Evaluation Question 4: How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

We used a wide array of new media technologies within the planning, construction and evaluation stages of our advanced portfolio of coursework. These technologies were made up of both hardware and software, and some required us to come up with innovative solutions to overcome the restrictions and challenges which they gave us.

In the planning stage, I used Blogger in order to organise all of my work. This was an incredibly important piece of software because it meant that my work was instantly accessible, saving me from having to carry around documents such as a storyboard and shotlist. It also made it easy to embed videos and images alongside of text, meaning that I could analyse other music videos and publish my

findings with a much greater deal of ease.

In the research stages, I used several internet websites to gain an insight into the current contemporary and previous media texts. My main source of research was YouTube. This allowed me to view current music videos, and analyse their pros and cons, key conventions and overall aspects, and apply them to the construction and planning of my media product.

Similarly, I used Google Images. This was to research current music videos, magazine adverts and digipaks. From this, I took on board what to include in my media product and ancillary texts, and why to do this.

Lastly, I used Blogger to promote and show my research. This is where I could refer back to when planning my product, and also show the journey of development I conducted throughout this course.

One of our group members using the
tripod in an identical way to how we
used it in the production of our music
video.

I used several media technologies in the construction stage of this course. Firstly, in order to capture the film itself, we used hardware before using software to perfect it. We used a HD camera to film the music video initially. This was so that we got a professional looking video, and would therefore make it more successful overall.

In the process of using this HD camera, we used a tripod to keep the camera static. This was so that our camera was held steady, and therefore looked better overall as the handling did not look unprofessional or tacky.

The software aspect of the construction played a large part in the course. iMovie was firstly used to compile the clips we filmed together, in order of our narrative. We also used this software program to sync our characters mouth movements with the lyrics. This made the lip sync aspect easy to produce, and added to the triumph of our piece.
We also used Final Cut to edit our piece further. We used this software to edit our clips, add in transitions, and include overall effects to our piece.

In the evaluation stages of this project, I used several media technologies. I used the internet to access the Blogger website. This was so that I could firstly review my coursework. I then wrote up my thoughts and overall evaluations, and formed them into separate posts.

Overall, I feel I used used media technologies, both hardware and software, very throughout the duration of this coursework. I have learnt a lot by using the filming equipment, as well as all of the software that was involved in all stages of production.

Evaluation Question 3: What have you learned from your audience feedback?

During this coursework, it was fundamental to receive audience feedback. We made sure we got feedback from our target audience, as well as other individuals, such as classmates and teachers. This was so that we could determine what was good about our piece, what we should keep, what was bad about our piece, and what we should get rid of. This all ensured we had a the most successful product as possible, and that it looked professional and well produced.

Throughout the construction of our media product, my group and I developed several rough cuts. This was so that we could show to our audience what we had roughly accomplished, and therefore could receive feedback from this.

After our first rough cut, we received audience feedback that was very beneficial to us. Firstly, our use of black and white effects was said to be used unknowingly, and it was confusing the audience as to why it was being put in place. Once we had received this, we changed our effects and used the black and white effects more purposefully, and tailored them to each individual clip, choosing carefully where we placed these effects.

Secondly, our audience feedback suggested that not enough locations were used. This was good to hear, as it meant that we had to film more in order to gain the higher marks. Once we had received this feedback, we filmed in several more locations, giving us a much wider variety to the amount of clips used, therefore extending the narrative further.

Additionally, probably the most significant change we made in our piece was the inclusion of another character towards the narrative. We decided our narrative would be clearer if we had another individual in the forest with our main character, luring him towards him. Due to the overall idea of the piece being to do with ghosts and paranormal occurrences, we decided to have the other character as a ghost, that was leading him inevitably to his death.


In terms of our ancillary products, the feedback we received from our primary drafts was hugely beneficial, as well as eye opening. Firstly, the most fundamental and apparent comments we received on our magazine advert was the lack of social networking icons. This meant that the audience had no idea whether the artist was on any social networking sites, which could potentially hinder the potential for a fan base to form, as this is the most functional way this occurs. In order to remedy this, we used images found from Google of the two most popular social networking icons, Twitter and Facebook, and altered their colours, shape and sizes very slightly. This ensured that it met the colour scheme we had in our magazine advert, which therefore made our entire piece look fluent and professional.

Advancing to our digipak, the feedback received was very simple. Overall, our digipak was a slightly different colour to our magazine. This was because several gradient maps were used to overlay the original image to give it a gritty and faded effect. This, combined with a custom nebula effect (to give the idea of a dream) gave the magazine a completely different feel, therefore making it seem a complete different product compared to the digipak. In order to fix this, we recreated the nebula effect and use similar gradient maps to the magazine to give them precise colour schemes that matched the initial house style the magazine advert possessed.

Overall, my group and I learned a vast amount from receiving audience feedback. We used our rough cuts and our storyboard ideas to show them what we had accomplished so far, and asked their opinions on where to go next, and what would be the most viable option.

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

Evaluation Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

To conclude, I feel that my group and I used, challenged and developed stereotypical conventions of the both real media products as a whole, as well as the electronic genre itself. This was beneficial as it allowed us to create a successful media product, as well as successful ancillary texts.

Plan for magazine advert

Magazine advert sketches

Below, I have drawn up several ideas I possess for our magazine advert. These ideas assist in the portrayal of the contents of our piece. The first design highlights the location of our piece which is a dark forest. This is layered behind an image of our actor. This is to convey the idea of the character being in a dream state, as the image will be surrounded by images of stars and space nebula's to enforce the idea of a dream.
The second design is a replication of our music video whereby it meets the narrative, as well as the contents of our piece. This is shown by the character being shown in the woods with a ghostly figure, similar to our story.
Both of my ideas have the text centralized, and at the top of the page. This is because - from my research - I found that the most popular music adverts had met this aspect. This was because it was shown that the most important and fundamental information was located in the center of the picture, and above the rest of the information. Additionally, it was sized slightly larger, therefore more recognizable to the audience of the text.

