Answering Evaluation Questions

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

Throughout my blog my ideas and understanding of the products development and conventions has developed and grown. I believe my product does challenge conventions of a traditional music video because of the artist slant I've looked at and developed, though after getting feed back I did understand the need for some mining to help my audience connect with the images and lyrics as without this my music video would have been stuck at a plateau as the audience to seemed to comment on waiting for something to happen but were disappointed when something didn't, so I chose my favourite section of lyrics and added the mining in; this I think really developed my product substantially.
I think the idea of my music video and the concept behind the images and lights may help to develop traditional ideas and conventions of a music video because of the artist approach possibly challenging other artists to let the audience focus on the lyrics and music rather than a traditional story type video where the music isn't the protagonist but rather the backing track to a directors 'vision.'


In music video my character (female, myself) isn't as a sexual or conventional female character but rather as part of conceptual idea of the video, becoming part of the project and part of the artwork, thus making this character become part of the lyrics and how the work with the images. By becoming part of the art and visuals my character is able to help the audience relate to the characters and lyrics rather than the conventional distraction of a storyline based music video.

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

As a whole I think all my products work well collectively and and individually, which is what I believe an artist would want from their media; to be able to relate their music videos and their products to help to create a full and whole image behind their music.
If my products weren't as closely linked to each other I feel their would be a feeling of discontinuation between the products and that my audience wouldn't understand the 'image' of the band.

3. What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

In my initial audience feedback I learn't that my audience did understand the link between the lights and the tracks fluctuations but they weren't all sure about the lack of mining or traditional music video convention; from here I decided to add mining as I thought it would be an effective way of taking my audiences critiques and advise and would help my media product hugely as well as giving my product a wider audience as more people are now able to link and relate to my product as it isn't as conceptual as it was initially.
Apart from this I was really happy with the audience feedback and felt it was positive and that they understood the messages and ideas behind my ideas and development. After talking to various members of my class they all liked my media products and how they linked in with the main video, they also seemed to like that I had blocked the face out making it relatable to a wide range of people and not alienating anyone.

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

In the construction of my music video I used a blog (www.blogger.com) to keep all ideas and notes of the development of my product and showing the way I worked from one point to another by doing this I had a blog open to the world and was able to possibly gain comments, messages and ideas from people around the world. I also used this blog for my research and planning of my product again, to help keep a record of the development of my product and what I had learnt through the research and development of my media product.

In the filming process of my media product I used a Canon 550D a HD SLR camera that has video recording capability, I set the camera up to have a fast reaction to colours and changes in light and density, ultimately my video resulting in the colours and images working smoothly throughout, helping the audience get the best possibly visual experience as I could offer. To create the images in my music video I used an Epson projector plugged into my my display port using a AVG adapter/converter into my Macbook Pro, where I used the 2011 version of iMovie to create and develop my music video. To create my media products I used Photoshop CS5 and took cuts of my finished product and then added these images to a template I created after; measuring and looking in-depth as the construction behind CD casing and posters.

To help get feedback for my music video I used Facebook to gain critiques from my peers, I also asked for feedback from anyone that viewed my product on Vimeo ( a digital video and film sharing website that is more artistically inclined than Youtube, as a lot of artists and small directors use this to promote their work. I gained a lot of feedback which ultimately helped myself development my product further as well as helping to gain knowledge of what the audience of musics videos expect and want.

Final Cut Of Music Video.

FINAL CUT FOR MEDIA MUSIC VIDEO from Bianca Klaric on Vimeo.

Evaluation Activites

Evaluation Activity 1

I think my media product challenges the conventions of music videos. I haven't created a music video with a typical storyline in it or showing the lyrics literally - I've taken a more artistic approach on the idea of creating a music video; there is alot of artistic music videos but not many of them are done with either this style and genre of music or with a widely known artist such as My Chemical Romance.

Audience Feedback Of Music Video.

Bianca’s music video really meant something to me, being a fan of My Chemical Romance I already knew the song but the new movie gave it a whole new level. The changing of the light corresponding with the lifts and drops in the song made it more in depth; the constantly changing background and textures represented the relationship’s tumultuous path sung about and it made me appreciate the individual notes that were played making it a much more pleasant video experience than I have otherwise experienced from conventional music videos. Bianca starred in this video as the girl in the center and that made me think that the song was sung to and about her which I believe to be My Chemical Romance’s aim, trying to make it sung to the listener, the effect was to make it a more personal music video which I haven’t seen before. Overall Bianca’s music video was a success, it made me enjoy the song more and it was also a pleasing experience to watch it. – Oliver Brenton


{Jessica Deleforce}
1. What's your initial reaction to this music video, what do you think needs to be improved or changed to make it more successful?
I really like the artistic elements of the video, it seems to catch your attention and actually forget about what song is being played in the background.
- Improvements. Perhaps using images related to the song in the projections. ( I don't know if you have done this, my laptop won't let me view the video again, so im going on my memory.)

