Directory

Ancillary Task Research:

Mood Board
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/05/digi-pack-back-cover.html

Busted Album Covers Analysis
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2010/09/busted-album-covers-analysis.html

Fightstar Album Covers Analysis
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2010/09/fightstar-album-covers-analysis.html

Magazine Adverts: Research
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-post_17.html

Music Video Research

"Hurt" by Johnny Cash
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/05/hurt-by-johnny-cash.html

"New Shoes" by Paolo Nutini
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2010/09/new-shoes-analysis.html

Planning

Gantt Chart
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post.html

Research Into Other Music Videos
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/03/youtube-video-player.html

Wallace and Gromit
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_06.html

Ancillary Tasks

Magazine Advert
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/04/created-advert.html

Digi Pack - Inside Images
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-post.html

Digi Pack - Back Cover
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/05/digi-pack-back-cover.html

Digi Pack - Front Cover
http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post.html


Music Video

http://mikeedwards64.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post.html

Evaluation

http://joebreeves.blogspot.com/2011/05/evaluation.html

Evaluation

Our music video differs to the majority of current products; existing techno videos tend to follow a trend of using nightclub scenes with the use of light effects to relate with the upbeat party atmosphere of the music. Our video on the other hand challenges the forms of these videos by offering an alternative look on the music genre by using animation to form a more light-hearted and fun outlook. This alternative outlook helped us to appeal to a wider range of people and therefore increase the chance of the video becoming more popular and successful.


The use of animation and film helped us to successfully challenge the forms and conventions of existing techno videos. The combination of animation and film is used in other genres such as Indie and Alternative, however is ignored by Techno videos. We decided to link the animation and film together to create a contrast using the same character (Mario) but in different forms. We used the more old fashioned media of pen and paper to draw Mario, this contrasted incredibly well with the use of the new technology to create an animated Mario. The juxtaposition of the two forms helped to create a great transition that laid out a strong foundation for the beginning of the video.


The unique design of our video linked exceptionally well with the remixed music we used. The remixes of animated theme tunes helped to emphasize the uniqueness of the video by corresponding with the video itself; this helped the video to make sense and as a result become more successful. The correspondence of video and music was difficult due to the lack of lyrics, this meant we had to play on the sounds of the music and create our own original storyline.


We decided to form a contrast between our music video and our magazine advert to add an element of surprise. We felt that a contrast would help the video gain more interest and recognition. The decision to leave out key details and the theme of the video from the magazine advert helped create a sense of mystery so that the audience would be interested and engaged in the product. We felt that the mysterious feel would help to create a big shock to the audience when they see the video. This is what we aimed to do from the start; to create something different that hasn't been seen before. We acknowledged that it was a risk to contrast the ancillary task with the main task; however we wanted to take a risk so that we could produce a more thoughtful and engaging package. We wanted to challenge the forms of conventional products and add an alternative to the genre.


Research was vital in creating our video; we wanted to understand what the audience wanted in a music video. From the feedback, we discovered that people wanted to see something different to what they've seen before. The subtle use of images on the digipack and magazine advert was a sharp contrast to the 'loud' and bright images seen in the music video. This depth shown in the ancillary tasks would attract a wider range of consumer, who could then adapt to the contrast of the music and its wide range of appeal to different generations and age groups. This links directly to previous contrasts, such as the subtle differences between the music and the video



We received a lot of feedback during the process of creating the video, one of the key ideas we were given was to add real footage at the beginning of the video to add a different element to the previous all animation piece. We incorporated this idea into our video and found it very useful as it gave the video a firm beginning; this ensured that the video did not just jump straight into a random animation film which made no sense.


The process of creating the video required several software that allowed us to successfully combine the film footage with the animation. The editing for the film footage was done using Sony Vegas; this software was perfect for this particular task as it had the latest film technology which allowed us to manipulate the footage. We filmed the footage using a standard HD handheld video recorder, recording an over-shoulder shot which gives the audience a more personal and direct view.

The animation process was formed using the software Fireworks and Windows Movie Maker. Using Fireworks we would create still images and use Movie Maker to piece the images using a stop-and-go technique (as used in the production of Wallace and Gromit). We used transitions made available to us on the Movie Maker software such as Fade and Slow-motion to add more effect but also to make the video flow better. This technique was effective in creating a high quality animation; however it did take up a lot of time and became quite strenuous.


The internet played a key role in production as we used it constantly to find images for the animation. It also helped during research as we looked into artists for our chosen genre; Youtube provided us videos so that we could gain inspiration from other techno/dance videos. We also used Microsoft Excel to create a Gantt Chart that would chart a plan that we could follow so that we stayed on track to complete the project on time.