Plan for digipak

Digipak sketch

Below is my sketch for my idea of the digipak for our piece. For the front panel, I have themed it largely around our video. This is so that the audience can associate the physical products with the video, and feel as if they have purchased what is part of a 'package', rather than an individual album. On the panel, i have included the actor walking away from the camera, deeper into the forest.
On the inside panel, I have included the character that the main character appears to be following. I have drawn him to be far away, to keep him as mysterious and anonymous as possible to enforce the representation of a paranormal entity.
The back frame includes a tracklist, layered above images of the forest. This is to keep the digipak a consistent theme throughout each panel, therefore making it look more professional.
The remaining inside panels are additional images of the forest. This acts in partnership with the front panels in order to form a consistent theme throughout the digipak.

Idea Pitch based on lyrics

The main idea my group and I had thought of was vastly similar.
I firstly decided that the overall theme of the piece should be dark, slow and slightly horror themed. This was because - in relation to the music - the terms of 'ghoulish entities' and 'ghostly enemies' enforces the portrayal of a paranormal and scary theme. I believe we could incorporate this aspect into our piece whereby our character and narrative is mainly set in a dark forest; a stereotypical convention of horror pieces. We could incorporate the ghosts and ghouls with the character, or around him.

Additionally, the part that writes 'pull up your sheets' suggest that the basis of this song is within a bedroom, probably at night time. This leads me on to believe that the idea of ghosts and ghouls in a night time environment revolves around a nightmare that the character is having. From this, I can finalize that I think my video should revolve around the character in a nightmare, walking around a forest surrounded by paranormal entities.

The name of the song Trials of the Past also has an influence on my idea for this music video. My idea also revolves around some sort of history for the character, and how he is suffering consequences for his past actions, hence the word 'trials'. My idea for this part is the character chasing his (ghost) self around the forest. This incorporates an idea of a past, as well as ghosts in the forest.

To summarize, based on the lyrics in this song, my idea is as follows:
I picture a character waking up in the forest, in his nightmare. He is walking around, and is encountered by himself as a ghost. As he walks through, he is lead to different places, and cannot seem to catch up with his ghost. This enourages the idea of disillution, lack of lucidity as well as confusion.

Digipack Analysis: David Guetta

Colours
On this digipak album cover for 'One More Love' by David Guetta, bright, vibrant and eye-catching colours are used for several reasons.  Firstly, the bright colours on the back side and inner cover contradict the front cover; the cover that everyone firstly sees. This adds an element of an unexpected aspect of the album, that could relate to a surprise that is actually located on the CD contents itself.
Secondly, the vibrant colours could be what attracts the audience, due to it's eye-catching nature, and easy visibility from a distance. This will all add to the probability of higher product sales, therefore making the album more successful.

Images
The images used on this digipak contribute to the successful aesthetics of the album. Firstly, on the front cover, we see an image of the artist, David Guetta. This helps the audience associate the name of the artist with the look of the artist. In this image, we see the artist wearing sunglasses. This makes him look both mysterious, as well as prestige, as famous individuals are usually seen wearing sunglasses inside.
Secondly, on the back and inner panel, we see images of numbers and shapes on a white canvas. These add to the mysteriousness of the album cover, and additionally promote the idea of stereotypical ideologies associated with this music genre, due to the resemblance of graffiti.

Text
The text on this digipak is contributory to the aesthetic positives of this album for One More Love. Firstly, on the front cover, we see the artist's name in a simply and bold font. This is a frequent house style of the artist, and could be labelled as his logo. Contrary to this font, below, we see the name of the album One More Love. This suggests that there is more than one style in this album, as well as tending to the ideologies of the targeted demographic of teens to young adults (graffiti).

Representation
This piece has a representation of artists from this genre being party goers, and enjoying the hectic lifestyle of the vibrant contemporary lifestyle. This is shown by the artist wearing sunglasses inside, and enforced by the fonts and images used.

Analysis from genre #2

AlunaGeorge - Attracting Flies

Sound
In this video for Attracting Flies by AlunaGeorge, both diegetic and non-diegetic sound is used to enforce the narrative impression, and therefore relate it to the song. Firstly, during the introduction to the video, diegetic sound is used in the form of ambient street sound, combined with the sound of federal police sirens. These sounds are evident whilst the screen is showing text saying 'Little grey fair tales, little white lies', and then we see an establishing shot of an urban estate of flats and apartments - in what looks like - London.
The non-diegetic sound used in this piece is that of the overlaying song itself. This is to give an initial purpose to the song itself. Whilst this is playing, however, we see the artist lip syncing the words whilst she is in the music video.

Narrative
The narrative of this piece is initially the idea of combining fairy tales with modern day urban life. By this, I mean that they coincide the current life that is lived by urban citizens in London, and applies a real life spin to it - thereby making the main ideas of the fairy tales likely. We see one of the artists (the female), as the main character of each fairy tale. Similarly, we see the other artist (the male), being the antagonist of the fairy tale.
The fairy tales included in this video are Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Beauty and the Beast and Snow White & The Seven Dwarves.

Settings
There are several minor settings within this piece. However, these minor settings are largely set in an urban estate; a flat and apartment complex. This is seen as somewhat grimy, dirty and lower class. Considering the artists are British, the main setting is likely to be in an urban area of London, such as a council estate. This relates to the narrative in a way that suggests this is the cause of the disruption, whereby this setting is not a safe place to live, and is filled with an array of antagonists.

Representation
The representation of this piece is a negative light on citizens that are based in lower class urban areas. This is enforced by every negative occurrence that corresponds to the fairy tale is due to the antagonists, which are played by residents and associated individuals to the flats.  

