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Evaluation Audio Commentary

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Evaluation (add photos too)

Throughout the production of my music video, many aspects of pre and post production were discussed and addressed to make our music video final and realistic as possible. Meaning such things as codes and convention that were changed and developed due to our genre. Other products other then the music video itself and how they complement to music video but also address different matters as well. Making sure our product was suited for the audiences viewing and interest by asking them directly about our product, but also use it to our advantage. But also using other technology(ies) within our research in the production process. All of these aspects have helped our journey to develop our finalised product to its best.

Within the whole production process of the music video, existing and previous products had a big impact on our ideas, whether it was the digipack, the advert or of the music video itself. Codes and conventions, of a certain genre were made clear after the track was chosen.

Researching and analysing similar music videos within the same genre bracket gave us an overview on what stereotypical codes and conventions were used in which we could use and develop within our production. Things such as similar imagery that were used, narratives that were told, repeated techniques within different music videos used by different artist/bands. All of which showed that aspects of the same genre used similar techniques. I analysed the band 'Slipknot' as it had a clear connection to my 'bands' genre bases but furthermore they were different, as the band 'Rabbit Pudding'. One key idea we used within our production which furthermore went onto the band star image or iconography of the band was the gas mask. Very similar to the Slipknot band as this iconography is well know for their band. This icon was key within our production as it was used within all the aspects of all our final products. Within Slipknot's music videos, especially 'Vermillion', when females are used, they are shown as innocent and submissive. Following the lines of Propp's theory of the damsel in distress perhaps. Especially in comparison to how the band itself are portrayed. This typical status of female opposed to male representation is used within many music videos, continuing out of our genre category.

Our contextual reference of Alice In Wonderland is an example of other media that use this representation of female characters. We researched both Alice In Wonderland films, the Tim Burton inspired film seemed more relevant to our vision for our music video as the dark and eeriness of this version of this famous story connects well with techniques used within different media typical for our genre. Tim Burton's is well-know for challenging original text and adding his own touch to this media which inspired us to do so within our narrative. The well known innocent character of Alice within our music video, was subverted as this stereotype of this fairy tale character was changed into a more demonic one. Challenging this representation of this famous character, putting our own twist onto this particular character.

As we had a narrative based contextual reference, we felt it was needed to continue this with the type of music video we would produce. This also is slightly challenging the typical codes and conventions of music videos within our genre. Performance is a prominent style of music video within our genre. We felt it was unnecessary to follow this trend as our band itself are very different in comparison to other bands. As narrative based videos within our genre are uncommon, this could benefit the star image of our band as this would stand out in comparison to similar bands. Within most of the digipacks I analysed, the star image of the band was used or created for that particular album or the band/ artist itself. Such as within 'Marilyn Manson's' album designs, his star image is consistent by using himself on the main design. With this, we wanted to create our own star image, to make our band recognisable, promoting the band. We felt that a female character could be a potential star image for our band, incorporated with or just the gas mask, as these we the prominent ideas throughout our whole production. Within this element of the task we went along with codes and conventions of other digipacks within our genre of very dark and eerie colour scheme, as the use of different tones of the same colour is also commonly used. A very monotone design was suited for the target audiences expectations of a digipack but we included our own individuality, making it iconic and recognisable for our audience. The imagery itself is very different as it is a hand drawn piece, this is very different from other digipacks as the designs are more editorial photography based. Most of the researched designs were very layered and detailed, giving it character but also achieving the eerie feel, disfiguring the subject. These techniques inspired our design and further more into our advert design. Within the research we found it very common that bands would use similar colour schemes, typography designs from that specific digipack, the band itself for star image purposes or even the same imagery from the digipack itself which they would be promoting. As this marketing technique was frequently used we felt it was right to use a combined design from the digipack for our advert as this would make it clear to the audience of what our intentions of the advert were.    

