Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Filming schedule- Miss Georgiou

Within my group, we created a filming schedule to follow whilst filming on locations. This is in the form of a plan specifically when on set for filming the production. A filming schedule is extremely important to create as this can help make filming run smoothly and quickly. This planning will make filming run successfully, as this was a good idea for the process, we decided to make the schedule as detailed as possible so that each shot is produced perfectly and overall make the finished video strengthen.

The filming schedule should be extensive so that it can be read and analysed easily by any group member. This can also be linked to health and safety reasons as it is important to know where each group member is located during the production. I believe that we have completed this successfully and have made a realistic plan of what we want to accomplish.



Overall, as a group we tried our best to follow this schedule completely. However, aspects such as the weather can effect this therefore, some dates and times were changed. Adding to this, some clips were filmed before others, as parts of the video are memories therefore, the actors would film whenever they went out together through hand held camera work. Therefore, we did not follow this plan completely as some group members couldn't attend certain filming days and some variables such as the weather effected this schedule, the group followed this original schedule as much as possible.



Sunday, 16 November 2014

Risk assessment- Miss Georgiou


Before the group would film, it is absolutely vital for us to keep in mind any risks that can occur and how to prevent them. By planning this before hand, and discussing methods to help prevent hazards such as the weather, camera equipment and danger in locations, filming shots will run smoothly and will result in successful clips. 

Due to listing risks and then the preventions, we are aware of these aspects and have provided ourselves with more knowledge on how to protect ourselves and filming therefore, filming will run smoother and quicker and the group will worry less about any hazards/issues that may occur and will fundamentally, making our shots look professional and of a higher standard.



I believe that we planned the risk assessment well however, another risk that we faced whilst filming linked to locational hazards. As we were filming in London, we needed to be respectful of members of the public, as well as finding an area that would be low key so that filming would not be disturbed. After finding our location, Victoria Park, we needed to take the thick mud and grass into consideration as these elements could destroy the tripod and camera equipment. To solve this hazard we made sure to film on as much pavement as possible, and made sure to check the weather to overcome this.

Wednesday, 12 November 2014

Planning Digipak- Miss Miller

A digipak is presented in the style of a book, with paperboard/cardboard outer binding including one or more plastic trays for the CD. This style became popular in the 2000s and is often used for special edition albums. A jewel CD case is the original disc case, that consists of three pieces of plastic and includes a plastic tray for the CD. Most of the detail is on the cover and the back, with song titles listed. Below is a listed comparison of both types. 

A digipak provides the fans with more information from the artist, for example a personal fan message which overall enhances the fan/artist bond, which is another positive factor. Digipaks are also unique and more attractive as there are featured bonus tracks and the use of higher quality images.

A jewel CD case is argued to be more traditional and durable because of the plastic sides. Due to this, a CD is quicker and easier to make and is cheaper to buy in stores. This type of casing is also easier to store and the booklets won't bend inside. Lastly, CDs are a better option for new fans testing the music.

Within this post I will be planning a digipak for my own artist as different positive listed above cause the audience to bond with the artist and make them get excited for the new album.






Firstly, I have used elements listed down below to promote the artist, highlight the indie genre and cause the artist to build a relationship with the audience. All of the elements listed appeal to the target audience as they express parts of the artist's life for especially the note to fans and the different layouts used for example, the use of a notebook to write fan acknowledgements and song titles, which creates a vintage theme and makes the digipak more personal from the artist, promoting her in a positive way as it creates the idea that her fans and music are her main priority. Fundamentally, this digipak converts to the indie genre with the use of all elements for example, the use of images, this is to keep fans interested and cause members of the public that enjoy this genre to purchase the album.

To begin, the artist is portrayed as confident due to her posture and facial expressions within all of the pictures, although the smoking is questionable, it shows that she in charge and independent and also adds to her vintage, 1950s vibe. Linking to this, the artist seems fierce and independent as she is the only person in every picture and on the cover through a close up, showing her importance and to promote her further. Her look is also natural with 50s makeup, worn previously by famous models and actresses such as Audrey Hepburn, and big, back combed hair for a vintage look, to bring back elements of an earlier time which makes her seem cool and unique. Lastly, in the front cover she wears flowers in her hair and looks quite natural which is conventional of the indie genre and appeals to an artist. 

The colours within this digipak are used to create a meaning and represent the artist. The colour red is used for example, on her lips, album title and hearts on the cd to exploit the idea of love and passion, which intrigues an audience as the artist presents themes from her own life. The digipak also features white colours which is pure and naturalistic which converts to the indie genre and isn't distracting and doesn't deduct the artist's natural beauty which makes her relatable. Lastly, the artist wears a purple skirt within one of the pictures which connotes power and royalty, which shows her independence which causes her to become a natural leader, and a suitable role model for her audience.

The layout and design of the overall digipak is quite simplistic. The white background on the front cover makes the artist the main focus, showing her importance and promotes the album to the audience and the close up makes the cover more memorable as it stands out on shelves. One of the other pictures features a long shot of the artist in the forest, which highlights the theme of nature which relates to the indie genre because of naturalistic aspects and purity and is simple which is relatable overall however, the smoking image makes her more rebellious and cool, making her questionable and unique yet converts to the indie genre and artists within this genre usually uphold this habit.

The artist's name is black and bold making this digipak more noticeable and the artist's name stands out, highlighting her importance and promoting the album and herself further. Also, most of the text is typed in a type writer style which adds to her vintage look, and makes the text/language and layout look old which is conventional to the indie genre and shows the artist's intellectual side and also makes the digipak more personal for the fans. Linking to this, the bottom of her fan message is signed which makes the message more personal and causes her to become appreciated/idolised .

Fundamentally, there are many different connotations that can be made within this digipak. The cd features red drawn hearts and human hearts which is made to stand out further on a white background. This is unique (conventional to the indie genre) yet strange, and reflects the message of love within life and personally within humans and how love can effect human hearts, and is an overall unique element on the album. The notebook back and the book featuring the artist's message shows the artist's creative nature and message to fans, showing that she works hard and is also intelligent which will gain respect from the audience and create a bond.

Overall, this planning is useful for taking pictures as taking photos on set with be quicker and easier and go successfully due to structured planning. I also believe that the elements that I have added within these drafts will cause the audience to bond with the artist, as I will be adding segments such as 'note to fans' to fans as the fans will appreciate this factor as a bond will be created between the fans and artist. Also, I will be creating a different artist name than the original artist, this will be different on my final digipak as this is just a plan.This will also help me when using Photoshop to create this as I will have my own plan to follow which will make the Photoshop experience easier and less stressful. Lastly, I am more aware of pictures to take for the digipak to conform to the indie genre and to successfully represent my artist.

Planning editing styles- Miss Georgiou

A variety of editing styles are essential within a music video as this element causes the music video to be more exciting to watch. Certain editing styles can create a story, and intrigue the audience thus making an artist/audience bond.

