Research Into Similar Products: Camera Angles For Digipak

Most albums feature the common angle of the medium close up. One of my particular favourites of this is the photo featured on the album Meat Is Murder by The Smiths, as it captures the importance of the message of the album as the photo is copied four times. In general, using a medium close up is good for showing the faces of the model/actor/actress and this can be important for setting the tone to an album. 

Another shot, that's not used as commonly as the medium close up, is the wide shot as used by The Last Shadow Puppets album The Age Of The Understatement. The use of this shot shows the body language and costume of the subject of the photo and show can reflect a certain attitude about an album. 

A shot that shows the full body in a long shot is also a shot that I quite enjoy. Bob Dylan's album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan uses this and it shows the happy awkwardness of the two. The slight low angle is also good as it makes their faces very clear. This shot, I feel, could be a useful shot as it does a good job in showing the surroundings of the subjects rather than just focusing on the people.(This specific camera angle could also link to the blocking post I did as it could be a good way of incorporating the two subjects together in a nice way) 

These shots are all possible shots that I could use for my own digipak as they each have the potential to show a couple together and capture the facial expressions I would like. 

Research Into Similar Products / Organisation: Effects For Digipak

For my digipak, I'm considering using a black and white effect to create a sad but classic feel. Another way in which I could use this effect is by using the black and white effect but having only one colour showing which is inspired by the effects that are used in Sin City. This would make my digipak look quite unique.

To incorporate the bands ethos and to help reach their target audience, I could use simple black and white or take the photo with low key lighting to create the effect similar to that in Bombay Bicycle Club's video 'Leave It'. 

Research Into Similar Products: Editing For Music Video

Although it is a pop music video, I find the editing in Taylor Swift's video for 'Wildest Dreams' very inspiring. The opening of the video features text that states the name of the song, director and singer herself. I like the idea of this because it makes it seem movie-like and also makes it clear who directed the video so you can search for his other works. The video also uses a slow motion effect at the start as well as a lot of fades. These effects are something I would like to include in my own video as I like how dramatic it looks and creates a slow pace. 



The video for Undertow by Warpaint uses a vignette effect at various points in the video. I like this effect as it gives a nostalgic feeling and this has inspired me for my own video as I think that it'd be a good way to show the past. 

Research Into Similar Products: Branding

When an album is released, the designs of the cover, inner tray and back cover tend to have something similar about them that creates a sense of branding with the album. One example I have found of this is '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' as all the components of the album have similar images. I like this design in particular because there is nothing to special about it; it's a very simple picture and is an image that we can see in everyday life whilst walking down the road. This album is extremely well-known so highlights the fact that an album design doesn't need to be too detailed to be famous. 

Front Cover

 Inner Tray

 Back Cover

Another album I found that follows this trend is 'Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not' as all the components are of a man smoking a cigarette. I like this design in particular because of the black and white effect used throughout, and has inspired me to use a black and white for my own digipak. Although I could not find a photo for the inner cover of the album, the CD itself follows the same design as it features used cigarettes so it's very clear that each component is part of the same album.

 Front Cover  Back Cover

  CD

Research Into Similar Products: Camerawork For Music Video

I would like to include some varied camera shots throughout my video. Richard Ayoade uses a 360 degree spin around Craig Roberts and Yasmin Paige in the movie Submarine, and I would like to incorporate this into my own music video as I think it is a good way to show the characters facial expressions and is an interesting way to do it. 

I would also like to use a Birdseye view shot in my video. The way that Mark Webb uses Birdseye view shots throughout the movie is inspiring to me because I feel that it shows an overview of the relationship in the movie and I would like to use this in my own video as I feel it would give an overview of the couples troubles and could be interpreted as a 'God-like' point of view when linked to the song itself. 

Research Into Similar Products: Artist Video Styles

Bombay Bicycle Club have released quite a few videos over the years. From their first album, the videos released have seem quite raw and the camera work seems rather home made. In the video for 'Always Like This', the settings are quite simple and the band are simply wearing T-shirts and jeans. I plan to incorporate this simplicity into my own video by setting it in a field and getting my male actor to wear a jumper and jeans, this way I can keep the video similar to the bands actual image and keep the aesthetic value there too. 



The bands later videos seem to be more aesthetically pleasing. They hone in on a specific colour scheme which is present throughout the whole video. I plan to attempt to use filters to achieve a similar visual effect so therefore uniting both styles of music video the band produce. 

Target Audience: Artist Demographic

Bombay Bicycle Club mostly aim their music at people who are in their late teens and early 20's. However, due to the variety of genres explored in their albums, the demographic that is being targeted can be difficult to pin point. This means that when producing my video, I need to think of a way to incorporate the uniqueness that their music carries into my work. 

