Digipaks

A Digipack is a type of packaging used with Cd's. They are usually used with special editions songs or albums. A lot of artists use them in order to attract the audience to buy it, and listen to there music/song. In current times digipak's are very popular and are used a lot by artists and bands.

This is Rihanna's Digipack. Rihanna is seen as quite a powerful and bold singer, and so to show this in her digipak, they have chosen a powerful image. The image is a picture of her and it is very big and focuses on her completely. They have used bold colours such as red with her hair to show her power in the music industry, which expresses why you should buy it. It is also unique and noticeable and so could be used as a trademark, and the digipacks could be used to show, and can be used every time she releases one. The insert of the album shows her lying on a bed of roses which could attract woman because it could be saying how it is a little bit girly and not just focusing on the male market. Where as we don't get this from the front, i get the idea that she is trying to attract men. The disk is plain, but has a tint of red, this is to make it the same as the whole of the digipack, and follow the trend of using the red as the trademark.

 















This is the digipak for maroon 5. This is different to Rihanna's above, but still have the same aim.  Whilst Rihanna had one key colour used throughout the whole of the front, this one is different. They have used a number of different colours and the reason why they might have used this is because they want to make it as eye catching as possible, and having a lot of colours is one way to do this. The front cover seems to be loads of little pictures placed in the same, and when you look at it the first thing you see is a face. I think the main purpose and the only purpose of the front cover is to catch the eye of the audience, because on the shelf they will be next to other digipak's and Maroon 5 will want theirs to be the first they see.
In terms of the back, they have used the main colour. This could be because they want it to match the front, and have the main colour their as the main colour as the back. I think this might be because whenever the customer thinks of the colour purple they will want them to think of maroon 5.
I don't think this is as good as Rihanna's digipak because i don't think it is as powerful and doesn't make you want to buy it. Rihanna's attracted you through the picture and you instantly knew who it was, where as Maroon 5's was through colour and unless you looked at the name at the top you might not instantly known who it was.

This is Lady Gaga's digipak for her album The Fame Monster. The primary colours for this is black and white. The reason for this might be because it is what best describes her personality, in the fact that she is quite different to other similar artists. However this is quite good because all though they are quite dark, they would stand out against others on a shelf. I think this because their is a lot of the main colour, and it is a colour other artists or bands might not use, and so because of this is will be easier to see on the shelf. The image at the front shows her to be different, through things like hairstyle and the fact that she is covering her face. The fact that the background is herself is telling the audience that the digipak is about her and her music more than anything else. She has used two pictures of herself, and so is telling the audience to buy it to find out who she is and what she is all about.

This is Pixie Lott's Digipak. She is a female pop singer and so because of this we can use this as some reliable feedback. The first thing you notice about the digipak is the use of colour. The colours are quite bright and quite summery. The reason for this might be because of the fact that the songs she released came out in the summer or the fact that the digipak came out in the summer. Within this digipak there are alot of medium shots of the singer. They show her face and the top half of their body usually. You can tell they have also tried to make it eye catching through the use of the loacation. They have used a field in the middle of the countryside. This is quite summery and on the back page of the digipak they have made sure that the sunset is the most eye catching thing. In terms of the text in the front cover it is quite large. The reason for this would be to make it eye catrching for the audience and to let them know who it is about. You want this to be one of the first things the audience sees, because of they know who they are already then they might be tempted to by it. They have also made it look quit girly. This might be because of the fact that the singer is a girl but also because of the fact that that is what the songs represent or sound like. Using pink and the font colour and using the sunset as the background and the fact that they have used pictures like she is a model makes it some across as quite girly and if that is what they wanted to achieve then they have done it well.

Weekend filming 24th November

Before
We are starting to now film for our final draft. Some of the shots that we used for our first draft we will be using for our final draft. These will be the shots that we think were best and that we can use for our final draft. In terms of what we are filming this weekend we will be filming the chorus bit (bit we are yet to film). We know what we are going to film as we are going to follow our storyboard. If we follow it well enough then it should be quick and the shots should be good enough to use.

