Album Covers Activity

For the lesson, we each brought in a selection of album covers that we found interesting, and we also chose one specific cover to talk about. I brought in the covers for All Time Low's Don't Panic, Avril Lavigne's The Best Damn Thing and Ben Howard's Every Kingdom. I specifically decided to talk about Don't Panic, as I really like the album and I felt as though I had a lot to say about it.

A) Analyse a Selection of Album Covers

Typical Features

- Name of artist/album                                        - Barcode

- Acknowledgements                                          - Promos/stickers

- Typeface                                                          - Track list

- Record label                                                     - Product Codes

- Producers                                                         - Place of manufacture

- Copyright                                                         - Booklets

- QR Codes                                                        - Sleeves

- Year of Release                                                - Consistent Colour Scheme

- Synergy with other parts of campaign

Categories for the Covers

- Genre                                                      - Colour scheme

- Format                                                    - Release date

- Concept; abstract or realism                    - Busy mise-en-scene

- Debut                                                     - Record label

- Audience                                                - Media used

- Compilation vs one artist                         - Gender

- Link to music                                         - Accessibility; niche or pop. culture

- Artist shots;band;artist;photo or representation

Function

- to attract new fans or old fans - increasing fan base

- set up album feeling

- establish genre

- connote artist identity

- recognition/repetition

- cover + music video give artist ability to change identity

- physical product for fans to own

- end result; shows completion of album

- image represents era of music

- visual interpretation of music

- audience selects the song

- another platform to sell the brand

- to inform audience

- make money

- collectible

- inside parts extend the cover

B) Deconstruction of Cover

- There is a lot happening, quite cacophanic like the band

- The font used for the name of the artist is the typical All Time Low iconography used across all platforms

- Popular culture; the whole album is a nod to the 2012 Apocalypse - signified by the meteors, zombies, aliens and general chaos happening on the cover

- Front cover sets up feeling for the band, inside sleeves show the band's reactions to their surroundings and the back cover shows a track list of all the songs

- The action genre being satirised on the front cover is often associated with punk/rock music

- Has the name of the record label on the back, Hopeless Records which is an indie label associated with pop-punk bands

- The target audience is both boys and girls - the cover is more boyish, but the band also has female fans who appreciate the band's quirky sense of humour

- They released a stream of the whole album with animated versions of the inside sleeves; very synergistic

- Also synergy with their lyrics - "Why can't Thursday last forever?" Thursday was thought to be the last day on Earth

Creating an Ideal Artist

In the "Billie Kaden" group were me, Anna and Sam, with Emily G creatively leading us. She decided to have a sporty, athletic artist who was very pop-y, as she had strong influences from Icona Pop and Iggy Azalea, but who was also often casually dressed, even when going to awards shows. I think that the originality and self-awareness of this artist would make her stand out from the typical top 40s music stars, as she doesn't sexualise herself in order to gain popularity. Instead, she is an ambassador for a charity which helps less able kids get into sport, and also her music reflects the tough childhood that she had, making her a flawed individual, and consequently more relatable. Billie Kaden is also an Olympic decathlete, with a very strong message of never giving up on your dreams, which is something that both children and adults can relate to. Overall, I think our artist was a good role model for children and older generations, as she symbolises not just love of music, but also love of her herself and other hobbies.

What Music Means To Me

Childhood 

Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad - Meatloaf

This seems like a really strange choice for a childhood song but I distinctly remember having a CD called "Hits of the 70s" or something like that and I remember that this was one of my favourite songs on the album. I just really liked the way that the song started and ended on the same lyric "Baby we can talk all night", as I thought it was really nice and cyclical (I was a philosophical toddler) and I also really liked the chorus and tried to memorise all the words. I used to listen to the CD on my Disc/Walkman and my parents always got annoyed because I sang along really loudly. I remember losing the CD and completely forgetting about the song until a few years ago when I Shazam-ed the song and rediscovered it. Since then it has been one of my favourites and it's also influenced me to listen to a wider range of music genres, as I quite like the Bat Out Of Hell album (the album this song features on).

