Music in the Online Age

Music in the Online AgeHere is a short presentation stating how the music industry has changed over the years and how it is predicted to change in the future. 

View more presentations from charlotte24english.

A Sum Up

Before we could even begin to think about how to construct our coursework, we had to do lots of research into different media industries such as how different genres of music videos are constructed and also analyzing videos of our genre, to make sure we knew exactly what type of video we was going to create.We made sure that we focused very carefully on the mise-en-scene and also the types of camera angles and scenes which were used. 
Here is a link to the powerpoint i made which analyzes music videos of our genre 'pop music' :
http://www.slideshare.net/fullscreen/mediamister/analyzing-music-video-11671221/1


We also had to make sure that we had a well detailed and set out storyboard, shot by shot so that when it came to the filming stages, we wasn't stuck with what to film next. 

This is the ideas board that we came up with, before we started putting our storyboard together. It consisted everything that we wanted to add and also the ideas of every member from our group. We thought that a mind map was essential before starting so that we didn't miss out any ideas that anyone had. 






Before we started filming, we done a few different testing shots so that we knew how to use different camera angles and also so that we were sure how to use the Bloggie cameras. We filmed simple things such as someone walking across a room and two people talking. We also re created a one minute clip of an existing music video as a way to get us started. We made sure that the video was of our genre. We created a song by Jessie J: 
http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/one-minute-clip.html


We also had a number of ancillary tasks to make, so once we had started the filming for our coursework, we started analyzing different existing pop digipaks and also pop websites, as these were the two tasks that we chose to create. We found that most of the pop digipaks were very simlar and had very similar features.
Here is the part of my blog that includes an analysis of Pixie Lott and Rhiannas digipaks: http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/digipak-analysis.html

As we were also creating a website, we needed to make sure that we had looked at a number of different websites of our genre and noted down the similarities that they all included. We also noted down the types of images used and if they had a colour scheme and how many different pages they included. 
Here is the website analysis of existing pop genre websites: 
http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/website-analysis.html

Once the analysis of existing media products was complete, we were then able to start constructing our own. We all took sections each and made sure we completed them as professional as possible. 
Overall, we thought that our digipak turned out very effective. We made sure that it was very eye catching and that it included all common features of a pop digipak. 
http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/digipak-front-cover.html
We then made sure that we analyzed the front and back cover of the digipak to show how we made it and the problems and issues that we overcome. We also stated how it appeals to our target audience and how it meets the forms and conventions of real media products.
Front Cover analysis:
http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/ancilliary-digipak-analysis-front-cover.html
Back Cover analysis:
http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/ancillary-digipak-analysis-back-cover.html
Our website was also very effective as it looked very professional and we made sure that it was laid out simply for the audience to use. We did however, have problems with viewing the website as for some reason, we could only view it on one particular computer. However, we managed to use some screen shots to be able to show the audience our website, and the pages it includes and also to be able to analyze it. 
http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/website-analysis_07.html
As you can see, we used the same colour scheme throughout, just like existing media products. 

The making of our music video overall took a very long time. We had to take a lot of our free time and put it into filming and editing our music video. We wanted it to look professional and as if it was a real media product. It took us a few attempts to make it perfect, but we was finally happy with it in the end. We made a YouTube channel for people to comment on our video and we also posted it to Facebook so that we could get feedback from our target audience. Overall, we got some very positive feedback and were very happy with the effort we put into our work. 
Here is the link to our music video on our YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj1Ov6flOYE&feature=g-hist

Here is a link to all my Research and Planning posts: 
http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Research%20and%20Planning

Here is a link to all my Evaluation posts:
http://charlottesblogformedia.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Evaluation

A2 Media Evaluation

A2 Media Evaluation

View more presentations from charlotte24english.

Inside of Digipak Analysis

This is the inserts which we have added to the inside of our digipak. The pictures will be folded inside the album so that the last two kissing pictures are next to each other and it opens up so the audience has a set of five different pictures. We included this as we thought it was interesting for the audience and also as a gift to thank them for buying her album.
We chose theses images of the artist as they are all very different and they include her in different settings and outfits. This shows to the audience that Jayme-Lee is just like any normal teenage girl and although she is famous, she isnt always done up perfectly. This attracts the target audience of the girls as it proves to them that they can be just like her. The boys would like these images if they fancy her as they have five large pull out images of the artist which they can keep. Its as if the men want her, and the women want to be her.

This is also included in the inside of the digipak. It is a form which can be filled in and sent off for a chance to win free tickets to see Jayme-Lee live. This form includes the same colour scheme that we have used throught the music video, digipak and website. This could be another thing, apart from the attraction of the front of the digipak that attracts the viewing audience to buy the album. If they originally like her and see that they can have a chance to win tickets, it may make them think that the price of the album is worth buying as it is mentioned on the front of the digipak.

