Hurtwood Media A2 Complete

Below is all our finalised products for my A2 Year.
 

 

 



WEBSITE

 

http://genevievecorich.wix.com/repotage1

 

 

Digi Pack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hurtwood Media A2 - Task 4

Director's Commentary

Hurtwood Media A2 - Task 4

As part of this task we have to write up a script for us to use for our

 'Directors Commentary'.

This involves us addressing the audience about the technologies that we have used for our music video production, including information such as 

1. Creative idea/build
2. Programs
3. Software
4. Equipment
5. Editing

Below is a copy of our script that we used for this video shoot.

 

“All You need is Now” Task 4 - Script

Hello I’m Liza

I’m Ottavia

I’m Genevieve

And I’m Tilly

And this is our music video

Liza: At the very beginning we were fascinated by creating an 80s style music video. This lead us to lookup 80s bands on YouTube. This is how we discovered Robert Palmer’s video addicted to love which was a major influence on us as one of the main themes in both of our music videos is voyeurism. We also found the song all you need is now from the latest album of Duran Duran. We loved it’s 80s pop sound and thought it would be perfect for our concept. However we knew it would be challenging to create as it is a 3min song.

Ottavia: Every stage of production for our music video has involved many different media technologies. During the production of our video we filmed with the Sony (FS100) which is a professional level camera that allowed us to create a filmic crisp bright image, to create a very professional quality to our product. We used Zeiss prime lenses with no zoom of 18 mm for wide shots, 25mm for medium and 50 mm for close-up and extreme close up shots. We also used full HD footage which made our product very high quality and stand out as a professional video. 

Genvieve: In this opening sequence we have set the scene by using a variety of the modelling shots, as part of our overall narrative of the bands glamorous life. We then used a variety of shots, such as close ups of all the band members to introduce them to the audience, and play on the sexuality of the females through features of the male gaze and voyeurism which are also present in Robert Palmer’s “addicted to love” and Duran Duran “Girls on film” music videos. These two different scenes juxtapose each other as it shows their individuality and their uniformity as part of the band.  

Tilly: In the post production process we used Final cut pro on the Apple Mac system to edit our shots together. Being equip to use this technology  allowed us to be able to experiment in the early stages with our footage, enabling us to create a more individual, unique and professional looking video. 

Liza: We used tools such as label logging to navigate through our footage in a much more organised and efficient way, and the razor tool to manipulate the shots and make them the exact length that we needed. 

Ottavia: A key aspect to the post production involves lip syncing the visual footage to and matching this to the audio music track behind it. Through doing this we create a fluid and coherent media text where the actors actually appear to be performing the song which is essential for the band’s credibility.  

Genevieve: Combining the wav file, the music with the mov file, the shots is a form of  convergence has only been made recently possible by digital technologies. This is one of many examples of how digital technologies enabled us to be more creative in the production of our product 

Tilly: The overall feel of the video is very bright, glamorous and free, using the beauty of the band members to inspire our audiences to feel better about themselves. We created this through upping the exposure of our shots in a piece of software called ‘colour’ this was done when we had finished editing all the shots, so each shot would be the same colour keeping the continuity to our piece and this also removed the creases on the white backdrop. This also reflects the happy bright images of the band

Liza: The idea which our video wants to communicate, and especially part of the makeup removal, has been interpreted differently by the members of the audience, which suggests that our product is polesymic. We collected feedback though variety of technologies like YouTube, Survey Monkey, online questionnaires and a digitally recorded focus  groups. 

Ottavia: During the all refrain’s part of the song we edited the photo-shoot video in order for the video to be less chaotic, and have some sort of the repetitiveness, which appeals to the audience. 

Genevieve: The photoshoot part of our music video was filmed with Canon 5D camera, which was easy to film with as a handheld camera to create the full effect of the photoshoot taking place and show the girls in action ‘posing’ and looking straight at the camera to create the engagement with the audience. 

Hurtwood House A2 - Task 4 'Explain how we used digital technologies in the construction and research'

Use of NEW MEDIA Technologies in the Construction and Research, Planning and Evaluation process.

The construction of our A2 Media studies project has been built up by and shown through the use of not only media products but also ONLINE media.

This blog is a pure example of how media technologies have enabled us to create our coursework and blogs to show others of my progress throughout the production. I have been able to record all of my work through visual images taken not only from the internet (another media technology) and my own images taken using media technologies suchas phones and cameras.