2. Does this music video go with or against traditional conventions and do you believe it works successfully?
I have definately never seen this type thing before, it's very artistic and unique and works really well.

3. What other music videos do you relate with this?
I've not seen anything like this before but, sometimes the jolty movements reminded me of stop motion animation.

4. Do you think the visuals work with the lyrics and song style?
Yes.

5. Anything you like? dislike? why?
The only thing i'd say is, i was waiting for something to happen, perhaps movement or progression in a story in the pictures on the projections. But if this was made specifically in this way as an artistic choice, then i think it works really well and it's a good expression of the song and lyrics.


{Lauren Elisabeth}
1. I really liked it, it seems abstract. I like how the background moves to the music, not the person. Only improvement i can think of would be to have a few more changes in pattern and style to keep the audience interested.

2. It works successfully but it challenges mainstream music videos as they are more about the person, they mostly show a narrative and they just sell the artist, rather than the music.

3. I cant think of any

4. Yeah it flows well.

5. I like it all, caught you giggling though ;)




My Thoughts.


From the reaction I have received from a small audience overall I am happy, I understand the confusion about a music video without mining but my audience also seem to understand it's an artistic take on a music video saying this; I think I will edit mining in as it is an interregnal part of a music video and by having some mining my audience will be wider.

Finished Media Pack

CD Covers

When thinking about cv covers after creating my music video the most appropriate way of creating the imagery for these was to use screen shots from my videos created and to make my media packs from these.

These were all the developing CD covers I created, I like all the covers but I felt as if they weren't bright enough to reflect the music video or the song, which was something I definitely wanted to evoke through the media pack. I like the eyes covered of the character with a bar, like a criminal almost. I think it makes the CD look enticing and mysterious as well as making the character appeal to a wider variety of people as the main facial features aren't able to be seen.

Finished music video.

mcr summetimea from Bianca Klaric on Vimeo.

Above is my finished music video, I decided to used just the still shots with a mix of visual effects projected, I really enjoyed making this video and when in editing slowed all the shots down by 20% to make all the blinks of the character and all movements more profound and obvious; this is important because the audience will be focused on the character the movements of light across her face and body.

Projection Based Filming. (Looking at Conceptual Based Music Videos)

After evaluating how much work I had done towards my original music video idea I felt as if it was half-hearted and didn't have enough of my own artistic abilities or ideas involved, after assessing what I had done thus far, I began looking into projection art and how projections can be used to create visually pleasing effecting in video, a music video with an artistically based idea rather than a traditional conventional film is something I like, pushing the ideology of music videos into something thats more stylistic and individual rather than a protagonist based story music video.



Above is the original music video that triggered this idea of projection and a more artistic approach to the project brief.

Sticking with the same music and the same lyrics I began looking into the deeper meanings of the lyrics; lights are an interregnal part of the lyrics and the characters relationship in the lyrics and thought that using projection based imagery would compliment the idea behind this as well as this in my audience research many people related pop punk music with drugs and drug use, being able to use more art based projections links into this idea of 'tripping,' and the idea of escapism.

After realising this was an obtainable idea I started looking at based film websites and found this -> http://www.vimeo.com/user489966 profile of a video artistic who creates pattern for projection displays and began to play with the idea of using these. Once I had a chosen film to use in the projection I then began to play with the idea of mined and no mined lyrics personally, I preferred the non mined as it makes the audience focus on the character and the patterns around her.
Below are all the test shots and shots sped up to the music to give an initial feeling of the film and how it would look.

http://www.vimeo.com/23020592

Videos that sparked my idea towards projection and conceptual based music videos;



Matta - Release The Freq from Kim Holm on Vimeo.

I love feeling of the video, the visual don't link to the type of music or the lyrics but I feel it works. The way such tranquil animals against the music that is so upbeat, with a high tempo. I like the edits added on top of the initial visuals making this music video feel almost like a video game rather than a music based product. I like the conceptual idea behind this video.



Hermanos Inglesos feat. MeMe - Wanderland from Kristof Luyckx on Vimeo.