Links to theories
This video for Attracting Flies by AlunaGeorge does not necessarily meet the aspects of Todorov's theory. By this, I mean that it does not meet the 5 stages of the narrative, due to the fact it does not have a beginning equilibrium, nor a major disruption. However, there are several disruptions in the form of fairy tales.

Conclusion
To conclude, this video for Attracting Flies firstly does not meet the theory by Todorov, unlike the majority of videos from this genre. Additionally, the general idea of the narrative relates to the lyrics (Little grey fairy tales and little white lies). This helps enforce the lyrics of the song.

Analysis from genre #1

Avicii vs Nicky Romero - I Could Be The One

Sound

In this video for 'I Could Be The One', both diegetic and non-diegetic sound is used to help portray and make the narrative more readable. Firstly, the non-diegetic sound is that of the music itself. This is overlaid above the video, and speech within the video. The diegetic sound used in this piece is that of the main character speaking to both her colleagues, and her psychiatrist. She is saying how she hates her life, her job and that she is not satisfied with her current position. The video shows how she remedies this; by taking a vacation to a paradisaical location.  

Narrative

This video promotes the idea of a middle aged female being severely unsatisfied with her current life. The video begins with her having a conversation with a colleague, to which her colleague announces she believes the main character is putting on weight. This is one of the main reasons she is unsatisfied. Additionally, she believes she has a dead-end job. She then goes home, and goes to bed. She then has a dream of this paradisiacal place, to which she is extremely happy with. However, she then wakes up. She returns to her daily routine, to which we see is so miserable, she then snaps, and books a holiday identical to the one she dreamt.

Settings 

There are several settings in this video. We firstly see the characters at the workplace. This is where the main characters' discomfort lies, as she is surrounded by colleagues she doesn't like, and is doing a job she does not enjoy doing. This is the basis of her discomfort, and therefore one of the fundamental settings in this video. Additionally, we see her in her bed at her home. This is another key setting, as this is where her alarm clock is. This alarm clock is what awakes her from her reoccurring dream of being in her dream place. Finally, we see her in this paradisiacal location that makes the character happy, and remedies her depression and discomfort.

Representation

The representation of this video is a negative light on middle aged individuals. By this, I mean that it suggests that middle aged people working in jobs they don't like are usually miserable and unsatisfied with their life, due to them being surrounded by young and motivated individuals, as well as rude and ignorant people. Therefore, the only way to escape this unsatisfactory life is to transfer to a utopia of their liking.

Links to theories
Todorov's theory
 

 1. A state of equilibrium (All is as it should be.)

This stage of the theory is very briefly met at the beginning of the video, whereby she is eating lunch with her colleague. This is all as it should be, until the colleague announces she believes the main character is gaining weight.

 

 2. A disruption of that order by an event.

The disruption in this video is met when she is consistently given work that isn't hers, and the additional factors that make her life unbearable. This is what leads to the disruption, and leads on the third stage of the theory.

 

 3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.

This stage is met by the main character noticing how undesirable her life is. This initially occurs after her dream of her paradise - when she wakes up. She then compares her real life to the dream, and decides to take action.

 

 4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.

The main character takes action to repair the disruption by booking a holiday to her paradise location, and quitting her job (in style) by offending her colleagues as she departs.

 

 5. A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium.

This final stage of the theory, however, is barely met - arguably not met at all. This is due to the main character running out of her workplace, only to be run over. This would suggest the equilibrium is not met. Despite this, we may assume that she died, and is in a happier place - ergo a new equilibrium as it is far away from the dissatisfaction and disruption.

Conclusion
In this video for 'I Could Be The One', the narrative meets the main idea of the song; the idea of being set free from everyday life. This is because everyday working life is seen as a drag, and unsatisfactory for the average person. The lyrics relate in a way that suggests there is a higher power that can 'set you free', and has done so in this video by transported to a paradisiacal island that has remedied her miserable lifestyle.

Analysis of past student music video

'Stuck' by Canopy Climbers

Narrative
In this student music video, the narrative is evident, and adds to the success of the video. We firstly see two youthful males drinking cans of alcohol in public. After this, we see them chasing an individual, to which he later gets beaten up, and is left alone. Throughout the video, we see the character that was beaten up training his boxing maneuvers in the gym, implying that he is trying to 'toughen' himself up. In the latter part of the music video, we see the boxer being confronted by the character that beat him up, only to be given an apology, as throughout the video, this individual has been thinking about what he has done, and has regretted it.

Transitions
The transitions used in this piece are suitable and effective. Throughout the video, cuts are used to show the fast paced occurrences that are apparent in the video, such as the violence, the running and the arguing. However, other transitions could be used, as a variety of them was scarce. As the narrative suggested that time passed a significant amount, cross fades, or fades could have been used to portray this. 

Settings
There are several settings used in this piece. This is effective in this text as it shows a variation, and allows us to see the passing of time in terms of the narrative. We see the characters in a field, an urban street and a house, amongst other places such as a bonfire. This is good because it allows the audience to distinguish the different surroundings the characters are in, and this compares to their behavior in the narrative.

Shots Used
In this text, there is a variety of shots used for different effects. There are low angles used on the antagonists of the piece (the characters that beat up the other individual) to show their dominance in the performance, however when the antagonist is confronted by the victim, an eye-line shot is used to show that he is now equal to the other character, and no longer dominant. 

Representation
The most evident and fundamental representation in this piece is the idea that teenagers and youths are frequently making silly decisions without thinking about them. This is shown by the idea that they beat up and individual, and throughout the video they are seen regretting it, showing their lack of thought process for the consequences. 

