Evaluation Draft

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

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

The similarities

Throughout the process I was always conscious of the fact that all three texts were all part of one package, and the packages I analysed and the ones available in the market are evidently so, by using similar imagery, graphics and colours, tying everything neatly together.

The most evident link between all three of my texts is the continued presence of the 'star', as Professor Richard Dyer labels the performer in Stars (1979), who is played by Ciaran. His continued presence throughout all three texts communicates to the audience whom the text belongs to, having two purposes; it should allows returning audiences to identify the work as belonging to the artist and it should appeal to unknowing audiences and entice them. Dyer states that a star should be 'simultaneously present and absent'. This rule can be applied to my texts, as the star can be considered 'present' as he looks directly at the audience in my digipak, magazine advert and at many points throughout the music video.

Font for the artist, album name (Magazine ad, digipak titlecard-Video)
Star (Dyer) (All three)
Red
Locations
Black and White/Sepia
Serious Expression


 

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

4. How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Throughout the process I have developed my skills in all the technologies I used in last year's coursework. The most used technology throughout the process has been Blogger. I was much more confident this time having used the website last year. I labelled each of my posts and created a link list for easier navigation. I can now embed other digital technologies into Blogger via the HTML window, such as Prezi, Slideshare and YouTube.

To overcome the image formatting problem that Blogger presents, I saved all my images in PNG format to Google+ Photos, and in the case of multiple images, created collages using PowerPoint slides and then saving those as PNG files. These files were then imported into Blogger.

To film my music video I used a Canon EOS 550D camera with a 18-55mm lens, and at times aided by two different variations of a three legged tripod . This is the same camera that I used for both my AS Thriller task and the AS preliminary task, so I was comfortable with the basics such as recording, manual zoom and focus. As well as being able to set the white balance manually I could now change the ISO and the light exposure settings in order to get the best footage possible. For my interior studio shoot I lit up my shots
 
Another major technology during completing this portfolio was Adobe Premiere Pro. The editing process was a smoother process due to my prior experience. I was also able to be more experimental, such as using colour correction settings. Due to the large amount of footage I had taken during the filming process, even simple manoeuvres such as cutting and sequencing could get confusing at times. To avoid this as much as possible I desinated one track to very type of shot I was using, and made this more obvious for myself by naming each one. I then aligned all of the master shots I had taken, covering the entirety of the track, to the music track. I was then able to cut between them, never losing the lip synchronisation. The only exception to this rules was any inserts I had filmed. This method made the process easier for me, as well as allowing me to choose the best shot possible out of all of the takes and locations I had filmed.

I also applied some colour correction presets and altered these slightly to enhance the footage I had taken and try to achieve a more professional look. Also during the editing process I put black bars on my video, at the top and the bottom, to try and recreate the aspect ratio that many music videos are filmed in. However I found that the way some of my shots were filmed could not adapt to this and the result was many of my shots being cut off. During my research I found that although this is a convention, 'Somebody That I Used to Know' did not follow this convention. I believe both due to the video being so colourful that black bars would only this cut off, and also due to the fact that they belong to the indie genre and rvel in not following conventions. I too made the decision to remove these bars, as more of my footage was visible this way, and it conforms to the indie genre that Bastille belong to.

I also inserted Adobe Fireworks files into my video, for the flashing images warning and the title card at the beginning and end of the video, as is the tradition in music television.

Dafont is a font website which I used to widen my choices for my opening titles. I wanted to have the font fit the thriller theme and feel of the opening sequence. I learnt how to download and then install fonts to be able to use them.

Another downloadable technology is sound clips. I downloaded copyright free music and sound effects to insert into my opening sequence. Every sound, apart form the irremovable wind, I had to replicate, such as heavy breathing and branches snapping. I also had to source foreboding music, which took time selecting. Such sites include (insert names).

I also used social mediums, such as YouTube. I used this as a research tool throughout. I also learnt how to upload videos, which I did not previously know how to do despite being a frequent user of the site. I made my videos unlisted, a feature I only previously knew about and had not used.

I used presentation sites Prezi and Slideshare. Again, I was previously aware of these technologies but not used them. For my first Prezi I used a template and it took time to get used to the system but after that I was more confident. I used Slideshare to import PowerPoint presentations into a web suitable format. I had to learn how to embed these into my blog, whether they were created my me or by other people for research reasons.