Here is a free envelope which is also included so that the audience can send off their forms to MTV for free. We decided to include this as we didnt think that it was fair for the viewer to have to pay for an envelope and stamp when they already had bought the album. It is a free gesture from the artist and she wants to keep  her fans interested and happy.



Website Analysis

We made the website using Macromedia Dreamweaver where we were able to design the website and insert content. It also meant that we could edit the layout so that it looked professional and didn't look rushed. We used photoshop to edit the pictures and Macromedia Fireworks to make the tour banner. We also edited the scripting and coding to make everything fit together. This was a very lengthy process but it was worth it in the end. 


Website Home Page

The home page of the website has a header at the top advertising our artists new album which is called 'Addictive'. We also included an advertisement, which shows where the audience can buy the artists albums from. We also added a link to the artists official YouTube account where you can view the video. We thought this was a good idea as people can listen to the song and also view the video before purchasing the album, and also it means that they can comment on the video and they can also like it. We thought this was good as it means that the fans can interact with the artist and can openly view and comment on the video. We made the background black as we thought it would make the red font and pictures stand out, and we wanted to make it as eye catching as possible. Also we used a simple font to make it easy for the viewer to read.

Website Tour Dates

The tour page advertises the artists tour. It shows that the sponsor for the tour is Nike and this is clearly advertised underneath the tour dates banner. There is an official tour dates banner across the page, clearly showing the dates to the audience that the artist will be on tour. Also it shows that the company that the artist is managed by is AEG live. We got this idea originally from Beyonce's official website. We also researched that everything on most pop websites are Trademarked, so we decided to do the same on our site to make sure it has a professional look. 

Websites Bio Page

A biography page is a page about the artist telling their fans about their life and raise to fame. We decided to add this to our website as we thought it was a personal touch about the artist and it is also a way for the audience to learn more about Jayme-Lee. We added sponsors across the page as from previous research we found that on Pixie Lotts website, we saw she had a list of sponsors up on her website and we thought that this would be something that makes the artist look popular and interesting. We also thought that it was a way to grab the attention of the viewing audience. We added her partnerships on there such as record labels and music and tour promoters, as well as her actual sponsors such as Nike, Loreal and McDonalds. Another thing we found whilst researching existing pop music websites was that most celebrities have charities that they sponsor. We decided that our artist would sponsor KONY 2012 and War Child. 

Websites Store Page

We decided to add a store page as a place where fans can find where to buy the artists albums, can find the digipak artwork of the album cover, can find out what official retailers will sell the album and it also gives them the opportunity to buy the single separately from the album. The album is also sponsored by iTunes and this means that the fans can get discount from buying it from iTunes, rather than having to pay full price for it online. This was another thing we found during our research. Rhiannas site shows that she is sponsored by a music outlet and we thought that this would be a good idea for our artist. At the bottom of the page is a place where the artist has given quotes. We made this as it is interesting for the fans and also it is a way to direct them to the page where they can purchase the album. 

As you can see, our website fits in with the same type of layout of the ones i researched. Our website has a colour scheme, which is black, white and red and this is also eye catching to the viewing audience.  It is also used throughout the entire website. The artist herself is portrayed on the front page of the website with multiple pictures of herself. Another similarity to existing pop websites is that it is very simple and easy to access and use. It also includes the artists sponsors and charities that the artist sponsors herself. This was a common feature that we found when doing the research.

Website Analysis

As we made a website for our artist, i decided that before i started,  i should research pop genre websites to see what they were like, what type of images they used and also how the artist is represented. 

Rhianna

FIrstly i looked at rhiannas website as we was using her song for our music video. Heres the link to the website: http://www.rihannanow.com/music/

Here is a screen shot of rhiannas website:

As you can see from this screen shot, her website is very plain and simple. the colour scheme is black and white. The black text and images stand out on the white background and this is eye catching to the audience. The image on the front page of the website is a giant image of the artist herself. This is to show to the audience that the website is about her and it also shows us that she is the centre of attention. 

Here is one of the pages of the website: 

This is one of the pages on Rhiannas website. As you can see it is very simply laid out, the same as the front cover and it also includes very little colour and this is the same throughout her entire website. 

The audience is attracted to her website from the seductive images and also the fact that the black on the white background is eye catching. It is also a simple website that anyone of any age would be able to use. Girls would be attracted to her as they would look up to her and want to be like her, and boys may fancy her and like the images that are on the website.

 

Pixie Lott

The second website i looked at was Pixie Lotts. 

Here is the link to the website: http://www.pixielott.com/

Pixie Lotts website is very similar to Rhiannas in ways as it is very simply laid out. It includes images of the artist, and has a light background with dark writing. Pixies website includes more colour than Rhiannas and i found this website a little more eye catching. It uses different colours for different links on the website to make it easy for the audience to read and also the text is very simple which makes it easy to read. Personally, i find that the website represents the artist as being happy and bubbly with the pictures of her smiling and also by the use of the girly bright colours. 

