Meeting

Today I asked my media group if we should continue on our music video treatment however both Faye and Elliot needed to continue with both their star image collage and AS Media coursework retake. Therefore I decided to evaluate the lip sync exercise we completed earlier. This evaluation can be seen above.   

Lip Syncing Exercise - Glee - Don't Stop Believing

Star Image Collage

Below is my star image collage I made on the artist Rihanna. It includes images of her through her years in the music industry and words that describes her image.

A quote from, http://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/rihanna/, said "a performer audacious enough to sing on stage while splayed across a hot pink tank; a self-possessed woman who deftly brandishes her sexuality like a rapier".

Meeting

Today I decided to meet with my media group to discuss what would be the next stage to take in our journey towards creating our own music video. We had already researched ideas and genres so decided to do some further research on an artist or star image of our choice. We then thought of how this research will be best displayed and came to the conclusion of creating a 'Star Image Collage'. I decided to research Rihanna, Faye decided to research both Avril Lavigne and Lady Gaga and Elliot decided to research.

Initial Music Video Idea

Below are my very early music video ideas, I completed these in my own time while listening to the song found below. We may not chose to use this song as the final music video track however I hope to use some of the initial ideas when filming our music video.

I was initially interested in this song as it has a very easy to follow narrative. The beat of the song is also well done which will allow use to do very successful edits between the narrative and the performance. I also like the chorus of the song as I found it to be very simple yet very effective. 

Kate Nash - Merry Happy

Album Artwork Analysis - Scouting For Girls - Everybody Wants To Be On TV

I have decided to analysis Scouting for girls second studio album called Everybody wants to be on TV.

The bands name 'Scouting for girls'  is clearly displayed on the top half of the album artwork. The band title is in caps and has evenly spaced letters. I believe they may have wanted to have this style of font as it represents simplicity, it is also not entirely formal as the 'R' is slightly curved. The white font colour is also code for simplicity and purity. I believe this font was used to make the album look fun and unique. The blue backdrop colour behind the band title looks like it is made of paper and has been hand crafted by the band and personally created. The blue colour itself is code for freedom, happiness, fun and clarity. This may represent the characteristics if the members of the band or how they would like their audience to perceive them. The word 'Girls' is significantly larger and bolder than 'Scouting for' as I believe this is what they wanted to catch your attention first. On the 'I' of 'girls' there is a girl dressed in a short red dress and posing. The colour red is code for love and passion, heat and sex. The image immediately catches the buyers attention and matches the band title, Scouting for girls.

The girl is standing on top of an old fashioned TV. These images match the title of the album 'Everybody wants to be on TV'. The album title is inside a yellow star situated to the right of the TV. The star represents importance and significance. The colour yellow represents cheerfulness, warmth and friendliness. I believe Scouting for girls are trying to signify the importance of their album however at the same time does not want the album to look too formal. This is also achieved as the album art looks as though it is torn and hand made.

At the bottom of the album art is the albums song list and their record label logo 'Epic'.

Album Artwork Analysis - Oasis - Be Here Now

 

Album Artwork Analysis - Oasis - Definitely Maybe

 

Album Artwork Analysis - Nirvana - Nevermind

At the time this album cover was unique as it showed a very bold message in the simplicity of the one image. Many codes and conventions are found in this album cover, here are some.

Codes used in this album cover are:

- The baby is code for new life and a sense of freedom and innocence. The baby also represents simplicity and purity. The purity is also achieved as the baby is untouched, naked, it is a new born. It plays on the thought that the baby is free but not free from American consumerism.

- The money represents wealth, materialism, gambling and chances we take in life. The money is a dollar bill which makes the audience aware it is about American consumerism. The dollar is attached to a fishing hook which represents use, the consumer, chasing money and 'consuming it', hence it being attached to a hook like fishing bait.
- The open ocean represents freedom and the very blue water represents happiness and clarity. This could represent the happiness people feel when they have money and unknowingly are consumed by the music industry.

The 'Nevermind' album title looks as though it too is underwater. The letters are very uneven and not the same in size. The title looks as though it is swimming in the ocean.
The 'Nirvana' band title is very simple and stretched out. The font looks very sophisticated and elegant, for example the 'R' is slightly looping giving it pride and elegance. This is giving the impression that they are not impressed with the American money and society and like to stand tall and look down on it. We can gather from the title that Nirvana have a very clear political ideology on America and believe that American consumerism has gone too far.
The black font used in both titles is code for simplicity and also death and horror. The black colour also could represent their hatred against the American consumerism and how much they want it to be changed. 

Album Artwork Analysis - The Beatles - Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

At the time this album cover was revolutionary. It was full of new ideas, it was unique/original and iconic. The artist, Peter Blake, who produced this album cover was a Pop Artist, The Pop Art movement was a popular culture to high art. Peter Blake and The Beatles wanted the album cover to be a piece of art.

Codes used in this album cover include:
- Flowers are code for peace, the hippy scene and love, this is how they wanted their audience to percieve them
- Drum situated in the middle of the cover highlights its importance. The drum is obvious code for music, and also the circus. The circus also has codes for example when people think of the circus they think of it as fun, crazy, colourful and entertaining
- The band are wearing costume that are very circus like, they are in a way iconic and look like military uniform. However the bright colours on their costumes almost make it look like they are making a parody of the military uniform
- Famous people in the background. All the people standing behind the band are legends. By situating the Beatles in the center foreground they are telling us that they have or like to establish themselves as one of the most iconic legends in history. A slight sense of arrogance may be seen from this album cover however I believe they want to show their confidence and belief rather than express their arrogance
- The blue sky is code for freedom and space, happiness, fun, summer and hope for the future.
- The palm tree is exotic and was possible placed on the album cover to say they have 'broken away from Britain' and gig around the world.
- The island they are all standing on is code for them being separate from the rest of use. As if to say that this is a legendary island and only legends are allowed to be on the island. This can also be seen as arrogant however I believe they wanted to simply express their success through their album artwork

Why Use Album Artwork?

