Evaluation Conclusion

Evaluation Conclusion from toyee

Evaluation Question 4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

During the research and planning stages I used a number of different programmes and websites

RESEARCH & PLANNING    {SOCIAL MEDIA}

-       Whatsapp, SurveyMonkey & iMessage

Throughout the research and planning process of my music video and ancillary texts, I was able to conduct most of research data through social media such as Whatsapp and iMessage. Using Whatsapp and iMessage, I was able to ask a wider range of people for their opinions, both qualitative and quantitative replies. What I liked about using Whatsapp was that people could send their replies in text format as well as audio. I was also able to use SurveyMonkey, a questionnaire creation website, upload my questionnaire onto this website and then use Whatsapp amongst other social media format to send the link to people to answer.  

-       Instagram

When it came to planning the mise-en-scene for my artist, I tried to link in the current trends in today’s society as well as Hip Hop/R&B industry conventions. I found out that in most Hip Hop/R&B music videos, artist commonly wore streetwear cloths, and so I was able to include ‘#streetwear’ into the search engine on Instagram. Instagram then gave me up to date result as to what people typically like as streetwear. Through this research conducted on Instagram, I was then able to plan an outfit which I thought would be suitable for both the audience’s reference as well as Hip Hop/R&B mise-en-scene conventions.

-       Blogger

Blogger was the main media platform with I had used to collect and keep all of my research and planning in one place. Using blogger I was able to constantly go back on previous posts, and continue with my ideas. The main ways in which I used Blogger, was by creating the titles in which I wanted the posts to go under. This then gave me an idea and guideline as to what I had to do next in terms of further research and planning.

-       Animated Presentations & Gifs

Although it was a huge part of my research and planning process, I was able to animated presentations as well as gifs of certain pictures I had taken in order to try and present my ideas clearer. For example for my first idea of my digipak panel, I wanted to try and use the motion blur as inspiration and interpret this effect. However I wasn’t able to explain it as much as I could and so I decided to create a Gifs to illustrate my idea.

-    Google & YouTube

The most basic and obvious media platform which I mainly used to conduct most of my research would be Google. Through the use of Google, I was able o find a range of website in which to help me. This included the many theories of music videos, as well as previous research on R&B/Hip Hop media products.

During the constructions stages I was also able to use a range of technologies and equipment

CONSTRUCTION

-      iPhone & Selfie Stick

Whilst filming my music video I decided to use my iPhone, the reason for this was I was thinking in the long term. Since after I thought I had filmed everything that was needed for my music video, I had to refill some scenes as well as the environment where I had filmed the music video at least twice. Using my iPhone, allowed me to have full access to the camera at all times.

iMovie & Adobe Premiere
In order to create the music video as well as the ancillary texts I had to produce. From using these two types of media technologies I was able to see exactly where certain clips of y music video was as well as the different transitions that I would be able to use.

-   Screen Recorder  {APPLE MAC}, YouTube {WEB 2.0}

Using the screen recorder on my apple Mac, I was able to recorder certain editing filters or even how I was able to blur the inside of the digipak panel for future help to me. Along with the use of Web 2.0 sites such as YouTube, I would then be able to sometimes upload the screen records and then insert a voice over. From there I could create a video show the construction path of my final music video, promotional poster and digipak.  

  Photoshop

Being able to use the digital photo manipulation helped me greatly. A clear example of this would be when i decided to make changes to the background of my Promotional Poster. I was then able to insert the 2 backgrounds onto Photoshop and was giving the tolls to cut out certain areas which I didn’t want. When it came to choosing a simple san serif font for most of the text seen on the digipack and promotional poster, I was told that Photoshop had many. This therefore allowed me to also use this software for its text fonts that are available. 

To present my evaluation, I also decided to use many media platforms

In order to make my evaluation questions appealing and attractive I decided to use different media presentation platforms for each question. I thought this would not only show that I am able to use a range of media platforms, but also allow me to demonstrate my knowledge of how effective media can be when trying to present any piece of work.

Evaluation Question 3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Evaluation Question 2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary text?

Evaluation Question 1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Promotional Poster Final

Promotional Poster Final

Music Video Final

Music Video Final

Digipak Final

Digipack Final

Addition to Poster Text

Addition to Poster Text

In order to make the promotional poster as informative as possible, I decided to add some contact information along the bottom of the poster, still using the same font choice throughout the poster to show continuity. As well as promoting the artist’s hit single on the promotional poster. I realised that some promotional posters use this convention, since some of the audience may only know a particular artist from one of their major songs and so by promoting the album through hit singles could attract more of the target audience to listen to the full album. Some of the other typical conventions that I included in terms of text would be the release date, the artist’s name, and the album’s title on top of the type of album being promoted.
 

Editing Promotional Poster Background

Editing Poster with New Image

Final Editing of CD

Final Editing of CD from toyee

Bending CD Text

Bending CD text

For the CD cover, I only want text to be visible and so I want to try and shape the text to fit the curve of the CD’s edges. In order to do so I had to use the pen tool after copying the artist’s name onto the CD as another layer. I was then able to use the bending tool at the top and change the text’s shape according to circle appearing around the text. Although for the album’s title I want to have the right in the same font as the back cover also straight. I think that having all the text on the CD beginning round in a circle wouldn’t appear as professional and wouldn’t suit the genre of the album. 

Changing Image on Promotional Poster

Changing Poster Image from toyee

Changing Poster Image

Changing Image on Promotional Poster

In order to add the artist to the background I had to use the Lasso tool and crop out the artists. I then refined the edges in order to reduce the harsh edges around her. After this I intend to then cut out the artist in the image with the trees and basketball as her background.

