Digipak back cover - update 2

To progress with the back cover of my digipak, I have added some key codes and conventions of the product in the real industry. As you will see below, this ranges from institutional information to the inclusion of margins on both sides ready for printing.

Digipak back cover - update 1

Here is the first update of the construction of the back cover of my digipak. Here I have included the addition of the songs on the album as well as a design to accompany the centre of the screen. Both of these aspects are incredibly important to my back cover as they include key codes and conventions of an album's back cover.

Digipak front cover - update 2

After reviewing the stage of the construction of my front cover, I felt that there was a lack of 'indie rock' identity about the cover. With this in mind, this second update includes aspects that aim to show my band as an indie rock band.

Music video editing - update 4

Today I spent 3/4 hours integrating the majority of our performance into the narrative where applicable. This proved extremely difficult, as expected. The main issue I came across was interchanging between performance and narrative throughout the song. Whist we want the narrative of the video to take priority, the performance must be included regularly to avoid confusion when it is shown at a later part in the video. Below is a screenshot of our work so far. We will endeavour to upload rough cuts of our work to show progression. However, I don't deem this necessary at this early  stage because of gaps in the video with some footage yet to be encoded onto the software. 

Screenshot of first cut with minimal gaps in timeline.

Digipak front cover- update 1

After taking some photos after filming the other day, I have began to construct my digipak. Here are some screenshots of my front cover so far. It includes everything from the very simple plain background, to the use of shapes and eventually implicating the picture into the product.

Filming day - second part of narrative

As originally planned, we filmed in another location for the narrative aspect our music video. We found this to be very helpful insofar that it brings a variety of setting to the overall product, keeping the audience engaged, as well as allowing the opportunity to vary the length of shots and camera angles. These aspect were something we had identified as lacking in editing so far (from the narrative and performance that we have filmed.)

From our first impressions, we felt that the filming went fairly well. Whilst this filming day did not hold the majority of the video's narrative, it was useful for reasons explained above. The main issue we did encounter was the use of the steadicam. This proved difficult to use on uneven ground so we had to choose our filming location carefully. 

Proxy editing - performance

Now that we have filmed the performance, we are being as quick as we can at getting the footage we have onto our editing software, Adobe Premiere Pro. From this, we will be able to begin editing shortly with plenty of time to work through what we have. By filming early, we feel that the editing process can be as thorough and skilled as we need in order to create a high standard product.

Digipak practice - photoshop

With my digipak ideas roughly planned out, I have has a go at using Photoshop to practice the ideas have in mind. By doing this, I feel much more confident about making the front cover of my digipak look legitimate and credible. This sort of design links to my music video in the sense that it follows the idea of the main character tackling issues both psychologically and physically.

Filming day - performance

The filming for our performance aspect of the overall product is now complete and ready to proxy edit and integrate into our narrative. With regard to our filming today, the shots we wanted to film were achieved fairly easily. The only issue we did encounter was the fact that the black curtain we used around the room was only able to cover halfway up the wall. In order to resolve this issue, we ensured that the shots we did shoot were predominantly close-ups. On the whole, the filming went well. However, we will have a better idea of this when we have all the footage in our editing suite.

Filming day (2) - props planning

We have also planned who is taking each prop in order to make sure that we do not forget anything. This will avoid any chance of us forgetting an instrument, for example, that will tarnish the overall representation of our band and thus the final product.

Learning comment: Much like the previous post, the planning of props and who is going to take them ensures that we do not miss anything of what we are taking. Also, we have ensure that each actor knows what they need to take 3 days before filming which ensures that we will have everything we want to create our desired mise en scene. 

Filming day (2) - clothing planning

Here is a list of the clothing that we will need to be taking to our location for filming in order to create the mise en scene we desire. This is an incredibly important part of our planning because the image of the band will be something that audience members will initially judge.

Learning comment: By completing this very short task, I feel that the filming day will encounter very limited issues. For instance, including the names of each item of clothing as well as who will be taking them means that we are able to communicate these ideas clearly to the relevant people. 