Firstly, flashback scenes will occur throughout to clips of memories filmed by the couple. This is inferred as a POV hand held camera is used. This will makes the video more personal and the audience/fans will feel closer to the artist. This is typical of the indie genre as artists use different conventions to show their life and past memories to the audience to create an idea/concept such as negative relationships, which makes them become more admirable. Also, the flashback scenes will be in sync with the lyrics of the song for example 'I will love you 'til the end of time' which shows the artist's true emotions creating a larger bond with the audience and reflect's an element from Goodwin's theory.

Through these flashbacks, faster editing will be used, for example the clips of the fireworks and roller coasters. Combined with the hand held camera work, these clips from setting such as a theme park, makes the video more believable and includes clips from the artist's life. We gained this idea when analysing the lyrics 'you were sort of punk rock', highlighting that he lives a fast and adventurous lifestyle that the artist becomes a part of. This is conventional of the indie genre as artists use fast editing to create excitement and makes the audience more interested/intrigued, and these types of feelings are linked to roller coasters and fireworks. This also shows that the artist does normal things like her fans, which creates a strong bond and shows elements of her relationship and how romantic they were.

Lastly, through out the video, a vintage effect will be added within the flashbacks, especially. The filter we used for this on Final Cut Pro was named 'Aged Film'. Combined once again with the hand held camera work, this creates a vintage and real life feel. This also creates something new but then again brings back elements from an earlier time. This element synchronises with the sound of the artist's voice as it's extremely unique and represent a vintage sound, also linking to the lyrics 'I will love you till the end of time'. The vintage effect links to the artist as she is dressed in a 50s costume through out, with matching make up and hair styles. This represents the artist in an interesting and unique way, which is also conventional to the indie genre as fans of this genre prefer to see new elements that are unique and interesting to view.

My target audience (teenaged/young adults/females) can build a relationship with my artist through the use of these editing styles as the flashbacks for example, create a narrative and causes the audience to feel empathy towards the artist and relate to past life events. The fast editing is used to make the video more intriguing and interesting and the vintage camera effect makes the video different and interesting, also. Overall, editing styles are used to make the clips more exciting to watch and make the audience build a relationship with the artist and fundamentally, include conventional elements of the indie genre.

Storyboards- Miss Georgiou

Within this post I will be discussing my story board and the importance of this whilst planning the music video. Storyboards are extremely important to create when planning to film a music video, this is because the group will be provided with a structured plan to follow, which causes production to occur more efficiently.

The overall purpose of creating a storyboard is to gather a plan and explore what shots and elements that are going to be incorporated within the final music video. Creating this storyboard meant that the group could plan the video by frame and how many seconds per shot. The group planning six elements including each camera shot, location, iconography, lighting option, editing technique and narrative description. We planned this storyboard by using our primary and secondary research, and the group now possess a more positive plan including how we want every scene and shot to be planned out. This is a positive aspect as filming the actual video will occur more easily and quickly as we will have a detailed storyboard including only the shots we need. I have inserted pictures of the group's storyboard below.









The first three shots are fillers at the start of the music video before the artist begins to sing. These shots will be apparent to show the location to the audience and introduce them to the music video. We have chosen to use a naturalistic setting as we have taken inspiration from other videos within the indie genre as these settings are used to highlight emotions as well as being a tranquil space that will not take the attention away from the artist.

The fourth shot will be a long shot of the love interest walking in for the first time. This will be in sync to the lyrics 'blue jeans, white shirt walked into the room', which links to Goodwin's theory to show a link between lyrics and visuals. This will be the first the artist and audience will see the male, which aligns them together. This shot will be followed by the line 'you know you made my eyes burn' which will feature a close up of the artist's eye. The audience are introduced to her for the first time, highlighting the male's importance as well as a relationship with the audience as she looks into the lense, directly at them.

Other shots include flashbacks of the couple's memories together at clubs and theme parks, linking to the lyrics 'you were sort of punk rock' and highlighting his faster and more dangerous life style. These flashbacks will be edited with a vintage effect through out, which is conventional of the indie genre.

For the chorus, the artist is shown in present time crying and singing sadly to the camera. Black and white editing will be added to this to create a negative atmosphere. This is conventional of the indie genre as editing is usually used to highlight the mood of the artist. The audience, especially females will relate to the idea of love and heartbreak and would feel empathy for the artist.

At the end of the second verse the artist will be exposed to the deep meaning of the lyrics that the group analysed previously. The male has an obsession with money, and left the artist because of this. This will be revealed at the beginning of a poker game during the lyrics 'caught up in the game that was the last I heard'. The bridge is faster, therefore faster editing will be used to cause tension. The male will lose the poker game as the artist accidentally distracts him and once the party has left,he destroys the room. Tilted camera work is used as he attacks her, highlighting danger and panic. This changes the whole dynamic of the video which is conventional of the indie genre and also causes the video to discover the concept of the video and feel empathy for the artist.

In the last chorus, it is revealed that the couple have gone their separate ways. I used inspirations from The 1975 'Robbers' video to include the use of drugs and alcohol to show the severity of the situation. There are many close up clips of these iconography elements and then an extreme close up to finish, at the beat of the song finishing, the artist drops an alcohol bottle, as the video ends on an implied death.

We will use these storyboards when filming the music video. A frame number is added at the top, so that the group can follow an order. Next, the duration of seconds should be taken note of as in most videos, a shot is not the same for over four seconds, therefore we didn't want to bore our audience or create an unprofessional video. We then added the different camera shots and drew pictures to show this, as can be seen, we mostly use hand held so that the audience can build a relationship with the artist and the video is more relatable as this cinematography use makes the clip seem like a home video. Next, we use conventional iconography to the indie genre for example, cigarettes and alcohol which is used to tell a story and is typical of the indie genre as most videos within this are true to life and reflect the artist's past experiences. Lighting changes to tell a story, and create different effects. For example high key during flash back scenes of uplifting times and low key lighting during negative experiences and the present time, after the break up, showing the audience the negative effects of this event. Also, it is important that the actors are noted so that not too many people are around the equipment at one time, so that the experience can be as easy and quick as possible. The sound also needed to be noted so that we can add the Goodwin's theory element (link between lyrics and visuals) and so that the group was aware of how long a clip should be to fit to certain lyrics. Overall, the noting of certain elements will aid us in filming the music video.

During filming, we followed the storyboard completely, however we needed to film some scenes earlier than others due to weather conditions and if group members could attend. We did however, make a few changes to ideas whilst filming as adding in clips of films would be copyright, therefore we didn't include those and filmed more clips of scenery and flashback sequences. 

To conclude, creating storyboards will be an extreme help, as every member of the group will be aware of what is filmed and the filming and overall editing process will be much easier and will take less time. Completing planning such as this, will make the video stronger and more detailed as there is a strict/structured plan to be followed.