For the evaluation we did record a focus group where we filmed different people from different age groups and asked questions based on their viewpoints of our finished project. The majority of the group was vey impressed by our video and appreciated the idea of using animaton. Unfortunately this footage was lost due to technical issues. This wasn't the only problem we had to overcome. The use of different software turned out to be problem as it became increasingly difficult to move different files from one software to the next, especially as we were using film footage on one and animated images on the other. We did manage to overcome this by placing every file we'd made onto one memory stick before moving it.

Due to these technical problems we did have to rush certain elements of the project so unfortunately we could not make a podcast; something we thought would make our blogs more interesting and engaging.

Digi Pack - Back Cover

With the back cover we wanted to sustain certain elements from the other artwork so we decided to stick with the black background. We chose to change the artwork to an artistic flame to give the cover a bit of an edge, but also to show a deeper side to the music and engage the audience.

This shows how we are catering for two audiences. The front cover is aimed to attract attention a younger audience, and the back cover engages the audience fully, especially a more mature one.
We felt we the contract between the front and back was perfect.

Mood Board

Before we can create an album cover we need to research into existing techno/dance covers to see what the common conventions are. From the covers I found, the main themes I identified was the use of a dark background colour which is then accentuated by edited colour effects and images. These themes relate heavily to the upbeat music that is on these albums; something we hope to achieve with our cover.

The artist isn't used on these covers which suggests they focus solely on the music and not promote themselves individually. Because the artist isn't shown, the cover can then focus on appealing artwork which entices the audience and draws their attention.

"Hurt" by Johnny Cash

In 2002 Johnny Cash covered the song “Hurt” by the Nine Inch Nails. The original version from the Nine Inch Nails was industrial rock whereas Cash gave the song a more emotional take on the song. Cash produces a heartfelt video with hindsight to his life, examining the mistakes he made. The lyrics chosen by Cash are emotionally deep and really explain his depressive state of mind:




What have I become

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away

In the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt



Knowing his personal life helps us to understand the pain behind these lyrics, Cash has encountered several devastating events in his life that has helped contribute to his emotional pain. Cash was very close to his older brother, Jack, who in 1944 was pulled into a whirling table saw in the mill where he worked, and cut almost in two. He suffered for over a week before he died. Cash was only 12 at the times so you can imagine the emotional torture he experienced. But the experience that most relates to these lyrics is the divorce from his first wife, Vivian Liberto. Cash spent years of drugs, alcohol and affairs with other women during his marriage, the continuous problems led to a divorce in 1966. The divorce links heavily with the lyrics of the song – “I will let you down”, this suggests that Cash is admitting to making mistakes in his life and that the song is almost an apology.



The Nine Inch Nails cover expresses more anger than the emotional pain of Cash’ cover. A prime example of this expression of anger is how the band uses the quote “I wear this crown of shit”, whereas Cash quotes “I wear this crown of thorns”. These lyrics contrast the two different feelings that are created by both artists. Cash further expresses his pain through his video. Close-up shots of Cash reveal his fragile state, he looks old and exhausted, suggesting he’s very ill. The video promotes a more personal feel by using personal images, throughout the video we see clips of a younger Cash and his old home, which today is a museum in honour of the late singer. These personal images connect us more to Cash as like him, we reflect on his life. The images shown of a younger Cash shows him as being happy, this contrasts to the modern Cash who is shown as tired and depressive; this suggests that despite the happiness shown on the outside he was in fact hurting inside.



Cash’ “Hurt” video was different to any of the other videos he had ever made, this was the first time he had ever based a video solely around himself, his other videos would be based on events and not himself. Cash’ video was also new to the country music audience, country music is known for a more upbeat sound and the videos would be based in the countryside with the artist playing an acoustic guitar. Cash doesn’t set his video in the countryside as the video is personal and he wanted to set in a personal setting (his home). However, Cash keeps a certain iconography of country music by playing an acoustic guitar throughout the video.



The editing of the video helps to create a mellow atmosphere which helps to emphasize Cash’ pain. Gentle shot transitions are used throughout to create a slow pace and establish a calmer mood, this allows you to take in Cash’ words and helps you to understand his story. This editing technique is also used in Dido’s video “Don’t believe in love”, although the editing is not exactly the same as Cash’ video, they still both create the same atmosphere, and the result is effective. Another technique used to create a calmer mood is by using long takes, this technique is used in Cash’ video to calm the mood but also so the audience can take a longer look at Cash and really examine the pain in his aging face.



