understand what kind of conventions they would expect to see in a music video. 

Questionnaire and Graphs:

In order to get an understanding of audience expectations I decided to create a questionnaire. This was at the beginning of the planning stage. I handed it out to 20 people and gained their feedback. The focus of the questionnaire was the indie genre. This allowed me to explore what the audience expects to see in my final music video so I could come up with our definite plan. From gathering relevant audience feedback using the questionnaire, I created graphs to make a visual representation of the feedback and opinions regarding the Indie/ Blues genre. Creating these graphs was important because they have helped me to organise the feedback neatly, therefore allowing me to decide what the audiences’ recommendations are. Overall, the responses I received allowed me to find out what the audience wants therefore I was able to create a product. The primary evidence, which I collected, were used to examine what will be suitable for my music video. After completing the questionnaire, I was more confident with my production because I was always able to go back to the feedback I received and use it as a guide. I was able to rely on my audience feedback, which is important in the industry as a production cannot be successful without the audience input.

I have distributed this questionnaire:

The following results were vital to my overall product:

These questions are standard demographics in order to get to know the people I receive the feedback from. It also helped me to establish what age group I will aim my product at and the gender that am I likely to appeal to. It is clear that I have a variety of ages and genders, which will aid my knowledge as I will gain a mass feedback across different people and am likely to appeal to at least some. The feedback shows that there is a clear diversity in my audience, which gave me unbiased answers.

This pie chart shows whether the audience are expecting a performance, concept or a narrative based video. It is clear that the audience is quite indecisive which gave me more room to experiment. Because of this audience feedback, I have created a music video with a clear performance; some narrative and concept combined which made my product unique and original as well as appealing to a larger audience.  

This pie chart shows whether the audience would prefer a male or a female artist. Overall, the indie genre is known for promoting gender equality and many bands are mixed gender. From these responses, it is clear that the audience do not mind the gender of the artist, which allowed me to experiment more and use either one. This audience feedback allowed me to decide on a female artist in the final production.

How did this help you make Decisions?

The questionnaire and graphs helped me make decisions regarding my product. Some of these were the basis of my product. For example, the question about the video and its structure allowed me to realize that I am free to experiment with the idea of concept, narrative and performance therefore my end production was unique and original. In addition, the question about the gender of the main artist has also helped me to establish the basis of my campaign. From this audience feedback, I ended up with a female artist. Without the questionnaire, I would have no feedback and it would be tougher to establish the campaign successfully as I would not be aware of audience demands and expectations.

The Focus Group:

After completing my music video and the ancillary products, I held a focus group. A focus group is a small number of people who are brought together to discuss a product before being launched into market. They can criticize as well give positive feedback in order to help you measure your success. I decided to have a focus group concerning my music video and both ancillary tasks in order to measure my success and see whether I fulfilled the audience’s expectations and if they think there is room for improvement. I also wanted to check whether I have created a proficient product and if I have addressed/ attracted the right target audience. The people that I gathered for my focus group were young adults. I have made sure I asked media and film students in order to receive feedback concerning the technical aspects of my production.

I took these images during the viewing from my focus group.

 Sound Cloud (Some Audio Feedback from my Focus Group)

Why did you put your work on YouTube?

I uploaded my work on You Tube for various reasons. First off, it is a globally recognized video platform, accessible for anyone from anywhere. This allowed me to distribute my product on a mass scale and reach a wide audience thus securing my success. In addition, from You Tube I was able to place my final music video on my blogger post. In addition, You Tube allows users to comment on videos; therefore, I will be able to receive feedback through the comment section on You Tube. It allows producers to gain audience feedback from all over the world and see what all these spectators have to say about the product.

Images from Social Media Sites:

Why did you put your work on Social Media?

Social media allows to connect with people from all around the world due to its accessibility and pace of work. Sites like Facebook or Instagram were a great way to share my work with others and find more audiences on a global scale. It brought people with common interest together and most could enjoy the video and share it with wider audiences, which benefits me. Furthermore, today, social media is a great promotional tool, which is free for anyone to utilize. Many small companies and upcoming artist use it to access their audiences in order to market themselves free. Therefore as I had minimal budget, social media, was an invaluable way to share my product and advertise my artist, which worked effectively. Social media allows communication through comments, likes and shares, which can help to measure my success. People began to comment on my work, which showed me how effective my video and ancillary products were.