Music video editing - progress 3

The first issue we have encountered with our editing process is that we are finding it challenging to edit the video as a whole with just some of the footage. At the moment, we have filmed over half the narrative but are yet to do the performance side of the product. As a result, we have stopped editing for the meantime before we have filming the performance because, this way, we will be able to edit the entire video as a whole rather than trying to edit certain aspects separate to others.

Music video editing - progress 2

The editing has further progressed, we have got to our main character entering the boxing ring and beginning to work out with the trainer. This is about 1/4 of the way into our narrative.

We have began to incorporate the use of slow motion footage and beginning to use different editing techniques. In terms of the narrative we have introduced the secondary character in the narrative, this being the trainer. We have now fully represented the main character in the narrative.

Now, we are continuing our editing process and soon we will have filmed the performance and this allows us to really put it all together and have a wide range of shots to use.

Footage organisation

Now that we have filmed the majority of our narrative, we can now begin to edit in Adobe Premiere Pro. After the previous post on Proxy Editing, we are now able to start editing in our footage. In order to make the footage easy to sort through, we have taken the time to organise our clips into to separate folders based on their correspondence to the narrative. By doing this, we now have the ability to go through our clips in a systematic way that will create a degree of continuity in our video as a whole.

Shot list - performance

Learning comment: By completing a shot list spreadsheet for the performance, we now have a much clearer idea about what we will need to shoot. This will prove vital during filming because our shot list considers the fact that the performance is not the main part of the video. However, it will most certainly be a key aspect and so planning this thoroughly is important. Moreover, it will help our actors gain a better understanding as to what they will need to be doing whilst in shot. As a result, this will make directing much easier because we will be able to focus on more high-level aspects of the filming such as camera movements.

Music video editing - progress 1

Now that we have started our music video editing, here is the first update of where we are in terms of our construction so far:

After organising our footage and proxy editing, we have edited around 30 seconds of footage. Within this start of our product, we have attempted to establish the main character of the boxer in the video. This has been done through the use of close ups on both him and his actions within the opening 30 seconds. Furthermore, the majority of the video so far has included shots of him. By doing this, we hope to clearly establish him as the main character with whom the audience should pay close attention to.



In addition to establishing the main character, we are also bearing in mind that the location needs to be clear to the audience. We have done this through a series of establishing shots that show the location the boxer is in. The reason we have chosen not to do use a regular establishing shot is because we want to keep the location exclusive. Therefore, we have decided to use a range of wide shots and long shots to present the location, within the gym, to the audience.

Proxy editing - explained

When editing the footage from our test shots we found that the 4K footage was not able to be edited on the computers, so we decided to make use of proxy editing. Proxy editing is when files are transcoded (Converted) to a smaller file format, for example we used (720p) this transcoded file gets attached to the original file and allows us to be able to edit the transcoded files which makes editing much smoother and quicker. 

This kind of process requires the use of both Premiere Pro and Media Encoder.

Here is the process we followed to transcode our footage:  

The use of Adobe Media Encoder allows us to create a ingest preset (Proxy settings) and begin to transcode all of the footage one by one. This process took about 3/4 hours.

Back on Premiere we add the ingest preset and this allows us to access the transcoded files attached to the original footage. Once we have edited everything and its ready to be exported we simply just export the video with the original file format (4k - 25p) this gives us the high quality image. Although this process is time consuming and took a long time for use to do it allows us to easily edit all of the 4k footage from out shoot and put it together.

Ancillary task: Ideas

Below is an image of the planning of my digipak design ideas. Here I have included each aspect of the digipak and why I have chosen to use that particular design. The format of the digipak is something that I will need to consider in terms of the importance of my images and designs. This is because I will want to place my most important images on the front and back of the digipak. This is something that is reflected in the annotations below.

