The background is a very bright red colour which will grab the readers attention. It especially stands out against the black and white writing as they make the poster quite dull. The band's name 'The Ting Tings' is in a bright baby blue colour which bounces off against the bright red and the white catching the viewer's attention and making them especially aware of the band who is performing. The band members themselves are in black and white which puts less emphasise on them. This is strange as normally the band members would normally be emphasised more instead of less.
The writing is quite bold and in capital letters which show the viewer that this is important or a big event. The use of capitals makes people think of something urgent so they will consider this gig to be important and it will be considered as a massive event. The simplistic writing style will show the indie genre which shows the calm and relaxed theme which could be linked to the music.
The band members have half of their faces cut off. This causes mystery to them and therefore fans will be more willing to go to their gig as it causes curiosity. Their expressions are very calm and tranquile much like the indie genre therefore linking the band to the music a little bit more.
This advert is very simple. The colour scheme is very orientated around the rock genre. it has the typical colours of red, black and white. the black is covering the background and most of the picture. It is very plain and doesn't attract people's eye very much. But the dark red on the page stands out against the black and this is what attracts people's eye. The contrast of the dull and dark colour to the collourful and dark colour is amazing as it makes such a big difference to the page. The white on the page stands out as the red drips across the pale colour. It also stands out when the white is against the black as the colours are complete opposites. This contrast in colours gives the poster a phenomenal eye catching look.
The band's name is written in capital letters which makes the name pop off of the page and gives the poster a rock themed look. The capital letters make it look like the words are angrily said which is an emotion which is often associated with the rock genre. The tiny pieces missing from the letters give an effect of rebellion and gives it an animalistic look. This also adds to the rock genre. The writing underneath, however, is written in small letters which could indicate to the next heading being significantly inferior than the band's name. On the other hand, it could just be another rebellion move as it contrasts to the band's name and this could just be going with the rock genre.
This advertisement is very relaxed. The band is just chilling on a beach but they are in their normal clothes.
They look a little bit out of place but it doesn't matter as they look relaxed. This could show the audience that the music is very relaxed and calm.
The colours are very high key. The colours add to the relaxed atmosphere as the turqoise sea helps us imagine a quiet and calm place. The green trees help us to imagine nature at its best so we think of a happy and serene environment which the viewers think could be linked to the music. The colours also pop off of the page and catch the reader's eye which could intrigue them into buying the album.
The writing is very simple which could indicate to the music being simple as well. This could intrigue the indie audience as they are normally intrigued by calm and simple music.
This digipak is low key with high key in the middle of it on the front cover. The mix of colours could be related to the title of the digipak as X&Y is very vived and it has no meaning, other than the letters, and the colours are very mixed and have no meaning either. The confusion of colours could attract the viewer as they'll find it very intriguing.
The writing is very simplistic showing the indie side which relates to the music. The music video for 'Fix You' and the song in general is very simplistic and calm as is the writing. The writing emphasises the indie genre and the soft lyrics and music.
The title of the digipak is X&Y and it is very weird. This makes me, personally, think of X&Y chromosomes and so therefore it makes the digipak more masculine. Although the theme of relaxation stays as the title is very ambiguous but there is also a theme of mystery which the songs also have a hint of.
This digipak is quite dark and black and low key. The front cover has a shooting snowflake on it. This has no relation to the title of the digipak as there is nothing to do with snow in it. This makes the didgpak more interesting as it has an aire of mystery to it. However, I could argue that the snow flake looks like it is moving forward and the title of the album id 'up to now' therefore the snow flake is moving up to now.
Although the snow flake could be related to the name of the band, Snow Patrol. This shows the audience that the digipak is more about the band than about the title of the digipak. It shows the importance of the songs and promotes the band even more.
The writing on the front cover stands out quite a lot as the red and the white match each other to pop off of the page. The bands name, Snow Patrol, is in white to represent snow and to link the bands name to the meaning. The red for the title 'Up to now' could represent something dark like blood to show the viewer that the songs are sad, dark or emotional. The writing style is very simple showing the indie nature of the songs as the indie genre is very relaxed and calm and the writing seems that way too.
The back of the digipak has a lot of black to it. This could be so that the viewer will read the songs and pay more attention to them instead of the pictures. This is a good idea as it puts more concentration on the actual song and therefore people will be prepared to buy the album or download the songs.
The digipak is quite dull and its colour is a faded out brown which could represent the sad songs as the colour fading out could show the viewer the happiness that has faded out of the songs.
Although the colour is dull the picture on the front is interesting. The picture is a woman and a man about to kiss although they have no faces and they are made up of different colours. This is very intriguing as the front cover is not relating to the name of the digipak 'Eyes Open' as we can't tell if the people's eyes are open or closed.
The picture looks like it has something like barbed wire on it which could represent restriction in love or heartbreak which could relate to the songs on the digipak. This is a clever technique to include as it makes the picture a metaphor which is quite interesting as it gives the viewer something to think about.
The writing isn't bold or big. It is in very simple writing and it is in black. This is to draw more attention to the picture which will interest the viewers more. On the back of the digipak the writing looks a bit more faded out then the front maybe to show the importance of the front cover.
Snow Patrol's song 'Chasing Cars' is an Indie song and there are two music videos: one for UK and one for the USA. Our team is studying the one for the USA.
The first shot is an over the shoulder shot of the lead vocalist. This makes it very difficult to see his face and clothing but we can see the high key scenery. The lead vocalist is looking outside the window which shows the audience that something is wrong as it's a very slow start.
The next shot is the lead vocalist laying on the floor as the he sings the lyrics 'If I just lay here' which shows the viewer that the lead vocalist is taking the lyrics seriously. This will emphasise the lyrics as the viewer will make the link between both the video and song. The dark colours are not low key though they are quite high key as the light shines off of them and the lead vocalist's clothes mix in with the floor so it looks like he belongs there. This happens quite often as the lead vocalist lays in a diner, the busy main street, at the top of an escalator, in a subway car, at the top of a hill overlooking a highway and at the end on a bed.
Coldpaly's song 'Fix You' is an Indie song which is a slow song and it was filmed at the end of two concerts on 4 July and 5 July 2005 at Reebok Stadium in Bolton, England.
The song starts off slowly as the lead vocalist is walking towards the camera and singing to it. He is just wandering the streets of London and seems to be lost. This is quite boring for the viewer as there's nothing entertaining about it. It is a very beautiful song but the video starts off boring which can be a problem when dealing with slow songs.
There is a very random shot of a man waving a light about for about 2 seconds of the video. This is confusing and has no relevance to the video. I can only assume that it has been put in the video to try to make it look a bit more interesting but it doesn't succeed and it looks forced in and doesn't interest the audience.
In the next shot it is made perfectly clear why there are lights as the lyrics sing 'lights will guide you home' and he's walking along some streetlights showing the viewer that they are guiding him somewhere, most likely his home.
In the next shot, we see the lead vocalist run to a stadium (The Reebok Stadium) and he is performing a live concert with the rest of coldplay. This has no relevance to the song but it shows the viewer that other people are enjoying the song which could encourage the viewer to do the same. The shot is quite high key due to the fact that lights are being thrown about. This also has relevance to the lyrics 'lights will guide you home'.
The video ends with the audience singing along to the song and enjoying the night. This shows the viewer that the song is enjoyable and will therefore grab the viewer's attention more. Although generally I think the video is very slow and doesn't generally grab the viewer's attention as it is boring. But the live scene is quite eye catching and gives the impression that the song (and the band) are really good.
Costumes: The lead vocalist is wearing normal clothes which has no significance in the song.
Snow Patrol's song 'Set the Fire to the Third Bar' is an Indie song which was filmed in the UK.
The start of the song is a split screen which could show the audience that the two people singing are in two seperate worlds. One side is white and high key and the other is dark blue and low key which could symbolise the difference between the boy and the girl or even the good and the bad? This will bring curiosity to the viewer which will engage them into watching more.
Both the woman and the lead vocalist are both wearing dark clothes which could represent that they are the same or that their worlds seperate them from each other. This indicates that the song is going to be a sad and slow song therefore linking the video to the song.
So far throughout the video we assume that both singers are in seperate rooms and are seperated by a wall and window but there is one shot where the lead vocalist has his hands on the table and the woman singing has her hands creeping up next to him. It confuses the viewer because we assume that they are in seperate rooms but this shot shows that they are both in the same room. This is very intriguing as the viewer will want to know whether they are in the same room or they are imagining each other? Something like this would be good to use in my music video as it will fascinate the viewers and emphasise the deep meaning of the song.
