Miss Miller - Digipak Analysis

Digipaks are a set of 6 discs which often has 2 CDs within it, created by a content creator as an addition add on to provide with bonus CD's, an artists message towards the fans and a number of other things. They typically consist of a fold book design towards them, or have a paperboard or cardboard outer binding, with one or more plastic trays for the CDs within the digipak itself. Digipak-style packaging is often used for CD singles or special editions of CD albums. Digipak-style cases grew in popularity among record labels and recording artists in the early 2000s. There are a large number of differences between digipaks and regular CD sales, and bonuses as to why someone may purchase a digipak appose to just the CD. Firstly digipak’s contain higher quality images and meaning in them, providing with a generally higher quality product. They usually contain a letter/note from the artist directly to the fans, giving it a more 'personal’ feel from the artist towards the fan. Sometimes they contain bonus tracks, whereas the CD version may not, therefore proving with more content. Digipaks have 6 sides, so there are more opportunities for visible artwork to be present, potential examples being information, lyrics and promotions. This way the artist has a better chance at attracting potential buyers, as they will see the digipak as more than just a disc of music. This is due to the additional content within which isn't present in other forms of music sale, one example being the possibility for an artists message to be within, which is appealing towards the target audience as they may feel closer to the artist and may be able to create a relationship with them because of it. Along this, another big reason towards a digipaks appeal in comparison to a dual CD pack is that they are much more desirable and collectable items. A jewel case is easily ripped when removed or put back into the plastic grips, making it unappealing to remove. On a digipak, all information is very easily accessible, making it more appealing and long lasting. 

The digipak I have chosen to analyse is by the artist Gabrielle Aplin, who falls into the indie genre of music, the same as my chosen artist. The digipak is from her album named "English rain".

The music artists representation is evident throughout the images of the digipak. The artist Grabrielle Aplin can only be seen clearly in one shot within the digipak, where she is behind an umbrella. As well as this, her body is covered by an umbrella, only her face and feet being visible. This could show that the artist would like the attention to be drawn more towards her music rather than her appearance, and that she might be a shy and passive person. This is effective towards creating an image of an artist which cares a lot about her work and sets that as priority, trying to please her fans oppose to caring so much about her appearance and status as a music artist. This is evident through focusing very little upon the visuals, and leaving a lot towards personal interpretation as to what might be included within the digipak. This might entice the reader to want to buy the digipak as they may feel as if they are getting a fuller experience of what the artist might be able to provide. This is appealing towards them as they might like the artist more from her down to earth portrayal of not being a flashy star who's main priority is there appearance towards the media, also showing how she cares about her work which the reader might see as her providing with better quality content. 

There are a few potential connotations of the digipak which could be shown. The artist isn't present very often within the digipak, as she can only be seen behind an umbrella. One potential connotation could be that the artist is a distant person, as she is focused away from the camera, and her body is hidden. This could also show how the artist could be self conscious about the way that she looks, or alternatively that she is trying to say that she believes that her music and lyrics have more importance than her appearance. This is effective towards creating an image of an artist which draws more attention towards her music oppose to her physical image. This is as it may make people want to purchase her new album and digipak as the visuals within the digipak are rather plain and dont have much occuring, through the elements mentioned previously this could imply that her musical content is interesting and colourful, as well as showing that she cares a lot about what she releases as she connotes that it is more important than her image as a star. This may make the reader want to purchase the digipak and the new album as it provides with a deeper insight towards the artist, as well as the content potential being good due to its importance towards the artist and its significance shown towards the reader. 

The use of colours within the digipak are conventional to the indie genre, and are effective towards the portrayal of the artist and genre. The colours within the CDs contrast between each other quite drastically, as the backgrounds are quite grey and dark; appearing to be edited to have a lower saturation, providing with retro looking visuals. Alongside this, the bright colours which are present within the CDs are very generic and standard colours. Through having the presence of both, this could be used to show the artist as having a particular interest in retro style, and that she produces musical content which follows an old style, which may appeal towards an older target audience. Alongside this, the items which are present within the digipak are things which many would associate with the past and previous years, an umbrella and ballon can be seen, alongside big open spaces. Having this alongside old fashioned type colours, this could also connote to the reader that the album is based upon previous experiences of the artist, as the artist is present within the images. This is conventional to the indie genre as the songs often are based upon the previous experiences of the artist, which is present throughout a large number of songs, and this theme is connoted through the use of the colours throughout the digipak. This would therefore be appealing towards the target audience as they may feel as if they are being provided with a more 'personal' insight into the artist, as the theme which is being connoted tells  of personal accounts of the artist, making them potentially be able to relate towards the experiences and emotions which are expressed throughout

The choice of images I believe is an essential part towards the importance of the digipak. This is as the presence of the images has a large number of purposes towards them, one which I have identified being the portrayal of the artist, alongside connoting to the viewer what type of music the artist creates and releases. This is evident through the use of an umbrella and balloons, alongside the saturation of the visuals being lowered to provide with a retro feel. This is conventional to the indie genre as the use of lowering the saturation of either the visuals or a still image is often present. This is effective towards portraying the artists image as someone who creates and prefers old styles of music, and prefers her music to reflect this, which is achieved through the saturation filter and the use of items which many would associate with past experiences, such as the balloon and umbrella. The target audience of her content may find this appealing as it conveys a more personal reflection of the artist, through the connotations of the inclusion of the images mentioned, implying to potential new fans what type of music she enjoys to create. Alongside this, fans of the indie genre are not often young, and having a retro feel emitted through the visuals of the digipak may be more appealing towards them, oppose to having a more plain and basic design towards it. 

The digipak doesn't contain that much text within it, although the use of language is still evident. This can be seen bellow. For the front cover of the CD, the text seen on front states "Gabrielle x". The purpose behind this could link towards creating a more "personal" feel of the digipak towards the target audience, in the aim of making them able to connect with the artist of a deeper level. This is as the text looks as if it has been handwritten, alongside the presence of a kiss at the end. Through having the text look as if its been hand written, it may make it come across as a personal piece of work, making those that see it feel as if the artist are catering towards them and just them. This one on one type of connection is further re-enforced through having a kiss at the end of the artists name, as it is almost as if the artist is trying to show a personal form of love per say towards anyone which sees it. This is conventional to the indie genre as though having this use of text and language present, it allows for a relationship to be built between those that see the digipak and the artist; this type of relationship is usually tried to be formed within indie artists work through micro-elements, in this case through the language and text use. 