Comments I received on Facebook:

What did you learn from all this Audience Feedback in terms of whether you created a Conventional and Successful Music Video?

From looking at the various audience feedback I received, I learnt that the general response to my product was positive and the consumers were happy with what I created. This includes my target audience. This feedback showed me that the music video used conventions effectively and therefore affected the correct audience, as otherwise it would not appeal to the consumers. Despite having, some negative comments I know I have created a conventional and successful music video because the negatives came from people who were not the intended audience like elders and the masses. This also shows that I have followed Hebdige’s subculture theory as the people who responded positively to my product can be classified as niche in some sense, which fulfills my overall plan.  

Conclusion:

To conclude I have learnt a lot of useful information from my audience feedback. It was an effective and easy way to measure the success of my products. The fact that I have used different platforms to gain the feedback allowed me to access opinions from a diverse group of people, which only showed more validation and allowed me to draw credible feedback. It was important to share my products on sites like You Tube, Facebook and Instagram. Despite being primarily social media sites, they allowed for quick distribution of products and a free way of marketing which was useful, knowing I had no budget for my production. In addition, they are interactive webpages, which allowed me to draw more feedback from the audiences on a global scale. I thought the focus group was also particularly effective s I was able to observe the raw and initial responses to the music video and ancillary products live and see how people reacted which was also useful to measure the success of my work. Overall, I believe that my music video and ancillary products are successful and attract the correct target audience through an effective application of conventions.  

EVALUATION: Q2) HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE COMBINATION OF YOUR MAIN PRODUCT AND ANCILLARY TEXTS?

EVALUATION: Q1) IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

RESEARCH & PLANNING- ADVERT: DRAFTS OF ADVERTS

RESEARCH AND PLANNING ADVERT: DRAFTS OF ADVERTS

Introduction:

After identifying key elements that make a successful advert we have started to put up a design of our advert and began to look at the different ways we can make it successful. The function of an advert is important because it can help to promote the product across different media platforms thus provide synergy. Therefore, it is important to make it elegant, appropriate for the genre and appealing for the audience in order to secure a profit/ success. It is also important that an advert share common conventions with the digipak or the video in order to allow the audience to familiarize and recognize the product.

DRAFT 1

Analyse the use of Conventions:

• ·         For our first draft, we have decided to include a medium shot of the main character who is facing the camera. However, the artist’s face is half cropped which shows consistency from our digipak to the advert. We also included bright colours as well as a disintegration effect to make the advert look different from the album and to appeal to a wider audience through the unique representation of our main artist. We intentionally choose these colours because the dull green connotes depression, lack of interest and mental exhaustion of the main artist. The disintegration effect also provokes the same feeling as well as making the viewers assuming how drugs and addiction can affect someone. We believe that these factors are conventional because the artist looks vulnerable meaning that she is not promoting her persona instead promoting her values and ideologies as well as music.
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• ·         We intended to use high-key lighting to make the artist look exposed and defenceless.  This will make the viewers feel sympathy for her as well as wanting to find out more due to the colours and disintegration effect used. We believe that is conventional because it creates a sense of mysteriousness that will appeal to a wider audience in order to get success.
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• ·         We believe that the typography we chose fits the Alternative/Jazz genre, as it is simple, edgy, bold and unique. The typography used on the title and the date are bolder, in black on a white background to make it stand out. Whereas the artist name is a signature to make the audience feel closer to the artist. We believe that it is conventional because it is expected for the typography to reflect the mood and the artist persona through the colours and shapes. 
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• ·         The overall layout is neat and consistent as the information is spaced out revolving the main image. This is conventional as it draws in the audience to the advert. The layout is also simple as it only includes simple information.
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• ·         The information we included on the advert involve the artist name, the title of the album and the release date as well as the company details. We have only included relevant information on the advert to make the audience aware of the details, however, we have prevented over complicating the advert to avoid confusion or misunderstanding.
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• ·         The language we used is simple and formal, as we want the audience to be able to relate to the album and the artist and understand that it is aimed at a certain type of audience, which is conventional, as the information should reflect the audience and their social class.
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• ·         We did not include sub-images; however, we added the logo of the company promoting the album, which is a necessity.
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• ·         The advert would appeal to subcultures, which supports Hebdige’s theory. This is because it has an unusual effect. The artist is gradually disappearing which does not place her at the centre of attention but intrigues the audience as to why is that, which can lure audiences. In mainstream music, the artists are often the centre of attention and try to ‘lure’ audiences and sell their music through looks. However, by making the effect the main look of our digipak we are more likely to appeal to subcultures who reject the mainstream values (hegemony) because our product does not follow the mainstream culture.