Early Teens

Defying Gravity - Wicked

The first time I heard this song was in 2007 in the Ugly Betty episode "Something Wicked This Way Comes" where Betty goes to see Wicked on Broadway. Despite the fact that they only showed a small snippet of the performance, I was hooked straight away. For months I begged my parents to let me go and see the musical and in December of 2008 (I think), one of my Christmas presents was a pair of tickets to the show. After seeing it I fell in love with the entire soundtrack and my (albeit short-lived) lifelong dream became to play Elphaba on the big stage. I listened to the songs on my Nokia brick phone all day long and I even choreographed routines to some of the songs. In about 3 months I had memorised all the songs and even some of the dialogue, and it distracted me from (what I thought was) the stress of school and friendships. To this day, I still have the soundtrack on my iTunes library and I listen to it when I feel like losing myself in that fantasy world.

Today

Weightless - All Time Low

I don't remember when I first heard this song, but I remember it was on a music channel and they were doing an "Alternative/Rock Music Top 100 Countdown". I was flicking through the channels when this song had just started playing and I was intrigued (I thought the lead singer was cute) so I listened to the whole song. Not only was the music video quirky and different to all the other Top 20 music I usually listened to, it was also quite techy and I loved the use of graphics to make it seem contemporary but also to mock and satirise some aspects of society. Through this song I discovered the band All Time Low which rapidly became my favourite band, and then they led me to a lot of my other favourite artists; Hey Monday, We Are The In Crowd and The Summer Set had all previously toured with ATL and when I checked those bands out, I immediately found that I was drawn to pop-punky music. I still listen to their songs often, despite being a fan for well over two years and having heard those songs quite a few times already. I just really like their sound because it's fun, their lyrics are witty and all four guys are really talented and just great personalities overall. Sadly I haven't been to an ATL concert yet, as they sell out really fast and/or no-one wants to go with me :(

Music Video Remake Evaluation: "Wings" - Little Mix

1) Did you enjoy the workshop day? What were your best bits and why?

I found the workshop day unlike anything I had experienced before; all the cast and crew were buzzing with excitement, the sets looked amazing and all the equipment looked so expensive and high-tech! The main thing that surprised me on the day was the camera; it was a Canon 5D Mark III, an updated model of one of the cameras 'The Avengers' was shot on.

The camera (ft. water bottles and clipboard)

Personally, the best part of the day for me was the final shot, where everyone joined in (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS8XXYJw8Lg). This was the best bit of the day for me because it meant we had finished everything, and it felt as though we had accomplished something really impressive and professional; something to be proud of. (It was also really great to see everyone having a good time and letting go of all the stress that had built up on the day.) Another part of the day that I enjoyed was the dance scene where the cast and dancers performed the routine. I felt as though this built up a really friendly and exciting atmosphere, which enabled the dancers to feel more confident and to not shy away from the camera. I also found myself interacting with people I don't usually talk to, so it was really nice to have that opportunity. The main positive of the day was the fact that it was generally quite relaxed, and I didn't feel as though I was being judged on my (terrible, terrible) dancing.

Josh and Lewi - Cameramen Extraordinaires

2) What have you learnt from participating in each of the prelim tasks?

Task 1 - I chose the 'Time Bomb' music video to analyse, as it has been one of my personal favourites for a long time, I feel that it has just the right balance between narrative and performance, and I love the style of it; the apocalyptic feel caused by the dark grading. This task showed me how despite their almost chaotic nature, music videos still tend to follow a set of "rules" or features. I also learned the importance of styling and mise-en-scene; costume, props and lighting should never be overlooked, as they can genuinely completely change the meaning of something.

Task 2 - When we were given the task of shooting and editing our own lip syncing music video, I was beyond excited. I think that's the main reason why I put so much dedication and time into the project. However, one of the main challenges for me was actually singing along with the music; this was because we shot in a classroom and I was nervous that everyone could hear, however I think I overcame this on the day of the actual shoot day, as I sang along with almost every take in order to support the main four girls.

Task 3 - Learning the routine was one of the most daunting parts of the project; I have never been much of a dancer, and gaining the confidence to perform in front of a big group of people is perhaps one of the most valuable things that I have taken away from this experience. It was also fascinating to see how our moves translated on screen, and I learned that the camera really does pick up everything, so the performance needed to be energetic and flawless (one of the most useful pieces of advice I received: "If you forget the moves, just pretend like you know what you're doing and look confident and no-one will care.")