I would say that the digi pack does promote the indie music genre, which is achieved through a number of ways. This is done through its appeal towards the target audience, as it follows a number of conventions of the music genre which makes it evident to those that see it that the content belongs to an indie artist. The indie genre often tries to stay diverse in what is included throughout a number of artists work, having a large number of aspects throughout which could be considered as being conventional, although throughout this particular digipak I believe the genre is promoted through following two main conventions, the first being the presence of the retro images, and the next being the artists portrayal towards the viewer which is achieved through the language use. Both of which are effective as they target directly towards fans of the genre, and also make it apparent to those that aren't fans that this artist belongs to the indie genre. More specifically the digipak is directly catered towards the target audience as they are often older and find retro images and content more appealing and unorthodox to the norms of music, as well as the direct appeal of feeling as if they are almost receiving a personal message from the artist through the use of handwriting like font. All of the above elements allow for the content to be appealing towards fans of the indie genre, and to make it clear towards other people that the digipak is of an artist who creates indie content, due to the many elements which reflect this. 

The digipak helps towards promoting the artist. This is as through the use of many different elements throughout the digipak, they assist towards making the artist come across as being more down to earth and appealing for the target audience. This is achieved through giving a more personal feel towards the artists portrayal through including more personal like elements, such as the use of handwriting like text. Alongside this, the text says "Gabrielle x", the handwriting like text alongside the kiss making the slogan of the digipak seeming as if its like a personal message towards the reader. This makes the artist look as if she cares a lot about her fan base, through including this it may make for a relationship to be built between the reader and artist, as they may feel as if they are being given a more personal insight into the artist and that they are addressing them directly. This is effective as it makes the artist come across in a generally more like able light, making her more accessible to the 'average' person, potentially allowing for more purchases and attention drawn towards the digipak. 

This digipak does in fact attract an audience. This is as it does not show off any flashy lifestyles or cars and half naked girls within the digipak, which reflects a mature theme and nature towards it which is iconic to the genre itself. The audience can relate to this and potentially find the artist to be more accessible, as it is catered more towards fans of the indie genre, and the typical everyday music fan may find it appealing as it doesn't make them dream of a better lifestyle and become jealous of the artist. Overall it attracts those that are more mature and realists, just wanting to enjoy music instead of envy the artists behind it, which indie fans often prefer as the digipak and artist focus's more upon content upon to showing off an extravagant lifestyle.

I will use this research to inform my planning, alongside gathering ideas for what I will include within my own artists digipak. Firstly, it will assist with planning for when I go to create my own digipak as I have gathered a number inspirations through looking at a real life example. I intend upon using dull and gloomy like colours for the background, with some flashes of colour included. This will be done to convey a real and blunt vibe towards the visuals, also being a bit sad and depressive to an extent to enable for our audience to be able to relate towards our audience more, also making them possibly feel sympathy for the artist. This will be enough to be  real and relatable to our audience, making the music more accessible for them. We will also have our artist placed directly in the centre of the screen to help the audience focus on him, showing  direct mode of address to further assist with this, although for our artist I intend upon having the camera to be closer to the artist to draw more attention towards the visuals, including there facial expressions and clothing which will also assist towards making the audience relate towards them. Although I wish to have a blank background around him so there are no distractions for the audience, helping them memorise his face and therefore helping him to get more exposure and to try to make his face get out there, trying to appeal towards a wider audience.

Miss Georgiou - Planning lighting and colour

A variety of different lighting styles and colours are essential within music videos. Diversity towards the visuals is always essential to provide with a different and diverse viewing experience. Another reason is through adding a large number of different lighting styles it can enable for a number of different macro elements to be portrayed, and can help towards portraying characters in the frame in a certain way through the use of this particular form of micro elements.

Planning sheet my group and I used to plan what lighting and colours we would include within our music video 

Within my group and I's music video, we have planned to use three essential forms of lighting and colour throughout different segments of our music video, the first one being the use of natural high key lighting. This is conventional to the indie genre as it is present throughout real life media examples, and is usually present to show real life settings and environments, which are also often present to co-inside with the everyday settings, which is another convention of the genre. This form of lighting will help with the representation of my artist as it will show the artist as feeling optimistic about the situation he is in, and that he feels as if he can make it in the music industry and that he can get by on his own. This will co-inside alongside the visuals as the artist will be shown as being persistent and relentless with his aim, which when the high key lighting will be present his drive will be evident to see.

Example of low key lighting, of an image being taken at night

The second form of lighting and colour which we intend to include is low key lighting. This is as we wish to film some shots later on in the day/ night time, to provide with darker natural visuals. This is conventional to the indie genre as the visuals throughout are often darker, which is done to portray certain feelings towards the viewer, as the themes being shown throughout the lyrics and visuals within the genre are often of a dark nature. Therefore, it is probably a commonly used form of lighting as the visuals them make the concept of visuals more apparent, and enable for certain feelings to be portrayed clearer through the correlating visuals and dark themes. This style of lighting will help represent my artist as it will show the gritty reality of his situation, as he doesn't make it in the end and at the end of the music video he will still be struggling to get by, therefore providing with a realistic contrast with the use of the high key natural lighting. In regards to the indie genre, the use of low key lighting is frequently used to portray almost a depressing like tone towards the visuals and atmosphere of the visuals, as that is an emotion which is frequently conveyed by a number of indie artists. One example of an artist which does this within their music videos is Hoozier, as within the music video for "Take me to church" a low key filter is shown throughout many segments (more so come the end of the video), where it creates negative emotions around the narrative of the video, and as a general feeling portrayed to the viewer. In regards to the lyrics of Two fingers, the lyrics of "Run down some dark alleys in my own head" would suit this use of lighting, due to the dark associations with the colour itself, and the general feeling associated around it. 