Wednesday, 5 November 2014

Planning Magazine Advert- Miss Miller

Magazine adverts are an extremely important tool in relation to promoting an artist's album as it would able able to spread to a wider audience and promote the artist and the album. The use of this is effective as different companies are working as one, creating convergence which is positive for both the artist/record labels and the magazine itself. I will be creating a magazine advert for my artist's album on Photoshop, and this planning is important in order to create an effective artist magazine advert as this tool needs to promote the album and create sales whilst representing the artist in a certain light to fans/the public. Below is my first draft of a magazine advert.


Firstly, I decided to highlight the album name and song titles in red to show their importance and connote the idea of love, a theme that reoccurs within the album. This is conventional to the indie genre as emotions are promoted through the use of elements, that involve and appeal to the female target audience. The use of the colour black also, shows boldness and makes the text easier to read. This colour creates a sense mystery and secrecy which is intriguing, to the audience especially as this features and upcoming artist and a new album. This is also a bold colour, making everything on the page more prominent. The colour black subverts the indie genre as it is more grunge however, this causes the artist to become different and more interesting which will appeal to a wider audience Overall I have subverted the conventions of the genre with the text as I wanted to create a statement and create something new and individual to the artist which her audience would respect/admire. 

Other than the colours, I believe that this magazine advert conforms to the indie genre. This is due to the personal features that appear for example, the hand written font, which creates a bond between the artist and audience which is also conventional of the indie genre. The background is also very simplistic which is again conventional of the indie genre as attention is not taken away from the artist as the audience are able to look at her as she looks in to lense, creating an attachment as well as linking to Goodwin's theory and promoting the artist further. 

The language used features colloquial aspects and short sentence structures causing the the text become easier and quicker to read. For example, a shortened date becomes more memorable to the fans and promotes the album and sales quickly. This also links to the line 'hit songs' highlighting the artist's talent and popular music which intrigues the audience. Also within the advert, only the most popular songs are covered, making the album appear stronger and highlights the artist's talent as well as highlighting how successful she she, which also makes fans want to buy their favourite music from the artist. I also made some of the writing italic, to cause it to look handwritten and feminine which causes the artist to appear this way and the added italic lyric 'I will love you til' the end of time' creates an artist/audience link as well as linking to a line in the song coursing it to become more memorable and authentic as she shares past experiences with her fans. This acts as a personal message to the fans which is a positive tool to include as a relationship is created with the audience as the gain appreciation from the idol

The image I have chosen to use within the magazine advert is a close up of half of the artist's face. This causes her to become the main focus of the whole cover however, creates an air of mystery. The artist will also portray Lana's signature vintage and wear a 50s hairstyle and makeup look with added red lips to create effortless beauty that I have possessed as an inspiration and also connotes the themes of love and danger, linking further to the title of the album and to the lyrics of the songs included. This effortless/signature look is extremely historic within the fashion era and idols such as Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe which causes the artist to become admirable and a figure of beauty which aligns her with these figures, highlighting her importance causing the audience to look up to her

Lastly, the layout/design incorporated is extremely simple which actually conforms to the indie genre. The advert only shows the artist and a plain/simple background highlighting her importance and the fact that she feels her image and music matters most. This links to the idea that the font is bold and black/red as her name and album title is promoted This links to the artist looking straight down the camera lense, which shows her power and confidence in herself and her music, which causes her to be admirable, too. This is conventional to the indie genre as simplistic features are used, promoting the artist throughout

I found this planning useful as the use of Photoshop will be easier and quicker as the group would have a guideline to go by as we will known which colours and images to use due to this. Also from plans such as this, we will know what type of pictures to take of our artist as they are already planned which overall, makes the process more efficient. However, the artist name and album name will be different as I was using this artist as a guide, this will be changed when I create my individual magazine advert as this draft is a part of planning. Fundamentally, I am more aware of the pictures I need to take for my advert and the idea that they would need to create a representation and conform in some way to the indie genre.


Digipak Analysis- Miss Miller

A digipak is presented in the style of a book, with paperboard/cardboard outer binding including one or more plastic trays for the CD. This style became popular in the 2000s and is often used for special edition albums. A jewel CD case is the original disc case, that consists of three pieces of plastic and includes a plastic tray for the CD. Most of the detail is on the cover and the back, with song titles listed. Below is a listed comparison of both types. 

A digipak provides the fans with more information from the artist, for example a personal fan message which overall enhances the fan/artist bond, which is another positive factor. Digipaks are also unique and more attractive as there are featured bonus tracks and the use of higher quality images.

A jewel CD case is argued to be more traditional and durable because of the plastic sides. Due to this, a CD is quicker and easier to make and is cheaper to buy in stores. This type of casing is also easier to store and the booklets won't bend inside. Lastly, CDs are a better option for new fans testing the music.

The digipak I have chosen to analyse is Lana Del Rey's 'Born To Die'. I have chosen to analyse this digipak as it was released as Lana's first album therefore, I am able to analyse the aspects that causes an artist representation.

Firstly, the artist's name is extremely large and bold at the top of the cover in white colouring. This promotes the idea that Lana is a new artist which links to her being positioned in the centre alongside her name showing acknowledgement. This overall highlights a new artist to the public and is more recognisable to fans. It should be acknowledged also that the song titles, artist's name and album title are all capitalised, spaced out lettered and bold highlighting their importance and become prominent and possibly memorable to the audience. Next, the title of the album 'Born to die' is written in the same bold font, in the a blue colour matching the sky at the top. This also is positioned on Lana's white shirt. This shows her to be in sync with the album, connoting pride and her  involvement within the album. On a deeper level, this appeals to the audience as this shows that Lana is serious about her music and infers that she writes the songs herself, which is conventional of an indie artist. 

Lana is placed in the middle of cover with the use of a mid shot, however with a low angle element as the camera almost seems tilted. Because of this, the audience are looking up to her showing her constant importance and her strength to be a role model as the main focus is on Lana through this element and her fierce/confident posture which is effective. The indie genre is also shown through the cover as she isn't wearing and exaggerated clothes that are traditional within other genres for example pop and hip hop. This shows her natural beauty, causing  Lana to become more relatable to the audience. The 1960s element from her back combed hair style and natural make up with red lips shows a link between her style of music and creating something new and different, showing that her music would appeal to a niche audience.

Lana is represented to be naturally confident and showing importance. This is due to her demeanor and posture, as she is shown to be a fierce/independent woman which appeals toe her target audience (teenage/young adults/mostly females). This directly links to the title, also as death is denoted as something that is feared however, her facial expression is relaxed and calm. This can show why many people idolise her as she doesn't fear the usual aspects that many of us do. Again, Lana is represented as being naturally beautiful which again, is a feature to idolise as she promotes to her audience that strange clothes and an 'over the top' isn't needed. This message and her white shirt as costume gains her respect and this is a classy image rather than exploiting promiscuous imagery. This overall appeals to the audience as Lana starts to become more relatable.

