Vasil Krasimirov Nikolov

Sunday, 22 February 2015

Evaluation Question 4 (Complete)

Evaluation Q4.
21/02/2015
Vasil

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Evaluation Question 3 (Re-filmed)

Evaluation Q3.
21/02/2015
Vasil

What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

Video Link in case of failure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw9TrRM0BiA

By evaluating my work, I was able to gather the feedback from my audiences and other audience types to comment and give my feedback on what I could improve on within my media products and what they thought was good and beneficial to the products too. It is important to evaluate my work so that I can decide and look at the work I have produced and see whether the task given to me was a success or what other elements could I involve to make my product more successful. Furthermore, by evaluating my work I would be able to understand all of the elements I have included and whether or not I have conformed or subverted to the genre§s conventions. By having a rough cut on YouTube, I was able to get my inch target audience to evaluate my music video. I also showcased my M.V to meet my peers in a classroom setting and get them to evaluate it in the same way and give me evaluative points from which I can improve.

I used YouTube to showcase my music video so that I would be able to achieve a wider and more global audience will help by giving me constructive feedback on my music video. By doing this, I was able to relate to it as an audience and help me improve it. YouTube allows me to get my music video globally recognised from other countries, due to the large global scale of YouTube. This allows me to see what a larger audience would think of my music video and how it could help me develop as a producer by taking on the constructive criticisms and make my music video better. As YouTube allows people to view, and share videos, it would be beneficial for my M.V. to be on the website as it would gain my music video more views and more importantly, opinions as viewers would be able to share, it would be beneficial for my M.V. to be on the website as it would gain my music video more views and more importantly opinions as viewers would be able to share and view the video at a simple click of the left mouse button. This also allows more viewers to gain a better understanding of the genre I am trying to portray and will let me know whether they think the production is conventional or relatable to the niche audience.

Another positive is to let the audience comment on my music video and share their own opinion by commenting on the music video. I had some very constructive feedback which included comments such as "Some clips were too repetitive" (Seen in the long sequence where the lyrics were repeating themselves); "Lip-synch needs improvements"; "More editing is needed". There are also comments such as "I like the artist`s clothing". These were just a snippet from the comments I received within my music video on YouTube and I took all of these on board when it came to improve my music video. With these comments, I was able to see an unbiased view of what society thought of my music video and gain feedback with which I gave my best to make my music video better than it was.

The comments also made me feel like a producer, as it made me feel confident about my skills as a producer. I also felt that if I had more editing knowledge, I would have been able to gain the full confidence of my target audience. I was able to take on the constructive comments and as a producer felt that I could make small changes to my music video. By taking on the comments, I believed that I was able to incorporate the the wanted needs into the music video and make the product more professional than the audience thought was now very reliable.

For example, with the comments asking me to add more scenes, I filmed with two cameras and shot several new scenes from Thorpe Park, which introduced more positive times (for the couple) in the narrative. This way, I showed more artist memory and made the audience try to connect with the artist better as this aid them relate to her. I also improved the lip-synch by listening to the song and adjusting the time frame of each scene in order to have my artist singing the correct lyrics. Some of the scenes such as the smoking and the love couple pretending to be on the Titanic in the park had to be increased by 20%. (Using the re-time function) in order to improve the synchronisation. I also added in new editing effects such as: flashing to make the music video more entertaining and up-beat fro the audience. This can be seen in the Thorpe Park scene where the couple decided to test some rides. This way, the audience felt their needs were met and they felt more entertained. I found those changes as essential into making my artist more representational and also make my music video more professional for the music industry.

This feedback would help me if I was working within the music industry as it would help me make my product more entertaining. It would help me develop as a producer as I had to try and develop my product with new technologies (Such as more graphic effects) and make the artist perform and use more of their time to help make the music video more better and more entertaining for the audience. The feedback would be able to help me develop as a producer myself as I would have to correct my own mistakes and change what I thought didm`t go well for the audience even if it looked good. I would have to take on board the opinions of others and improve my teamwork skills through the feedback if I wished the music video to be more successful.

Evaluation Question 2 (Updated)

Evaluation Q2.
21/02/2015
Vasil

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Friday, 20 February 2015

Evaluation Question 1 (Updated)

Evaluation Q1.
20/02/15
Vasil

The brief given to us was to produce a music video by an artist of our choice that either challenged or conformed to the music genre that he falls in. Another part of the brief was to produce two ancillary pieces (a digipak or a poster that once again challenged or conformed to our chosen genre-indie and possess the representation that our artist had). My group consisted of Ayesha and Lilly.
I believe that our group worked well as all of us had plenty of ideas for our ancillary and music video designs and each of us held a specific set of skills (For example editing the music video with the use of filters or being able to download a music song for the video and then implement it in the video itself) that the other member did not have which meant that we could and did create three very professional products (The music video, poster and digipak) that followed the conventions of the indie music genre and did not challenge the made up artist (Autumn Healy) from the original artist`s (Lana Del Rey) representation to her target audience (17-25 year old males and females).

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Since the task given was to produce a music video and ancillary texts that either challenged or conformed to our chosen music genre (indie) and artist representation, I decided and agreed with my group that we should produce a music video for the artist Lana Del Rey and the song that was going to be produced is (slightly monotone and dull) "Blue Jeans". As I protested that the song will be very boring for our audience as it is too monotone and the lyrics were slightly depressed, the group agreed on my argument and the song was improved by finding a remix of it. Thus our chosen song is called "Blue Jeans RAC Remix". Another valiant point would be that by having a remix, the music video product would become more desirable as the original niche target audience would slightly increase as the remix contains tones and instruments (such as an electronic keyboard) that are conventional to the house music genre.

