Inspiration For New Digipak

Evaluation Question 2

Evaluation Question 1

Evaluation Question 1

Digipak And Magazine Analyis x 3 // Nathan Beard

Digipak Ideas // Nathan Beard

I have gathered some digipak layouts that I feel would be good to use for my own. I think that I would like to use a digipak that has more than 4 panels, as I think that it adds to the experience

4 Panel Digipak

The 4 panel digipak is probably the most used and therefore may come across as a bit mainstream and dull, this is not the image I want form y digipak and therefore it rules out the 4 panel design slightly, however it is versatile and could be used in a different way to make it seem different.

6 Panel Digipak

This is a traditional 6 panel digipak and is a layout that I am considering using, because it gives more space for me to use to create an image for the band, it also gives space to put a booklet, however I personally don't think I will use one.

Digipak Ideas - Lead Singer Cover

After considering different ideas and taking inspiration from other album covers and looking through the book: 'Album' by Nick De Ville. At the moment I have chosen to just use the lead singer on my album cover. There are other famous examples of this being used...below are a selection:

Digipak moodboard

Mood Board

Digipak Style ideas

This first digipak design is a simple two-panel design. There is no insert but there are lyrics printed on an image in the inside cover. Although, what really drew me to this design is the cut out style on the CD holder. It's something different and adds good effect to the design.

This six-panel design show consistency by keeping the same colour pattern and design across all six panels. This consistency makes the cover look professional and finished to a good standard. The disk also features a design relating the artist/album cover and adds an extra effect to the digipak. the printed lyrics on one panel and some notes from the band's lead singer on another give an added bonus to the album. It may also entice fans to buy it because they are interested to read what they have to say about the album.

The piano image consistent across all 3 panels provide a good effect to this digipak. What also appeals tome is the sleeve insert on the first panel. This provides the opportunity to add something extra to the album, maybe a poster or some notes from the band themselves. 

Music Video Analysis - Shake It Off

Artist: Taylor Swift
Song name: Shake it off


Genre Characteristics: As this is a pop song the audience automatically expect to see things they associate with pop songs. E.g. Bright colors, fast tempo video. The video features various dance routines for different genres of dance. In each routine we see the dancers wearing the appropriate costume for each genre. For example, 'Snapback' hats and gold chains in the hip-hop element.

Relationship Between Lyrics and Visuals: All the dancers start dancing and 'shaking' to match the lyrics in the chorus 'shake shake shake'.

Relationship Between Music and Visuals: The upbeat nature we expect to see in a pop video is matched with the dancers moving in time with the beat and helps to amplify the fast nature of the video.

Demands of the Record label: The frequent close-up shots we see of Taylor Swift are needed to present her as the main star of the video. Her image as one of the biggest music stars in the world has to be reinforced in her music and is done so by using the camera shots to show her off.

Frequent Reference to Notion of Looking: Due to the audience of this music video it isn't sexualised very much, yet we still see examples of the 'male gaze' for example when the dancers are twerking. Taylor also makes direct eye contact with the camera and also to the other dancers. This gives the impression that she is addressing the viewer directly with the video and lyrics.

Artist Developing Motifs: This pop style is not Taylor Swifts usual style of music as she first burst onto the scene as a country music singer.

Intertextual References: The main reference that I noticed was that of 'High school music'. This is seen when they all jump into the air in unison whilst dressed as cheerleaders. The varous dances routines can also be seen to make reference to the dance films 'Step-Up'.

Music Video Analysis - Blank Space

Song Name: Blank Space

Artist: Taylor Swift 

Genre Characteristics: At the beginning the audience are shown and establishing shot of a luxury mansion with an expensive sports car outside, this sets the tone of the video.

Relationship Between Lyrics And Visuals: As the lyrics "incredible things" are heard, the viewer is shown a ridiculous room full of expensive things with two horses. It shows the outrageous wealth the character possesses and also links in to the lyric "take this too far" because the viewer is shocked by what they're seeing.