After
We have managed to film all of what we want in order to complete our final draft. We are going to edit it over the course of this week and anything with we need to re shoot we will do next weekend and then hopefully after that we are done. We also managed to get some pictures which we could for our poster and digipak. With the filming we managed to not only do the improvements that we said we wanted to do from our first draft, but we also managed to film the chorus parts to our song. We were unable to do this with our first draft because of the weather. However we were able to do it on this weekend, and we managed to get a range of shots we can use for out final piece. When it came to the re-filming parts we had to make sure we cut out all of the mistakes that we made in the first draft. We think we managed to do that quite well and we even managed to film some new footage which we can put in for our final piece. One thing i noticed before we started filming is the fact that, during the beginning when the character is in bed, in the draft the lighting was quite bright, and i thought that that is quite un-realistic because it is more likely going to be dark due to the fact that the blinds will be closed. So we filmed that part with the blinds partly closed.  

We also did the pictures for the digipak and the poster. We had a problem in the fact that the camera we were originally going to use we unfortunately couldn't as one of the family members had taken i away with them. However the video camera that we were using also had the option to take pictures. So we gave this ago and spent about half and hour taking pictures in the hope that they would look good. We took all of the pictures outside. The reason for this is because of the the lighting. We were unable to take any inside simply because it was too dark and the quality of the images didn't seem very good. We had a target theme. We wanted to get the message across that on his lazy day he just wanted to listen or play music, and so a majority of the pictures that we chose are of the character (singer) and his guitar (a key instrument on the song). We also wanted to get the message across that music is the singers life, so whenever he goes on an adventure he will take music with him (guitar). It was hard to get the idea of being lazy across. Me and my partner both thought that if we use a picture of the character being lazy then it wont be very appealing. Although it is the title of the song the whole point of the poster and the digipak is to be eye catching and to attract the main audience to come and watch it. So that is why we thought doing pictures outside would be better, because of the fact that you have a larger variety of shots that you can use.

What we need to improve

http://www.youtube.com/v/86NMqFwsH6g?autohide=1&version=3&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=7yNmOz-5pXSLaqV0FQFQLg&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1


Having done our first draft we have noticed a lot of mistakes and areas where we can improve, as well as what we have done well and what we have done badly.

The first area where we can improve is right at the start when we turn off the alarm. We do a close up shot of the alarm and knock it off the table when it comes off, but in the next shot the alarm is back on the table. This takes the point of the guy being angry that his alarm is going off and that he chucks it on the floor to make no sense. One minute it has been chucked on the floor and the next it is back on the table. When we come to film this bit for our final piece we have to make sure that things are exacly how we left it. If we move something in the shot then we have to make sure we dont move.it back untill we are done.

There is also the problem of the all the different clocks within the music video showing different times. This can make it seem un realistic but what was worse was the fact that one shot the time could be 15:00, and then a few shots later it will be midday. So we need to make sure that if we do have a shot when a clock is within the shot, then we have to make sure we either change the times so that they go in order, or we try and get rid of any shots of a clock within the shots. The only times I want the time or the clock to be shows is during the alarm clock shot and when we are filming the lyrics on the phone.   

The next thing we need to improve is how long some of the shots are. In order to keep the attention of the audience, each shot has to be short and quick, and the problem we had was that ours was quite long and so we are risking the fact that we might be losing their attention. We want each shot to match what is said within the lyrics which is what we did in our first draft however we only showed one clip and so that clip was quite long. Some shots need to be quite long because of the fact that we are trying to act out what the lyrics are saying, but for our chorus part we can add multiple shots.

There are some shots which we have done which sometimes don't make a lot of sense. For example near the beginning of the filming we have a clip where our actor is sitting on the sofa watching TV. During one shot he is in his normal clothes, and then the next he is sitting in a onesie on a different part of the sofa. I think in order to do this we need to add something to help the audience understand the reason why they changed. We could add something like the singer clicking his fingers to show that there is a change about to happen.

