Research: Generic conventions and analysing digipack

What is a digi pack? And the impact it has

A digipak is an advertisement insert for an album.  The impact is has is that it looks at the artist and finds out further information about the song and lyrics. A relationship is built with the artist/album.

Conventions:

• Images of artists. 
• information that relate to the album. 
• Needs to relate to genre text such as title of album, barcode colour.

The purpose of the digipak:

• Marketing tool that goes in the CD
• Provides information about the artists and the album
• Display information such as the different songs on the album
•  Avertisement appeal to target audience. Informing the audience.
• Creates, adapts or feeds into the representation of the star image
• A product to keep hold of can be a collectors item
• Attract a particular target audience
• Buy into artist lifestyle and ideas

 

Elements of a digipak:

• Image of artist
• Artists names and album title
• List of songs that appear on the album
• Production company details etc

Analysing two examples that are similair to mine using the following conventions:

Michael Jackson's digipak analysis:

Usher's digipak analysis:

 

 

 

Planning: Digipak information

In our groups, we agreed on the information that would be used in our digipak.

Name of the artist: De'la Cruz
Song name: Battle Scars
Album name: 'Cruz' into my life
Production company: First Class Productions

Track list:

1. My Money
2. Cant hurt me no more
3. Love runs deep
4. Sh*t dont stain
5. Cruz into my life
6. Battle Scars
7. Wherever and whenever
8. Signs
9. Popping bottles

Production company details would be completed. 'Explicit Content' would be used as this would be neccesary.

Planning: Production roles

Production Roles

 

Planning production roles are really important to make sure our production goes smoothly and would enable us utilise the specialisites of the members of our groups.

 

Camera operator: This is the person who films the scenes, he/she would work alongside the storyboard organiser and the director to take instructions from them about how to operate the camera. Such as what shot, angle and movement to use at the specific scene or time.They should create shots which are effective to use for the thriller genre and not to confuse the audience by using the appropriate camera techniques.

Actors: These are the people who are getting filmed, they act as the characters desired in the film, they work with the film director to get instructions on how to be feeling and how they should be positioned in the scene. Their job is to play a convincing character and to deliver the genre of R&B to the audience.

Sound technician: the sound technician is the person that creates the specific sounds that are relevant to each scene. They have to work with the storyboard organiser to decide the type of sound to use. They make sure that the sounds are effective to the audience.

Editors: These are people that edit the scenes. They would work with the storyboard organiser and also the camera operator to decide the parts which would require cutting, and what type of montage to use and what sequence of shots should be used. They would make sure that the cuts they use do not confuse the audience and that they are effective for the R&B genre.

Film Director: This is the person who is in charge of everything that goes on in the music video, but mainly controls the characters, he/she makes sure everything is effective and reflect the film producers ideas. Moreover, they control all the elements of mise-en-scene. They work with the whole team and makes sure they are pursing in the producers aspirations.

Location manager: This is the person that chooses the location of the scene, he/she makes sure that the location would be conventional for ouyr music video, and also he/she would have to work with the film directors to decide what time of the day and what area to set the scene at. This is to make sure that they have the best place to film the scene at the correct time to enhance the impact the scene has on the audience by choosing appropriate scenes so they can relate to making the audience more engaged and interested in the scene.

Storyboard organiser: The storyboard organiser is the person who creates the film on a storyboard which displays all the other workers of the film in rough idea of what’s going to happen in the scene, they make it relevant to a music video. It implies the shot number, cinematography, actors involved, editing style narrative, dialogue and duration of the scene to give the workers a more detailed guideline and a general idea of what they are meant to be producing. The storyboard organiser would make it as detailed as he/she can so there would be less work to do on the day of shooting.

 

 

 

Cameraman: We assigned the camera operator in our group to be Bryan. This was because he told us she was confident with using the camera. He is also confident in creating shots that are effective to the R&B music genre.
Actors: The actors would be myself, Sean, Khaled and Asena. This was because I feel like my acting would have a positive impact to our opening. Moreover Sean and Khaled felt that their acting would contribute in a positive way to the group because of their drama skills.

Sounds editor: This role would be taken by Bryan. They both had good ideas about the specific sounds that should be used, and both were confident in creating these sounds.

Editors: The editor would be Kemal. This was because Kemal was willing to go through the footage and decide which parts need editing, and what editing type needs to be used. Moreover, Kemal had the editor role last year and his experience would further the editing techniques of our music video.

Film director: Everyone in the group would be contributing in directing the film. We would all make sure that everything is effective and that we put all our ideas together to make a successful thriller opening.

Location manager: The location manager would be myself. I think I’d be useful in this role because I will be able to find a suitable location and id be able to make sure that the location of the scene would be conventional to athe R&B film. I also have a good knowledge of the Enfield erea, which i would know what location would be suitable.

Storyboard manager: this role would be taken by Jasmine because she is organised in making the storyboard which would make the film easier to produce.

Lighting manager: I would be the lighting manager, i would be useful for this role because i would find the relevant lighting that would be needed for the specific scene. Such as low-key lighting effect, high-key or natural lighting where i would find a specific day and time of day relevant to the scene.

