2nd Draft of Alum Cover

1st Draft of Alum Cover

Album Cover Development

Audience feedback on initial ideas for album cover

After conducting a focus group to find out what my target market thought of my ideas, I have now come to a clear decision on which design I will use. The comments made about each of the initial ideas were all very different and they all had some positive aspect. However the group mainly felt that the second design was the best choice for an album cover for ‘Mallory Knox’. This was because they felt that the other two album covers were good but that they lacked originality and wouldn’t stand out compared to other albums of the genre. 5 out of the 6 people in the focus group agreed that if they saw all 3 albums in a shop they would probably pick up the second design first. One member also pointed out that the heart design could become an emblem for the band. Which I hadn’t previously thought of but could be a possibility for the design.

Initial idea: third album cover design

Initial idea: second album cover design

Initial idea: first album cover design

Cast

 

 

Liam David Edward Hill

Role: lead singer.

Reason for choice: He likes the band and knows the song well so already knows most of the lyrics. Also he has taken part in school productions and is use to both singing and acting in front of an audience.  Liam has also been to see ‘Malory Knox’ several times and has met the band. This will help him to give a convincing performance as he knows what the target audience expects to see during a live performance.

 Matthew Ball

 Role: ‘boy’

 Reason for choice: He is a rock music fan and has a suitable image for a rock music video which the audience will relate to. He has also had acting roles in school productions which has given him acting experience. Also his height works well with my female actor and the two interact well together.

 

 

 

 Kirsty Archer

 Role: ‘girl’

Reason for choice: she is an experienced actor with several roles in school productions. She has been to see ‘Malory Knox’ live and thus understands the emotions and atmosphere the song creates.  Furthermore Kirsty and the actor for the boy role are in a relationship and work well together so the relationship on screen should look realistic.

  

 

Music video changes

Unfortunately I had to change the location for the ‘room’ scenes of my music video. This was due to my of consideration when it came to equipment and whether power sockets where available at the location. This meant that I had to change my original idea to accommodate the change of location. As the new location was a bedroom of a typical teenager (my target market) this meant that the scenes where the boy is ‘trashing’ the room where unable to film. The lack of these scenes meant that the entire plan for the video had to be re-planed and this change taken into account.

I then decided that the video would still follow the basic principles of the existing plan and that to accommodate for this change the narrative side of the video should become less structured and more open for interpretation. The narrative would still include the boy and girl braking up and getting back together but the reasoning and transition would be less clear. This enables the viewer to perceive the couple in the way they wish and they can then create their own scenario for what the couple’s situation is. This gives the viewer the chance to make the video more personal to them as they usually create scenarios that are similar to those they have been through in their life. This choice was also inspired by existing videos such as My Chemical Romances music video for- I don’t love you and Panic at the discos- I write sins not tragedies. which use very unstructured narratives in their videos.  

I also believe that the lack of structure in the narrative mimics the lyrics of the song which are very unspecific about the couple and instead focus mainly on the feelings of a person in a relationship that is unstable. The lyrics at the beginning of the song ‘when the walls care in I will pull out, when the grounds shaking I will hold you down and I swear to god that we will make it out alive’ demonstrates the kind of ‘destructive’ or ‘unstable’ love that the song is about. The line shows that no matter how their relationship brakes down that he still cant help loving her and that he will try to make the relationship work. The rest of the song follows this theme and the details of the relationship are never mentioned. Therefore I think that by not including the details in the music video the video illustrated the lyrics and intentions of the song. This idea follows Andrew Goodwin’s theory that there is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals, and that there is a relationship between the music and visuals.

Narrative- Todoroys theory

Definition of narrative: A chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in time- Bordwell & Thompson film Art 1980

 Todoroys theory-

•             Equilibrium – a state of equilibrium at the outset

•             Disruption – a disruption to the equilibrium

•             Recognition – recognition that there has been disruption

•             Resolution – an attempt to repair the disruption

•             Equilibrium – a reinstatement of the equilibrium

 

My music video follows the conventional narrative of Todoroys theory.