Example of an image which has been edited to have a lowered saturation filter

The last form of lighting and colour which my group and I intend to use is a saturation filter to add towards the visuals. This is conventional to the indie genre as it provides with an edited grainy element towards the visuals, making the visuals darker but not to the point where it is pitch black or black and white. This form of colour will help towards the portrayal of our artist as it will emphasis the messages which are shown throughout his actions. This is as despite his best efforts, as he is alone he cant get by to support himself or to make it in the music industry. Through having grainy and dark visuals, it re-enforces this message as the nature of the message is a harsh and gritty reality as the overwhelming majority of artists don't make it professionally. This shows the artist as being a down to earth character who experiences hardships, and is unable to come out on top and to resolve his issues, emphasizing how he is alone and somewhat of a loner, and that nothing would improve without the assistance of others.

In regards to the indie genre as a whole, saturation filters are frequently used within indie artists music videos, one example of an artist which does this very often is Jake Bugg, one example being in the music video for "what doesn't kill you". This is as within it the saturation of the visuals seen are lowered to create darker visuals, which creates a very indie like feel around the artist as he can be seen performing within the video, as dark coloured visuals are a common convention within the indie genre. Within the song Two fingers, the lyrics of "He's with my momma, they're yelling and fighting" would suit this use of the micro element, due to the dark visuals emitting the dark and negative emotions associated with the abuse the mother experiences throughout the music video.

My group and I's target audience will be able to create a relationship with our artist through the uses of lighting stated. This is as the colour of the visuals will correlate between the nature of what will be shown, as the artist will be shown as going through hardships and generally being in a bad position in his life. Because of this, through having certain lighting and colours used, the feelings created through this alongside the visuals will make the audience feel sympathetic for the artist, due to the general hopeless vibe emitted throughout the artists actions and the visuals. He is shown in a down to earth light, being shown in everyday settings and having a bad time, through this down to earth portrayal the viewer may be able to relate towards the artists situation and feel sympathetic for him more so because of this.

Miss georgiou - Planning editing

Using a variety of different editing styles is essential for a number of reasons. It allows for diversity in the visuals shown, to allow for a less repetitive viewing experience for the audience as they wont be seeing the same transition from shots over and over again. This will engage the viewer more in whats happening with the visuals as they wont already know what form of editing is going to happen yet. Alongside this, certain editing styles are essential to include for the benefit it has towards the portrayal of feeling with the viewer, an example of this could potential be the use of slow editing to provide with a build up in suspense for the viewer and to keep them on edge, and the same concept behind the use of editing styles can be applied throughout the music industry. Overall, including diversity in the types of editing styles used allows for a better quality production and visuals.

Planning sheet my group and I created for the editing styles we intend upon using within our music video

The first editing style my group and I discussed about using is the use of a time lapse, to speed up the visuals. I believe that this shot is convention to the indie genre as it is present throughout a large number of indie artists content, one example of this which we gathered inspiration from is from the song "A team" by Ed Sheeran, where a time lapse is used on a few occasions, to emphasis a certain feeling of sympathy towards the individual on screen and how the viewer would feel bad for them. For this reason the shot is present throughout the indie genre due to its influence on the viewer towards the portrayal of feeling of the individual on screen. Within my group and I's music video, this will help to represent our artist in a number of ways. Firstly, it will show how the artist is being ignored by the members of the public, emphasizing how he is alone, but mainly to show his struggle to get by. Through doing this, the message of the struggles of getting into the music industry alone and with no support and backing will be emphasized. This will appear in our video near the middle segments, when the chorus is playing and the artist has traveled to London, busking on the streets, which he is playing and as the day passes people will be shown to not give money to him. More specifically for our video, we have used this due to the artists portrayal which will be evident because of it. But also, this will help with the portrayal of the narrative as it will show the lack of progression of the artist as despite the large number of people that pass, his money bucket will remain empty and he will remain to be on the streets. This use of editing is therefore essential for the video due to its significance for both the narrative and the concept. The use of this form of editing is commonly frequent in the indie genre for this reason due to the associations fans of the genre would have with it, as with the Ed Sheeran example it creates a depressing like tone towards the visuals which in itself is a convention seen very often within the indie genre. This relates towards the lyrics within Two Fingers evident with "I got out, I got out, I'm alive but I'm here to stay", as this is the lyric which will be heard on screen during the time lapse scene, as it is the main part of the first chorus heard during the performance scene.

photographic representation of what a time lapse would look like in the city

The next editing style my group and I discussed was the use of a saturation filter to be present throughout the entirety of the music video. Through doing this a grainy black and white filter effect will be created, although the visuals wont be black and white per say, rather just a bit darker than the natural lighting in the shot. This is conventional to the indie genre and is present throughout a large number of music videos within the genre. Alongside this, often within the genre, if videos are not edited to be black and white, they usually are filmed in a darker setting, or the visuals are edited to be darker through lowering the saturation filter. It is common throughout the indie genre most probably due to it reflecting the genre, and how the songs within it often portray the emotions of the artist, and they are often negative or of a dark theme, which is re-enforced through making the visuals correlate between the messages of the visuals. This editing style which help represent our artist in a number of ways. Firstly, one of the main themes which will be portrayed throughout our music video is the difficulty of getting into the music industry alone, which will be shown through the artist with this filter as the visuals will show this, and through lowering the saturation it will add towards the hopeless vibe which is conveyed throughout. It will also show the artist as being alone, and because of this he will be shown as having very little emotion, as the visuals will be very bland and grainy, alongside the artist not being shown with or being helped by anyone. This will be consistent throughout our music video and will be present throughout the entirety of the visuals. Saturations filters are present through a large number of real life examples of indie artists due to the negative emotions which are frequently evoked due to its use. This is a common emotion shown towards indie audiences and what would be expected to be found, therefore being the sort of visuals indie fans would expect to find. This doesn't relate to any particular lyric, as the saturation filter will be scene during any instant where performance can't be seen, therefore any scene which isn't in the chorus would relate towards this use of editing.