The next shot shows both singers behind bars in different rooms and the lyrics say 'I'm miles from where you are' which could indicate that they are being held from each other. The bars are very strange as it shows them being imprisoned although this could be metaphorical and show that they feel like they are being locked up due to the fact that they are not with each other. High key and low key are both emphasised due to the light shining out of the male's room and the darkness from the female's room.
Although they use metaphors in the video to link to the lyrics they also act out some of the lyrics, for instance, when the lead vocalist sings 'I pray that something picks me up' he is actually shown praying. This emphasises to the audience that the lead vocalist is desperate to be with the girl in the next room.
The female vocalist always seems to be in the male's room when they are together. Could this show dominance between genders? I wouldn't want to do this in my music video as I would like to show equality between genders.
The next shot shows us that the male can't see into the female's room although she can see into his room. This causes confusion as to whether the male is portrayed as the one who has been left behind or whether the female is lovestruck by the male. There are many possibilities which are ambiguous to the audience.
Another shot is the female's image merging with the male's image which could show the viewer that they are soulmates and that they are meant to be together. Their hands are also touching but the glass is inbetween them which could show loves division. The video is linking to the song as both represent love.
The ending of the video shows the female walking away and leaving the male standing alone. This could show that she is moving on or leaving him which shows the theme of heartbreak. This is what happens in a typical heartbreak film and is portrayed in the music video quite well.
Costume: Both singers are wearing dark clothes to show their upset at not seeing each other.
Snow Patrol´s song ´Run´ is an Indie song which is a slow song and was filmed between dusk and dawn in the Essex countryside to show the loneliness to the song.
The beginning of the song is very slow and it starts off with the lead vocalist walking his bike down the street. This shows me that he´s lonely because of the slow music and the low key of the shot. It´s very dark which shows us that this song is going to be either sad or scary.
The lead vocalist throws his motorbike to the floor in what I can only assume is anger. It shows the viewer that this is going to be a sad song because the lead vocalist is upset. I assumed it was most likely to be a heartbreak song. The shot is low key showing us the dark and hurt emotion that the song has to it.
The lyrics start to say ´light up! Light up!´ and the lead vocalist lights a red distress flare which makes the shot a bit more high key but the background is still low key. This shows the viewer that the lead vocalist is trying to call someone´s attention. This could be a motif for the emotional attention that he is seeking. This is very clever and using a motif would be very useful for my music video as it would engage the viewer more and it would be less boring for the viewer. If my team decide to use a slow song then the motif would be good as slow songs tend to bore people but the motif would bring an interest and curiosity to the viewer.
After the chorus has been sung the lead vocalist throws his flare into the river which he has been standing in. This shows the viewer that the lead vocalist has lost hope and has given up calling for help. Again, this could be classed as a motif as the lead vocalist has lost hope emotionally. This shot is low key apart from the flare in the water which is high key and therefore stands out in the shot. This emphasises the darkness and therefore links to the theme of sadness and links to the song.
In the next shot the lead vocalist is walking through the woods as the sun is rising. As the chorus starts the lead vocalist exits the woods and another distress flare is lit but this time someone else is lighting it behind him. This could show the viewer that the lead vocalist is leaving his past behind him and that someone else needs help. The shot is more high key now which could show a happier ending?
The next shot is two of the band members throwing their flares but the flares don't bump into each other. They pass each other by which could signify the dying love between the lead vocalist and his girl. It crosses a tree and is a very beautiful shot which shows the audience that it links to the song as the song is also beautiful. The shot is very low key apart from the flares which are very bright and therefore add a little bit of high key to the shot.
At the end of the video we see a young man push the bike down into the pond where it sinks. This signifys the end of the love and the end of the song linking the video and the song up and ending the song nicely. The song is very slow but the motifs and the beautiful shots make the video more interesting and the contrast between high and low key is very significant between love and the love dying. This would be good for a music video as it is much more interesting and has deeper meaning than something like 'Everyday I love you less and less' by the Kaiser Chiefs.
Costumes: The lead vocalist is wearing a winter coat which has no relevance to the song. He is just wearing normal clothes.
Kaiser Chiefs song 'Everyday I love You Less and Less' is an Indie song and it has very fast and upbeat lyrics.
At the beginning of the song the lyrics start off with 'Everday I love you less and less' and the lead vocalist touches the picture of a girl´s face which makes the lyrics contradicting to the video as touching someone´s face is an act of love and the lyrics say that the lead vocalist is falling out of love with the girl. This shows me (the viewer) that the video doesn´t always have to follow what the lyrics say.