The colours used within the whole digipak also connote ranging elements that represents both the artist and genre. The use of the colour blue within the song titles is calm and intricate, which links to her effortless and almost ghostly voice and the genre as blue is a naturalistic colour. White again links with this as it is known as a pure and natural colour, possibly showing the artist's innocence and the idea that she is a fresh/new part of the music industry. The use of red on the roses, Lana's lips and the blood splattered pages can all relate to each other and create similar images/ideas. This overall connotes passion and love, linking to the lyrics within the song. This colour however, can flip to more negative emotions and events such as death and blood, highlighting the titles further to the artist. Also, it is interesting and gains even more praise that the colours red, white and blue are used as the artist shows love to her country, creating another message such as 'don't forget where you started' causing her to become idolised and relatable as from this, she can be considered to be down to earth.

Next, on the front cover the artist's name is written in a large and bold font placed at the top of the cover and situated in the centre in white font that stands out on the blue sky. This presents the artist as being important as her name is the main focus and promoting her name to the audience which links to the idea that she is a new/upcoming artist.The same can also be said for the album name as 'Born To Die' is written in spaced out capitals in blue font, centred on the artist's white shirt. This makes the album name appeal vividly which promotes the artist's album causing it to become recognised by the public. The song titles are also displayed in the same blue colouring on the back page, they are also all capitalised in bold, blocked writing which makes them stand out and become more memorable. Lastly, the song lyrics within the digipak are written in a type written font, which makes the digipak possess a more vintage theme, and is more personal which is conventional to the indie genre.

The elements used within this digipak also connote varying messages. The red roses on the white background of the disk makes them more distinguished and creates the idea of love/death/beauty which links to the actual to album title and the 'Born to die' song on the album as they cover all three aspects or the idea of flowers at a funeral, exploring the idea of dying. The roses are also known as a beautiful gift/declaration of love which highlights the idea of her love for fans and their importance to her life. Her name is also not added to the CD, which suggests that she is new and the Star Theory paradox in the idea that she is not presented on the CD as she doesn't want to be present all of the time. However, features of the digipak do connote ideas of the title 'Born to die' and the theme of death. The use of the colours blue and white are direct features of the sky possibly inferring angels and heaven, the idea of an afterlife. The blood splattered pages are violent, linking further to death and the lyrics and music video of 'born to die' as there is a featured death scene to close.

The design and layout of the image features the use of a simple background, and the use of the sky and blue colouring is the main coloured theme. This is plain and causes Lana to become the main focus even more. These simple and naturalistic features relate to to the indie genre as there are no distractions just simplicity which link to her image that isn't distracting or promiscuous in looks or poses, Lana appears to be the girl next door which is relatable to fans and also raises the idea that she believes her music is good enough, she doesn't need to act like somebody else to sell her music.
I will use this research on my chosen artist's digipak to inform planning by adding different ideologies such as colouring and connotations and how they represent the artist and indie genre. I have also taken ideas such as as typography on board from this digipak as the type written font provides a vintage vibe and causes the lyrics to look more personal, causing the artist to connect with the audience. I have also taken ideas such as images and artist representation and overall layout as inspirations as from doing this research, I have released their importance and the audience need to connect with the artist which is conventional of the indie genre too as there is an evident aim to take fans on a journey and for them to bond with the artist and their lifestyles/past life events.

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Planning artist image- Miss Georgiou

Artist representation is essential within a music video as the audience should be able to connect with artist. A representation needs to be made as this establishes whether individuals watching the video, become fans of the artist and continues consuming the products. The artist should be represented in a positive way to appeal to the target audience by making them as relatable as possible. Overall, the representation of the artist can follow different theories (previously researched) such as Dyer's Star Theory, especially representing the artist as ordinary and extraordinary.

Within my music video, my main aim to present the artist in a positive way that the audience/fans can connect to that also links in with the indie genre and overall narrative of the music video. To succeed this, I will make the artist's appearance achievable by the audience, particularly females as well as a look to use as inspiration for example through the use of specific clothing an make up looks.

Our inspiration for the artist's look is Lana Del Rey who possesses a diverse and vintage look. Therefore the artist will be presented in this way. The artist will wear vintage/50s fashion. For example, big skirts with button up shirts, flowy tops, jumpers and collared shirts. This is to match the music's sound as it sounds extremely unique and a product from a previous era. This develops the idea of indie music as this look is fresh however, relates to that of an earlier time due to artists such as Audrey Hepburn. This makes the artist appeal cool and unique, not following aspects of the current fashion industry. The artist can be seen as different, which resembles the indie genre as her individuality is highlighted through this costume as it is replicated from an earlier them and is not worn within the present time period. This certain costume will appear during flashback scenes when the couple first meet. The costume is shown through a long shot as the couple sit on the bench. This creates a romantic, feminine look, showing the artist's lovable qualities.



This representation then changes in other scenes as the artist is still seen wearing retro clothing however isn't as dainty and romantic as the previous scenes. The artist is seen wearing jeans, a red plaid shirt and flat shoes as well as a leather jacket. This shows the artist adapting to the male's fashion sense the more the relationship progresses. This highlights how strong her feelings are for him, which a female audience can relate to.



This further links to another costume, used within present day as the artist is dressed in her ex-partner's shirt. This simplistic outfit relates to the indie genre, as well as portraying the sadness of the situation ie the break up. The use of this tells the audience that the relationship has ended, which female members can relate to. This links further to the ending since as she kills herself wearing this, which highlights her negative obsession with him.



The artist's hair will also add to the vintage clothing and show conventions of the indie genre. The artist will have hair styled in a large, back combed way, also featuring a flower crown within some shots. Flower crowns are conventional within the indie genre as they have positive and naturalistic connotations that matches the artist's image. These hair styles are extremely unique therefore, are typical of the indie genre and will appeal to this niche audience. This again, links to the vintage sound within the music and lyrics due to the music sounding authentic and that of an older style. This builds a relationship with the audience as she comes across in a positive and feminine way linking to old American movie stars, causing the artist to become an inspiration to her audience. Whenever she possesses this look she appears to be in a positive mood, which she portrays to the audience. This shows her positive love life at the time and how comfortable she is to be with him.



On the other hand, within present day scenes the artist is shown with hair that hasn't been styled as much as in previous clips. This shows how undetermined she is to carry on, and shows a lack of formality. This also highlights to the audience that she isn't herself and how much a person can change due to heartbreak. A simplistic look is conventional of the indie genre however, within this aspect, causing the audience to feel empathy for the artist due to her change in character.



