Feedback

Excellent concepts blogged.  These are  detailed and through and you have been creative with your blogs, I particularly like the use of art/technology.  You have a secure knowledge and understanding of who you want your artist to be signed to; perhaps you could link this further by stressing the advantages that your artist has signed to the particular record label.  Your clearly identify your target audience and have profiled them well.  Excellent research into CD covers and you have a wide range of examples, and this would be developed further if you can link the real product to how it will influence your own designs.

DIGIPAK Cover Design Ideas

After all my research on digipak covers, I decided to go with an artistic album cover for Cape Karoo. I used cardboard from a delivery box as base and drew a graphiti-like sketch on it. I distressed the cardboard on purpose to add a worn-off quality to the design. I carefully chose the font of the band, not too obvious, in order for it to blend in with the theme. When I transfered  the design on to the computer, I played with the colour and tone slightly on photoshop.


This is my final choice of cover:

These are some of the other versions that I considered using:

This is the original version of the cover:

DIGIPAK COVERS

Looking at similar artists, I have found that most of the indie bands tend to have album covers of creative photos, logos etc. rather than a classical photo of the band being "cool". Although normally it is more common and beneficial for the band to promote themselves using a photograph of the band, especially with their first album, and be recognized as individuals and with their star image, in bands like CapeKaroo it is clear that they put their creativity under the spotlight and not their personal popularity. This is another example that demonstrates that they are no where near to being a mainstream band.

Here are some digipak covers I looked at:

-Manic Street Preachers, Journal For Plague Lovers

This is quite an interesting cover choice because it is of the work of a famous artist, Jenny Saville. This tells us a lot about the target audience and the image because they are demonstrating how creative and alternative they are while addressing an art-following audience.


-Air, Moon Safari

Here the band Air have been witty with their cover choice. By having themselves in a cartoon version, they are both showing their indie and unusual look while promoting their faces as well.


-Beirut, The Flying Club Cup

Although in this cover there isn't much obvious information on the band, it actually reflects loads about the music they create. This very arty yet simple sepia photograph gives the Beirut-feel to the audience, this is what you picture when listening to Beirut songs.


-Kings of Convenience, I'd Rather Dance With You

This is the album cover of a single ' I'd Rather Dance With You'. It is a shot from the actual music video of the song. This is an simple yet unusual approach. The music video itself is also quite arty and creative therefore I think it was a good idea to use a photograph from it. The two mediums also reinforce and support each other making the theme even stronger.

Here is the music video of I'd Rather Dance With You



-Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes are exceptional when it comes to album cover designs. It addresses an artistic audience. It is so interesting that it can even attract a buyer who isn't familiar with the band just by standing on the shelf in a record store.


-Sigur Ros, með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

This is also an unusual album cover. It shows that the band is humorous, interesting and edgy. This particular cover addresses a younger audience regarding its theme. It gives quite a young and "free-spirit" feel. 

Institutional Context of CapeKaroo

The record company that our artist is signed to: Domino Recording Company

Domino is a British independent record label. However as it has progressed quite swiftly, therefore it has wings in other parts of the globe such as in the US. Germany, and France. They are hardly a minor record label as they have signed many big names such as Franz Ferdinand and The Arctic Monkeys and are doing quite well as far as the indie business goes.

How the band could benefit from being signed to Domino:
-their reputation in the indie music industry will allow them to reach the target audience
-potential world-wide distribution
-online distribution
-it is a well-established label, therefore is able to provide the band with the necessary funds.
-they will allow the band to maintain their original creative and alternative image

Target Audience

For our music video to the song 'Run', we have come up with a rough profile of the potential audience in order to make a video which can address them directly therefore succeeding in the industry.
(The target audience for the band Cape Karoo, is a fairly specific and niche audience)

-  Both male and female audience between the ages of 17-35.
-  Underground and experimental music followers.
-  Blog followers.
-  Indie fans.
-  People who prefer the use of real instruments used creatively rather then fully electronic-produced.
-  Fans who appreciate music for the talent rather than the star image.
-  Festival goers (Glastonbury, Isle of White etc.)
-  Alternative and creative profiles ( artists, musicians etc.)


Another good reason to target a specific audience is to follow a more effective marketing pattern. For example, with this profile in hand we can advertise the band in popular blogs, festivals, trendy and alternative magazines, underground gig ambiances etc.