Equilibrium-Happy couple at the beginning

Disruption-She leaves

Recognition- he holds out his hand/angry face or finding the object

Resolution- he goes back to her

Equilibrium-together looking at the stars at the end

 

Close ups to show emotion and intimacy

Location is private mysterious pure natural

Props: rose symbol of love, Romeo & Juliet poster star crossed lovers doomed love, love heart,

 

 

lyrics

I said I'll be there to the end from the start cause I made that vow when you stole my heart

 And it's the hardest thing to see the pain thats in your eyes            Equilibrium- happy couple

 And when the walls cave in I will pull you out

 When the ground's shaking I will hold you down

 And I swear to God that we'll make it out alive

 

So look up look up when the sky is falling

 Look up, look up can you hear me calling

 Look up, look up when the sky is falling

 Look up, look up, look up, look up

 

Just drive, just drive, just drive away

 I know it's hard to hear it but I've gotta say

 From the moment you came, to the second you left

 Theres' not a single minute that I don't regret

 

And those promises, that I said I'd save, for the darkest day I'll keep them now

 

Those promises, this promise kept

 You took my heart the day you left                           disruption-she leaves

 Can't understand the reasons why

 But I can't stop this rage inside

 Look at the stars I think of you

 You turn around and fall out of view

 Well that is that, I gotta say

 I hope your happy in this mess you made                           recognition  -gets angry

 

Just drive, just drive, just drive away

Shot Storyboard

Copyright responce E-mail

 

This was the response I got from Mallory Knoxs label company about the copyright for the song.

Equipment

Equipment-

·      Mic

·      Drums

·      Guitar

·      Camera

·      Tri-pod

·      Light

·      Face paint

Props

Props-

·      Photos

·      Lamps

·      Mirrors

·      Fabric

·      Chair

·      Table

·      Ornaments

Radar Music Videos- blog about music video directors

http://www.radarmusicvideos.com/blog/categories/42-Commissioned_using_Radar_2014

Its a good source of insperation and shows many new and rising directors aswell as youtube links to their work.

Copyright Permission Letter

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

My enquiry-

Dear Copyright Holder,

I am an A-Level media student and as part of my coursework we are required to make a music video. I am writing to you to request your permission to use the song 'Promises' from 'Mallory Knox’s' debut album 'Signals'.

With your permission, this song would be featured in my music video as part of my Media studies A-Level coursework, accompanied with an album cover and promotional poster for the artist.

If we received your permission, the track would only be used in an educational context and be viewed by my teachers and the exam board moderator.

The artist and your company would be fully recognised throughout the production process and the video itself. A copyright notice with wording supplied by you can be included in the records of the project. If this is required, please send full details.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Regards,

Jessica Anne Colclough

Laura Mulvey's theory

Andrew Goodwin's theory

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is the way in which texts refer to other media texts that producers assume audiences will recognise. One of pleasures that audiences experience is the joy of recognition. One form of this pleasure comes in recognising the reference in one media text to other media texts. This process of referencing is called intertextuality.

Some examples of intertextuality in music videos are-

30 Seconds to mars- Bury me
Smashing Pumpkins- Tonight,Tonight
The Killers- Mr. Brightside
Foo Fighters- Learn to fly

Questionnaire results

 

There is a silghtly larger percentage of males that completed the questionnaire however the percentage is only very small with 17 males and 13 females. This will influence my results so I willl have to take this into consideration when annalysing the data.

All of the questionnaires were completed by people within the age range of 13-24. This means that all of the data is relevent to my target market and therfore usable.

 The results of the questionnaire show that my target audience expects to see a actors in their early 20's this enables me to search for relevant actors that my target audience expects to see in a rock music video.

The questionnaire also enables me to see which location my target audince thinks will suit the song and will appeal to them, hopefully if I follow this information the video will appeal to its audience. The results show that the majority think either a forest or 'curio room' would suit the song and is their prefured choice. I will consider how I could plan a narritve that incorperates these locations and how I can use this information to benift my product.

From my results I have also found that narrative music videos are the most popular style of video with 17 people choosing it as their prefured style of music video. Concept music videos were next with 11 however performance was only slightly behind with 9. I will carefully consider this information when planning my music video.

From my questionnaire I also found out that the majority of the people who answered the questionnaire thought that a rock music video about love would contain a band singing to a girl saying how cool she is and how they wont get her because they are nerdy or that it would be a break-up song with the boy and girl fighting and her being a 'slut'. Intrestingly however many people said that they would like to see a rock music video that showed two people who love eachother but that unfourtunatly due to cercumstances the relationship is hard.

