I miss blogging, even though it was a pain sometimes.
It was fun
Monday 4 February 2019
Tuesday 10 April 2018
Welcolme To My Blog!
Hello, welcolme to my blog for my A2 coursework.
Over the course of the past nine months I have been using this blog to research, plan, evidence the production process of and evaluate a music promo package for the indie rock band Suede.
I have used many new technologies and have learned many new skills, still made a number of mistakes, but I am very happy and proud with the products I have created, I hope you like them too!
Over the course of the past nine months I have been using this blog to research, plan, evidence the production process of and evaluate a music promo package for the indie rock band Suede.
I have used many new technologies and have learned many new skills, still made a number of mistakes, but I am very happy and proud with the products I have created, I hope you like them too!
Tuesday 3 April 2018
EVALQ4 - Technologies
How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, online - in this project?
HARDWARE
SONY A58
I have used the camera not just for filming but also for photography for my other products use the Golden Camera function.
TRIPOD:
Realised I work best with the Amazon Pistolstick Tripod compared to the Manfroto, even though it's the heaviest and therefore harder to carry around:
...
DOLLY
I wanted to put in some tracking shots
I learned however you need to plan in the ground you're going, it needs to be flat and not uneven, even a pavement that isn't properly smooth, you are going to end up with shaky footage. The result was I could only use a couple of shots, and had to intersperse them with other still.
GOPRO4:
When combined with the Monopod, I found easier to close in on close-ups of guitars and drums being played
GOPRO5:
This has better recording quality compared with both the Sony and GoPro4, and again the close-ups of my protagonist. Unfortunately I wasn't able to use that footage as the last scenes had to be cut. However, I screenshot one of the close-ups of the footage and used it as my album cover, so the high quality came in very useful there when editing the image in Photoshop:
...
SD CARD:
I made a mistake of breaking one of the SD cards, through the hatch coming off.
MICRO SD CARD:
You need to be more careful and delicate when putting in the Micro SD card without risk of breaking it, I had a hard time sliding it into the GoPros at first.
MONOPOD
Is used as a tripod for the GoPro, making it easier to shoot close-ups and extreme close-ups, came in useful for the close-ups of the drums and also some performance shots (i.e. the backing vocals)where as with the Sony A58 and Amazon/Manfroto Tripods it was more shaky footage.
SELFIE STICK
I used it when the monopod wasn't available, slightly smaller and so has less range and so had to get closer, for a shot where I wanted to film an ECU of the eye of the protagonist it was somewhat awkward for my actor.
MAC
Encountered severe difficulties with slowness of my computer. Learned that was due to my Mac being 8GB instead of 16GB.
I soon cleared all the files I could off my computer, and learned it is best to always import all your video files to your portable hard-drive.
Using tagging, very quick and easier than creating a lot of folders
PORTABLE HARD-DRIVE
Also needed to make sure that even though it has a large amount of space of 2TB.
Also if I ever need to buy another hard-drive I will buy one with 4TB space.
iPHONE
I used the Blogger app much more.
Also to post and update on the activities of my band on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). While I would often filter on Instagram, I could also already filter through
EARPHONES
As ever a simple but utterly vital instrument in order to work and listen to the audio of texts I analysed and also my own work.
ONLINE
BLOGGER:
I used the top links function for my blog.
Also, I uploaded GIFs next to screenshots which is really useful when you want to describe and connote a short segment of action from a video.
WIX:
Wix was at first a huge challenge, as it was the first online programme I used. However, more and more, I learned to work with it very quickly and it also became fun.
TEMPLATE
There are multiple templates for Wix, I chose the *...*. Then when I created an extra site for my store, I chose a Cinematographer Template.
STRIPS:
Had to create extra strips to write more content, as there wasn't enough space in those provided in the template
UPLOADING PRODUCTS
Was able to upload several images for my Shop that I had edited in Photoshop.
FONTS
I did not encounter problems with uploading the fonts like I did with on my Mac. I always able to have a good degree of font variety.
Here's a parody of a Wix Advert I created to outline the functions I used:
I was influenced by this real humorous Wix Advert by British comedian James Veitch:
...
GIF.com:
When I wanted to denote something, it was useful to be able to visualize through GIFs.
DISCMAKERS:
Could put all of my digipak images into one layout:
1001FONTS:
....
SOCIAL MEDIA
I named all three social media pages/accounts "SuedeLands"
FACEBOOK:
I created a page as is common, while artists do have their own public profiles on Facebook it is more common for them to engage with audiences on specifically created pages, as they can employ someone to do it for them.
I also used it just like last year to gather audience feedback, both through messaging people personally and writing on my timeline.
TWITTER:
Had to create an account. Here you can delete tweets but you can not edit them like in Facebook.
INSTAGRAM:
Mainly focussed on spreading photos. This I could mainly only use on my phone, I could however turn on a function to use it on my Mac as well
I also used the story function, similar to the one in Snapchat
TUMBLR:
Created extra accounts for my competition theory.
...
SOFTWARE
PHOTOSHOP:
FINAL CUT PRO
EFFECTS:
Quick Flashes: When I found I was lacking in drum footage, I added this effect to make the drums still be able to cut to the beat.
Keying: I used a dark filter.
TRANSITIONS:
Used flash-in transitions, inspired by the Depeche Mode's music video I Feel You , though I found they weren't quite as visually sophisticated as in that video.
LAYERING:
This is something I did not use in my AS coursework at all. Also in terms of transitions my layering got more sophisticated, particular when I watched a video from Suede, So Young, having the layered image fade in and out over the other.
FILES LOST:
A number of times, files went missing and I had to use the Relink function.
I learned this was happening due to having an over-filled hard-drive, and it having a speed of 8GB instead of 16GB.
KEY SYSTEM
Much better for organising your clips and being able to return back to them, even more effective if you created folders with all the clips ordered in before.
CONVERGENCE
The impact of Web 2.0 is a huge one, as all the technologies are quite easily accesible for independent and unsigned acts.
HARDWARE
SONY A58
I have used the camera not just for filming but also for photography for my other products use the Golden Camera function.
TRIPOD:
Realised I work best with the Amazon Pistolstick Tripod compared to the Manfroto, even though it's the heaviest and therefore harder to carry around:
...
DOLLY
I wanted to put in some tracking shots
I learned however you need to plan in the ground you're going, it needs to be flat and not uneven, even a pavement that isn't properly smooth, you are going to end up with shaky footage. The result was I could only use a couple of shots, and had to intersperse them with other still.
