Our group consists of myself Lily Badcock and Vasil Nikolov. In our first meeting we discussed what artist we were going to use and what part of the indie genre they would be in. In addition we decided on what song of our chosen artist we would use that would be most conventional to our chosen music genre and best to create a music video with. Once our song had been chosen we printed a set of lyrics to annotate in order to pick out and highlight bits we could use to match the lyrics/music and visuals within our music video.
Our initial ideas consisted of 5 different indie artists and a variation of their different songs were yet to choose from. These artists were Lana Del Rey, The 1957, The Weeknd, Disclosure and Ed Sheeran. We limited our choice down of songs by discussing their most popular music and their most lyrical which would be appealing to the audience of our chosen genre. The majority of the artists we had chosen consisted of those from the indie genre the other was from the dance genre. We eventually chose to settle on the female indie artist Lana Del Rey and her song Blue Jeans as we felt this was very lyrical and would be good to match up the lyrics with the visuals which is conventional to the indie genre and also follows Goodwin's theory. However, once listening to this song we felt as though it was too slow so we therefore came up with the idea of combining the indie genre with the dance genre and by doing this we had to find a remixed version of Blue Jeans. This was called Lana Del Rey RAC Remix - Blue Jeans.
Within our lyric analysis we highlighted and picked out the most appropriate and conventional sentences to display through a visual aspect of our groups music video.This included lyrical lines such as "Blue jeans, white shirt" here we highlighted and stated that this can be used for costume ideas as we thought our male character could be seen wearing jeans in a blue colour and also a white top or shirt in order to follow Goodwin's theory of the lyrics matching the visuals in which is conventional to the indie genre. Our group highlighted the parts of the song which we felt we could tie in with editing techniques such as fast editing and also effects as well as different camera shots that would reflect and work well with the lyrics. Our group picked out the parts of the song which we could use for the flashback parts of our music video - these included words in the lyrics that are associated with the past tense such as "But I still remember that day". We also included an overall analysis of the concept and connotations behind the song which we concluded to be the artist having deep feelings towards a male lover/partner. Within our next group meeting we moved onto the Copyright of our song and had to email the record label of Lana Del Ret to be granted permission to avoid getting sued for using what they own without consulting them first. We then went on to research into our chosen music genre - the indie genre as well as the dance genre as our chosen song is a remix. Our group researched into the codes and conventions of both the indie and the dance genre to consider applying within our music to appeal to our target audience.
A digipak is presented in the style of a book, with paperboard/cardboard outer binding including one or more plastic trays for the CD. This style became popular in the 2000s and is often used for special edition albums. A jewel CD case is the original disc case, that consists of three pieces of plastic and includes a plastic tray for the CD. Most of the detail is on the cover and the back, with song titles listed. Below is a listed comparison of both types.
A digipak provides the fans with more information from the artist, for example a personal fan message which overall enhances the fan/artist bond, which is another positive factor. Digipaks are also unique and more attractive as there are featured bonus tracks and the use of higher quality images.
A jewel CD case is argued to be more traditional and durable because of the plastic sides. Due to this, a CD is quicker and easier to make and is cheaper to buy in stores. This type of casing is also easier to store and the booklets won't bend inside. Lastly, CDs are a better option for new fans testing the music.
Within my digipak draft the colours consist mostly of white in the background to bring out the artist making her the main focus of the audiences attention and also the typography will stand out more as it will be black that will be used within the digipak.
Mainly red will be used used for the typography of the digipak to create a feminine feel to the digipak and also to connote passion/love or danger to give the audience a visual insight into the representation of the artist and her music. The use of the colour red within my digipak could also connote a relation between the artist and her music and how much she loves and is passionate about her music.
My digipak is conventional to the indie genre as I have included a close up of the artist which allows the audeince to identify who the artist is which therefore makes it easier for the target audeince and other audiences to put a face to the music. A page on the digipack includes a personal handwritten message from the artist quoting lyrics from one of her songs which will be used to allow the audience to feel personally involved with the artist which then builds a relationship between the artist and the audience. I have used elements listed down below to promote the artist, highlight the indie genre and cause the artist to build a relationship with the audience. All of the elements listed appeal to the target audience as they express parts of the artist's life for especially the note to fans. This promotes her as an artist in a positive way as it creates the idea that her fans and music are her main priority. Fundamentally, this digipak converts to the indie genre with the use of all elements for example, the use of images, this is to keep fans interested and cause members of the public that enjoy this genre to purchase the album.