Canon 500D
Tripod x2
Picasa, G+
Powerpoint, Paint
Fireworks
Blogger
Prezi
Youtube
Premier Pro
Photoshop
Slidshare
GIF

Digipak Final

Front:

 

 

Back:

 

Digipak Second Draft

Front:

 

 

Back:

 

Digipak First Draft

Front:

 

 

Back:

 

Magazine Final

Magazine First Draft

Photoshoot

Final Music Video

Magazine Template

 

Fonts and Audience Input

I looked for a suitable font for my Ancillary texts on Fontspace.com, and narrowed my selection down to five. I was looking for a bold, sans-serif font, used in all upper case as the band itself stylise themselves this way also. I am likely to use this for both the artist's name and the album name, as well as acroos both texts for continuity reasons.

 

 

I asked 20 participants:

• a) Which font do you think best fits Bastille and/or the indie genre?
• b) Do you think my version of the album texts should also include the 'Δ' symbol instead of an 'A'?

These were the results:

 

Poet: Bastille: Second Draft

 

Poet, Bastille: First Draft

This is my first draft edit, using only th footage that I had available at the time. The black blank spots indicate that no footage was available to bridge the gap.

Filming Process: Studio

Insert YouTube Video

Risk Assessment: Studio

Location

As mentioned in my treatment, I want to use two and possibly three locations. A field or natural setting. Something to contrast this, like a city or at least a built-up area. I may also use a studio space or create something similar.

Field:

First I set about finding a field. This was fairly easy as there are many to choose from in the area. However my final decision will have to take into consideration how far away my actor will have to travel.

Starting with fields surrounding the school seemed like a good idea. This would make giving directions easier and the possibility of shooting before or after school rather than at the weekend. Bethany, also in search of a nearby field for her own project, accompanied me.

We checked out two, this being the first:

(Insert images: At School)

We soon realised that this was an impractical place to film. These fields were uneven and would be very difficult to walk around and place a tripod on.The smell of fertilisers was not that great either.

The second place we went to, still close to school grounds, was more out of the way and as a result a lot more lush:

(Insert images: At School)

However, I was not after a lush, green look. If all does not go to plan, this would not be a bad spot to film as it is quiet, so I will not discount it.

I then continued my search alone, coming across this more dense area:

(Insert images: From last year)

This is where I filmed my thriller last year. It is further away than the previous two locations and may only be practical if my actor lives nearby. It is attached to a playing field and children's play park, and so could get quite busy at certain times in the day. However at the current time of year, getting disturbed by members of the public may not be quite a concern.

My last field location is by far by favourite:

(Insert images: Need to be taken)

This location is also not too far away from school and it alot clearer than the other locations. There is even a clear line of the horizon. The gound is a lot more even to walk around on. However the location is next to a main road and subject to dog walkers.

City:

I decided that I wanted to find a place in town with less footfall and therefore less chances of disturbances due to the public. I visited many places:

Studio:

There is a posibility that several students will be able to go back to the studio space that we all used for our prelim tasks.

If this is not possible then I will use the Drama spaces on site in school. This may be a more practical choice anyway.

Location Permission

The city locations that I am interested in using are all public spaces.

The field location that I am interested in using is commonly used by members of the local community as a shortcut or to walk dogs.

The drama studio has been booked out for the time I am recording by speaking to the head of Drama.

Props

As my video will by all performance based, there are considerably less props than perhpas a narrative led video where extensive set dressing may be required. I hope that having less props will give me more time to focus on the camerawork and directing.

As part of this performance I will be using a guitar, to be used in the studio setting:

A guitar is used in the track that I am using, and so the visual of a guitar makes the sound diegetic. Whether or not my actor can actually play the guitar is not greatly important, as I do not plan it to be a standout feature in the video.

The image of a performer using a guitar and vocals at the same time is greatly used in both videos and live performances. It's popularity is one of the reasons why I am keen to follow this trend. The more melancholic tone in some parts of my track also seems very fitting with this.

In terms of sourcing this prop I will ask my actor if he already owns one, otherwise I will ask for permission from a music student to borrow theirs for the shoot, who already has the instrument on site.

The next prop is a piece of paper:

In fact, card may be a more durable option. Either a postcard or greetings card size would be ideal. This will be in use when shooting in the city.

There are many references to poetry, love letters, words and related things in the chosen track. There are also suggestions of being left behind. Perhaps the persona is clinging to a postcard from a loved one or writing a love letter? I wanted to portray this subtly in my video.

As the meaning of the track and these references are ambiguous I also wanted to leave this open for the audience of my own video. The paper will never be shown fully, it is merely there to represent the related mentions in the song and perhaps suggest certain back stories.

Sourcing this should not be a diffiuculty. Perhaps I could use this prop to my advantage and write the lyrics of the song on it, making it a little easier for my actor.

Costume

I plan on having three separate outfits for my three locations. These ideas will be subject to change as I will need to consult my performer depending on what he will be able to get hold of. I will present my ideas to him using these moodboards I have created.

With all the costumes I have tried to stick to the 'indie' theme and releated dress code, very much fitting for Bastille.

The first costume is for the field:

The backdrop for the field shots will hopefully be during sunrise, and the setting will obviously be natural. I want this warmth to reflect in the costume, by using a mostly warm and earthy colour palette. The costume also needs to be quite casual, to contrast the next setting. This can be achieved by using fabrics that hang well and by choosing some oversized pieces, such as the jacket.

The second costume is for the city:

I want this costume to be darker and more formal, still conforming to the 'indie' genre. Perhaps a long black coat, a blue shirt buttoned up to the top and doc martins.

The third outfit will be for the studio...

Actor Profile

I chose Ciaran to be the performer in my video as he is also a Media Studies student and

Treatment

Conceptually, the song for me has connotations of death and/or remembrance. The lyrics indicate that the song is about love for another individual however implying that they are not attainable for whatever reason. These themes will come across in the video but no coherent narrative will be presented. The video will be performance based, the performer in different locations displaying an emotional response to the lyrics at parts and at other parts establishing a direct address to the audience.

In terms of locations, I want to use three separate places. I feel this will work as there is no narrative and so the focus of the video will be performance. One location will be in a field, preferably captured at very early hours of the morning to create a very natural and warm feeling. Another location will be in the city, contrasting the natural setting. The last location will be a studio, performing on an instrument.

Costumes will correspond with locations. Conforming to the 'indie' genre and associated dress code I want to create a more relaxed feel in the field location, with more casual clothing. The city location will be more formal and a darker colour palette

I want to incorporate a variety of shots, including tracking shots, close-ups and long-shots, always keeping the star image in mind.

Track Permission

Initial Ideas Brainstorm

Track: Bastille, Poet

For my final package I have decided to use the track 'Poet', by the British band Bastille.

 

 

Bastille, stylised as BΔSTILLE, belong to the indie pop, rock and electronica genres. [1] The band's front man Daniel Campbell 'Dan' Smith (thumbnail and khaki jacket) is the lead vocalist, producer, songwriter and founder of the band. [2] The other three members include Kyle Simmons, Will Farquarson and Chris Wood. [1]
 

The band gained recognition from 'Pompeii', the fourth single released from their debut album Bad Blood (2013). It reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, number 4 in Australian ARIA Chart, and number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also top of the Alternative Songs chart. [3] Furthermore, according to the Official Charts Company, it is the UK's most streamed song of all time, as of June 2014. [3] [4] It has become the band's signature song.

The band are signed to Universal Music Group under the label Virgin Records. [1] Virgin EMI distributes to the UK, whilst Capitol Music Group does so in the US. [5]

The track I have chosen in particular is from a reissue of the band's debut album, this time in the form of a double album titled All This Bad Blood (late 2013). [1] [6]

I chose this track as I liked the more upbeat quality it had, and how this does not make the song distinctively happy or sad. The lyrics also stood out to me as unconventional and dealing with a more meaningful song appealed to me. These blurred lines between the purpose behind the song adds a sense of mystery, I feel. I also thought that the pace was quite steady and the length of the track not too long, making the editing process more convenient. I had in mind before to only have one main performer, and although Bastille is a band, only one main vocalist is needed for this song.

Once looking into the song more I discovered that it has drawn inspiration from and based on Shakespeare's Sonnets 18 and possibly 81. Smith admitted on Twitter to a curious fan that the song was based on Sonnet 18. [7] Here it is recited by David Tennant:

 



However, more comparisons can be drawn from Sonnet 81 and some fans speculate that this may also be an inspiration [7] However, as far as I am aware, this has not been confirmed:
 

 

References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_(band)

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Smith_(Bastille)
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompeii_(Bastille_song)
4. http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-top-10-most-streamed-songs-and-artists-of-all-time-revealed-3107/
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Records
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_This_Bad_Blood
7. https://twitter.com/bastilledan/status/440157851190054912

Gotye, Making Mirrors: Magazine Advertisement

Gotye, Making Mirrors: Digipak

(Insert Slideshare)

Gotye, Making Mirrors: Music Video

'Somebody That I Used to Know' is an Indie Pop ballad written and recorded by Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter Gotye, featuring New Zealand singer/guitarist Kimbra. [1] It was released as the second single (single cover to the left) for Gotye's third studio album Making Mirrors (2011). [1] The track scored well in the charts in multiple of countries and became a viral hit on YouTube, with over 500,000,000 views as of September 2014. [2]

The video starts with pedestal shot starting at the ground, then feet and working its way up to a close-up of the artist's face. The pedestal shots upwards tactfully avoids any explicit content. The currently plain background has a pink hue to it, most likely achieved with lighting. This can be likened to the hue of the artist's skin tone, as he not clothed, and therefore the lighting complements this natural look as well as drawing attention to it. This plain backdrop also makes Gotye stand out as the main artist of the song whilst also providing a blank canvas for the artwork that appears as the song continues.

As the vocals start at 0:19, the camera has only just framed the whole of the lead singer's face into frame, this avoids any awkward moments of no movement and adds a feeling of flow to the video. Unlike other performance pieces, the artist here does not look straight down into the camera lens, instead just below it. This could represent his reminiscence, which is currently part of the lyrics he is singing. This lyric to visual relationship is mentioned in Andrew Goodwin's Dancing in the Distraction Factory (Routledge, 1992) as one of the keys features of the music video form. The eye contact to the lens is made at 0:29 on the lyric 'die', again a reaction to the spoken word in the song. This eye contact achieves the effect of a direct address to the audience and adds drama to the word.

The camera tilts very slightly upwards at 0:34-36, simultaneously with the artist raising his own head upwards. This is to keep the frame but also to add some subtle variety to the video so far, as a cut has not yet been made from the shot the video started with. This again happens at 0:45-47 as the artist lowers his head and withdraws contact, again a reference to remembrance in the song lyrics.

This long take of Gotye finally cuts away at 0:48 to a stop motion art piece just beginning, using a straight cut. The first vocal section of the song has finished by this point, and the instrumental break allows the story of the video to continue without taking away from the artist. A pattern starts to occur from this point, as the vocal sections of the song are provided with visuals of Gotye lip-syncing and performing his lyrics, whilst the instrumental sections are used to build upon the background art work. As the tempo of the song is slow at this point, the editing is not fast paced but has sped up comparatively to the 48 second long take the video started with. In the section 0:48-1:10 the average speed for each shot is about 4 seconds.

As this sequence continues, more colours and shapes are being added to the background painting. This is as the songs picks up its pacing and could be a visual representation of this. To match this, a closer close-up of Gotye appears, this time excluding his shoulders and the majority of his neck. This again is a key feature of a music video for Goodwin, as he notes that frequent and plenty close-ups are often included to help create the image of an artist.

The editing quickens after the closer close-up at 1:11, as the next stop motion section is split into to different shots, the latter only lasting a second. These short, one second edits match the guitar in the track at this point. The lyrics are also shorter at this point in the song, creating faster cuts. The stop motion also seems to be at a faster frames-per-second than before. The song is nearing the chorus and the background art piece is nearing completion, so this can be taken as a visual representation of a peak moment in the track.

The next insert at 1:30 combines the artist with the art for the first time in the same shot. The painting is reaching him and a wider shot put the art into perspective. This is also achieved via stop motion animation. It could also be interpreted as the artist feeling trapped, as the painting has continued to surround him as the song began. This can be further emphasised by the fact that the artist has not moved his position and will not do for the rest of the music video. Perhaps the painting represent his memories of 'people that he used to know', or even implying 'shattered' relationships due to the pattern featured in the artwork. The perspective is further helped as after the artist's left arm, his shoulder and right arm is also shown. This also contributes to the feeling of being surrounded. These transitions between body parts last two beats of the song each, adding a sense of rhythm to the video. It also contributes to the build-up before the chorus, like an explosion of emotion.

Again, the video goes hand-in-hand with the beat as the main chorus kicks in. The first beat at 1:33 is matched by a straight cut of the artist as he lifts his head to look straight at the camera. The art backdrop behind him is now complete, as the songs becomes more passionate, so the artwork was building up to this moment. A visual representation of an emotional build-up. The close-up shot of Gotye has returned to the same width as towards the beginning of the video, allowing more of the painting to be seen and creating some visual similarity between the calmer artist at the start of the video to the more passionate version of him seen now.

At 1:36 once the first line of the chorus has been sung, like previously, an insert of stop motion artwork visually fills the instrumental pauses in the spoken word. As the backdrop art has been completed the piece now begins to 'grow' onto the artist himself. This could represent his emotions becoming overwhelming, as he becomes more heartfelt in his vocals. It could also tie into the title of the song, as 'somebody that I used to know' has implications of blending in or being forgotten, which is what is being achieved visually.

The inserts of the artist at this point vary between the wider close-up, as seen above, and three more zoomed in version of these. This can be seen at its most effective between 1:38-2:17. All of the inserts in this section feature the closer close-ups and this more effective as the artist's emotions are accentuated and drawn attention to. This has been done at this point as there is more performance involved in this part of the song, allowing the audience to develop some empathy for the character. Pete Frazer believes in Teaching Music Video (BFI 2004) for this to be a convention and also partly done to the smaller size of the screen when most audiences are viewing.

The body paint has covered the whole of the artist now, engulfing him and making him blend in with the rest of the frame. This could represent his damage by the relationships he sings about, and also suggesting that he is part of the damage like the female vocalist believes. The artist's paint is slightly different to the backdrop as the colours are differentiated by black dividing lines. This makes the artist more visible when against the backdrop. Black eye liner has also been applied to his waterline, again to differentiate them.
 

From 2:17 onwards the camera reverse zooms out to gradually reveal the fullest version of the painting seen in the video. Whilst this occurs, the artist keeps eye contact with the camera. This reverse zoom reveals the female vocalist, Kimbra. She too has been painted to blend in to the backdrop.Kimbra's face has been left unpainted. Although her skin tone matches the backdrop colour, and her original position was with her facing the wall, I feel like this has primarily been done as it is a convention for female artists to wear full and bold make-up.

This full backgorund is infact taken from a painting my Gotye's father, just like the front cover of the album it belongs to, Making Mirrors. This particular painting also features inside the digipak.

Kimbra's vocals start at 2:33, as she looks over at Gotye. The reverse zooms continues as this happens. This is the most emotional section of the track in terms of acting and performance. An example of this is at 2:37-39, as the male artist inhales and exhales in accordance to the beat and as a reaction to the presence of the female.

A lot of facial expressions are used in this section to convey the emotions of both performers, perhaps more so than other music videos as the bodily movement is restricted. In the section from 2:37-3:01 Gotye conveys a lot of the performance through his eyes and heavy breathing. This suggests guilt. Kimbra's character on the other hand seems quite spiteful and putting the blame on the other person, as her vocals become increasingly passionate and her facial expressions quite forward..

Kimbra moves from her original position where she blended in with the background. This ties in with her more passionate approach on the argument and could also symbolise her freeing herself from the relationship. The painting could be representative of the male's life, and she does not want to be part of it any longer. 

The exchange becomes quite conversational as Gotye sings his part at 3:02. Before, his facial expressions suggested guilt but now he seems quite defensive. Whilst Kimbra looks directly at Gotye, he does not return this whilst she is standing right next to him. Instead he looks towards the camera and reaches out towards the audience, like he were justifying himself. This could be representative of blocking her out and not listening to her criticisms. This could be supported by her harmony backing vocals, as they could be taken as screaming or shouting directed towards him. A close-up of Kimbra from 3:21-23 sees her backing down, perhaps accepting Gotye's argument. It is unclear, deliberately, who is right in the situation. This all contributes to the fragmented narrative idea put forward by Pete Frazer.

The editing also becomes more fragmented and of a faster pace as the song reaches towards its end point. The continuity is broken at 3:31 as Gotye has turned his head right previously to watch Kimbra leaving, a straight cut is made to a wider shot but his head turns once again. This happens on the lyric 'know'. Seeing a repetition of this could imply that seeing his partner leave is something that has happened before. This experimentation in editing could also reflect the more quirky style of Gotye's music.

A wide variety of different shots are cut between on just single words, creating a faster editing pace. This is accompanied by a stop motion removal of Kimbra's body paint. She is becoming free from the male life and this is represented by this removal. They both share the last line of the song whilst looking at each other, which they had done done before. Perhaps this points to a brighter future that they have both gone there separate ways. It could also be more empathetic towards the male artists, as he is left with the 'scars' and the emotional baggage.

There could be some debate about the use of male gaze in the video, as Laura Mulvey puts forward and Pete Frazer adds to, however Frazer states Freud in saying that voyeurism is about looking in order to gain sexual pleasure. The way to video is shot and editing, the apparent nudity of both performers is not used for this reason. The video is never revealing or draws attention to this. Both the male and female are treated fairly equally in terms of exposure, and so it cannot be argued that the woman has been objectified. The nudity is more about having a blank canvas than to be sexually appealing.

References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somebody_That_I_Used_to_Know
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY

Adele, 21: Magazine Advert

Adele, 21: Digipak

Adele, 21: Music Video

'Rolling In The Deep' is (insert information about track and artist)

The video starts with a very slow forwards tracking shot, lasting only 2 seconds. Adele is not looking at the camera lens but sitting rather majestically to the side. A low strumming guitar beat fades in, almost like a ticking clock. A straight cut is made to a long shot of a silhouetted woman standing in what looks like dust or flour. This too is a slow forward tracking shot. The previous tracking shot featuring Adele appears again, just as the vocals begin. She lip syncs this, still giving no direct address to the audience. The perspective is helped at 0:09 as Adele is now seen from the other side, a longer shot in terms of framing but a more open body language as she is faced more towards the camera. Again, this is a tracking shot.

This is broken up by the first still shot of the video so far, between 0:12-13. An upstairs landing is filled with glasses of water. Perhaps this reflects the emotion in the song.  They are still currently as the song has just started and the tension is building up.

The tracking shot of Adele makes an appearance once again, this time framed in a close-up shot. This coincides with the lyric 'finally, I can see you crystal clear', just as the audience see Adele for the first time. This also references to the clear glasses of water, as a close-up of these glasses cut in on the word 'clear'.

At 0:18, a still shot of a drummer is seen. He is centre of the shot, making him significant, however his face is never seen. He is important as he is the visual source of the drums that kick into the song mere seconds later. The shot of the stairs is connecting the landing containing the glasses to the rest of the setting. It also plays an establishing role as it is quite early on in the video. The room Adele sits in looks very majestic, as does the room the silhouetted woman is in. This adds to the sense of grandeur and space.

A wider shot of the glasses of water appear at 0:20 starting in a still shot, then very slowing moving forwards to make a tracking shot, but as the drums kick in, this camera movement quickens as the glasses vibrate with the sound. At 0:25 these vibrating glasses are seen in a close-up, this time tracking backwards.

This reverse tracking carries onto the next shot, Adele seen from the door of the room she sits in. Then a forwards tracking shot at 0:31 of the silhouetted woman, and again to a backwards tracking shot of Adele this time from the opposite end of the room with the door in frame.

It is evident at this point that tracking shots will be a large part of the video, and in fact there are very little static shots in the whole of the video. This visual movement may be to represent Adele's emotional journey, as the song is about looking back onto a previous relationship and perhaps seeking retribution. However it does sometimes feel as though the tracking shots are overdone and could make audiences feel disorientated.

A reverse tracking shot lasting from 0:34-36 is one of the few times that Adele is framed facing forward. Adele never looks down the lens, and so the song is not a direct address to the audience but whoever was previously in a relationship with her. This is strengthened by the fact she is not facing forward exactly but angled to the right slightly. The room Adele sits in is covered in dust covers and sheets. A big, square white sheet hangs up behind Adele, picking her out and almost like a sub-standard infinity cove or white background.
In the form of inserts the silhouetted woman comes into frame more frequently. She is holding a stick which she uses to move around the dust/flour. This could be a visual representation of 'rolling in the deep'. It also adds to the dramatic qualities of the track.
The shots of the glasses, Adele, the silhouetted woman and the drums keep on repeating like this, more often than not using tracking shots.

At (insert number) the stairs are seen again, at the foot of the stairs is a pile of broken china or crockery. Perhaps this could represent the 'broken heart' nature of the song.

What is a Digipak?

Director: Nabil Elderkin

Nabil Elderkin is a professional photographer, music video, and film director of mixed American and Iranian origin. Born in Chicago and raised in Australia, [1] he is now based in Los Angeles, California. [1] [2] 


He has created visuals on a variety of media platforms from advertising campaigns to magazine editorials, artist branding, books, music videos and film. [2]

References:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabil_Elderkin
2. http://nabil.com/info

Director: David Wilson

 

David Wilson is an English music video director and animator from Wells, Somerset [1], currently residing in Los Angeles, California. [2] Wilson studied Illustration at Brighton University and did a foundation course in Art and Design at St. Martin's. [1] He is represented by the production company Colonel Blimp [3], a branch off Blink, an independent British production company and creative studio. [4] [5]

 

 

I found the director through the music video for David Guetts's 'Titanium', featuring Sia, from Guetta's fifth studio album Nothing but the Beat. [6] [7]

 

 

The music video stuck in my mind due to strange nature of the narrative, proving that a video does not need to be conventional to stand out and leave a lasting impression. The

From the one video it is evident that the director has a non-conventional and quirky outlook, but I wanted to see if this style strecthed throughout his creations and what other themes he incorporates in his work. Here is a selection of gifs for all of the other music videos he has directed, sourced from his website [8]:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also from Wilson's website is an interview, presumably shot during his time with the Arctic Monkeys, making the video not current but it still contains some very useful information. After he gives a brief biography, Wilson goes onto discuss his developed style, accompanied with clips form his music videos, up to that point.

From

 

References:
Wilson Image: https://twitter.com/hidavidwilson/status/445654725644410880/photo/1

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wilson_(director)

2. https://twitter.com/hidavidwilson

3. http://www.colonelblimp.com/d/davidwilson

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Blimp_(production_company)#Colonel_Blimp

5. http://www.blinkprods.com/
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRfuAukYTKg
7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_(song)
8. http://thisisdavidwilson.com/promos
9.

 

Audience Theory

The Effects/Hypodermic Model:

• The original model for audience was the effects/hypodermic model which stressed the effects of the mass media on their audiences. This model owes much to the supposed power of the mass media to inject their audiences with ideas and meanings.
• Totalitarian states and dictatorships are similar in their desire to have complete control over the media, a way of controlling entire populations. An example of this the Nazi propaganda film Triumph of the Will.
• The effects model has several variants and despite the fact that it is an outdated model it continues to exert influence in present debates about censorship and control in the media.
• A less theoretical variant of the effects model was developed in response to the violent content of certain TV programmes. Groups such as the National Viewers and Listeners Association took issue with TV output that was deemed to be explicitly sexual, too violent or in other ways offensive. Their concerns were for those vulnerable members of the population who could be corrupted as a result of such material.

Inoculation or Culmination Model:

• This theory suggests that long-term exposure to repeated media messages makes audiences 'immune' to them. Thus, for example, prolonged exposure to media violence would desensitise the audience and therefore might be more likely to commit a violent act.
• However there are many criticisms of mass audience theories, and one of the problems with the effects model, in whatever form, have to do with its roots in behaviourist psychology. The behaviourist explanation of human behaviour (Skinner and Pavlov) is looking increasingly hard to justify as we have come to develop a fuller understanding of the complexities of human behaviour, which is not predictable nor is it controllable. There are also the difficulties of linking cause and effect in terms of how we engage with media texts. The large number of studies that have been done do not prove the case conclusively either way.
• Other criticisms of this model centre on the stress that it places on the audience as passive, whereas newer models suggest that the audience is much more active than was initially supposed.
• Mass audience theory can also be seen as elitist. The theorists who are analysing the masses see them as easily led and less perceptive than themselves.
• A less extreme interpretation of this model is to note that the media, especially TV, can influence general perceptions about public events and social trends.
• This model, it seems, is something of an anachronism but it is constantly revived by politicians and social commentators when moral panics are generated around issues such as 'video nasties' and their influence on children, such as the Jamie Bulger case of 1993. Such concerns often try to scapegoat parts of media output as if these were the sole relevant factor in anti-social behaviour. This approach ignores the other factors that work as a mix to influence behaviour such as home, school, peers and social interaction.

The Two Step Flow:

• The idea of this theory is that whatever our experience of the media we will be likely to discuss it with others and if we respect their opinion, the chances are that we will be more likely to be affected by it. The theory calls these people opinion leaders.