Intertextual References

Alongside other music productions, we also came across some very useful intertextual reference examples during our research.

In the Levi's add Go Forth, there were some quite good shots of natural elements similar to the ones we are planning on using in our music video. We also quite liked the girl in the feathery jacket flowing in the wind.

Because we are planning on including some form of vehicle ( most probably bicycles and a vintage car), this Lucozade add caught our attentions. We thought that the band on the bikes, and skateboards was quite a creative and witty idea. We also very much liked the tricycle with the instruments and speakers on it. We are considering using the tricycle speaker idea in our production (if we can get hold of one that is :) )

Feedback

You had produced some concise work with your blog entries.  In order to develop the detail to your work you need to revise your class notes and add some detail to the comments you make, for example, look at the work on Dyer and Stars, Negus and the video as a promotional tool.  You have been creative with and to an extent visually dynamic with your blogging – there is a clear sense of brand identity.

You have produced proficient work with your blog.  There is a good understanding of what the  task demby providing more annotated points.

Treatment

The song we are thinking of doing is Run by Vampire Weekend. The reason why we chose this song is because it has a lot of different instruments which sits perfectly with our music video theme of the marching band.

We are planing of using random retro shots such as children at play etc. We want to do these shots with an over exposed sephia effect to give it a ''home-video'' feel.

We will use the idea of a marching band in the field, like in the music video I Love Your Smile.

We also want to include shots of the environment like the field, bicycles, closeups on flowers etc.

We are thinking of using various cameras for our shoot, because the desired effect isn't a perfect, clean shot, but rather a retro, indie feel.

Lyric Analysis for 'Run'

Because we have agreed on not having a particular storyline in our music video, we didn't have to analise all the lyrics, instead we divided the lyrics into a rough draft of what we are planning on shooting at the time.

Every dollar counts                                           there is a musical intro before the lyrics, in
And every morning hurts                                     this section we will have closeups and focus
We mostly work to live                                        pulls on the field, then the bike wheels will
Until we live to work                                          pass. the leadsinger will be first in the row
She said, "You know,                                           and we'll shoot a closeup on him when the
There's nowhere else to go."                               lyrics begin.
But change in rows
It struck me that the two of us could RUN.

(Horns)

Worlds away from cars                       
And all the styles and bars
Where a little bit of competition means so much
And a little bit of change is all your little fingers touch
I said, "You know,
There's nowhere else to go."
But change in rows
It struck me that the two of us could RUN.

(Horns)
'Cause honey with you                                                    starting from here
Is the only honest way to go
And I could take two
But I really couldn't ever know

Honey with you
And a little powered radio
We could try.

So lead my feet away
'Cuz all they do is stay
And I don't think your eyes
Have ever looked surprised.

She said, "You know,                                                to here we will have shots of the band
There's no where left to go."                                     and their friends on the field, (marching
But we have found                                                 band)
It struck me that the two of us could RUN

'Cause honey with you
Is the only honest way to go
And I can take two
For I really couldn't ever know

Honey with you
And a little powered radio
We could try.

(Horns)

Proposal fo a new popular music artist

NAME: Columbus Station

GENRE: Alternative Folk

TYPE OF ACT: Creative-Organic

STAR IMAGE: Subtle, underground band who's main concern is the quality of music (talent focused).

TARGET AUDIENCE: Niche alternative audience

CHOICE OF TRACK: Run by Vampire Weekend

Possible Ideas

SONG LIST:
Towers- Bon Iver
Mykonos- Fleet Foxes
Like A Hobo- Charlie Winston
Run- Vampire Weekend
Boat Behind- Kings of Convenience
I'm a Man- Black Strobe
In The Mausoleum- Beirut

Artist Research

These are some music videos we are looking into for our production:

Artist: Charlie Winston

Track: I Love Your Smile

In this video the things we particularly liked was the simple yet effective story line, and the random crowd and band walking on a field towards the end of the music video.


Artist: Beirut
Song: Postcards from Italy

The irrelivant shots and the foggy camera gives a home video effect, which we are considering for our production.

Artist: Bon Iver
Track: Holocane

Here we like the dominant brown and moody colours, and nature theme.