I'll then be able to copy and paste using the stomp tool to blend the background where the gap between the artist and the edges cit out from the original artist, are too far apart. 

CD Construction

CD Construction from toyee

Information on the Promotional Poster

Promotional Poster Image Editing

CD Cover Idea

CD Cover Ideas

I wanted to keep the CD itself simple. I thought that this wouldn’t only add to the diverse image of a young and individual artist, but also help to prove that she is diverse compared to other artist in the industry. Using just her name and the album’s title, I thought that this would allow the audience to connote a strong statement from the artist.

Although I couldn’t find examples, I personally thought that simple CD covers make more of a statement rather that covering the CD with the artist’s face as well as on the front cover. I thought that would make the digipak too much album the artist rather than her music, and so I wasn’t too interested in using another image on the artist again.

Spine Editing

Inside Panel Text

Inside Panel Text

Trying to use as many of the typical R&B/Hip Hop conventions, I was confused as to what I should include on the inside of my digipak. I then thought of what artists within these types of music industries rap and sing about, and so I came to the conclusion of putting a message from the artist on the inside.

As most artists rap and sing about their struggles as a child, as a neighbourhood or even as a race, I wanted my artists to also be reflected as someone who appreciates where they’re from along with the struggle she went through. Using this message I would hope to create a positive image of the artist for the audience. A young girl who is proud of where she’s come from knowing that she had to work hard. From this I have tried to also challenge the theory of Laura Mulvey, the Male Gaze.

Representing ‘Tyla’, as a strong independent young girl, through the artist message I hope to attract more of the female side of her audience. Thos would allow the females to work harder at trying to improve and better themselves for themselves, rather than working on ways to improve themselves for the ‘male gaze’.

CD Research

CD research from toyee

Creating the Spine

Promotional Poster Research

Using the Blur Effect

Focus Group on Back Cover Progress

Focus Group on Back Cover Progress 

After carrying out a short focus group on the appearance of my back cover, most people had approved of the look. Most comments were directed at the blurring effect on the image. The reason for which I had done this was to make sure that the text was visible and clear for the audience to read. However some had said that the first two song titles of the digipak are a bit unclear as the sky’s colour blends in with the text colour. For this I decided to get rid of two song titles and then move the whole text downwards. 

Digipak Back Cover Image

Testing Blur Effect

New Photos for Digipak

New Photos for Digipak

Changes to my Digipak Photos

Changes to my digipak photo

What I hadn't realised about the insides of my digipak, was that there are only two sides and not three. This therefore caused me to rethink about the blurry movement effect I had originally decided to go with. This is because; I not only thought that this would appear too technical for the genre of my album but also because the effect would appear squashed on just one side of the digipak. Although I will not need to retake pictures for the inside, I will have to choose from the photos I have recently taken.

Digipak Front Cover Writing

Digipak Front Cover Writing from toyee

Inside Digipak Image

Inside Digipak Image

After choosing the pictures I wanted to edit, I had come up with the idea of merging some of the images together. Whilst taking some pictures I was able to use the shutter effect, which allowed me to take several images at the same time. This therefore gave me several images following the as artists moving.

I then searched on the internet and found an image similar to the effect I wanted to create on Photoshop. Similar to the effect of the ballerina dancing in this image, however not as close together since the images that I took of the artist, her feet are in different positions.

I also wanted to use this blurry movement effect but with the centre image having the main focus. The centre image that I was hoping of using would be the image for the artist pointing towards the cameras. I thought that this would allow the audience to relate and feel a connection with the artist. I would then be able to spread the movement image across the first two sides of digipak and then having a blur effect to blend the black background could colour I would have behind the CD.

Digipak Front Cover Editing

Digipak Plan

Digipak Plan

Now that I have designed my digipak plan, I decided to create a quick plan in which I will be using the same measurements. In terms of the order in which I will be creating each side of my digipak, the first will be the front cover. This is because the front cover is the most important, I think. It’s the first thing which the audience will see as well also being a guide as to which effects I should use on the rest of the images I will be using to create consistency.

Music Video Final

Ideal Digipak Photos

Digipak Information

Digipak Information

Artist’s Name: Tyla

Album Name: One and Only

Hit Single of Album: Unconditional

Song Name

1. Intro

2. From The Bottom

3. I got Mine

4. Cloud 9

5. Love Anyway

6. Unconditional

7. Jealousy

8. Preach

9. Love in The Summer

10. The 9ine

11. Raw & True

12. My Way

Promotional Poster and Digipak Photos

Promotional Poster and Digipak Photos

Promotional Poster and Digipak Plans

Make-up and Clothing

Make-up and Clothing

Ideal location for Ancillary Tasks

Ideal location for Ancillary Tasks

I noticed that instead of looking for a completely different location to take the both magazine and digipak pictures, it is possible to take these pictures in the same location used for the digipak and the music video. I find this was the audience will find it easier to relate each media to one another, along with them being to notice quickly that all three are by the same artist.

Evidence of this would be Rihanna’s music video ‘Only Girl’. Her magazine advert and digipak were all taken in the same location, as well as the digipak and magazine advert having the same mages of the artist. This also allows there to be a flow with all sides of the digipak, along with giving the artist the chance to emphasise more of the album’s genre. 

Knowing   this I have decided to use the last location of my music video for the digipak and the magazine advert. I’m not sure yet which parts of the basketball court I’ll be using yet, in terms of the stars of the court, the metal fence or the actual hoop in the background. Although I think using the basketball court’s fence or brick wall would be a nice background to use for the digipak, as most digipak that promote albums within the R&B/Hip Hop industry do use brick wall and metal fences typically covered in graffiti.