The artist is also shown in flashbacks ie positive memories with a pretty, 60s/vintage make up look for example, nude lips and black eyeliner. This shows the linking of two time periods/popular looks. This highlights the artist and genre to the audience, as the look dares to be different and mix styles together and is an achievable/easy look to do yourself. Overall, this make up look was made famous by runway models a the time and Hollywood icons such as Audrey Hepburn. Because of these two elements the artist because ordinary and extraordinary. This make up look is classic and will appeal to the audience particularly women who aspire to recreate this look. The winged eye liner seems feline like, creating a more promiscuous look, that attracts males. However, the make up is still natural, linking to indie artists, as the make up doesn't look over done and fake, which is inspiring to younger women.



To conclude, my target audience (teenage/young adult females) are able to build a relationship with my artist through the use of these elements as the look resembles that of an earlier time whilst simultaneously presenting something new that the audience can both relate to and aim to become/idolise. Although the look is extremely vintage inspired and reflects the artist's superior nature, the look is simple to copy therefore, appeals to the female target audience and the glamorous and flirtatious side would appeal to males within the audience. As most of the looks are casual, she seems to show that she cares more about music than how she looks within the media, which again is relatable to the audience as well as the fact that she is presented as an inspiring individual.

Research into record labels- Miss Georgiou

A record label can be translated as a brand/trademark related to the marketing of music/music videos. Record labels are often a publishing company that manages brands and trademarks, and controls the production, marketing and promotions for example, of music furthermore, promoting the artist and maintains a recording artist's contract. (Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_label#Major_labels)
Major record labels are bigger companies within the music industry that may own smaller companies. The major labels currently (known as the big three) are the Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment.

The Universal Music Group is an American based company that manages artists such as Bastille, Emeli Sande, Florence and the Machine, Fall Out Boy, Sam Smith and Rihanna. It is evident that that this label manages many successful artists and ranging genres.The UMGI is the distributer for artists within this label. This is a French Owned company that operates as a subsidiary of Vivendi a Paris based company. This group also owns the Universal Music Publishing Group therefore, is included with other platforms within the music industry. Overall, The Universal Music Group is an extremely successful company, that promotes it's artists as well as being part of a large amount of subsidiary companies.



Warner Music Group is one of the big three as this label is known to be one of the largest and most successful in the world. manages artists such as Charli XCX, Birdy, James Blunt, Bruno Mars and Paramore. This can be seen again that this label manages many artists that produce different genres. This company owns Warner Bros Records that manages artists such as Lily Allen, Madonna and Prince, Parlophone Records known for managing artists such as Tinie Tempah, Conor Maynard and Eliza Doolittle. Lastly, the hugely popular Atlantic Records which began in America and then distributed to the UK. This label has signed incredibly successful artists such as Ed Sheeran, Plan B and Clean Bandit.



Lastly, Sony Music Entertainment is an extremely large company which is a subsidiary company of the Sony in America, all owned by the conglomerate company in Japan. This is another large and successful label that ranges a range of artists and genres such as, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, George Ezra, Leona Lewis and Calvin Harris. Sony Music Entertainment owns a large amount of smaller companies that conduct different genres.



Independent companies however, are music labels that control only one or few music labels. These labels can be successful and often produce unique/natural music in contrast to the mainstream. Some independent music companies within the UK are 3 Beat Records, RAM Records and Barely Breaking Even.

The label 3 Beat Records is UK based founded in 1989 in Liverpool and focuses mostly on artists that produce dance music. Artists that are signed to this label are Skyla, Basshunter and Agnes.
RAM Records was established in 1992 by Andy C in Hornchurch, Essex, England. This label focuses on R&B and Dubstep genres. This label manages artists such as Chase and Status, DC Breaks and Sub Focus.
Lastly, Barely Breaking Even is a record label created by the two DJs, Ben Jolly and Peter Adarkwah. This focuses on deep funk and urban genres. This company manages artists such as Dark Room Notes, Paul Weller and Masters at Work. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_label#Major_labhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_label#Major_labelsels
Overall, the fact that few companies dominate the music industry is more negative from an artist's point of view. This is because the chances of getting noticed is slimmer and more effort needs to be made to gain such popularity. However, this is positive for the industry as they gain a larger profit from artists and subsidiaries. This is also positive for artist's signed within these record companies as they are managed successfully and promoted on a larger scale.

Because of the differences between major and independent companies, I believe that major companies are favored as mainstream artists gain more publicity and money. The idea of success between major and independent companies is down to matters of individual tastes and how certain songs/genres/artists affect people. Saying this however, I believe that sadly, independent companies are not as successful as major companies as they aren't publicised (played on the radio) and make as much money.

Overall, if a label puts enough money into their company and signs themselves to popular/mainstream artist they become more successful, compared to independent, small, UK companies. Fundamentally, I believe that independent companies however, do offer unique music and appeals to many different individuals and allows people against the mainstream to find new music.

Planning lighting and colour- Miss Georgiou

A variety of lighting styles are essential within a music video as differing styles and colours creates a variety. There are many different styles of lighting that can be applied to a music video for example high key lighting (this is known as light lighting, for example outside where natural light can fill the space and usually cause a more positive atmosphere), low key lighting (this is known as darker lighting and can cause a more negative and dull atmosphere) and sometimes strobe lighting (usually used within house and R&B music videos within clubs). Applying these lighting techniques can create a certain ambiance within the music video and intrigue and audience through the lighting that they visualise and the use of these elements are visually exciting  and expressive, thus creating something new and different.

A variety of colours are essential to include within music videos because alike lighting, colours can present a certain atmosphere and emotions to the audience as well as providing the audience with some knowledge about the artist as colours can highlight the type of person the artist is. For example, the colour blue represents intelligence, trust and confidence and if this was applied to our artist, she would be aligned with these positive traits that the audience would appreciate and look up to her. Overall, colours can influence the audience's opinion as certain choices can represent the artist in either positive or negative ways.


Within most of my music video, I will be incorporating high key lighting. This will be included within Hyde Park in flashback scenes as the artist reminisces over happier memories. This will be filmed in the day time to use sun as our lighting. We will use this and edit in pastel colours to add to the positive atmosphere. This creates a vintage feel, which synchronises with the artist's appearance. An example of scenes including this lighting are when out famous romantic scenes such as the titanic boat scene. The use of light, pastel and vintage colouring causes this to become more romantic and light hearted. This also makes the artist more relatable as elements of her life are presented to the audience, the lighting directs the emotions linked to these memories. It is conventional of the indie genre to use lighter colours and include the exploration of the artist's past life and appear naturalistic to their audience.