Album artwork is used by artists and bands for many different reasons. These reasons are:
- To represent the artist/band
- To stand out and be eye-catching
- Enhance profit
- Used to advertise the contents
- Tries to draw the audience in
- Establishes album/artist and the music genre
- Acts as a selling tool. Art looks nice and can be used as a persuasive device
- Shows the creativity and originality of the artist
- Shows the credibility and artistic merit of the artist, art becomes the icon

All these reasons are achieved by using codes and conventions to communicate with the audience. When I come to creating my own album artwork I need to insure I am aware of all the typical conventions found on them. I researched album artwork and found that these are the typical features of an album cover:

Front

- Main image
- Name of artist/band
- Title of the album
- Band logo or recognisable symbol of the artist/band

Back

- Track list
- Special features
- Another image underneath the text

Institutional Information

- Price
- Barcode
- Record label
- Year of publishing
- Copyright information
- Individual track writers, composers, engineers, producers
- A reference number
- Band members
- Guest performers

Spine

- Name of artist/band
- Title of album
- Record label
- Reference number

Marketing Strategies

I believe there are seven main marketing strategies which artists use to market and promote themselves. They are all shown below in the mind map:

Marketing is a very important part of an artists career as they will need to use all of these strategies to gain a larger fan base and to promote themselves further. Using the internet for example is an extremely good marketing technique as you can promote to a wide range of audiences whereas a biography or a chat show may only be aimed at a particular group or demography.

Music Video And Its Ideologies

Music is perceived ideologically as:

- Natural

- Subjective

- Expression

- Timeless

- About The Scenes

- Body

- Pleasure

- Freedom

- Resistance

I believe that the dominant ideological view on music is that it is something that generates atmosphere. It is a natural form of timeless enjoyment which can stimulate freedom and resistance. 

Music is meant to be enjoyed, the video above the music adds to the enjoyment and atmosphere. Video adds an entire new element to music and can be used and perceived in a number of different ways.

"There is a common acceptance that music (video) and lyrics are linked but this isn't necessarily true - if you were to listen to 'Do you really want to hurt me' by Culture Club the lyrics would seem to be about romance but when you see the music video it features Boy George (Lead Singer) in front of a judge and this repositions the meaning to rhetoric about gay rights."

Hence Graeme Turner concludes that the video contains meanings totally unrecoverable from the song's lyrics.

Quote taken from - A. Goodwin - Dancing in the Distraction Factory

Researching Music Genres

Before going any further in the project I decided to research some of the many genres of music. I have only decided to research the main genres.

The main music genres are:

- Alternative - also known as alternative rock/music is a sub genre of rock which became very popular in the 1990s. Sub genres of alternative include grunge, britpop, gothic rock and indie pop. Alternative is one of the most popular and successful out of the genres

- Blues - originated from Africa, in the seep south of the USA. The genre Blues form from jazz, rhythm and rock and roll. Blues always uses specific lyrics, bass lines and instruments

- Classical - became aware in the early 19th century. Usually classical music consists of instruments found in an orchestra plus a few extra solo instruments. Classical music is produced to give a very emotional relationship between the music and the audience

- Country - blend of different musics that people became rapidly aware of in the beginning of the 1920's. Country has produced different forms of the genre, for example 'country rock' and 'country pop'. Sometimes artists use essences of country in their music, for example Lily Allen - Not Fair 

- Easy Listening - a mixture of two or more different genres of music, usually a mix of a big band song and a soft music. People think of easy listening music as simple, yet catchy and relaxing melodies

- Electronic - is music that quite simply uses electronic instruments and electronic musical equipment. Now the genre is used with a mixture of dance in night clubs and is known as electronic dance music

- Folk - is most commonly known to people as the music that is 'transmitted by word of mouth'. Different types of genres have originated from this single genre, including folk rock, folk metal and electronic folk

- Hip Hop/Rap - has four key stylistic elements: Rapping, DJ/Scratching, Sampling and Beatboxing. It is now one of the most popular music genres of todays   

- House - is a sub genre of electronic dance music that became known in America in the 1980's. It reached Europe in the 1990's. House is influenced by elements of soul, funk and disco

- Indie Rock/Pop - Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that became known in both the UK and USA in the 1980's. Typical instruments used in this genre are guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and of course the vocals

- Jazz - Originated from African American communities in the 20th century. Typical instruments used are saxophones drums and trumpets

- Pop - Pop music is one of the most popular genres of music today and is dominantly aimed at the youth market. Pop music is also associated with rock, indie and R&B

- Rock - Rock music is a genre of popular music that first became known in the 1960's. Rock uses rock and roll, rhythms, blues and country. 'The sound of rock' often involves an electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, and keyboard instruments. In rock music a guitar solo is a very important part of the song   

- Techno - is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the 1980's from the USA. Techno uses essences of trance and electronica in the music. Techno is used mostly in dance and night clubs 

- Trance - is also a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the 1990's. Trance consists of short repetitive melodic pieces of sound that is commonly repeated at a speed between 120 and 145 bpm. Like most of the other genres it uses essences of other genres. In trance they use electronic, techno and house