Audience Feedback:

I wanted to get some first hand impressions from my target audience and so i chose to upload a copy of my album cover onto my Facebook account. I got very positive feedback from the responses that i received.

Including:

- Good song choice.

- Effective collage effect.

- Represents my genre of music.

- Good colour palette.

- Eye-catching center image (lips).

How/Who will market my product?

What is music marketing? 

Wikipedia says: "marketing" is a business term referring to the promotion of products, advertising, pricing, distribution channels, and branding. 

Here i have found a website that breaks the definition up and helped improve my knowledge of the term and the aspects of 'marketing' that i will need to consider for my product:     

http://www.musicmarketing.com/

Source: http://blog.nielsen.com/

After doing some more research into how music is now marketed, i have found that since 2004, digital downloads of albums has rapidly increased! I have also found that as a result of some audience feedback that i received recently (see earlier blogpost), not one of the people that i interviewed claimed to be purchasing physical music product such as CD's or Vinyls. Therefore, if i was to market my product, i would most certainly be promoting it through the web. Taking advantage of Web 2.0 and ensuring it reaches my target audience.

I would have my product promoted through a number of Smartphone Apps:

Just a few of the Smartphone Apps that i feel would be ideal for promoting my product.

I would also promote my product through many of the available social networking sites.This would directly reach my target audience as a majority of the users are from the ages of 16-27. It is also free and would be highly effective.

The most popular social networking sites include...

Who will market my product?

I have decided that i would market my product with the company 'Essential' as i have found they work on many levels of distribution. And depending on the type of genre they are marketing, will select the most appropriate means of distribution to suit my target audience. They also distribute across the Uk and worldwide.

Filming, Day 4:

Today i had a friend over to help me with my filming. I experimented with the different ways of lighting up the scene, as it was nighttime and i was only able to use artificial lighting. To begin, we tried a dancing scene on the bed, which was highlighted with the light from my chandelier. I elevated my tripod to get the crystals in the shot and to get a wider view of the scene. After this, i decided to do some more dancing scenes in my bedroom as i could then have more to work with in the editing stage. Therefore, i got my desk lamp and raised it so that it was shining on us dancing acting alm,most as a 'spotlight'. This i was really pleased with as it will ensure my audience focuses on us and doesn't get distracted by the surrounding busy environment we are within. We also dressed in very bright, quirky clothing as i think it will suit my genre and the audience i am trying to target. 

Ancillary Album Cover (Final):

Album Cover Designing Progress:

Original scan of my design- created entirely from magazine  images.

The edited copy, with enhanced colours and sharpened quality.

 Above are three different colour possibilities. I thought to make things easier for me to decide on a favourite, to screen print and place the three options side-by-side. From here, i can clearly see that the pink lips 9top left) is my favourite as the colours are alot less harsh on the eye and i find it much more appealing. My target audience also shared the same thoughts.

Editing My Album Cover:

Thinking how i could create a really appealing and unique Album Cover that connotes my music genre of 'Electronic/Funk' i decided that i wanted to make something that wasn't entirely computer generated. Therefore, when flicking through some magazine's and putting together a slideshow of the album covers already available on the market, i became certain on the type of cover i wanted to create.

Similar also to Andy Warhol's work, i have ensured to include a combination of bright, striking colours. As i felt that my genre of music is a particularly vibrant type of music that represents youthfulness and happiness. 
I also decided that it was necessary to make my album cover related to my music video production as i want my target audience to make the connection and to have a vague idea of what to expect from my video. Therefore, i have included some close-up shots of mouths and bright bold colouring that is represented through my actors clothing and the scenery i have included.

I am currently at the stage where i am editing the original scanned image of my cover. I have used a variety of different online programs to edit it to my preference. These include 'Microsoft Paint', 'Pixlr' and 'Adobe Photoshop'. Below is a screen print of my editing on Pixlr; where i enhanced the colours and sharpened the image. This resulting in a more clearer and eye-catching design that appears much better in quality than the original.

Editing on the program 'Pixlr', to bring out the colours and make them more eye-catching and bold.

Choosing a font for the Album song-name on the program 'DaFont'.

Technical Difficulties:

I am currently experiencing some technical difficulties that i am trying to resolve. My video footage has been recorded onto my SD card however, it is not a 'readable file'. Therefore, i have booked in a meeting with the technician and hopefully, i will be able to solve the problem. In the mean time, i plan to do some more research into my ancillary tasks.

Filming Day 3:

TODAY, I was filming my dancing scenes. I decided originally  that i would like to have a long shot of three individuals dancing in sync with each other and the song...however, i recently chose to film a sequence of close-up shots/foot shots of a variety of different "people" dancing. I gathered together a mixture of different shoes and socks for my character to wear in different locations as i also decided that it would be more efficient if i used only one single actor to represent numerous other dancers. This was a very good idea, i thought as it allowed us to work more consistently and productively, as it was not necessary to explain to my actor more than once what it was i wanted them to do. However, the only problem we encountered on the shoot was that we eventually ran out of dancing moves. However, we soon resolved this by looking on YouTube for some dancing inspiration and we were soon refreshed and full of great ideas! 