GOPRO4:
When combined with the Monopod, I found easier to close in on close-ups of guitars and drums being played
GOPRO5:
This has better recording quality compared with both the Sony and GoPro4, and again the close-ups of my protagonist. Unfortunately I wasn't able to use that footage as the last scenes had to be cut. However, I screenshot one of the close-ups of the footage and used it as my album cover, so the high quality came in very useful there when editing the image in Photoshop:
...
SD CARD:
I made a mistake of breaking one of the SD cards, through the hatch coming off.
MICRO SD CARD:
You need to be more careful and delicate when putting in the Micro SD card without risk of breaking it, I had a hard time sliding it into the GoPros at first.
MONOPOD
Is used as a tripod for the GoPro, making it easier to shoot close-ups and extreme close-ups, came in useful for the close-ups of the drums and also some performance shots (i.e. the backing vocals)where as with the Sony A58 and Amazon/Manfroto Tripods it was more shaky footage.
SELFIE STICK
I used it when the monopod wasn't available, slightly smaller and so has less range and so had to get closer, for a shot where I wanted to film an ECU of the eye of the protagonist it was somewhat awkward for my actor.
MAC
Encountered severe difficulties with slowness of my computer. Learned that was due to my Mac being 8GB instead of 16GB.
I soon cleared all the files I could off my computer, and learned it is best to always import all your video files to your portable hard-drive.
Using tagging, very quick and easier than creating a lot of folders
PORTABLE HARD-DRIVE
Also needed to make sure that even though it has a large amount of space of 2TB.
Also if I ever need to buy another hard-drive I will buy one with 4TB space.
iPHONE
I used the Blogger app much more.
Also to post and update on the activities of my band on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). While I would often filter on Instagram, I could also already filter through
EARPHONES
As ever a simple but utterly vital instrument in order to work and listen to the audio of texts I analysed and also my own work.
ONLINE
BLOGGER:
I used the top links function for my blog.
Also, I uploaded GIFs next to screenshots which is really useful when you want to describe and connote a short segment of action from a video.
WIX:
Wix was at first a huge challenge, as it was the first online programme I used. However, more and more, I learned to work with it very quickly and it also became fun.
TEMPLATE
There are multiple templates for Wix, I chose the *...*. Then when I created an extra site for my store, I chose a Cinematographer Template.
STRIPS:
Had to create extra strips to write more content, as there wasn't enough space in those provided in the template
UPLOADING PRODUCTS
Was able to upload several images for my Shop that I had edited in Photoshop.
FONTS
I did not encounter problems with uploading the fonts like I did with on my Mac. I always able to have a good degree of font variety.
Here's a parody of a Wix Advert I created to outline the functions I used:
I was influenced by this real humorous Wix Advert by British comedian James Veitch:
...
GIF.com:
When I wanted to denote something, it was useful to be able to visualize through GIFs.
DISCMAKERS:
Could put all of my digipak images into one layout:
FOR FONTS
However, I had an issue that I could only upload a number of fonts. This prevented me from having the same font variety on my digipak that I had on my website.
DAFONT:
However, I had an issue that I could only upload a number of fonts. This prevented me from having the same font variety on my digipak that I had on my website.
DAFONT:
Has a number of fonts, that's where I got the Decayed font from that I used for
FONTSQUIRREL:
I used it to identify fonts
1001FONTS:
....
SOCIAL MEDIA
I named all three social media pages/accounts "SuedeLands"
FACEBOOK:
I created a page as is common, while artists do have their own public profiles on Facebook it is more common for them to engage with audiences on specifically created pages, as they can employ someone to do it for them.
I also used it just like last year to gather audience feedback, both through messaging people personally and writing on my timeline.
TWITTER:
Had to create an account. Here you can delete tweets but you can not edit them like in Facebook.
INSTAGRAM:
Mainly focussed on spreading photos. This I could mainly only use on my phone, I could however turn on a function to use it on my Mac as well
I also used the story function, similar to the one in Snapchat
TUMBLR:
Created extra accounts for my competition theory.
...
SOFTWARE
PHOTOSHOP:
In school I used the expanded version of Photoshop, Photoshop C5, to start practising, however for the majority of my work I used a free trial of the less extended version, Photoshop CS.
Layering, just like with Final Cut Pro X you lower the opacity, always with the layer that's on top, the lower one being the background. In the inner panel above I wanted to emphasise the abandoned, as it symbolises how Suede care more about creating artwork through their music rather than simply pushing forward their image.
Layering, just like with Final Cut Pro X you lower the opacity, always with the layer that's on top, the lower one being the background. In the inner panel above I wanted to emphasise the abandoned, as it symbolises how Suede care more about creating artwork through their music rather than simply pushing forward their image.
FINAL CUT PRO
EFFECTS:
Quick Flashes: When I found I was lacking in drum footage, I added this effect to make the drums still be able to cut to the beat.
Keying: I used a dark filter.
TRANSITIONS:
Used flash-in transitions, inspired by the Depeche Mode's music video I Feel You , though I found they weren't quite as visually sophisticated as in that video.
LAYERING:
This is something I did not use in my AS coursework at all. Also in terms of transitions my layering got more sophisticated, particular when I watched a video from Suede, So Young, having the layered image fade in and out over the other.
FILES LOST:
A number of times, files went missing and I had to use the Relink function.
I learned this was happening due to having an over-filled hard-drive, and it having a speed of 8GB instead of 16GB.
KEY SYSTEM
Much better for organising your clips and being able to return back to them, even more effective if you created folders with all the clips ordered in before.
CONVERGENCE
The impact of Web 2.0 is a huge one, as all the technologies are quite easily accesible for independent and unsigned acts.
- The band members could all chip in and buy Final Cut Pro, or just use the free iMovie, either could be accessed through borrowing it from a friend
- Photoshop is on a Netflix/Spotify-like basis, easy
- Wix is completely free, anyone can use this
...
Monday 2 April 2018
EVALQ3a+b: Audiences + Distribution
3a - AUDIENCES
How do your products engage with the audience?
MY PRIMARY AUDIENCE
15-25, male + female
Those who listen to other indie rock acts such as Arcade Fire, and are interested in older musicians such as David Bowie, The Smiths, Sex Pistols, Bauhaus.
Nowadays it is much more credible for younger audiences to be aware of older acts due the impact of Web 2.0, an observation Simon Reynolds made about pop culture in general, not just music, in his 2011 book Retromania:
MY SECONDARY AUDIENCE
Suede first emerged in 1992, so their oldest core audience then 15-25 would now be 40-51, and one could say they grew more fans over the next seven years, maybe less so with their fifth album that received very negative reviews, so altogether their original audience would be in the age range of 32-51, both male and female.
The intertextual references to Suede's back catalogue (that I also mentioned in my EvalQ1a) can be linked to visceral pleasures. When showing my video to a Suede Facebook fangroup full of, it showed that my intertextual references had paid off, through the language you can see it got them excited, so if there was a new album release that was being promoted through the video I created, it would quite likely make them want to buy it.
*Insert screenshot of fans talking about references to Suede videos*
Something that I did in order to make the album even more appealing to Suede fans is add bonus tracks. A compilation album on its own isn't always quite enough, while some will buy it just for the sake of it along with new album artwork, bonus material. This was done with the recent re-release of the debut Suede album, with multiple demos and outtakes.
Uses and Gratifications, based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs:
The Uses + Gratifications Theory, from the Wiki entry, which uses the book as a source:
MUSIC VIDEO
I would have preferred to create a pure narrative video, however by cross-cutting the narrative sequences, makes the band more appealing to potential new audiences as you are seeing them play, and can make you want to see them live and thereby pay for tickets.
As mentioned in the evaluation of my representations, going against the convention of heteronormativity and representing other sexualities in the characters of Brett Anderson, Sadie and The Flower Man.
Mise-en-scene:
A large number of music videos deal with issues of romance, often a conflict which prevents a couple from being together (Astrid S's Bloodstream), it is a common trope. So the beginning of the video makes it look like this is going to be a typical relationship video
The quirky characters, the clown make-up is a well known facet in our culture, it is one of Barthes's 5 codes, his cultural code.
You are meant to have sympathy with the protagonist, this was achieved, a woman in her 40s said it spoke to her maternal instincts.
DIGIPAK
With my album artwork I was much more direct and intertextualized the first two album artworks to create a feeling of nostalgia within my secondary audience. The image of someone being in a caressing position with a book fits the same weird and quirky nature of the music videos that attracted the original teen audience
The dreamy, with a similar act of affection between the protagonist and a book (from one of the later scenes which didn't make the cut)
WEBSITE
I aimed to make my website as both user-friendly and targeting the audience as much as possible with the language on my website.
For example I changed the Shopping Parting Message: "Thank you for shopping with us, hope to see you again soon", to a more personal message thanking for financial support (I was inspired t0 do this by a live performance of Arcade Fire where lead singer Win Butler thanked the crowd for supporting their band with the ticket sales":
Also, I followed a common convention done for acts targeting younger audiences, abbreviating merchandise to "Merch".
I also changed the Clothes section in my shop to Costume, like it's a dress-up for a fandom, cosplaying.
SOCIAL MEDIA
In the language in social media, I addressed the fans as "Insatiable Ones"
I created trailers and counted down the days until the video was released, as to get fans excited by teasing content:
...
...
....
And then spread the video on social media when it was released:
This post didn't come out quite right, it's meant to say:
"NO MORE WAITING, SUEDE VIDEO OUT NOW, SADIE'S JOURNEY BEGINS"
...
POETRY COMPETITION
Fitting with Suede, whose lead singer takes the writing side of being a musician very seriously, I had a competition started, that people would publish short texts on Tumblr, and that their favourites would appear on the website, and that the winner will get the chance to be in their next video along with a visit to their town and a free ticket to a gig:
Top 3 Submissions on the Home Page, one in German:
I was inspired by Brigid Cherry's research into fan fictions of horror films, where she realised fans were no longer contented with the main text, the film, but created further stories, paratexts, to make the story carry on.
The tumblr side I was inspired by Halsey's website, where she has poems posted on her main home page when you scroll down to the second strip.
This showcases the theory of convergence, the fans are helping to create content through the digital technologies of social media.
Also, through social media I had the fans encourage all the fans to put on make-up of the protagonist. So fans could dress as these characters at concerts, it also creates a Uses + Gratifications, a feeling of community when seeing other fans dressed up as characters, much stronger than everyone wearing T-shirts.
This is a form of self-actualization through creativity., fitting both a sense of personal identity and creating personal relationships between audience members.
The competition started:
Examples of my fans doing this, using the "Sadie" and "Sadie Tour" hashtags.
...
3b - DISTRIBUTION
How do your products be distributed as real media products?
MUSIC VIDEO
Music videos, dating back to live performance recordings, were always shown on programmes or channels specifically.
The videos are offered on sale, for those who want permanent possession of the videos.
I presented myself as an emerging music video director. So, this fictional director I created, in the future, this video might form part of a collection as has been done to many prolific music video directors:
Now, due to digital disruption, anyone can download the YouTube video through websites such as YouTube Converter, including in high quality.
DIGIPAK
The images of the album artwork will likely be used for the live stage tour, which Suede have done in the past.
The front album cover is the immediate promo for the song (Spotify, iTunes, Deezer which will be seen through nearly all streaming services)
A number of acts will have their album cover in the background, however they have gone even further. With their second album, Dog Man Star, they created an extra catalogue of silent short films that were accompanied by the music separately from the music videos created for their singles.
With their most recent album, Night Thoughts, were they created a whole feature film without them appearing in it, they had it play in the background the whole time.
Depeche Mode even had one of their videos, Cover Me, used in live shows before it was officially released (creating pirated versions)
WEBSITE
...
How do your products engage with the audience?
MY PRIMARY AUDIENCE
15-25, male + female
Those who listen to other indie rock acts such as Arcade Fire, and are interested in older musicians such as David Bowie, The Smiths, Sex Pistols, Bauhaus.
Nowadays it is much more credible for younger audiences to be aware of older acts due the impact of Web 2.0, an observation Simon Reynolds made about pop culture in general, not just music, in his 2011 book Retromania:
Retro is not a completely new phenomenon, of course: pop has an extensive history of revivals and creative distortions of the musical past. What is different about the contemporary retromania is the aspect of total recall, instant recall, and exact recall that the internet makes possible. Fans can drown themselves in the entire history of music at no cost, because it is literally all up there for the taking. From YouTube's archive of TV and concert performances to countless music, fashion, photography and design blogs, the internet is a gigantic image bank that encourages and enables the precision replication of period styles, whether it's a music genre, graphics or fashion. As a result, the scope for imaginative reworking of the past – the misrecognitions and mutations that characterised earlier cults of antiquity like the 19th-century gothic revival – is reduced. In music especially, the combination of cheap digital technology and the vast accumulation of knowledge about how specific recordings were made, means that bands today can get exactly the period sound they are looking for, whether it's a certain drum sound achieved by Ringo Starr with help from the Abbey Road technicians or a particular synth tone used by Kraftwerk.
MY SECONDARY AUDIENCE
Suede first emerged in 1992, so their oldest core audience then 15-25 would now be 40-51, and one could say they grew more fans over the next seven years, maybe less so with their fifth album that received very negative reviews, so altogether their original audience would be in the age range of 32-51, both male and female.
INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES FOR ORIGINAL AUDIENCE
The intertextual references to Suede's back catalogue (that I also mentioned in my EvalQ1a) can be linked to visceral pleasures. When showing my video to a Suede Facebook fangroup full of, it showed that my intertextual references had paid off, through the language you can see it got them excited, so if there was a new album release that was being promoted through the video I created, it would quite likely make them want to buy it.
Something that I did in order to make the album even more appealing to Suede fans is add bonus tracks. A compilation album on its own isn't always quite enough, while some will buy it just for the sake of it along with new album artwork, bonus material. This was done with the recent re-release of the debut Suede album, with multiple demos and outtakes.
I showed my video to the 10-year old sister of a Media student in the year below as well as a number of Year 8 students, they found that both the music and the narrative of the video didn't appeal to them.
There might be some exceptions in the age of 10-14, but most will not be part of my audience.
Uses and Gratifications, based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs:
The Uses + Gratifications Theory, from the Wiki entry, which uses the book as a source:
- be informed or educated
- identify with characters of the situation in the media environment
- simple entertainment
- enhance social interaction
- escape from the stresses of daily life
INFORMATION/EDUCATION:
This is mainly applied to news media, however a music video set in a historic setting can lead to increase knowledge of history. And also, as there are references to other texts. Some hardcore music fans who watching this video leads to them discovering Suede would see this is a
PERSONAL IDENTITY:
A young audience could identify with the young female audience.
The band, especially the lead singer, who have been glamorised could be idealised by teenagers who are attracted towards male (Male/Female Gaze)
SIMPLE ENTERTAINMENT:
The fast-paced editing style proved to be entertaining towards a younger audience (Quote: "Holy moly it was amazing"), and some will enjoy it just for its production values. Their is some comedic reactions to be had through the Character of the Flower Man's bizarre/creepy smile and the eating of the flowers.
ENHANCE SOCIAL INTERACTION:
Suede were never a band that were popular with teenagers on a mass scale, so they will not be discussed as much like for example an episode of The Walking Dead.
Thereby, this can be applied to Dick Hebdidge's Subcultures. They could then dress in leather jackets, die their hair black and put on the make-up of the protagonist as a form of resistance to mainstream society, and thereby form their own social group.
ESCAPISM:
Someone might be browsing the web and discover this video, and just like in the category of simple entertainment, might get pleasure through being able to distract themselves from problems at work/school.
MUSIC VIDEO
I would have preferred to create a pure narrative video, however by cross-cutting the narrative sequences, makes the band more appealing to potential new audiences as you are seeing them play, and can make you want to see them live and thereby pay for tickets.
As mentioned in the evaluation of my representations, going against the convention of heteronormativity and representing other sexualities in the characters of Brett Anderson, Sadie and The Flower Man.
Mise-en-scene:
A large number of music videos deal with issues of romance, often a conflict which prevents a couple from being together (Astrid S's Bloodstream), it is a common trope. So the beginning of the video makes it look like this is going to be a typical relationship video
The quirky characters, the clown make-up is a well known facet in our culture, it is one of Barthes's 5 codes, his cultural code.
You are meant to have sympathy with the protagonist, this was achieved, a woman in her 40s said it spoke to her maternal instincts.
DIGIPAK
With my album artwork I was much more direct and intertextualized the first two album artworks to create a feeling of nostalgia within my secondary audience. The image of someone being in a caressing position with a book fits the same weird and quirky nature of the music videos that attracted the original teen audience
The dreamy, with a similar act of affection between the protagonist and a book (from one of the later scenes which didn't make the cut)
WEBSITE
I aimed to make my website as both user-friendly and targeting the audience as much as possible with the language on my website.
For example I changed the Shopping Parting Message: "Thank you for shopping with us, hope to see you again soon", to a more personal message thanking for financial support (I was inspired t0 do this by a live performance of Arcade Fire where lead singer Win Butler thanked the crowd for supporting their band with the ticket sales":
I also changed the Clothes section in my shop to Costume, like it's a dress-up for a fandom, cosplaying.
SOCIAL MEDIA
In the language in social media, I addressed the fans as "Insatiable Ones"
I created trailers and counted down the days until the video was released, as to get fans excited by teasing content:
...
...
....
And then spread the video on social media when it was released:
This post didn't come out quite right, it's meant to say:
"NO MORE WAITING, SUEDE VIDEO OUT NOW, SADIE'S JOURNEY BEGINS"
...
POETRY COMPETITION
Fitting with Suede, whose lead singer takes the writing side of being a musician very seriously, I had a competition started, that people would publish short texts on Tumblr, and that their favourites would appear on the website, and that the winner will get the chance to be in their next video along with a visit to their town and a free ticket to a gig:
Top 3 Submissions on the Home Page, one in German:
I was inspired by Brigid Cherry's research into fan fictions of horror films, where she realised fans were no longer contented with the main text, the film, but created further stories, paratexts, to make the story carry on.
The tumblr side I was inspired by Halsey's website, where she has poems posted on her main home page when you scroll down to the second strip.
This showcases the theory of convergence, the fans are helping to create content through the digital technologies of social media.
Also, through social media I had the fans encourage all the fans to put on make-up of the protagonist. So fans could dress as these characters at concerts, it also creates a Uses + Gratifications, a feeling of community when seeing other fans dressed up as characters, much stronger than everyone wearing T-shirts.
This is a form of self-actualization through creativity., fitting both a sense of personal identity and creating personal relationships between audience members.
The competition started:
Examples of my fans doing this, using the "Sadie" and "Sadie Tour" hashtags.
...
3b - DISTRIBUTION
How do your products be distributed as real media products?
MUSIC VIDEO
Music videos, dating back to live performance recordings, were always shown on programmes or channels specifically.
The videos are offered on sale, for those who want permanent possession of the videos.
I presented myself as an emerging music video director. So, this fictional director I created, in the future, this video might form part of a collection as has been done to many prolific music video directors:
Now, due to digital disruption, anyone can download the YouTube video through websites such as YouTube Converter, including in high quality.