Most artists call upon intertextuality when writing music, Cash is no different in this instance, it is obvious that the Nine Inch Nails cover of Hurt is Cash’ source of inspiration. We do not know the exact reason for Cash wanting to cover Hurt but we can guess that he chose it because the lyrics relate to the story he wants to tell and therefore he felt it was necessary to use these lyrics but change the tune to relate to a more depressive mood. Cash could of also chosen these lyrics because of the biblical references, an example of this is the lyric “crown of thorns”. The biblical aspect of the song could relate to Cash repenting his sins, he has come to the time in his life where he is about to die and wants to leave with on a clean slate. Also, by using this song it can attract the attention of a wider audience, the original version was industrial rock so the song was listened predominantly by rock fans. Because the audience recognise the song, it flatters them and they become more engaged with the song; exactly what Cash wanted from the song.

I posted this video to show one of our influences for our film making. We chose to create our video using the stop-and-go animation which is used in the creation of Wallace and Gromit. This technique does take quite a bit of time to do, however Wallace and Gromit have proven that is an effective technique.

I used Microsoft Excel to create this Gantt Chart. It allowed me to plan the whole project and give me an outline of when i should complete a specific task.

Magazine Advert

This is our finished created advert, we decided to use the same background image from the album so that the audience could familiarise themselves with the artist. This gives the advert a sophisticated feel and is instantly recognisable when compared with the digipack. We chose this keeping in mind other projects such as Basement Jaxx's advert which is consistent to their other media promotion.

The use of the sillohetted singer gives the overall pack more variety, emphasising the idea that the music isn't just one rigid genre, giving the band a more versatile look.

We choose to write 'New album coming soon' without any specific details as it gives a sense of mystery, leaving the reader interested.

Music for Video

We did try to find local artists that played Techno/ Dance, however there was very limited artists around the local area and the few who did exist were too busy to see us. Our alternate option was to remix our own music. Many artists in the music industry have remixed music to great effect, so we were hoping that a remix of our own would be well suited for this project.

Choosing the right songs to remix was crucial to the project, we kept in mind that the video would be made with animation, so we chose songs that related to animation. The songs we chose were remixes of tunes from different famous TV shows and Video games. Our idea is to relate the animation of the video to the tunes being played in our remixed song.

Video In Progress

Still in progress.

Research Into Other Music Videos

For our music video we decided to opt against using the usual video recorded video and use animation instead. We felt that using animation would be more challenging and the end product would suit our techno music more than a normal video recording video would.

We gained inspiration from other animation videos, one being Junior Senior's video, Move Your Feet (2002). The video is very much like our own, it uses simple animation very effectively to create a fun upbeat video that highlights the feel of the music.

The video does not follow a story, instead using a mixture of different random scenes. The orginality and randomness of the animation links in well with the upbeat music which promotes partying and having fun.

Magazine Adverts: Research

Keeping in mind that I needed to create an advertisement for the promotional package, I researched into exisiting advertisements through magazines. I looked at some of the current magazines such as MixMag, Muzik and Vibe. The advert that stood out most to me was from Basment Jaxx, advertising their new album.

Hopefully, by analysing this advert I can acquire an insight into what it is that grabs the viewer's attention and in turn fund inspiration for creating my own advertising piece.

The thing that strikes you the most with this advert is the large image of a Gorilla, I think it is used primarily to capture the attention of the reader. It is a intruiging image that quickly draws your attention and makes you interested into what the page is about.  The image that is used for the advertisement is the same image that will be used for the album cover; using the same image will help the reader familiarise with the image which in turn will help them to pick out the album when in a shop.

The text font also relates to the idea of catching the reader's attention by using a futuristic style that captures the viewer's imagination. It also links in with the background image of the night sky; this is funny when you consider the contrast of the futuristic imagery and the Gorilla. This contrast could be an indiciation of the sound of the album.

The advertisement displays little information on the album, showing the album name, release date and the disc type. I think the band only displays the album vitals because they want to keep the sound and theme of the album a secret, so that it keeps the reader more interested.

Analysing this advertisement has given me a good idea of what I need to include in my own advertisement. I decided from this piece that I will use the same image from my album cover for the advertisement. The text font text will be extravagant and reflect the techno theme of the music. There will be little text that delves only into the essential details such as the album name and the album release date.

Inside Images

 

For the inside of the digi pack we kept the same style as the cover, we felt we should sustain the same theme throughout the pack because constant changing of the theme would be confusing and would threaten the quality of the pack.

Album Cover

Research played a huge role in designing the cover, from looking at other products a key feature is neon colours. We decided to use three colours and blend them using different shades; this gave us a futuristic neon look. This futuristic look links in well with the techno music of the album. We used the same thinking when creating the font for the album name; it sounds very bright and funky so we apllied bright colours around the font outline to give it an ecstatic look.

We used fireworks to design the cover using the line tool followed by the freeform to get the shape seen above. The silhouttes were also outlined using the freeform tool and coloured in black using the fill tool. Using the Fade feature we made the silhouettes less lifelike - this added a sense of the surreal, something young people who go to clubs are looking for.