Audience Feedback

Strengths:

• ·         The image manipulation is impressive and very eye catchy
• ·         Good use of font. It also compliments the digipak and the video
• ·         The date is easy to read and stands out
• ·         The company details are clear and makes the product look professional
• ·         The format is correct and fits its purpose.

Weaknesses:

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• ·         There is a lot of blank space which should be filled, otherwise it will look boring and make the consumer uninterested
• ·         The manipulation does not match the smoke effects, which were used within the digipak and the video. This makes it inconsistent
• ·         The use of color does not really match the other products. Consider adding some black and white or fading out the color.

Further Action Plan:

• ·         We will fill up the empty space by adding some ‘Key Singles’ and digital platforms which will enable consumers to download our product, which is an example of synergy.
• ·         We will manipulate the image again and instead of using the disintegration effect we will use the smoke effect in order to make consistent products
• ·         We will use less colour in order to match the digipak

DRAFT 2

Analyse the use of Conventions:

• ·         After receiving feedback and criticism from different viewers, we made changes in our advert. We kept the image and colours; however, we changed the effect of the picture. We decided to add the smoke effect used in the album, as the advert was lacking consistency. We believe that by using the same effect on the advert it will look more appealing and originating from the same concept and values the digipak holds. This is conventional as it makes the artist look mysterious and unknown to the audience. The colourful smoke represents life, which evaporated from the artist due to her addiction issues and other problems. This allows people to feel sympathy and maybe a sense of familiarity.
• ·         The colour we added was black and light grey. We believe that these colours will complement each other as well as showing consistency through the advert and the digipak. The smoke effect represents the depression and loneliness the main artist is experiencing. She is so depressed that the colours are fading away from her, which also connotes her addiction to cigarettes and drugs. We believe that it is conventional because the viewers will be able to relate to the experience the artist is feeling thus causing them to bond.
• ·         We included more information in our advert, such as the artist and album name, the release date, key singles and apps where you can download the music. Not only had we done this to promote and make our artist more popular, but also to encourage the viewer to buy the album.
• ·         The smoke connotes addictions and mental health issues. This makes the artist seem familiar within the audience who could also struggle. This follows Dyer’s theory as Sarsha seems ordinary and extraordinary and has a clear personality and own character.

Audience Feedback

Strengths:

• ·         The smoke effect works well with the whole concept and helps to convey the themes well. It is also consistent with the rest of the products
• ·         The color scheme is also effective as there is black and white which corresponds with the rest of the production but the colors also add a little mystery
• ·         The addition of key singles and download information works well and makes the product      look professional and industry suited.

Weaknesses:

• ·         There is too much smoke in some parts of the advert and it makes it rather distracting and busy

Further Action Plan:

• ·         We will get rid of some smoke in order to clear the image and help the audience focus, as right now it can be quite distracting.

Conclusion

Overall, the drafting process allowed us to create a sophisticated product due to the development process and useful feedback, which enabled us to progress. The drafting showed us the amount of progress we went through and allowed to taste how real designers work on products in the industry and how much they rely on the audience in order to create a successful and proficient product, which will bring profit and sell well to the intended target audience. Some of the main changes we have made was the change of the main effect, which enabled us more consistency throughout our products. We also made sure we included relevant details about the product and informs the consumer. 

RESEARCH & PLANNING- ADVERT: ADVERT INFORMATION

RESEARCH AND PLANNING ADVERT: ADVERT INFORMATION

Album name: China White: We have decided to call our album China White as we believe the name is short and mysterious and can relate to the album as we believe that the songs within the album will evoke confusion and curiosity from the audience. We also decided to go with 'China White' because it is a nick name for a drug which connotes to the drug abuse the artist experienced and is a consistent theme within our products.

Release date: 14th February 2017: We have chosen our release date to be the 14^th of February 2017 because it’s the day were couples enjoy their day together, meaning that the song that touch up on themes such as love, relationship etc. will be more appropriate and meaningful for the target audience. Also by choosing to release the album on this day it will come after the press campaign and TV launch which will all be important campaigns in ensuring that our album and artist are recognised, and encourage the target audience to look forward to the album release- there will be hype surrounding it. Choosing to release the album in the middle of the month allows us time to advertise it properly allowing the audience to anticipate the artist’s newest songs, causing them to wait in suspense.