Here is one of the pages of Pixie Lotts website:

This again, is very similar to Rhiannas Music page on her website but it just includes more colour. This may be a way of representing the artists personality. Even though they involve the same genre of music, they are both very individual people and are very different. The same colour scheme however, is used throughout the website, again the same as Rhiannas. 

The audience is attracted to the website by the look of the star and also by the colour scheme. Many girls see Pixie Lott as an idol and inspire what she does. Boys fancy her and want to find out more about her by her music. 

From my research i have found that pop websites are very similar. They all include a color scheme, they all have images of the artist, and they are all very simply laid out. This is what we will make sure that our website is like as we want to make sure that it fits in with the pop genre. 

Ancillary Digipak Analysis Back Cover

Although the image on the front cover of the digipak is black and white, we wanted the back to be in colour as we thought that the front cover is the most important and we wanted to make sure that it stood out. Therefore, we thought if the image was black and white with the bright red lipstick, it would be very eye catching to the audience. The back picture is in colour because we wanted this to look interesting and this was a section which we didn't need to be as eye catching as the front cover. Also, as we have created a pop video, and we have many scenes which jump from scene to scene, we wanted to create the same kind of effect on our digipak. Therefore, we have used two very different images which portray this same kind of effect. 

How does this product create the desired image of your artist?

The picture used on the back cover of the digipak is an image of the artist smoking. This shows rebellion and this is not common in 19 year old girls. Girls at this age have usually matured and have jobs or are studying A levels, however, this may suggest that there is something different about this particular girl and there may be some hidden meanings or messages which we will need to find out ourselves. 

How does this product appeal to the target audience?

The target audience ranges from 15 to 25 year olds, both males and females. We thought that there may be a male gaze from the boys in this image as she is provocatively dressed in short shorts and this is what boys would be attracted too. This may mean that they want to listen to her music to find out more about her, or maybe even buy her album, just for the posters which are included in the digipak. Girls and young women may see the artist as a role model and want to be like her as she produces a fresh, and 'cool' image. The colour scheme is also very eye catching as the colour red stands out. 

How does this product meet or subvert the conventions of digipak design you identified in your analysis of existing products?

As i have already explained before, i have previously researched many different pop digipaks and based a few ideas around them. We used a seductive image with her doing an act which is seen as rebellious as in many pop videos, artists are seen taking drugs, drinking alcohol or smoking. The image includes a dark background with the red text which is very overpowering and effective. A parental advisory badge was added to the back cover to show that it is not suitable for young children and also it gives a symbolic message that unsuitable acts may be shown in the videos. The artists website was also added to the back of the album so that the viewing audience can keep track of any of Jayme-Lees upcoming events. This is also a common feature on most existing digipaks. 

How does this tie in with your music promo?

As stated before, the first obvious similarity is the fact that the artist is used in both the digipak and music promo. The colour schemes are also the same and we can see the emotion shown in both the promo and digipak pictures.

Ancilliary Digipak Analysis Front Cover

On the front cover on the digipak we decided to use a black and white image of the artist with the lipstick in red. This is because the red shows the seudction of the artist and also the love, which is symbloised throughout the video. Also the red and black represent a Fiery Love, sometimes fiery yet sometimes resembling death. When researching digipak front covers, we found that they all had color schemes, so we knew that it was essential that we added a colour schemes to ours.  The font is also written in red, so that it stands out, this also means that it is very eye catching to the audience. The image used is a close up shot of the artist. We used a close up image as when we researched other pop digipaks, this is what they all included and as we wanted ours to look as real life as possible, we knew we had to include what we had researched.
The font used for the title was one that i found online. I used one from online as it meant i had more choice and also meant that it wouldnt be simliar to what any one else had done. The title is the artists name and it is made to look as if it is her signature. We liked this idea as we thought it looks personal as if it is a gift from the artist to the audience.
We are adding a poster and a chance to win tickets in the inside of the digipak, and therefore on the front cover i made this clear to the audience.

How does this product create the desired image of your artist?
The product creates the desired image of the artist as it uses the colour scheme that we originally intended to use, and also it shows the 'seduction' through the red lipstick and also through the word 'addictive' which is made to look like a tattoo across her chest. Addictive is the album name but on the front cover it is made to look as if it the artist who is addictive.

How does this product appeal to the target audience?
The target audience ranges from ages 15 up to about 25 year olds, males and females. The males would be attracted to this certain artist as they may fancy her and want to listen to her music and watch her videos for example. This would be the male gaze. It would appeal to girls as they may see her as a role model and want to be like her. Pop music is very popular with girls/young women and therefore, the artist would have many young men and women looking up to her. Also, the colour scheme is very eye catching as the red is a bright colour which stands out. Boys may see it as a seductive colour and it could also be represented as danger, fiery or love and by using their imagination, the audience may think that it represents a story hidden in the song.