DIGIPAK
The images of the album artwork will likely be used for the live stage tour, which Suede have done in the past.
The front album cover is the immediate promo for the song (Spotify, iTunes, Deezer which will be seen through nearly all streaming services)
A number of acts will have their album cover in the background, however they have gone even further. With their second album, Dog Man Star, they created an extra catalogue of silent short films that were accompanied by the music separately from the music videos created for their singles.
With their most recent album, Night Thoughts, were they created a whole feature film without them appearing in it, they had it play in the background the whole time.
Depeche Mode even had one of their videos, Cover Me, used in live shows before it was officially released (creating pirated versions)
WEBSITE
The website is the main source for the information that news
The images I create can be used as profile pictures for social media accounts of the fans, such as this Tumblr account I created:
THE MUSIC ITSELF
For the majority of history, music industry made profit from the sale of physical products, that starting out with vinyl, and later cassettes and CDs. The former never really became profitable, however CDs soon became the main staple with which to sell music.
With the advent of the web, the music industry like all media industries is facing a challenge through digitisation, with the impact of piracy and legal streaming services decreasing the number of physical products of music drastically.
Napster is seen as the first major disrupter of the analogue era of music, as described by
Napster is seen as the first major disrupter of the analogue era of music, as described by
The advent of iTunes saw
Last year the CEO Spotify was named the most powerful figure in the music industry
UK record companies themselves seem to be on the recovery as
UK music company revenues last year grew at the fastest rate since the height of Britpop in the mid-1990s, as the growing popularity of services such as Spotifyresulted in income from streaming overtaking CD sales for the first time.
UK record labels enjoyed a 10.6% surge in earnings in 2017 to £839m, thanks to the digital popularity of a new generation of artists including Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Dua Lipa and Stormzy. It was the fastest growth since 1995, when Oasis, Blur and Pulp created a high-street CD sales frenzy.
Music companies enjoyed a 45% year-on-year increase in subscription streaming revenue – from £239m in 2016 to £347m – as an industry hammered for a decade by illegal piracy now enjoys the success of music lovers turning to legitimate services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
This article starts with also this sentiment, , it names Spotify as
The market leader by a country mile, with more than double the number of subscribers of its nearest rival. The primary reason the recording industry is, after 14 painful years, slowly rolling into the recovery position. A miracle worker. The frothing coverage of Spotify’s direct listing on Tuesday has been almost exclusively about what it means for Spotify, its employees and the assorted investors who have held their nerve despite the company racking up losses that run into the billions.However later the article makes the point about how artists themselves are not sharing the same profit:
But there was little talk of what it means for the musicians and songwriters increasingly reliant on the service for their income.
In short, unless they were prescient enough to invest or get shares several years ago, it will mean nothing, yet. Artists will not be paid any more than they already are, and users will continue to pay what they always paid to subscribe, or be forced to keep navigating the various listening restrictions on the free tier.
Suede themselves therefore do not make a profit from Spotify and YouTube. Their original primary audience, my secondary audience, comes from a pre-digital time when CDs were much more successful. And as the Facebook fan page proved, they are very nostalgic for the vinyl form and many bought the re-release of their eponymous debut album.
That is why I also pushed the vinyl version of my album, so that newer audiences might be more attracted.
Even the stereotype of younger fans only listening to music online seems to be breaking
A band like the Arctic Monkeys with a very strong core teen and 20something audience was. However, in both these cases, is the vinyl comeback mainly due to 20s or teens? Both acts have been around for a while so their original core audience will be in their 30s now, if those are
THE SMARTPHONE
Arguably, all of my products will mainly viewed through the Smartphone:
- Music videos are watched more and more online, and the music videos are often put for example, if someone
- The front digipak cover will be seen mainly through listening to the music on Spotify or having downloaded it legally or illegally
- In order to check out newest information such as tour dates, the quickest way (mobile data and wifi make it even more accessible)
- Social media is again not as much followed on PC than on smartphone
- While vinyl is making a comeback, it is still less common to bring vinyl to a party unless it were a Suede fan event, and so you would more likely connect your smartphone to amplifiers as to put on the music
...
EVALQ2 - BRANDING
How do your products create a sense of branding?
It is common for their to be recurring attributes in the various texts, for example album artwork to be teased in a video (Halsey's Bad At Love)
The locations that are used in the video also feature in the album artwork and in the background of website.
Kristeva:
RECURRING THEMES:
It is common for their to be recurring attributes in the various texts, for example album artwork to be teased in a video (Halsey's Bad At Love)
The locations that are used in the video also feature in the album artwork and in the background of website.
Kristeva:
texts are always in a state of production, rather than being products to be quickly consumed. In her view, ideas are not presented as finished, consumable products, but are presented in such a way as to encourage readers to come up with their own interpretation of its meaning. Kristeva’s new semiotics of production thus blurs the distinction between science, or the logical, and language and imagination.The music video isn't just the final product, the fan fiction and the cosplaying carry on the narrative.
RECURRING THEMES:
A SERIES OF VIDEOS
It was my intention to hint that my video would be the start of a series of videos, as has been done recently by Halsey with her album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, always leaving her audience wanting more. This was also done by Guns 'N Roses with their trilogy of videos, and by David Bowie with his concept albums Outside and Blackstar.
Then lead singer is also going to be involved in the narrative, it is hinted at him being at the beginning.
The second video would maybe feature the two characters meeting at that location
The location
Through the trailer it is confirmed that we are going to see more of these characters.
Then lead singer is also going to be involved in the narrative, it is hinted at him being at the beginning.
The second video would maybe feature the two characters meeting at that location
The location
Through the trailer it is confirmed that we are going to see more of these characters.
CHARACTERS
Character of Sadie (weird, quirky characters signified through costume and make-up)
Character of Sadie (weird, quirky characters signified through costume and make-up)
The make-up is then worn by the fans as a signifier of their fandom of Suede. In retrospect I wish I could have had the band also wearing the make-up in the segments, however even if that had been possible with all five logistically, I'm not sure everyone would have been comfortable with it.
Just like the Pig of the Animal Nitrate video is featured in the single cover, the character of Sadie is on the front cover of the album:
The same way the music video tells the beginning of Sadie's journey.
The images of the locations of the video are the backgrounds of the website.
SOCIAL MEDIA
I tease pictures of urban locations in social media, like photography of graffiti, or tease the locations by saying Location Scouting:
...
MY VIRAL IDEA
The character of Sadie links to my viral concept:
The same way the music video tells the beginning of Sadie's journey.
The images of the locations of the video are the backgrounds of the website.
SOCIAL MEDIA
I tease pictures of urban locations in social media, like photography of graffiti, or tease the locations by saying Location Scouting:
...
MY VIRAL IDEA
The character of Sadie links to my viral concept:
- her personality and look is developed throughout the video
- she's on the album artwork,
- is the background of the fan sign-up section of the website (she thereby represents the fans) her costume and make-up can be worn as cosplay by fans,
- her image has been used for merchandise
- fans write fan fiction about her character (also being encouraged by the band, which links back to Brett Anderson really seeing himself as a writer)
The other fictional characters in the narrative can also be used as cosplay opportunities by the audience.
...
EVALQ1a+b CONVENTIONS + REPRESENTATIONS
1a - CONVENTIONS
How do your products use and/or challenge conventions?
MUSIC VIDEO
In 1984 Baker defined two types of video, performance and narrative, known otherwise as narrative and anti-narrative. This was expanded into performance, concept and narrative.
Some videos decide to only focus on one of these three types.
In order to demonstrate the performance capability of the band, I decided to have several pure performance shots, however still have a strong narrative with quirky characters in homage to Suede's earlier videos.
However, I was always very determined not to follow a very common route taken with the narratives of music videos, that of a relationship.
In a band the lead singer will often be signified as the superior member of the band, for example in Suede's Beautiful Ones where we see the band members appearing one after another until the lead singer Brett Anderson appears, as if everything's building up to his entrance, or in Arcade Fire's Money + Love where when all the members are getting out of the car as part of the narrative, he is last to get out and the camera stays on him to see his reaction to the new environment, and later as the whole band is captured apart from him, we follow him on his journey of solitude (akin to Joseph Campbell's Monomyth, all narrative follows the hero's journey tracing all the way back to the myths)
ANDREW GOODWIN'S 6 CONVENTIONS
1. DEMONSTRATION OF GENRE CHARACTERISTICS
Rock overall: Showing the band performing
Focussing on lead singer and guitarist.
The black leather jacket (simulacrum of Marlon Brando in The Wild One, Bad Boy Archetype)
2. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS
My video pretty much ignores the meaning of the song. I had intended to do some puns on the song such as the lead singer holding sugar flowing through his hands, but I wasn't able to do that anymore in time.
There are some lyrics that are visually represented through the body language of the performer: "I feel schizo"
3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS
The upbeat tone of the track contradicts with the darker tone of much of the video, and I had intended to end with a diegetic outro that would be a juxtaposition/a direct antithesis to the track. However, the performance segments share the, signified through the body language of the band and mostly by the lead singer, which I also occasionally sped up in editing to make it look more energetic and thus achieve verisimilitude.
4. A NUMBER OF CLOSE-UPS OF THE ARTIST
These are a number of close-ups due to the demands of the record label.
I have close-ups, focussed on the lead singer. This is also important for this video to introduce Suede to a new audience, my primary audience.
5. NOTION OF LOOKING
The artist/lead singer will often always look at the audience, the Direct Gaze. During my shoot with the whole band, I didn't follow this through at first, only having some shots where the lead singer gazes.
6. INTERTEXTUALITY
LINK WITH KRISTEVA: (Source)
French semiotician Julie Kristeva developped and coined the term of intertextuality, a post-structuralist who challenged the objectivity. She made the point that:
The music video is seen as one of the most postmodern mediums, drawing inspiration from
My video makes references to many texts, including both Suede's music videos
I would often use another video as a way to fill a gap when writing the plot for one scene. For example for the Clown-Master scene, I had figured out that the protagonist would have her hands. But I didn't know how to create some tension inbetween. So I had her drag the protagonist by the arm just like is done in the Metal Mickey video.
LIST OF INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES:
The narrative storyline started out as a transgender prostitute living homeless on the streets
INTENDED BUT NOT MANAGED
Finding the books in the forest - Fahrenheit 451
The diegetic outro - Halsey's Ghost
DIGIPAK
Just like with music video, album artwork either includes the act or not.
When an artist is new, they will normally be featured on the front cover, often due to pressure from the record label to push forward their image. As their image becomes more grounded with the audience and their career spans on, their is less pressure to do so (examples: Queen, Rihanna)
With indie rock it is very common not to feature photographs of the band in the artwork. However, I decided to include the band in one of the inner panels, so as to have some exposition for fans newly introduced to Suede.
The barcode to the side, I was inspired by Yeah Yeah Yeah's Fever To Tell to do that.
WEBSITE
With websites it is quite important to follow a strict set of conventions so as to make your site user-friendly and easily accessible, especially for potential new audiences.
CONVENTIONS I FOLLOWED:
I didn't have quotes of press reviews because that is something mostly ownly newer artists include, such as I saw with Sly Antics and Francesca Belmonte
SOCIAL MEDIA
I created multiple trailers, which is done more and more nowadays to hype excitement for new content.
Instead of just posting about the artist themselves, I also did posts that were supposed to show Suede's wider artistic interests, such as a love for graffiti (which I also signified in the video)
...
1b - REPRESENTATIONS
How do your products represent social groups and issues?
HAYDEN WHITE (Source, further reading)
JAMES BAKER'S WAYS AT LOOKING AT REPRESENTATION (Source: MANGeR Pack)
James Baker says they are three forms of mediation:
1. SELECTION
What ends up on screen, much more will have been left out
This is so, I was not able to use all of my footage, and while I still have the overall narrative I can tease in the wider package
The digipak ´
2. ORGANISATION
The various elements will be organised carefully in ways that real life is not
- links well with Vernallis's point on the quick editing of music video, the use of ellipsis leads to absence of causality.
I first tried to have longer takes and more takes in general, however I realised that if I want to stay in the conventions of a performance/narrative mix video, I needed to shorten them. That has also lead to the narrative being sometimes more unclearer, as I discovered when gathering audience feedback.
3. FOCUSING
Mediation always ends with us, the audience, being encouraged towards concentrating on one aspect of the text and ignoring others
We are following the protagonist.
Three ways at looking at representation:
1. REFLECTIVE VIEW
...
2. INTENTIONAL VIEW
...
3. CONSTRUCTIVE
....
Any representation is a mixture of:
This can be linked to Roland Barthes's Death of the Author theory, supported by Kristeva's concept of intertextuality, that there is no one fixed creator, and thereby as Stuart Hall would say there is not only one fixed reading.