Conclusion
To summarize, this student music video uses different shots to portray different characteristics of each individual, as well as a strong narrative to convey a point. In addition, the music video relates somewhat to the lyrics of the song, and includes different settings and costumes, therefore making it look like a professional music video.

Digipacks and magazine adverts and their importance

What is a Digipak?
A Digipack is a style of CD or DVD cover that has several panels, consisting of several faces with graphics on them. These faces can have the capability to hold one or more CD's or DVD's in them.
For CD's, Digipak's are predominantly used for compilation albums, or live performance albums with the studio version included. Initially, they are used for CD's that require more than one disc, for example, Now That's What I Call Music.
For DVD's, they are usually used for compilation films, or films that have more than one sequel, for example, The Lord of The Rings trilogy.

Why are they important?
There are several aspects of a digipak that make it so important to the success of the CD itself. Firstly, it promotes the visual aspect of the artist. This means that the visual side of the digipak will represent the artist. For example, the Digipak pictured above for Oasis shows an acoustic guitar on the front. This represents the idea of the band using guitars in their music, therefore promoting their visual persona.
Secondly, it is a product that can be purchased by fans to be kept as a memento. This is because digipaks are seen as somewhat rare, and also decorative. This is good because not only does it encourage fans and followers to purchase the album for the sentimental value, but for the musical purpose.

What is a magazine advert?
A magazine advert is an advertisement that is placed in a magazine to advertise a product or event. In terms of music artists, it can advertise their merchandise, such as albums or souvenirs, as well as upcoming gigs and tours that the artist will be performing at.

Why are they important?
Magazine adverts are important because they firstly promote the artist to audiences of the magazine; this audience may not initially be aware of the artist. This factor means that the artist could potentially gain a broader audience, and their sales figures will in turn increase. In addition, it will promote upcoming events or products the artist could be soon releasing - products that could be advertised in this advert as well as products that are not evident in the advert itself. This will also boost monetary sales for the artist and production company, as well as promote the products that are currently available.

The Cultural Effects Model

What is the Cultural Effects model?
The Cultural Effects Model is the idea that audiences ideology of texts are constructed over time - instead of immediately - by seeing various amounts of different media  products, additionally known as the drip effect. This is because the frequent ideas slowly 'drip' into our minds, ergo eventually forming a fundamental portrayal of media texts.

How is it used in music videos?
Initially, it has been used in several ways in contemporary music videos. Despite this, the fundamental portrayal of females and their beauty has been formed so that women are seen with similar traits throughout the media. This constructs an idea of what is defined as 'beauty', and due to this idea of having a similar portrayal of females throughout many media texts, this is seen as normal. This is why it is believed by many individuals.

This is shown in different music video texts, but is usually shown in videos that convey the idea of voyeurism, and the impression that 'sex sells'. This is shown in these sort of music videos by females wearing minimal clothing, and using their bodies to entice the audiences, and attract them.
This applies to the drip effect whereby overtime, this has become the norm, and by looking at the most popular videos on YouTube to date, these characteristics have all been met.
For example, Rihanna's video for 'Pour It Up' is very sexual, and we see many shots of her in seductive positions, as well as clothing. In addition, Nikki Minaj's video for 'Anaconda' has attracted massive worldwide attention, due to the sexual nature of the video.
These videos are examples of how we are encouraged to see women in their beauty, and is becoming a normal aspect due to it's frequent occurrence in the media.

We are not going to use this technique in our final music video. This is because our music video will promote an immediate idea, rather than a gradual idea throughout several videos. Additionally, the aspects in our video are already ideologies that currently prominent in existing media texts.

Magazine advert from chosen genre (Electronic)

Chase & Status
This magazine advert for the Chase & Status album 'No More Idols' is used here to promote an upcoming event at Yeovil Westlands on Saturday 12th march.

Typography
Considering the overall image used in the background is the same image use on the album cover, as well as the text, the text of this piece has been design to match the typography on the album cover. This is so that it looks as if it should be a part of the image, and meets the house style that was intended on the album cover.
It is a bold font, which makes it very readable and easy to see by the audience, therefore making the information easier to consume.
The informative text itself includes information regarding the event, the artist name and other details external to the artist, such as websites, phone numbers and hotlines.

Colours
The colours used in this advert match the house style of their other artwork, similarly to the typography. Particularly since their 'No More Idols' album, the singles and remixes have matched this style. On their artwork that includes images in the background, they are black & white. For example, the single of 'Let You Go', which was featured on the No More Idols album, has a similar style that matches the overall house style. Similarly, the single for Blind Faith has no image as the background, but still meets this style. This style predominantly features black and yellow. This choice of colour is due to the differentiation between them, therefore offsetting the text to make it easier to read. If the colours were too similar, it would be difficult for the audience to read.

Images
The images used on this magazine advert are simply that of a dog. The reason for this is because it is the same image that is used on the album cover. Due to the idea of keeping the advert the same style as the album, the image is used again, similarly to the text used. This too meets the house style that frequents throughout the singles and remix album covers, whereby it is a random image (with what seems like no relevance), in black and white. This is effective as it is a memorable and abstract image, however can largely be associated with this album (image of a bulldog).

Specific music video knowledge

Here, I have mind mapped my specific knowledge from what I have learned in my media theory lessons. This is an advance from my general knowledge I had at the beginning of my course, and is applicable to both my coursework project, and other aspects of music videos including analysis as well as general viewing of music video texts.

Analysis of video using Goodwin's Theory - 'A Town Called Hypocrisy'

Lostprophets - A Town Called Hypocrisy

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
This genre of music is alternative rock; a sub-genre of rock. The stereotypical characteristics and conventions of this genre, in terms of a music video, are performances from the artist throughout the text. This is evident in this video for 'A Town Called Hypocrisy', where the band are seen performing the song using their allocated instruments on the set of the video.