Producer:  The producer is Bryan. Bryan would work alongside the driector, and would organise paperwork.  He would also make sure that the production runs smoothly. if costs of travel are involved, Bryan would will organsie this.

Costume, hair and make up: I would be incharge of the costume, hair and make up.  I was assigned to this because i have a good fashion sense and would know what would be conventional for the characters. I would ensure that the characters and actors in the production looks appropriate accourding to genre narrative, and the specific scene.




Planning: Cinematography and editing of my music video's

Cinematography:

 

Cinematography is important in music videos because what the audience see's is influenced by the cinemtagraphy used and this is the most essential factor in music videos and has a major impact on the success and popularity of music videos.The correct cinematography techniques can appeal to your target audience further. Cinematography can be used to further the star image of the artist. it can create bonds between the audience and the artist. Goodwin proposed this in one of his eight characteristics of music videos.

The cinematography I plan to use in my music video consists of the following:

1. Close up shout would be used when the female character is crying. I have chosen to use this because by using a close up shot the emotion and feelings of the characters could easily be seen. This is conventional to the R&B genre because relationships and break-ups are a essential part of the R&B culture and by using a close up shot on the aspect of the female being heartbroken would be effective and relevant.
2. High angle shot would be used when the male is alone in his room. I have chosen to use this because the high angle shot would show the male as being vuulnerable and lonely without his lover. This is conventional to the R&B genre because it shows the character as having problems with his love life and breaking up with his girlfriend.
3. Long shot would be used to show the area that the filming would be taking place at. I have chosen to use this because the long shot would give a better feel of where both lovers had got together at. This is conventional to the R&B genre because there should be emphasis on the setting that could be used
4. Close ups would be used on the objects and props. I have chosen to use this because the objects would portray the problems within the relationship of the male and female. This is conventional to the R&B genre because the problems within the relationship would be outlined by the broken glass and the picture of the couple being put on fire.
5. Establishing shot would be used in the first shot in the scene when both the characters are alone in a rural setting. I have chosen to use this because the characters would be shown as upset and isolated. This is conventional to the R&B genre because immediately the audience would be aware of how they are feeling.
6. Low angle shot would be used when the female character is looking up to the male character. I have chosen to use this beause to show an element of the male being superior in the relationship. This is conventional to the R&B genre because the males within the music video are shown as being the leading figure within the relationship out of the female and male

Editing:

Editing is important in music videos because it establishes a rhythm to the song and the pace to the music which would also help build a relationship with the audience. I believe it is important to think about the editing especially in music videos because if the editing is right then it can further help to create emotion and responses from the audience. Goodwin suggested that the editing must match the pace of the song and the visuals of the song

The editing I plan to use in my music video consists of the following:

1. A jump cut will be used at the begining of the music video from the male character to the female character. I have chosen this because the audience owuld see both characters with an interesting effect. This is conventional to the R&B genre because the characters play an important role and should be introduced at the beginning of the music video.
2. Slow Paced editing would be used when the beat of the song starts to slow down.  I have chosen this because both female and male characters would be calm and the slow paced editing would compliment this. This is conventional to the R&B genre because the theme of lvoe and romance would be reflective of the genre.
3. Shot Reverse Shot would be used when the characters would be arguing with each other. I have chosen this because this peice of editing would enable the audience to be aware of how both characters are feeling as both of them would be seen. This is conventional to the R&B genre because arguments are usually evident within R&B music videos and this should be portrayed to the audience in the best way possible
4. Fast Paced editing would be used when the beat of the song starts to build up such as on the hook. I have chosen to use this because the editing should match the content of the song and as there would be more action going on in the music video, faster editing would be needed. This is conventional to the R&B genre because where the beat changes so should be speed of editing especially for R&B.

Planning: Copyright letter

Copyright letter

To carry out my music video product I had to write a copyright letter and send it to the record label that the artist Lupe Fiasco belongs to. I had to keep formal language constant throughout the letter. The letter also had a clear structure to it in order for it to be easily read and understood.

Contact details for Sony Music Entertainment:

The contact details included an address that we had used on our copyright letter, and a telephone number that we could use. After sending and E-mail to Sony Music Entertainment we did not hear from the company yet.

Creating a copyright letter is essential in the planning and production section of our project. Without consent from the record label, our work would go against copyright laws and would therefore be illegal. Asking for permission allows us to be safe and be on legal terms with our music video product.

Planning: Artist's star image

Planning: Artist’s Star Image

In our groups we planned our artist’s star image in order to ensure that we followed conventions of the genre, and making sure that we appealed to our target audience through the way our artist was represented.  

Our artists star image is categorised  into different aspects to gain a better understanding of our artist.