How does this product meet or subvert the conventions of digipak design you identified in your analysis of existing products?
We researched pixie lott and rhiannas current digipaks and shaped our digipak around theirs. We found that the images on the front cover, tended to be close up shots of the artist themselves with usually a seductive look. Their digipaks tended to have very minimal writing so that the image was very overpowering. Our digipak is very similar to these as we used a close up image of the artist looking as if she is kissing (which is the seductive kind of look) also we used bright red lipstick with the rest of the picture in black and white (which is overpowering) and also we used minimal writing and only included the artists name and album name, similar to the front covers which we researched. One thing which we included which we didnt regulary see on digipaks we researched was that in the bottom corner we stated that inside the digipak, there will be a chance to win tickets and also a poster will be included. We thought this would be a thing which would interest the audience as they would be getting more from the CD than just the music.  

How does this tie in with your music promo?
The first obvious similarity with the digipak and music promo is the fact that the artist is used in both. We also used parts of the footage as a picture, such as when the artist is sitting on the wall with a daisy chain, breaking it apart. This is showing that she is unsure about her relationship, and the sad face beneath her which is spray painted on the wall, shows the audience that she is feeling unhappy. This picture includes a lot of emotion. Another way in which they tie together is the colour schemes throughout. The red is seen throughout the video which represents many different things. It is also kind of left to the audiences imagination as it can portray love, danger, seduction or also a kind of 'warning'. 

Music Video

Evaluation Questions. Luke and Me.

Me and Luke. Evaluation Questions.

Digipak

Inserts

Drafting analysis

View more presentations from charlotte24english.

Digipak

This is the picture for the front cover of our digipak. I have already got the font and everything ready but that is on the schools computer, so i will have to access that tomorrow. We did already have our digipak front cover ready, but we decided to take a different picture as we had a different idea for how it could look. 

Audience Feedback

Overall we recieved some very good feedback from our showcase on Thursday night. Previously we had created assessment worksheets which were given to the audience on entry to the show, the audience were then expected to answer the following questions. 1. Did you think the choice of settings in the video were appropriate 2. How successful was the video in satisfying the conventions of the genre? 3. Editing - how successful is the editing (features such as transitions between shots, synchronicity of action and sound) 4. Cinematography - how successful were the choice of camera angles and movement? 5. Did the narrative of the music video suit the themes of the song overall? 6. Was the narrative in the video easy to follow? 7. Were you entertained throughout? 8. Which section of the video was most successful and why? 9. What could we do to improve this?


1. The audience thought that the overall choice of settings were very appropriate and fitted in with the theme of the song. 2. They also thought that the video represented the mise-en-scene very well and that it was also successful in satisfying the conventions of the genre. 3. They thought that the editing was very good and that it demonstrated the frustration in relationships well. People can also relate to this as it is a everyday problem for many people.
4. The feedback for the editing was also very positive. Most of the people thought that the editing was very successful and the wide range of camera angles made it very effective.
They thought that there was a very wide range of different camera angles and movement. This meant that they didnt get bored and constantly had something different to watch.
5 and 6.  The narrative of the music video did suit the themes of the song overall. We didnt have any negative feedback about this and therefore it seems that we fitted the video in well with the narrative and what we was trying to show.
7. The audience were very entertainted throughout the entire video. They didnt get bored at any stage as they were never stuck watching the same clip. We did have one comment which was negative and that was that we re-used clips. This was our aim though as when we researched pop music videos, this seemed to occur time after time.
8. The section of the video which many people thought was the most successful was the couple together in the field, and also the club scenes and spotlight. They felt the emotion with the couple with the happy and sad times. Also they thought the performance in the club scenes and in the spotlight scenes were done very well.
9.Not many people commented on how we could improve the video, however someone said that we could use more repetition and someone else suggested that we could use dance moves. Another improvement was to improve the lip syncing however, when we watch the music video on a mac computer, the lip syncing fits perfect. At our showcase, the music was slighty slow and behind the video and therefore it seemed to the audience that it didnt fit in well. We got many comments from people saying that there was nothing which we could improve as they thought it was excellent and it enjoyed the video throughout.
Overall, we got very good marks out of 10 with  many people giving us full marks. The lowest  mark we got was a 6 and that was because the person was unsure of what we was showing in our video, and hadnt heard the song before. The average score was 8.4 which as a group we think is very good and we are very pleased with this.


We are very pleased with the feedback we got from the audience, as we spent a lot of time filming and editing our video.

Coursework Editing

We realised whilst editing that there was a few second shots that we needed to film to add to our music video. So today in our free lesson, we decided to do the filming. Some was edited this afternoon and in my free period tomorrow I will make sure that it is completed ready for tomorrow evening. We want our coursework to be the best that it can be and that is why we are using all our free time to make sure it is completed.

Showcase

This is a rough outline as to what we will be saying/doing on the night of the showcase.