The images used throughout the digipak include only pictures of the artist so the audeince can identify the artist without distractions of other images and also allows the audience to get a visual aspect of what the artist is about. The different pictures of the artist are helpful within my digipak on the collage page for the audience as to they can try and get a personal feel for the music and the digipak is meant to draw the audience in and allow the audience to know more about the artist, which is something that the jewel CD case provide as it lacks in the amount of images in which can be displayed. The artist is portrayed as confident due to her posture and facial expressions within all of the pictures, although the smoking is questionable, it shows that she in charge and independent and also adds to her vintage, 1950s vibe. Linking to this, the artist seems fierce and independent as she is the only person in every picture and on the cover through a close up, showing her importance and to promote her further. Her look is also natural with 50s makeup, worn previously by famous models and actresses such as Audrey Hepburn, and big, back combed hair for a vintage look, to bring back elements of an earlier time which makes her seem cool and unique. Lastly, in the front cover she wears flowers in her hair and looks quite natural which is conventional of the indie genre and appeals to an artist.
The design and layout used within this digipak is mainly close ups of Lana Del Rey's (Autumn Healy's) face to show the audience who the artist is and to promote her. These different pictures are to gain the attention of the audience and the personal feel that they are involved with the development of the artist and her music. The artists name is placed on the top of the digipak page which shows the audience that she is the most important person to focus on and engage with. The layout and design of the overall digipak is quite simplistic. The white background on the front cover makes the artist the main focus, showing her importance and promotes the album to the audience and the close up makes the cover more memorable as it stands out on shelves. One of the other pictures features a long shot of the artist in the forest, which highlights the theme of nature which relates to the indie genre because of naturalistic aspects and purity and is simple which is relatable overall however, the smoking image makes her more rebellious and cool, making her questionable and unique yet converts to the indie genre and artists within this genre usually uphold this habit.
The style of language used within my digipak is simple, basic so thefore easy to read, this is meant to reach out to a wider range of audience it would be unfair for people who don't know about Lana Del Rey (Autumn Healy) and if the publishers started using long words the audience may feel intimidated to buy the digipak as they may not understand what the artist is trying to say. The connotations of this show that the artist doesn't speak through many words but mainly through music which therefore implies to the audience that they have to listen to the music in order to gain an understaning of the artist. To conclude, I found this useful when taking pictures for the digipak because it gave me new ideas on what to have within my digipak and what I thought would be acceptable for the audience to see what the artist is like. This is preparing me for the use of photoshop as it gives me an idea on the look of the artist that I want to portray to the audience. I am more aware of the photos that I need to take and how I want the artist to be conveyed through the images and personal touches.
A variety of editing styles are vital to include within a music video, this is because the editing elements cause the music video to be more intriguing to watch and makes the video appear more professional. Particular editing styles can create a story, and entice the audience which therefore builds a relationship between the artist and the audience.
Within our music video we will first include flashback scenes which will occur throughout the video of clips of memories of the artist that she is having of her and her partner-the narrative of a love story. This is inferred as a POV hand held camera is used. This will makes the video more personal and the audience/fans will feel closer to the artist. This is typical of the indie genre as artists use different conventions to show their life and past memories to the audience to create an idea/concept such as negative relationships, which makes them become more admirable. Also, the flashback scenes will be in sync with the lyrics of the song for example 'I will love you 'til the end of time' which shows the artist's true emotions creating a larger bond with the audience and reflect's an element from Goodwin's theory. Through these flashbacks, faster editing will be used, for example the clips of the fireworks and roller coasters. Combined with the hand held camera work, these clips from setting such as a theme park, makes the video more believable and includes clips from the artist's life. This is conventional of the indie genre as artists use fast editing to create excitement and makes the audience more interested/intrigued, and these types of feelings are linked to roller coasters and fireworks. This also shows that the artist does normal things like her fans, which creates a strong bond and shows elements of her relationship and how romantic they were.
Lastly, through out the video, a vintage effect will be added within the flashbacks, especially. Combined once again with the hand held camera work, this creates a vintage and real life feel. This also creates something new but then again brings back elements from an earlier time. The vintage effect links to the artist as she is dressed in a 50s costume through out, with matching make up and hair styles. This represents the artist in an interesting and unique way, which is also conventional to the indie genre as fans of this genre prefer to see new elements that are unique and interesting to view.