Available to download:  We have decided to use the well-established download sites /apps including; ITunes, Spotify and Tidal as these are globally recognised by a mass audience and will therefore allow our artist to become more successful despite being a niche artist. We have also decided to make the songs available to download from various sites/apps as the mass audience use different ones, therefore, in order for our album to sell, it is vital that we can offer a variety of download options for the audience, encouraging them to download the album.

Key singles: We have decided that China White, Cloud 9 and Black Beauties will be our three key singles, including “You Complete Me'' which is the ultimate key single, considering that we created a music video to it. 'Black Beauties' is a song that appeals to a mainstream audience, and can be relatable due to the themes it includes, including love and abuse. ‘Cloud 9’ is the most unique song out of her singles, as it is different in that the artist promotes niche themes which is reflected through the lyrics and the theme of morality which is a debatable and individualistic topic.

Explicit lyrics label: No - We will not be including an 'Explicit lyrics label' as the songs within the album do not contain any upsetting language. This is common within the indie genre and generally it is uncommon for artist to use such expressions because of its target audience and general audience expectations.

Setting of image: We will capture the images in dark locations, such as against black walls, behind a green screen, and then we will apply a background that highlights the dark atmosphere to reflect the mystery and tension that is expressed within the album. We also include images of wine and cigarettes to emphasise the addiction of the artist and what she is going through. It is vital that the setting of the image is effective and fits in with the rest of the album information and images to ensure there is consistency throughout the advert.

Costume hair and make-up of the artist: We plan on using a black coat and boots to further emphasise her class. Additionally, we want the artist to dress like a classy woman who is clearly financially stable and doesn’t lack money/ possessions etc. This will create a sense of superiority and intimidation from her and the audience will admire and aspire to be like her. The character will mainly wear dark clothing to convey her depressing thoughts and addiction to drugs. She will wear a winter coat, to show that she is longing for ‘warmth’ from others but also protection from the situation she is in. Sarsha will also wear a red lipstick and a light eye makeup which will be smudged on her face to show her vulnerability and unconventional beauty. It also helps to portray her addiction which is common of indie adverts as they don’t use make up to glamourize the artists. Stereotypically having blond hair shows innocence and vulnerability, therefore we decided that the main artist should be blonde to draw an audience response.  

Cinematography: For our advert we decided to take a medium long shot of our artist. This is because it will help to convey the mood of the album through her body language but at the same time clearly portray her smudged make up which will give the audience a deeper insight into her life and her character. A medium close up will not glamourize her which is conventional for an indie artist who rarely ever use their looks to attract audiences, unlike the popular and mainstream artists today.

Lighting and colour: We intend to use low key lighting to convey the sad and miserable mood of the album and dangerous side effects of drugs which is the main theme of our product. However, we will use top lighting to make the artist seem vulnerable, especially due to her addiction. It will also show consistency as in the video the artist will stand under a lamp to hint prostitution which creates deeper meanings for the audience.   

RESEARCH & PLANNING- ADVERT: IDENTIFYING CONVENTIONS AND ANALYSING EXISTING ADVERTS

RESEARCH AND PLANNING ADVERT: GENERIC CONVENTIONS AND ANALYSING EXISTING ADVERTS

Purpose 

• ·         Includes key information such as release dates for the audience to be aware of
• ·         Promotes the album for the artist
• ·         A form of synergy to promote the artist and album
• ·         Reminds the audience of the artist’s existence and the album, especially if they are an artist who is not regularly in the public eye, for example, Michael Buble, who only creates an album every Christmas, therefore the advert is a reminder for the audience. 

What are the generic conventions? 

• ·         Album title 
• ·         Artist name 
• ·         Release date
• ·         Key singles
• ·         Where you can buy and stream 
• ·         artist image 
• ·         parental advisory logo if required. 