The next lighting style that will be featured in the music video is low key, with darker colouring. This will be used within a forest setting and to show the present day. An example of this is when the artist is sat next to a tree with a bottle of alcohol singing the more negative lyrics such as 'baby can you see through the tears'. This causes the forest setting to become even more conventional as the dark colours due to this lighting style, creates a sense of mystery and sadness. This lighting style reflects the relationship breakdown, which makes the situation more serious and negative. This impacts the audience as there is an idea of a concept and how love has the ability to effect emotions easily and quickly, which is reflected through the artist, creating an audience/artist bond. The lighting style is conventional to the indie genre as the darkness is grunge looking, and explores the artist's deep emotion as well as expressing the deeper meaning of the song and lyrics.


The music video will include a poker scene, where the audience will find out more about the relationship and the narrative. A mixture of both high and low key lighting will be used through the editing process. The high key lighting will provide a sense of hope, although it is false and the darker lighting effects will cause the feeling of mystery and foreshadow the abusive scene. This sets up the audience to see the destructive and negative side of the relationship, causing them to feel empathy for the artist and understand the lyrics to the song 'but you were chasing paper, caught up in the game that was the last I heard', highlighting our narrative idea that, he is in love with her but, his obsession with money matters more.


Within the high key scenes and flashbacks, our group will use a vintage filter. This will cause the video to look more authentic as well as highlighting the artist's emotions to the audience. This filter portrays positive emotions due to the amount of light, and will be applied during flashback sequences to highlight her more positive memories of the relationship. Most indie music videos contain a filter to exploit certain emotions, and it is conventional for the indie artist to show parts of their personal life to include the audience.

Fundamentally, my chosen target audience (teenage females) would build a relationship with my artist through the use of selected lighting/colours as these elements help to exploit the narrative whilst unintentionally causing a concept and the idea of love and romance and how a person's can be effected by these common lessons. These elements also cause emotions from the artist and the audience, as the female members can relate to the artist on the idea of love and heartbreak. This then causes the audience to relate to the artist as her emotions and past are put on display, showing that these lessons can even effect a musical artist/'stars' which overall causes her to become more relatable,

Thursday, 23 October 2014

Planning cinematography- Miss Georgiou

Cinematography is essential within a music video as different shots help to portray a message and
present certain themes to the audience as well as causing them to connect with the artist. If planned and applied successfully cinematography can intrigue the audience and cause the video to flow perfectly and as we're producing a narrative, make sense and appear less confusing as well as showing them an outline of the events and settings.

One of the first shots I will be using within my music video is panning, specifically at the beginning of the video as a park can be seen with the artist in the location. This shot allows the audience to be introduced to the setting. This sets up the rest of the video, creating a calming atmosphere before more dramatic scenes (for example, the abuse/poker game sequence)
which links the visuals and sound together. Lastly, the panning shot allows the audience to see more than the usual extreme long shot, which is more interesting to watch as the audience get the opportunity to see the whole setting. The calming location and slow panning will link with the calm and slow beginning of the song. Building connections such as this is conventional of the indie genre.


Next, I will use cinematography to introduce the male 'love interest'. A long shot will be used as the male walks across the park to the lyrics 'blue jeans, white shirt, walked into the room' to add elements of Goodwin't theory as visuals and lyrics are linked together visibly appealing and makes the song memorable to the audience. This is also the first time the male is introduced to the audience, therefore this needs to completed well, therefore the male will have his whole sequence for his entrance. This highlights the indie genre as typically, a love interest is usually involved. This further shows the character's importance to the audience and foreshadows what will take place further on in the video. Overall, the audience needs to be able to connect with the artist and visualise elements from her perspective therefore the audience will see the male walking into her life. From the beginning, the audience will feel connected and engaged with the artist by adding this.

Following this clip, we will see the artist for the first time as an extreme close up will be used of the artist's eye, staring at the male to the lyrics 'you know you made my eyes burn'. This again links to the Goodwin theory as there is a clear link between lyrics and visuals. I thought that this would be a tactful way to incorporate this as this raises many connotations, The eyes are known to be the windows to the soul, therefore the audience bonds with the artist before they even see her whole face. Linking to this, parts of the artist is introduced after the male, showing his importance and how much he impacted her life. The use of this conventional to the indie genre as her feelings are put out to the audience which is conventional of the indie genre. This creates a strong bond with the audience as the artist looks at the audience also, so that they pay attention and connect with the artist.

Through most of the flashbacks, POV hand held shots will be incorporated to make the videos more personal, which is conventional to the indie genre and is an inspiration that I have incorporated from videos that I have examined previously. From all of the elements I have gathered from previous inspirations (indie music videos adding flashbacks was an element proved most influential to me because as an audience member, I was drawn in and enjoyed the change up of time. I believed that completing this by using POV shots would be the most successful. This is because this cinematography device will make the video seem more personal and authentic, which links to the fact that this will be used when the couple are together at different locations, when the relationship was running smoothly especially to the lyrics 'I still remember that day we met in December'. However, once lyrics were analysed and the underlying message of love for money was revealed, we decided that this should be added in some way. Therefore, with the beat of the remix, the clips will build up to a negative event where the male becomes angry with the female, regarding the loss of his money.We will add a shot where he looks out the a window, and the camera is positioned outside, in a midshot, she stands behind him which angers him, causing him to push her to the window by the throat. This causes the audience to feel like they are looking in at the drama, making this clip more personal. This will also change up the dynamics of the video, and will be more interesting to watch. Conventional indie videos add events that change up the video and intrigue the audience, and I chose to follow this.

In present day clips, the audience will see
that the relationship failed and that the artist does not cope well with this. A high angle will be used on the artist to transmit her negative emotions. Prior to this, the artist has been represented as strong, especially mentally. However, the use of a high angle connotes the idea that the artist isn't as powerful as she felt before. This shot will counterpart the lyrics 'baby can you see through the tears?' and 'I will love you till the end of time' as they are very sorrowful and haunting lyrics, as she hasn't given up on the male and she is still in love with him, causing the narrative to appear more negative and the audience to feel empathy for the artist and even understand what she is going through. The initial use of this angle causes the artist to seem inferior and timid, which shows a complete change in events. This is conventional of the indie genre as love and loss of love is portrayed in many cases. Because of this, the audience will emphasise with the artist as negative events have happened to her and she has changed due to them.

My target audience is mainly composed of of teenage girls/young adults therefore through the use of this cinematography, fans can build a relationship with my chosen artist through the shots selected, as they all portray the idea of a love story and heart break which teenage girls are stereotypically interested in. These shots also build as story and show the narrative of a ruined relationship, which is not only conventional of the indie genre but is also relatable and builds a bond with the audience. 

Planning setting and iconography- Miss Georgiou

Locations are important within a music video as the audience are provided with visual aspects, they are added into the setting and locations can show a possible link to lyrics, making them more understandable. Iconography is also important as different objects can present aspects about the artist, and let the artist get to know/bond with them.