My target audience (teenaged/young adults/females) can build a relationship with my artist through the use of these editing styles as the flashbacks for example, create a narrative and causes the audience to feel empathy towards the artist and relate to past life events. The fast editing is used to make the video more intriguing and interesting and the vintage camera effect makes the video different and interesting, also. Overall, editing styles are used to make the clips more exciting to watch and make the audience build a relationship with the artist and fundamentally, include conventional elements of the indie genre.
Cinematography is extremely important within a music video because each camera shot used can either be used to connect the artist and the audience together or distance them away. The cinematography used can capture the audiences attention and give them a good overview of the whole setting and where the music video is set. Cinematography is extremely helpful within making the a music video because you can make a person seem important or inferior than someone else.
1.)Panning
The first shot our group will be using is panning, which will be evident at the beginning of the video in order to show the location and surroundings of the beach along with the artist. This shot allows the audience to be introduced to the setting and give them a visual aspect of the atmosphere. This builds it up for the rest of the video, creating a calming atmosphere before more dramatic and extravagant scenes which links the visuals and sound together when the singing within the music starts. Furthermore, the panning shot allows the audience to see more than the usual extreme long shot, which is more interesting to watch as the camera pans across the setting. This is conventional with an indie music genre because is shows the area in which the artist is and those who are around them so the audience can connect with the surroundings and the artist. This camera shot will help me to represent my artist by showing the audience of what the artist is like and where she likes to be and hang out in which the audience could relate to.
2.)Extreme close-up
Within our music video, when we fist introduce the artist it will be an extreme close up shot of the artists eye will which will be intended to look as though she is staring at the male whilst being shown to the music quoting the lyrics "you know you made my eyes burn". This again links to the Goodwin theory as there is a clear link between lyrics and visuals. This is an effective way in which would be tactful to incorporate as this raises many connotations; the eyes can be connoted to be the windows to the soul, therefore the audience bonds with the artist and builds a relationship with them before they are even introduced to her whole face or image. The extreme close-up is conventional to the indie genre as it shows the emotion of the artist as they sing to the audience when they perform. This can be used to attract the audience and to draw them into the words that they sing if they make eye contact with the audience to connect with their emotions. This camera shot will help represent my artist as the emotions on her face to attract the audience.
3.)POV shot
Within our music video POV hand held shots will be incorporated in order to make the videos more personal, which is conventional to the indie genre and is an inspiration I took from previously analysed videos. These shots will be evident within the flashbacks of our music video such as when the couple are together at the beach. However, once lyrics were analysed and the underlying message of love for money was revealed, our group decided that this should be added in some way. Therefore, with the up beat of the remix and mix of the dance genre, the clips will build up to a negative event where the male becomes angry with the female, regarding the loss of his money when gambling. Our group also intends to add a shot where the male character is looking out of the window, and the camera is positioned outside looking in through the window, where the artist will be standing behind the male character which angers him, causing him to push her to the window by the throat. The effect this has on the audience is making them feel as though they are looking in at the drama, making the clip more personal.
4.) High angle
Within the present day clips of our music video, the audience will gain the understanding that the narrative of the relationship failed and that the artist does not cope well with this. A high angle will be used on the artist to convey this and to show her negative feelings. This also connotes the idea that she isn't as strong as in previous clips as the use of this angle causes the artist to look inferior, weak and naive as opposed to the strong male character which therefore makes the audience empaphise with her. This is conventional to the indie genre as heartbreak is often used as a narrative and by making the female seem weak it conveys the idea of a breakup clearly for the audience to pick up on. 5.) Two shot A two shot will be used within our music video in order to show the artist with her boyfriend/partner, this can give the audience an insight into the background story of the artist and what she is going through as well as a visual aspect of their relationship whilst being shown together in the same shot. Showing the two people together shows that there is a relationship going on and that they are most likely a couple which helps the audience understand the narrative being brought across within the music video. This is conventional to the indie genre because indie artists usually sing about relationships or narrate a love story within their music videos and shows also who they are singing about. This helps represent the artist as it shows her taste in men which in our music videos case is a stereotypical 'badboy' and 'rebel' -dyer's theory- and the different things that they do together.
My target audience consisting mostly of youthful women/girls builds a relationship with my artist through the shots selected by our group, this is because they all portray the narrative and concept of a love story, which teenage girls/young women are stereotypically and generally interested in. These shots also build up s story and show the narrative of a ruined relationship, which can be relateable to many young women going through breakups.
Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love I took inspirations from Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding's music video both of whom are from different music genres, Ellie Goulding being Indie-pop and Calvin Harris being from the Dance genre. This therefore means that the music video is versatile as it can fit into either genres meaning that there is a more varied audience making the conventions used aspiring to include in my own music video. I like the style of the music video which is narrative and concept used throughout as there is a romantic story being told including both artists as the characters in love. I also like the diverse way in which the artist and characters themselves are holding the camera and videoing the music video themselves this makes the video more realistic which therefore builds up a relationship with the audience more. The artist Ellie Goulding is represented as a young woman who's expressing her feelings towards the other artist Calvin Harris through the music video. They are both represented as a normal young couple in love which provides realism towards the audience as it can be relateable to many people. The cinematography used consists of many two-shots of the two artists/characters which is effective in showing the audience the relationship between the characters and the facial expressions/actions they are both doing which is effective in making the relationship between the characters understandable to the audience which then also connects them to the characters/artists. The mise-en-scene used includes clothing worn by Ellie Goulding that is conventional to the Indie genre such as baggy shirts and hoodys. There is also iconography used of the mobile phone used to film the footage of the video which is promotion and advertisement for the phone company.
Coldplay - Paradise Another video I have taken inspiration from is Indie band Coldplay's 'Paradise'. I like how the lyrics of the song are written and held up on cardboard so it's in a way combined with a lyric video as well as being an official music video. The cinematography used within the video includes many long shots to display the full shot of the scenery and surroundings. The mise-en-scene used within this music video more specifically, the setting and scenery is of London town and Underground. This is useful in assisting my with my music video as London is a local place available for me to film footage in and it is also on of the most famous cities in the world so would appeal to not only a British audience but a wide range of audiences. The costume worn by the characters includes a elephant suit worn by singer of the band Chris Martin which is out of the ordinary and would therefore stick in the audiences mind. Iconography of a unicycle is also used, the artist Chris Martin is in the elephant suit riding the unicycle. This is effective as it is unique and diverse which will therefore make the music video more memorable and talked about. Iconography of instruments are also used which is conventional to the indie genre for bands. The artist representation within this music video is not clear as the main character is hidden under an elephant costume but as the video goes on Chris Martin takes off the elephants head and reveals his identity which self promotes him in a memorable way. The music video then goes on to introduce and represent the rest of the band also in elephant costumes who reunite with Chris Martin at the end which allows the audience to see the relationship between the band in an unusual way which will stick in their minds.
Kiesza - Hideaway
The music video 'Hideway' is by artist Kiesza from the Dance genre. I like the style of the music video which is performance based throughout. The performance within the music video includes dancing by the artist herself as well as back up dancers which is effective in showing off the skills the artist maintains.
Mise-en-scene is used, specifically the setting which is the scenery of the same street/block which keeps it simple therefore putting more focus on the artist which self-promotes her. The clothing of the artist is conventional to the dance genre as it includes the bright colour of red, trainers, and an urban style.
The cinematography used within this video consists mostly of long-shots to show the surroundings of the artist which are everyday settings therefore making it relateable to the audience which then builds a relationship between the audience and the artist.
Editing is also used within this music video, more specifically fast editing as the artist changes corner to corner on the street which quickly changes the backdrop of the scenery.
The three overall artists that I am considering for my music video:
Ellie Goulding - Lights
Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness/Blue Jeans
The 1975 - Girls
The reason I chose these three artists/band is because they are all from the Indie-pop genre which is very versatile with the different conventions used within their music videos. Also, many indie-pop music videos follow the narrative of a love story which I wish to include in my music video and my chosen three artists have all included this in some of their music videos.
I plan on sharing these ideas with my group by showing them the music videos and explaining to them the advantages of why I believe that music genre would be beneficial to us when producing our own music video due to how easy it is to follow and construct the conventions.
Rihanna - We found love
The music video 'We found love' falls under the music genre of pop. The use of editing within this video inspired our own music video as it includes fast editing and quick shots throughout. The style of the music video is narrative based as it tells a love story which needs many different shots to show different aspects and moments of the relationship. Fast editing and quick shots help to portray this as it includes varied shots of the couple in different locations. This helped to inspire our own music video as ours in narrative based as well so it would therefore be convenient for our group to use the same editing techniques in order to create and portray a relationship as thoroughly as possible. The artist representation within this music video is rebellious and careless within her youthful relationship. This inspired our artist image as we wanted to show that our artist is badly influenced by being in a relationship and makes her show signs of rebellion.
The 1975 - Robbers This music video 'Robbers' falls under the same music genre as our own song which is indie. The use of editing within this music video consists of fast editing as again it tells the narrative of a love story between two characters in which our group could relate and take inspiration from.
