Evaluation Q1 Draft

When I initially started to create my music video, Digipak and magazine advert I wanted to ensure that there was a house scheme running throughout regarding fonts, colours and style. This would make my album easily recognised by consumers that have watched the video or seen the album advert. The three different products each have their own purpose and it was necessary for me to fulfil their purposes in the most successful way possible.

 

The primary purpose of my music video was to provide entertainment that would be found enjoyable by my target audience, and have a visual to match to the lyrics of the song. I feel that I have successfully achieved this aim as my video includes a variety of camera angles/shots, locations and a storyline that will keep them entertained and have their attention for the duration of the video. I wanted to let my audience feel like they had a personal relationship with the performer, therefore I used a large amount of close ups in which the performer made eye contact with the camera which would make the audience feel as if she was looking directly at them, involving them in the video. My target audience typically appreciate videos of a low key that are simple and modest, rather than over the top and exaggerated. I feel that I successfully accomplished this as I kept the performers outfits and make up very minimal and plain, and ensured that the settings weren’t fussy or over-elaborate but were instead relatable and tranquil. Also, by focusing on a narrative instead of a performance, it meant that the focus was on the lyrics themselves rather than the artist – therefore giving the music more credit that than the artist which is a common trait in the Indie genre. The narrative style I used also ensured entertainment from start to finish of the video as the audience would have wanted to come to a conclusion of the story which in my video is the equilibrium of the performer finally saying goodbye to the person she lost.

 

The sole purpose of the magazine advert is to promote the artist and the song in a bid to attract existing fans and also to appeal to people that have either not heard of the artist or who wouldn’t typically buy the album. This would create a wider audience base for the artist, increasing sales and potential buyers for future album releases. In order to maintain the minimalistic appeal that the target audience of the Indie genre appreciate, I decided to take a picture of the sun going down on a field instead of an image of an artist. Again, this maintains the focus on the actual music rather than the artist. The orange colours that were created in the image I took provided me with a colour scheme of orange and black that contrasted really well. Orange would connote cheerfulness and warmth which would provide audiences with a calming feeling and would therefore look to the album as an escapism from the business of everyday life. The main font I used was called ‘Moon Flower’ which I found on the website dafont.com. The font is simplistic however has a quirky edge which is typical of the indie genre and would therefore appeal to my target audience.

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

When concluding the purpose of the digipak, I found that it could be a collector’s item for existing fans, or could just purely be a CD pack. It was essential that I appealed to my target audience to maintain sales however I also wanted to appeal to people who would not typically choose to listen to Ed Sheeran. I used the same colour scheme and fonts as my album advert which made it instantly recognisable to ensure that it stands out in the music industry. For the front cover I used the same image as on my magazine advert which furthers the idea of being identifiable, however I took two different images for the inside of the digipak. The left hand side displays a number of candles placed into a heart formation and on the right hand side is a close up of a candle. In my music video I included shots of candles therefore anyone that has seen the video would be able distinguish the images. The candles represent relaxation and tranquillity which would encourage an audience to purchase the CD due to the calming influence it could bring them. Also on the inside of the Digipak is a personal message to the supporters and fans from the artist which would make them feel loved and appreciated. It also mentions other people that have contributed to the making of the album and had any participation in the songs ensuring that the music is the sole focus of the album.

 

In conclusion, I would say that through using a house style and identifiable themes, my music video links well with my ancillary tasks and fulfil their purpose in attracting and appealing to the audience.