To add to this, I have tried to consider each mise en scene aspect relation to my genre of 'indie rock' music too. By doing this, I feel that my digipak will accurately reflect the genre of music my band is representing.

Band logo - progress 2

Here are the latest developments of my band logo for the ancillary task. Here I have included explanations of each development in my construction to date.

This is perhaps the most complex stage of my logo construction. Here, I have used the 3D tool on Photoshop CC to create a diffused texture to the text. By doing this, I think that the logo looks more engaging with it. IT was extremely hard to create this look because the alignment tools on Photoshop are very sensitive. Therefore, it took a far amount of time to ensure that the diffusion of the text was created effectively.

My next development was to add the band name to the logo. I did this through the use of the text tool and selecting the font I wished to use. As you can see, I have used adjustment lines both vertically and horizontally throughout my construction in order to make sure the logo is central to the screen. This is also a beneficiary to the text of the logo that will always be straight.

Next, I added the digipak title 'The Collision' to the logo. Like the band name, this was achieved through the use of the text tool. To ensure that I use the same text colour throughout the product, I have made the grey colour a preset in order to make sure that it is always used correctly. 

Band logo - progress 1

Below is a walkthrough of each step of the construction process of my band logo. Within the images below there are clear demonstrations of the skills I have used in order to create what I have so far of my logo product.

The first step of construction was to create a shape with the rectangle tool. Here I played around with the pixel strength in order to create a shape that was bold yet seamless in the overall product. 

Next, I duplicate the layer (in order to keep the same size) and changed the stroke to grey. This additional shape on the inside of the green rectangle gives the logo an extra element as opposed to the regular, rather uninspiring, plain rectangle on its own.

Then, to add a degree of complexity to my product, I have added an overlap of the grey rectangle over and then back inside the green rectangle. This was achieved through the use of the polygon lasso tool which allowed me to remove elements of the grey rectangle I did not want. From this, I rasterised the layer in order to make the effect shown above possible. 

My last development so far has been the addition of two narrow shapes coming in from the rectangle. This was done through duplication both of the shapes and, again, selecting the polygon lasso tool. What differed from last time was the selection of a large area to remove. I then selected the same pixel width for both lines in order to create an element of continuity in my logo. 

Initial pitch - feedback

After pitching my idea to a range of people, I have asked them a few questions in regard to our initial ideas.



Learning comment: Upon completion of this I have found it very rewarding. Not only does it show me what individuals think works well in my ideas, it also gives me the opportunity to reflect on aspects they have identified as weak. By taking their feedback on board, I will be conversing with my group to ensure that issues they have identified do not hamper the overall quality of our product.

Some of the main areas for improvement identified included the use of multiple locations as well as being able to integrate the narrative and performance into one fluid product. Using numerous locations could, indeed, prove difficult to bring together into one music video. However, I do not think this will be a problem. This is because we have planned our music video to extreme detail, considering how we will be filming, the types of shots used and how we will eventually edit it all together. As a result, this feedback from a range of people has reminded me of the difficulty that lies ahead in post-production. To make this easier, I will be closely considering each stage of filming and remind my group of this will need to relate to the overall stage of the video.

Ancillary task - digipak dimensions

In order to make my digipak look like a professional and legitimate product, I have found accurate measurements that are used in the music industry. With the use of Photoshop, I will be looking to use a template that will allow me to produce a digipak to industry standard.

From finding these dimensions online, I have a clear idea of the type of format my designs will be transferred onto. By looking at this in the early stage of my construction, I will be able to bear in mind the actual size of the covers I am designing. For example, this has been helpful because my ideas will need to consider that the panels really are not that large or extravagant.

Digipak planning - choosing a font

In order to create a band logo that relates to my music video and genre of music, I am carefully considering each stage of my planning. Below, I have a choice of three fonts that I have considered for my band logo. To accompany each logo, I have included the pros and cons for each text as well as why I will/will not include the font in my band logo.