And if we follow Vernallis's polyvalence of meaning, then the theory of representation applies the most to music video.
GENDER
The narrative of the music video follows a female character.The total number of females in the narrative outnumber the males, although overall with the band there are more males. While their is no conversation, their are two female characters engaging with each other and communicating through body language where there is no male character involved, so it could be said it passes the Bechdel Test.
On the digipak I colour-corrected the red lipstick, though this could be seen as glamorization of the female body pandering to the Male Gaze. However the Direct Gaze from the Female is missing, and it's meant to be clown-like not typically feminine.
I recently realised the image of the band alone could be read as somewhat macho, however their body language is not strongly signifying this.
If I had had time I would have liked to have used make-up to deconstruct the gender representation of the band
SEXUALITY
This video is very heteronormative in its representations
BISEXUALITY: Character of the Flower Maker, and also his interaction with a different gender doesn't go as well as with someone from the same sex
HOMOSEXUALITY: with the lead singer only shown to be interested in a male character, and is not engaging with the protagonist
Also the sexual relationship between two men of that age gap can be quite controversial.
CLASS
The video brings some insight into the deprivileged who live on the street, although it is not a very realistic portrayal of real homelessness.
DISABILITY
Are not at all represented in this video. When the character of the Flower Maker was first being conceived, I had the idea that he would be a blind man, and there is still the possibility that he is, as he may sense other people around him in some other way.
ETHNICITY
My actor for the protagonist was originally Asian, so that could have been more challenging to the Caucasian dominance that seems to exist in narrative characters in music videos, but in the case of student coursework you do not have the luxury of cherry-picking the finer details of your cast, and as happened with me I had to make a last-minute change, so it's not as easy as with sexuality and gender (the former you can always construct).
Most of the cast is white, that does reflect that the majority of the people I know are of that ethnicity, and to an extent that I have a more Caucasian surrounding in my hometown Trier, than say if I lived in London.
REGIONAL IDENTITY
Not applicable as no audio is heard. Some videos will have some moments of audio. The actual regional identities are from Northern Germany, where as the band come from the region and have more rural and local accents.
AGE
I chose to focus on someone in their 20s, this gives my target audience someone to identify with, and particular the teen segment someone to aspire to as they are slightly older
I represented the band as in their 20s. Having them in that age instead of teens also gave them a slightly more credible mature look and appeal for, including sex appeal.
The oldest character is represented as the most dangerous, could be seen to be applying the Old Man Perv stereotype. However the post-track scene hints that there might be more to the character, the moral judgement of the age gap between the two characters is left ambivalent.
How do your products use and/or challenge conventions?
MUSIC VIDEO
In 1984 Baker defined two types of video, performance and narrative, known otherwise as narrative and anti-narrative. This was expanded into performance, concept and narrative.
Some videos decide to only focus on one of these three types.
In order to demonstrate the performance capability of the band, I decided to have several pure performance shots, however still have a strong narrative with quirky characters in homage to Suede's earlier videos.
However, I was always very determined not to follow a very common route taken with the narratives of music videos, that of a relationship.
In a band the lead singer will often be signified as the superior member of the band, for example in Suede's Beautiful Ones where we see the band members appearing one after another until the lead singer Brett Anderson appears, as if everything's building up to his entrance, or in Arcade Fire's Money + Love where when all the members are getting out of the car as part of the narrative, he is last to get out and the camera stays on him to see his reaction to the new environment, and later as the whole band is captured apart from him, we follow him on his journey of solitude (akin to Joseph Campbell's Monomyth, all narrative follows the hero's journey tracing all the way back to the myths)
ANDREW GOODWIN'S 6 CONVENTIONS
1. DEMONSTRATION OF GENRE CHARACTERISTICS
Rock overall: Showing the band performing
Focussing on lead singer and guitarist.
The black leather jacket (simulacrum of Marlon Brando in The Wild One, Bad Boy Archetype)
2. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS
My video pretty much ignores the meaning of the song. I had intended to do some puns on the song such as the lead singer holding sugar flowing through his hands, but I wasn't able to do that anymore in time.
There are some lyrics that are visually represented through the body language of the performer: "I feel schizo"
3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS
The upbeat tone of the track contradicts with the darker tone of much of the video, and I had intended to end with a diegetic outro that would be a juxtaposition/a direct antithesis to the track. However, the performance segments share the, signified through the body language of the band and mostly by the lead singer, which I also occasionally sped up in editing to make it look more energetic and thus achieve verisimilitude.
4. A NUMBER OF CLOSE-UPS OF THE ARTIST
These are a number of close-ups due to the demands of the record label.
I have close-ups, focussed on the lead singer. This is also important for this video to introduce Suede to a new audience, my primary audience.
5. NOTION OF LOOKING
The artist/lead singer will often always look at the audience, the Direct Gaze. During my shoot with the whole band, I didn't follow this through at first, only having some shots where the lead singer gazes.
6. INTERTEXTUALITY
LINK WITH KRISTEVA: (Source)
French semiotician Julie Kristeva developped and coined the term of intertextuality, a post-structuralist who challenged the objectivity. She made the point that:
signifiers are plural, full of historical meaning, directed not so much to stable signifiers as to a domain of other signifiers.
The music video is seen as one of the most postmodern mediums, drawing inspiration from
My video makes references to many texts, including both Suede's music videos
I would often use another video as a way to fill a gap when writing the plot for one scene. For example for the Clown-Master scene, I had figured out that the protagonist would have her hands. But I didn't know how to create some tension inbetween. So I had her drag the protagonist by the arm just like is done in the Metal Mickey video.
LIST OF INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES:
The narrative storyline started out as a transgender prostitute living homeless on the streets
- Performance of lyric "So pyscho" - Lady Gaga's Bad Romance
- Leather jacket's for the band - Marlon Brando In The Wild One
- The jump cuts of the protagonist waiting - Little Shop Of Horrors
- The fade in and out of layering - Suede's So Young
- The protagonist lying on a mattress - Dog Man Star album cover
- The clapping of hands - Brett Anderson's live performances
- Slo-Motion Biting - The Pixies's Magdalena
- Walking Under Bridge - The Pixies's Magdalena, Depeche Mode's Barrel Of A Gun
- Clown Make Up - Depeche Mode's Halo
- The Flower On The Bench - Backing Performer in The Avalanche's Because I'm Me
- Black + White - Countless music videos, which in again are homaging the black and white film era
- The turn of black and white to colour - Rita Ora's I Will Ne. However, I changed it from being quick to slow. An example that intertextuality isn't just pure copying, you can be influenced but tweak it to make it your own.