1. Greeting - Luke

2. Intro - Me

3. One minute extract will be spoke about - Marianna

4. Why and what we did for the one minute clip - Molly
5. The ideas behind the music video- Me

6. Here we will ask for feedback form the audience - Luke

7. Thanking the audience for their time - All of us 

Music Video

Its coming close to the deadline date of finishing our coursework and on thursday we have a showcase, where we are to show family and friends our current music videos and one minute clips of a music video and we will ask them to fill in a questionnaire stating how we can improve our coursework. This will give us ideas as to how we can make our coursework even better and if there is anything else in which they think we could add, so that we get the best possible grade for it. All the groups have worked very hard towards their coursework and taken out a lot of spare time for editing. We have come across many problems whilst filming and editing, but managed to overcome these and hope to do our best in our work.

Digipak

This is one of the pictures of our artist which we intended to use for the front of our digipak. We wanted to make the picture black and white and then have the lipstick red, as the red plays a big part in our video and is a main colour as it is bright and stands out. We tried to edit this on a windows computer but realised that it needs to be done on a Apple mac computer. We have chosen the font and style of the writing on our digipak, but we have a few ideas for the pictures which we have taken. Today i have been playing around with images for the front cover of the digipak whilst the others work on the inside, pull outs and the back cover. We chose to do a section of the digipak each, so that we have all worked equally as hard and have all had a part in which we are responsible for finishing. We chose images which are close up of the artist, as when we done research for our music genre, this is how the majority of the images were - the main artist up close to the camera.

Coursework editing

Today in my own time, i decided to do some more editing for our music video. I had a few difficulties but i overcome them by using the help tool on imovie which explained how to resolve the issues i had. Our coursework is now very nearly complete but we just need to add in few shots so that the video is exactly how we want it. Trying to line up the lip syncing with the music was hard, but we have only included a tiny bit as we didnt want it to be out of time.

Coursework

On Monday we done some more filming towards our music video. We edited some more of the video and realised that we needed more footage. We went to a field and a lake as these places are simple and fit in with the lyrics of the song as it is a 'hopeless place' and we also took some pictures which could be used on the digipak. We came across a few problems as one of the scenes needed to be of the artist laying down on the grass but the grass was wet, so we had to work around this and found a drier patch and filmed it there instead. Also we didn't have a tripod, so we had to use a microphone stand to help keep the camera as still as possible.

Today we managed to take some pictures of the artist for the front and back cover of the digipak. We also managed to get some more footage for our music video.

One minute clip

Testing Shots

Today we took numerous testing shots of tic tacs falling through the air to represent 'drugs' which will be show in our video. We took the shots from many angles to see which shot worked the best and then we chose the best one.

First draft of our digipak

This is the first draft of the front cover of our digipak. We decided to use  a red title and album name with a black and white image. This is so that it stands out and grabs the attention of the audience. We also decided that the artist will be wearing red lipstick in the photo, with the rest of the photo being black and white. This is so that it fits in with the theme and also to give the artist a sense of belonging, showing she is the centre of attention and that the digipak is all about her.

Digipak Ideas

Before we even started our digipak, i made a brain storm of all the ideas that we could add to make sure we didnt forget anything. We made sure that we added the colour schemes to the brain storm as this is what is eye catching. Also, we put down that we needed to make sure that it appeals to our target audience, as this is who will be buying the album.

These are the font ideas which we tested out to see which one we preferred and decided which one would look best on the front cover of our digipak. We chose the font 'script'. This is because it suited the theme in which we was looking for and also it looked very much like a signature which was our aim for the title.

Coursework filming and editing

My group decided to do some more filming today , as we had a few shots which we needed to re film. We then started editing some of theses shots ready for our final draft. We came across a few problems as we realised last minute that our camera had ran out of battery. We however decided to do some filming on an iPhone and then we emailed it to the mac computer where the rest of our filming was. We realised that it was very good quality but the camera was very shaky.

Storyboard

We made a detailed storyboard, shot by shot of our music video. Now we have this, we can now start shooting as this is our key guide that we need to follow, to make sure that our music video runs smoothly.
Before we actually started making our storyboard, we made an 'ideas board' to note down all our ideas which we wanted to involve in our filming.

We then roughly drew out some shots that we wanted before finding appropriate images on the internet, which matched our ideas:

Analysis of Storyboard

Our storyboard includes lots of 'different' shots one after the other because from our research, we found that this is how pop videos work. The alcohol and drug scenes represent the rebellion of the artist and it also represents that many teenagers are involved in these types of antics on a day to day basis. We can also see that the couple are very in love and it is shown by them kissing and laughing together.  All the shots attract our target audience as many teenagers/ young adults can relate to these scenes and it also proves to them that they are not alone.

