Evaluation: Question 4

Evaluation q4 from cara633

Evaluation: Question 3

Evaluation – Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

            Audience feedback is vital when creating a product, whether it be the music video, the promotional poster or the digital pack for the CD cover. By receiving audience feedback, we was able to act upon improvements and by asking an audience of ages 16-19 years, my target audience would have been ideal as these are the ages of people I want to target with my products.

            I received audience feedback in many ways, throughout my product and at the end of my product. During research and planning, I constructed a questionnaire in which targeted my previously estimated and researched target audience for answers. I asked ages 16-25 years to answer the 10 questions I had constructed about what they would like to have seen in my music video I was creating by asking about previous experiences they have had with music videos. My research proved that a performance and narrative aspect would be beneficial for me to produce as this appealed most to my target audience.

            With knowing this, I set out to research into existing products, to develop ideas and understandings of what was needed to make a music video successful.

            I was able to construct my own music video, by following carefully my research audience analysis and my research into existing productions and artefacts. This is seen in task 12 for reference.

            I conducted my first feedback session after gathering raw footage and merging all the shots together in a certain format. Here are the responses I got given:

Improvements	Actions to Take
There needs to be a climax at the end of the music video to keep audiences interested. Could you shuffle around the order of the shots?	I originally had the shot of a memory between the lovers at the end. I got suggested at putting the part where the lover walks away and the love letters being ripped up might be a good way to end the music video to suggest their relationship was over.
There is strange sounds in the background due to being used from the original soundtrack including background noise. Maybe download the album version rather than the YouTube version.	I stripped all music from the first production prototype. I downloaded the iTunes version costing 99p, which was much better quality. I edited the music from 5 minutes 5 seconds to 3 minutes 44 seconds so I would have less need to fill the music with not needed shots. I also believe that music videos shouldn't last more than 4 minutes as this loses audience interest.
The shots looked professional and diverse. It really captured the break up situation well and using POV shots also made the audience feel more involved.	N/A

After making these improvements and adding some of my own stylistic elements and filters, I gained much more positive feedback:

Feedback

There isn't much wrong with the music video other than some lip syncing is slightly out which is easily fixed. Overall, the sepia filter captures Adele's original music video stylistic elements. The shots have been really thought out and the narrative is clear and cohesive.

The plot keeps the audience immersed at all times, the slow motion and the time lapses are very stylistic and professionally done. The balance of performance and narrative is even throughout, branding the artist and the plot still makes sense without the performance aspect yet they complement each other perfectly.

The settings and mise-en-scene used are all relevant, such as performing in a woodland area links with the memories the couple had and the indoor scenes also do the same. The props such as the love letters symbolise the break up as well as the phone, where the artist cries down the phone trying to contact her ex.

Audience feedback on my production was vital as my audience could notice flaws a lot easier than I could by looking at the production from an audience point of view rather than a producers eyes. The feedback was acted upon and feedback improved. This shows this is a valuable way of knowing how successful your production will be, as the audience are the target audience and who the producer caters for; the audience that makes the music video successful.

I decided asking for feedback in a classroom environment was a successful way in order to gain feedback. I did the same for my ancillary texts. I first produced my CD cover as I wanted this to feature on my promotional poster. My first production received many positive reviews however some constructive criticism was also included for my improvements to be made:

Feedback	Actions to Take
The CD cover has conveyed the original artists genre and style very well however the image is slightly fuzzy and low quality.	I discovered I used too much on the iPiccy airbrush filter and this made the picture fuzzy, looking like it was low quality when it wasn't. I redid the cover with this in mind and many agreed this looked better.
The CD cover matches the music video well and portrays the same mood.	N/A
The artist is branded well by using a close-up of the artists face, much like the original. The text also does this with 'CARA 19', the album name stands out well against the image.	N/A

Audience feedback here taught me that not always what the audience sees is the issue, for instance the image looked low quality but was a design flaw in my choosing. By retracing my creative process, I can pin point the issues and revert these changes.