Relationship between lyrics and visuals
Throughout this video, there are references to the lyrics that are featured within the video. The general lyrics during the song refer to the idea of not letting people tell you how to live your own life, which is shown in this video, where the band are seen partying and causing anarchy on the set of a children's television show.

Frequent reference to the notion of looking, as well as voyeurism towards females
During this text, the idea of voyeurism towards females is used widely. The idea of a contrast from the safe, well-behaved and respectful manner of a children's television show, to the females being in their underwear partying with the band is largely evident in this piece.
This aspect of this technique is used in music videos to promote the idea of sex in media. This attracts both males and females. This is mainly due to the fact it is included in the basic needs of the human life, and is available just by watching a 4 minute video. Sex is used in media to promote the idea of fun, as well as attracting audiences to make the video more successful.

Intertextual references
This video has various intertextual references. Firstly, the idea of the band being hosts for a children's television show is contrasting to the hectic and youthful goings on once the cameras have stopped filming (behind the scenes). This is used because it is an idea of what potentially happens in real life television shows aimed at kids, once the cameras have stopped rolling. Secondly, there is an intertextual reference to the famous children's film 'Charlie & The Chocolate Factory'. This is evident when the lead singer is seen 'speaking' the words, and they appear out of his mouth.
Intertextuality is used in music videos to include the audience into the inside joke. This can be a reference to another media text, meaning that they understand the reference, and feel included.

Conclusion
In this video for A Town Called Hypocrisy by Lostprophets, several aspects of Goodwin's Theory are met, including the use of Intertextuality, voyeurism and a link to the music with the visuals. It is effective, and these aspects have helped create a successful music video for this song.

Lyrics analysis

Importance of lyric analysis for preparation of music video production

When producing a music video, the analysis of the lyrics is fundamental in order for the video succeed. Firstly, if a narrative can be formed by referring to the lyrics, then a successful video can be produced. This is effective because it initially refers to Goodwin's theory.
Additionally, an underlying meaning can be found in the lyrics that may refer to the narrative of the video, or the contents of the video. If the video is peculiar, unusual or difficult to understand, analysing the lyrics and finding an underlying message could remedy the confusion, if any.

Here, I have analysed our chosen song for the production of our music video. By analysing these lyrics, we have been able to find both the underlying narrative, as well as form a general and prominent story for the music video.

Lip syncing

What is lip syncing?
Lip syncing is a technical term for matching mouth movements with spoken words. This technique can be used in any context, including live music performances, recordings and acting performances.

Why is it important?
Lip syncing is beneficial because it ensures that firstly the quality of the sound, as well as the overall performance is of prime quality. Additionally, it ensures that the artist will finish the song, if the case were that they had forgotten the lyrics.
The drawbacks of lip syncing, however, are firstly the controversial aspects of it form media and audiences. It is generally seen as a 'cheat', or a shortcut used by artists that do not want to actually sing at their concerts. This is seen as neglect and a lack of effort towards the audience at that time, ergo the general reason it is frowned upon. Similarly, it is seen as the artist being somewhat talentless, and almost unable to perform live in concert for the audience.
Another drawback is the room for potential errors. If one word is not correct, the music will still continue to play, and will be evident towards the audience that the artist is lip syncing. This will hinder the overall atmosphere of the show, due to the previously mentioned drawbacks listed above.

Notable occurrences in music
Milli Vanilli
 In 1990, during a live performance at Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut, the recording of Milli Vanilli's song "Girl You Know It's True" jammed and began to skip, repeating the partial line "Girl, you know it's..." over and over. Due to rising public questions regarding the source of talent in the group, owner Frank Farian confessed to reporters on November 12, 1990, that Morvan and Pilatus did not actually sing on the records.

Textual analysis - 'Window Shopper' by 50 Cent

Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene within this piece plays a large part in the success of the video. Firstly, the props used are signifiers of the vast wealth the artist, 50 Cent, has himself. This is apparent as we see him driving around in a Maserati MC12, known for being explicitly expensive (upwards of $1.6m). Additionally, the artist is wearing large amounts of expensive jewelry, and at a certain point in the video, we see him purchasing a multi-million dollar yacht.
The setting of this text is in Monaco; known for it's wealth and class. Throughout the video, we see 50 Cent driving the Maserati around the streets of Monaco, pointing out to things he would like to buy, and that he can afford.

Sound
In this text, diegetic sound is used whereby 50 Cent and his friend Ma$e are seen tying to understand a french salesmen in a shop. They are tying to buy expensive shoes, however we can hear that there is a language barrier that is proving difficult to break. This is to show that 50 Cent is so wealthy, that he does not need to worry about the class and sophistication of learning another language, however he can simply arrive at the shop and purchase whatever he likes.

Camera
Throughout this music video, different camera angles are used to promote the idea of 50 Cent being a significantly wealthy individual. We see the artist during this video from a low camera angle. This is a showcase of dominance, which relates to his large wealth, as being rich is usually associated with being powerful. In addition, we see a reverse tracking shot of the artist in his expensive car, with the buildings of Monaco in the background. This shows how he blends in with his setting, as it too is based on wealth and class.

Narrative
The narrative of this piece is 50 Cent and his wealthy peers purchasing expensive items and living a luxury lifestyle in Monaco. Throughout the video, we see the artist buying more expensive items than another person who frequently appears in the video buying similar products for an extremely lower price. This is seen as humorous to the artist and his friends. This represents the artist in a positive light, as it suggest his is rich and powerful compared to normal citizens who do not come from similar wealth to 50 Cent.

Notes on music video (Individual)

Here, I have mind mapped my initial ideas and notes for our music video for 'Trials of the Past' by SBTRKT. I have included the main fundamental aspects that contribute towards the success of the video. I have included setting, narrative, characters and lyrics.