Analyzing Music Videos

Analyzing music video

View more PowerPoint from mediamister

We have planned our music video very similar to the videos that i have analyzed.
We decided that the main character will wear a lot of, and very seductive make up. This will include dark smoky eyes and bright red lipstick.
The artist in our video will be wearing a number of different outfits, with most of them being a seductive look, for example, minimal or tight fitted clothing. This is because from analyzing music videos, we found that the genre of song in which we will be using, the artists seem to be dressed in a very similar way. 
We decided that we will use bright colors, as this is what interests the viewer and is also eye catching, which will keep the audience involved and motivated.
We wanted to film a scene in a nightclub as it fitted in with the genre of our song and we would be able to have the bright lights and people dancing without making the filming too complicated. However, we thought their might be issues with handling a camera in a busy club. We thought that the camera could end up becoming damaged, or the club owners may have issues with us filming in their club. 
I found that the videos in which we analyzed, a large number of close up shots were used. We planned on having many close up shots of the main artist in our video, as this involves the audience and the eye contact with the viewer and artist draws in and makes clear the fact that they can associate with the lyrics of the song.
The camera will be constantly moving. This will be because the song is quite upbeat and also, the audience like to see and like to wait for different things to come along in the video, instead of watching the same thing over and over again, as this would be boring.

Digipak Analysis

Within my group, we have chosen to create a digipak for our coursework, so i have decided to analyse a few different album covers to get a few ideas for mine and my groups coursework.

As you can see from Pixie Lotts album cover, it is the artist herself with a seductive look which draws the attention of the viewing audience. We also get eye contact from the artist which makes us feel involved and want to buy the album. The background is white and the writing is small but clear placing all of the attention onto the artist herself. As the writing is smaller than the artist, this may mean that she is depending her career on her image and not her name or the name of the album.

This is Rhiannas album 'Loud'. As we can see it is again a close up of her face with the eyes turned away. The red lipstick and red hair is very over powering, but also grabs the attention of the viewer. 

The majority of the digipaks which i have looked at all include an image of the artist. The majority of these all are close up images. The names of the artist and/or album seem to be a lot smaller and less bold than the image of the artist. Therefore, my group will take this into consideration when creating our own digipak. 

YouTube Business Model

YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos. 
Hurley and Chen developed the idea for YouTube during the early months of 2005, after they had experienced difficulty sharing videos. YouTube began as a venture-funded technology startup, primarily from a $11.5 million investment by Sequoia Capital between November 2005 and April 2006. The site grew rapidly, and in July 2006 the company announced that more than 65,000 new videos were being uploaded every day, and that the site was receiving 100 million video views per day. According to data published by market research company comScore, YouTube is the dominant provider of online video in the United States, with a market share of around 43 percent and more than 14 billion videos viewed in May 2010. YouTube says that roughly 60 hours of new videos are uploaded to the site every minute, and that around three quarters of the material comes from outside the U.S. The site has eight hundred million unique users a month.
YouTube makes it money through advertising. They have teamed up with CBS and therefore, viewers constantly see their videos, which results in large sums of money. 

What has been the impact of the internet on media production in the online age?

Media production has been transformed in recent years, with the majority of old media like newspapers, films and music migrating online.

Clay Shirky claimed that all forms of media are currently migrating online. One media form which has made a major transition is newspapers. The way in which we read newspapers have changed in a way in which we can now access them anytime and anywhere. A US survey revealed that 21% of internet users who read daily newspapers have transferred their bulk of reading onto the internet. Near enough everyone in the world has access to a smartphone and therefore, audiences can now be producers and not just consumers. Smart-phones give us access to anything that we want to see online. Newspaper apps can be downloaded or accessed online and therefore, we no longer need to have the bulk of the traditional newspaper.

Film is another industry which has made a change in the way in which we watch them. Netflix is a good example of online migration suggested by Clay Shirky. Netflix is a new film based renting company that offers their subscribers unlimited films over a month for a fixed price of £6. These films can be streamed through the internet onto consoles, laptops or any other internet included device.

The impact of the internet on media production has changed and grown more advanced in its use of the internet compared to traditional examples of production, such as newspapers. The fact that newspapers are expanding themselves beyond one platform but meet the used platform (e-media) online. Media producers have to make business decisions to keep themselves up to date with consumers of the online age.

About Alan Partridge Mid Morning Matters iPhone app

Alan Partridge bounced back with his own official iPhone app which was the perfect sidekick to the award-nominated internet series Alan Partridge’s Mid-Morning Matters. It features a selection of clips from the episodes of the show and also it features the popular jingle ‘Sidekick Simon’. Quotes from his mid-morning radio show, such as Have you ever seen a child the size of an Ox?” and “Inception”. The app also features an array of downloadable ringtones versions. It also features a video page that links through to the twelve full episodes of Mid-Morning Matters on YouTube which the viewers can watch.

Initial Branding

Our A level media group are creating a music video to the song 'We Found Love' by Rihanna. Here are a few questions for you to answer regarding the artist, album and track name.

1) Do you think that JayMe is a suitable name for an artist of this song choice?

2) Do you think 'Overdose', the track name, is suitable for a wider audience, including youths?

3) Do you think that 'Addictive Love' is a suitable album name?

4) Do you think Addictive Love is unique and current enough to be out album name?

5) Just by looking at the artist name, track name and album name, who do you think is our target audience?