Task 4 - Unfortunately, I have a very different style to the girls in the music video so I didn't have any of the relevant costume pieces, however I did own a black trilby which was used in the final shoot and I had to take responsibility to bring it in on time. This process also taught me that organisation and planning is very important, and forward thinking is the key to a successful shoot.

"This is my moment to shine" - Mila's trilby, 2013

Task 5 - On the day of the shoot, I was surprised at how quickly we had to get the shots done; the allocated time on the call sheet for the background shots of the girls was about 5 minutes per set up. At the time that seemed like hardly anything, as each take went through the whole song, so that we would have a variety of shots to use when editing. However, we did run over on time at one point in the day, and Charley, the 1st AD, had to tell everyone to get on with what they were doing because in the real media industry, time means money. This showed me just how fragile a shoot can be, and how timekeeping is incredibly important to the success of a shoot. I also learned how everyone has their own role on set, and while some jobs may cross over, the key is to ultimately do your job to the best of your ability and not tread on anyone else's territory. One of the highlights for me was seeing the crew behind the camera supporting the dancers, especially Charley, Olivia and Tasha who were doing the routine with us, which really helped me to relax and just go for it.

Task 6 - Editing is arguably my favourite part of creating something, so I really enjoyed this part of the prelim. However, it was very difficult to match some of our shots to their respective original shots, as most of the time, the girls were doing the right moves but singing another part of the song or vice versa. Also, due to the tracking on some of the shots, the distances were not quite right and so for some of the shots we had to zoom in to get the correct framing. This challenge taught me how to improvise with the software, however I doubt that I will need it next year as we will be doing an original music video and the distances do not have to be too meticulous.

Our timeline - we don't like having too many tracks, it looks too messy!

3) Are you pleased with the footage and your edit? Is it how you expected it to look?

I am delighted with our final edit, as it looks so professional, and the colours and styling look very similar to the original! I did not expect it to look as good as it did, and I think that the grading and lighting are the main reasons for that. Also, I think the effects (such as the radial blurs and the split screen shots) also look really well done and professional, and the majority of the moves that the girls do match their original counterparts.

A screenshot of a split screen effect from our remake

I also fixed the intensity on the radial blurs, which made them look very similar to how they did in the original music video.

Fixing the amount of intensity from 10.0 to 5.7, so it looked more like the original

One of the main problems that our group had to deal with however, was the size of our group, as there were 7 people, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and each wanting a substantial edit time. I felt that we overcame this issue and that in the end, everyone was happy with the edit time that they received, as we were all very generous and shared out the time in chunks (ie. editing 20 minutes each in a double lesson). Almost all of us came in when we had free periods and edited, so that we could maximise our possible editing time.

Our final edit schedule

4) How do you think your prelim experiences will impact on your approach to next term's music video coursework?

Initially, I had planned to create a narrative or concept video which would have been quirky and original, however after doing this project I am now hoping to produce a video that is a hybrid of narrative/performance or concept/performance, because I think that my confidence has grown and I would like to try out being in front of the camera as well as behind it. I would also like the chance to wear different costumes and makeup, and achieve an overall look which is new and refreshing, completely dissimilar to the boring genericness of our current popular music industry.

I have also learnt that a high-budget shoot does not equate to a high-quality music video; sometimes, editing technique and style can be enough to create a professional looking video at just a fraction of the price.

Overall, the main thing I have taken away from this project is confidence and just general excitement for next year!

Top 15 Key Features of a Performance Music Video - Analysis of 'Time Bomb' by All Time Low

The visuals work well with the music, as the cuts between the shots match the pace of the music, especially fitting well with the beat of the drums (the gunshot visual at 1:47 is an excellent example of this, as it matches a drum beat). The lyrics of the song also fit the visuals; the narrative aspect of the video is one of action, danger and unpredictability, which is mirrored in the song's title 'Time Bomb' and various lyrics, for example "we knew that we were destined to explode", "resistance is useless" and "like a crash, the whole thing spun out of control". 

The music video is very performance driven, with the majority of the shots being of the band performing on the rooftop. Despite the fact that the video switches between the performance and a narrative storyline through parallel editing, the viewer can clearly tell that the band are the key focus. There is also consistent lip-syncing throughout, which is evident through the use of Close-Ups and Mid-Shots showing Alex singing. The rest of the band members also play their respective instruments with enthusiasm, creating a realistic portrayal of a typical All Time Low performance. 