Analysing Existing Adverts

Kasabian

• ·         Main Artist: Despite promoting their debut album the band uses a simple image to advertise their music, instead of showing their own faces. This doesn’t allow the audience to familiarise with the band but puts them in apprehension. This shows that the band doesn’t try to glamourize themselves or their image for money but instead focus on their music. The simple main image portrays a male figure with a covered face which further conveys the sense of mystery and intrigues the audience. This is conventional of an indie rock band as they don’t try to sell their music through looks but the actual content of their products.
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• ·         Lighting and Colour: The black and white are binary opposites and propose themes of ‘Good VS Evil’ or ‘Light VS Dark’ which could possibly pass a subtle message to the audience about the album or the band. Rock genre is known for controversial or original morals. In addition, black is a common colour associated with rock due to its connotations of evil and darkness. The simple use of colour allows the audience to draw individualistic connotations and possibly feel somewhat familiar with the poster which can intrigue them.
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• ·         Typography: The bold and heavy typography compliments the genre of the product. Rock is associated with heavy and loud sounds. The simplicity of the typography compliments the overall image of the product and allows the audience to explore the product and decode the poster for themselves, basing on personal memories or experiences.
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• ·         Information: The advert has relevant information about their album which notifies the audience about the product. It tells the audience that it is a debut which can intrigue them because they could look for new music.
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• ·         Layout: The layout of the advert is clear. It gives the consumer some ‘room to breathe’ and isn’t overcrowded with unnecessary information or images which could scare the audience away. It is clear that this helps to give a sense of mystery for the audience and intrigue them into the product.
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• ·         Hebdige’s Subcultures: The subcultures are likely to enjoy this product due to its vague presentation which would allow them to decode the product individually and draw own responses. This is appealing to subcultures who have an original style of thinking and are not afraid of responding to media text in their own way.

Muse

• ·         Overall layout: The layout is neat and the information is placed onto the page in a structured manner, with the band name placed onto the top of the page advert. The main information is allocated at the bottom of the advert which is conventional as the advert should have a neat look to appeal to a mainstream audience.
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• ·         Star Motif and Popular Culture/ Hebdige Subculture: Within this advert, the band is promoting their values and believes through their image.  This is evident through the picture, portraying the two side of their persona due to the black and white image. This can make the audience feel curious about the bands values and beliefs. The image is also professionally edited, as it divides the bands picture into two. The white side representing the good and joyful side, whereas the black representing the band as powerful and determinate.
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• ·         Typography: The typography used is simple and bold. The title is large in black colour with a white background, which stands out. Whereas the information is in white colour with a black background at the bottom of the advert which emphasises the importance of the band’s name without too much glamorisation, conventional of indie.
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• ·         Information: The information included in the advert is conventional as it includes the artist band name, and the name of the album, with the key singles and small print regarding the production company. This information is vital as it is the main factors that draws the audience in allowing them to decide on whether or not to purchase the album.
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• ·         Main Image/ Artist: The main image portrays the band playing instruments which is conventional as the audience can relate to them as well as make a realistic assumption about their skills and taste in music. When looking at this image the artist’s face cannot be seen, making the audience feel curious and wanting to find out more about the genre and type of band are they.
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• ·         Lighting and Colour: The colours used in the advert are black and white which connotes to the mysterious nature of the band and their music by also creating excitement making the audience have mixed emotions. This can provoke the audience curiosity which is common for indie.
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What we plan to do:

• ·         We would like to utilize a simple and clear layout which will informal our audience and not overthrow them. The easy layout will also allow for individualistic responses and personal decoding of our product
• ·         We would like to use one image, without sub images, in order to avoid overcrowding.
• ·         The typography will be bold and easy to read in order to grab the viewers’ attention but at the same time it will be easy to read.
• ·         The star will be evident on the advert but will not be too glamorized or seek too much attention. Instead we will try to have an equal distribution of the artist and information which is conventional of indie. 

RESEARCH & PLANNING- ADVERT: CREATIVE BRIEF

RESEARCH AND PLANNING ADVERT: CREATIVE BRIEF FOR ADVERT

Who are they?

Sarsha is a British performer who began her singing career at a very young age. By the age of 6 she fluently played guitar and began her piano lessons. During the development of her passion for instruments she began singing and writing small tracks. At the age of 13 she signed up for an amateur artist group where she met people with similar interest and hobbies. This helped her to realise that music is her call. She uploaded a few covers on social media however her true breakthrough began after she created her own song ‘Red Rash’ which gained her mass popularity, especially amongst the alternative audiences who are attracted to her quirky song writing style and acoustic sounds. She quickly began working on more products and at last was invited to perform in prestigious indie clubs across London, including Cargo in Shoreditch. Over time she signed up to independent record labels which led her to finally work with a major record label, Polydor Records and become a part of the Universal Group.

The album concept:

What is it?

