Digipak and Poster

I printed off my Digipak and Poster to see what they would look like as a real product, I glued my poster into a real magazine to make it look realistic and to see what it looked like. 

Question 3

Weekly Log

This week I have finished my music video and my ancillary texts, I am now moving onto my Evaluation, to do my Evaluation I will be using softwares such as Powtoon, Powerpoint and Prezi. 

Finished Music Video

Question 1

Question 2

Question 4

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages? 

Planning and Research 

• When planning and researching for my media texts I used many different programmes to help me, such as, Blogger, Survey Monkey, YouTube, Wikipedia, Google, Powerpoint and Twitter. When it came to researching into my music genre, I used the internet and YouTube to help me, I searched into Indie video conventions and watched many videos on YouTube to inspire me and to gain ideas of how to create an indie video. Google was useful as it allowed me to gain information and research into the indie genre, James Bay and typical indie videos, I also gained the lyrics from James Bay Let It Go from Google, which helped me to link my video with the lyrics. When researching into my Digipak, I used Google Images to collect ideas from other Digipaks out there, such as Lana Del Rey and The 1975. This helped me to plan and research into my Digipak as I had inspiration from Google Images. 
• Throughout the planning and research I used Blogger to upload my ideas and initial ideas, this was a useful tool as it allowed me to look back at my work and ideas, which made it easier to plan my video. Blogger was useful as I could embed videos and upload pictures to show my ideas and where I got my ideas from. I used Blogger from the start till the very end and uploaded my progress. Blogger also allowed me to create a weekly log where I could use it as a diary, explaining everything I had done that week. 
• When constructing my Survey to collect ideas from the audience, I used Survey Monkey, this allowed me to easily gain responses from everyone. Survey Monkey allowed me to choose questions to ask and give multiple choice options to answer. Once everyone had answered questions on my Survey, Survey Monkey gave me the option to look at all of the findings in one place, this made it easy for me to read through my audience responses as they were already put into pie charts and percentages. I found Survey Monkey easy to use and I would use it again when planning and researching for a product. 
• My iPhone also helped me to plan and research as it allowed me to quickly search something and gain knowledge from my phone, I used my phone to open up the James Bay Lyrics, when planning my shots, so I could link the shots with the lyrics. 

Construction: 

• In the construction stage, I used a Canon camera to film my footage, I found this easy to use and it gave me focused and relevant footage, I also used a tripod to keep my camera still and focused, without the tripod I wouldn't have steady footage as it would be jumpy and moving around. 
• Once I had filmed the footage I needed I uploaded it to the Apple Mac and imported all of my footage onto iMovie, I then edited my footage and put the footage together all on iMovie, which made it easy to edit my footage. iMovie is a video editing software application sold by Apple, for the Mac and iOS (iPhone, iPad). iMovie imports video footage to the Mac from digital cameras and allows you to add titles, themes, music and effects including basic colour correction and video enhancement tools, iMovie allows you to change the speed and pace of the video and add transitions. Using iMovie made creating my video easier as it was easy to understand and once I got used to it, I found it a lot easier. 

• To create my Digipak and poster I used Adobe Photoshop to edit the filter of the pictures, add text and create an effective poster. The tools on Photoshop really helped me as it made it easy to write on my pictures and made it look professional. I had basic knowledge on Photoshop from creating my magazine front cover in AS Media, however this year I learnt how to use other tools such as Free Transform, which allows me to change the size of the picture without making it blurry. I also learnt how to copy text onto my poster and to erase the background to make it look professional. This can be seen on my poster, the "Virgin Logo" has been edited to erase the background, to make it look effective and realistic.

• My basic knowledge from last year allowed me to create my ancillary texts, and anything I didn't already know I picked up on the way. I now feel confident with Photoshop as it really helped me this year. 

Evalutation 

• Blogger was used to record all of my work throughout the year, including screen shots of editing and raw footage, and any other activities that were done throughout the year. Blogger was easy to access on any format, I used Blogger on my iPhone, iPad and laptop as it was so easy to access. I kept my blog up to date and looking back I can now see a clear view of my work throughout the entire year, and I can see a link between my video and my planning and research. 
• Facebook and Twitter allowed me to gain feedback from my target audience, my target audience is teenagers and young adults as this is the typical indie audience. I used Facebook to send pictures of my Digipak, Poster and my final video to my friends, the feedback from this gave me an idea of what people, thought of my video and if my chosen target audience liked my style of video. I used Twitter to tweet my video so anyone that missed it on Facebook could look at it on Twitter. I then got feedback from my audience from this. 
• To create my Evaluation I used Powtoon for one of my questions, Powtoon allows you to create animated presentations and animated explainer videos, I found Powtoon effective as it made my work easy to read and look professional. It allowed me to add pictures and text whilst using transitions. I used Powtoon in AS which helped me this year as I had knowledge on how to use the software. 

• I used Microsoft Powerpoint to create my Evaluation, Powerpoint made it easy for me to create a slideshow explaining what I had done this year and showing my work. Powerpoint is an easy software to use, which made it easier for me. I then uploaded my Powerpoint as a JPEG File onto my blog. 

To conclude, the media technologies I used in my construction and research, planning and evaluation stages helped me to create an effective final piece. The softwares used made it easier for me to log my work, plan and create my video. The main softwares I used throughout the year are Blogger, iMovie and Photoshop and these softwares all included everything I needed for the year. My knowledge in each software improved as the year went on as I learnt through the year. Without the softwares I wouldn't have been able to create a music video, Digipak or Poster. 

Finished Digipak

Weekly Log

This week I have finished my Digipak and my poster and my video is nearly complete, I have been planning my Evaluation and I am going to complete my video and move on to it. To create my Evaluation I am going to be using different softwares such as Prezi and Powtoon.

Editing Speed

In certain parts of my video I have changed the speed of the clip, to make it either slow motion or fast paced, I used the speed tool to do this and changed the percentage of the speed from 100% to what ever number looks good. When I have used slow motion I have used different speeds to ensure the footage looks good. 

Weekly Log

This week I have been creating my poster to advertise my album and Digipak, I chose the same picture for my poster as I did for my album cover, and I have added text to promote the album such as "The No.1 Album" and review quotes.

Poster Editing - Logo

On my poster I decided to add the record label's logo, this makes the poster more realistic and all other posters in magazines have the logo on. I decided to use this logo but also give it some edge, so I decided to crop the text out "Virgin" and change it to red using the filler on Photoshop, I then changed the "EMI" to white. I am pleased with how this looks and feel the colours go well with the surrounding colours, and changes my poster from predominantly black and white, to colourful. 

Finished Poster

Poster Editing

The XX - Coexist

The XX are an indie band, this is reflected in their Digipak, as it is simple, different and original. The front cover has no writing on, as the X represents them. The fact there is no writing makes the X stand out and it isn't overcrowded, it allows the audience to just focus on the X. As there is no writing on the front of the album, it could be hard to identify who's album it is if they didn't already know The XX, this may create a sense of curiosity and may encourage someone to pick it up to have a look. This Digipak stands out amongst others as it's indie and different. 

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

The Digipak for Lana Del Rey's Album "Born To Die" fits in with the indie genre style. The front cover is just a simple picture of Lana herself, looking into the camera, engaging with her audience. Lana is dressed in a simplistic way and the picture focuses on her facial expression, which is a blank face, again linking in with the indie genre. The colour scheme fits in with the indie genre as they are simple colours and not too bright and loud.  
The writing on the back of the album is block capitals and big writing, the font is also the same as the writing on the front of the album. The back cover is plain, just a white back ground with writing on, this makes it simplistic and alternative. 

The 1975 - Album

The entire Digipak from The 1975 does not feature the band themselves, but just a black and white themed picture of a board which features their song names and their name. This Digipak is simplistic and catches the attention of the audience, the lack of self pictures makes this Digipak stand out as indie and alternative, as it is different to other Digipaks. The CD again inside is black and white, this time with the writing in black too, not standing out. 

The black and white works well as it immediately promotes any writing that is in white, for example "The 1975" stands out above everything else, which catches the audience's attention. The writing with the track names seems to be on a musical instrument prop, with a wire coming down, maybe connecting a speaker, this writing is in block capitals and large, making it easy to read, it is also in the same font as their band name, keeping continuity. This Digipak is very simplistic but meaningful and fits in with the Indie Genre. 

Shot Plan

I have created a shot list to help me create my video, this will make it easier for me when it comes to filming as I have a clear plan to use, I have thought about different shots that will look good and have also looked at other indie videos and have decided to use these shots. 

Mood Board

Here is a mood board of my ideas for my video, I have thought of many different ideas for my video and chose pictures based on my ideas, I will then use this mood board to plan my video and start filming. 

Initial Ideas

Here are my initial ideas for my video, I have explained all of my ideas and what I think will look good in my video, I will then decide which of each I like best and then create my music video. 

Weekly Log

This week I have been putting the finishing touches to my Digipak and my music video, I have also been planning my poster, to advertise my music video. I have also been screen shotting my editing of my video and Digipak and have uploaded them to my blog to show the different stages of making a video. 

Digipak Inside Pictures

I used this photo for one of my Digipak pictures, I zoomed in and cropped to create a square photo and I also changed the saturation to give it an Indie Effect. 

Again, on this photo I cropped my picture to create a square and I gave it an effect. 

I have added a similar effect to each of my photos, to keep continunity between the photos. I used these effects to create an indie, alternative look. 

Transitions

Between each shot I have used a transition to merge the two shots together, throughout my video I have used the "Cross Dissolve" effect as it looks professional and brings my shots together well. 

Video Filters

Throughout my video I have used the "Heat Wave" effect, before I decided to use this effect I tried other ones such as "Romantic" and "Glow" but I chose Heat Wave was my favourite as it made my footage look better, especially the footage of the sea and of the beach. 

Weekly Log

This week I have been editing my Digipak, I have picked my six photos and have been editing them and adding effects and text to it. I have been using my Digipak Research to help me create an Indie Digipak. I have also used songs from James Bays' debut Album "Chaos And The Calm". 

Digipak Back Cover

This is the picture I chose for my back cover where my track listing is going, I cropped the image and added an effect to make it look old fashioned and indie, I then added a white filled circle, and made it transparent. Finally I added the tracks onto the circle and used the font "American Typewriter". 

I also added a barcode onto the bottom of my back cover, to make it look professional and like a Digipak that you can buy. 

Digipak Insert

This is the picture I have chosen as my insert in the Digipak, I then went on to crop it to size and add an effect, I added a blue effect, which gave it an Indie feel to it. 

Digipak Front Cover

For my front cover I chose this picture as it fitted in well with my Indie theme, I then added an effect to change the colour on Photoshop and added the title, this will feature on the front of my Digipak for my audience to see. 

Track Listing

On the back of my Digipak I have added the track listing for James Bay's debut album "Chaos And The Calm" this features my chosen song "Let It Go" along with his other popular released songs. I am planning to use the exact same songs and in the same order too. 

Title

These are the fonts I have used for my Album Cover, I used Dafont to get the font and then I copied it onto Photoshop and edited it into the correct place. Dafont is a good website to use as there are many fonts to choose from, I went for a "Hand Written" font, as I found out that Indie Digipaks tend to have hand writing on them.