Due to the fact that actors are used as the lead roles in the narrative, the band members do not switch between artist performance and artist-in-character performance. This ensures that the band is consistently performing, showing how they focus, first and foremost, on the music. The audience would typically expect All Time Low to be lively, energetic and enthusiastic throughout the duration of their performances, and there is no doubt that they deliver this in the music video. The narrative is also very engaging, with a Sci-Fi twist, as the video portrays an almost dystopian world, and explores the universal theme of forbidden love.

The colouring of the video is very stylized, with a colour scheme of beige and black, connoting the dystopian element of the narrative. The make-up is also very prominent, as the band members have practically flawless complexions, and the actors also look very 'Hollywood', as if they are in an Action blockbuster. The instruments also add to the glamorous aspect of the video, as they all look shiny and almost brand new.

There is a strong sense of development in the narrative part of the video, as the audience sees the man saving the girl (transition from illness to health), then them running away from the armed men (physical change- from one place to another) and finally they get caught, revealing the girl's secret. Artist identity is also strongly presented in the video, as Alex and Jack (singer and guitarist) are wearing shirts from their own clothing lines (AWG and JAGK), and we also see them in their typical formation on stage (Jack on the left, Alex in the middle, Zack on the right and Rian at the back- a formation which fans of the band would be very familiar with).

The constant use of Close-Ups in the video, especially of Alex and Jack, could be interpreted as money/beauty shots. It is evident that there is more footage of Alex and Jack, which could be because they are often seen as the more popular members of the band, and therefore the music video editors are just giving the fans what they want. There are also a lot of CU's of the instruments, which are very iconic in All Time Low videos. 

Interestingly, the video uses juxtaposition between the girl and the armed men, in order to convey a sense of character. The girl's white dress shows her innocence and purity and she is very bare, which is then contrasted by the black clothing of the men, with their guns and body padding. This could connote how she is very vulnerable and has been laid bare, whereas the men are much more shielded, which could be suggesting that the men have something to hide.

There is a distinct lack of discontinuous editing, as the whole sequence is chronological, however the band members do sometimes jump from one place to another in between shots, which could be construed as discontinuity.

The lyrics don't necessarily refer to popular culture, as they are very personal and non-satirical, however the video does contain some pop culture references. The hero character is seen wearing Dr Dre Beats headphones (which could just be product placement). However, the biggest popular culture reference is the item that the hero fixes and implants into the girl's chest to save her. This is almost certainly a nod to the popular Iron Man franchise, as the item is almost a replica of the infamous 'arc-reactor'. Moreover, the girl is portrayed by Malese Jow, a famous actress who has previously appeared on the hit-show "The Vampire Diaries" and as Alice in the film, "The Social Network".

The video is very polysemic in nature, as there are a lot of loose ends left at the end, and we do not know why the girl was almost dying, or why the men were chasing the hero. However, the audience can deduce that the constructed world in the music video is somewhat apocalyptic, and perhaps the 'Time Bomb' is counting down to the end. The most obvious reading is of forbidden/doomed love, which is portrayed through the lyrics "we were destined to explode" and the couple's surrender at the end of the video. These are some of the many readings that can be taken out of this video.

Overall, the video had a very strong, positive audience response. Some fans (myself included) think that it is the band's best video to date, and many found the concept to be very striking, due to the colouring, lighting and unparalleled enthusiasm of 4 artists who have a genuine passion for performing their music.

Preliminary Task Evaluation

Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

• I worked with Anjana and Shobnam and we worked well together because we listened to each other's ideas and we also shared the jobs equally between us. For example, I was in charge of costumes and the script, Anjana was in charge of props and the shot list and Shobnam was in charge of storyboarding. 
• We all had an equal amount of time to edit, but we all discussed the editing decisions.
• We also managed to come up with an idea fairly quickly, so that we could get on with planning much faster. 
• Because I was the main character in the sequence, I was unable to do much of the filming because I was mostly on screen.
• We didn't work too intensely, and kept the atmosphere light and fun. We enjoyed the task a lot and managed to fulfill all the necessary requirements.

How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?