Relationship Between Music And Visuals: The viewer is shown a close up of a handsome man as the lyric "look at that face" is sung. This ties in with the story of the video and is the girl trying to justify to the audience why she fell for him.

Are There Any Close-ups Of The Artist: As Taylor Swift is the main character in the video it creates a star image motif. Numerous close ups are shown of both characters to the viewer throughout the video. This could be done to create intimacy between audience and character or to emphasise meaning into the characters actions and/or words.

Is There Reference To The Notion Of Looking: At one point if the video, Taylor is stood at the top of a staircase looking out towards the audience. The audience are in the same level as Taylor and so suffers she is trying to pursuades them to believe her and not him.

Are There Any Intertextual References: The two horses at the beginning of the video could be making reference to the death of Emily Davison, the suffragette trampled to death by the Kings horse at the 1913 Derby. A week earlier before releasing the video Taylor had withdrew from Spotify, arguing that major corporations are taking advantage of artists and that Artists feel powerless over what happens to their music. Throughout the video the man is constantly on his phone. He does it while having a picnic with Taylor, he dies it whilst in the garden with her and she is clearly unhappy about it. This is clearly a message to Spotify that streaming is killing Songwriters' careers and she wants no part of it. Taylor then later drops the phone into water. This symbolises her cutting all ties with Spotify and her clear statement that she will not be exploited like other artists.  

Music video analysis - Mountain at my Gates

Name of Track: Mountain At My Gates

Artist: Foals 

Genre Characteristics: Grey, Dark, gloomy, Mountainous town.

Relationship between lyrics and visuals: When the lead singer says "I see a mountain at my gates" the band appear in front of a mountain range. 

Relationship between music and visuals: When the song 'kicks in' a cluster of birds appear to come out from the mountain, just as the song becomes more upbeat the mountain appears to show life from it. 

Are there any close-ups of the artist and star image motifs: As the video is shot using a go pro and the visuals are in 360 degrees, there are a number of close ups of the band and lead singer as he walks around the periferal of the viewer. 

Is there reference to the notion of 'looking'? There aren't any obvious signs of anyone looking in the video. The band are just performing the sing although you could suggest that the video is centred around 'looking' as the 360 degree visuals allow the viewer to see everything in the video. 

Are there any intertextual references: Mountains are often used as a metaphor for extremely difficult situations that seem impossible to overcome. In this case, the mountain is forming at the gates signifying that the issues are stopping him from even starting his journey.

Evaluation of Class Feedback

Target Market Research - Fashion

Our target market group, indie scenesters  wear modern and simple clothing, like plain colored such as black skinny jeans and simple t-shirts. There are various different shops that sell clothes similar to these and our target market usually shops at at least one if not all of these shops.
For this reason we will be dressing our band members in the sort of clothes that appeal to the target audience as it will make the band feel more relatable.

Past Student Video Analysis - 3

This video is very different from all of the other past student videos, it deviates from traditional style of music videos quite a lot in that it doesn't feature (aside form the person the video quickly flashes to) feature a main 'character' as such. However, I like the style of the video and feel that the style used fit the song extremely well. The other aspect of the video that I like is the effects that have been added with the edit, these are different and are highly creative, and again match well with the song used.

Overall I feel as though this style of video is highly sensitive to the song it accompanies and if the two don't fit it wouldn't work at all.  

Past Student Video Analysis - 2

The aspect of this video that I find the most interesting is the use of the VHS footage, I think that it gives the video an individualistic feel and matches the alternative genre influences in the video. I also like the fact that it flicks between the band in the studio and the same people walking around in a park, this adds a more interesting side to the video as its not the same location all the time.

I wouldn't choose the VHS video effect to use in our video as it is likely to cause large issues at the time of editing and exporting the final edit of the video.

Past Student Video Analysis - 1

This video draws the viewers attention well by being plain, there is nothing in the background, it is black and white and all of the actors/singers show no emotion. This is an interesting effect as lets the music come through more and doesn't distract the viewer with stand out visual effects.

This is an effect that we would be looking to use in our music video.