6) What first comes to your mind when you think of 'addictive love'?

7) What age and gender would you say JayMe is?

8) Do you think the album name and track name will promote this song for our target audience?

Case Study: Cadburys Adopts Viral Marketing Scheme

Campaigns such as Gorilla (2007), Airport (2008) and Eyebrows (2009) subvert the traditional conventions of advertising to engage and sustain the interest of the viewer with fresh take on the Cadbury’s brand identity. This will take the form of a detailed exploration of the campaign in terms of institution, audience, representation and forms and conventions.

Viral marketing works on the premise that if one person receives a message and passes that message onto five people (and then each one of those five people pass the message onto five more people) soon there will be a lot of people who have heard the message (much like a chain letter or e-mail).  This is an inexpensive way of promoting a brand, company or product.

Virtual marketing would have taken the form of word of mouth exposure, with many people discussing things that they saw on last night's television. This is sometimes referred to as 'water cooler talk'.

As technology develops,  the internet viral marketing has started to become an effective way of gaining exposure for a relatively low cost for a company. Social networking sites have become popular and are now a way in which people communicate with friends and family. Companies who can create an advertisement which grabs the interest of the public , can use a phenomenom in social networking to boost their brand image or increase their sales.Virtual marketing has become a great way for companies to gain exposure at low costs, this is because the delivery of the message relies on the audience.

Institutions 

Previous cadburys adverts were portraying the message that their chocolate tastes really good and so buy some and eat it. An example of this would be by using an attractive woman being filmed eating a flake in a suggestive manner. The TV ads were product orientated with taste and feeling the main elements of the advert.

To update Cadburys marketing activity in 1996 they embarked on a revolutionary sponsorship deal with Coronation Street.  This deal has since been copied by many programs and companies – for example Carphone Warehouse were the sponsors of Big Brother (Channel 4) from 2004 – 2007, terminating the deal during celebrity Big Brother 2007 because of the alleged racial issues in the house.  The sponsoring of Coronation Street resulted in Cadbury receiving regular viewing for over 10 years. They were able to use the slot to advertise the brand as a whole or focus on separate bars that they feel needed more promotion. Cadbury have shown over the years that they are not scared of innovating when it comes to their approach to marketing.

Forms and Conventions

Gorilla Playing the Drums

First released on Friday the 31st of August 2007 (during the finale of Big Brother) the Cadbury ‘gorilla playing the drums’ advert starts with a close up of a gorilla’s face and a slow build up of Phil Collin’s song ‘In The Air Tonight’ (1981).

 The first time you see this advert, you cant work out what the gorilla is doing. Then the camera work pans out to the gorilla playing the drums when the song really kicks off. The advert does not show a chocolate bar, or even mention one. The only thing in the advert which relates to Cadbury is the traditional cadbury purple backdrop behind the gorilla. This shows how strong the brands name is, as the chocolate bar dosent even have to be mentioned, yet people still not what the advert is advertising.

The filming of this advert is what makes it so successful, there is an ambiguity at the beginning with the close face shots create curiousness. This is then carried through with the realness of the gorilla in such a normal environment.

This advert instantly grabs the attention of the viewing audience as there is a gorilla on the screen. A gorilla is a masculine animal, who many people seem to be interested in and the fact that the gorilla is so life like, it helps to sell this advert to the public. The gorilla has no gender, and this is what draws in the interest of both sexes. The purple background creates a juxtaposition with the masculine appeal of the gorilla as purple is a regal colour normally associated with females (we later find out that is because the advert is for Cadbury). The advert is shot using close ups of the gorillas face and this shows the intense power and feeling of dominance. We see the gorilla sat in a very human way, behind a set of drums which gives a surreal feeling which is easy for us to remember. The use of Phil Collins, Something in the Air Tonight attracts an older audience who remember this song first time round. This is much like children today recognising Gary Linekar as the presenter of Match of the Day (BBC1) and not the world class international footballer which initially created his fame.  Now children will say to their parents “that’s the song from the Cadbury advert” not “this is the guy from Genesis”.

Airport Vehicles

Released in March 2008 (and much anticipated, thanks to the success of the “gorilla” campaign), the airport advert, which is backed by the rock track “Don’t Stop Me Now’ by Queen” (1978).  The advert begins with the “glass and a half full productions” slogan on the screen, which then fades away. A plane takes off and then we begin to see these airport vehicles that have been modified or ‘pimped’ (in the style MTV’s series Pimp My Ride).

 The vehicles are all different colours with neon lights; the music is at the start of the song, building to fastest point. When it reaches this point the vehicles start to pull off, there is a fire jet from an exhaust and the race begins. It becomes apparent that the smallest vehicle is really battling through the pack of much larger vehicles; the larger vehicles are trying to stop the small one breaking through and the advert ends with the camera rising away from the race with the Cadburys bar coming into shot with the slogan “A glass and a half full of joy” beneath.

