Green screen

One of the important elements that we decided to include in our media product is the use of the green screen. This facility is available to us as students and as a group we thought that it would be a very good idea to use the green screen to create variety within our work. Also the use of a green screen is a very different element and will hopefully make our music video stand out and make our artist recognisable. 

The above image contain print screens of our footage before we added the image onto the background.  This was our first time as a group using the green screen element and therefore when it came to editing our work it was quite difficult to get to grips with at the beginning as it requires learning a new skill.  However I think that the overall image that we created was very effective and appeals to our target audience of 16-24 year olds. 

One of the elements that we would perhaps change if we were to use the green screen again is the artists costume. We would use a plain costume, this is because when it comes to adding the image behind the green screen the artists costume interfered with the process. We was not aware that the costume would have this effect as we had not used this technical facility before, but it is useful to know this information for the future. 

The images above display the final effect that the green screen had on our work. As a group we are very pleased with the overall visual look of the green screen and it adds a unique element to our own work. We also like how the artist herself has been placed in black and white as we feel these colours work well with the image featured behind. I think that if the artist was to remain in colour it could've made our work look less professional. Furthermore, the use of dark colouring throughout these shots ties in very well with the overall image that we are trying to create for the video and our artist. 

Audience feedback video

Before we completed our music video we put a rough copy onto Facebook and YouTube in order to gain some feedback from our target audience as we wanted to make sure that the video appealed to them and if there were any minor changes that we needed to make in order to insure that it is as successful as possible. 

Completed magazine advert

magazine advert

After creating our digipak for our artists debut album it was important that we then advertised the product effectively to our target audience.  The way in which we done this was by creating a magazine advert. Whilst creating our advert we wanted to carry over the same image that was used on the front of the digipak. We decided to make this decision because after researching into professional magazine adverts we found that it is often the case that the artist will use the same image throughout in order for it to become recognisable. 

After deciding on the main image to use on the advert. I then had to establish what backing I wanted to use. Similarly to the image, I also wanted the backing to be representative of the digipak. As a result of this, I used a similar backing to what is on the back cover of the digipak. I think that it was an effective idea to use this backing as it is still quite plain which means that it is easy for our target audience to read the vital information. However it still has a slight pattern to ensure that the posture is interesting.

Following on from this, we then had to add the information that is needed to ensure that the digipak is advertised successfully. One of the things that is extremely important is ensuring that we had the release date of the album. Without this information we would not be able to market our product to our target audience. Moreover, after receiving some audience feedback I realised it is also important to ensure that the target audience know where they can purchase the album from. Therefore I will add this information to my advert to ensure it is as successful as possible.

Additionally to this, we chose to include some extra information. One of the aspects of some of the professional adverts that I liked was the use of advertising some of the tracks that are featured on the album. I think that this is a very good marketing technique as it draws the audience in and the use of "and more" makes the audience want to see what else is available on the album.

Overall, I think that the general layout of our magazine advert is very professional. I think that have included the right about of information so that our target audience are aware of where the album is available. I think that we have included the right amount of information and it does not look complicated. However, as I have previously mentioned, the advertisement does need some additional information to ensure that our target audience know where to purchase the digipak.

Final digipak

inside of the digipak

Whilst creating the inside of our digipak, we wanted something that would appeal to our target audience on the left inside cover. As a result of this we carried out some research into professional digipaks and found that they often contain lyric sheets for the target audience to read. Therefore we decided that we should include the lyrics of Disturbia as this would the artists debut single and therefore would become iconic to her. 

The image above displays a print screen that we took from our music video. We decided for the inside of our digipak we should use an image from the music video we created to ensure that it all ties in together.

After choosing what image we wanted to use, I then had to edit the image on photoshop to remove the grey in the image. This is because we wanted to place lyrics over the image and they would've been difficult for our audience to read on a light back ground. I think that it is effective that we made this decision as if we left the image in its original format it would not of had the desired effect.

The image above displays what the inside of our digipak looks like. After creating the inside left cover. I then decided to create a disk impression on the right hand side. Once again I wanted all of the digipak to tie in together. Therefore I decided that the backing of the disk impression should be representative of the outside cover. As a result of this, I decided to use a similar pattern, however I didn't want to it to be exactly the same as it could've become quite repetitive. 

Overall I am pleased with the outcome of the inside of our digipak. I like the simplicity of the inside and that we have not tried to over complicate it.  However, If I was to recreate this cover I would try to add more colour to the inside. This is because I think that our target audience might find the inside of the digipak quite dull to look at but our reasons for doing this is because we wanted all of the products to fit in together and the use of dark colouring reflects the dark undertone of the music video.

Research into magazine adverts

Before creating our own magazine advert I thought that it would be a good idea to research into professional artists to see how they have advertised and marketed their own work. One of the important things that I found out whilst researching into adverts was that they tend to carry over the same image from the album cover onto their advert. This is an important aspect to remember as it links all of the products together.

One of the magazine adverts that I have looked at is for Arctic Monkey's album. They are a good band to research into as they as also owned by Domino Record label and therefore appeal to a niche target audience. However Arctic Monkeys challenge this convention as they have began to appeal to a mass target audience.

One of the very important aspects of this magazine adverts, is the artists name. It is clearly displayed in large bold font at the top of the advert. This is a key factor to remember when creating my own magazine advert as we want the artists name to capture the audiences attention.

As well as this, I like the colour scheme that has been used and how the white font is a complete contrast to the black background.

I like the simplicity of this magazine advert. However I do think that in order to be improved it could include some more information. Such as where the album is available is to buy.  This is important to remember when creating my own magazine advert, that I include all of the relevant information. 

Another magazine advert that I have looked at is by Jessie J. I chose to look at Jessie J because she appeals to a similar target audience to my artist which is 16-24 year olds. As well as this she is a female artist. One of the stand out features of this advert is the artists name. Everything else within the cover is quite dull, however her name is displayed in gold font to signify that she is the star.

One of the things that I like about this advert is that the same image has been carried over from the album cover. This therefore ties all of the products together. This is something that I will consider doing for my own advert as I want my artists image to link together.




Furthermore, I looked at the band You Me at Six to see how they represented their magazine advert. One of the things that I like about this cover is the interesting background that is featured. I think that this is an interesting aspect as it instantly grabs the audiences attention and draws you in, unlike the two previous adverts that I have looked at where the background is quite plain. 

Another thing that I like about this magazine advert is that the date of the albums release is displayed in very large font at the bottom of the advert, It also lets the audience know that the album can be brought in CD form or downloaded.  I think that it is effective that this information is displayed in large writing on the page, as this is the whole point of the advertisement. Therefore for my own magazine cover I will consider doing the same. 

Finally, I looked at a magazine advert that was advertising one of the Killers. One of the aspects that I like about this magazine advert is that it displays some of the songs that are featured in the album. I think that this is an important advertising technique. as it draws the audience in to purchasing the album. This is a technique that I will consider using when  creating my own magazine advert. 

Another thing that I like about this magazine cover is the overall layout. I like that the  bands name has been displayed in bold font at the top of the page and all of the crucial information is at the bottom of the page.  This is a layout that I will consider using when creating my own advert. 

Overall, there are aspects of all of these magazine adverts that I like and I will try to incorporate some ideas from all of the adverts into my own work. I think that this research was effective as I was able to develop a greater understanding of what is required in order to create a successful magazine advert and ensure that we add the right information so that to appeals to our target audience and makes them want to purchase our product.