Some websites for our band image research:
http://fleetfoxes.com/
http://www.bandofhorses.com/uk
http://www.batforlashes.com/

We looked at some websites of similar bands in order to have an idea for an album cover. During our research we found that the indie-folk bands tend to use pictures of nature, shadows, random objects or strangers to create an image rather than to have the band members on every photo.

Introduction to Advanced Portfolio

A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options:

a website homepage for the band;

a cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package);

a magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package).

All material for all tasks to be produced by the candidates with the exception of acknowledged non-original sound or image material used in a limited way in video/radio work. Further guidance will be available in the support materials. For music video, permission should be sought from the artist for use of the audio track.


The centre will be expected to allocate marks according to four levels for each of three categories: 

Research and Planning 
Construction

Evaluation

In arriving at a level for each category, teachers are advised to look for evidence of ‘best fit’. It is possible both for a candidate to be placed in different levels for each of the three categories and to receive quite different marks from other members of the same group responsible for producing an artefact, according to his/her contribution. Teachers are asked to support marks with written comments under the three categories on the assessment sheet.

MUSIC VIDEO THEORY

According to Negus, music videos are merely "promotion tools". This is a very true theory seeing as music videos are not for sale, and are only there to help with the marketing of the product. Music videos construct, represent and sell the image of the artist or band.

Music videos can also be synergetic practices, for example; music videos which feature films.

Song: Playground Love
Artist: Air
Film Featured: The Virgin Suicides

The synergy between the two media, they are promoting each other and this is an example of cross-media convergence.

The Music Industry

Today we made a mind map of the music industry. We separated it into two sections; major record companies which are generally owned by conglomerate companies such as Warner Music (Time Warner), and Sony, and independent record companies such as Domino Records, or Ghostbox. Major record companies tend to work with mainstream artists such as Take That or JLS, whereas Independent Record labels work with more talent focused artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Lily Allen.

Some keywords that are well suited with the work that major record labels produce are:
MAINSTREAM, DISPOSABLE, POPULAR, REPETITIVE, POP, MANUFACTURED, SYNTHETIC
Key words for independent record labels:
CREATIVE, ORGANIC, AUTHENTIC, ALTERNATIVE

Video Diary

After our prelim shoot, we found through research that the band had created a video diary of their own on the shoot day. They documented their journey to Hurtwood, day of shoot, and the editing suite. In this video diary there is also their personal commentaries on the project which supports their desired star image.


In their car journey, they talk about the fact that they are in Surrey which is known to be a good area in not so positive ways, this gives them the image of not being so fond of the so called 'easy life'. This brings them closer with a certain group of listeners.
Also the fact that they have created a video diary invites the target listeners to visit their personal life, allowing them to see their personalities which definitely works in their favour.

Star Image of Acres of Life

Before planning our music video for the band "Acres of Life", it was essential to have a look at the bands image in order to achieve an effective product. The band had a MySpace and Facebook page which were quite helpful.
www.facebook.com/acresoflife

www.myspace.com/acresoflife

Looking at the band, we noticed that their hairstyles and clothes were quite 'emo' and punk. We automatically presumed that they were influenced from punk-rock band. Listening to their tracks, we knew for sure that this was their choice of genre.
Although the band was not a particularly popular one, their general approach was confident because they are in the rockstar mindset. In conclusion, the star image of Acres of Life is a punk-rock band who are careless and are mainly concerned about making music and having hardcore fun.

After our research and general first impression, we decided that it would be most suiting to shoot a performance video. We initially thought of doing a stage performance where we could include groupies and fans, however because the band isn't yet big enough therefore addresses to an 'underground' audience, we came to the conclusion that a studio performance would bring them closer to their target audience and work more in their favour.

Star Image and Related Music Video

STAR IMAGE OF THE BAND:

Kiss is a rock band of four and has a very strong and consistent image. They are known with their long black hair, scary face paint and extremely confident stage clothes. They take on the personas of comic book-style characters with their costumes and makeup. The band claims that the fans were the ones who ultimately chose their makeup designs. Kiss is a good example for star image because it is one of the few stable ones which lasted long which is one of the key factors in their success.


MUSIC VIDEO (ROCK'N ROLL ALL NIGHT):

The music video for "Rock'n Roll All Night" is a stage performance video which is quite fitted with the rock bands image. They are simply performing on stage with their daring makeup and outfits giving music to their fans. This video is a good introduction to the band Kiss because it underlines once more that they are all about the music and their fans.