Song Popularity/Stats:

After doing some research into how appealing my song choice will be to my target audience, i have found that the song was incredibly popular. (Hitting Number 1 on the music charts in the UK for instance) Therefore, i feel very pleased with my choice of song to base my music video production on as i am almost guaranteed now that my target audience will enjoy the song.

Source: www.last.fm

Source: www.youtube.com
(the video clip has a huge 6,491,636 views!)

How does my target audience access music?

Whilst thinking about my ancillary tasks, i thought it was important that i am aware of the ways in which my target audience access their music nowadays. As i understand that the music industry is ever-growing and the growth of Web 2.0 has had a dramatic impact on how people are consuming music.

This is a link to a Guardian article that outlines the rapid increase of digital downloads. As it is now the fact of physical music sales remaining less and less in demand.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012

I also asked a variety of different aged people how they access their music:

"I have a 'GrooveShark' account that I use to create playlists. It's free, easy and accessible" 

(Anna, 17)

"I don't like the idea of downloading illegally. I'm also not so good with technology; so I prefer to just listen to the radio"

(Chris, 39)

"Either through the radio, or the music channel on the CV machines at the gym"

(Lara, 20)

"Mostly through YouTube, as I like to sit and enjoy the video that compliments the song...it's all about the visual treat for me" 

(Jasmine, 19)

"I usually just download my music via iTunes and then I can access my favourite songs from my Mp3 player" 

(Jack, 17)

"I only really listen to music through the radio when I'm driving to work"

(Paul, 42)

"Streaming through YouTube video's as I enjoy the visual side of music just as much as the song itself!"

(Sarah, 19)

"I just listen to new and upcoming music artists' through 'SoundCloud." 

(James, 15)

FIlming In-sync:

I am currently at the stage where i am filming my dancing scenes. I originally thought that it would be easier for my actors, and equally as effective if i was to film them dancing free-style and however they wanted, allowing them to express their own individual style of dance. However after watching this video, i have been inspired into wanting to change this thought and now film so that my actors dance movements are in-synch with the beat of my song. Therefore, it will have a more professional look and will look more like i have worked along with the music, and not ignoring the beat.

Andy Warhol:

I was recently browsing through some artists' work on 'Tumblr', when i came across the artist 'Andy Warhol'. He uses some really creative and unique techniques and his use of extremely contrasting and bold, bright colours really caught my eye. Therefore, i though i would make reference to him as he will be a great source of inspiration to me when i am creating my ancillary tasks (the creation of a music poster and album cover).

Warhol was an American artist; a leading figure in the visual art movement known as 'Pop Art'. His works explore the relationship between celebrity culture, artistic expression and advertisement that flourished by the 1960s. The artist encompassed many forms of media into his work, including drawing, painting, printmaking, silk screening, photography, film and music. Additionally he was also a pioneer in computer-generated art using 'Amiga computers', that were introduced in 1984.

Album Cover Inspiration:

I have chosen to begin my research into album covers, to provide me with some inspiration for my ancillary tasks. The PowerPoint presentation I created is a series of album covers already available, and well-known, in the music market. They inspire me because of their bold, creative and unique use of colours, lighting, special effects and use of fonts. I also feel that each individual cover has the codes and conventions that connote my chosen music genre and therefore i shall be using these to help influence my own album cover creation. Ensuring also that I researched into both modern and vintage artists' and compared the codes and conventions used for both..I now have a better understanding of what works/doesn't work, therefore can apply this knowledge to my own production. 




I also plan to incorporate the original 'FatBoy Slim' logo into my ancillary tasks. This is what it looks like:

Filming Schedule/Action Plan:

To help me manage my time effectively and to ensure my filming times are appropriate and accessible to my characters i have put together a brief schedule. This is just a list of dates that i plan to film and what tasks i will be taking out on each of those days.

 By including details such as, the lyrics that i need each of my characters/actors to lip-sync, where, when and most importantly the type of shot that each scene will need to be..ensuring that i include a wide range of techniques and camera angles/shots. As i aim to have a finished product that includes a huge use of variation, drawing in the attention and keeping hold of the interest of my target audience! 

Filming Day 2:

TODAY, i was filming my gymnastics shots. i got my actor to show how he could walk on his hands and i thought it could look really effective if i was to fast-track the footage. We began by filming some tracking shots (see image on the left and right) and i decided that it looked much better outside, where there is little distractions, such as household objects.And the audience would be able to ficus more of the character.
We then moved onto some filming of him walking across the shot, whilst it was on the tripod, held still. This looked very effective and i also found it would be a very good idea to also include a close-up shot of his hands, as he walks across the screen. These two shots could then be edited together so that it appears like a 'match-action-cut'.

Costumes:

 

I thought to sort through my closet to try and get an idea about the type of costumes i have available to use for my actors. The type of fashion ii was going for is something that can connote my music genre...so i aimed for a neon colour palette and bright fun patterns/graphics. I also thought to choose shorts as this will ensure my actors feel comfortable when dancing and jumping around in front of the camera.