This is an animated music video full of humour and colours, I don't like the idea of animation or the type of animation but I do like the colours and flow of the music video. I love the way pattern is included throughout the music video as well, definitely something I want too include; thus why I would wanted to use such detailed patterned projections.


Moullinex - Catalina from Moullinex on Vimeo.

I like the completely digital created music video, I like the contrast between the stark background and the animated video like images, which also go to the beat, something I think is important in any and every music video, conventional or conceptual, the images and visuals need to match the beat of the music and needs to show the audience the rhythm of the song. I believe this music video does this extremely well.


let yourself feel. from Esteban Diácono on Vimeo.




Moullinex - Love it Is Then from Moullinex on Vimeo.



Underwear by FM Belfast (Music Video) from Daniel Scheinert on Vimeo.



SCINTILLATION from Xavier Chassaing on Vimeo.

What elements of the album artwork and posters I have analysed do I want to use?

Looking at posters from Other bands.

Looking at Other media packs from related bands.

Elbow.
This album cover is made up of subtle colours and an artistic feeling, definitely reflecting the band known for their musical flare.  I like colours used and the way the bands name is the main focus of the piece and it's not completely obvious what the centre image is or means. The negative spaces in the album cover work well because of the texture in the image.

Tenacious D
This album cover has some classic rock elements to it but it also reflects the characters of the band members and they're tongue and cheek attitude towards music and the industry. The black gives a blank base to the image making the band members and the 'devil' to stand out and catch the eyes of either their fans or people looking to buy their album.

Evanescence
I love all the colours in this album artwork. The blues and blacks reflect the mood and melancholy feel to the whole album and band. The way the face is shot makes her eyes look intense drawing myself in to look closer and closer to the images and take in the smaller details. I like how the band name is included but in an area where negative space would have been.

Linkin Park
I'm not to fond of this album cover, there's too much negative space and I feel like the black and white are an overly used combination of colours and tones that are always linked to rock/punk music and this has become a bit of a cliche! I do like the blurred effect, it gives the image movement.

Deftones
I love this album cover, I love the symmetry as well! the textures of the birds feathers against the plain black background is really pretty but the owl has a haunting feeling about it too, giving this album cover a feeling of mystery and suprise. Though black and white are the majority of colours used the textured and tonal differences make it an interesting piece to look at.

I like the colours used in these 3 album covers, red is a common thread between all 3 although different bands the colour between them and the feelings reflected in the artwork links themselves to each other. There is a feeling of loneliness within these album covers. I also like how the artist names and album titles are visible and seem to feel as part of the art work not just as a naming method for viewers of the piece.

Analysing My Chemical Romance's Posters

A lot of the promotional posters featured on My Chemical Romances website and promo website are bright and colourful, gearing away from previous ideologies of the band and moving in a new direction. They seem to be exploring the freedom of their art form more and this is definitely visible in their products.

Above is my favourite poster of their new collection, I like the mixed signals you get from the poster, rather than being cold and unattractive vivid colours are used which also are used in the bands music videos.

Red is an important colour featured in this poster, this is reinforced by the word 'exterminate,' giving a visible and verbal reasoning for the posters layout and colours. The shots of each band member I find attractive because they resemble head shots taken by police, as if their convicts and in the story of the CD; runaways trying to fight against evil.

The animated feeling of the poster, the exaggerated hair and costume, though minimal adds a lot of body and meaning to the images, showing messed up hair and dishevelled appearances, something if involved with the CD's storyline, you would expect.

The elements of obvious colour choices against a storyline is something I'd really like to incorporate into my music video, by doing this a simple poster becomes a connection between fans, the work and product and the band, giving the music a personal, relatable feeling.

I love this poster so much! I love the way it looks like part of a scrap wall on a bedroom, a collection of images all related to the band, I like the way each persons personality is involved in the over all image and how I immediately feel a connect toward the poster and band.

I like the use of minimal colour involved and how the images though black and white really stand out, possibly because of the almost tactile looking staples and tape making the poster look as if it would have a texture if you were to touch it.

Though spurs and not presented in the traditional way expected each band member does have a vertical section of the poster, each member have a series of images that show their personality, horizontally all the images connect, the top line are all face on smirking shots. This both shows the relationships between band members and gives their audience an insight into their personal lives without words or moving images. Another small detail I really like about the poster is the way the pictures aren’t perfectly aligned or positioned, again giving a personal, tactile feeling to the poster.

