Evaluation

It seems the You Tube is a harsh mistress and will not upload my videos, no matter how I try. I shall endeavour to have them here as soon as it is humanly (or abhumanly) possible.


Youtube has finally stayed working long enough for these videos to be uploaded - thanks for your patience.

Final Product: Revised Music Video

In the light of the feedback from my target audience I decided to revise my music video. The perceived with it was that without the usual miming there was little link  between the song/lyrics and the visuals. I have decided to address this by simply expanding upon a idea that was used very sparingly in my original video - that of the classic movie style title cards. I added silent movie title cards displaying he lyrics through the video which give a better link between music and visuals and also provide a better example of intertextual references.
I also added a glow during the 'flash-back' sequences to further establish that they were the past and purely in his memories. This could also count as an intertextual reference as it is a similar effect to that which is used in numerous television programmes and films to establish a character is dreaming.

This addition seemed to have the desired effect with the audience as all of them much preferred the new version to the original.

Audience Feedback For Advertisement and Digipack

The audience reaction to my digipack and advertisement was very positive. As little in overall style had changed from the well received mock-ups the audience liked the look of the things. The look was cleaned up as I used an editing programme as opposed to Paint, so it had a better aesthetic than the mock-up. Thankfully this means I do not have to change my advertisement and digipack.

Planning: Target Audience Feedback For Mock-Ups

The audience feedback from my Digipack and Advertisement was favourable, which is encouraging! Praise was mainly directed towards the interpretation of the album's title in the artwork, and the unified theme throughout the two products. Obviously the art direction needs cleaning up - but that's because it was developed with Microsoft Paint, which I'm obviously not using for the final product.

Planning: Audience Feedback From Animatic

The feedback from my animatic was generally positive - some concerns were had over the speed of the thing as it seemed to linger on some scenes for a long time - this should be less of an issue when the characters in the scene are moving, so for now I'll keep that in mind but follow my initial plan.

Final Product: Feedback

The feedback from my target audience was fairly positive, with compliments on the "use of light and visual contrast" and the "optimistic ending", but there was a lot of mentions of the lack of miming and some of the audience suggested that using performance footage with the lack of any miming created a jarring effect on the video. I will try to address this with a revised edit of the video in which I hope to make the video feel like it compliments the video, rather than creating a nasty contrast.

Final Product: Music Video

Final Product: Digipack

This is the final digipack cover - the main difference between it and the draft is the 'worn' effect - the same that was used on the poster. Again this is to tie it to the intended genre.

This is the final back cover for my digipack - it has the same differences as the front, as well as having the website address as well.

This is the inside cover - it is a still from the video with the singer's face in shadow, this highlights the fact that this is an emotional album, and fits with some of the conventions of alternative rock, in which band members  sometimes appear in shadow.

This is the tray for the digipack - it is left black to keep in with the colour scheme of the digipack and advert, and because the CD will be placed on top.

(Although not a party of the digipack, this is the CD label for reference to justify the blank fourth panel in the digipack)

Final Product: Magazine Advertisement

The only real changes between this and the draft is the improves jigsaw pieces and the 'damaged' effect on them which makes them look a bit worn and stops them looking too clean. This ties with the conventions of alternative rock, in which there are few 'clean edges' and things are often made to look old on purpose.

Planning: Shooting Schedule/Preparation

Date	Setting	Actor(s)	Equipment	Permission?
Tuesday 8th February	Interior filming – Music practice room	Hayden Carson	Acoustic guitar Video camera	Obtained from Mr. Taylor (head of music)
Wednesday 9th February	Exterior filming – school field	Ella Drake and Hayden Carson	Video camera	Not needed
Thursday 10th February This will be for filing any scenes unable to film on the other days due to time	See previous box	(Ella Drake and Hayden Carson)	(Acoustic Guitar and video camera)

Planning: Storyboard Animatic For Music Video

Planning: Director's Pitch

Director’s Pitch/ Treatment for Music Video

You need an idea that would get airplay on appropriate music channels. Especially a strong opening that would make viewers stay tuned.

