Final products



My final magazine advertisement



My final CD cover



 



The link to my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUcfiVh9sg0&safe=active



Total revision of print tasks

Following submitting the first draft of my earlier print tasks, I  was advised to totally change the concept of them as the colour tones and themes just weren't working. Due to the extremely small time gap available to me, I chose to go for a more abstract approach, and not to include the maina rtist on them-something I felt would also work well. I therefore chose to go for a 'sunset' theme, representing hope and escapism-which are both conventional themes of a album that a artist of this sort would produce. When editing my print work, I chose to go for a totally different font for the name of my artists, as the one featured on my first print tasks was simply too old fashioned for the artist. Although i was happy with the font of the name of the album, I came into difficulty when chosing where about on my CD cover to place it, and in which colour, with the following possibilities...

•  Seems to be alot of empty space in the middle of the frame
• Quite stylish, more emphasis on the photograph
• More conventional of a younger artist-challenging traditional CD covers
• Of fcentre-reflecting the random nature of the songs presented on the album
• Doesn't seem to stand out very much

• Central to the image-highlighting the sunshine whilst also drawing attention to the clouds
• Stands out
• Perhaps too 'boring
• Too much space in the sky
• Too much text gathered at the bottom of the image

Undecided at this stage, I gathered a few friends around my workspace and asked for their opinion on the matter. Most liked the position of the title in the corner of the CD cover, yet agreed that it was quite difficult to read  in the brown colour. In response to this, I decided to keep the title where it was, but to change the colour to the same white as the name of the artist-also providing me with the benefit of giving a more explicit link between the two main text elements. I then applied a drop shadow using Photoshop  in order to make the text more noticeable over the top of a very overpowering image-with the result shown to the left.

Editing My Video Work

During the production of my video, one of the most major questions that I faced was whether or not to make the image black and white after all as I was not quite happy with the result of this. It really distorted the quality of the image, and I felt it was too dark, dingy and mysterious for the more hopeful tone. My most major concern, however was that it may be difficult for audiences to distinguish between the three narratives, due to the most obvious difference between the three being setting and colour tones. I therefore set about to work out what effect I should apply to the video in the early stages of editing, with the following results...

A just stauration-extreme black and white

• Too dark
• Glum
• Effects quality of image
• Hard t distinguish between narratives
• Although fairly conventional
• Fits tone of the video

Increase brightness

• Far too bright
• Could barely see facial expression
• But gives video a dreamlike glow
• Challenges conventions slightly-always important
• Prevents the flow of the video

No effect at all

•  Natural, easier to focus on the images and narratives
• Easier to distinguish between narratives due to colour tone
• Simpler
• Gives the artist in particular a more glamorous look
• More realistic
• The most conventional

Slightly saturated

• Slight dull tone, but not too much so
• Emphasis on glum nature of the characters situation
• Easier on the eye
• Dulls down tones
• Makes video and footage more memorable
• Best option!

Therefore, after some serious consideration and deliberation, I decided to go for the slightly saturated element to my video. The rest of the editing process ran fairly smoothly, with timing issues with regards to the syncing of the artists mouth in time to the track proving the most problematic. I felt that at this stage, the range and amount of footage I gathered was just right to ensure that each narrative was clear enough to understand  although some concerns about how 'boring' or perhaps not clear enough each narrative was did arise. Despite some minor hitches, the editing process of my video task was in fact fairly quickly done due the amount of planning I carried out earlier in my project-reminding me how crucial the careful planning of every element of a moving image text is.

Editing my print work

After choosing the more serious font for the name of my artist, and arranging my poster into the general structure of it, I am beginning to experiment with some fonts. I have decided that the style of the font representing the name of the album is in a decorative, sophisticated font, and so I have tried several I have came across.

I have decided that out of these fonts, the first is the best suited to the sophisticated style of artist, and I also really like the way in which is looks as if the artist bas written it herself, or perhaps resembles the sight of blood and thus evoking images of sacrifice. After applying the font to my CD cover, after using effects (mainly reducing the hue and saturation), I will submit the first draft of my print work to my teacher, and receive feedback to help me to my work before the final deadline. The result can be seen below....

Time management- 4 days to go

Although I am very happy with the pace at which my video was created and edited, and am working to deadline with regards to the timetable I created for March, I now have very little time to complete my print work, and with little experience in this field, am starting to worry slightly. However, I will work on my project over the weekend, and definitely will have it finished by deadline day on 26th March.

Initial images

After recently conducting my print work photo shoot, I am feeling quite apprehensive about the outcomes. I had actually planned to shoot from outside of a glass window, my artists face, with her hand pressed up against the glass. However, when shooting this in practice, light elements meant that my reflection was particularly visible in the shot-meaning that the shot was practically useless. it was then that I resorted to my second flat plan-including the white background. however, by this time of day, the sun was beginning to set and lighting elements were becoming more and more of a problem. I experimented with flashes, camera setting and different rooms to try to make the most of my situation, but I am still not entirely convinced by the quality of my photographs. I took 55 images all together, and some examples of the results are given below....

Ink idea

From the analysis of my Inspirational texts in the research and planning stage of my project, Ellies Gouldings in particular stood out for me-particularly with reagrds to teh back of the CD cover, which although quite plain in design, refelcted quite a confused attitude to the world and I feel qould be quite easy to replicate. Due to the name of my Cd cover and themes running throughou it, I have come up with an idea to create a back cover using ink and water. This would quite easily created, by dropping some food colouring into a dish, and using a seringe (or perhaps just a spoon) to place droptlets of water onto a whie surfact to tie in with the idea of crying and the white themes running on teh poster that I create. I feel like the "mismatched" nature of the random droplets of water would reflect the lives of those that the artist is singing abot (some problems of which will be featured in my music video). I also intend to include a blurred effect on the image-hopefully creating teh sense that teh spectator, or whoevers bview point is being depicted (should this be the artist or one of teh characters" is dazed and confused looking at their own tears. 

Initial ideas of fonts and tones

 

My intention for font on my print tasks is to have 2 main styles (as I found seems to be a key convention with poster advertisements and Cd cover alike). The main, more 'plain' font shall be in a fairly easy to read, simple and straightforward, in order to stand out from the rest of the image and emphasise such factual pieces of information. However, the name of the CD will be in a much more unusual font-reflecting the ideas presented in the video-perhaps something 'handwritten' to emphasise the personal nature of the song/album and perhaps hint at the frantic situation of the 'writer' who is experiencing troubled times. In order to find such fonts, I have visited an online font bank, and on for glance, have come across the following fonts (depicted to the left). Although the colour in the images, effects and other aspects will undoubtedly play a greater role in which font I come to use, and I am aware that i may just have to 'play about' with the fonts to find the right one-I am happy with this start, and am confident that the right font is out there somewhere.
With regards to the colours that I include in my video, to reflect the 'crying element I am most closely considering blue and grey tones, perhaps dulling and altering the image on each text to create a miserable feel, which I feel would reflect the songs and genre of music perfectly. However, should I wish to present my artist in a more glamorous light (something which I have not yet decided on), then i feel that pinks, purples and maybe a few richer greys would be best suited. Some examples of colour pallets are below.

Audience choice

In order to decide which CD cover and poster advertisement flat plan to actually create, I have asked 9 individuals (who would fit the target audience criteria) to chose which poster and which CD cover they would like me to create. It appears that they prefer the CD cover featuring the artist rather than simply a hand, and the poster including the artist with her hand on a window/glass. I have therefore organised to meet up with my artist this week, to capture the photographs with her in. from my film task, I have realised that it is essential to capture as many images as possible, and so therefore will aim to take around 50/60 so that I have a lot of choice during the editing stage.

Moving on to print tasks...(Flat plans)

Now that i am well underway with the editing of my video, I have started to plan my print tasks. The flatplans which I have devised (below) are conventional of posters and CD packs of their sort. I have formulated two ideas for each, so that I can decide during shooting (or even after) which development would work the best, and move on to edit this piece using photoshop-constantly reffering to my inspirational texts, key codes and conventions...

Day 3 of filming (Narrative 3)

Although i am slightly disapointed of how rushed I felt filming went today due to circumstances out of my control, I think that I gathered all of the footage I need during the editing process. The day started of snowing, but then got very bright as I started to film-meaning that lighting proved to be particualrly difficult to work with. Hopefully this can be dealt with at the editing stage however. I did actually gather the least footgae today out of any of my threew narratives-meaning that this will have to be made up for with editing techniques to ensure that the difference in amount of footage (just 38 items as opposed to 75 in narrative 1) is not noticeable. Now that I have gathered all of my footage, I can begin to edit my video, whilst also thinking of ideas for m print tasks, whilst organising shoots for these despite only having 2 weeks left untill deadline day! The links to some footage I filmed today are below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkeVLmEaUbU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVHhs03RF3A

   

Day 2 filming (Narrative 1)

I am particularly pleased with todays filming, with regards to the amount of footage i gathered, the varying shots and movement that featured in them as well as the acting of my volunteer. Even the weather helped to 'set the scene' and the lighting situations in some shots helped to create an anxious tone in the bedroom scenes. At this stage, i feel like this particular narrative will dominate teh majority of the video, as it also seems to have the most meaning and would be the easiest to create a clear montage of shots that would combine to form a storyline within my music video which is easy enough to follow. Some examples of footage are below....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmdFL35a56A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGU4Fnw34_w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnqmF0i9_G0

Day 1 of filming (Narrative 2)

The filming of narrative 2 and the artist proved particularly challenging today. Camera angles, and shots were all easily enough replciated from the image I had in my head and storyboard i had drawn out, yet physically explaining this to my participants and getting them to act one shot out several times without seeming awkward or uncomfortable proved more difficult than planned. I am particularly peased with the footage I gathered of my artist however, as I feel the emotion comes across perfectly. Over the coming days of filming, I will ensure that I get as much footage as possible (this was not as easy in practice today but seems absoloutely crucial). Some links to examples of my raw footage are below....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu2zYbP_Vec

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1qWa2UduyU

Time planning-March 2013

As March (and the deadline day of the 21st) approaches, I have unfortunately not actually been able to film yet, despite numerous attempts to organise sessions. I have therefore created a calender, and set precise dates, times and locations for filming and shooting my practical piece, which has been arranged with participants this week. At this stage, it is absolutely crucial that I get my footage, and film on the days planned to give me enough time to edit m products before I hand the first drafts in just before Easter!

Storyboard

After completing my storyboards, I feel partially satisfied in getting my ideas down on paper. However, I feel that in a practical sense, the shooting list that I earlier created will be of more use to me whilst filming, and that (although i will take both forms out shooting with me), I will not use my storyboard quite as much as others may. Rather, it has helped me to precisely envisage certain shot types and think more closely about timing, and crucial it is to collect as much footage as possible over the days on which I plan to shoot.