In my product I tried to keep to the codes and conventions of rock music videos and mush as possible, so it doesn't confuse the audience as to what genre of music it is.
An Image from My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade"
My storyline however, is left to the audience to interpret themselves. This isn't uncommon in real rock music videos such as "My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade" were the audience can interpret what the video means to them. So this is an example of my music video breaking a convention even though it's not uncommon, because mostly all of real rock music videos have a storyline that is obvious to the audience.
Other then the storyline, I tried to keep to the codes and conventions that I had planned to before filming. Nearly all the rock music videos I have researched have a narrative and performance and during the narrative they switch back to the band. These conventions I have conformed too utterly as I felt it wouldn't confuse and add to the overall entertainment of the audience. Within my music video I included the following: two sets of fast shots, archive footage and visible editing which links the narrative and the performance. Archive footage was in my plan, but having it in my music video does break real rock music video conventions, although again it’s not entirely uncommon, as its in "Likin Park - What I've Done". I included it because it helps to explain the subtext of the music video. The set of fast shots is a convention of music videos, because they flow with the fast beats and heavy drums of rock music.
Also, challenging another convention is the use of visible editing when showing the past and present, in rock music videos they separate the past and the present through the visible editing "fade in and out" effect. However, I chose to make sure the audience definitely knew that it was the past because there were many shots going back wards and forwards in time. There for only using the "fade in and out" effect may not have don't it justice hence using a grainy effect. This makes the shots from the "past" look more distinguishable to the audience.
Also, my product kept to codes and conventions by keeping the main focus of the music video on the main singer, Matt. As well as using a variety of shots from extreme close up to extreme long shot. By keeping to the codes and conventions I hoped that it would make the music video look professional and effective.
2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
Also, my product kept to codes and conventions by keeping the main focus of the music video on the main singer, Matt. As well as using a variety of shots from extreme close up to extreme long shot. By keeping to the codes and conventions I hoped that it would make the music video look professional and effective.
The advertisement, which in planning I had decided would be most likely to be shown in magazines (Kerrang!) and on billboards changed from a picture of the band to the main character in the narrative. Originally I was going to create a "HMV" inspire advertisement with the band on the cover. Unfortunately, Things didn't go to plan as the band was unable to do the photo shoot (because it was the exam period). So, after I had filmed my main character in the narrative, I created a photo shoot and from there the idea developed. I chose the 3 best pictures and decided upon the best one.
In conclusion I think that the combination of the ancillary texts and the main product fit together very well and link together through themes.
During one lesson, we were given the opportunity to give feedback to each others work. We had a questionnaire to fill out, which gave both quantitative and qualitative data.
All of the feedback came back as "excellent" when asked "How would you rate the success of the production in terms of the following codes and conventions of a music video?" This tell me that my music video has done what its needed to do, which is entertain the audience and that it has followed codes and conventions successfully. Also all of the feedback said that "From the evidence you have seen on the blog, how well panned was the production" as 1 - excellent. This tells me that my blog is well planned and that it doesn't need much changing.
5 out of 8 said that on a scale of 1-5 (1 being excellent and 5 being poor) my shot composition was excellent. However, 3/8 said it was a 2 on the scale, which suggest that there was a few things to tidy up with my shots. The same amount of individuals said that my mise-en-scene was a 2 on the scale, the rest saying it was a once. This tells me that perhaps my costumes should have been perhaps clearer. The audience feedback was spilt down the middle when rating my editing. Half said that it was 1/5 on the scale, the other said 2/5. So I went back to my music video and tidied up my production by making sure that the transitions were where they were mean to be. That there weren't too little/many transitions and that it all flowed together. All the audience agreed that the quality of the music was excellent and that my use of fonts/texts was also 1 on the scale.
When asks the question "would you say the production showed evidence of:" all the feedback came back as "High Imagination & Creative Flair". I can't get better then that, which I was very happy indeed with.
However when the question "how could the production be improved?" was asked all answered that they didn't understand the storyline in parts of the music video. This wasn't intentional, I had tried to keep the storyline as broad as possible so the audience could read into it and interpret it how they like. Although one did say that "didn't understand the story, but it suits the song" this is because the lyrics, like the music video, are quite board and can be interpreted in different ways. The individual also said that it suited the genre as the rock genre can get quite abstract and random at times so it suits my chosen genre. Although it has shown me that audiences prefer to have a clear cut storyline, so that they can relate to the music or to help understand the lyrics. Rather then interpret the music video themselves.
4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Planning
The first media technology I used was when we created a blog at www.blogger.com and then designed and created templates, choosing colour preferences. Using this blog I published (by creating posts and writing directly online) all my research findings from then forth. To research music genres, documentaries and short films I used a variety of different websites. In the research I included clips from "Youtube" (which I embedded into the posts) and imported JPEG images from "Google" to help to illustrate and highlight ideas. Also, I included snapshots from certain music video I had research. This gave my work the professional touch.
Construction
A mini DV camcorder
During the construction of the main product I used a variety of different media technologies. I borrowed the college’s mini DV cameras and purchased my own tapes for the recording of the film. The digital cameras themselves helped me to achieve a variety for different shops including a pull focus on my main characters eyes. After the actual filming had taken place I then used the college’s Apple PC’s and a software called “Final Cut Pro” to log and capture my footage, which then allowed me to place the footage in a timeline. The software allowed me to use a range of transitions and effects to add to the footage. Such as the effect that looked like my footage was aged and the cross cutting transition used when my main character was walking through and arboretum. Once the footage was placed, I uploaded the music MP3 file from my USB and placed onto the timeline. Lastly, I created conventional titles using “Lifetype 2”.
Print Artifacts (Ancillary Texts)
The front of the album cover
The back cover has all the record company logos on, bar code and the copyright details. Using "Adobe Photoshop" again I modified my original picture to bring out the vibrant colours of the poppy.The advertisement for the music video, I had a photo shoot with the main character. Here are a couple of shots that were selected for possible backgrounds.
emphasize the different colours in the picture. Adding a gradient filter, that looks like a dark shadow from the middle to the bottom of the photo. This also emphasized the colours in the picture, especially the "halo". I did this all in "Adobe Photoshop", where I had imported the images from my USB into.I'd decided to follow the confection of rock styles for the text. As I used plain simple font that only used capital letters. I also placed the name of the band above the name of the album and sizing the band name larger the album name. This is so that my audience can identify that the style is that of a rock album. To look professional, I added a critic’s view from NME, 4 stars which shows anybody whom hasn't heard “30 Seconds To Mars's” work they'll know they come highly recommended. In order for the audience to know where to purchase the album I added an “iTunes” logo (from "Goolge") and "available to download" so that my audience know where to get the album.
Also, adding the iTunes logo and "available to download" so that my audience know where to get the album.
Print artifact - advertisement final design
Evaluation
For the evaluation I typed up all my work in "Microsoft Word" and from there copied and pasted it straight onto "Blogger". I did this so I could keep track of the spelling and keep the presentation neat. After pasting my work I added "still images" from the music video and copies of my ancillary texts. I got the "still images" by creating a freeze frame in "Final Cut Pro" and importing in order to highlight and illustrate key points made.
is my CD cover for "A Beautiful Lie" by 30 Seconds To Mars. 