Review/Reflection:

A quick video upload, reflecting back on the planning of my music video. My next step and how i plan to use my time effectively:
 

Filming, Day 1:

1) This was my very first experimentation of 'stop-motion animation'. I was quite pleased with the finished effect and i am really excited that the scrunching up of the paper worked quite fluently and is a very effective and creative shot. I also chose to use some alternative coloured pens that are quite bold and eye-catching as i dont want the audience to misread the title of the song, or miss the point of the scene-to introduce the artist/song name.

2) This was my second attempt at my opening scene. I much prefer it to my first attempt, however, both have quite alot of flinches in the scene. I am unsure as to how this has happened and i plan to hopefully rtesolve this problem and creative a final 'stop-motion animation' scene that i am satisfied with.

3) As i felt that it was a very effective technique to include in my music video, i have decided that i would liek to include the same techniue into the end/final scene. Thanking the audience for watching and making it clearer that it has coem to a conclusion. Additionally, addijg a sense of continuity editing.

Lighting Inspiration:

i found this Electronic-Funk music video on "Vimeo". I thought it was very creatively made and the director has used some really unique and effective lighting techniques, as well as a huge variety of different camera angles, movements and editing techniques. All of these, i would like to use as a source of inspiration to my own production, as i am currently at the beginning of my filming stage. therefore, i will be well into the editing process in the very near future.

• I really like the effect of the disco lighting used throughout the video, it helps to represent the genre of music well and gives the video a slight edge and unique quality.
• I also love the soft, very slight blue tint used on the footage throughout as it gives it an overall appealing 'cool' factor. 
• The use of jump-cuts also helps to add an electronic/funk edge to the video as it helps to keep the video in sync with the music and the beat.
• There is also the use of light-leaks throughout, in the darker scenes. These are very creative and creates the sense that the viewer is actually there in the moment, dancing amongst the heavily artificial lit club.

Synopsis:

When filming my actors/characters, i think it would be very useful if i am able to quickly summarize the narrative to my music video and what i aim to achieve and represent. Therefore, i have come up with a brief few sentences that describe what i want to achieve:

Sticking within the genre of 'Electronic Funk', i plan to focus my music video on the representation of stereotypical dancers. With a varied age-group and multiple locations, i will be able to appeal my video to a wide target audience and it shall promote the idea that music, especially 'Electronic Funk', is for all ages to enjoy. I also aim to achieve a happy, energetic vibe through my actors by ensuring they show enthusiasm and enjoyment.

Music Video Deconstruction (Stop-Motion Animation):

Peter Gabriel- Sledghammer:

Linking stop-motion animation techniques with music videos, this funk-rock clip by 'Peter Gabriel' demonstrates this perfectly (and is seriously cool!!). It is quite an old technique that can be used with many different approaches for example using photographs, drawings, people, and even puppets/models. That is why i really love this music video, and think it is so creative and unique, as the director has chosen to apply the stop-motion animation technique to people, fruit and paper airplanes..just to name a few. This music video also includes a vast range of different camera shots and movements to convey a particular meaning. For instance, the opening has a series of extreme close-up shots, this highlighting the human senses like the nose, eyes, ears and mouth. From this, it could possibly be a message from the director, Stephen R Johnson, that they are demanding for the audience to 'open up their senses' and enjoy the music.
Fascinated with how this amazing video was created, I did some research into it. Finding that Gabriel  lay under a sheet of glass for 16 hours while they were filming the video one frame at a time. An overall unrelated and random sequence of clips within this production, however it is still very entertaining to watch. For example, when two oven-ready chickens, headless and featherless, were animated using stop-motion and shown dancing along to the synthesized flute solo in the middle of the song.
Overall though, i feel this is an ideal example of a video that successfully uses the technique of stop-motion animation and i would very much like to include something similar in my music video, possibly to introduce and conclude the song.

Stop-Motion Animation:

Stop-motion is an animation technique. It is used to make physically manipulated objects appear to move on its own. The object is moved very slightly between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames are played in a continuous sequence.It is very often that stop-motion animation is created with the use of dolls with movable joints or clay figures, mainly because of their ease of re positioning  Stop motion animation using Plasticine is called "clay animation" or "clay-mation". However, not all stop motion requires figures or models; many stop motion films can involve using humans, household appliances and other things to achieve a desired effect.





1) This is an extremely popular video on YouTube, with an incredible 10 million views. This is because it is so cleverly put together, and the images run very smoothly and fluently together. Giving an overall professional and realistic animation effect.



2)This is also a stop-motion technique, however has a different approach as opposed to my previous video. I really like the beginning as the skittles packet is being drawn with coloured pencil. This is a technique i think would look very effective in the introduction to my music video, as it looks very creative though not too difficult to produce.




3) As i would like to use the drawing/writing approach  to this technique in my own music video, i chose to look closer into some examples of these on YouTube. This is probably my favourite and it reminded my of a video i uploaded in a past blogpost, of a Lawson music video. The lyrics of the music video were written up and filmed in a similar way to stop-motion animation, this is what i would like to possibly include in my own production.