Print deadline

Just a reminder - the deadline is now on 5th December to make up for the day we'll miss this Wednesday.

You should be putting work in progress on your blog and on your Facebook group for audience responses. It all looks good so far, but don't forget the details that will help increase your marks.

Good luck.

Print research

Print research:

You need to look at 2 or 3 digipacks and 2 or 3 magazine adverts, in the genre you’re going to work in.

What are the significant elements in the digipacks and adverts? Comment on:

• Use of images – what is connoted by the angle, shot type, mise en scene, lighting etc.? How does this use or challenge the conventions of the genre? How does it contribute to the creation or reinforcement of a star image?

• Use of font and layout - how does this use or challenge the conventions of the genre? How does it contribute to the creation or reinforcement of a star image?


• Use of detail – e.g. copyright, thanks, critics quotes, release date, i-Tunes link .... make a list of important details you want to feature in your print work.

• Size of advert – quarter, half, full or double page? Why?

• Who are the target audience and what elements are likely to appeal to them?


You should also look at:

• Redundancy and entropy – how redundant or entropic is the advert/digipack? Is this appropriate for the genre and target audience?

You could also comment on this question:

• How useful are digipack covers and print adverts when most people download their music and do their reading online? Why is it still important to have appealing and appropriate print work, as well as a music video, as part of a marketing package




Key words: you should be using all these words in your print research

audience genre star redundant entropic


connotation anchorage font layout colour costume


make-up lighting props setting lighting shot type
angle detail

Print brief

A2 Media Studies

Print Research Deadline: 11/11/11
Print Production Deadline: 02/12/11

Print production work must be created individually.

You should now be in a position to start your print production work. This is worth 20% of the coursework mark (10% of the A2, 5% of your A-Level)

Prior to production you should have should have:
• Researched some existing print work (deadline – 11/11/11)
• Created a mock up of a digipack to practice your skills (last summer)
• Explored digipack templates
• Pitched your video idea and so have an idea of the visual style you’ll use.

There are two print tasks:
1. Cover for a digipack release of the music video you’ve made and CD track of the song you used. You will need to create a minimum of four ‘panes’: front of digipack, rear of digipack, inside cover front and inside cover rear. (A digipack is a CD release with special features such as a video clip – it usually has folded cardboard rather than plastic packaging).





2. A magazine advert for the digipack.

• You need to decide how big the advert is – full page,half page, or quarter. (You may need to consider the position of the artist in the marketplace and the target audience here – would an indie/folk artist be able to afford a full page advert?)
• Ideally you would not simply re-use the photo from the digipak, but rework the imagery and photography in some way. I

Along with your video, this will make up a promotions ‘package’, so all your work will need to be similar in visual theme and recognisable as promoting the same artist.



Good marks come from:
• Using a recognisable ‘house style’ which is appropriate for genre/audience
• Paying attention to detail – e.g. including credits and record label logos
• Taking a range of good quality photos and not repeatedly using the same one.


Some A and B grade examples from last year:

http://leahdennisona2mediastudies.blogspot.com/2010/12/finished-moodboard.html

http://jessmediaa2.blogspot.com/2010/12/print-production-final-digipak-full.html

http://staceya2media.blogspot.com/2010/12/final-digipak-for-tiffany-queen.html



C grade:

http://stefansmediaa2.blogspot.com/2010/01/cd-digipack.html

http://chloea2media.blogspot.com/2010/01/final-digipack-cover.html

http://chloea2media.blogspot.com/2010/01/final-magazine-advert.html



D and E grades:

http://3rffffhfhgg.blogspot.com/2010/01/digipak-cover-cd.html

http://3rffffhfhgg.blogspot.com/2010/01/cd-advert.html

http://emilyjane-a2.blogspot.com/2010/01/advert.html



Research

You will need a blog post analysing some existing products. Look at 2 or 3 CD covers and 2 or 3 magazine adverts, preferably from a similar genre to your own. How are these covers constructing/maintaining a brand image? How are they likely to appeal to their target audiences?
Look at your own CDs or go to these links.
http://www.stpaulsgallery.com/
http://rockpopgallery.com/items/cd-album-cover-art/list.htm?1=1
You can also go here: http://www.allcdcovers.com/ to look up specific artists – this site also has backs and insides.
Look at music magazines to find adverts, or try a google image search.


- Make use of the 'theories' of media language and genre in your analysis.