We also intend upon incorporating jump cuts into our music video, during a number of different times throughout due to there being significance towards the different locations shown throughout. This form of editing is conventional to the indie genre as there are often narratives present throughout the indie genre which portray certain messages, where changes in locations occur on a number of occasions to transition the shots. Alongside this, it is a commonly used form of editing and is essential for the changing of scene/ location, and to make the visuals flow better while doing so. This editing style will help represent our artist in a number of ways. Jump cuts will occur during every chorus change, so every time the chorus comes on again a different location will be shown. This will show the artist travelling from location to location, and while doing so emphasizing his struggle to get by, let alone his aim of trying to make it in the music industry. Also, it will show how hopeless his situation is as despite all his efforts, no matter where he is no one is there to give him any money or support, also showing how he is alone with no one there to help him; being forced to fend for himself as the people within central London, Liverpool street station, and his townspeople offer him nothing for his efforts. Jumps cuts are commonly used within the indie genre due to frequently changing locations, often going from suburban to urban settings and visa versa. The use of jump cuts refers to the lyrics of "something is changing, changing, changing, as it will be done to show a clear change in location as when that lyric can be heard the artist will be seen going from one urban location to the next, urban locations being a conventional setting of the indie genre.

The last editing style that my group and wish to include throughout our indie music video is the use of montage editing. This is conventional to the indie genre as it is present throughout a number of real life counterparts, an example of which being throughout Ed Sheerans content. The use of montage editing enables for a large number of shots to occur one after each other, appealing quickly on scene, and is most probably so popular to use throughout indie music videos due to the emotions which can be created through its use, which is often a big focus of said music videos. This form of editing will be used when the artist will be in central London, where a montage will be shown where he is given no money by anybody; his money basket remaining empty. This will represent my artist as being at a very low point in his life, reaching rock bottom as his circumstances cant get any worse. It will also once again emphasis the artists struggle of making it in the music industry, evident through the empty money basket. This also highlights that particular concept of the music video, and makes the meanings behind the visuals more apparent. Montage editing, similar to time lapses are frequently seen within the indie genre to show the progression of events in the settings of the videos, evoking certain emotions towards the audience, often negative ones, which is a common theme seen through many real life examples. This relates towards the lyrics of the video of "He's with my momma, they're yelling and fighting" as this will be the lyrics which will be present during this point, but although it doesn't relate directly towards the lyrics, but it relates towards the nature of the emotions shown within the original music video by Jake Bugg, as with the use of editing in this moment it shows the negative emotions of our artist. 

The target audience will be able to build a relationship with my artist through the editing styles which have been stated. This is as the portrayal of the artist which is created through the presence of the different forms of editing show him in a sympathetic way. This is as he is shown as not being able to get by and make his way into the music industry despite his best efforts and how driven his is to achieve this. Alongside this he is shown as being alone throughout, having no one there for him to provide with financial and emotional support. Because of the ways which the artist will be portrayed as mentioned, the viewer is likely to feel sorry for the artist and sympathetic for his situation; some possibly being able to relate towards his situation, and because of his down to earth portrayal they are able to create a relationship with the visuals and artist on screen.

Miss Georgiou - Planning artist image

Group planning sheet for the artists representation throughout our music video

An artists image within a music video is a very important element. This is because different audiences can relate to how the artist looks and what he wears, and because of this reason my group and I will need to make our artist relatable towards our target audience so that people will like him and buy his albums etc. The artists image is very important because what he wears will suggest the type of genre of music he's aiming for. The image is essential to plan because it could convey a hidden meaning in the video. This is as if someone was wearing bright clothing in a video, you would assume it's summer or that the artist comes across as having a very 'colourful' and bright personally towards the audience. 

The first element of our artists image I shall discuss is the costume of the artist and what my group and I have agreed upon over what we want him to wear. The artist within our the music video will be wearing dark clothes, either black or dark grey throughout the whole duration of the video. The costume which we have opted for is conventional to our artist because the audience will be able to relate to him more, as other indie artists commonly wear black clothing throughout their own music videos. The representation of our artist is that he is quite dark and serious in the video, which indie audiences often find to be interesting, and watch the video for the dark themes which are addressed by the artist in the video. The costume mirrors our style of video as the concept of the video will be to show that it's very hard to get into the music industry all by yourself and that running away from your home could lead to devastating results, which are dark orientated themes. Because of this our artist will be wearing dark clothing to further hint at the dark messages which are conveyed throughout the duration of the music video.  The lyrics within the song reflect this portrayal of the black clothing, one example being "Run down some dark alleys in my own head". The colour black often conveying negative and dark emotions, which is re-enforced by the lyrics and will be done through the lyrics and is also re-enforced through the negative emotions which are associated with the colour black, and outfits in this case. 

The next element of the artist I would like to address is the hair of the artist, and how having this particular style of hair will benefit the production. Firstly, my group and I discussed that it would be best the artist to have clean and well groomed hair, however, as the video progresses it becomes less clean and more scruffy and dirty. This will be done to show that he doesn't have a home or a shower or anything to in general, and to emphasis his poor standard of living and quality of life. The hair we've decided upon for our artist to have throughout the video will be conventional to the indie genre because most indie artists tend to have scruffy hair. This could be because they don't see it as being a particularly important element towards there image as having to show them as being successful, however as we're using a narrative, it's essential towards the portrayal of the artist that their hair slowly becomes more and more scruffy as it follows the narrative of the video, and shows his downwards spiral throughout the visuals. This will convey our artist in a pessimistic light as the video shows he doesn't have a home or a job in the city, but is trying desperately to get fame there, so for this reason he looks unsuccessful at this point in the video. The hair which my group and I have decided upon will help with the style of video because the narrative and concept will mirror our artists hair style, the scruffy hair he has by the end shows that he was unsuccessful at getting into the music industry; emphasizing his struggles throughout, and that even despite being so driven towards achieving and doing good for himself,  he couldn't achieve his goal of making it as an artist,  showing how hard it is to become successful within the industry. Within the lyrics of our song, this representation is evident where it says "I'm an old dog but I learned some new tricks yeah", as throughout the duration of the music video my group and I intend upon our artists hair to get gradually messier, therefore the visuals of the music video and lyrics will link in that sense as the progression of his hair getting messier will show how the visuals are almost ageing and that his situation is slowly dying off. This lyric can be heard near the end also, further emphasising the development of the visuals of the pessimistic narrative. 