Another thing we need to improve is what the singer is wearing. This is mainly mise-en-scene. One big mistake we made was the fact that at the start of the first draft the singer when he gets out of bed is wearing normal clothes. He isn't wearing what someone of our target audience would wear if they went to bed. Whats worse is the fact that the stuff that he wears when getting out of bed is what he wears for the rest of the video. This doesn't make it seem very realistic and it doesn't show a good use of miss-en-scene. For the real thing we need to make sure that the costume is different during this part.

We know what we need to do when it comes to filming the chorus. If we follow our story board then we shouldn't have to many problems. We will be making some changes and add some clips to our film in order to have a variety of shots. The shots in our first draft i think we will try and keep as there is a lot to already film in a short space of time. Having watched and edited our first draft we know what we need to improve, and how we can do it.   

Filming 14/10/13

This is the date where me and my partner did a majority of our filming. The only thing we need to film after this date is the outside parts which are the chorus. We realise this is our first draft, and so we wanted to concentrate on the possible things that could go wrong and how we could improve them in our first draft. It also gave us a chance to realise what we actually need in terms of props and actors. I think some parts we will need to re shoot because of the fact we can simply do it slightly better. Some of the shots that we did were quite good and we will probably use the same angles in our real thing that we did in our final draft. 

When it comes to filming our chorus, we will be doing it outside and so the lighting will be a lot easier to control in order to see everything. With the parts inside the house we found it hard to keep the lighting the same but we think for a draft we did a pretty good job and we did learn about the importance of it.

When it comes to filming the last remaining bits we know what sort of angles we want to do and we know how to go about filming it. We want to film as many shots as we can, as that way we will have more choice to use when it comes to making the video. We are also using the draft to learn how to use Imovie, and get used to all the features that it has to offer. 

filming 9/10/13

We did the first part of our filming today, in order to make our first draft music video. However we didnt follow the schedule completly. Instead of filming the chorus bit forst we filmed the first part of the song. Thw feason for thisnis because the sun was quite low outside, and so because of that it would have been quite hard to film. We filmed up to the point where the first chorus comes in. We filmed a variary of shots and so when it comes to editing we have a number of shots that we can use and choose what we want.

We will continue with the rest of the filming on Sunday. The reason why we cant do it on other days is because of availability of me and my partner, but also because of the cost of petrol. Me and my partner during the week, would have to go from school to my house to pick up the camera, then to his house, then back to mine and then to school. This is a lot of milage, and that would cost a lot in petrol. And because we are both free all day sunday, we think we will be able to film the rest during the day. 

Storyboard on iMovie

This is our animatic of our music video. It is our storyboard with our song that we are using in the background. It is blurry but you can still make out what the story is. We used our storyboard to help us relearn how to use iMovie, and to help us learn the timings when it comes to editing our actual clips. We want the editing to be in time with the song and so following the storyboards the song gives a good idea of how we are going to use that. When it comes to filming our first draft we will look at what camera shots we said we would use, and try to follow it as much as possible. There will be some areas where we wont follow the storyboard because we have come up with a better idea. But this video above just shows our story in picture mode with the music in the back ground.      

Camera test

The camera that we want to use is a HD camera, and it is the camera that me and my partner from AS used last year for some of the shots. However last year we had some problems with iMovie actually recognising what we filmed and it sometimes didn't work. We wanted to use it for our music video as the quality of it was good compared to what the schools cameras are like. We were unsure whether the files that the video clips were to be in once filmed would be supported by the iMovie software, So if the way its saved is supported, and if it will play or not, once imported.

In order to see if it worked this time i filmed something over the weekend, so that in our lesson on monday we can put it into iMovie to see if it worked. I filmed our cat for a few seconds and saved it on to an SD card. Once we did this we put it into iMovie to see if it would work, and if the quality was any good.

This is the quality that the video came out with when we put it onto iMovie, and we are happy with how this went. We are now confident that the camera will work with iMovie, and so we have decided that we are going to use it for our filming. We know the software on the mac allows the way the videos are saved via the camera to be played, and so because of this we now have our equipment sorted.

We are pleased with the video quality, and think that we can use that to our advantage in order to get a good grade. We think we will have an advantage over anyone who uses the school cameras. The reason for this is because the quality of their cameras in nowhere near as good as the camera we will be using, and so because of that we think, that ours will look better, and more professional.

Schedule

This is the schedule we have made for our music video. This will be for the first draft of our music video. We have split the lyrics of the songs into 3 sections, we have also done this with the chorus's. We want to try and stick to this as much as possible, that way we could get the filming done in 2 days, which is good as it would give us more time to edit. We have got an idea in our head of what we are going to do at what point, as well as our storyboard. The schedule shows things like the location and the props we need, so we don't forget to use them when we need them.

The order of which we film will be the same, but the date in which we film it might be different. We need to pick a date where we are both free. The dates i have written on this might not be the dates that we actually film.  

Order of filming

Me and my partner need to work out what order we are going to film the video. The order in which we do can be quite important. For example we need to make sure the bits outside are filmed at the same time, in order for our lighting to be the same.

The problem i had in AS was that because i filmed the outside scenes on different days, it was obvious for the viewer to see, because the light in the sky was different, and it didn't make the video seen as good. So this time in A2 i want to make sure that the lighting is as accurate as possible.

The first thing we think we should film is all the parts which we can film indoors. The reason for this is because, we can control the lighting in their at all times, and so once we have done that correctly it is out the way.

After we will do everything outside of the house. We need to do all of this within one day, because we want the lighting to be as consistent as possible. If we need to re do a certain bit, then it might be worth doing the whole thing again, because that way it will still look all the same. The bits which we will be filming outside which we want to be the same, are when the chorus is sung. Here will do a number of different camera angles in order to keep the attention of the viewer.

(however depending on what the light is like, we might do the outside shots first. This way we can be consistent with the lighting)

The ending of the video will also be outside, but we have an idea where we want to reverse the shot seen at the beginning of the video. For example, at the start the video will start outside, and will gradually move to the bedroom for the start of the video. Because the ending of the song is similar to the beginning we were thinking we could end it with the singer going into the bedroom, and then we could walk out of the bedroom to the outside of the house. The lighting for this if we are unable to reverse it needs to be a similar lighting, and so probably on the same day. 

Copyright permission

Me and my partner sent this email to have permission to use the song which we want to use in our video. We sent it to The Smeezingtons. This is the company that own the rights to The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars. We have to send them an email to them to ask for permission. If we didn't then we are using a product of theirs without permission, and we could make money with it without them knowing which is illegal. By sending them this not only are we asking them if we can use it, but if we can then, we know we wont be breaking the law and we will know that they know we aren't using it to make money for ourselves.   



 

Message:



Hi

We are Toby Allen and Charlie Gibson, and we are currently studying media at A Level (A2). Our task is to create a music video for a song of our choice as part of our coursework. We have chosen to use Bruno Mars's - The lazy Song. We are asking for your permission if we are able to use this in our own video

 

We have no intention of making money from this and the only people we would pass it on to would be to the markers of the course work. 

 

Thank you 

Storyboard

The story board is an important part to the planning of the music video. The story board can allow us to put a story line to the video that we are creating. It is also a useful way to see what the final product might look like before even starting the production of it. We will be able to edit bits that we think look a bit dodgy. Our story board contains 30 slides, we believe this will be a good length for it as it wont be to long and it isn't very short. Each of the slides has quite a lot of detail to how the video will be shot and produced, for example it has the frame that we will be shooting and then text that describes what camera angles will be used and what movements will be used, also in some of the slides it describes what costumes and props we will have in the video. Knowing what the final product is likely to look like is very useful to us because obviously if it looks bad then we will be able to change it and if it is starting to look good then we will feel more motivated and could possibly add more bits in that we wouldn't have thought of before.