Blog Check for November

Blog check: 1st November
These should all be on all your blogs, not just on the blog of one group member. You might have other posts too – don’t take things off your blog just because they aren’t on this list.
Please title your posts very clearly. To rearrange your blog: go to view blog, click the pencil icon to edit post, click the post options button, change the date of publication.
At this stage, you get marks for: research and planning. Please make sure all your blog title posts so far include the word research, the word planning, or both.
1. Introductory post – briefly describe this year’s coursework – you could now add who you’re working with and which song you’re using.

2. Busted planning – storyboard, shot list, casting, health and safety etc.

3. Lip synch and Busted video – embedded and working.

4. Analysis of your own skills and weaknesses during the Busted and lip synch video – discuss what you have learned and what you need to improve on in terms of planning, organising, filming and editing.

5. NEW: quick intro to the ideas of Andrew Goodwin – you could paste some relevant bits from this presentation and introduce it briefly in your own words.
http://www.slideshare.net/katewolstenholme/andrew-goodwin-on-music-video


6. Video research
• analyse at least two music videos
• embed the videos
• make sure everything is arranged properly and clearly titled.
• refer to Andrew Goodwin by name
• apply Goodwin’s ideas to your examples
• refer to aspects of cinematography, editing and mise en scene
• do at least one of the research extension tasks

7. Creativity
• what is creativity?
• how do you rate your own creativity?
• examples of creative things you’ve done in the past.
• creative task(s) you’ve done in preparation for the music video
.
8. Copy of your pitch
9. Summary of feedback from your pitch and your responses to it. You should explain what positive feedback you had, and what criticisms you received. What will you do to address the criticisms? Can you solve the problems that the feedback raised?

Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin on music video

View more presentations from Kate Wolstenholme

Pitches

The Pitch

Task: To construct and present your concept for a promotional package for an album release to the rest of the group.

Guidance:

1) The idea is to sell your concept/idea to financial backers/sponsors. Therefore, it is important to be confident that your idea is strong and that it has been well thought through.

2) Use any presentational technique you want to show, tell and sell your idea/concept. E.g. Powerpoint, Prezi, dressing up, dance routines, drawings etc.

3) The pitch should last no longer than five minutes and no less than three minutes. (Pack as much as you can into this time).

4) The rest of the group will provide feedback - positive and helpful comments only will be accepted. Comments will be made anonymously.

5) The pitch materials will eventually be posted on to your blog and will contribute to the research and planning.

Contents

• Moodboard

• References to your research and how it has been useful to you. (what ideas did you get from it?)

• Theorists names and ideas that you have used to help develop your idea.

• Examples of similar ideas/concepts that already exist. (How will yours be different?)

• Logistical, health and safety issues (only rough ideas at this stage). How will you achieve your ideas? How will you ensure that you stay safe?

• Target Audience – a good, clear profile, revealing you know who your promotion package is aimed at.

• The song/piece of music you are going to use (be prepared to play the first 30 seconds of this.)

Remember you are selling the idea, so don't just talk – show, tell and sell!

The pitches will be given on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st October. THEY MUST BE ON YOUR BLOG BY THE END OF WEDNESDAY 19TH OCTOBER.

Good example: http://jodiepackwooda2media.blogspot.com/2010/11/research-and-planning-post-pitch.html

Creativity

Creativity

For the next couple of lessons you should focus on creative planning activities

In the exam there may well be a question about how your creativity has developed during your time as a media student.

It would be wise this week to consider carefully how you have been creative and how your creative 'process' has changed over the last two years.

Make some (brief) blog posts this week that discuss creativity. Simple and quick blog posts that you can use later when you start to revise for the exam.

1. What is creativity?

2. How can you be more creative?

3. Where does it come from?

4. What role does it play in creating a media production?

Creativity is a big issue in education and teaching at the moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY&feature=related

4.44-6.35

13.08-14.00

Creativity depends on ….

Creativity is …

Do you agree?

Being more creative – a how to guide...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPC8e-Jk5uw&feature=fvw

Do you think this makes you more creative?

Is it as simple as this?

Creative things to do this week...

1) Listen to your song and generate (draw, photograph, copy etc etc) images that result from the process of synaesthesia.

2) Quickly film some shots, in rough, that you think would look good in the video.

3) Choreograph some movements, actions etc that you think could go in the video.

4) Don't just sit and blog - a chore – do something that inspires and makes you feel positive about your project – even if it’s wrong!