What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

What have you learnt from your audience feedback? from meganloveys

In what ways does your media product use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In what ways does your media product USE, forms and conventions of real media products?
The main convention I believe I have used in my music video is LIP SYNCING. After researching thoroughly, looking at Ellie Goulding and Taylor Swift's videos, I noticed that lip syncing is a major convention in most music videos, regardless of the genre and this is the main reason I decided to use this convention in my own music video. I really like this convention as I personally think that it creates a more personal feel towards the audience and it makes the song seem like its actually being performed right to you.
I also looked at the artist Ed Sheeran when planning and researching for my music video and I realised that in his music video for the song Small Bump, there is no use of lip syncing at all. Even though it is obvious that this video was successful, I still feel that the lip syncing convention is important when conveying a strong message to your audience, and this is the main reason I chose to include this convention in my music video.
However, there are some parts in my music video where lip syncing is not involved and there is just film, this was brought up in my audience feedback and one thing I was advised to do was to include a significant amount more of the lip syncing convention, as my audience felt there was too little and too much of just film.
Overall, I am happy with my use of the lip syncing convention in my music video and I think that it works well with the clips of film on their own. It suggests that the artist is telling her story to audience, and the fact that she is also involved in the film clips creates a 'real life' feel for the audience.

In what ways does your media product DEVELOP, forms and conventions of real media products?
During my planning and research stages, I noticed that artists similar to the style of mine had very simple locations. They seemed to be places that their target audience are familiar with, for example in Ellie Goulding's-Your Song video, the main locations are outside, in a field setting. I enjoyed this convention as I think it allows the artist to include their own personalities in the video, rather than pretending to be someone they're not. However, I chose to develop this convention by mixing up the main location, I decided to begin the video with the artist sitting at a piano in a large empty hall, which is very similar to a video I researched by Emeli Sande and Labrinth-Beneath Your Beautiful, and as the song progressed I involved some shots of the artist in an outside setting(alike Ellie Goulding's video). I really wanted to keep the personal, 'real life' idea throughout the whole of my music video, so it became crucial for me to maintain a simplistic yet creative feel in every shot. As my music video has a very strong narrative, I had to keep this type of feeling for my audience to ensure that they can relate to what the main message of my video is. Even though I had started my video off in a slightly unconventional way, I did notice that in a lot of other music videos, the use of the piano is a big convention. However, due to my location being in my school hall it was extremely difficult to create the same dark and interesting feel, I closed all of the curtains and cleared the chairs as best as I could to try to get he best shot possible for my music video. If I was to do this task again, it would be essential to try to create these location shots outside of school, this would give me more room to explore and develop better ideas that were not possible on school premises. It would also give my video an overall more professional look and not be so obvious the my audience that it is a school project.

In what ways does your media product CHALLENGE, forms and conventions of real media products?
In my music video, there is a significant section with I have created to give across a home video effect, this is where I believe I have completely challenged all conventions of most music videos. The reason behind this idea was to give the audience an insight into the artists younger years, and mainly to emphasise the closeness of the two sisters. After researching a large number of different music videos from all types of genres, I came to the conclusion that this convention is extremely unique. Most videos I looked at used a certain part of their videos to attract the audience the most, it normally involves eye catching props and big dance numbers, so it is obvious that a home video was an unusual choice for my music video. However, I was really pleased with the outcome of my home video piece and I think it helped me to stick to my personal theme. Due to the song being unconventional, I had to follow with the theme and take a risk involving my home video effect. There were not any videos completely similar to mine, but I did come across Justin Bieber's-Beauty and a Beat video which involves the artist filming the video himself, by holding the camera in front of him. This is a big contrast to his other videos, as it definitely feels more personal for the audience. However, it involves all of the normal conventions for his videos, e.g. partying, busy, lots of people and fun.

CODES AND CONVENTIONS

Codes and Conventions are used together in any study of genre.
-Technical Codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text?
-Symbolic Codes are the signs contained in the narrative that we encode as being significant and having meaning

CHALLENGED THE CONVENTION OF DANCE
I was slightly worried that the dance section of my music video would be confusing for my audience, but after researching I found that a lot of music videos do use a similar convention. The dance itself shows the relationship between the two sisters and enhances emotion through each step. Here is a shot of the dance scene alongside some examples of other artists that have used this convention.
BLACK AND WHITE EFFECT
I decided to include a black and white effect for when the artist is playing the piano. I was aware that this is a popular convention which gives a more classic feel to a music video. I think it gives my video a professional edge and involves more interest for the audience, they are able to concentrate on exactly whats going on and really feel what the artist is feeling.USE OF THE PIANO PROP
I think it is vital for this genre of music that an instrument is used in the video. It makes sense because the song has a clear backing sound of a piano. It is more conventional in minor key songs, as it provides a 'real' introduction and makes the whole video feel more realistic.
USED AN OUTDOOR LOCATION
When researching other music videos of the same genre it became clear to me that using a field or an outdoor location was extremely conventional and therefore made me want to include it in my own music video. I think it emphasises the simplicity of both the artist themselves and this particular genre of music.

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How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

It was essential for me to maintain a certain level of consistency between my main product and ancillary texts so that the audience were aware the texts linked together at all times. Due to the fact that my music video is promotional, which means that it is only designed to make the audience aware of the song and not to make money, the digipak and magazine advertisement are the main products that will make the money, through advertising the single, gaining 'fans' therefore popularity ensuring plenty of people buy the album/single. The more advertisements, the more likely people are to recognise and familiarise with the artist, which in the long run means a wider spread audience and more units shifted. The points I have listed are the main reasons why it was so essential for me to closely link my main product and ancillary texts, it is important for the audience to recognise and link the advertisements with the music video. I think that I have kept a strong link between my main product and ancillary texts, therefore ensuring a successful music video.

The shot that I chose for the front page of my digipak is not linked with any of the shots I have used in my actual music video, this is because I felt it would be boring for the audience. However, I think it is key to stick to similar conventions for both my music video and ancillary tasks so here is what I did for the front page of my digipak. There are no shots in my video of the artist against a brick wall, however for my magazine advertisement I used quite a similar image. As you can see, both images are titled in the same direction which gives a small link between both texts, they are also edited with a cool setting, this creates familiarity. I chose the cool editing technique as I felt it matched with the artists lyrics, creating tension and feeling for the audience. It was important for me to give the audience links between all of my texts as I believe it allows them to associate better with my music video.

For the middle section of my digipak, I decided to use three different photos. After looking at other examples I noticed that this was a very common technique, I believe that it really helps the draw the audience in as they feel like they know more about the song/artist and how they are portraying their feelings across in the music video. The first shot is of the two characters holding hands and walking away from the camera, this is a key link between the digipak and the music video. This is the final shot I used for my music video before fading out into the 'past'. I think using the same images as I have shot in my music video creates such a strong link between my texts, therefore grabbing the audiences attention and giving them what they expect.
I have also included a shot of the artist playing the piano which represents her as a musician, reinforcing her passion for this genre of music, it allows the audience to know a little bit more about the artist. After researching other digipaks I noticed that a lot of artists use this technique, Ed Sheeran has a picture of himself playing his guitar for one of the inside pages of his digipak, this was what made me want to use the image of the artist playing the piano, I believe that it empahasises the genre of music, they compose their own songs which is a key reason why their audiences enjoy their songs. I also decided to include the lyrics to the song on this page of my digipak, I thought this would be a good idea as I have seen it in other examples, it is a key convention of a digipak and is why a lot of people choose to purchase an album. The final image is a simple shot of the artist looking over her shoulder in the same field setting that I used for part of my music video.

For the back page of my digipak I chose to use a similar shot as the final one I talked about for the inside page. I thought this would link well as the setting is the same as I have used in my music video. It is simple which again connotes the genre of the artist/song and suggests the artists calm personality. I have used the same editing technique, which is warming the image up, I think this emphasises the location of the shot. The artist is leaning against a tree and looking away from the camera, it is obvious she is in thought which makes the reader want to know more and listen to the rest of the songs I have listed on the back page. This is a key convention of digipaks which is why I have used it. It allows the audience to see how many songs are on the album and the names. Overall, I think I have kept my links throughout all of my texts therefore creating a successful digipak.

Here is the final copy of my digipak, placed together.

Above-left is a shot from my music video and above-right is a screenshot of my final magazine advertisement. As you can see I have deliberately chosen an almost identical shot for my magazine advertisement as I have used for a section of my music video. I decided this would be a good way of linking my texts together. During filming I realised that I wanted this particular shot for my magazine advertisement so I took a lot of photos after shooting the video and ended up using this particular picture. It shows the artist who looks deep in thought, which matches the genre of the song itself and also connotes the brand of the singer. I think that the simplicity of these shots really emphasises the artists personality and genre, she is calm and collected which is exactly what the target audience would look for in the magazine advert. I have edited the colouring on the magazine advertisement as I felt that it helped it to stand out and therefore catch the readers attention more successfully but that is the only difference between the two images.

MY MUSIC VIDEO

Here is my final piece! The music video my group and I made for the song 'Treasure Time' by Megan Linnell. You can find it at this address http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY6tUIj5NTw

Music Video Evaluation- Questionnaire

For the first part of my music video evaluation, I decided it would make sense to make a questionnaire for people to note down their feedback of my music video. The questions I have chosen will ensure that I gain in depth responses from people and therefore will allow me to create a good evaluation of my music video. I have asked ten people to fill out my questionnaire after watching my final version of my music video. I will be creating a new post with all the results that I find.

EVALUATIONS

I am going to begin my evaluation process. I will be looking at my music video in depth and discussing it in four posts.

1. In what ways doe your media product use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?
4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?