Locations

We have chosen to select a beach as one of our locations. This is because the beach can typically convey positive memories, and has connotations of happiness and brightness and young memories. This reflect the lyrics of the song, as Lana discusses how they met and how she felt when she first met the 'love interest'. This location will be used within flashback clips, to show the artist's past memories. Therefore, there will be introductory shots such as panning, to present the beach as an important location, to reflect the lyrics 'I still remember that day we met in December'. Also, shots of the couple running around, taking part in traditional 'beach' activities and enjoying their time together. However, there are limitations that appear when choosing this location. This is because we will need to use as minimal crew members as possible. Also we can only film at certain times of the day, so that people on beach don't interfere with filming. There are also some health and safety risks that can come occur for example, water ruining the equipment. The weather can also affect the filming as it is autumn/winter time and we want to use a beach as a location, therefore we will check the weather updates and identify the most appropriate day to film.



As well as this, we have chosen the theme park next to the beach. This is because it will reflect positive/enjoyable memories of the couple and will blend nicely with the beach setting, also. POV hand held camera shots and fast editing will also match the beat of the remixed song. Within this location, there will be POV hand held camera work of the couple on the rides, and walking around the park. This creates the idea of past memories, and how they once had a positive experience together. Also, the theme park can be linked to feelings of joys and creating a rush, much like their relationship linking again to the lyrics 'you went out every night, but baby that's alright'. As you need to pay to get into the park, it means that only the actors and one camera are likely to enter. Due to surroundings, the group would need to take extra care of the camera equipment. As listed previously, members of the public may intervene therefore clips would be filmed at less populated areas. Lastly, the weather can also effect filming as certain rides or the park may be closed down, to avoid this we will research the weather on certain days and identify any information on their website.

Another location that will be featured in the music video is a casual living room, in which a poker game will take place. This room features a group of males including a female sitting on one of men's lap, including elements of the Goodwin theory and highlighting the female body. The artist will then enter the room and distract the 'love interest'. This is when the theme of his love for money, analysed from the lyrics, occurs for example within the lyrics 'he was chasing paper' and 'caught up in the game, that was the last I heard'. From his loss of money, his anger shows and he smashes objects, reflecting the deeper meaning of the lyrics, the idea that she means a lot to him however, money is his true love. This is conventional of the indie genre as the artist typically uses varying conventions to reflect on past memories. The only hazard is any glass that is smashed therefore we would make sure these clips are completed as safely as possible, even replacing this with 'sugar glass'. This room overall possesses a lack of hazards, and the weather isn't an issue.

Lastly, as a group we chose to film all of the present day clips in a forest. This is where the artist is sat reflecting on old memories whilst drinking alcohol. This location is darker and mysterious and overall links in with the nature themes that are conventional within the indie genre, for example flowers and natural features. This would be an effective location to use as the darkness and loneliness of the forest creates characterisation. These sad and negative connotations of the forest links to the lyrics 'I will love you til the end of time' and 'baby can you see through the tears'. However, uneven floors may make the clips more difficult to film and although darkness is a positive, the forest may become too dark resulting in lack of images. Overall, the weather isn't a large problem as the more dismal the weather, the better as this would reflect the artist's deep emotions, and create a difference between bright flashbacks and these darker present day clips.

Iconography

Through out the video, there are clips of the male with a cigarette in his hand. We decided to add this as in the lyrics Lana explains how the man was 'punk rock' and resembled 'James Dean'. James Dean was known for being a 'rebel' and there are several pictures of him smoking, he was an actor that died at a young age and was seen as a typical . We thought that we would add this to make a clear link between visuals and lyrics. Overall, 'bad boys' are known to be an appeal to women as they're dangerous and 'hard to get'.  Lana would also be seen smoking whilst with the male, showing his effect on her. This also an element of the Dyer's star theory as there is a clear element of negative habits and rebellion.



Linking to this, the male would also be seen drinking or with a bottle of alcohol in his hand, this continues to show the 'bad boy' and 'rebellious' image through the lyrics 'you were sort of punk rock'. This piece of iconography will also be used by the artist through present day clips, which shows she has turned to negative habits after the break up. Alcohol and other elements are typical of the indie genre as they usually reflect past events (for example Lana's alcohol problem) and is mostly, a typical convention. 


Fundamentally, the locations and iconography chosen show conventions of the indie genre and different representations of the artist, causing the music video to appeal to a wider audience thus creating an artist/audience bond. 


Magazine advert analysis- Miss Miller

Magazine adverts are important for the artist to create as they promote the artist/album to a wider audience and to overall  raise awareness for the new album, therefore increasing sales and the promotion of the artist. The use of a magazine advert also links into different media elements through the use of convergence as the album gains support from different companies which increases sales.


Representation of the artist

Within this cover, Lana Del Rey  possesses a clean cut appearance, wearing a white shirt, flawless makeup and perfect hair. This is an image for her target audience (teenage girls) to aspire to, especially as this is unprovocative however, also intrigues males due to her natural beauty. This is conventional to the indie genre due to the simplistic attire and shows that she takes her music career seriously. This image also represents Lana as being powerful and independent, as a mid shot highlights her strong stance  and her chin raised as well as this, causing Lana to look down into the camera lense, creating the sense of power respect/the idea that people look up to her. This represents the idea of fearlessness, showing a direct link to the album title. The use of this mise en scene element causes the artist to seem ordinary however possessing a talent making her successful, creating an extraordinary element, fulfilling Dyer's star theory. Her naturalistic look appeals to the female audience as well as hints of red lipstick and underwear that appeals to male members of the audience. This colour connotes the idea of love and passion, which are themes within her lyrics, causing the artist to be promoted successfully to the audience as they are provided with more in depth information.

Typography/Style of language

Lana Del Rey's name is written at the very top of the album in the centre in a larger and bold font in white, that stands out on the blue background. This shows that the artist's name is the most important element within the advert, as the audience are able to view the artist's name as the font is easy to read and grabs attention. This successfully promotes the artist as through this, the artist's name is promoted to the wider public. The album name is written in the same font, with the same blue colour from the sky and is located on the artist's white shirt, causing it to become simpler to read. This causes promotion further, as the use of bold writing shows the importance of the album. Next, only her most well known songs are listed on the bottom of the album. This promotes individual (and most popular) songs as well as the album, which excites the audience and causes the audience to become more recognisable as only her successful work is listed. This is written in italics, which adds a feminine spin and also a handwritten style. This causes the advert to become more personal. Next, in the left hand corner the amazon website is included, this creates synergy and creates more ways of the audience to purchase the artist's products as she provides a website, giving the audience easy access to purchase the album. Lastly, the release date is printed slightly larger, which promotes the release of the album and causes this to become memorable and a focal point of the advert, as fans are given a date of album release.

Choice of image

The choice of imaging causes the artist to become the focal point of the page. This is caused by the use of cinematography as mid shot is aimed directly at her as she looks down to the audience, slightly. This highlights that she is the most important element of the advert and album. This also introduces her new self to the audience as she formally produced music through her real name. This also introduced her new genre of music to the audience the music industry. Next, the background is blurred however she still appears strong and vivid, highlighting that her appearance within the music industry matter as well as her involvement with in the album. Her appearance within the image is very pristine due to her white shirt, styled pin curls and natural 60s make up. This naturalistic look in conventional to the indie genre and also appeals to ranging target audiences as she would inspire women and attract men. 


Colours

The colours used within this magazine advert are all vibrate and link in with the theme of the music. The typography used also blends well with the choice of image as the scenery of a blue sky causes the artist's name in white font to stand out and become vivid. This also links to the album name printed in the same blue, however place on the artist's white shirt. This causes important elements of the album to stand out and to be promoted to the audience. The colour blue represents the idea of proffession and intelligence, promoting the artist in a positive way to the audience. The advert also contains elements of the colour red through the artist's lipstick and underwear, which connotes the idea of love and passion, introducing the audience to the themes within the artist's music.

Design and layout

The magazine advert is very simplistic and minimal. First, the text is all placed in locations that cause them to appear vividly for example, the blue, capitalised album name on the artist's white shirt. This causes all of the text to stand out on the advert and promotes the artist and album successfully to the audience. Next, the artist is represented through a mid shot, looking down at the audience with a stern expression. This causes her to become the main focus of the advert and highlights her importance within the production of the album. She is represented as being independent and fearless, linking to the title of the album. Lastly, the background featured within the music video is very simplistic and natural, linking to the indie genre. The background is blurred and includes a sky, trees and a part of a vintage car. This background does not draw attention away from the artist, which again highlights that she is the main focus of the whole album, which successfully promotes her music to a wider audience,

Connotations

There are many connotations that can be analysed from this magazine advert. Firstly, most of the text such as the album name is written in blue which is a calming colour and represents her music as most of her songs are slow and ghostly. Blue also connotes the idea of trust and intelligence, with the inclusion of this, the audience is promoted successfully as she aligns herself with these positive traits, making a statement about herself. As well as this, her name is written it white, standing out from the blue, sky background, causing this to stand out from other elements on the page. The connotations of white are 'purity' and the idea of 'perfection' this relates to the idea that, this is her first ever album since becoming 'Lana Del Rey' and the type of artist she wants to become. The use of colour within this magazine cover intrigues the audience and provides connotations that can explain the indie genre. The blue and white tones also connote her voice as it is calm and effortless and lower. Lastly, the artist's strong posture connotes the idea of strength and independence. This shows her pride due to the album and in her appearance as the highlights that an explicit image is not needed, which promotes her successfully to both males and females and is conventional to the indie genre as her clothing is not overly sexual or promiscuous. 



Representation of the artist
The advert provides the audience with a certain representation of the artist to create a bond between the artist/audience. Firstly, the artist looks away from the camera which represents her as being quite shy/mysterious  which is intriguing, This also creates the look of a less professional picture and relates to the typical indie due to the use of natural elements such as earth and the outside setting. This causes the artist to seem caring due to the use of nature, which also causes her to become more natural than artificial, linking to the sound of the music. This element promotes the artist and album, successfully. There is a direct link to the lung necklace worn and the title of the album 'Lungs' causing the idea of artist intelligence and a tool for the audience to remember the album and artist. The theme of natural elements is evident through out the advert as the artist's make up is quite natural again, and her nails are shorter however painted and prominent relating to young girls and causing a positive appearance to look up to and typical of the indie genre as she is quite simplistic. 

Typography/Style of language
The artist's name is written in bold lettering in bright white, contrasting to the black background. 
This writing is bold and mostly italic, creating a feminine sense however, causing the wording to become apparent to the audience. The artist's name becomes the focal point of the advert as the font and colouring is more vivid and eye catching promoting the album and artist successfully. Next, the use of the monosyllabic 'CD', 'Vinyl' and 'digital' are snappy and simple and get to the point, highlighting the artist's success and causes this to stick in the audience's mind. Lastly, at the bottom the artist's popular newer songs are highlighted, which excites the audience and makes the content of the album more appealing. 

Choice of image
The image used within in magazine advert exploits the idea of indie music, this is because it's quite naturalistic and raw, and it looks as if the artist lays upon grass or flowers. This is traditionally seen in music videos within this music genre, due to the theme of nature. Her pose isn't very provocative, relating again to the genre and appeals to the target audience of teenage females, mostly as well as males due to her more natural appearance. Lastly, the main focus is on the artist, showing that they are the most important element of the cover and their high involvement with the production of the album.  

Colours
The constant use of the colour black connotes a sense of mystery which links to the sound of the artist. This colour is also blank and doesn't divert attention from the audience, highlighting that the artist is the focal point and promotes her further. This colour however, subverts the typical indie stereotype, highlighting even more the idea of a difference from other musical artists and the different themes creates a wider and more diverse audience. The idea of using the colour white again, shows naturalistic features and purity which is conventional to the indie genre and stands out from the black background. This highlights the natural name of 'Lungs' reflecting her true emotions and naturalistic features of the human body highlighting that she wants to open up to the audience. A dark burgundy/red colour is used within the lung image, connoting the themes of love and passion, linking to the artist's love for fans and her music as well as possessing the audience with meaning and emotions that are linked to the artist's music.  

Design and layout
Firstly, the image of the artist connotes naturalistic features due to the nature around in the setting, highlighting that the artist is natural and relatable. Her posture us simplistic yet powerful as the pose is engaging and feminine, relating to the music that the artist creates. This image used is surrounded by a black border which highlights that the artist is the focal point as well as highlighting the connotations of mystery due to the colour black and the lack of eye contact from the artist. The text applied to the advert is very vivid and eye catching, drawing attention to the artist and album name, which is a positive tool to use for promotional purposes. 

Connotations
The use of the iconography of the lungs necklace links to the album name and creates the idea that the artist provides naturalistic features of her body, linking to the indie genre as well as showing strength. This also highlights her music style and different singing techniques due to the inclusion of lungs that her singing voice comes from her lungs, showing her natural and raw talent. The colour black used within the advert connotes the idea of mystery which links to the positioning of the artist and her posture as she doesn't look directly into the camera therefore causes a lack of eye contact. This causes the artist to make less of a direct connection with the artist however, they find that the artist cares about her music and songs created rather than her own image.

To conclude, this research of magazine adverts has provided me with more information on the genre that I am creating a music video for as well as giving me inspiration for how to plan and create my own magazine advert to promote my album and artist. This research has been extremely beneficial as I now possess a deeper knowledge on elements within the indie genre as well as positive ways to promote the artist that I will apply myself. For example, I will take on board the fact that representation of the artist is highly important when selling music, and the idea that highlighting the name of the album and the artist grabs attention, and the idea of the magazine industry and adding websites on the cover creates support and convergence as well as appealing to my target audience.