After making my CD cover, I moved on to create my promotional poster. This included the CD cover also. I decided to use a screenshot of my music video to continue the theme of synergy throughout my products. After creating my promotional poster, I again used the classroom environment to gain a reaction from my ideal target audience. Here are the replies:

Feedback	Actions to Take
The poster doesn't include a release date or price range. This might be good to include as this distributes more information to the audience and follows conventional music promotional posters which usually include price and company logo's.	I will use the original copy and add another layer suggesting the RRP of £9.99 after researching into iTunes prices, the company in which I will also include on my poster.
The rating appeals to the audience as they enjoy opinion and reviews. The artist is branded clearly and also features what the album cover will look like so when released and available to buy, audiences will know what to look for and will notice it is this specific album.	N/A
The artist elements such as the lens flare adds to the genre of funk soul, and the almost opaque image of the artist layered onto of the solid image is very artistic and stylistic, capturing the artists style and genre of the album. The use of promoting the hit single song will drive sales as this is the most noticeable song off the album in which audiences strive to buy.	N/A

Audience realise media merchandise techniques such as including pricing and company logo's to create synergy as these techniques are now common and look odd when not used. The audiences can pick out missing information and report back to the producers to clarify and fix this.

Overall I believe audience feedback plays the biggest part when creating media products. This is because the audience decided on how successful the product is by driving sales and figures. Without an audience, there will be no product to create as the audience of media are essentially the creators. 

Evaluation: Question 1

Final Music Video Production

Evaluation: Question 2

Video Production feedback

The film has been edited with a sepia filter to mirror the original Adele video.  A lot of the techniques and the style of the video are drawn from the original and this shows an ability to achieve the look of a broadcast standard video.  The use of the focus allows close up detail and shifts in perspective and loses focus only on occasion without affecting the narrative.  A selection of shots are edited together in montage at the start using creative angles and focus to add variety. Use of the camera is steady and appropriate when it moves to add to the professional quality of the piece. Shots match the contemplative mood and atmosphere.  Canted angle and close ups are used to provide variety and detail and to engage the audience. This is an effect used in the original. Exterior shots are well composed using the rule of thirds and vanishing points cross cutting between a convincing performance and  a narrative.  The artist is clearly braded in a series of well directed close ups.  There is another montage of time lapses including well chosen mise-en-scene. The time lapse of the sky is scaled on Adobe premiere showing sophisticated editing skills. The emotion comes across due to the quality of the filming and editing 35/40

Video Production feedback

The film has been edited with a sepia filter to mirror the original Adele video.  A lot of the techniques and the style of the video are drawn from the original and this shows an ability to achieve the look of a broadcast standard video.  The use of the focus allows close up detail and shifts in perspective and loses focus only on occasion without affecting the narrative.  A selection of shots are edited together in montage at the start using creative angles and focus to add variety. Use of the camera is steady and appropriate when it moves to add to the professional quality of the piece. Shots match the contemplative mood and atmosphere.  Canted angle and close ups are used to provide variety and detail and to engage the audience. This is an effect used in the original. Exterior shots are well composed using the rule of thirds and vanishing points cross cutting between a convincing performance and  a narrative.  The artist is clearly braded in a series of well directed close ups.  There is another montage of time lapses including well chosen mise-en-scene. The time lapse of the sky is scaled on Adobe premiere showing sophisticated editing skills. The emotion comes across due to the quality of the filming and editing 35/40

12: Audience feedback

Audience Feedback

Hannah Constantine - Aged 19

Question	Answer
Out of 10, how well would you rate my production?	8
And why do you rate this (what they have rated)?	I enjoyed watching the music video. It looked professional and kept me interested all the way through.
Do you feel I have met a target audience of 18-24 year olds?	I liked it, so I would imagine so.
What was your favourite aspects of my music video?	I loved the cloud time lapse you included and the editing was very accurate throughout and kept to the theme.
Finally, are there any improvements?	Perhaps next time you could include a music channel logo or include the artists name at the beginning to brand the artist more.
Out of 10, how well would you rate my poster and CD digi-pack?	8
And why do you rate this (what they have rated)?	The design was really well put together. I also thought the editing was just the right amount.
Do you feel the poster and CD cover compliment the music video well?	I do, I liked that the poster was screenshot from the actual music video as it created more synergy between the two.
What part of the ancillary texts do you like most?	I love the powerful CD cover, as the artist is clearly branded. The colour schemes are kept throughout the ancillary texts as well which links all the products together.
Finally, are there any improvements?	Maybe next time you could include the price on the poster so audiences know how much the album will be roughly.

Samantha Bowles - 18 years old

Question	Answer
Out of 10, how well would you rate my production?	9
And why do you rate this (what they have rated)?	I loved the whole concept of the narrative and the performance aspects. I felt sympathy for the two characters involved so the music video created an audience reaction.
Do you feel I have met a target audience of 18-24 year olds?	It does as we can relate to the narrative since the target audience age is the age for first loves and mature relationships.
What was your favourite aspects of my music video?	The part where the boy walks away from the camera and the camera loses focus is a very analytical way depending on how the audience see's this, raising social talk meaning the video was successful.
Finally, are there any improvements?	Maybe include a brief introduction just like the original one to give the characters more context.
Out of 10, how well would you rate my poster and CD digi-pack?	8
And why do you rate this (what they have rated)?	The design was really stylistic. It looked professionally made and it stood out like it should in order to be successful.
Do you feel the poster and CD cover compliment the music video well?	I did since they kept the same sort of theme throughout all products.
What part of the ancillary texts do you like most?	The flare added to the poster gave the impression the music video would be a soul, indie ballad which is exactly what it was.
Finally, are there any improvements?	Maybe adding the price to the poster will inform the audience of a rough guide of cost, and would increase sales.

11: Creating print artifacts

Adele - Hello
Print Artifacts

November feedback

SMART targets

Print the essay for Lady Ga Ga so that I can provide an initial assessment

For all the posts that you have made try and expand on each and aim for level 4 in research and planning.

Use digital storyboards as they will help you to visualise

Audience research using sites such as yougov.com should allow you to identify a target audience accurately

Make a production schedule and prioritise filming so that we can edit soon

10: Filming

Filming Schedule

When	Who	What	How	Which
12/09/2015	Cara Billy	·         Start scene with the artist upset in the house. ·         This will follow with the filming of the artist at home trying to contact her ex boyfriend over the phone. ·          This will also include reading, destroying and burning the love letters.	·         Scenic shots will be used to capture rain, and close up shots will focus on the cup, kettle, and the artists face. ·         Again, this will be close up to capture the artists emotions. ·         These shots will be POV (point of view) or medium shots to capture the dynamic actions of the artist.	·         Nikon DS-3300 camera for filming ·         Gorilla pod, for stable filming ·         Kettle ·         Cup ·         Candle ·         House phone ·         Love Letters ·         Lighter
19/09/2015	Cara Billy	·         The cooking scene ·         The bathroom scene ·         'Missed Call' scene ·         Bedroom/Argument scene	·         The cooking scene will feature many blurs to represent this is a memory of the artists in a POV shot. ·         The bathroom scenes will be in medium shots as this will stylise the artists partner. ·         The missed call scene will be an extreme close up shot of the mobile phone displaying the calls the artist has sent out to communicate with her ex boyfriend. ·         The argument scene will be done again in the form of POV, and will be handheld to create the rawness of the argument.	·         Nikon DS-3300 camera for filming ·         Gorilla pod, for stable filming ·         Mobile phone ·         Calendar ·         Analogue clock
26/09/2015	Cara Billy	·         Outdoor filming ·         Rain puddles ·         Reminiscing in the woods ·         Performance scene in the woods ·         Memories in the woods ·         Clouds for time lapse ·         Partner walking down country lane in the rain	·         The rain puddles will be a close up slow motion shot, to create the depressing mood the artist feels ·         The woods scene where the artist walks alone will be a series of close ups to capture emotion and long shots to capture the scenic surroundings ·         The performance will be in the form of close ups to promote the artists face and increase sales ·         The memories in the woods will again be POV shots from the girlfriends point of view. This is so the audience feel immersed in the artists life, affecting them more ·         The clouds will be a long shot in order to create the most movement showing the emotional turmoil created by the break up ·         The partner will start in a medium close up shot arguing in the form of a POV of the artist. The camera will slowly un-focus with the partner getting further away to represent the couple separating and no longer being in each others lives.	·         Nikon DS-3300 camera for filming ·         Gorilla pod, for stable filming

Rutherford feedback

I understand that you have had some issues with Blogger.  This has affected the presentation of research so far.  You are working well and I am confident that you are making progress. However, I need to see it on the blog.

