BLOG ISSUES

DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY: ISSUES RENDERING OUT FROM PREMIERE PRO, USING ADOBE MEDIA ENCODER (SIMILAR JITTERING PROBLEM TO WHAT MY MUSIC VIDEO HAD)

FEEDBACK VIDEO: THE TAPE WAS DAMAGED THAT I RECORDED MY FOOTAGE ON (THE FOOTAGE THAT I DID MANAGE TO SALVAGE HAS BEEN, FOR SOME REASON, DELETED OFF THE IMAC IN COLLEGE)

Evaluation: Conclusion

Upon completion of my evaluation of my Advanced Portfolio, I have hereby completed the project. Overall throughout, I feel that I have obviously learned technical skills, such as how to be creative, and manually control my own video recording equipment, as well as how to edit and colour grade my acquired footage using professional editing applications. However, I also feel that having to present my portfolio in the form a blog has enabled me to really appreciate how new media technology can aid in the creation, and distribution, of digital content. I have learned the importance of research and planning, much more than when completing the Foundation Portfolio, given the obvious greater scale of the project I have just undertaken. I feel that if I had had more time, I would have liked to work closer with the band, and perhaps have produced several proposals, in order to generate more ideas. Overall however, I feel that this project has been a massive success, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working through the process of producing a promotional product, and engaging in real practice, which is knowledge that is highly useful for my future, with a career in the media...

Evaluation: Media Technology

How did you use Media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

Evaluation: Audience Feedback

What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

> FEEDBACK VIDEO TO GO HERE <

Evaluation: Branding

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


> BRANDING POWERPOINT TO GO HERE <

Evaluation: Conventions

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

> DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY TO GO HERE <

Evaluation: Introduction

Now that I have completed the production part of my portfolio, I will evaluate all of my products, and the processes by which their creation was made possible. I worked on my own in order to create a music promotional package consisting of a music video, album cover, and set of magazine advertisements. I will first present how my product uses, develops, and challenges forms and conventions of real media products, and I will do this in the form of a director's commentary. I will then explain how I have successfully implemented branding throughout my promotional package of a music video, album cover, and magazine advertisement set. After doing this, I will go on to show what I have learnt from my audience feedback, for both my initial research process, as well as the feedback I gained after completing the production. Finally, I will explain how technology has payed a crucial role in the research, planning, production, and evaluation stages of this project. I will answer these last three questions in the form of presentations, as this will be as easier to present the information, as it will be to view it.

Planning: Profiting From My Product

My product is not a commercial product, more a promotional one. The success of it as a promotional product will however lead to profit, through the sales of the music that my product is promoting. The album will be sold on Bandcamp, as well as as a physical album (including free signed cards) in retail stores such as HMV. The link to the Bandcamp download is featured on my magazine advertisement, and so my promotional package will work to enhance profits made through music sales.

Production: The Magazine Adverts

Production: Creating The Magazine Adverts

In order to create the QR Code to place on my magazine advertisements, I used a QR Code generator on the Internet. I pasted the link, to the So Called Friends Bandcamp page, into the generator, and it created the QR Code for me to use. Here is a screenshot of the generator in action:

In order to create the magazine adverts, I used Adobe InDesign. The professional advantages of this desktop publishing package meant that I had a lot of control over the elements that I placed onto the page, and so could make my product look exactly how I wanted it to. I used the shortcut "Ctrl+D" to import all of the items I required onto the pasteboard, and then set out laying them down, as intended. I then added text boxes, and used the same font that I had done for my album cover, in order to continue the branding throughout. Here is a screenshot of the pasteboard, in InDesign, with all my content arranged:

In order to create the three dimensional effect for the 'So Called Friends' text, for both adverts, I duplicated the solid text layer, in InDesign, and offset it slightly. I then reduced the Opacity down to 20% which meant it was highly transparent, and resulted in a 3D effect. I also used the Opacity slider to make the solid bars, running perpendicular to each other, transparent. Here are some screenshots showing my use of the Opacity tool:

Planning: Planning The Magazine Adverts

Upon analysing the magazine adverts on my mood board, I have compiled a list of elements that I feel could be seen as conventions of magazine adverts, which will help when influencing ideas for the creation of my own:

• Artist's name
• Album name
• Album release information
• Strong visual of the artist
• Image of the album cover
• Information on purchasing the album
• Information on what is included in the album
• Genre of music represented by images / colours / fonts / text
• Tour information
• Reviews
• Quotes
• Links
• QR Codes

Research: Researching Magazine Adverts

In order to gain inspiration for creating my magazine advertisements, I researched into the styles, and conventions, of magazine ads. I put together a mood board, which can be seen below:

Production: The Album Cover And Inserts

Production: Creating The Album Cover And Inserts

I loaded my best 5 photographs, from the shoots, into Photoshop, and placed them each in their own layer. I used the brush tool, with the 'Clear' Mode enabled, to brush out the black background. I had the 'Flow' and 'Hardness' setting set low, so that the images could be blended together well. I also added still frames from the video, of the gallery, and of the vocalist, to the background of the album cover, in order to establish a sense of branding, and carry over the video into this product. I applied a filter over the entire cover, so as to neutralise any colour differences, before making a colour correction using the 'Colour Balance' tool, in order to gain the orange/red wash seen in the final cover. Here is a screenshot of the layers that made up the final album cover:

In order to get the same colour correction on the back of the album cover, I had taken screenshots of the RGB colour adjustments I had made to the Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights of the front cover. I then used these as references when altering them, in order to gain the exact same colour wash. Here are those screenshots:

Production: Shooting The Live Gig Photos

After creating the initial plans for the album covers and inserts, I needed photographs of the band in order to make them. I consulted the band, and they mentioned a couple of gigs they were doing at Live Lounge, in Blackburn, and so I went with my Canon 7D, and did some live gig photography. I used my 50mm f/1.4 in order to get correctly exposed photographs, without having to use a flash unit, keeping the authenticity of the light in the production of my work, and reinforcing the "Real" part of the band's brand image. Here are contact sheets of the best photos taken throughout the two shoots:

Planning: Planning The Album Cover

Upon analysing the album covers, and band promotional shots, on my mood board, I have compiled a list of elements that I feel could be seen as conventions of album covers, which will help when influencing ideas for the creation of my own:

• Artist's name
• Album name
• Strong visual
• 1:1 (square) format
• Listed song titles
• Barcode
• Label Information

Research: Researching Album Covers

In order to gain inspiration for creating my album cover, I researched into the styles, and conventions, of existing album covers, and band promotional shots. I put together a mood board, which can be seen below:

Production: The Completed Music Video

Production: 'A Rough Cut'

After making a preliminary edit of my music video, I rendered it out and watched it several times, in order to consider exactly what needed to be changed or improved. Here is that preliminary edit:

Changes To Be Made:

• More dramatic colour correction is needed, to enhance the video's visual aesthetic
• More footage from the Manchester Academy 3 shoot needs to be used
• The Academy footage should feel more detached from the Gallery footage (B&W?)
• More footage of the singer should be used at the start of verses / choruses
• Sort out the audience cheering audio at the end of the video
• Play with the scale, and the positioning, of the footage for the lyric "release me"

Production: Lighting Issues And Colour Correction

Sunset: 6:33pm 7th October 2011

Given the strict closing times, and schedules, that the Haworth Art Gallery work by, I had to accept whatever time slot I was given when it came to shooting the footage. This would have meant adjusting the plans for my video to accommodate for a day shoot, or a night shoot, depending on the time of day I was told I could have access to the location. Unfortunately, the only time that I could go and shoot the footage, at the gallery, was from 17:00 and 19:30, on the 7th October 2011. On that particular day, the sunset was scheduled for 18:33m which was dead in the middle of my allotted shooting time. This clearly caused problems with lighting, given the outdoor nature of the shoot, as the first take was shot in broad daylight, and the last take was shot when it was nearly pitch black.

I compensated somewhat on-location, by adjusting my camera's aperture, and ISO, settings, accordingly, in order to allow more light to reach the sensor, as the night drew in. Also, during the post-production process, I was able to overcome this issue quite well, by colour grading the footage, using Adobe After Effects. I used a combination of adjusting the clips' brightness, contrast, saturation, highlight levels, shadow levels, and I even adjusted the colours to correct for the changing natural light conditions. Here are some screenshots that show the effects of the colour correction process:

Production: Editing The Video

During the post-production process, I firstly imported all of the relevant media files (raw footage, music file) into Adobe Premiere Pro, and organised them into bins. I then added all of the raw performance takes to the timeline, and manually synced each of them to the master music track. Given the rather abrupt opening to Colder On The Inside, I was able to gauge the syncing process by expanding, and using, the audio waveform on the timeline. I then trimmed down all the clips to remove the excess footage from before, and after, the track start and end. Here is a screenshot of all the synced footage on the timeline:

After all the footage had been synced, I watched through each of the performance takes, and made note of the timecode at relevant parts which would definitely feature in the cut. I then starting making cuts to the clips on the timeline, making sure the most suitable footage was visible throughout the track in it's entirety (such as the vocalist for strong vocal parts, and the guitar for any solos, etc.). Here is a screenshot of all the cut footage on the timeline:

In order to differentiate the Manchester Academy 3 footage from that shot at the Haworth Art Gallery, I de-saturated each of the pieces of footage shot there, using the Tint tool. To gain the effect of the live performance footage cross-dissolving with the bokeh shots of the live gig footage, I applied a Cross-Dissolve transition to the footage, and then changed the opacity of the footage using keyframes so that I could take control over the duration, and speed, of the transition. Here is a screenshot of the timeline, showing the Cross-Dissolve transition, and the keyframes:

Production: Shooting The Video

Here is some raw video footage of the band setting up, and getting ready, during the video shoot, on-location, at the Haworth Art Gallery:

Here is some raw video footage of the band setting up, and getting ready, during the video shoot, on-location, at Manchester Academy 3:

Production: Recording The Song

Whilst the band were recording their EP at The Grand Studio, Clitheroe, I went with them so that I could use the time to interview them all, and gain some inspiration for the upcoming promotional project that I knew I was about to undertake. Whilst there, I took some photographs of the band recording. Here are the photos:

Planning: Risk Assessments

When managing the plans for the production, as well as making sure that everything was to run smoothly, it was also very important that everyone involved was to be safe. I therefore filled out risk assessment forms for each of my two shoots, and had them signed by my teacher. Here are the risk assessment forms:

Haworth Art Gallery Risk Assessment Form:

     

Manchester Academy 3 Risk Assessment Form:

     

Planning: Call Sheets

Haworth Art Gallery
Date: 07.10.2011
Time: 17:00 - 19:30

Manchester Academy 3
Date: 25.11.2011
Time: 19:30 - 20:30

When managing the plans for the production, I created a call sheet for the Haworth Art Gallery shoot, as well as for the Manchester Academy 3 shoot, and handed them to each member of the band, whilst retaining copies for myself, to make sure that we were all aware of when we were needed, and what was needed for each shoot. Here are the call sheets:

     

Planning: Equipment And Software

Throughout the production process, I will be using a lot of equipment, and software, in order to complete my project. I have therefore produced a slideshow explaining what each piece of equipment will be used for, as well as a slideshow detailing the use of specific software packages. I have included these slideshows here:

Equipment:

Software:

Planning: Props List

• Amps
• Microphone
• Microphone Stand
• Alex's Guitar
• Jack's Guitar
• Joe's Guitar
• Matt's Drums
• Matt's Drumsticks
• Jack's Cap (Haworth Art Gallery)

Planning: Storyboard

Here are my storyboard planning sheets for my music video production:

Planning: Location Scouting

During the process of location scouting, I came across the Haworth Art Gallery, who were more than willing to offer themselves as a location, free of charge. I therefore visited the gallery and searched for ideal places to realise, and further influence, the ideas that I had in my head, before producing a storyboard. I used my camera to produce a walkthrough video of the gallery, so that I could continue to consider the most suitable shooting locations, after returning home. Here is the walkthrough video, and some screenshots, of particular places of interest, captured from the footage I obtained:

 Front Entrance (backdrop for the band performance)

 Staircase (good lighting, banister, three flights)

 Corridor (many doorways, nice artwork displayed)

 Music Room (tall pillars, large room, empty chairs)

Corridor (good lighting, interesting patterned woodwork)

Planning: 'Colder On The Inside' Lyrics

Take note
Cause you're turning my heart to stone
And you start to believe what they say
I wear my heart on my sleeve for you
For this Hell you keep putting my through
It's too much for my cold heart to take
One more chance then I walk away
Have you put us down to lost hope?
Burned it down and swept it away

And we always know
That those staring eyes are cold
So we'll shelter again
With our hearts set on revenge
Just listen to us now
And we won't fade away
Or leave anything left to say
Cause this is make or break
For God's sake

Here again I can't believe
And it gets harder just to breathe
I'm praying that you know
I'm left here drinking alone
To mend my fractured mind
It gets darker every time
It leaves me, Colder on the inside

Take note

Cause you're turning my heart to stone

And you start to believe what they say

I wear my heart on my sleeve for you

For this Hell you keep putting my through

It's too much for my cold heart to take

One more chance then I walk away

Have you put us down to lost hope?

Burned it down and swept it away

So tonight you'll sleep alone

And dream about tales untold

And the memories not yet made

Maybe that will make you stay

So leave out the spiteful words

And I'll forget about regret

Cause for you I can forgive

But take note, I don't forget

Here again I can't believe

And it gets harder just to breathe

I'm praying that you know

I'm left here drinking alone

To mend my fractured mind

It gets darker every time

It leaves me, Colder on the inside

Take note

Cause you're never alone

This is the place we call home

Cause you're never alone

This is the place we call our home

So tonight you'll sleep alone

And dream about tales untold

And the memories not yet made

Maybe that will make you stay

So leave out the spiteful words

And I'll forget about regret

Cause for you I can forgive

But take note, I don't forget

Here again I can't believe

And it gets harder just to breathe

I'm praying that you know

I'm left here drinking alone

To mend my fractured mind

It gets darker every time

It leaves me, Colder on the inside

Like anchors lost at sea, it's where you'll bury me

Like anchors lost at sea, it's where you'll bury me

Like anchors lost at sea, it's where you'll bury me

Like anchors lost at sea, it's where you'll bury me

Planning: Interviewing The Band

Whilst the band were at The Grand Studio, Clitheroe, recording their EP, I managed to pull Joe and Alex over for about 20 minutes in order to get some information about the band, their music, and their audience. I set the camera up on a fixed tripod, and gave them directions just to speak to the camera with anything that they saw relevant. I prompted them throughout, with question such as "how did you decide on the content to use for the EP?" Here is the interview footage:

Planning: Copyright

Due to the originality of my artist's music, and give that they are unsigned, it is merely at their digression to grant me permission to use their music in the production of my promotional package. They of course agreed to let me use the music, as I was providing them a service, in order to promote them as an artist, and more so, as a brand. Here is proof of copyright, taken from the So Called Friends YouTube channel: