Jay Z Cover Case Study ...

For my Digipack and Poster in class we looked at different ways different artists represent themselves on their albums and posters.

We took a look at Jay Z's Album cover; his most recent one which was different from the rest of his albums as they are all mainly based on him and his face which was his symbol, but his recent album is completely different as you can see ^^, it shows a different side to the artist, emphasizing his branching out from his original rap/ HipHop genre he is currently known through.

10** Theory 2

Carol Vernalli states that ''In video out attention to the song shapes the way we perceive the image, but to an equal extent what we attend to in the image helps to determine how we hear the music''. Through her theory Editing can erform dual roles, as it can reflect the musical feature, shape the narrative and sell the performance's image.
As the viewer's attention is shifted continualy between the music, the image and the lyrics that each provides novelty and background at different points.
So, overall all of the elements for example, colour, narrative, post production and the performer; are equal or sometimes one element is more dominant and the others are subordinate.

11** Theory 3

GoodWins Theory:




Goodwins Theory is designed to help identify, different juxtapositions happening within a pop video; which seems to then help explain the relationships between the music, the lyrics and the image.

2** Analysis Of Pop Video 1

19/11/10

Today me and Lucy met with our extras and explained to them to bump in the road that we had come too.

Basically, we are not allowed to take out students from lessons as w had planned to do, so rather than taking them out of lessons we have asked them whether they would be willing to come and film after school, which they all loved the idea and didn't mind that they wouldn't be missing lessons.

Which will in the long run make it easier for us to film and edit, as we have their full co operation.

9/11/10

These images where taken to show how we were planning, and what we was going to say to our extras when we had a meeting with them on the following afternoon.

P18** Track Permission Letter

P16** Location Permission Letter

P11** Location Shots

The location images are from London mainly at waterloo and Camden when me and Lucy went up there to get an idea of the different places that we could shoot in, however, due to having to get all of our actors/actresses up their and to then get the band while playing with amps and guitars and drums would just be too much, But the idea behind going to Camden was because it is a dark place, dark meaning gothic and rock type rather than dark as in light.

It helps us to see different types of costumes and hair styles people within this scene wear, we now have a first hand experience rather than just watching videos and seeing images.

P12** Shooting Schedule

P6** Image Annotation

These Costume ideas are just basically what bands that are within this genre wear, with some images of band members wearing these type of clothing and the type of colors we should use within our music video.

These Images, give me and Lucy and idea into what type of costume and what type of different random images we can do within our music video, as in the different ideas of having quotes and UV gel and the photos, gives us different ideas which we can then go on and use within our music video.

P8** Concept

P9** Storyboards

P10** Props, Costumes, Make-up and Equipment

P5** Lyrics Annotation

P4** Song Details

The song we chose as a group was; Easy Tiger By Kids in Glass Houses.

It is an Alternative Rock genre.

The song does have a video, but at the time when we chose it, we couldn't find that video until we had started to plan it. However, the video isn't very good, and doesn't compare to what we are planning on doing, if anything they are completely different ideas.

P3** Technical Turtorials

From the technical tutorials, I learnt the basics of Photoshop.
In my work, I tend to use, photoshop to play around with colours and placement of images as to see where I can place images and text. Also the different effects different colours have on the target audience. As different colours tend to have different meanings to the audience, as White could mean happiness, or it could mean purity. Whereas, Yellow could also mean happiness, for it emphasizes the sun.
For example, For a rock band the colours used would be different compared to a Hophop band.
Rock: Black, Reds, dark Colours.
Hiphop: Yellows, Whites, Golds, Lightish Colours.

P2** Roles

Fact File:

Name: Ryan

Role: CameraMan

Why: As Ryan has more experience with using a camera than both me and lucy. And he seems to enjoy using a camera.

Name: Shelby

Role: Planner

Why: As I know the song rather well, and have ideas for Location which will be easy access to the group.

Name: Lucy

Role: Producer

Why: As She is good at gathering people, and for part of our video we want shots of groups of people and she knows who will look good within the video and who will be there.

P1** Initial Ideas

Thoughts within the Group:

Firstly we started looking at different genre's and the artists involved within the genre's. After doing this we then agreed upon the alternative rock genre as it is the main genre that we all tend to listen to.
Once we had the genre pick out we started looking at different bands on youtube, And then trying to find out whether they were British, we used wikipedia to do this.
We then had several bands that we all thought would be good to do a music video too.
The bands where You me at six and Kids in Glass houses.
We then chose a song from each band which didnt have a video and had decent lyrics which we could analyse and then make into a video.
We chose the Kids in glass houses song - Easy Tiger.
However, we found that it was a video but a basic one which, with our ideas we aren't copying at all.

Location:

Field, Garage, Bedroom.

These are our ideas for different types of location.

17** Record Label Research

DecayDance Records:

Logo:

History:

Originally founded as an imprint of Fueled By Ramen, it is now an independent record label y Pete Wentz of Fall out Boy and partners.

Artists:

- Black Cards

- Fall out boy

- Hey Monday

- Cobra Starship

- Gym class Heroes

- Travis McCoy

- Panic! At the Disco

Promotional Material:

Through social networking sites, i.e. My Space

Location:

New York City

Year Established:

2005

Fearless Records:

Logo:

History:

Fearless is an alternative rock-oriented record label, it is perhaps best known for their early punk and pop-punk captured in the Fearless Flush Sampler and Punk Bite

s releases and released by bands like Bigwig and Dynamite Boy and later Sugar cult and Plain White T’s, Ska released by the Aqua bats and post-hardcore releases by At The Drive-In.

Artists:

- Alesana

- Blessthefall

- The Maine

- Go Radio

- Every Avenue

- For All Those Sleeping

Promotional Material:

Through social networking sites i.e. My Space; also through merchandise like t-shirts, and jumpers.

Location:

Westminster, California

Year Established:

1994

ROAD RUNNER RECORDS

Logo:

History:

The label was launched as ‘roadracer records’ in the Netherlands. But its initial business was importing North America metal-band recordings into Europe. In 1986 Roadrunner opened its US headquarters. Its early success included albums from King Diamond and Annihilator. The Label also handled early Metallica releases in the Scandinavian region.

As the 1990s wore on, several bands managed by Roadrunner began to make an impact on the mainstream.

At the beginning of 2001 Roadrunner was distributed by the Universal Music Group through a share of the label owned by The Island Def. Jam Music Group; the deal has now expired.

Roadrunner has been accused of being a label only interested in current alternative music, reflected by their current roster of mainly popular an metal core acts.

Artists:

- Kids in glass houses

- Funeral for a friend

- Nickelback

- Slipknot

- Kiss

- Stone sour

- Alter bridge

Promotional Material:

Through social networking sites, i.e. My Space

Location:

New York City has also opened offices in Wales, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Denmark and the latest is Canada.

Year Established:

1980

Parent Company:

Warner Music Group

14** Genre research 2:

The Chosen Genre is Alternative Rock.

The Script - For The First Time

Camera	Editing	Mise-en-Scene	Performance
· Focuses on body parts of actor; shows emotion · Close ups used varied; of singer, mainly following the narrative	· Quick cuts · Short edits · Jumps from singer to the narrative · Black and white edits are used · As song continues – shots get longer as song becomes more melody than just plain singer as it was at the beginning · Pace of cuts are becoming fast; continuing the narrative · Overlap of couple with the city	· Black and white then colour used · Location – varied from band playing in the darkened room with only spotlights on them and their instruments to narrative in a room/ house to then outside lying on the grass	· Emotional bring out the narrative in what the band are playing

Camera	Editing	Mise-en-Scene	Performance
· Close ups and Long shots are varied · Mid shot of band playing instruments/singer	· Quick cuts and beginning. · Change with beat of music slows down then speeds up. Follows narrative aswel as beat	· Location – field · Band playing in a field · Narrative based in a field · Lighting is natural, which brings out the contrast of the sky and of the grass. · Costume – skinny jeans, t-shirts, dark colours which emphasise the genre and contrast with the lighting making the band stand out even more.	· Upbeat and emotional; shows the beat and the lyrics have a meaning which is what this genre of music is mainly about.

Camera	Editing	Mise-en-Scene	Performance
· Over the shoulder shot used as an opening to the video its effective as it gives u lead way into the narrative without any music. · Close up shot of the singer · Close ups of the instruments · Pans towards band playing · Follows the narrative of the lyrics	· Long shots · Jump cuts from narrative to band mainly focusing in on the band, only having small clips on the narrative	· House, basement where band are playing · Light – narrative · Dark – band · Costume: skinny jeans, t-shirts, longish hair with fringe covering eye – main singer	· Upbeat; can see the band getting in to the beat of the song.