 

Research into Goodwin's theory

Goodwin's Theory
Andrew Goodwin has a popular theory with points that he believes every music video adheres to.
Goodwin's theory is based on 6 main points.

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. 
This means that the video will have conventions that are stereotypical characteristics of that genre. For example, a rap video will likely have gold chains, expensive jewellery and attractive women dancing.

2. Relationship between lyrics and visuals.
 Music videos will often have a link between the lyrics in the visuals within the music video. This could be in the narrative, or just featured within the conceptual aspect.

3. Relationship between music and visuals.
Similarly to the link between lyrics and visuals, the music itself can have a link with the visuals.

4. Demands of the record label.
The record label that the artist is under may have requests and demands. These demands often include close ups of the artist during filming, as well as a visual style that will be reoccurring throughout their career. For example, Lady Gaga has an abstract and orignial dress sense, which is what she is popular for.

5. Frequent reference to the notion of looking, as well as voyeurism towards females. 
The notion of looking includes a focus on men or women being portrayed in a seductive manner. The notion of looking can also be referenced by making eye contact with the camera, as well as the use of props. Voyeurism is widely used to sell the artist's music using sex appeal. Contemporary videos predominantly show females using voyeurism, compared to men, where it is a significantly more minimal amount.

6. Intertextual references
Music videoes will sometimes have intertextual references. This means that they will reference to existing videos, films or other texts. This is to include the audience in the text, as they will feel 'in on the joke'. For example, the music video for I Feel Like Dancin' by 'All Time Low' has several intertextual references to existing videos, such as Green Day - Holiday, Katy Perry - California Girls and Lady Gaga - Bad Romance.

Notes on music artist poster

This is a poster for the band, A Day To Remember. This poster is advertising an upcoming show the band will be playing at, promoted by the venue.                                                                                                    

Typography
The typography in this image firstly highlights the record company. This is at the top of the page, meaning it is significant information that should be considered, and ideally, read before the rest of the text. The font is large enough to be read, however not so large that it overpowers the band name, and the rest of the poster in general.
The band name 'A Day To Remember' is more centralized, as well as being large. This is so that it is showcased as the most important part of the poster, as the most central part is usually the most important. It's size is large, meaning also it is a fundamental part of the poster.

Images 
There are images used in this poster. Firstly, the most obvious image used is that of the band. This is to portray to the audience the people behind the music, and to effectively personify the music. Secondly, layered behind the text is a faded image of the cover to their album. This is to promote the album, and almost give a purpose for the poster in the first place.

Colours
The colours used in this media text are simple and bright, however have an overall layer of low saturation. This is to meet the convention of the metal genre of being grungy and dated. This is effective as it gives an idea into the genre of the band to the audience, leaving them with an insight into the possible genre to new audience members, without having to listen to their music.

Music Video Conventions - 'November Rain' by Guns 'n' Roses

In the music video for the song November Rain by Guns 'n' Roses, the stereotypical conventions of the music genre, and music videos are largely met.

Performance

The main convention of rock music videos is the performance from the artist. In this music video, there are several performances by the band, as well as several individual shots of the band member, guitarist Slash. This is a convention of rock music as this genre is seen as more of a band related genre, therefore a performance in the video is necessary to see the variation of physical instruments used in the production of the song, and the skill needed to play said instruments.

Narrative

The conventional narrative of the rock genre as a whole usually revolves around the lyrics of the text. In this case, the lyrics relate to the video significantly. The lyrics 'Because nothing lasts forever, and we both know hearts can change' are met with the showcase of an expensive wedding, and as the bride enters the car after the ceremony, she has a look on her face as if to say she is not fully committed to the marriage. 

Mise-en-scene
The mise-en scene in this text meets the conventions of a rock video largely. The stereotypical codes and conventions of mise-en scene in rock music videos includes performance based settings such as stages or shows, as well as dark and 'rock & roll' clothing types. This is showcased in this piece, particularly where the guitarist, Slash, is performing a guitar solo (pictured above). This clothing choice is seen as different, original and somewhat rebellious. This is where the equilibrium of music videos and the genre lies, as the artists are showcasing these clothing choices in the video text here.

Summary
To summarize, this music video for November Rain by Guns 'n' Roses meets the stereotypical codes and conventions of rock music videos in terms of narrative, performance aspects as well as mise-en scene and props. This is common throughout rock music videos, and due to Guns 'n' Roses large and popular status as being seen as rock legends, this is likely to be the case for the majority of their videos.

Magazine Advertisements

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

Pictured is the magazine advert for the 'Mylo Xyloto' album by Coldplay. This album was released in October 2011. This magazine advert is significantly striking for several reasons.

Colours
In this magazine advert, the bold colours used are what first catches the audiences eyes. This is due to the vibrancy and all round glow of the colours. It makes the poster stand out amongst others that are of a less vibrant colour, and are generally less saturated.

Images
This advert has several images used (which are also vibrant and colourful) that are original and creatively placed upon the poster. This seems to be a graffiti type image, that has been included in the poster for one reason or another. This is effective due to the mystery and questionable reasons for its placement within the advert. This could mean that the audience will be curious as to what is included on the album, making them want to purchase it.

Text
The text used on this advert is largely focused on the album title, 'Mylo Xyloto'. This is to showcase the title to the audience, and due to it's questionable meaning, it causes more curiosity. Several interviews have been conducted with lead singer Chris Martin, and he has given a very vague and confusing answer as to the meaning of 'Mylo Xyloto'.
Additionally, it has the artist name, 'Coldplay'. This is to present the name of the artist, to show how popular the album actually is. For example, if it were by an independent artist, that is not very popular, the poster may be read no further than the name of the artist. Whereas - in this case - it reads 'Coldplay', who are a popular artist, the broad audience will be interested in the new and upcoming release. This is why it is strategically placed at the top of the page.
Also, at the bottom of the page, it has the details of the album, including (in large writing) the release date. This is to ensure the audience are aware of when the album will be coming out, so that they can either prepare to purchase the album, or even pre-order the album.