Without these modern technologies, I will have not been able to demonstrate my production to the audience. 




Another major contributor to the mass use of Media Technologies would be the open access to the internet. 

We relied on this technology throughout the entire production of our music video, both before (pre-production) and after (post-production). 

for example YOUTUBE was a website that we relied on to access inspiration and discover new visual video idea's.

One of these will have been watching

 "Robert Palmer's - addicted to Love"

We used GOOGLE as our main search engine to research different artists and find their websites to use as inspiration.

From studying these websites closer we were inspired to take advantage of these Online Technologies further!

They demonstrated the use of a LIVE TWITTER feed on their website which was updating their audience and viewers with current information - relating to the band and teir movements.

This is a great way to keep the audience interested and up to date in an easily accessible way!













Consequently we created our own to add to our >> website - the website of which we used the program





This is yet another example of an ONLINE Media Technology
which is an programe that allows you to create and distribute your own online website. I was able to add elemtents such as images, videos and links onto the websites of which were all accessible. In addition there were attributes like the live twitter feed, all demonstrating how much we relide on these Media Technologies.




The post-production of our music video involved us using PHOTOSHOP to create a CD DIGIPAK
full of images, logos and text to market and sell our product.

Hurtwood Media A2 - Task 3

Showing what we have learned from our audience feedback...
using a Prezi Presentation

Hurtwood Media A2 - Task 3 'Feedback from Audience'

Feedback

Focus Group -

                  this is a group that is formed of representatives of your target audience. You use this group of people to ask questions referring to your product - in my case, my music video. We need to understand that we are meeting their needs, and doing this through a group discussion we are able to gain an observation of the group reactions relating to one another. Hopefully we can work to improve the product to fit their needs and also find out how we could go about advertising the video better.

An example of a focus group can be seen below:

Hurtwood Media A2 - Task 2 'How effective is the Combination of your main product and ancillary texts'

Hurtwood Media A2 -Task 2

Preparation for our Presentation

Writing up a script and answering questions

Hurtwood Media A2 - DigiPak complete

 

For the front cover we chose a group photograph of the girls all dressd up in their performance costume, connoting a classy and fashionable appearence. To make the cover look much more professionable and exclusive, we edited the original image in PHOTOSHOP which enabled us to use tools such as spot removal and also create layers to improve the photo in multiple ways. 

The font that we chose for the bands name we used Apple Cherry. For the album name we decided to go for a different font as this is a conventional aspect to which matches our band, therefore giving it a signature font. This font is called Courier New.

To give it a 3D effect we used tools such as bevel and emboss.

 

 

For the back image we decided to put a Black and White filter ontop of the chosen image and then a contrasting pink fabric strip of which was a backing for the song name. We did this to emphasize and capture the attention of the auidence,

drawing their eye to the key elements relating to the songs that are on the album.

 

I challenged the conventions of traditional album covers by making the choice to have the writing on the side bar vertical instead of horizontal. Through doing this it gives our band a slightly less mainstream image and make them more interesting.

 

 

 

Inside the CD case, on the CD holding side I chose to have an image of the Lens of a  Camera, upon this image the CD will be placed. By doing this the CD will be tinsist on the fasion side of our band's image and the further theme of voyeurism.

 I cropped this off a photo of a camera that we took on the day of the shoot of our music video so that you can slightly see the stage reflected in the lens. I placed it on a pink/purple background that I edited using the texture tool on photoshop to make it more fun, vibrant and girly thus reaching to our target audience.

Hurtwood Media A2 - Task 1

Conventions in Our Music Video

A music video is a prime oppportunity to promote an aritst AND each individual member of the band.
To do this we shot a lot of close-up shots of the girls, especially the main singer. This element therfore CONFORMS to the CONVENTIONS of a music video due to the fact that it helps to create a sexualised symbol of the artist. This was influenced by multiple artists as its a key aspect that almost all musicians use.



A key comparison of this could be our influenced band 'Girls Aloud'
Here, one of the main singers has a close-up similar to ours -

 



It is clear that our Music Video is FULL of INTERTECUAL REFERENCES to Robert Palmer's video 'Addicted to Love'

 



 

 

 

The majority of the INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES envolve the connection to Fashion, for example as shown below we have close-up shots of shoes and the photo shoot. this CONFORMS to the conventions of most music videos due to the common refernence to the fashion elements such as costume and props.