We aim to create a product that will introduce an artist and help her establish a credible fan base for her career. We will try to appeal to a wide audience of mixed genders, various ethnic background and of age 15 and above because the indie genre can appeal to anyone who is interested in alternative music and sounds which means we will have to create a unique advert that will appeal to different people. We also need to follow the common conventions of indie jazz as we need to attract jazz fans in order to establish Sarsha as such artist within the wide range of audience.  Despite the advert being of a niche genre we will make sure it includes the key elements that could appeal to the mainstream audience and gain Sarsha more popularity.

Why are we doing it?

The advert is an example of synergy which will allow my product to distribute across a global scale and help to inform my audience about the upcoming album. As an upcoming artist Sarsha needs recognition and the advert will support her in getting that. Therefore, the design of the advert is crucial as it determinates the success of the whole campaign and will need to work alongside other products. We must ensure the pictures, colours and typography used will be conventional for the genre and visually appealing to our audience and will establish Sarsha’s values and ideologies as well as promoting the themes and mood evident in her music video to the consumers. The themes within the album will include, love, addiction and self-disruption, with the mood reflecting this. Therefore, the consumers will be able to understand the Alternative/Jazz genre through the album, encouraging them to listen to her music. This breakthrough will show audiences her style and attract appropriate target audience.

The advert will help Sarsha to attract audiences because we are most likely to publish the advert in a music magazine which will possibly attract music fanatics.

Comparable products:

  








These two adverts use a simple design which doesn’t glamourize their looks, conventional of indie artist. The simple colours allow the audience for an individualistic response due to its simplicity. The information provided is relevant and informs the audience. We plan to create a design which will correspond to out digipak. We plan to include the face of the artist but without glamourizing her which follows the common conventions of indie music.

The album concept

The concept of Sarsha’s album, ‘Chine White’, will be to connect her to her fans and a larger audiences ages 18-28, from different ethnic groups and social backgrounds, particularly those from working class and skilled working class backgrounds, who will be more likely to relate to particular ideas and the Alternative Jazz genre. It will allow her to express her authentic self through the use of her music, which she also took a part in producing. The album reinforces Sarsha’s ideas and beliefs, allowing people to get a clear picture of who she really is as a person. However, we will ensure to make the album and its content appealing to the mass media, by including video with original narratives and ideologies. This album has not only just been created to increase her popularity but also to allow her to create a path for other niche artist out there like her, however we are creating the album to increase Sarsha’s popularity within the music industry making her more internationally and globally well-known like other successful artists and boosting her star image.

Audience

The demographics of our target audience includes, skilled working class people of different ethnic backgrounds, particularly female, aged 15 and above who can relate to the artist and the music video. We want the audience to have a clear understanding about the artist and what she portrays as well as enjoying her music and being able to relate to the certain themes and ideologies she portrays throughout. In a way we want our audience to listen to Sarsha and use her as a method of portraying realism, allowing them to be aware of different mental health problems. We are also hoping the target audience can build a different relationship with our artist, one that differs from other mainstream artists, as Sarsha is original and should be recognised for maintaining this quality.  

How will we know that it worked?

The number of sales, and the sale figures will determine the success of the album, allowing us to decide if the album is popular and appealing to a mass audience. We will also host a focus group allowing a group of consumers that reflect our target audience (aged 18-28, different ethnic groups, working class/ skilled working class) to look at our first drafts of our advert design provide us with feedback, which will allow us to make the required changes and develop on the criticisms, making the final draft appealing and suitable to our target audience meeting their expectations and interests. Making the advert appealing to the target audience is crucial, as this factor determines the ultimate success of the album, therefore, we will ensure we are fully aware of the information revolving around our audience, including similar products they like and what they like about it, their average earnings, their hobbies/ interests etc. Understanding these factors will help us to make an album that the audience will like and will be able to afford.

Launch dates

Sarsha’s campaign dates:

Press campaign: 30th January 2017

TV Launch: 16th February 2017

Album Release: 14th February 2017

Any limitation that may occur:

We may struggle with consistency as we are responsible for creating three products and must ensure all items have similarities to ensure consistency throughout. The advert, therefore, it may be difficult to portray the same themes and edit effect. In order to overcome this and ensure there is consistency, we will keep editing the products and keep the lighting and typography similar. We will also try to find appropriate images across our ancillary products so there is no repetition and we will avoid artist overload or lack of Sarsha image.