The purpose of a music video

Purpose

There are several reasons for songs having music videos. A music video is an integration of video imagery and sound. The main purpose of music videos to promote, advertise, entertain and to create a lasting impression on the viewer's mind. This works hand in hand with promotion and the more entertaining the music video, the more exposure the video will get from the public.
First and foremost, the idea of advertising the artists to a worldwide scale is paramount to the record companies, as well as the artists themselves. This is purposeful as a music video allows this to be a possibility, as it broadens the exhibition platforms from only being on radio, to TV, internet and mobile devices.

Secondly, depending on how original, creative and memorable the contents of the video is, it could help the audience of the text memorize the song, and publicize it to their friends. For example, a bizarre video, such as 'Chandelier' by Sia, is popular for being different, and having a sense of craziness in the video. This adds to the popularity of the video, which will in turn result in an increase in popularity of the song.
Additionally, the idea of an entertaining video is fundamental towards the success of the song. This is due to the fact that if a dull and boring video is associated largely with the song, it could be considered an unpopular song. This will lead to a depletion in sales and popularity, which is a negative aspect for the artist and record label.

To summarize, it is no surprise that a music video contributes largely to the valuable success of a song released by an artist. This is for several purposes, however initially the entertainment value of the video is key to the success of both the song, and the video.

Real music video media texts - 'Blk & Blue' by Chase & Status

Chase & Status - Blk & Blu

NarrativeThe narrative of this music video begins with a young man shaving his friends head, giving him a hair cut. He then goes on to say, 'Trust me, it's looking good. It's the first day of the rest of our lives bruv.' They then meet up with their two other female friends, and begin smoking and drinking. They then end up at a pool bar, and then challenge two other males to a pool game with bets. The two main characters win the game, and have seemed to annoyed the challengers. We then go on to see  the main characters with their two female friends enter a club. They are having a good time, and one of the main characters enters the mens bathroom. He is followed in by the person he challenged, and beat at pool prior to coming to the club. This person then hazes him by pouring champagne in his head, and slapping him on his head several times. Despite this, the main character leaves the bathroom and continues enjoying his night with his friends, and goes on until the early hours of the morning.

Settings
The setting of changes throughout, however is focused largely on the club, which the artists are DJ'ing at. This is a dark and decadent vibe, and highlights the type of setting typical teenagers tend to attend. In addition, the bar they play pool out is a similar setting. It - again - is darkly lit and is a stereotype for the location teenagers tend to hang around in. The encasing city is likely to be a large place with these type of locations, such as London.

Shots used
Several shots were used in this video, however the majority is at a close up shot. This is to show how cramped and closely spaced the atmosphere is in the video, and show the emotions and affects of drugs and alcohol on the characters faces. The variety of shots included medium shots as well as long shots.

Transitions
The transitions in this piece were fairly simple; cuts were used to show the fast paced happenings in this video. Similarly to other music videos, if a slow paced transition was used, such as a fade or crossfade, it would show time passing, or disillusion.

Representation
This piece represents the idea of youths - especially teenagers - attending clubs, taking drugs and drinking alcohol, all in order to feel good about themselves and have a good time. This is a negative stereotypical representation, as it shows teenagers in a bad light due to the excessive narcotics and alcohol, as well as causing trouble and being delinquents.

Conclusion

To summarize, this club themed music video for 'Blk & Blu' is a showcase of the contemporary activies teenagers get up to. The shots, transitions and settings used are an insight into the lives that youths get up to, and the problems behind them.

History of music videos

What is a music video?
A music video is an integration of video imagery and the song itself. It can be composed using animation, filmed footage as well as most other types of media. It has several purposes, however mainly to both advertise the artist as well as broaden the exhibition platforms.

First music video
In 1984, the first technical music video was a compilation of still images alongside live performances, which lead to the first account of an 'illustrated song'. This was seen as the first step towards music videos.
An example of an early music video is 'St Louis Blue's' by Bessie Smith. This was in 1929, and played alongside a two reel short film which was a dramatized performance of the song. It was shown in theatres until 1932.

First music videos aired on MTV
The first music video to be shown on Music Television was 'Video Killed the Radio Star' by The Buggles.  This was in the year of 1979, at 12:01AM on the 1st of August. On 27 February 2000, it became the one-millionth video to be aired on MTV.

Animation
In 1940, Walt Disney released 'Fantasia', which was an animated musical piece that was based around classical music.

Real music video media texts - 'Galvanize' by The Chemical Brothers

Galvanize - The Chemical Brothers
Narrative
The narrative of this music video begins with a child in a small house. It is night, and it appears as if he is supposed to be asleep in his bedroom. His father is in the living room watching late night television, and therefore is oblivious to what his son is doing.
The son begins to apply make up to his face, resembling a clown. This gives the impression that he is trying to hide his identity, and remain anonymous for whatever is going to occur throughout the video.
He then sneaks out of the house past his dad, and meets his two friends who are also wearing clown make up. This also reinforces the idea that they are about to engage in an activity that would require their anonymity to be paramount, likely to be something illegal or frowned upon.
We seem them walking through the estate, and encounter a gang. They start arguing with the gang, and are then chased. They approach a bus, and get on it to get to their destination.
Their destination is a club, and they do their best to sneak past security to get in. Once they are in, there are dance battles occurring, with people wearing similar face paint, suggesting it is some sort of cult or gang event.
They then begin participating in the dance battle. As it proceeds, the security guards notice the 3 underage boys, and throw them out. As the video ends, we see a shot of the 3 boys driving away in the back of a police car.

