Not Long To Go til the Hols....!

With the Christmas hols fast approaching we have a few aspects of the course to finish before the end of the year....

1) FILMING! Get this done before the end of term please: I want you to be able to come straight back in Jan and begin editing immediately.

2) DIGIPAK DESIGN: Remember you need to show a link between your digipak and your video: in your digipak use similar colours; or images of your artist from the video; or mise-en-scene from the video....

3) AUDIENCE RESEARCH: Create an 'Audience' label, write up notes on theorists, write and ask your questionnaire, analyse the results in pie charts.

EXAMPLE OF AUDIENCE RESEARCH RESULTS ANALYSIS

AUDIENCE RESEARCH NOTES

a) Upload picture of your audience research

mindmap

b) 

EXAM PREP

The three main theories about media audiences....

•      Hypodermic syringe/effect theory

•      Uses and gratification

•      Two-step flow

Research: What does each one mean? Which theorists associated w each?

c) USE TO HELP YOU WRITE YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE

Andrew Goodwin writing in ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’  (Routledge 1992)

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
(e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).

5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc).

d)  Audience Positioning (Stuart Hall)

Stuart Hall developed the concept of audience positioning as a result of examining news reports on industrial strikes

Dominant readings mean:

•      Audiences respond to the way narrative is constructed and adopt the points of view implied

Oppositional readings mean:

•      Audiences reject the way the narrative is constructed, question and challenge the points of view implied

Negotiated readings mean:

•      Audiences partially accept the way the narrative is constructed but can see both points of view: the dominant and oppositional readings

e) Writing your questionnaire

What Should We Ask?

1.   Does our storyboard make sense?

2.   What impression does the storyboard give of our band/artist/star?

3.   Does this storyboard remind you of any other videos? Explain – is this good or bad?

4.   What do you expect from a music video from our _______ genre?

5.   Is our storyboard appropriate for our genre?

6.   How could we end our music video? (ask for practical advice on how to improve!)

7.   Look online for other examples of A2 music video questionnaires

Who Should We Ask?

Respondent Classification Questions

Age

Gender

Consumer interests (musical likes / dislikes)

Genre

How do they access videos? MTV/YouTube/Twitter….

What Style Of Questions Should We Ask?

Open questions

What do you think of the weather today? (5Ws)

Qualitative Questions (> detailed, trickier to analyse)

Closed questions

Do you like sunshine? Yes / No / multiple choice

Quantitative Questions (<detailed, easier to analyse)

How Should We Interview Our Audience?

•      Be creative when interviewing your respondents!

Film them, ask for comments on blog, twitter…anything else?

•      Which equipment will you need for your focus group?

Camera, tripod, questionnaires, music videos to screen, mobiles to take pictures…

•      Where will you get your respondents from? Think age, gender, genre of music they like…

•      How will you collate the data?

Respondents complete their own paper questionnaire? You ask set of Qs and film respondents? Ask respondents to comment on your blog? Set up a twitter name and send out tweets from your band?

•      What kind of Qs do you need to ask at this stage?

•      You could show respondents 1-2 examples of music vids from your genre at beginning of focus group, so they know what to expect

WARNING!!

You MUST disable comments on ALL  your videos uploaded onto our YouTube account.

Trolls have been watching some of our videos and writing unpleasant messages.

You must protect yourselves: click on "disable comments" for all your videos (past, present and future) now....

This Week's Homework

1) Ensure you have footage uploaded onto iMovie (and also on your cameras) ready for Final Cut training on Friday afternoon.

2)  Upload 4-5 examples of CD covers from your genre and write short statement about why you like them and which conventions you might use in your design

3) Hand draw a mindmap of ideas for your own digipak: how many panels, symbolism of colours, font etc and upload the picture onto your blog

 

Next week you will write an audience feedback  questionnaire on your digipak design à you have 20 marks allocated for this in your FINAL GRADE.

Ensure Your Blogs Are Up To Date...

You should all have these posts on your blogs by now. If not, please make sure you get them up by next Tuesday at the latest!!

•      The theories of Ferdinand de Saussure and Roland Barthes

•      Define signifier, signified, symbolic codes

•      Upload a music video and comment on 5 signifiers in the video

•      Write about (at least) 5 signifiers you’re including in your own video. Include images / photographs in the post

•      You need a post called ‘Band Brand’. You need your band or artist name; your track list, why you’ve chosen them (how they fit with other band and track names in your genre).

•      The definition of a digipak, with information on digipak packaging: Made mostly from thick card, the digipak is virtually shatterproof and allows great graphic display.