The main advantage to using the font 'Nickname' would be due to the fact that it is a bold font. This would prove to be a strong aspect to the band logo because it clearly represents the band's name. However, the logo also seems slightly juvenile. This is shown in the way that, for example, the 'E' is not shaped well. Like many of the other letters, the font seems to provide something of an immature impression to the band name and I will therefore not be using it for my logo, despite the bold nature of the font. 

As font, Market Fresh is very much a font that I am looking to use. Its strongest aspects include its bold yet elegant strength to the font as well as the well-aligned letters. In terms of the font's connotations, it very much appears to imply an element of sophistication. Whilst my band are indie, I do not want to represent them in a peculiar or immature way and I will therefore be using this font. 

Like the other two, Mr Headlines also has a very bold aspect to the font. Despite this, I feel that it is a font that is perhaps too bold. I fear that, if I were to use this font, it may detract from the main image on the cover. And, although the band needs to be represented clearly, I feel Market Fresh does this is in a more subtle way. 

Band logo - inspiration

In order to create a credible product in terms of my ancillary task, I will endeavour to produce a band logo of a professional standard. By doing this, my overall product will hopefully look all the more realistic and professional.

Below you will find a selection of band logos that have inspired the logo I will create. In order to relate each logo to my own, I have attached captions underneath each one to explain this.

This logo has inspired my own design process as it has simple yet effective logo. Whilst the logo expresses very little about the band, it typifies the genre of indie rock. The use of plain text makes the band's name the stand out point of the logo with very little to detract from that. In addition, the inclusion of the album name is seamless and something I will look to replicate.

Like Foals' album, this too is very plain and simple. However, the use of an alternative font might imply that the band, too, are alternative. As a result, I will be looking to use fonts effective to portray my band in a certain way. 

Oasis' logo is of great inspiration as it provides the audience with a clear format in front of them. It is easy to see the band's name and this is executed brilliantly through a combination of shapes and contrasting black and white. 

Digipak inspiration - Banksy

Although not directly related to music, the work of Banksy is something that has inspired the early stages of my planning. As stated in the previous post, I am looking to create a clear message that will not only attract the interest of my target demographic (18-30) but also display a poignant message. Much of Banksy's artwork does exactly this and the images below will be an element in the planning of my digipak.

Digipak inspiration - displaying a clear message

For my album cover, I will be looking to create something unique and eye-catching to adhere to the genre of indie rock. The genre is often thought as one that can address topical issues and often be controversial. This in mind, I have looked across the genre of indie music to find some inspiration. Below are a selection of album covers I have found interesting and appropriate for what I am looking to create.

 


As you can see in the album covers above, they pretty much all display some sort of message. Whether it is the omniscient cat or the sinking person in Ben Howard's album, there is a message to the audience. As a result, I will be be focusing on portraying a message to my target demographic.

Initial pitch ideas to A2 Media students

Here is a video of my group's initial pitch presentation to a group of A2 Media Studies students.



Learning comment: By completing this presentation, I feel that we have received some important feedback from the students. This is an extremely important part of planning because it shows that, no matter how much planning we do, there will always be room for improvement. Therefore, by doing this before the majority of our filming, we will be able to address issues raised in the class. For example, the point of filming in multiple locations may prove hard to integrate into one video could prove problematic. To address this, we will be carefully considering the lighting of each location and how they might correspond to each other when it comes to editing the final footage. In addition, it was made clear to us that we will need to carry on filming the way that we have been in the test footage. It will picked up several times by students that the use of non-static camera techniques was beneficial to the overall video. Consequently, it is something that we will be looking to carry on and improve with through our actual filming.

Location planning: Performance

Having filmed the majority of our narrative, we will now be shifting focus towards the performance element of the music video. Here, I will explain issues we are currently tackling with each element of our music video.

Learning comment: From completing this short PowerPoint, I believe that we have a better structured logic as a group as to what we want to use for our performance. The PowerPoint notes pros and cons of using different locations and we will, in due course, be deciding on the location we will be using.