Within the development of our music video, we felt that it was necessary to have a clear connection between the video and our ancillary product. This is so that the audience could recognise the band but also represent them.
The main concept of a digipack and advert is to promote the band. This is done by selected stylistic decisions to maximise the bands identity for the target audience. The target audience would influence the style in which is suitable but also maybe stereotypical that would promote our band further. The most common decision is to have a running theme or style link between each product. That being the digipack and poster, but also could be furthermore into merchandise.
With our digipack, it had to be different from our music video the we produced. This was because the digipack includes other tracks and not just the music video track. Within our research, a dark and very monochrome theme was used within different digipacks within our genre. Therefore we thought it was necessary to take this stylistic convention as it would seem suitable for our target audience.
As the front cover of the main ancillary product of the digipack has been hand drawn, it therefore makes our digipack look original and adds a personal touch style for our band. The main aspect we were going for was the gas mask theme. This allowed the digipack to be connected to the specific song we produce the music video for, but also could be the bases of an iconography for the band. As a gas mark is a connection to war, this creates a distressing atmosphere with the iconography the gas mask brings but furthermore, makes the viewer question why the female is wearing one. Placing this metaphorical on a female makes more subverted and eerie for the viewer. Therefore, meeting some of the main stylistic techniques digipacks within our genre plan to achieve. Furthermore, the gas mask creates stylistic enigma codes suited for this genre ad the identity of the female is hidden. The eyes are the only connection the viewer has with the female, although other features are hidden, the eye can tell so much.Within the design, the glass on the gas mask are broken or shattered. This could mean that there is no barrier between what the viewer can see within her eye but furthermore question the force in which broken the glass. Questioning the female as she is being portrayed as innocent and weak as she appears trapped within the mask, imprisoned perhaps.  
As the design is hand drawn, we could incorporate elements to the design such as the rabbit ears, therefore making a connection to the bands name 'RabbitPudding'. Also, items such as the toy block within the drawn characters hair gives a childlike feel to the design. Furtermore, this particular item along with others, represents a clear connection to some of the tracks on the digipack but also a connect to the band itself. Using the same design on the poster as the digipack makes a clear connection between the two items. The poster however has been developed with other designs within the digipack. This would suggest that the audience would recognise this combination of the digipack designs, supporting the promotion in which this would create. Furthermore other elements such as the typography used for the advert, is the same in which is used within the digipack. This therefore is the iconography of the bands name, creating a star image of the band which would be frequently used in future designs. Throught the typography itself give a certain disturbed and eerie look as the type is disjointed and distorted. This would add to the atmosphere the stylistic theme we would see within existing products within our genre which would grab the interest of our target audience.

Audience feedback is a key stage in a production that will advance our piece, amending it to the needs of a audience. We show cased our production that we produced at a 'rough cut' stage, so that the viewer can see what direction we would be going with our product. From this we can discover what a selected audience of a wide range, would think of our music video in comparison to existing music videos within our genre but furthermore, the personal taste in response to our music video. To get feedback we created a questionnaire to hand out to our audience. Within this questionnaire the questions were phrased  in a certain manner and  the use of specific style of questions, using open-ended and closed questions. Additionally asking for positive criticism or response to their answers to our advantage. From the questions the audience could then focus on aspects asked within the questions, looking into sections of the video that we might have missed that could benefit the promotion and enjoyment of our music video. Within out questionnaire we only got a  few responses that were detailed enough to make slight changes within our music video. Furthermore, if we gathered audience feedback from viewers that were more into our target audience range, their views  and responses would have been more beneficial for our production.
From this we then sought other opportunities to receive a wider audience feedback range, and uploaded our video onto 'Youtube'. From this, the general public, allowing not just a selected few, but potentially hundreds, even thousands of responses, were this vast audience were able to view and choose to respond to our music video. The possibility of this was vast as this enlightened problems, as 'youtube' is a competitive website, it would be hard for our video to get recognised, let alone get feedback from. From uploading it to youtube, it got a surprising amount of views and some comments considering the chances. Although the comments were not constructive, we did get positive feedback on the entertainment factor of our music video. From these sources of audience feedback, the questionnaire appeared more constructive and beneficial.