Narrative

Music video ideas:

•     Bruno Mars 'Lazy Song

•     Matt Cardle 'When we collide'

•     Cody Simpson 'Summer time of our lives'

•     Matt Cardle 'its only love'

•     Olly Murs 'Dear Darlin'

•     Olly Murs 'Army of two'

•     Bruno Mars 'Marry you'

Out of all of these music videos we needed to make a decision to which video that we would do as our final media product. It was a hard decision as all the music videos were equally good and each of the songs were the type that we wanted. We watched each of these videos twice and then came to a decision of three which were:

•     Matt Cardle 'When we Collide'

•     Bruno Mars 'Lazy Song'

•     Olly Murs 'Dear Darlin'

These were the songs that we believed had the most potential for the best music video. We think this because the lyrics that the songs have have the best story lines that we could act out. Also the music videos would not need a big budget to create so we would be able to afford it as well. After a lot of planning and thought we chose our song. Bruno Mars 'Lazy Song'

This song is very popular reaching number 1 in the charts for 4 weeks. This was one of the first reasons why we chose this video, we thought our video would be more popular because of the song itself. The second reason for why we chose this song is because of the lyrics. The lyrics tell a very good story line that make it easier for us to act it out and create a good media product. Another reason for why we chose the video is because of our budget. We thought this would be the easiest video to make with the budget we have because we won’t have to buy any expensive props or higher out any expensive locations to film on.

In our video we will only need one actor, this makes things easier for us to plan and will be able to control more easily as well. We are less likely to have to not film on one day because we have an actor missing. Also in our video we are going to have only 2 locations which are the house and the field, this will allow us to get to know our surroundings and make the best shots possible. The costume and props are also available for our use at all times so we can therefore film when ever we want without needing to worry about not having any problems

Representation

We are going to represent the artist through the use of our song. We can follow the lines of the songs and do what the lyrics say as part of our acting. We can act lazy and quite cool like Bruno Mars is in his videos. We can represent teenagers through wearing trendy clothes and using any up to date technology.

His videos are all one shot and throughout the whole video he dances with 5 others. Some of the stuff that he is wearing is quite expensive, which is something that teenagers might do and so he is representing them in that way. He also edits the video half way through. He covers the camera with his hands to make the screen go black, and then when he removes it to start a new scene (but still uses the same camera angle).

They then use a man to play a woman's role. In the song they use a woman to sing 'OMG this is great' but in the performance a man plays it.  This could represent the humor that teenagers have, and they might find this quite funny. So for our video we might try and add humor to it which our audience might find funny.

So for our song we will be acting out the lyrics to try and help our audience get a visual for the song and help understand what it is about which is what we got told we need to do in our primary research. Instead of using one camera angle we will use a variety of shots and angles to keep the audience entertained.

Costume & props

In music videos people tend to wear a variety of clothes. In pop music videos they usually wear trendy clothes. We have taken this idea into account and our actor in our music video will be wearing trendy clothes. This will involve chinos, a t shirt, and shoes. These will be the clothes that the actor will be wearing when he is outside the house in the field. The other costume that we are going to use is a monkey onesie, we have chosen a monkey onesie because in Bruno Mars official music video he has actors wearing monkey masks, and also in the song the lyrics say 'chilling in my snuggie' which matches with a onesie. We also think that the onesie will give the lazy look about the actor which then links to the title and lyrics of the song 'Lazy Song'.

Another very important part of the music videos is the props that are used in it. The props help the audience understand the story line of the song. The first prop that will be used in our video is an alarm clock. The alarm clock will be used at the very start and the very end of the song linking to the start of the day and the end of the day. Another prop that we will be using is a mobile phone, the phone will be used because in the song there are lyrics that say 'Don't feel like picking up my phone, so leave a message at the tone' we will then film a phone having a missed call so that it can link to the lyrics of the song. We are also going to use a phone to show texts as lyrics in the song. The next prop that we will use is a television and a fan, we have chosen these too props as the lyrics mention it in the the song and we believe that it will suit the video very well as it is to do with laziness. A TV symbolises someone being lazy as they are sat around doing nothing. We are using a fan because we think that having a random prop placed in the video will make the video more interesting as the audience will wonder why it is there. We have also chosen these props because we can get our hands on them easily and we will not have to spend money on them. Another reason for why we are using them is because they are easy things to include in a video as they are static and do not move.

Overall we believe that the costumes and props that we will be using will relate to the lyrics to the song and will hopefully produce a good quality music video that stands out as a product. The costume and props will tell the story of the song giving the audience an idea what is going on.