Uses and Gratifications Model:

• A more recent model of audience is that of uses and gratifications, which suggests that there is a highly active audience making use of the media for a range of purposes designed to satisfy needs such as entertainment, information and identification. In this model the individual has the power and they select the media texts that best suit their needs and their attempts to satisfy those needs. The psychological basis for this model is the hierarchy of needs identified by Maslow. Among the chief exponents of this model are McQuail and Katz.
• The main areas that are identified in this model are:
• a) The need for information about our geographical and social world (news and drama)
• b) The need for identity, by using characters and personalities to define our sense of self and social behaviour (film and celebrities)
• c) The need for social interaction through experiencing the relationships and interaction of others (soap lives and sitcom)
• d) The need for diversion by using the media for purposes of play and entertainment (game shows and quizzes).
• A criticism of this model is the assumption is that audiences are always active. It does not take account of the fact that a viewer may watch a TV programme because they can't be bothered to turn it off. Similarly they might look at an advertising poster because there is no other around. They do not have the choice of a poster that satisfies their desire for a particular representation.

Reception Analysis:

• This can be seen as an extension of the uses and gratifications model. It concentrates on the audience themselves and how they come to a text. The idea is that the audience themselves help to create the meaning of text and this depends on their social values, such as gender, age, class and context of time in which we are living.

The Active Audience:

• Stuart Hall's reception theory suggests that audiences take either dominant, negotiated and oppositional readings of texts. It is a semiological approach because it recognises the importance of the analysis of signs, particularly visual signs, that shape so much of modern media output.
• Dominant: The reader recognises what a programme's referred meaning is and broadly agrees with it.
• Negotiated: The reader accepts, rejects or refines elements of the programme in the light of previously held views
• Oppositional: The dominant meaning is recognised but rejected for cultural, political or ideological reasons.
• This model also takes into account the idea that we can never consider one example of the media on its own. Understanding of one text may be affected by our knowledge of another, for example a tabloid article about a soap opera.
• Morley looked at audiences and found that there are clear differences in the uses that people made of the media in their everyday lives depending on gender. He found that men prefer factual programmes, while women prefer fiction. Also, men prefer watching the programmes extensively whereas women tended to be doing something else at the same time. Finally he found that if someone had control over what the family was watching it tended to be the man, often with the remote control in his hand.
• Still in line with the active audience idea is the concept of mode of address. This refers to the way that a text speaks to us in a style that encourages us to identify with the text because it is 'our' kind of text. For example Friends is intended for a young audience because of the way it uses music and the opening credits to develop a sense of fun, energy and enthusiasm that the perceived audience can identify with. This does not mean that other groups are excluded, merely that the dominant mode of address is targeted at the young. Mode of address can even be applied to entire outputs, as in the case of Channel Four which works hard to form a style of address aimed at an audience which is informed, articulate and in some ways a specialised one. Newspapers, too, often construct their presentation to reflect what they imagine is the identity of their typical readers.

The Ethnographic Model:

• The researcher enters into the culture of the group and uses questions and interviews to try to understand media engagement from the perspective of the group. What seems to be emerging from this work is:
• a) The focus on the domestic context of reception of media texts
• b) The element of cultural competence
• c) Technologies
• The engagement with the media is often structured by the domestic environment because of the domestication of entertainment and leisure. It appears that the home is not a free space and there are issues about finance for purchase of media goods, control of the remote, the gendered nature of watching TV and the 'flow' of TV that fits alongside or within a set of domestic relationships. So TV viewing may not be the concentrated, analytical business that some theorists suggest.
• The second area is best understood in terms of texts that can be identified as belonging to a genre that has gender appeal. For example, soaps are usually seen to have a strong female bias in viewing audience. There is a selection of competencies that are brought to such texts so knowing about cliff-hangers, the role of the matriarch or the fluid nature of character relationships simply adds to the pleasures associated with the text.
• Competencies even include the very expectations that you have for the text. The male preference for news and more factual forms can be seen as a feature of cultural competence because men occupy more public space than domestic space and therefore feel the need to be aware of the public worlds reflected in such texts.
• The third area identified relates to the way people engage with the hardware in order to enjoy the output of the media. There seems to be a strong gender divide here with computers and complex technology having a strong association with males. If present trends in technology continue then there is a real danger that just as our society is dividing along lines of information-rich and information-poor then there will be a further demarcation along gender lines. This explains why schools and TV programmes need to present positive gender representations and good practice that supports females and technological expertise.