Pitch needs to be workable and realistic

Name of artist: Biffy Clyro --> ‘Buffy Clyro’

Track title: Machines --> ‘Feel Alive’

Genre: Alternative Rock               Target audience: 14+ male and female

Outline of Ideas What will happen? A mainly concept based music video. The male is in the dark placing candles and playing the song on guitar. The female comes into the video in the form of flash-back style shots that show her dancing

Intertexual References? What is it like? What should it remind us of? The movie title cards at the beginning styled to feel like an old movie The video is black and white and uses only simple effects like fades and an overlay, which gives it a retro feel

Locations? Are they accessible? Is permission needed? Dark interior location – Music room – permission from teacher needed Open outside location (School field)- no permission needed

What resources are needed? Actors? Props? Costumes? Etc Actors: One male and one female Instruments: One acoustic guitar Costumes: Black jeans, white t-shirt for the male actor           Light coloured dress for the female actor

5 key shots and any special features -       Master shot of singer playing guitar -       Arc shot of singer -      Close-up of guitar -      Long shot of girl in field -      Final long shot, framed by trees and fade out

Justification of ideas in relation to band and genre -      The band aren’t particularly mainstream minded and have been known to produce ‘arty’ videos in the past -      The ‘one man and a guitar’ set-up is fairly commonly used for acoustic tracks -     The band have used movie-style titles and black and white in videos before (God & Satan and Folding Stars respectively)

Planning: Advertisement Mock-Up

This is a mock-up of what my advertisement will look like.

Planning: Digipack mock-up

A Mock-up of the front cover of the digi-pack

Mock-up of the back cover of the digipack

Mock-up of the CD tray of the digipack, with the CD

Mock-up of the CD tray of the digipack without the CD 

A mock up of the inside cover of the digipack - it will feature a picture of the band

Planning: Alternate Names and Tracklisting

Original Band Name: Biffy Clyro

Original Album Title: Puzzles

Original Tracklist:

1. Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies
2. Saturday Superhouse
3. Who's Got A Match
4. As Dust Dances
5. 2/15ths
6. A Whole Child Ago
7. The Conversation Is...
8. Now I'm Everyone
9. Semi-Mental
10. 4/15ths
11. Love Has A Diameter
12. Get F**ked Stud
13. Folding Stars
14. 9/15ths
15. Machines

Alternate Band Name: "Buffy Clyro"
This is a simple alteration of the name, helped by the ambiguity of the original name

Alternate Album Title: "Puzzles"
A subtle alteration of the original title

Alternate Tracklisting:

1. No More Time 
2. The Lucky Ones
3. I’m a Fire
4. A Lonely Ride
5. The Wings are Bleeding
6. If I’m Wrong
7. Less Than I’ve Ever Been
8. Sentimental
9. I Don’t Compare
10. Go to Hell
11. Eleanor
12. Falling to Pieces
13. Feel Alive - My chosen song - the title is taken from a lyric in the song, but it also fits the optimistic message to the song

Research: Song: 'Machines' Lyrics and Meaning

I would dig a thousand holes to lay next to you
I would dig a thousand more if I needed to
I look around the grave for an escape route of old routines
There doesn’t seem to be any other way

Cause I’ve started falling apart I’m not savouring life
I’ve forgotten how good it could be to feel alive

Crazy as it sounds you wont feel as low as you feel right now
At least that’s what I've been told by everyone
I whisper empty sounds in your ear and hope that you won’t let go
Take the pieces and build them skywards

Cause I've started falling apart I’m not savouring life
I've forgotten how good it could be to feel alive

I've started falling apart I'm not savouring life
Take the pieces and build them skywards
I've forgotten how good it could be to feel alive
Take the pieces and build them skywards

I've started falling apart I'm not savouring life
Take the pieces and build them skywards
I've forgotten how good it could be to feel alive
Take the pieces and build them skywards

I've started falling apart I'm not savouring life
Take the pieces and build them skywards
I've forgotten how good it could be to feel alive
Take the pieces and build them skywards

Take the pieces and build them skywards
and
Take the pieces and build them skywards
and
Take the pieces and build them up to the sky


Lyrics from www.biffyclyro.com

The song is an acoustic ballad written from the perspective of someone who has lost a loved one (this is autobiographical as much of the album ‘Puzzles’ concerns the death of the singer’s mother). It begins with the narrator in emotional turmoil following a bereavement and unable to function properly. As the song progresses it gain a more hopeful feel as the narrator comes to terms with his loss and is ready to move on.   

