COMPLETED - WEBSITE

WEBSITE HOMEPAGE: Here is the website homepage

HYPERLINKED PAGE: And here is the hyperlinked page

AUDIO-VISUAL ELEMENT: My audio-visual element is a 3 minute long music video using the song "Can't Stop" by The Red Hot Chili Peppers. It uses a VCR filter over it to link to the 90s theme that the whole website is centred around and has frequent cuts between different locations around the hall that I used, providing shot variety and attempting to represent the strange lyrics. You can find the video on the website by either going down to the file organiser element and clicking on Can't Stop or by scrolling past all four of the other fake music videos until you get to the image of a signpost next to a video.

NAVIGATION: Getting to the hyperlinked page from the main page is very simple. All you need to do is click the "Store" button at the top of the page and it'll send you right over. Also, to get back to the home page, click either "Music", "Tour" or "Images" as the "Home" button doesn't work properly and only brings you back up to the top of the home page when you're already on it.

NOTE: This website has various scrolling elements which should work on other computers but if they don't then the description of what they do can be found withing the PowerPoint below.

Website Evaluation

Whilst in my statement of intent I planned to add a blooper reel and director's interview, I unfortunately didn't get enough footage to create them and instead created a bunch of album covers and used various images (most from trips away) to create stills for fake music videos. Related to images, for the gallery section I chose to incorporate images from a variety of locations instead of focussing on ones related to the music video itself. I chose to base the website off of websites from the early 90s since I though the visual style matched the CTR filter that I used for the music video and I had a lot of ideas around the theme of a 90s website. I did add the social media links (not linked to anything) to the website as originally planned and I kept the website link at the end of the music video.

COMPLETED - PRODUCTION

Music Video 

Can't Stop - Music Video

This is my final music video for my media studies coursework and it's also available on my website for viewing if this link doesn't work.

Music Video Evaluation

Whilst the core premise of using literal lyrics from the song to create an abnormal video remained, I changed quite a lot about the video throughout its production. For the band members, while I originally planned on having Matthew Cornelius and Logan Sandwell as the lead singer and bass guitarist respectively, due to scheduling issues, I couldn't get either of them and instead placed Sam Bennett and Katy Bennett in those roles while keeping Edward Lavern in the role of drummer. As well as this, I decided against including the stop motion effect since I couldn't get it to look like I wanted and I instead settled for a CTR filter which defined my visual style going forward. I did include the link at the end of the video and I also included and shot which was a reference to an image I used for one of my album covers. While I originally planned to give the music video's title the appearance of a ransom note with letters cut out, I instead used that idea for one of the other song covers and went through various fonts until I landed on the typewriter font which I thought fit the style of the video.

PLANNING - WEBSITE

 Website Plan

PLANNING - PRODUCTION

 NOT ADDED YET

RESEARCH - WEBSITE

Website

List of CODES AND CONVENTIONS for your WEBSITE.

Music Video Website Inspiration

Electric Light Orchestra
I enjoyed the theming of the website and how the entire website stuck to that theme very well. Also, the menu that comes out from the side is very interesting to me and I might want to use it. The idea of having the social media links move with the page itself works really well for me and the simplicity of the website designs with the simple shapes and basic colours is very appealing.
https://www.jefflynneselo.com/

Red Hot Chili Peppers
The colour scheme and its vibrancy is very appealing to me and I like how it made everything stand out. I also love how animated and lively everything feels and the image choices and layout of them is very interesting.
https://redhotchilipeppers.com/

Billy Joel
I like the simplistic design and how it's maintained throughout as well as how the layout is very easy to navigate. The framing of some of the images and the image choice in general is quite interesting and easy to replicate so I'd like to try to produce something similar. The compact layout and limited amount shown is very visually appealing and gives the audience a small amount of what the musician has to offer and I'd like to do the same.
https://www.billyjoel.com/

Kansas
The website is very well organised and the image scrolling is very interesting. Also, the images match the sections that their placed in really well and the tour dates design is uniform and looks quite good. The way they made the history section look similar to a timeline is great and quite easy to replicate. The convergence is very good with the movie trailer and players tab and it'll be a great place to reference when I do my website.
https://www.kansasband.com/

The Rolling Stones
I really like how fitting the theming of the site is and the transitions work really well with it. Also, I liked how the black bleeds into the white background when you hover over a link. The rapidly changing Rolling Stones logo being used as the home button was very interesting and along side the pop up social media tab, they are both things that I would like to implement.
https://rollingstones.com/

RESEARCH - PRODUCTION

Questions to think about

1. How do the producers use mise en scene to construct representations?

Mise en Scene = Set, Location, Costume, Makeup, Hair, Proxemics, Casting

2. How does the messaging around representation appeal to the target audience?

3. How have the producers used direct mode of address?

4. What features encourage the audience to interact with the content?

5. What have you noticed about the way that the producers use space? Consider:
Lines, symmetry, shapes, alignment of text, size and font (typography).

6. What have you noticed about the variety of different shot types?

7. What have you noticed about the relationship between dynamics in music and pace of editing?

Production

List of CODES AND CONVENTIONS for your MAGAZINE, MUSIC VIDEO or TV SHOW.

Music Video Inspiration

Thunderstruck - AC/DC

I liked how they did the dynamic camera angles for their live performance, especially the POV shots from the instruments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM

Carry on Wayward Son - Kansas

I enjoyed that when the music was slow, the camera stayed pretty static but when it picked up speed, the camera movements got a lot more chaotic and jumpy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ZJui3aPoQ

Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

I like their use of colour for theming and also, the visual effects like silhouettes or the diamond shapes repeatedly moving towards the screen make me want to do something similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY

Friday I'm In Love - The Cure

I like the odd hectic nature of the video and the unconventional camera movements and angles. Something I especially like is how the background drops down in time to the music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGgMZpGYiy8

Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

The way that they presented the intro to the song as the start of a TV show was very interesting to me and I'd like to incorporate something similar in my video. Also, the text appearing on screen during the chorus is quite interesting and I may use something similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQUlA8Hcv4s

We Didn't Start The Fire - Billy Joel

I like how they combined performance and narrative with a unique surreal concept of a man living alongside a family that can't see him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g

Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers

The use of regular objects throughout the video in surreal ways would be quite easy to copy and the repetition of shots with the musicians doing different things in those same places is quite smart for saving time and resources. (Most likely going to use this song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DyziWtkfBw

All Star - Smash Mouth

I think it was very effective when they did what was said in the lyrics in the video and it could be easy to replicate if I were to attempt it. Also, the way they combined performance and narrative was quite interesting and I might like to do something similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_jWHffIx5E

STATEMENT OF INTENT

How do you intend to use the four areas of the media theoretical framework to communicate meaning and meet the requirements of your chosen brief? (approx. 400 words)

Production

I’ve chosen to create a music video for “Don’t Stop” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. The brief states that I am working for a NEW band so the goal of the music video (and website) is to establish the identity of the band. As a mew rock band, I want to develop an identity that is quirky and youthful (in keeping with the target audience) but that would also potentially appeal to an older audience as well. I will be using lo-fi visuals and somewhat absurd imagery. For example, I’ll have a 90s video camera effect over the whole video, most of the shots for the verse will have literal interpretations of the lyrics and the entire video will be shot in a hall near my local church (save the final shot which’ll be shot on the beach); this will allow me to make the most of my budget (which is zero) but will be justifiable in terms of attracting the audience. Adding to this low budget feel, the lips synching will be off in places and I will replace guitars and a drum kit with similar but inappropriate instruments. The mise en scene of the music video will all be designed to convey the idea of a youthful, quirky and somewhat unprofessional group of young people, wearing casual clothing that is entirely accessible to the target audience. I feel that the lo fi nature of the video will encourage audience members to feel that they can interact, evoking Jenkins's idea of spreadability to capture the target audience (see website / convergence).

Website

I will maintain the quirky and somewhat nostalgic identity of the band by theming my website to evoke the feeling of a website in the 90s. The header and footer of the site will be taken from internet explorer and will be slightly altered to work for the purposes of the website. For all images and text boxes, I’m going to try to make them look like computer tabs and I’ll use animations to make some look like pop-ups and also make the website more interesting visually. My objective is to make the audience put effort into navigating and exploring the site, having to click on things to find their way around. For example, the menu at the top will not have obvious names to take them to things like merch store, tour dates etc. This will force the audience to experiment and interact. Next to some of these images, I’d like to add some extra tabs to add more visual flair with some fitting the section they’re put in (e.g. the world map in the tours section). I will include classic elements like band interviews, introduction to the band and a gallery, but all emphasising how ordinary the band are, encouraging the idea of accessibility for the target audience. For my second page, I’m going to make it about the financial elements such as marketing their merch, tour dates and offering links to purchase music. The music video will be on the homepage, accompanied by an attempt to engage the audience by asking them to share memes based on stills taken from the video. This will encourage Jenkins's idea of textual poaching to engage the audience.

How do you intend to link your media products to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the digitally convergent nature of your media production? (approx. 100 words)

The video and the website will share a lo fi sensibility in order to establish a cohesive identity for the band across both products. The video will have an end card that directs viewers to the website, acting as a call to action, but most of the convergent elements will be on the website. For example, the music video itself will be on the website, but rather than simply be available to view, I will include section asking the audience to share their memes by taking and editing stills from the video. As already stated, this will encourage Jenkins's idea of textual poaching to engage the audience.

COURSEWORK BRIEF

 Brief 4: Music Video and online

Requirements of the brief 

You work for an independent media production company. You have been given the task of producing a three-minute music video for a rock song* by a fictional band/artist signed to Universal and two pages for the working website for the band/artist. 

You may use an existing song for your music video (this does not need to be copyright free). 

The web pages must promote the band/artist to its target audience and enable fans to interact with them. 

Summary of brief requirements:

• Statement of Intent (approx. 500 words).1
• Music Video: One, three-minute music video.
• Distribution channel: Content must be age appropriate for young adults from the age of 16.
• Number of web pages: One homepage and one linked page.
• Cross-media production target audience: A primarily 16–25 year old middle market audience that likes to be entertained. 

There must be a clear sense of branding across the two elements of the cross-media production. 

Production detail that must be included 

The production of the music video must include (as a minimum):
• Range of camera shots, including shot distances, angles and movement as appropriate to a music video.
• Editing of footage appropriate to a music video.
• At least two different uses of mise-en-scène.
• At least two characters representing at least two different social groups (e.g. as defined by age, gender, race and ethnicity, sexuality).
• Graphics/titles to include the name of the track and the name of the band/artist. 

The production of the web pages must include (as a minimum):
• Original audio or audio-visual content which may include material from the music video but must include at least one element produced specifically for the website.
• Use of original images. Each webpage must include at least one image that is different to those used on the other webpage and those produced for the music video.
• Appropriate conventions of website design, including an original title and logo for the band/artist’s webpage and a menu bar.
• Text introducing the band/artist.
• Working links from the home page to the other page.
• A range of appropriate media language techniques (typography, images, fonts, backgrounds, logos, etc.) as appropriate to the purpose of the website. 

* Allow any track that may reasonably be considered to be from the rock genre (including sub-genres of rock).