The other benefit that the artist (Lana Del Rey) would experience this way would be that he would follow Richard Dyer`s theory (In particular his second paradox that states that the artist must be present and absent from the world at the same time). By having a mix, my artist will be visible in both the indie and house worlds which would result in a higher audience percent. A music video is a video that can contain a narrative (a short story that can be from the memories of the artist), concept (an idea that the artist would want to share with his audience with the use of a story that contains a moral) or performance (A new dancing move that the audience would want to learn or see the artist perform in an instrument that would have plenty of ) theme in its sequence. The music video is usually used as a weapon to introduce the artist or his ideas to the audience and for the record label, to promote the artist and the sponsored merchandise in order to achieve a greater profit/revenue. The use of such skills would create more interest in my artist, which would increase her viewing percentage.

In the Indie music genre there are several very important conventions that I followed in order to portray my artist (Autumn Healy) from the original artist representation that I analysed from the artist Lana Del Rey.
Firstly, it is conventional for the filming location, which is usually a cheap place (a studio, apartment or park). This is because the artist (Lana) would want her audience to concentrate on her in order for them to remember her outline and what she sings about. This also conforms to Andrew Goodwin`s theory which suggests that the artist is the main feature in every genre`s music video. While some music videos do not have their artist (portrayed as they might be a concept based music video), my music video did, which meant that I conformed to Melon`s theory by creating a narrative styled music video. This was as a result from the Target Audience research that I had carried (more on this later) in order to research what the demand for such a music video would theoretically achieve.

Another benefit to such a setting is that it creates a romantic theme which highlights the artist`s true feelings and causes her to open up to her audience, causing them to respect her and idolise her. This would appeal to my target audience of 16-26 year old females as they stereo-typically enjoy the idea of a love and romance (Which was proven by my target audience research). I overall chose to conform to the indie genre as videos within this genre typically include a cheap, naturalistic setting to make the artist the main attraction, therefore allowing the audience to see their idol through out.

Nevertheless, by creating a Narrative based music video, I challenged the indie genre as I introduced a story with my music video, rather than a performance that had my artist playing a guitar. This way, the audience were also a witness to the second part of Goodwin`s theory which stated that the artist would always try and show the brand of clothing or performance equipment that they used. In my case, Lily (Our artist actor and director) used fashionable clothing from the 60`s (flower crown, short skirt, etc.) in order to create a diverse fashion style that would be memorable for the target audience. Another convention that was followed was that the use of vintage clothing, which would make the music video more diverse and memorable for our target audience.

The use of strobe lighting in the scene where the couple (Lana and her love interest) were sitting on a bench challenged the indie genre as it uses more simple lighting effects, such as high key lighting. However, the use of strobe lighting did conform to the house genre as house artists/dj`s use strobe lighting in order to make the music video more interesting and appealing for a club scene. Another place where I used strobe lighting was in all of the roller coaster scenes (that we used as fillers), in order to make the repeating parts of the video more appealing to the more niche part of our target audience. Meanwhile, while the audience that support house liked it, the indie genre audience would feel either confused or intrigued as the music video would be more diverse that the standard indie music videos.

Another indie convention within my music video that I followed, in order to appeal to my audience was by editing on Final Cut Pro X and applying the filter "Aged Film" to clips when the artist first meets the main love interest. These filters were layered over several arranged flashback shots which provided the audience with a more diverse and dynamic narrative compared to other indie music videos. By doing this many indie artists enjoy to apply for their niche audience, in order to differentiate their look compared to other genres in order to become more noticeable.

Adding a range of costumes and connotations of clothing, creates a more diverse and memorable video for the audience to enjoy and for female members of the audience to aspire to.

The use of costumes conforms to the indie genre, as the artist's look is typically simplistic in order to be easily remembered and copied by the fans. This can be seen in the scene where the love couple are wearing very common clothes such as: a checked t-shirt which is relatable to the female majority of the audience. This overall links to Dyer's Star Theory as in his first paradox he believes that an artist can be ordinary and extraordinary, simultaneously. This is evident in my own music video as her expensive clothing links to the romantic lyrics and highlights her extraordinary talent and clothing choice. Then there is the sad relationship story which contrasts with the higher position in society that is uncommon to have.

I also conformed to the indie genre by using iconography, specifically drugs and cigarettes, and making them the focal point through the use of extreme close ups at the end of the music video. As the artist drops the alcohol bottle and takes drugs, (using the kuleshov effect) death intervenes with the artist without the audience being able to view the inferred. This is relatable to the indie genre as artists within the genre typically highlight elements of their life with their audience in order to create a strong bond with them. This then appeals to the target audience as they can relate to her habits and even bond with her emotionally.

Finally, I also included cinematography techniques in order to highlight conventions that conformed to the indie genre. An example would be the use of a panning shot when Autumn skates in the same park. Skate boarding are activities conventional to indie artists and are evident within many videos. An example of this would be Ellie Goulding`s song "How long will I Love you". This shot also slightly adapts from the house genre as I used fast editing on Final Cut Pro X through the re-time function and select to 20%.

Thus my media product did overall conform to my main music genre (The indie music genre). Nevertheless, some effects such as strobe lighting did challenge the indie genre convention for such camera effects.