As seen earlier in our blog we had initial ideas of using a more perhaps abstract and more technical video as shown in our video choice of 'The Strokes - Hard to Explain', we included this video in an earlier post that we now feel, after studying 'Funnel' and their brand image, we decided that The Strokes video was not suitable to compare to the new ideas that we had in mind. After looking for a video that i feel would better compare to our's i found this video by Babyshambles, an indie-rock band from London and their video for the song 'You Talk', the video uses the same conventions as ours in the fact that there is a use of outdoor shots with a performance from the lead singer using some subtle editing techniques, the vidoe even starts with a walking shot, as does our's. There is also another sequence of shots from another location that are mixed within the main performance of the song. There are further similarities in the song such as the use of medium and close up shots for the majority of the video, there is also a hend-held feel to the cinematography.


Video to be uploaded...............................



Lewis Holgate

Ancillary Task - Album Covers/Magazine Advertisement Sketches

These sketches I created are ideas for our CD covers and Magazine advertisements, the top two sketches show the singer of the band with her hands in a kitchen sink and then the back cover is simply a shot of the kitchen from a different angle. The photographs (which are shown below on a previous Blog post) are of the whole band, and a few of Joe, the singer. We will be editing these photographs using Photoshop then be using them in Indesign to create our album front and back covers, inside covers and also the magazine advertisement. The bottom sketch is for the Magazine advertisement and shows the whole band in a living room with the singer closest to the camera.

We chose an old house for our location as it reflects the band's lyrics and their general theme, the singer's eccentric choice of clothing (as seen in the photographs) also relates to the attire she wears in the music video.

Here are some examples of handwritten calligraphy fonts that we could use for the album covers/magazine advertisements.

By Pete Field

Ancillary Task - Album Cover/Inside Covers/Magazine Advertisement photo options

Here are some of the photos that we took of the band 'Funnel' The Style of picture that we have chosen i feel suits the genre and the look that the band are aiming to acheive, we took the pictures in one of the band members great aunt's living room. her house was what i would describe as eccentric and matched the look and style of the frontwoman, Joe Hesketh. there is also a vintage feel to the pictures as the band are all wearing vintage and retro atire and in this location i feel they work well together. the pictures that i chose as the best ones are that i would picture on an indie album cover.


Lewis Holgate

Questionnaire Analysis

Here is a scanned in copy of our questionnaire that I created and distributed to people. I chose to include a variety of questions, some multiple choice and some where it leaves space for a written answer.

Some of the questions 

like: 

"Do you believe genre can be presented through a music video?" 

and

"Do you feel a music video is important in creating a brand image for a band/artist?"

were particularly useful questions as we intend on presenting the band's genre through the use of the music video and at the same time creating an image for the band and the

 singer, Joe, in the music video. 

 

And here is an example of a questionnaire that has been answered, in total we asked ten people to answer the questionnaires yet it was not neccessary to scan in all ten. 

I learned from these questionnaires that were given out that the majority of people agreed that genre can be presented clearly through a music video and that a music video is important in creating a brand image for a band/artist.

Pete Field

Ideas for Magazine cover Advertisemenmt

To create our magazine cover we will be using 'InDesign', a program that allows the user to import pictures and add text to the front cover to make a realistic layout that would be seen on music magazines such as - NME, Q, Kerrang and Mojo. Usually the picture of the band that will be found on the front cover of the mag would not totally show them within the image that the band is aiming to achieve. It is the Album or single cover where the band will use their personal image in order to sell their material, the magazine will only aim to have their name in a big font and usually a close-up of the band stood together. below are some examples to indicate the most common images of bands on the front of music based magazines.

As you can see there is a general consensus for magazine covers as said befroe there is no real band image used but just to rely on the name and the face of the 'front man'.

Inspirational CD Covers

For our second part of the coursework we were given two ancillary tasks which would go alongside our music video, using the required software packages we will be creating authentic products.


The brief given offered us various tasks to choose from we will be creating a brand which will support our music video which is our main product.

We chose to do:

A CD cover for
its release as part of a 'digipak' and a magazine advertisement for the 'digipak' (CD package)

We will be designing both of the above using Photoshop and Indesign, this will give the products an authentic look and allow us to create a distinct brand image for the music artist.


I will now analyse various CD covers which I feel are possibly inspirational and are well designed.


This is a typical phsycedelic record cover, by 'Jan & Lorraine' it is called 'Gypsy People' (1969). I like the colour scheme and the identical patterns which are mirrored on either side, the font used is relatively simple yet it appears to be stretched slightly which is very eye catching. It is an aesthetically pleasing album cover and was similiar to other covers that were around during this era.








Jimi Hendrix was known for his experimental styles of music and techniques used, this cover for 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience' reflects his psychedelic
style and I like how the designer of this cover has taken inspiration from Hindu gods, for example it appears as if he has multiple arms, yet the use of mirrors creates this illusion. I feel as if using the mirrored effect is a convention of this pyschedelic album art.




Below are some possible inspirational album covers that could be used, The Streets' 'A Grand Don't Come For Free' and Oasis' 'Definitely Maybe'
I like how both covers reflect real life things, like the band just relaxing in a living room and with The Streets' back cover it shows a list of their songs, which could possibly be a 'to-do' list or a shopping list.

Album Ideas

As we are also making the album cover/booklet for our artist 'Funnel' we have been looking at other albums from all genres of music. Looking specifically at similar artists/bands as Funnel with the same sort of quirky bohmeian image, again for example Florence and The Machine, Kate Bush, The Rolling Stones.


These album covers have a vintage, grainy look to them which i like and makes them stand out from mainstream artists. This sort of image is what we want for Funnel. Inside the covers instead of having the lyrics or letters or 'thank yous' etc we are going to go for having pictures of Joe as she is the voice and writer of all their songs. We want this to advertise to audiences what she is about etc

Jane Keegan