Camera	Editing	Mise-en-Scene	Performance
· Long, Mid shots conveying the narrative of the music video · Close ups of little girl – narrative · Long shots of singer – Band	· Deep and shallow focus · Long cuts convey the narrative · Quick cuts when the little girl is looking around and notices things that look odd, random in the nice setting she was just in · Overlap of clips · Repetition of different people evokes the narrative	· White, black, orange, light green – colour scheme · More focused on narrative than band as there is only one band member within the video and that is the female singer. Rest of band is guys · Narrative follows the lyrics · Colour changes to blue when narrative becomes scary for the little girl	· Upbeat, flows with song and lyrics – more focused on narrative within the lyrics than the beat and tempo of the song

Nickelback - Photograph.

Camera	Editing	Mise-en-Scene	Performance
· Long/ Close Up / Mid Shots of the singer · Follows Body parts i.e. Feet/Legs walking which is in sync with the narrative. · Shakie Camera – Shows the narrative… Different memories that are not forgotten. · Close up of the instruments.	· Shallow focus · Quick cuts, but when on singer the cuts become longer.	· Band playing in a studio · Costume is t-shirts and jeans, with guys with long hair – Main singer – emphasising the genre of music.	· Upbeat, emphasises narrative · Shows band get really into the beat of the song.

15** Genre Research 3:

The conventions of a music video of the genre alternative rock are;

- mainly, close ups of instruments of the main singer within the band

- Costume is basically, skinny jeans and a t-shirt with some random writing over it

- A good contrast between light and dark

- close ups of the main singer - showing facial expressions

- usually a narrative, that goes along with the lyrics, and fits with the beat also

- band usually playing in a studio or a basement

- usually wears black in their clothing or be in a darkened room

- mainly focused on the narrative

1** Brief

The task I have been set is that I have to go in a group, and Produce a Music Video of a chosen Genre, it has to be a british band or artist.
The people in my group are Lucy And Ryan.
Within my group we need to look at the conventions of a music video, and the conventions of what genre we choose. We also need to analyse different Cd covers; which will give us an idea for how the genre influences the colour scheme and the font of the Cd cover.
Also, we need to do some audience research, which is to create a questionnaire which would then help us to understand what the target audience want wihtin a music video.

18** Advertisement Research

16** Cd Cover Research:

- [You Me At Six; Hold Me Down; Album cover]


This album cover is explosive, as it sums up the genre of alternative rock, as it is abstract and different, form the other covers i have got. The name of the band is in good detailed size and is just big enoughfor the viewer to see who the band are, also the colours of the explosion doesn't over ride the title of the band and the name of the album, making it just sit right which then caters to the type of genre that You Me at six Are; Alternative Rock.







- [We the Kings; Album Cover]


This album cover is basic but good, as it shows the target audience the name of the band is the most important thing that the audience needs to know and it conveys a decorative pattern that doesn't over ride the whole cover, making it easy to read and easy to understand. Also by using the colour's Red, Black and Gold it makes it basic but at the same time the colours suit eachother and fit well with the oher colours, therefore making it understandbale; not having to worry about all the fancy stuff of having to create an image.






- [Paramore; Brand New Eyes; Album Cover]


This album cover is good for the, alternate rock genre as it uses a contrast through colours, specially between the butterfly and the grey background. It conveys the butterfly being pinned down, this creates an indifferent perspective of the genre as it is different from others and demonstrates the natural form at its worse; which makes the album cover different from others as it explains the music that is on the album cover, as some is slow yet some is guitar bassed. It allows the customer see what band the album belongs too as the bands name is written at the top.

4* Analysis of Pop Video 3

This video is of the pop genre as it is in the top 40 charts and is popular to most people, adapting to the type of music they like.

Camera; Cinematography	Editing	Mise-en-scene	Performance
o Shots show her mainly in every shot emphasising her importance o Close ups of an elephant o Also close ups shot of random things that are in the desert to show the location, also shows long shots with her in the centre emphasising the contrast of her and her location/background	o High on editing as it uses cartoon images while in a boat to show her on water. Post production. o Uses steady metrical beats, which keep the same shots at an evenly paced space apart, which tells the story of the song.	o Location, in a desert o She uses random aluminous paint on a black background. Changes from the light natural lighting o Casual, summery. In her costume, this evokes the location. o Uses random animals, which seem to state her album and promote that, as her album is called ‘Animal’	o Upbeat and lively, especially when the music starts