Drafting and Planning: Track Listing

My digipak needs to have a track listing on the back of the album. Bombay Bicycle Club tend to have around 12 tracks on their album so I will have 12 tracks on my album. 

1. My God
2. Reflection
3. Enough
4. Follow the Tracks
5. Moon
6. Ask
7. High Fidelity
8. The Mountain 
9. Accueil
10. Fade Away
11. Lost Stars
12. Liars

I have chosen song names that I think relate to the bands ethos as they are names that are quite ambiguous but nothing that seems offensive.  

Research Into Similar Products: Genre Conventions

Through watching various music videos, I have been able to see the conventions of indie rock music videos in action. The first I saw was the convention of the band performance. This is a feature used in most indie rock videos. In this particular video, the performance is shot in black and white which is another convention of an indie rock music video. 

The setting in indie rock videos are also pretty simple so that the focus is mostly on the artist and the music. I plan to keep this convention present in my own video by filming it in a field. The video below is set in a shabby house and so reflects the sadness of the song and also draws little attention away from the artist.



In most indie rock videos, the camera shots most commonly used are high/low angle shots, medium close ups and wide shots that show the whole band. I plan to use many medium close ups and high angle shots in my own video to clearly show the actors. Shed Seven use these same shots throughout their whole video below. 



Some indie rock videos contain a story line to help carry the lyrics of the song. I plan to include this convention in my own video as I feel it makes the video more interesting than just a performance. Coffee and TV by Blur is one video that has stuck in my memory since I was a kid and so I think this is a good example of a narrative video.



Indie rock videos sometimes feature unique effects that make them stand out. A Movie Script Ending has a flipbook-like effect to create a sense of nostalgia. 

Research Into Similar Products: Digipak Fonts

By looking at other album covers, I have been exploring the different fonts used for album titles. Firstly, I have looked at the fonts used by Bombay Bicycle Club themselves, so that I can try and carry the bands ethos through my own work. I like the font used for the album 'A Different Kind Of Fix' as it is very simple but bold and quite straight to the point. 

Another font that I enjoy is the one used for Lana Del Rey's Born To Die album. Although similar to the one above, the font used for this album is bold and the sharp edges make it seem very serious and distinct. I like this font as it is very memorable.

Both of these album covers use similar simple, bold fonts that are white and I would like to use a similar font to these as I like the simplicity of them. 

Organisation: Props/Blocking

In my video, I want to portray the idea of two people feeling lost in life but also being together in their loneliness. To achieve this I would like to include the prop of a retro suitcase to help create an old time feel, vintage feel to my video. I would also like to include a guitar to create a romantic feel to the video. I also like the idea of having these props included in my digipak and magazine advertisement as I was inspired to do this by the movie poster for Once, as I like the friendly feel they create. I feel this is specifically created in the way they're blocked but for my own poster, I would have the two people with their backs towards the camera to give the idea of them running away from reality/life. 

An alternate idea for my digipak would be to have my two actors facing each other but looking down at their feet. This idea would again show the loneliness of the two actors. I would also use the prop of the rose to show a type of romanticism as well as the thorns on the rose showing the imperfections of it all. 

Organisation: Effects

I have a couple of ideas for how I would like my music video to look in the end.
The first idea is to keep the video as monochrome as possible. I feel that this specific effect would fit the lyrics to the song that I have chosen (My God - Bombay Bicycle Club) as words such as 'fading', 'downwards' and 'quietly' would be complimented by a video with hushed colours and effects. Richard Ayoade's movie The Double has given me inspired me as he uses a monochromatic effect throughout the whole movie.

                                                                    

The other effect I was thinking of using was the one used in another Bombay Bicycle Club, Luna, as it focuses primarily on the colour blue throughout the video. I would like to use this effect but rather than focus on the colour blue, I would prefer to focus on the colour yellow. The reason I would use yellow is that yellow can connote happiness and sun just like what people may associate with God. However, the yellow can also represent decay and so would reflect the lyrics in the song itself. 

Research Into Similar Products: CD Back Cover Conventions

By looking at the back cover of Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence, I have been able to identify the key conventions of a back cover. This has helped me form an idea of what my own digipak should look like and what is important to have on it. 

Research into Similar Products - Music Video Analysis

To find out more about the way directors produce music videos of the indie genre, I have analysed Two Door Cinema Club's Changing of the Seasons as it is part of the same genre I aim to make my own music video in. 

Research Into Similar Products: Oasis Magazine Ad Analysis

I have been looking at the conventions of a magazine album advert to see the common features so that I can make my own as realistic as possible.