My Idea

Mood Board

<a href="http://http://polkadotsfilltheskies.moodshare.co/preview/22-01-2014_11-53/87bd248f6e29ccb94a4ce981d1b2abb9/#"></a>

Questionnaire

Song Decision

My Chemical Romance- I dont love you

My Chemical Romance - I Don't Love You from Mert HAN on Vimeo.

The video is a mixture of narrative and performance with the theme of relationship brake ups. The video has a strong link between the lyrics and visuals that create the story and portrays the emotions of the song. The video is entirely shot in black and white which is amplified by the fact that the girl and boy are entirely white and black respectively. The use of black and white could represent the black and white view of you either love some one or you don’t. The main lyrics and part name or the song ‘I don’t love you like I did yesterday’ mirrors this view of black and white love. The video is from the point of view from the person who is being ‘dumped’ and shows their anger and sadness of being in a relationship where the person falls out of love with you but where you still love them.

The narrative of the video begins with the two ‘people’ meeting. The unusual appearance of the two characters in the narrative could show how all people fall in love and that many people feel that falling in love is a ‘alien’ experience as it can make them react in strange ways and that they have no control over who they fall I love with. A slow motion shot of the lead singer falling is used to portray that the girl has fallen in love with the boy and is a visual representation of her emotions. Visual representations of the girls emotions are used twice more I the video. The second being the crashing when the girl realises that the boy no longer loves her which is then followed by the boy and girl literally falling apart which represents how they and their relationship is emotionally falling apart.

The video ends with the band destroying their equipment this could represent that the boy and girl are destroying everything that was created by their relationship. Alternatively this could show the girls anger at being left by the boy. The brown tear that the girl cries at the end of the video shows her sadness at being left however the fact that the tear is brown the same colour as the boy could challenge the view that love is black and white as it is more complicated for her as she still loves him. 

Mallory Knox-promises

I said I'll be there to the end from the start cause I made that vow when you stole my heart
And it's the hardest thing to see the pain thats in your eyes
And when the walls cave in I will pull you out
When the ground's shaking I will hold you down
And I swear to God that we'll make it out alive

So look up look up when the sky is falling
Look up, look up can you hear me calling
Look up, look up when the sky is falling
Look up, look up, look up, look up

Just drive, just drive, just drive away
I know it's hard to hear it but I've gotta say
From the moment you came, to the second you left
Theres' not a single minute that I don't regret

And those promises, that I said I'd save, for the darkest day I'll keep them now

Those promises, this promise kept
You took my heart the day you left
Can't understand the reasons why
But I can't stop this rage inside
Look at the stars I think of you
You turn around and fall out of view
Well that is that, I gotta say
I hope your happy in this mess you made

Just drive, just drive, just drive away
I know it's hard to hear it but I've gotta say
From the moment you came, to the second you left
Theres' not a single minute that I don't regret

Just drive, just drive, just drive away
I know it's hard to hear it but I've gotta say
From the moment you came, to the second you left
Theres' not a single minute that I don't regret

So look up look up when the sky is falling
Look up, look up can you hear me calling
Look up, look up when the sky is falling
Look up, look up, look up, look up

30 Seconds to Mars- alibi

No warning sign, no alibi,
We faded faster than the speed of light.
Took our chance, crashed and burned
No, we'll never ever learn.

I fell apart, got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again,
Yeah.

We both could see crystal clear,
That the inevitable end was near.
Made our choice, a trial by fire,
To battle is the only way we feel.

I fell apart, but got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again.

Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh

So here we are, the witching hour,
The quickest tongue to divide and devour
Divide and devour
If I could end the quest for fire,
For truth, for love, and my desire,
My desire.

And I fell apart, but got back up again

Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh
Away oh

I fell apart,
I fell apart,
I fell apart,
I fell apart
I fell apart but got back up again.