- The relationship and interaction between the protagonist and the Clownmaster - Suede's Metal Mickey
INTENDED BUT NOT MANAGED
Finding the books in the forest - Fahrenheit 451
The diegetic outro - Halsey's Ghost
DIGIPAK
Just like with music video, album artwork either includes the act or not.
When an artist is new, they will normally be featured on the front cover, often due to pressure from the record label to push forward their image. As their image becomes more grounded with the audience and their career spans on, their is less pressure to do so (examples: Queen, Rihanna)
With indie rock it is very common not to feature photographs of the band in the artwork. However, I decided to include the band in one of the inner panels, so as to have some exposition for fans newly introduced to Suede.
The barcode to the side, I was inspired by Yeah Yeah Yeah's Fever To Tell to do that.
WEBSITE
With websites it is quite important to follow a strict set of conventions so as to make your site user-friendly and easily accessible, especially for potential new audiences.
CONVENTIONS I FOLLOWED:
- Use of top links
- Merchandise Shop, also naming it Merch as I have seen with several bands. Suede did not do this with their website as their core audience is older, however I am attracting an younger one so it is fitting
- Tour Dates List
- Integration Of Social Media
- A gallery
I didn't have quotes of press reviews because that is something mostly ownly newer artists include, such as I saw with Sly Antics and Francesca Belmonte
SOCIAL MEDIA
I created multiple trailers, which is done more and more nowadays to hype excitement for new content.
Instead of just posting about the artist themselves, I also did posts that were supposed to show Suede's wider artistic interests, such as a love for graffiti (which I also signified in the video)
...
1b - REPRESENTATIONS
How do your products represent social groups and issues?
HAYDEN WHITE (Source, further reading)
Where, in any account of reality, narrativity is present, we can be sure that morality or a moralising impulse is present tooI would definitely say that throughout all my work in both my AS and A2 coursework, I felt a moral impulse
JAMES BAKER'S WAYS AT LOOKING AT REPRESENTATION (Source: MANGeR Pack)
James Baker says they are three forms of mediation:
1. SELECTION
What ends up on screen, much more will have been left out
This is so, I was not able to use all of my footage, and while I still have the overall narrative I can tease in the wider package
The digipak ´
2. ORGANISATION
The various elements will be organised carefully in ways that real life is not
- links well with Vernallis's point on the quick editing of music video, the use of ellipsis leads to absence of causality.
I first tried to have longer takes and more takes in general, however I realised that if I want to stay in the conventions of a performance/narrative mix video, I needed to shorten them. That has also lead to the narrative being sometimes more unclearer, as I discovered when gathering audience feedback.
3. FOCUSING
Mediation always ends with us, the audience, being encouraged towards concentrating on one aspect of the text and ignoring others
We are following the protagonist.
Three ways at looking at representation:
1. REFLECTIVE VIEW
...
When we represent something we are taking its true meaning and trying to create a replica of it in the mind of our audience, like a reflection....
2. INTENTIONAL VIEW
...
The opposite of Reflective, the most important person in the process is the author, and their intentions are key....
3. CONSTRUCTIVE
....
Individuals make up their own mind and are influenced by society in the way they do.
Any representation is a mixture of:
- The thing itself: the music video
- The opinions of the people doing the representation: the director, the band and often also the record label, however in my case there is not as much pressure to appeal towards a mass audience, with the director of Suede's recent feature-length music video saying
- The reaction of the individual to the representation:
- The context of the society in which the representation is taking place: We live in a country where there is anti-discrimination law, and rights for women and LGBT+ people which is not the case in all countries. However, there is still a lack in diverse representation especially in mainstream music videos, so this is a counter-hegemonic challenge of the countless videos that never show non-heterosexual
This can be linked to Roland Barthes's Death of the Author theory, supported by Kristeva's concept of intertextuality, that there is no one fixed creator, and thereby as Stuart Hall would say there is not only one fixed reading.
And if we follow Vernallis's polyvalence of meaning, then the theory of representation applies the most to music video.
GENDER
The narrative of the music video follows a female character.The total number of females in the narrative outnumber the males, although overall with the band there are more males. While their is no conversation, their are two female characters engaging with each other and communicating through body language where there is no male character involved, so it could be said it passes the Bechdel Test.
On the digipak I colour-corrected the red lipstick, though this could be seen as glamorization of the female body pandering to the Male Gaze. However the Direct Gaze from the Female is missing, and it's meant to be clown-like not typically feminine.
I recently realised the image of the band alone could be read as somewhat macho, however their body language is not strongly signifying this.
If I had had time I would have liked to have used make-up to deconstruct the gender representation of the band
SEXUALITY
This video is very heteronormative in its representations
BISEXUALITY: Character of the Flower Maker, and also his interaction with a different gender doesn't go as well as with someone from the same sex
HOMOSEXUALITY: with the lead singer only shown to be interested in a male character, and is not engaging with the protagonist
Also the sexual relationship between two men of that age gap can be quite controversial.
CLASS
The video brings some insight into the deprivileged who live on the street, although it is not a very realistic portrayal of real homelessness.
DISABILITY
Are not at all represented in this video. When the character of the Flower Maker was first being conceived, I had the idea that he would be a blind man, and there is still the possibility that he is, as he may sense other people around him in some other way.
ETHNICITY
My actor for the protagonist was originally Asian, so that could have been more challenging to the Caucasian dominance that seems to exist in narrative characters in music videos, but in the case of student coursework you do not have the luxury of cherry-picking the finer details of your cast, and as happened with me I had to make a last-minute change, so it's not as easy as with sexuality and gender (the former you can always construct).
Most of the cast is white, that does reflect that the majority of the people I know are of that ethnicity, and to an extent that I have a more Caucasian surrounding in my hometown Trier, than say if I lived in London.
REGIONAL IDENTITY
Not applicable as no audio is heard. Some videos will have some moments of audio. The actual regional identities are from Northern Germany, where as the band come from the region and have more rural and local accents.
AGE
I chose to focus on someone in their 20s, this gives my target audience someone to identify with, and particular the teen segment someone to aspire to as they are slightly older
I represented the band as in their 20s. Having them in that age instead of teens also gave them a slightly more credible mature look and appeal for, including sex appeal.
The oldest character is represented as the most dangerous, could be seen to be applying the Old Man Perv stereotype. However the post-track scene hints that there might be more to the character, the moral judgement of the age gap between the two characters is left ambivalent.
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