Research: Questionnaire: Music Videos: Feedback

1. Do you watch music videos?
Everyone I asked (10/10) had watched music videos.

2. If so, where do you mostly watch them?
Majority of my target audience (6/10) watched music videos on 'Youtube' or other legal online streaming sites.

3. Are you more likely to listen to an artist if they have good music videos?
The response was split (5/10 - 5/10) on this.

4. Which type of music video do you prefer?
Most of those asked preferred 'hybrid' videos - with the rest split over story and performance.

5. Do you have a favourite music video?
8/10 of my target audience have a favourite music video.

6. If so, what is it?
This answer is subjective, so it differs between those asked, and so is not needed, nor of any use, for comparison.

Research: Questionnaire: Magazine Advertisements: Feedback

1. Do you read magazine?
All of those asked (10/10) read magazines.

2. What type of magazine do you prefer?
Out of my target audience majority (5/10) prefer music magazines.

3. From your chosen genre, which magazines do you prefer?
This answer, obviously, differs across the group. But out of those who preferred music magazines the prefered magazines where: NME, Kerrang, and Rocksound

4. How often do you buy magazines?
This was tied between those who y magazines weekly, and those who buy them monthly. This is likely because  the most popular magazines in my target audience are either weekly or monthly.

5. Where do you buy magazines?
Majority of my target audience (5/10) buy magazines from a newsagents, with supermarkets a close second at 4/10

6. Have you ever bought an album because it was advertised in a magazine?
Majority (6/10) actually said they hadn't - this means that my magazine advertisement will have to be more eye-catching/interesting in order to persuade those who might not.

7. If yes, how did the advertisement influence your decision?
Most of the 'yes' answers seemed to agree that the advertisement caught their eye and made them want to look into the album further.

Research: Questionnaire: Digi-packs: Feedback

1. Do You Buy Digi-Packs?
Almost all (9/10) of those asked had, at some point, bought a digi-pack.

2. How often do you buy digi-packs?
The average response (4/10) was 'every few months' this is because digi-packs are less common than conventional cases, so consumers would be less likely to purchase them as regularly.

3. Where do you most often buy digi-packs?
The average response (6/10) was 'internet store'. This is expected as people are often more inclined to use internet stores as they are usually cheaper and more convenient.

4. How many digi-packs do you own?
The most common answer (4/10) was '4-6'. As mentioned above, digi-packs are less common so this is likely.

5. Does the cover to a digi-pack influence whether or not you buy it?
Over half (6/10) of those asked were influenced by packaging.

6. What do you prefer on the digi-pack cover?
This was tied with 3/10 preferring a band photo, and 3/10 liking non-photographic artwork. Because of this I shall design one of each style and ask my the same people which is better.

Research: Questionnaire: Music Videos

Research: Questionnaire: Magazine Advertisements

Research: Questionnaire: Digi-packs

Research: Magazine Advertisement Deconstruction: Two Door Cinema Club - 'Tourist History'

Research: Magazine Advertisement Deconstruction: Klaxons - 'Surfing The Void'

Research: Moodboard

Research and Planning: Artist: Biffy Clyro

Biffy Clyro are a Scottish alternative rock group formed in the mid-nineties in Ayrshire, Scotland. The band is made up of singer and guitarist Simon Neil and twins James and Ben Johnson on Bass and Drums respectively. They spent the late-nineties and early 2000s in relative obscurity and built a cult fanbase. Their fourth album 'Puzzle', released in 2007, served to be their breakthrough and exposed them to a much wider audience. Their popularity has increased since then and their fifth album has placed them as one of the biggest British rock bands, even gaining them a top ten single with 'Many of Horror'.

As befits an alternative rock band, their style has been reasonably varied over their career. Their early albums consisted of post-hardcore and art-rock. From 'Puzzle' onwards their music has maintained the fundamental stylings of their earlier work, but it has been polished up and their albums contain some softer songs.