I believe that the following attitudes and characteristics are conventional to the R&B genre, therefore this is how my artists would be represented:

• Confident in the lyrics and what the artists him/herself is trying to convey

• Being arrogant and sure about the lyrics

• Smart/casual not too much emphasis in costume and the way they look

The following morals and values are conventional to the R&B genre, therefore this is how my artist would be represented in relation to their morals and values and i would keep this persistant in my music video:

• Love and relationships
• Their personal image

• Having an interest in the opposite sex

The media's perception of the artists star image should also be conventional to the R&B genre, therefore this is how our artist would be percieved by the media:

• As a role model to the target audience
• The target audience would aspire to be like the star, and aim to prioritise the same beliefs and interests
• Being respected by the audience

Theories to apply:

Both Goodwin and Dyer are .the theorists that i would apply.  Both theorists concentrate on the 'star image' which would be relevant for us to portray within our artist because we would want our artist to be someone that the audience can relate to and aspire to be like. We would do this through various close ups.

Examples of artists that have influenced my artist representation:

When analysinbg artists such as Will.i.am and Usher we could find a number of relation from them to our actual artist.

Will.i.am:
Will.i.am is a well respected and well known artist in the R&B genre. throughout his music videos he is associated with the conventional morals and values such as love, and having a consistant image that is clear and consistent  Therefore Will.i.am is a prime example of an artist that has influenced our artists representation.

Usher:
Usher is well known for his love songs and interest in women in his music videos. Having this romantic nature has allowed him to appeal both to a wide range of females and males within the audience of the R&B genre. The main theme of our music video being love & relationships enabled us to relate to Usher directly as he is how we would want our artist to be like.

Morals and attitudes of artist:
Our artist would prioritise love and relationships and how it would have a pivotal role in his life, this would be conveyed through the lyrics and the stance of the artist in the music video. Image would also be essential as the artist would not want to lose the identity of being classy and respected.

Costume:
The main theme of the costume would be smart and casual. The artist would wear a slouchy beanie, with skinny fitted jeans and high top shoes to elaborate on the romantic nature of the artist as well as the song.

Lighting:
Low-key and natural lighting would be used on the artist. Low-key lighting would be used when to emphasise on negative aspect of the lyrics - breakups.

Body language and facial expression:
Both the male and female characters would be really close together. Facial expressions from both characters would be devastation and upset as there would be scenes where the female would be crying. Some scenes would consist of reserved body language from both characters as they would be alone.

Planning: Initial ideas

Initial Ideas

In the groups we were assigned too we had to come up with three music video ideas and analysing the advantages and disadvantages. We done this to to determine which idea would be most suitable to use for our music video. We all had varying ideas for what song to use because of our interests and differing choices of music we listen to. We all contributed in voicing our opinions on the song that each group member had picked.

Idea 1:

Artists: Rudimental

Song title: Powerless

Genre: Drum and Bass

Video structure: Performance/narrative based. A story.

Video content: The main idea behind the music video would be a young female girl that is helpless in love, and she is heartbroken from her lover. There would be a mixture of slow and fast paced editing depending on the pace of the music. The slower part of the song would consist of close up shots and extreme close ups on the young females face to capture the emotion. As the song gradually starts to get faster there would be more action going on in the music video. The female would be running away and trying to ‘escape’ from her love.

Advantages:

• Feeling and emotions of the characters could easily be shown through the pace of music
• Could appeal to a large audience.
• A realistic situation and common theme of ‘love’ is likely to be successful.

Disadvantages:

• Would be hard to represent a real life situation.
• Quick transition from slow paced to fast based would be hard to pull off and could be time consuming.
• Acting needs to be good

Idea 2:

Artist: The Streets

Song title: Blinded by the lights

Genre: Pop

Video structure: Narrative/performance based

Video content: The artist would be a white male in their late teens portraying his specific lifestyle in the slums of London. The urban setting would be used and at night. The struggle of the life of the male would be conveyed when he starts taking drugs and drinking alcohol. A busy main road in London would be conventional with traffic and cars being evident which shows him as being lost with having no motive in life and turning to drugs as a last resort. He would be alone to convey loneliness and him having no support from anyone.

Advantages:

•  The link between lyrics and visuals could easily be made
• Location would be easy to obtain
• Lifestyle could be easy to portray

Disadvantages:

• Themes such as drug use could cause controversy
• The music video would only appeal to a limited niche audience
• The song is a bit too long which could be hard to make a music video to.

Idea 3:

Artist/s: Lupe Fiasco & Guy Sebastian

Song title: Battle scars

Genre: R&B

Video structure: Performance/Narrative based

Video content: The video would consist of two young lovers having problems within their relationship. Essentially, the love life of the couple is not going so well and they are in battle to fix that in order to keep each other. Both characters would be shown as heartbroken with scenes showing how their relationship was in the past, and as the song goes on how their relationship has declined in the present and has come to the point of ‘breaking’ The music video would also go against Mulvey's Male Gaze theory as the female would not be represented in a sexual way and both the male and female would be conveyed at equal terms with each other.

Advantages:

•  R&B genre is popular and has a large target audience
• Theme of ‘love and relationships’ would appeal to a wider audience
• We as teenagers could relate to the song and have a wide range of ideas to include in the music video

Disadvantages:

• Could be hard to find two characters willing to perform
• The mise en scene of objects to use in the music video could be hard to obtain

Discussing different ideas allowed us to be aware of each other’s viewpoints and the strengths in our ideas would contribute to the making of our music video. We are also able to see what idea would be better than what idea, and eliminating any ideas that would be challenging or not suitable to commit to.