Targets

• Publish all posts
• Begin planning
• Storyboard and a script if necessary.
• production schedule

9: Casting

Casting

The only two people that are going to star in my music video are myself and my partner. I will star the main character, being the female like Adele, in the deteriorating relationship. My partner will be playing the boyfriend in the music video. 

The props they require is as listed below:

Artist (Main Actor)	The Boyfriend
Kettle - pour into cup in start section	Frying Pan - cooking section
Cup - drink from in start section	Food to cook - cooking section
Candle - to blow out in the start section	Bag - to pack clothes in the argument scene
House phone - to pose with phone during soliloquy section	Clothes - to pack into bag during the argument scene
Mobile phone - to show missed calls on phone in the middle section
Love letters - memories in which are destroyed in the middle and near the end of the music video (motif for damaged memories)
Calendar - used in time lapse to show time passing fast in middle section before break down
Analogue clock - used in time lapse to show time passing fast in middle section before break down
Lighter - to burn the love letters to show the pain caused in break ups

8: Final Proposal

Final proposal from cara633

7: Role Allocation: Individual

Role Allocation

Role allocation refers to the tasks a person has during a film production. As I decided to complete the project on my own, I cannot give out certain tasks to a group, whoever I become more of an Auteur. An Auteur refers to the 'author of a film'. This means the director is seen a huge influence in the creative force of the motion picture. The theory derives from France in the 1950's. 

As I have worked on my own, all my ideas and concepts have came from myself. I have adopted the roles of being in the music video as the main artist, audio and visual representative and the editor to both production and ancillary texts. I also had to do most of the camera work myself and also did all the research on my own. I also decided to work on my own as many successful productions have came out of Auteur's. 

The only other two roles I had within my production were my supporting actor in the music video itself and my audience to receive feedback off, and to improve from there.

With working alone, there are many pro's and con's;

Pro's

• With not having to manage a group of young adults, which was ideal for my music video and skill level, I was able to be flexible around my life only. This meant for more efficient use of time and a reduce of risk when absences may occur.
• All the work I have done is my own work. This not only gives me a sense of pride, however means that all the workload was fair as I completed all the work myself. Instead of distributing tasks which may be more work than others, this allowed for no unfair distribution. 
• When working in a group, conflict can arise quickly when pitching ideas. When working alone, there was no one to dislike my ideas, or abandon my input so my work was my own ideas. 
• Less organisation was needed in the aspect of gathering everyone to film, or asking members of the group when their tasks would be complete and etc. This means I saved time to film and complete tasks rather than liaise with a group which would take up a lot of time. 

Con's

• As I worked on my own, I had no one I could discuss my ideas with and no one to reflect on different views with what I wanted to accomplish as a team. This meant I only had the ideas I could accumulate and couldn't expand further than my own imagination. 
• When creating a production, the work load is quite high. By not distributing tasks and projects, the workload created more pressure on myself to get the task completed. This may hold me back from my full potential as I would have to limit my time on each task. 
• The skills I have myself are the only skills I can use. Whereas in a group, some members may have higher skills in tasks than me, and I might excel in something else, bringing a higher standard of working and contribution to the group. However, I can only complete the tasks to a certain standard to what my skill level allows. 
• By working alone, there is a lot of work that requires pristine organisation. By not being organised, the result may be overdue coursework, lack of professionalism and lack of creativity due to not being organised. 
• Multitasking would be the only choice, as I have no one else to distribute tasks onto. This means I will have to focus on several tasks at hand instead of focusing completely on the one task that has been given to me. This means my full attention won't be devoted to a task at any one time. 
• If I see flaws within my project, plan or research, I will have less of a time scale to change my mind as I will be on a tight time schedule due to having no one else to rely on in my group to help with changes. This could mean I will not have time to make amends when I come across these issues.