This advertisement starts with an aeroplane taking off from an airport at night time. An airport is a place in which most of the population will have preconceptions about such as queing or waiting around. The next part of the advert shows different airport vehicles in dark hangers behind lit up and coming to life. The vehicles are very colourful (orange, green, blue, white and yellow) these colours are assiciated with associated with fun. They look dressed up as if they were ready for a night of fun. The lyrics of the song start with “tonight I’m going to have myself a real good time. The film and the song fit perfectly.  The race starts and the smallest vehicle zooms through the pack of larger vehicles who are floundering, this satisfies the British fascination and love for the underdog.

Eyebrows

The eyebrows advert starts in a very grey photo shot, brightened only by the young girl who is wearing a very distinctive purple dress. The scene depicts her and her brother being measured up for the dullest family photo ever. The phone rings and the man measuring the two children up is called away. The children look at each other, the boy reaches for his watch and then a computerised version of ‘Don’t Stop The Rock’ by Freestyle Express plays from his watch. The children then start to perform what can only be described as an unnerving jig with their eyebrows. This continues for roughly 45 seconds. During this time a pink balloon is added for effect. At the end of the advert the screen once again turns purple and the Cadbury bar is shown with the slogan “A glass and a half full of joy” beneath.

'A glass and a half full of joy' is the underlying message that is being delivered is of the joy that Cadburys can give you, much like the joy these adverts seem to give the people who watch them.

This advert portrays very mixed messages. Looking at a still of the advert shows what seems to be a middle class white family in a normal situation, in this case having a family photo taken. The music that is used is an 80's electro pop tune, which is completely out of sync with the rest of the advert. This is then followed by a strange eyebrow 'dance'.  This is then followed by the strange eyebrow dance. The message that this advert is sending is one of expecting the unexpected flipping a normal, sedate situation on its head and creating an entertaining advertisement that people will remember and want to talk about. 

Audience

These adverts are aimed at a youth market aged from 15-25, their target audience is media literate. This age group has grown up with technology, such as computer games and they have been an important element to their life. The adverts thrive on people’s curiosity with people trying to analyse why the advert has been made and what the meaning behind the advert is.  Youths will be interested in new music, as a curious nature and therefore they will be interested in the songs involved in these adverts. Another sign of why these adverts are aimed at this market is the fact that the ‘gorilla playing the drums’ advert was first released during a finale of an episode of Big Brother – a program that has a massive youth following. There are many different reasons as to why Cadbury are aiming at this age group. This age group are young and have many years of purchasing left. If they can develop a loyal customer then they will have this customer for the next 40 to 50 years, if not more. This age group is also prominent in the social networking revolution on the internet. Social networking sites help to advertise products as young people are talking all over the internet, posting links about what they have seen and discussing their feelings towards these things. These adverts have been spread all over the walls of Facebook, which has meant that the word has spread quickly, therefore the buzz is spreading.

The adverts show a great representation of the current youth market. ‘The eyebrows’ advert has created significant interest and many individuals have recreated this advert and posted it on their Facebook sites even comedian Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins with singer Lilly Allen (Sunday Night Project, Channel 4) has made a his own version of the famous advertisement, this all contributes to keeping the message in the public domain. 

Conclusion

The gorilla advert was aimed at the correct age range; with the first viewing being during the finale of Big Brother 2007. This show has a cult following, the target market for this show is generally 18-25 year olds. However. people from other cross sections of the general public do watch this show and would also be interest in the advert and also in the Cadburys products. The advert was well made as it demands your attention as you think to yourself what the gorilla is going to do next. When you see that the gorilla is in a recording studio sat behind a set of drums you become really curious about what the advert is selling. It is only at the end of the advert that the Cadburys bar comes into the advert. It shows the slogan underneath and this is when the viral message starts to spread. People will talk to their friends and ask them if they have seen the ad and people may also search YouTube or other sites on the internet for another glimpse of the advert. Their may also be Facebook status' about the advert, and this is what helps to spread the buzz about the advert.

Brand Republic state, using Sky Broadcastings figures that “58,000 households watched the extended version of the advert on the red button during the space of a fortnight”. The hard task for Cadbury was to build on this and keep the interest in their marketing in customers minds. 

Technology has had a major part to play in the advances in viral marketing, with the use of mobile phones that can surf the net with excellent speed and quality people are always contactable by others. If the others have a message they really want to share (in this case the brilliant new weird, funny advert they have seen) then they can do straight away. Many young people may have saved a copy of this short advertisement onto their mp4 players, mobile phones or even laptops to show friends and family.

Cadbury as a brand have reached a stage in their product life style where they dont need to promote what they make, nor do they just need to remind the public. This is why the virtual marketing campaign that does not have anything to do with chocolate is so successful for them. They have a strong identitiy with their shade of purple and this now reminds people that Cadbury still has products for us to buy. As with the little girls dress in the eyebrows advert, the public will be eagerly anticipating the next instalment in this line of advertisements, looking for any hint or that shade of purple.