Magazine advert

This is the design I will use for the magazine advert which promotes the latest EP for Smaller Than You. It will have on it the single 'who knew' which is single for the video I created. The advert follows a continuity of the digi-pak as it uses the same location, cast and font.

I would want this advert to go in the free magazine 'Outline' which is available in Norwich and Cambridge. As the band Smaller Than You are located in Norwich it would allow promotion for fans within the area as well as introduce new fans to their music as they would have access to see them live. On their webiste they offer a section on their website for unsigned local bands in Norwich. This section offers fans to get background information on the band and their myspace address. The magazine is free, therefore it will appeal to our younger target audience such as students who don't have a lot of money.

I would also like to place the advert in NME as it is usually bought by those wanting to find new artists or bands and offers the chance for fans to find out about these new bands on their website. This would therefore appeal to the target audience of Smaller Than You on a larger scale.

Alterations made to Digi-pak

Back Panel
The first idea for my back cover lacked promotion of the artist. It was also a dark image which didn't make the image striking. I've removed the cartoon lampost as it didn't show continuity or link well with the image. It also didnt seem clear as to why it was used.

For this image I have added a skateboard from a different image as the one before didn't appear striking enough. There are contrasts in colours on this image which links to the diversity and the outgoing idea of the ska genre.

Front Cover

I've removed the cartoon lampost from this image as it didn' show continuity and makes the image look less juvenile. I've highlighted the image of the lampost instead to make it seem illuminating as well as adding a filter to make it seem as those its been coloured in but still lifelike.

Notes for exam on Theoretical Evaluation of Production.

These are some revision notes in preparation for my media summer exam on Theoretical Evaluation of Production.

Preliminary task
Allowed good practise into getting used to the software we would have to use for our thriller film.
Adobe Premier Elements was complicated to use as I had never used filming software before. The preliminary task helped me use get used to the filming equipment we where provided with for the shoot. It allowed us to practise different techniques such as the 'canted' shot as well the ability to use continuity by using the 180 degree rule. I could also practise working with my group for the shoot and organsing a filming schedule which would suit everyone. Practising the planning of the shoot in order for filming to be effiecient.

Thriller
Having to research into different thriller films in order to know what an audience is looking for within a thriller film.
The way to use intertextual references from other thriller films in order for it to appeal. For example our lead femme fatal having costume inspired from the character Marla Singer in the film 'Fight Club'. Also using knowing to use conventional characteristics of a thriller e.g the cigarette often shows a character who is sophisticated as well as superior.
Linking music to the image. The music had to be researched and 50 years old. The music used was taken from Heavenly Creatures and contrasts with the grittyness of the thriller film. The music makes the image on screen more powerful as it presents tragedy and sorrow within an audience.
Knowing what type of cinema this was going to be marketed too. Ours was a picture house cinema as it seemed classic rather than mainstream.
Learning how different camera angles can change the perception of image. E.G canted can show something is out of place or distorted. This was used when our femme fatal is washing her hands to make it appear a nightmare.
The use of establishing shot to communicate style and genre of the film. The intended shot of the femme fatal allows the audience to work out whether she is hero or villain.
Using sound to emphasise emotion.
Using skills from the prelim task to create continuity. e.g when femme fatal was applying lipstick it had to be the same amount each time.

Music Video
Learning to link sound and visual. In order to express the upbeat ska genre the visuals had to be upbeat and fast meaning a lot of footage and editing had to be done. Making sure a target audience was established to in order to know who the video would appeal to. Using knowledge gained of Adobe Premier Elements to make the video edit successful. Looking at how other videos are marketed and make it interesting. Working out how to include a narrative, required a lot of planning and continuity made the edit very tricky a lot of the original ideas had to be scrapped and re-shot. Knowing the techniques which market the band e.g showing them playing and linking the visuals to the audio or showing continuous images of the band and band logos aorund locations of filming for the audience to recognise.
Using shots from previous filming tasks to express individuality e.g low angle of the skateboarders tricks. Also continuity was a big task for the edit of our music video and plenty of shots had to be taken of one action e.g someone crossing the road to make it more interesting and for it to flow better.

Print Productions
Learning how to use new software Adobe Photoshop elements. Knowing from the target audience who the images need to appeal to and the best way to market the band. Researching into other Digipaks of artist and seeing the individuality and eye catching images which help develop promotion. Creating a band style which is easily recognisable to an audience e.g Smaller Than You's skateboard image therefore print production showed a young male leaning against a wall with a skateboard. Researching the genre e.g ska and seeing how they market bands and artists. Smaller Than You is modern and therefore I based the image on american ska like the band Less Than Jake.

How magazine adverts promote the artist.

These are some adverts taken from NME. They show the different ways of advertisement record companys use to promote the artist. This can vary depending on their genre or mainstream image.

This is an advert promoting the tour for the artist 'Florence + the machine'. This image is taken from the video for the single 'you got the love'. This advert works as the artist is the centre focus of the image therefore the audience can immediatley see which artist the advert is promoting. The tour date underneath are in bold and therefore can be glanced at quickly.

This is a magzine advert for the latest Maccabees album 'Wall of Arms'.

The band have used individuality within the artwork of this poster. The image shows the band to look like plastic models. This can be seen as ironic of the artist as it is a representation of how the music industry can mould a band into what an audience desires. They have used the image from their album cover. This is a good marketing tool as the reader can look at this advert and know when they go to buy the album, the image reminds them of the one the advert wants them to buy. The text of the album is in blod so can be easily read. There are also ratings of the albums from NME, The Guardian and The Independent which allows the reader to gain an idea as to whether the album is worth buying. It also gives a sponorship from the shop 'HMV' which allows the reader to know where the album can be purchased

This magazine advert is advertising the tour for Hot Chips recently released album, 'One Life Stand'.
The art work used on the poster is taken from the cover art of the album. This, I think, is a good idea as the use of the cover art shows that this the album they are wanting to promote without having to use text. Therefore it is an advert which can be understood at a quick glance.

It gives clear tour dates in blod capital letters which allows the reader of the magazine to see where they are playing. It also gives phone numbers of the gig venue they are playing so their audience can ring the venue for tickets.

I personally don't like this advert as it doesn't seem very eye catching and uses very dull images.

First ideas digipak

These are some of my ideas for my digipak which is promoting the EP for the band Smaller Than You.

Front Cover of Digipak

The front cover is a signifyer of teen rebellion. This links to the audience demographic of young males around 19 years old. This cover uses intertexuality of American ska which is often associated around a skater image.

What works mostly with this image is it has a narrative and revolves around a stereotypical image often associated with young 'hoody wearing' males. The turquoise graffiti image of the body climbing the wall is representing what society thinks the hoody wearing youth would do or what the 'hoody wearing youth' has just done and is simply a shadow of teen rebellion.

Inside left panel

This is the image I will use for the inside left panel. I took this image in Anglia Square and shows the graffitti I drew for the band Smaller Than You. This image I thought worked well on the inside left panel as it works with the audience demographic of the video which is young males aged around 19. This image appeals as it connotes teen rebellion and also works with the skater image which is represented in the ska genre of our artist as well as music video for

Inside right panel (behind CD)

This image links with the image often associated with American Ska which is a skater image. I imported drumsticks into the hand of the skateboarder to show association with the band as well as tie in with the plot of our music video which see's the drummer of Smaller Than You trying to retrive his drumsticks in time for the gig.

The image works well to be behind the CD as the skateboarder is the centre focus of the image therefore once the buyer of the audience is drawn to this image once the disc has been removed.

Back Panel

I wanted to use this image to tie in again with my audience deomographic for the band Smaller Than You. The image shows a stereotype of a young male youth. It does this by showing him smoking and wearing a hoody. This stereotype immediatley associates the young male with crime and rebellion. The image is also a response to the Arctic Monkeys album cover 'Whatever people say I am that's what I'm not'.

The font used for the track names is 'stencil'

This was used as it has two associations. The first is with a prison branding which gives the idea that all male youths wearing a hoody are associated with crime. The other is graffitti which has also been used to show 'Smaller Than You' on the front cover which therefore shows continuity within the digi-pak.