Looking at Media Packs For CDs

My Chemical Romances most resent CD came in a variety of Media packs, a couple consisting of coming in a special edition box that either came with an exclusive bandana all featured in their latest music videos or the newest tshirt design. In the UK the CD by it's self was £9.99, the exclusive special edition packs were £18.99. I bought a special edition myself and got a blue badana the colour Gerard Way was featured wearing, I wore this to their concert on the 12th February 2011. The box the Cd came in featured the same artword as the CD cover and have a cut out area where the design form the cd underneath came out, this really gives the media pack a special quality to it and made myself want to buy it evenmore, it felt worth it paying the extra for a well presented product rather than just a plain CD.

All the colours in this media pack reflect the music and the statement the band are trying to make. Bright and cohessive colours are used throughout giving the CD an appeal to a wide audience as the imagery used doesn't seem to target a single audience, instead it seems to be created to appeal to everyone. It does have an element of dark imagery, but the spider isn't an expected coloured which would be a dark omminose colour.

Other Animated Music Videos

OKAY GO, is a band well known for electro pop music as well as their creative music videos. These videos really have inspired my own music video and the process that I want to follow to create my music video. Below are two examples of their music videos and how stop motion animation can be used in a music video. I also really like all the bright colours, the contrast between foreground and background as well the lack of relevance between the lyrics and the images the audience watch. These music videos are individual and have a sense of style and creativity, I personally really enjoy creating stop motion animation with card and paper images, perhaps showing a link between music videos and the animations shown in South Park.

Initial Micro features ideas.

COSTUME

I think costume of the characters would be clothes that look like normal every day clothing rather than trying to look overtly 'punk,' as this song I have chosen isn’t an obviously punk sounding song and may not relate to the stereotypes if I decide to use them. It's a song about love and I think by dressing my characters up as if they were 'emo' or 'goth' just would alienate them from the lyrics therefore creating an unsuccessful music video.

CINEMATOGRAPHY / EDITING

On initial ideas and thoughts I picture steady focused shots varying from medium shots to close ups to create an a feeling of intimacy between the audience and viewer, editing I feel as though quick fades and cuts would be most appropriate because of the way the images on screen will be lyrically driven. - at this stage. I think if the storyboard in it's final stages becomes a more fluid and image based video focusing on lyrics but not as driven as my initial ideas then more complicated editing can be used to create my music video.

Screen Shots from Recent My Chemical Romance Videos

I love the cartoon feeling again, the bright colours and feeling of aspiration through the imagery, this is something I will definitely use in my music video and hope to convey the feeling of love and happiness through my video.

Other Promotional Images from My Chemical Romance

Details Mentioned in The Song Lyrics & How I could create these.

(INTRO) Clips of video footage – a couple smiling, film throughout a day and cut images (drinking together, walking around) – balloons – birds flying from the ground, london at night – buildings – spinning.. flowers, driving, drinking coffee – clouds moving (sped up)

When the lights go out - Candles, small lights, the sunset, street lights, bedroom lights., night time in london, walking around together filming our faces smiling, holding hands, feet walking

Will you take me with you? - Hands held out, walking behind , questioning? Writing on a paper? Text message? Typing on a computer screen..

And carry all this broken bone – Broken bones drawn on skin, bones on a rag like a traditional bag and stick, picking up the pieces of the other person. Birds flying. Spinning images of london at night

Through six years down in crowded rooms - crowded streets, through school corridors, Kiss

And highways I call home - Bridges above dual carriageways / highways – hugging, walking toward each other, just filming of the roads with cars going across them – sped up ti create a slow exposure style image?

Is something I can't know till now – question marks – make from cardboard and have around characters bodies? - character questioning through mouth. Laying on a bed together smiling and snuggled up

Till you picked me off the ground – getting into a car? Lifting off the ground? Letting balloons go

With brick in hand, your lip gloss smile – brick in hand , new shot , smile with lipstick / gloss on – obvious, maybe smudged?

Your scraped up knees and – scraped knees – plasters? Knees in tights, show heels, feet walking in streets, knee height camera angles

If you stay – laying on a bed together looking above, saying lyrics together / in a car driving, saying the lyrics together – holding hands, birds flying, clouds moving

I would even wait all night – sped up filming of the sun setting of of the sky (hopefully catching planes flying and clouds moving) or filming of a house from the outside, silhouettes moving around – lights turning off.

Or until my heart explodes – cartoon hearts bursting? Blood coming from beneath a top?

How long? - time ticking?

Until we find our way – maps to leading to each others hearts? Blind folded and finding each other? - woods maybe?