I would like to mention the scene where a man in the cafe puts on some x-ray glass and all the band members turn into skeletons except for their heads. This actually goes with the lyrics 'I feel it in my bones' which matches the video but it also gives the video a surreal and funny vibe to it which made me more interested in the video as a viewer. This shows me that even though this is not realistic but connected to the lyrics it is a very good shot as it grabs the viewer's attention and makes the video seem funny even though it is about falling out of love.
Another shot is the lead vocalist saying 'Yes I'm Stressed' and he's holding onto the back of his chair and has very worried look upon his face. This shows me that the lead vocalist is playing the character who doesn't love his girlfriend anymore. I can see this due to his emotion and his reactions to each lyric. Plus, there is another shot later on in the video where the lead vocalist is pushed to sit down with his girlfriend and he looks very worried and shocked. This adds to the fact that he is uncomfortable around her and indeed doesn´t love her anymore.
But towards the middle of the video the lyrics and the video contradict each other as the lead vocalist starts kissing his girlfriend even though he doesn't love her. But it shows their skeletons which leaves the viewer confused as to why they have done that. This would intrigue the viewer more and would grab their attention so they would want to see more. This is a very good technique that would be very useful for my music video as confusing the audience will make them want to watch it until the end so that it will make sense to them. While this is happening the lyrics also state 'You´re turning into something I detest' but by the looks of things the lead vocalist doesn´t seem to detest his girlfriend which would add to the confused feeling the viewer has.
Half way though the video we see that his girlfriend is pregnant so I assume that the lyrics are talking about his girlfriend during her pregnancy or after so the viewer assumes that the lead vocalist has decided to stay with his girlfriend at this moment in time. By making the video ambiguous at the beginning and making sense during the middle it makes the viewer curious but they don´t get frustrated because it makes sense in the middle. The video doesn´t leave it too long for it to make sense which is a very good thing because it intrigues the audience instead of frustrating them. The shot is also doubled which could indicate to the video being a dream sequence or just the lead vocalist straying away from reality.
Another shot is the doubling of people´s bodies. This choice is very ambiguous and unclear to the reader as to why the choice was made. Perhaps it´s to promote the idea of a dream sequence or a straying from reality?
When the lyrics start to go 'Whooooaaaa' but in a very long and high pitched manner, all of the band members stand up and start to scream which could show the insanity of the lead vocalist and the link between the lyric and the video.
At the end of the song the shots start to flash very fast one after the other and end with the band falling down dressed as skeletons. This gives the song a very comical effect and will therefore grab the viewer´s attention and they will want to watch the video.
Costumes: the lead vocalist is wearing a pink suit throughout the video showing the viewer that he does not fit in and this is what the song is about. He doesn't fit in with his girlfriend.
My name is Emily Jayne Sweeting. I am seventeen years old. I am currently studying A2 Media Studies, A2 English Literature and A2 Film Studies.
Why Am I Using Blogger?
I am using this blogger to show people my work throughout the creation of my music video which will be created by myself and other people from my media class. It will take group work to create the music video but I will be able to work independantly and produce work by myself such as research, surveys, videos and other work.
What I Did Last Year?
Last year I produced a media magazine called Kinetic. This consisted of a front cover, a contents page and a double page spread. I used a model to portray my character or Roxy Parker and displayed my own version of girly punk rock. I hope this will be useful to me due to the fact that one day I hope to be a journalist. Media studies will contribute to my skills in research and being able to interact during interviews.
What I Plan To Do This Year?
I plan to work in my team to develope a music video this year. I will help contribute my opinions and use my camera and directing skills to help the team. If necessary i will participate in my music video as this will help boost my confidence and hopefully help me with onscreen skills that I will use later in life. I also plan to learn more media skills from my team and my teachers by listening to their opinions and learning new devices and techniques to improve my music video and my own skills.
What I Hope To Achieve This Year?
I hope to achieve a successful music video and I would like to have a music video that is serious but not slow and one that would bore the viewer. I hope to work harder than what I did last year and achieve a higher grade as I would like to go to university next year. I hope to gain new skills in the technology department especially photoshop and camera work. I would like to gain onscreen skills due to the fact that I would like to join the journalism career one day.