The final point which I will be addressing relates towards the make up that artist will have during the music video and what our group have decided upon. We all agreed that it isn't necessary to have the artist covered with make up but if we needed to use any. Although, if for any reason we need any, we could use some make up that would make the artist look even dirtier than what can already be seen in comparison from the beginning of the video. I would say that this isn't conventional to the indie genre because artists normally don't wear any indie music videos. Although saying this it would show the audience the artist is trying his up most to become famous by going from place to place, in the hope of getting a job or anything which will to help him. This will make the artist come across as dedicated as he is trying so hard to become famous, which is emphasized by him being shown as living on the streets, playing the guitar busking hoping that he can get noticed by the right person and at the right time. This may also make him across in a desperate way as well, showing how little he has and how badly he wants to just get by. This representation mirrors the style of the music video as we are trying to get across how hard it is to get into the music industry on your own, which is made evident through the artists portrayal throughout. It also mirrors the narrative because the video is showing his downwards spiral into homelessness, as at the end he has no money to pay to get by. There are no lyrics within the song to warrant for the artist to either be or not wearing makeup. 

 My group and I's target audience will be able to build a relationship with the artist as he's doing what anyone wants to do in life, which is to strive for their dreams and to try and  pursue their dreams. This is dramatized with our artist as he takes it too far to a point where he is forced to go back, due to his flee to the city being unsuccessful as he become even worse off. The viewer will also be able to build a relationship with our artist because he has been designed to be catered towards what indie audiences find appealing and expect to see throughout music videos in the genre. The hair and the costume of the artist are both key elements when the artist is trying to be relatable towards the audience, as it shows his down to earth portrayal, and his struggle of trying to achieve a better standard of living. 

Miss Georgiou - Planning locations

Locations and iconography are both important elements when it comes to the creation of a music video. This is as both often have a big importance towards the viewing experience of the viewer, and what they would expect to find throughout a music video of a certain genre. The location in which a certain part of a video is filmed creates the scene for that particular segment, which allows for the portrayal feeling towards the audience, as the location may be conventional to the genre. In regards to iconography, its importance relates back to the audience and genre again, as through including items within the frame which the audience would associate with a certain genre of music, it will provide with a more realistic viewing experience as it will be evident that the music video belongs to a certain genre and contains aspects which is appealing towards the target audience. Both co-inside to draw a large amount of significance for the visuals, as the locations and iconography are the core of what can be seen on screen and are the core foundations of a music videos appeal towards an audience.

Location planning

There are a number of settings my group and I discussed upon, gathering ideas on what locations which are accessible would suit certain segments of the music video. The first location we established was to use Buckhurst Hill station for the use of our narrative, more specifically a few shots being filmed on the streets before entering the station. I have chosen this location as it will assist the portrayal of the artists representation straight from the off, as well as providing with an early point towards the narrative. As the locations throughout our music video will change from rural to urban at times, the use of this location will be more for the purpose of the artist as coming across as a down to earth everyday person, due to the semi urban setting, which will assist towards the creation of a relationship between the viewer and artist through the everyday portrayal of them, as the viewer may be able to relate to the position the artist is in. More specifically the artist will be shown entering the train station carrying his guitar and case, shortly after leaving his home in town. The location doesn't limit the possibilities for filming too much as its purpose is used primarily for the opening of the music video, as it will be used to portray an everyday setting so extravagant shots wont be needed. In regards to the crew, the location will in fact be beneficial as myself and my other group members either live within this location or very close to it, alongside other potential people which may be used for filming, which should make the shots relatively easy to film and re-access if they need to be repeated. One health and safety risk which may in fact be an issue during this segment could be posed when entering the station, as if we choose to film during midday, there may be a large number of commuter's coming back from work which will crowd the station, making it a bit risky as the equipment or one of the group members could have a collision with one of the members of the public. To overcome this, my group and I may need to film this particular scene during an off peak time, to avoid the station being overcrowded and any potential risks which could come from this. The weather shouldn't be too much of an issue within this scene and it mainly takes place inside, although for the part before the artist enters the station, the visibility will have to be good enough to provide with clear visuals. As long as the filming doesn't take place at night and the visuals are unclear to see, it shouldn't be an issue if the weather isn't particularly sunny or dull as when it comes to the editing stage, the saturation levels will be lowered to provide with a grainy effect regardless. This relates towards the lyrics of "something is changing, changing, changing" as the artist will be seen moving from location to location through the train service and links with the lyrics of the song in this instance. Every time the chorus is present in the song the artist will be shown changing location; correlating the lyrics and visuals during the planning stage of the production.

The next location my group and I discussed upon relates also towards the narrative, the location for the next scene being Liverpool street station, on the central line in London. One scene where this location will be used is when the artist will be shown busking at the train station. I have chosen this location as it is conventional to the indie genre, as it is a busy urban place in the city of London. Because of this through using this shot it will allow for the portrayal of the concept, as a contrast in visuals can be seen between the urban and suburban location. This will emphasis the struggle of the artist as the scene will show how despite there being such a large number of people there, he will receive barely any money from anyone passing by. This will allow for the audience to feel sympathy for the artist, which may create a relationship between the viewer and the artist through the gritty and down to earth portrayal. The location will limit what my group and I will be able to do in regards to our crew and content. This is as to get to this location, it will take on average between 25-40 minutes on the central line, which won't be a location which we will be able to get additional cast members easily due to time commitments, as well as it possibly being difficult to re-film certain scenes. Although it shouldn't be too much of an issue for my group and myself as we can access the central line easily, due to lighting and other elements we may become restricted for filming time. As mentioned previously with the Buckhurst hill station scene, health and safety hazard we may encounter is filming in the station during peak times, where it will become overcrowded, which may increase the chances of something dangerous occurring. The weather should be too much of an issue with this location as the majority of the lighting which will be present on the visuals will be artificial. Similar to that of the previous train station, this relates towards the lyrics of "something is changing, changing, changing" as the artist will be seen moving from location to location through the train service and links with the lyrics of the song in this instance. 