Within the whole process of the production of our music video, various media technologies were used to advance all the stages of production. Whether it was pre or post production, construction and research, planning and the evaluation process. Within the research and planning stages, the main technology resource that appeared to be very useful was the blog. With this, all of our group were able to communicate and work together to advance all of our work to a high standard, trusting a building each others judgement and ideas to piece together what we have finally produced. Many applications on the blog website such as in bedding 'youtube' video, image formats, website links and much more, which made the research and presentational aspect of our work to a high standard.
Within pre production, we were able to access high tech cameras which were high accessible for our use, which recorded in the much need format of HD quality. From this this we had access to such software as Final Cut Pro, which allowed a vast amount of choice and effects to make our music video appear more professional. This is an advance from last year as were used iMovie to produce our Thriller opening Sequence. With i Movie, it was very limited in the effects and professional look we were hoping for for our music video. As this technology and software was now available to use, through trial and error to develop and use different techniques and effects we produced a final outcome. Effects such as echo that would not have been achieve by using iMovie as the effect were very basic in comparison to Final Cut Pro. More advance techniques such as colour isolation that was used within a key sequence within our music video was only possible using Final Cut Pro. This is an example of how advanced this professional software is as we later found out it is used within the post production in the industry.
Within the ancillary task, Adobe Photoshop was used to create layered designs that would look stylistic in comparison to existing products within the research process of the production. This could only be achieve through the use of Photoshop. Some elements of the production was not reliant on technology. The main design for our ancillary task was hand drawn, this give a personal element to the project but also is less time consuming as a drawing to that quality digitally rendered would not have been achieved. When the drawing was finished it was then scanned in and further edited on Photoshop to develop the drawing so that it would be suitable within the digipack and advert design. With the ability of layering feature on Photoshop, imagery could be developed easily and make the conventions of the genre we had for our digipack that much easier as to distort the image. A clear example of this is the invert of the main design from the front cover. With this we made an innocent looking image/ drawing more distorted and disturbed. This complements the idea of schizophrenia or binary opposition that we planned for this character. This therefore then connects to a stereotypical situation within our genres interest.
As members of our group had previous experience and use with the advance software that was available to use. We then used this to our advantage so that we had the knowledge to do advance techniques and produce a high and professional standard whole production piece.
Furthermore we are going to produce an 'Audio Commentary Evaluation'.

Final Product

Additional Elements

Additional elements were added to our advert to make it appear professional but also similar to typical adverts within our target audience.


The digipack cover that we produced seemed to be a necessity within our design of our advert. The composition of the preview digipack would have to be clear and notice so that the digipack can be recognised and therefore being promoted.

The complement this, we added the itunes logo, this was to show that the album can be easily accessed by  more modern techniques of downloading music. This shows that our band is media zavi but also well know to be on iTunes, a worldwide company, widening the target audience. Within our specific advert, we inverted this to makes the logo more legible as the chosen background was dark. Therefor the logo how it is on the right, wouldn't advertise this fact.

As a common element to adverts within our genre weren't just to advertise the new upcoming/ released album, but also gig/ concert dates. Additionally adding the locations of specific gigs would be make the advert more authentic.

While designing the advert, we used a similar set of photoshop brushes that shows a clear connection to the digipack itself but also to add generic codes a conventions, such as blood splats, that were common in similar products within our genre.

Typography

Within our advert, typography was needed but also had to be suitable to the codes and conventions of our genre.

The typography used within our digipack would be used within the digipack design itself. This would therefore be the bands 'star image'. Within our design, it was need to invert the typography so that the typography itself would be visible within our design.

For the 'Out Now', we used a default font on the software photoshop but even this had to be chosen through a thought process. The type had to be legible to the viewer but also eye catching so that this would be an noticeable element to the design.

Main Design

For the main advert design, the main digipack cover would be used. This would connect to the specific album and furthermore, promoting the ablum by making it more recognisable.

Room was made at the bottom for addition elements that would make our advert more realistic.

At first we considered to add the album name 'Mad House' to make a clear promotion of this album. This was changed and taken out as within our research, the album name wasn't present on existing products. Also, by taking the album name out, the advert could be more varied and could be used for other promotions of the band other than the album itself, such as gigs ect.

As the advert looked very monochrome and dull, we decided to incorporated the inverted design, from the first flip page of the digipack, on top of the normal design. This could show the meaning behind this iconography character. This suggests that there could be two personalities to this character. This is going along the schizophrenia concept idea and furthermore could mean a good and evil side to this character.

This idea was successful and therefore we are going to use this idea within out advert design.