1. Brainstorm - We shared our individual ideas and agreed on a final storyline. This helped us to expand on our initial ideas and come up with a feasible concept.
2. Script - After we decided on our idea, we drafted a few lines of dialogue that we'd include in our sequence. We had about 10 lines of dialogue and we each helped to make the speech fit in with the sequence idea.
3. Shot List - We wrote down all the different shots that we wished to include. Then we translated all the shots from the shot list onto a storyboard.
4. Storyboard - We knew that we had to have at least 10 shots for the dialogue and 5 shots for the entry into the room. We also decided to add a few extra shots and techniques, such as a Cutaway (of the family photograph) and a Reverse shot from the opening of the door to the girl entering the building.

What technology did you use to complete the task and how did you use it?

• We used Adobe Premiere Pro for editing the sequence
• A Canon DV30 camera and tripod for shooting the sequence
• We filmed some shots without the tripod purposefully in order to create a unstable shot, a metaphor for the corrupt Director, making the poor woman spy come back to the spy force despite the fact that she has a family

What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

• Continuity was the biggest factor that we had to take into account; the brief stated that we had to include a match-on-action, a shot reverse shot and follow the 180 degree rule
• Time was also quite important as we didn't have much time to film or edit, and so had to remain efficient throughout the task
• One of the group members was absent for one of the shoots, due to other commitments and so the remaining two of us had to plan our shooting times well; on one day we filmed all of the shots with me in them, and then the other day we filmed all the shots with both of us in them
• Most of the groups wished to film in the media block, so we had to discuss who would be using which room. We booked the office in the block (because we needed an official looking room) and so we were undisturbed throughout the duration of our shoot.
• We also had to ensure that there were no people walking past as we were shooting our sequence outside
• When we were editing, we had to ensure that the shots flowed well and that the sound matched the action when we used the cutaway

How successful was your sequence?

 

My sequence was quite successful because we used all the required techniques and conveyed a sense of the spy genre. We did this through our costumes and props. Our cutaway was also very successful because the sound matched and the shot cut away at the right time and it looked very professional.

In hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?

Including a 2-shot during the conversation would have been more logical and also given us a sense of where the characters are in relation to each other. We could also have used a CU instead of an LA on the last shot, because the shot just looked out of place and odd. We could also have tried to ensure that the lighting was consistent, because some of the shots in the office were shot using one set up and the others were shot with another.

 

What have you learnt from completing this task? How will this learning be significant when completing the rest of the foundation coursework?

 

I learnt how to edit a sequence following the continuity rules, and how to make the sequence look like it flowed. I also learnt how my group members worked, and we managed to create a very positive dynamic. This was crucial, as I have found that communication is one of the key aspects of a successful piece of groupwork. I also know now that my strengths are mainly in the editing department. And acting, obviously!

Dexter Title Sequence Re-Edit: Evaluation

1. Summarise the conventions of title sequences that were most important to this task.

• Should include the names of the cast and crew
• A title graphic using a genre-appropriate font
• A consistent colour scheme and branding throughout
• Should portray the genre of the show

2. How did your group plan to edit the title sequence? (consider timings, industry requirements etc).

Initially, our group watched the sequence through twice so that we could get a feel for the timings of the shots and so that we could also get the overall feel of the sequence. We then decided to make the titles red, because the title graphic (which was already included) was a dark red colour and therefore we chose to include a synergistic colour scheme. Then we decided to use a sans serif font similiar to the font used in the title graphic, to ensure that sequence flowed and made sense. We knew that one of the conventions of TV title sequences was to have all the names of the actors appearing first (in descending billing order) and then to have the names of the crew appearing afterwards.

3. Explain the creative decisions made by your group.

• Using a blood red colour scheme
• Using a sans serif font to match the font used in the title graphic
• Using a choppy effect on the titles to disorientate the viewer and link back to the genre
• We left the titles on for the same length of time
• We made sure that the titles didn't clash with any of the objects in the shots

4. How does your re-edit compare to the original?

• Our re-edit had less titles than the original because we ran out of time. If I had to do this task again, I would ensure that we plan ahead, so that we know how many titles we need to complete.
• The font that we used was similar to the original Dexter font, as they were both sans serif
• The colour that we used for our font was quite similar to the original font colour
• We didn't include the names of most of the production crew
• The title for the Writer vanished too quickly
• The title for Sam Claflin was overlapping with a drop of blood, and so it was difficult to read