In regards to the first location stated, another scene will take place using the same location of Buckhurst Hill, although this will focus upon the very beginning of the narrative, as the artist will be seen leaving his home, which will take place before the scene at the Buckhurst Hill train station. This will establish the nature of the music video straight from the off, as it will convey the theme of hardship, which the artist experiences throughout the video. It will also portray the artist as being alone and on his own. This is an essential element as this would appeal towards the target audience, as they would find the down to earth portrayal appealing, making them possible be able to relate towards the artist. This location is convention as it will show a small suburban town, which is a location which many of the viewers would recognize, which they would be able to relate towards as being a 'regular' person home town, which would show the artist as being more of a normal person and similar to the viewer. There are very few limitations towards filming in this location. It is easily accessible for my group and I, has access to natural lighting, and wont be very busy so there are fewer potential issues which could be raised during filming. There are very few health and safety risks with filming in this location, although one which is very unlikely but will have to be kept in mind is to be weary of traffic on the road. This is as my group and I may feel as if a certain angle for a shot will be easier to film nearer to the road. To prevent this from becoming a health and safety risk we shall make sure that we're well aware of any traffic that we encounter. Although with the weather this could potentially be quite a big issue in regards to this location and this scene. This is as everything is taking place outside, therefore we need to make sure that we find time to film during daylight hours where the weather isn't too sunny, although light enough so that the visuals can be clearly seen and edited at a later stage. This is as the visuals will be edited to a lower saturation to provide with grainier and darker visuals. This location relates towards the lyrics of I go back to Clifton to see my old friends, The best people I could ever have met as this is shown as being our artists hometown when he returns back after the failure of performing in the city, and is present on screen when this can be heard. 

Another location which will be used during the duration of the music video will be on the train itself, as the artist will be seen travelling towards central London in the attempt to make money busking on the streets. This will take place near the middle of the music video, and will be done to show the artist travelling from one location to the next, which should occur every time the chorus of the song plays. This location has been chosen for this as it will allow for the artist to be shown travelling to different locations to busk, which has importance towards conveying the message of the struggles into getting into the music industry, alongside showing the artists general struggle to get by, which will portray him in a down to earth light. From this it will allow for the viewer to be able to connect with the artist due to the down to earth light which they are shown in, which the target audience of our music video would find appealing. It is also conventional to the music genre as it links towards the urban locations which will be shown during filming. This location may limit what we can film, as we would be limited to how many times we would be able to gather shots. This is as there is only so many stops on the train which would be suitable for filming, alongside it being difficult to film during peak times due to the high number of people, so the times which we can come together to film may be limited because of this. As mentioned previously, as the shot could potentially take place in a very busy public area, my group and I will have to be weary of our surroundings to prevent encountering any possible hazards during filming. We'll overcome this by not filming during peak times, which is more important in this scene as it takes place in the train itself, being a smaller place with more potential hazards. The weather shouldn't be too much of an issue during this scene as it will take place inside, although filming will ideally have to take place during daylight hours, as it will make the visuals a lot clearer to see. For this reason, when we do get into a position to film when the weather is appropriate for filming, a way my group and I could work around re-filming issues is to film certain scenes multiple times so that we have the footage all ready for editing, as it will be too difficult to find another day which has identical weather to the first time filming. 

There will be another scene which will include being in a moving vehicle, this scene in particular may be potentially difficult to film as it will take place inside of a taxi, which the artist is taking on the way to the station. I have chosen to use this for its relevance towards the narrative of the music video, as the scene is important towards the portrayal of feelings towards the viewer, as well as the artists representation and the way he comes across. It shows the artist as being as hitting the very bottom of his career and life as a whole, as he is shown running away from the taxi. This portrays the struggle which the artist is shown as going through, which emphasises this towards the audience. The shot isn't particularly conventional to the genre as it is not a commonly used form of iconography and location, although the context which it is used allows for the artist to come across in a certain way, which through the portrayal of the artist is conventional to the indie genre as the artist is shown in a more 'personal' light towards the viewer through emphasising his struggles. The use of this iconography creates a relationship with the style of the music video as it is an important part of the narrative, which has a significant amount of relevance as the music video is centred around the narrative and concept. This scene will be very difficult to film as there are a number of limitations towards it. One example of this is that my group and I will probably only get one chance to film this scene because of the issues of getting into the position to film in the first place. Because of this we are going to have to make sure that we get the shots spot on, and have already filmed backups if the original shots are not to a certain standard. One health and safety risk we may encounter with this scene could be make sure who we ask to help us film this scene, as we are going to have to talk to a taxi office and see what they are willing to help us with. For this reason we will have to be weary of who's help we get, as if we get the assistance from a stranger taxi driver, we will have to establish beforehand with them the agreement towards filming, in regards to if there is any money involve and if they are aware of what is taking place during the scene. The weather may be an issue with this scene as the shots will most probably only be able to get done once, so we may have to either compromise with the weather or try and find a day which has clear natural sunlight for the sake of quality of the visuals, which will make the editing stage easier. The taxi scene relates towards the lyrics of "I got out, I got out, I'm alive but I'm here to stay" as the artist will be shown entering the taxi returning back to his hometown, and will connote to the audience that he has gotten out of the spiral of failure due to the lack of success experienced performing in the various London locations. 

Iconography planning

Throughout the music video, there will be multiple forms of iconography shown throughout from start to end. The first piece of iconography that will present, and would be commonly expected to be present within an indie genre music video is that of a guitar. I have chosen to use this for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is very important for the sake of featuring the artists performance throughout the video, which has a large amount of relevance during the busking scene which is one of the main contributors towards the portrayal of the artist. Alongside this, it is important as it is such a commonly used piece of iconography throughout the indie music genre, so including some form of musical instrument is needed to make sure the music video follows the codes and conventions of the genre, alongside the practical use of the iconography. It shows the audience that the individual is in fact a music creator and that he has an interest in playing his guitar. Alongside this, the scenes where the artist can be seen playing the guitar is primarily during the segments where he is busking, which portrays the struggle which the artist goes through, and portrays him as being a down to earth individual who just wants to get by, which may be appealing for the audience due to this down to earth portrayal. It links towards the lyrics of the song as during the song it mentions the struggle that the artist is facing, alongside how he wishes to change the way he lives, which is evident through the busking. This creates a relationship between the style of video as It incorporates an element of performance within the music video, alongside the presence of  having the narrative and implied narrative. It also assists towards the portrayal of the concept as it emphasizes the struggle which the artist goes through, showing the harsh reality of the struggles of making it big within the music industry.

The next form of iconography will be that of a money bucket, which will be used by the artist during filming in the scenes where he can be seen busking in public places. I have chosen to use this form of iconography as it has importance towards two things, one being to show the audience how the artist receives no money while busking as the money bucket will be empty, alongside its relevance during the point in the narrative where it gets stolen. Through these two scenes which it is present in, it will show the audience how the artists position isn't improving and how no one is giving him money, which emphasizes the struggle of the artist and shows him as being regarded as insignificant by many and beaten down. Because of this, the audience may be able to create a relationship between him as they sympathize with the artist and the position he is in. It creates a relationship between the style of video as the scenes which have been stated where the iconography is present have a large amount of significance towards the portrayal of the artist and emotion, alongside the general progression of visuals within the narrative.

Another example will be the presence of a notepad, which will be used during the point of the narrative where the successful artist is present, and someone approaches him asking for an autograph. I have chosen this form of iconography as it shows the successful artist as being just that, as it shows the audience how this character is important and successful, which allows for a contrast between the portrayal of the artist throughout the video. This links towards the lyrics for the song during the point where it goes "There's a story for every corner of this place", where during this point the successful artist will be shown, which the use of iconography makes it evident that he is successful opposed to my groups artist. The iconography use in this segment helps create a relationship between the narrative development, but mainly also the portrayal of the concept of the struggles with breaking into the music industry. Because of this the contrast between the two artists are made evident through the iconography use. 

Throughout the video, the artist will be seen wearing primarily black clothing/ dull lifeless colours, which will stay consistent the whole time. This is conventional to the indie genre as it will show the artist in a number of ways which may be interpreted differently. It will show how he has no hope with the position which he is in, and will emphasis this feeling of hopelessness which will be reflected through the visuals also. This form of iconography links in towards the nature of the lyrics, as they are quite dark and miserable during certain points, as it is telling a story of the artists own personal struggles. This creates a relationship with the style of video as it links towards a strong theme which is shown throughout, linking towards the concept of the video. Alongside this, it aids towards the portrayal of narrative as it emphasizes the hopeless position the artist is in.

The artists hair will be messy and natural, which wont change throughout the music video. This shows the artist how the artist doesn't have his act together, and that he has a messy and unorganized life. It also shows that he is in a poor finical situation, which relates towards the artists struggle and them trying to make it in the music industry. This links towards the lyrics of the video as it could possibly relate towards abuse of alcohol, which he may have issues with as it is referenced within the songs lyrics of "I drink to remember, I smoke to forget", which may be the reason behind his poor style of life. It creates a relationship between the style of music video as it is important towards the artists portrayal, which is shown throughout the narrative as the artist being in a bad position. Alongside this, through showing the artist in this way it allows for the concept to be more apparent, as it will show the contrast between the successful artist as being more apparent. 

Contrasting the previous point referring to the portrayal of the artist, for the famous and successful music artist they will be seen wearing bright clothing. I have chosen this form of iconography as it tells the audience that this artist is clearly successful and achieving highly, which is connoted through the bright nature of the clothing. I would say this is in fact conventional as through the use of the colour of clothing, the portrayal of people throughout music videos or just any form of media is commonly evident through the use of colour. This links towards the lyrics of the song as it relates towards the story of our groups artist and the successful artist, as it is showing how the story of this artist has been better and brighter compared to our groups, emphasizing the contrast between the two. This creates a relationship between the style of music video as it is a very important element towards the hidden meaning connoted behind the visuals, as it makes the message of the struggles of getting known within the film industry through showing a side by side comparison of the two complete polar opposites; one happy and optimistic artist, and one which emits a feeling of hopelessness and never ending struggle. 

1) Within the points that you have included on the health and safety requirement for every location and consider ways to prevent the risks

2) Relate points back to the lyrics of your song, to demonstrate further planning techniques of why certain locations have been selected

3) Be careful with the points that you have included on clothing, as this needs to be included within the artist image post

Miss Georgiou - Planning cinematography

Example of a two shot

 I have chosen to use a two shot for when filming certain segments throughout my group and I's music. This is as throughout the video there will be two people within the frame of the shot on a large number of occasions, therefore the use of the shot would be suitable, as there is a narrative been shown throughout therefore the presence of more than one person is frequent. One particular example which I think this would be suitable to use during a scene where the artist and the cab driver can be seen, approaching the cab driver asking for a lift at the beginning of the narrative. I believe the shot is conventional to my chosen media genre of indie music. This is as throughout indie music videos, there can often be the portrayal of a narrative which contains multiple different individuals throughout the video, therefore there are a number of instances where more than one person can be seen, making the use of this shot frequent throughout indie music videos due to the constant presence of people. This camera shot does help towards the portrayal of the artist, which is due to a number of reasons. In this particular scene, the artist will be placed beside the cab driver as one of the first shots seen on the visuals, where he is shown reasonably far away beside him. Through doing this it will show him as being distant, as being a bit of a loner/ someone who keeps himself to himself, as he is going to be positioned to one side of the camera and the driver outside the cab will be on the other. This will emphasis the fact that he distances himself from people and that he is a conservative and detached person, which will be reflected throughout the rest of the video. The use of a two shots represents the style of the music video also. This is evident as our video will intend to be heavily narrative based, incorporating an element of a hidden concept throughout, therefore the shot allows to feature more than one character in the shot at a time which would be expected for a narrative video, and as it assists with the portrayal of the artist which links towards the concept of the video, which will be to show the gritty/ harsh reality of the difficulties when trying to break into the music industry. This shot matches with the lyrics of the song as during the instance where the two shot can be seen in another instance where the successful artist is drinking with his manager, the lyrics of "There's a story for every corner of this place". This therefore matches with the lyrics as it shows the contrast in situations of my group and I's artist and the successful artist; relating the visuals with the connoted representation of both and the lyrics in this instance. 

Example of an over the shoulder shot

Another camera shot which I intend upon using is the use of an over the shoulder shot. Unlike the previous shot stated, the use of an over the should shots may be potentially used on a number of occasions as more of a filler shot, to add diversity to the visuals which will be seen. For this reason I have selected the shot for multiple purposes, one for the purpose of the shot itself to show the perspective of an individual, alongside having it as a shot which has a versatility to add a diversity of shots throughout, alongside creating a number of emotions. To take one potential idea for when this could be present would be during the end sequence, where the artist will be seen trying to get back into his former household, where he try's to put the key in but the lock has been changed, which it will be shown through the use of an over the shoulder shot. I would say that this shot is conventional to the indie genre. I believe this due to the purpose of the shot itself, which can be used to make the viewer get a better view and a more personal outlook on an individual, often the artist through showing part of their perspective. Through doing this it enables for a relationship to be built between the individual of screen and the target audience, as they feel closer to the person within the visuals as they are exposed to a more personal perspective of the individual. The use of an over the shoulder shot will represent the style of the video as it will portray the artists perspective from a distant perspective, which links towards the narrative of him being alone and distant. The use of the camera shot matches with the over the shoulder shot evident in the performance scene in Liverpool street new playing location, an example of a lyric where this is present is "So I kiss goodbye to every little ounce of pain", as it is the start of the chorus where the performance scene where this shot is evident. This therefore relates the shot type with the performance of the lyrics with the visuals of the music video. 

Example of a point of view shot

Another camera shot which I am going to use within the music video will be a point of view shot (P.O.V). I have chosen this shot as it shall be used during a number of occasions throughout, two instances in particular being when the artist sees the successful artist for the first time, and on another occasion where the artist will be putting his oyster card on the scanner before getting on the train. Through doing this it will show the perspective of the artist on a number of different occasions throughout, which will provide with more 'personal' visuals for the viewer as they are seeing the actions through the artists perspective, which may enable for a relationship to be built between the viewer and artist on screen. For this reason the shot will be essential towards the creation of feelings, and has relevance towards the narrative and concept of the video through its inclusion within certain scenes, as well as proving with a means of relating directly towards the target audience. I do believe that this shot is conventional to the indie genre. This is as it shows the perspective of someone (usually the artist), which creates certain emotions towards the viewer, which the viewer would expect to find throughout a music video of this genre, as it shows a clearer insight towards the artist which would make the viewer feel closer to the artist themselves. This camera shot would help represent the artist as it would show their perspective towards things, would would show them as giving a personal insight towards the viewer into their life. This shows the artist as being a emotionally deep person, trying to connect to the viewer of a deeper level. The use of the artists point of view will help towards the style of music video as it provides with a more 'personal' feel towards the video, which will assist towards connecting towards the target audience as well as the portrayal of the concept. The use of the camera shot at this moment match the lyrics of the song as where it is used when the artist is putting his oyster card on the scanner, a change in location has occured and the chorus of the song will be playing, where it states how the artist is getting away ("I got out I got out").

example of shallow focus being used

At certain points during my group and I's music production, I intend on incorporating the use of Shallow focus at certain segments. Shallow focus focus's the visuals upon one element within the frame, making it stand out amongst the background, which I have selected to use as the environments where filming will take place will be very busy at times, so as a lot will be happening it will mirror this on screen, however the focus will ideally be targeted towards the artist still as they are the main focus of the visuals for the most part. There are a few potential ideas I have for the use of this shot, one being during the scene where the artist is escaping their previous life as he is shown on the train, and another being showing the artist through the use of shallow focus while he is busking in the streets of london.  I believe the shot is conventional to the indie genre. This is as indie genre music videos often have important visuals towards them, either that be the portrayal of a narrative or concept, or for having the artist as the main focus for the viewer benefits of being able to connect with them. This camera shot will help with the representation of my artist. This is as it will make him clearly stand out besides all of the scenery when in the urban London areas, which will highlight the fact that he is alone and that it is just the artist there trying to fight through hard times. Through this it will show him as being a loner going through struggles, which the viewer may feel sympathy for. As they feel sympathy for the artist due to this representation achieved through the use of shallow focus, they may be able to create a relationship for him as they may have experienced the same at some point in there life, or that they may also aspire to be in the music industry, or it could simply be due to his down to earth portrayal as he is shown as being an ordinary person who is struggling to better himself in the music industry. The camera shot represents the style of the music video as it assists towards the portrayal of the narrative, as key segments featuring the artist are easier to identify besides the other images, as well as assisting towards the concept due to highlighting the presence of the artist during important moments where the artists portrayal is most evident. The camera shot will link towards the lyrics of the song, as it will be made evident that he is attempting to put his old life behind him and move on as he is trying to become a better music creator, which is evident of the "so I put two fingers up to yesterday".

A more common and frequently used piece of cinematography which I intend upon using on a number of Long shot. This will be used on a number of occasions throughout the duration of the music video, often as a filler shot to provide with diversity towards the visuals on screen through including a large number of varying shots. A couple of specific examples of where I intend upon using a long shot will be during the taxi scene with the artist, where in one Long shot the artist will be seen getting into the taxi, and other where he is running away from it. I have selected to use this shot as it will allow for the viewer to see all of the characters within the frame, alongside the background also, which will allow for a wider number of visuals for the viewer to see. This shot I do believe to be conventional to the indie genre, and music videos as a whole. This is as it allows for the scenery to be seen alongside the characters, which in the case of many indie genres they have a very distinctive background which is often convention of the genre, in the case of my group and I's music video the locations vary from being urban to suburban throughout, one specific example being of the city of London which is certainly conventional to the indie genre due to it being an urban everyday city setting. The camera shot will assist with the representation of the artist within this sequence. This is as through the artist being far away from the visuals, it will show him as being a distant person and someone who isn't close to anyone in particular, which will co-inside with the portrayal of the artist during later moments, as he will be shown as having no one there for him, which will link towards the artists relationship with the viewer. The use of long shots will represent the style of the video, as it assists towards the development of the narrative as the scene which I have stated has important relevance to it, alongside having importance towards the portrayal of the concept. It doesn't match the lyrics of the song, although as mentioned previously this scene takes place before the lyrics of the song itself are played. 

Example of a longshot

The target audience will be able to build a relationship between the artist in a number of ways when the final music video will be produced, which will be achieved through the use of cinematography, specifically the varying camera shots throughout. As mentioned above there will be five main camera shots which will be present throughout, the potential ideas for the shots uses above. The use of the camera shots will enable for a relationship to be built as they often are used to the purpose of portraying the artist as being a down to earth character, who is facing adversity and a struggle which a large number of people may be able to relate towards, as he is shown as struggling to become a success within the music industry. Therefore other aspiring artists may be able to relate towards him due to their own personal struggles, and fans of the genre and artist will be able to relate to him as they will sympathize with the artists beaten down portrayal, being able to create a relationship with him as he is shown in a more 'personal' light towards the viewer because of the use of camera shots, making the viewer feel as if they have a better insight into the life of the artist.