Read more: 30 Seconds To Mars - Alibi Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Lower than Atlantis - something better came along lyrics

Hold those tears
Just tell me its over so I can get over you
All my fears
You say that you're sorry but you will be sorry soon

I feel bad but I can tell by the height of your shoulders that you're glad
All along I guess you were just another line in another song

All of those things you said
Did you mean any of them?
I needed that lift that I got from your texts and calls
But something better came along
Now you're dead to me
A distant memory
Remember my name when you're grey and old
When something better came along

Those few nervous dates
I was drinking before I met you so I could talk
Nothing more than mates
I was drinking throughout until I could barely walk

I'm a fool
I should've guessed by your attitude that you're too cool
Did you care at all?

All of those things you said
Did you mean any of them?
I needed that lift that I got from your texts and calls
But something better came along
Now you're dead to me
A distant memory
Remember my name when you're grey and old
When something better came along
I've gotten used to being wrong

All of those things you said
Did you mean any of them?
I needed that lift that I got from your texts and calls
But something better came along
Now you're dead to me
A distant memory
Remember my name when you're grey and old
When something better came along

song choice

At the moment I have narrowed down my list of potential songs down to 3:

·         Lower than Atlantis-something better came along

·         30 seconds to mars-alibi

·         Malory Knox-promises   

I am now looking at narrowing it down through my research into possible locations, effects and content of the videos for each. I will then decide which to use based on which is more fitting for my audience.

Kerrang

http://www.kerrang.com/

Angels & Airwaves "hallucinations"

ANGELS & AIRWAVES "HALLUCINATIONS" MUSIC VIDEO from Angels And Airwaves on Vimeo.

The Blackout album covers

Although both album covers are very dark and simplistic I think they are both very effective in catching people’s attention and in creating an image for the band. I think with so many album covers being bright and obscure to try and standout that the designer of these album covers knew that and thus did the exact opposite making them standout more to potential consumers when displayed alongside bright and possibly overbearing covers. I also like the fact that light is a key element in both covers which is rather ironic when the band is called The Blackout. This helps to give the band more meaning and a quirky edge, compared to bands that have a pretty album cover without much thought or meaning behind them. When I am constructing my own album cover I plan on trying to incorporate a meaning similar to this so that it gives the cover more depth and so that it links more to the band, hopefully creating a stronger identity for the band and more success for the album/song.  

Young Guns album covers

Each of young guns album covers are very different and there isn’t a strong band image. However each album does have certain details in common. Each album has 3 consistent factors:

 

·         They each have a main distinctive colour

 

·         They each have one main image that links with the theme/tone of the album

 

·         The font of the albums reflects the image/theme of the album

 

So overall the album is made to reflect what it was written about and to set the tone for the album from the beginning. I hope to reflect the tone of the  song in the same way when it comes to designing my cover and after looking at these covers realise that the image, font and colour scheme should all work together to establish the mood/them of the album.

Kids in Glasshouses album covers

Lower than Atlantis album covers

 

 

 

Although the covers themselves are not stereotypical of the genre and are certainly unique (especially the bottom one). They do create a strong identity and image for the band and the albums themselves are easily recognisable and distinctive so are memorable which has advantages when advertising. But the thing I like most about the albums is the use of great colour schemes that not only make them eye-catching but also more professional. I hope to apply my colour scheme as well as these covers do so that it looks professional and appealing.

Angels and Airwaves album covers

30 Seconds to Mars

Categories of Music Videos

Created with Padlet

My Chemical Romance

Blitz Kids- "hold fast"

Blitz Kids - Hold Fast from Blitz Kids on Vimeo.

The opening shot shows the back of the lead singer as he walks into the ‘room’ this creates mystery which intrigues the viewer to watch the rest of the video. The dim lighting carries on the air of mystery until the song ‘drops’ at which point the lighting gets brighter enabling the audience to clearly see the shots. However the fast pace of the editing makes the images hard for the audience to recognize and it isn't until the lyrics to the song start that the viewer gets a clear close up shot of the lead singer.

The rest of the video features lots of random objects as well as members of the band featured in random shots. These shots are used to link the video with the lyrics which supports Andrew Goodwin’s theory. The chorus of the song features the lyric ‘I don’t know the answer’ which reflects the tone of the video. Close up are also used through out the video to identify the band.

All Time Low-"for Baltimore"

All Time Low "For Baltimore" from Tinman Creative Studios on Vimeo.

Paramore