In the dark and out of harm

You can run away with me

Anytime you want – These three lines characters driving in the dark, maybe stopping somewhere above where bright lights are seen and saying the words to each other?

Terrified of what I'd be – hands covering eyes, cowering in corner of a room?

As a kid from what I'd seen – kids playground? Empty? But everything still moving around?

Every single day – Calendar changing days over

When people try – trying to pull a character away

And put the pieces back together – giant puzzle pieces laying ontop of characters on a bed

Just to smash them down - ripping pieces apart

Turn my headphones up real loud – characters both with headphones on , saying the words

I don't think I need them now

'Cause you stop the noise and-- - taking off the headphones off and saying lyrics to each other hugging? Kiss?

(REPEATED FROM LAST CHORUS)

If you stay – laying on a bed together looking above, saying lyrics together / in a car driving, saying the lyrics together – holding hands

I would even wait all night – sped up filming of the sun setting of of the sky (hopefully catching planes flying and clouds moving) or filming of a house from the outside, silhouettes moving around – lights turning off.

Or until my heart explodes – cartoon hearts bursting? Blood coming from beneath a top?

How long? - time ticking?

Until we find our way – maps to leading to eachothers hearts? Blind folded and finding eachother? - woods maybe?

Anytime you want – character saying this?

Anytime you want – character saying this? - different locations?

Don't walk away (x3) – characters saying this

'Cause if you stay

I would even wait all night – sleeping, filming of the sun set ?

Or until my heart explodes – hearts?

How long? - clock ticking, calendar days falling?

Until we find our way – again maps or finding eachother?

In the dark and out of harm

You can run away with me – sitting somewhere in dusk saying lyrics?

You can write it on your arm – I love you, written on arms.

You can run away with me - kiss and then runaway from the camera

Anytime you want – fade out.....

What is the Song about? (My Chemical Romance - Summertime)

This song is about a couples relationships progress, the lead singer Gerard Way; wrote this song whilst away touring just after the summer him and his wife got married. The song feels personal to anyone in a relationship far, or near. I love the lyric ' you can run away with me, anytime you want,' it's a beautiful lyrics that's inspired me to create my own video for it. I like this song especially as it goes against the genre of the band which is pop punk; the song is melodic and thought provoking rather than taking about the stereotypical genre's topics such as drugs, sex and hatred. It's a song many people are able to relate to but because of the bands genre and reputation of music and this drives me even more to creating a music video many people can relate too.

I think that this beautiful song is about Gerard's relationship with his wife. Their reunion on the Projekt Revolution tour is where they began their romance and yes, it was summertime. Near the end of the song the lyrics, "You can write it on your arm" appear. During the tour, you can find pictures of the two on stage with their own bands, but they've got messages written on their arms that correspond with each other. I think they're a really adorable pair.

I've chosen this song because I feel a relationship towards the song and the lyrics as well as the meaning behind it. I love the images the lyrics create and the way its so relatable. 

Mood Board - What initial images do I think of when I listen to this song?

Thoughts on my Production schedule. When and how I plan of creating this music video and completing all ancillary tasks to a high quality?

• A music video that looks as if its filmed hand held like a day out, a couple, using the lyrics of the song as their conversation – include walking across bridges by 'highways' and other mentioned small details in the song. - I like this idea the most as it would have a lot of secondary narrative that would link in with the song and lyrics and could possibly create a great connection between the video and my audience.
• A mixed media animation – a great idea but to get each lyrics involved in the video make be hard as well at the editing stage to create something that looks fluid and matches up with the lyrics could be a massive challenge, but if this technique and idea worked it would be very impressive and I think would relate to a lot more people just because of the animation side of editing rather than sticking to the normal and basic genre. - I think this is the most appropriate idea towards creating a music video because I really enjoy creating video like this and I feel I could create an almost tactile  style of music video to relate with my audience.
• A music video following a person a bicycle cycling down lanes, using lights and close up camera angles to exaggerate the lyrics in the song I Like this idea, could create a video with one fluid take and small thing happen throughout the video.
• A music video with no characters at all, just settings? - I don’t think this would be successful in relating with the lyrics or audience. Because a video lacking narrative but used against a song with a very emotive and narratively driven story would be a confusing mixture of ideas.
  
  
  
  
  Imagery I Like and inspire me towards making my music video.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  All of these images aren't typical of the 'punk' genre but neither is the song I've chosen I really love the bright colours and the cartoon feel behind these images, I like would like to be able to create something that has a cartoon feeling but an obvious meaning.
  
  
  What is my idea for my music video and how do I plan on creating it?
  Production Plan