Material: 300gsm card with matt or gloss varnish. Printed 4 colours (CMYK) or Pantone colours. Spot varnish, lamination and embossing available.

Dimensions (based on standard 4pp digipak): finished size of 139.5mm x 6mmx 125.5mm

The number of panels could be 4 to 6, 8 or more.

Originally used for the album packaging of leading musicians, the digipak and digipak family are now priced reasonably enough to be used for any CD or DVD project.

The digipak is an extremely versatile packaging. It can be made to accommodate a booklet either by placing in a die-cut slot or gluing onto one of the panels

YOU NEED A POST ON DIGIPAKS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:

q What are the generic conventions of a digipak?

(size, number of sides, parental advisory sticker, logo, track list, featured tracks, hologram…

q How are images used? Colours, font type, forms of image: photographic, illustrations, band members or lead singer featured or artwork…

q What is your digipak trying to represent?

The DVD Digipak is a popular alternative to the DVD box which is now widely used for feature film DVD releases which are special editions because it increases the value and creates a premium product.

CD and DVD DigiPaks make a big statement, they represent the ultimate custom packaging for your CD or DVD replication project. A DigiPak is also a more environmentally friendly option when compared with traditional plastic jewel cases or DVD cases.

·       A post explaining Goffman’s theory

·       Upload 3 images of digipaks from your genre

·       Comment on signifiers used (colour, font type, images etc.)

·       Upload info on Goffman’s gender representation in advertising

·       Post vlogs from BFI trip

If you've completed all of the above, you can begin designing your digipak: upload images you'd like to use, find websites with font styles etc.

FINAL CUT EXPRESS TRAINING

Final Cut Express Training will be all afternoon on

Friday 30th November....!

Looking forward to seeing you shoot some good footage on Friday this week.

Please ensure your animations are also finished (ready to be uploaded once school internet is up and running...)

Have a good week, see you on Fri

HALF TERM

Remember your key deadlines over the half term weej:

Deadline for all filming finished is
Tuesday 27th November

Over half term you need to

a) Create an animatic of your storyboard
How To Do This
Take a photo of each frame (on your phones or a webcam, nothing fancy)
Drop the frames onto the timeline of your digital editing program (iMovie)
You can then cut them to length, in time with your music on the audio line and then export the whole thing as an animatic- a moving storyboard. Here's one of the first thirty seconds of a video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ADQKHhxUHr0


b) Plan your Shooting Schedule logistics
This is production management skills - thinking ahead to everything that could possibly go wrong on your shoot and to every little detail of what you will need. Nothing should be left to chance- costumes, props, locations, camera equipment and people all need orgnaising. Don't have your actors just wearing any old clothes- plan what they will wear; don't rely on someone else remembering particular props, have a list of who is bringing what. For a music video, the instruments are props, so don't forget them! Don't assume everyone will simply turn up- make sure everyone has all the phone numbers and everyone knows exactly where they should be and when.

You really will need suitable places for the performances and you will need to think about variety for these. You should also aim to shoot the whole thing well in advance of deadlines, as you may end up having to shoot some of it again!
Create a diary plan of when and where you are filming

Above all else, make sure your performers have rehearsed and know the words and that they are willing to throw themselves into it. If they don't look enthusiastic and don't look as if they mean it, the video won't work!

c) Evidence of your finished storyboard on your blog - preferrably in the format of a Vlog

On Tuesday 6th November I will expect to see evidence of your logistics plan (in Word Doc / Excel Spreadsheet etc). and evidence of photos of your storyboard ready to be uploaded onto the MACs and turned into an animatic in Tuesday's lesson!

Framing and Composition

Rule of Thirds

This week's homework is....

a) Create a new post called 'Framing and Composition'

b) Upload your research into framing, composition and rule of thirds

c) Include images with your research

d) Find a ‘framing, composition or rule of thirds’ YouTube video to upload

e) Choose 6 of your storyboard frames. Upload a picture of each or your chosen frames. Annotate with notes about WHY you’ve chosen particular a composition, frame or rule of thirds.

Apply your knowledge about framing and composition when storyboarding and filming

Editing Training

Don't forget our Final Cut Express training tomorrow!


Upload your footage before 12.30 in preparation for the lesson

Permission Email

Today's Task

 

üWrite your email

üPrint screen

üAdd to your blog and comment on why you've sent an email (and let me know if you hear back from them!)

 

 

• Dear…

• My name is…

• I am studying… (explain the course)

• Explain what this project involves

• Request to use their song

• You have no intent to sell your video

• Assure won’t be copyright issues as it will solely be used for an educational purpose

• Please contact if any concerns