Settings
 The settings used in this video firstly begin with is the home of one of the boys. It is a dark, small and almost uncomfortable setting. This suggests that the boy is uneasy, and doesn't want to be there. We then see him leave this setting and go outside, into the surrounding estate. This is where he meets his friends. This setting is where they encounter the gang, and are then chased to a different setting; the bus. Here we see other citizens on the bus, who seem to be intimidated by the boys, likely to be due to their youth nature, or their clown face paint. Once they are off the bus, they are outside of the club. This then leads to the interior of the club, which is a decadent, cramped and lively setting. This is where the intense dance battles occur. Once the boys are kicked out, we are again transported outside of the club to where they are arrested and put inside the police car.
Shots used
There were a variety of different shots used in this video. There are several close ups, especially of the young boys, as well as medium shots and long shots. The most effective shot used in this text, however, is the POV shot. This gives a sense of the audience being included within the dance battle, as well as trying to convey the intensity of the situation for the individuals who are actually participating within the dance-off.



Transitions
The transitions in this video are predominantly simple cuts. This is to show the fast paced nature within the video, and to convey the hectic and decadent activities these children are engaging in. If a dissolve or fade was used at any other point in the video other than the beginning or end, it would show a slow paced happening, which is the opposite of what is trying to be portrayed here.

Representation
This video represents the lifestyles of youths in a lower class upbringing, and showing their habits which are frowned upon. This is enforced by the idea of the boys wearing the clown face paint to increase their anonymity. Additionally, the portrayal of the contents of the club being mostly youths suggests that this setting is no place for adults, and that modern day youths are being encouraged to join and participate in cult or gang activity, be it illegal or not.

Conclusion
To summarize, this video for 'Galvanize' is targeted at a youthful audience, similar to the music itself. It includes the activities in which teens and young adults would engage in, as well as including the hint of criminal or anti-social behaviour - which is stereotypical of youths - therefore representing them in a negative light.

 

Real music video media texts - 'Everlong' by Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters - Everlong

Narrative
The narrative of this music video begins with a couple (lead singer Dave Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins) laying in bed sleeping. It then becomes apparent that Dave Grohl's character is having a nightmare, shown by a surreal occurrence of events that are featured throughout the video. The main characters are seen to have different dreams, in which the female character is seen in trouble with to 'bad guys', and is then saved by the husband in her dream. It refers to the 5 stages of Todorov's theory, mainly in which an equilibrium is interrupted, is recognised, and resolved and a new equilibrium is reached. Intertextuality is used in this piece whereby it could be seen as a reference to the film Evil Dead, however not every aspect of the film is incorporated in the music video.
Settings
The setting of this house starts of in a suburban American street, and enters the house of the couple. As the camera tracks up the stairs of the house, it shows pictures of the couple showing that they are in love with eachother. We then enter their bedroom, where we see the couple sleeping.
Once we see the character enter his dream state, we're transported to a different setting in a different house in which a party is occurring. Once the party setting has been established for this characters dream, we see the other characters dream and the setting changes to a cabin in a forest. These two settings are seen several times throughout the duration of the video, until the end where we are taken back to the original house of the characters.
Shots used
Different shots were used in this video to show different things. Long shots and medium shots were featured, and close ups on the faces of the characters to show the emotion and confusion, as well as the uncomfortable nature of their sleep during the dream.
Transitions
In order to successfully exhibit the idea of a surreal dream state, transitions are used to differentiate between real life and the dream itself. A blurry wave effect is used to generate the idea of surreal happenings in the dream, and showcases the impression of uneasiness, confusion and disorientation.

 

 

As well as these disorientating transitions, jump cuts are used frequently. These could be to show the fast pace of the dream, and how rapidly the confusion can occur.

Representation

The main representation seen here is the fact that females are typically seen as delicate, helpless and timid compared to men. This is apparent whereby we see the female character as the damsel in distress, and is rescued by her husband as he beats up the bad guys. This is a largely stereotypical aspect, that shows women in a negative light, showing that they cannot fight for themselves and must rely on males to save them.

Conclusion

To summarize, the music video for Everlong by Foo Fighters is primarily funny, which is what Foo Fighters' music videos are popular for. Its narrative applies to the 5 stages of narrative, and targets the audience of Foo Fighters largely and effectively.

 

Knowledge of music videos

Why do we have music videos?

Music videos have been used for many years for a wide variety of reasons. The majority of which are for financial gain for the production company, record label and artist themselves. One reason for having music videos is the promotion of the song and artist. This means that it advertises both the song itself as well as the performer, meaning they become more popular, which ultimately results in a higher grossing artist for the record label. Secondly, it is a potential catalyst for higher paying record deals with larger companies such as Virgin Records and Universal Music. This can lead to further endorsements or sponsors for the artist, which means a higher financial income for the artist and related crew. Thirdly, it broadens the exhibition platforms. This means that instead of just playing the song on radio, it is available to the audience on their TV’s, as well as social media sites on their computers, tablets and mobile phones. This means it is much more popular, resulting in higher profits for the production company and the artist.

 What do we expect music videos to have in them?

Music videos – in terms of narrative) are expected to have the following five stages that were founded by Todorov:
1. A state of equilibrium (All is as it should be.)
2. A disruption of that order by an event.
3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.
4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.
5. A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium
Todorov’s theory apply to the majority of music videos, or at least some of the stages. This adds to the impact of the narrative, and gives a basic structure for a 3-5 minute film that accompanies the song itself.
We also expect to see some sort of performance by the artist themselves. This is common in a vast majority of music videos, and can add to the effect of the song itself as well as the lyrics.

How will it help?
By looking at the above information, we will use these aspects, particularly Todorov's theory, in our video. This will ensure we have the characteristics of a successful video, and therefore make it extremely plausible we have a professional looking music video, which will certify we have a high graded piece.