 

Music and fahion are both industries that

work closely together and usually run inline with one another.

 

 



 

 

According to Pete Fraser and Steve Archer:

 

'Not all audiences will necessarily spot a reference and this need not significantly detract from their pleasure in the text itself, but grater pleasure might be delivered by those who recognise the reference and feel flattered by this'.

 

 

Very similar to Robert Palmers theme, we of course, set the idea of voyeurism to be our main objective. The use of MALE GAZE is very prominent as it creates the sexy star image that we orignally envisioned and focussed on emphasizing these elements throughout. 

We did this by shooting close-up's of different ody area's (shown above). This is simliar to a close-up taken from Robert Palmer's video where they have a shot of one of the girls chest.

 

This CONFORMS to the CONVENTIONS of a music video due to it appealing to both female and male audience. The males watch a video like this for obvious reasons, the girls are attractive and sexy. Whereas woman watch a video like this as they aspire to be like the band memebers, they have a visualisation to look like them, attractive and a person of interest to men. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hurtwood Media A2 - Task 1

In what way do your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Screen shot of our website page in progress!!! 

Here are two inspirational websites that we've used as a visual reference and template. mainly because they are both girl bands and portray similar interests to our own band 'REPORTAGE'.
I must admit that 'The Saturdays' consist many more qualities then those of 'Stooshe', neither-the-less we are still able to use some of their aspects to improve our own.

• From looking at these similar websites you can see that they all share the same media conventions, for example a group shot of them all - giving the viewer a visual understanding and connection - top banner and of course obvious Band name.

                                            ^

^ This connotes quite a general 'girl band' look.

• An aspect of our whole band throughout the overall production was exploring and portraying the element of 'Voyeurism' and 'Male Gaze' and from looking at these other girl bands it is as if they are doing the same, especially The Saturdays - them being topless and seductive. Like our girls they are working on the females strengths and bringing attention to their looks and emphasizing their body features. By including the inset images the viewers capture them quite close-up, especially with the cheeky wink ;D

This element of Voyeurism plays a large

part in music videos. 

Goodwin argues that: "the female performer is frequently objectified in this fashion often through a combination of camerawork and editing with fragmented body shots emphasising a sexual treatment of the star".

• The use of the colour Purple is also a very important aspect to our website and look as it does indeed have a deeper meaning, some infact reflect our band:

 

Purple is the color of good judgment. It is the color of people seeking spiritual fulfillment. It is said if you surround yourself with purple you will have peace of mind.

Purple has been used to symbolize magic and mystery, as well as royalty. Being the combination of red and blue, the warmest and coolest colors, purple is believed to be the ideal color.  Purple is the color most favored by artists.

Hurtwood media A2 - Task 1 'In what way do your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?'

In what way do your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Throughout our pre-production design concepts you will see that our initial intention was different to our final, chosen image. Our album cover features the girl band as mid shots , we really like the image and thought it would be a waste if we weren't to use it to a potential.

We have been influenced by many stereotypical band groups due to this particular set-up and style being very conventional.
As you can see our cover design has been greatly influenced by multiple artists.

• The background of our digipak cover we've kept very simple and light; the reason for this is quite obvious. Having this brightness ensures the viewers eye is captured from a distance as well as them being able to clearly see the band members. By doing this there is no distraction from the main focus - this being our band members of course.

• As you can see from above, there are many artists and bands that have influenced our desgin majorly. As I stated before this is because this style is very conventional for bands. Each girl is wearing the red lipstick that we painted on them and is a key concept that we have applied throughout the production of 'Reportage'. The girls look very comfortable and belonging together however I do think it would have been nice if they were dressed in their performance wear. Despite this I really feel like the cover is very strong and portrays the overall feel of the band.
• Like the Saturdays costume on their cover, we've gone for more of a casual and individual look for each of the girls, giving them each an identity that is unique and can be connected to them.
•  It is notice able that 'The Saturdays' cover is more light summery and casual. However we gave our cover a smarter touch to it, with our band in smart/sexy dresses. This also was an impact in enhancing the idea of 'male gaze' to our cover attracting people from the 'sexy' of the cover. We also enhanced some parts of the image on the cover to make it a little more obvious, we made the girl in the centre 'Dayana', wear a low cutting dress and give a smouldering look. This was to also enhanced our use of 'male gaze'.

A link to our complete 'Reportage' website

is below!

http://genevievecorich.wix.com/repotage1