Filming session 2

Today I have filmed the next verse and chrous of my song. I am still basing this section in the fields and countryside surrounding my house as I want to carry the theme of isolation and vulnerability throughout the song. I have also attempted to try and use new and different shots from my last time of filming because I felt that some of the shots that I took were too boring and regular

14/11/11

What I have been working on is the initial shots of my music video. As I have decided to use the extended version of my song with the piano introduction then I envisaged having a wide variety of shots constantly fading in and out to represent the delicate nature of the song. I have been experimenting with many different video effects to try and enhance the beauty and femininity of the music - for example by altering the colour of the shot to a faint pink

8/11/2011

What I have been doing today is simply working on the design of my digipak as I am now starting to collect images and photographs which I will incorporate into the design. At the moment my digipak is already beginning to deviate and change from my initial concept as I feel that the colour scheme that I have chosen is a bit too harsh and vivid for the delicate and soft nature of the song. I have decided to stick with the black and white theme but simply eliminate the bright tones of purple as I feel that they will overpower my photographs which I attempted to capture the gentle/solemn appeal of the song and also artist. I have also slightly altered the layout of the images on my digipak (I have changed the size and also placement of the pictures in the middle spread of my booklet). I did this because I felt that with all pictures that I had incorporated it looked too busy and therefore ruined the visual impact which I was trying to create for the viewer.

Filming - session 1

Today I began filming for my music video. To help ease my friend into the filming process, all we filmed today was the basic layout for my video - this was simply filming her in different locations in different outfits with her miming the song. For the first fay of filming I found this very beneficial and helpful as it allowed me to create the template for what my music video was going to look like. At the moment the only slight issue that I am having is the lighting - as I am mainly filming my video outside the light intensity changes all the time due to cloud cover so therefore it meant that sometimes I would have to re-film specific sections of footage once the bright light had gone. I also managed to take a few photographs which I am going to incorporate into my digipak and advert design. I have attempted to make the photos exude the youthful and exuberant appeal of the song by taking them at different angles, in different light intensities and also in different camera mode settings.

My storyboard

I have produced a simple storyboard which has helped create a basic template for what my music video is going to look like, however I am obviously going to incorporate a lot more 'embellishing' shots to reflect the femininity and delicate nature of the song. There was some variance within the shots that i have allocated as some were too boring or to difficult to make - such as the underground shots as officers would not allow me to film, but I feel that I was able to get around these issues and overall stick the general plan that i had set out at the beginning.

Research into target audience

Instead of simply handing out a questionnaire to my fellow classmates, I decided to post my questions on Facebook and ask all of my facebook friends various questions which would help me fcous more upon my target audience which is young teengaers to young adults. All I had to do was post the questions onto my wall and wait for people to reply. This I found very easy to do as it provided little hassle for me and also it was easy for my friends as they didn't even have to hand back annoying bits of paper. I also liked doing my audience research this way as it was using many forms of media that is predominant in modern society - such as the internet and social networking. 

The other method of research that I did was simply handing out a questionnaire to my family, neighbours, friends and also some school staff. It consisted of the exact same questions as did my facebook poll but I did it to simply increase the amount of feedback, allowing me to gain a better understanding of what my target audience specifically wants out of a music video. The results showed from both research areas that people were much more interested in seeing the artist than having a video with a predominant storyline, they would much prefer to see the video shot in London than in a different town location, they would prefer not to see a lot of dancing, they would rather watch a more exuberant and energetic video than a more emotional and meaningful video and many other factors.

My Questionnaire:

1. What do you expect more of in a modern day music video?

The Artist                                A storyline

2. What do you think is the best location for my video?

A quiet suburban area        A park       London     In town (e.g. Radlett)

3. Do you prefer to see dancing in a music video?

Yes                  No

4. What type of music video do you prefer?

Fast tempo/energetic               Solemn/gentle             other

5. Do you prefer colour videos or black and white videos?

Yes                  No

6. Which out of these female artists is your favourite?

Beyonce     Christina Aguilera     Adele     Katy Perry     Pixie Lott

7. Why is this?

8. How do you usually interact with music?

Television                    Internet                       Radio

9. What has been you favourite music video of all time and why?

Concept Change

For the past week I have been going around London and trying to find certain locations that I can film my music video at. The main issue that I have been having with filming it in London is the fact that firstly it is quite busy and of course if I was filming in broad public then people might stare at the person in my video so therefore I think it will massively reduce the realism of my video. Secondly is that filming areas of London and incorporating those shots into my video might confuse the audience as they don't seem to have a link with the artist or the song - from doing this it has made me realise that I simply want to focus upon the artist and showcase her by using a wide variety of shots that are constantly changing. However, I have decided to keep the urban and youthful theme for the video but instead of trying to create that through the environment and backgrounds, I thought it would be clever to create it through the technical aspects of the video - such as loads of cutting, photoshop editing and the composition/layout of the footage.

My Album Advert (Prototype)

For my prototype advert I have attempted to recreate the same design that I will use for my actual advert. The grey colour theme I have carried on from my digipak as it helps create continuity between the two but also makes the advert more easily identifiable. 

Digipak - initial stages

What I have done is created the general layout of my digipak however I have not taken my photographs yet that will feature in it's design so I have used pre existing images that have been used for modern CD booklets. At the moment I really like the design of my digipak as it incorporates the rough, urban appeal that I wanted to re-create (with the brick wall image that has been used as the background for two pages). The colour scheme is in keeping with the youthful and energetic nature of the song with the contrast between dark black and grey tones against vivid hints of purple. Photoshop has had a huge impact upon the design as nearly every image that I have used has had an effect put on it. The most common effect I used was called 'Neon Glow' which allowed me to apply the purple colour to some of my landscape and profile images. The only aspect of its design that I don't quite like yet is the first double spread which contains only photographs, the layout of these I feel looks too boring and rigid so therefore this is going to be the focus of my next design stage.

Photoshop Experimentation - part 2

I have now begun to apply various effects to certain album covers of recent releases and have carried on experimenting with them.

For this image what I have done is used two effects. Firstly I changed the colour saturation and balance of the image to emphasise the white tones of her face but also to make the black shadowing around her facial features stand out more however I feel that it is slightly over empowering and I feel that it does ruin the image as it is quite a peaceful and beautiful image. What I like about this effect is that it draws all focus onto the artist with the vivid black outline that has been created.

This is my favourite effect as it has produced an image that I want exactly the same for my album cover. I love the displacement of the photograph as it gives the image a much more youthful and urban appeal but also makes the photgraph creatively more interesting as it draws the viewers attention. Another effect that i used was yet again 'Neon Glow' which added a purple tint to the image, this emphasises the femininity of the photograph but also the album. The blurring of the image is occassionally annoying as it sometimes if I look at it too long makes me feel sick.

 

This effect is called 'Exposure' and it simply allows you to create a certain 

Photoshop Experimentation - part 1

I have begun experimenting with the various effects on the software programme Photoshop. I simply adore this programme as it has allowed me to alter my quite dull and boring photographs and give them a much more contemporary and urban appeal, what I am aiming to create for my entire album. What I have done is taken some photographs of areas in London and have added certain effects to them to see which ones porudce the best result.

This is a photograph of the iconic London landmark, St. Pauls Cathedral and the effect that I have used is called Neon Glow. This is probably my favourite effect as it completely changes the colour scheme of the image, enhancing the object itslef by introducing vivid backlighting in a specific colour. I love this image as the effect has given it a much more aged and withered look which links in well with my urban theme. The yellow tint emphasises the impressive structure of the building and also the vivid contrast between the light and shadow areas of the photograph.

This effect is called 'cut out' and what it has done is given the image a graffiti like style with the segmentation of different tones of colour. What I like about this effect is that it removes the detail of the image but still leaves the general outline (which I feel makes it look like a stencil).This effect I think I shall use in the actual design of my digipak because it exudes a rough, urban appeal that I am aiming to acheive however the only issue with it is that when I was experimenting with it sometimes the images would come out too basic as I had taken away too many layers.

This effect seems to have enhanced the black tones of the image to make them more predominant within the image's composition. I love this effect as well as the others because it yet again gives the image an industrial feeling with the rough surface that has been added to the image's design. The black intensity has made the image seem much more dark and less visually attractive however for what I want to do this is exactly what I want to re-create.

My Initial Digipak Design

For the rough outline of what my Digipak is going to look like, I have included six pages with most of them incorporating unusual and intricate photographs of the female artist. I have decided that I want as little text as possible because through my research into Digipaks I have seen a general trend within more modern albums - showcasing the artist with a variety of a photographs. 

Digipak Research - part 12

Michael Buble - Crazy Love:
Yet again this advert is closely linked to the album itself by incorporating the cover into the design of the advert. The font 'out now' is bold and central within the poster so therefore your eye is iimedaitely drawn towards it. As I mentioned before when I was looking at this albums digipak, I really like the two vivid yellow banners at the top and bottom of the advert as they easily display the artist by framing his photograph but they also instantly tell the viewer who the artist is and what the album is called(with emphasis upon 'crazy love' as it is in black). The unusual photograph draws the viewer in and enhances the visual appeal of the advert as the image is original and exiciting - however this is good because it represents what the artist is like, fun, exciting and exuberant.

Digipak Research - part 11

Jessie J - Who you are:

What strikes me about this advert is  the urban and youthful appeal that is created due to the graphically designed title. The gold effect that has been added to the title and also the over exaggerated font style provides many connotations of modern day youth with all of their 'bling'. The gradual fading of the gold colour grabs the audiences attention and funnels it into the centre of the advert where the album cover is placed. I love the basic font that has been used for the text 'OUT MONDAY' as it reinforces the urban theme with its graffiti style and the black provides a strong link back to the artist. The artists appearance has a vivid appeal towards the youthful generation with her gothic styling (black nails and lips) and the close up photograph simply showcases the artist.

Digipak Research - part 10

Beyonce '4' album:

This is the advert which accompanies Beyonce's most recent album '4'. For me this is a very striking poster as it is simple yet very powerful with the prominent image that is central to the layout. The overlay of the image on top of the artist's name gives the advert much more of a contemporary and professional appearance. The pose that the female artist is in is very high fashion and exudes femininity which is strongly linked with her unique outfit. The best aspect I find of this advert is its simplistic design - it isn't over crowded and this therefore enhances the visual impact upon the viewer. The 'out now' text stands is the first thing that hits you as it is in a vivid white colour which contrasts with the rich, black tone of her outfit. I also like the text used as it seems quite formal and yet provides a great contrast with the rest of the advert - the formal and controlled nature clashes with the ferocity and uncontrollable appearance of the female artist.

Digipak Research - part 9

Who The Hell Are You - Madison Avenue:

What I love about this booklet is the storytelling nature that it portrays through its high amount of photograhs that have been incorporated into its design. The front cover now emphasises the male DJ of the band as he is the most predominant aspect of the front cover photograph, the fact that he is looking directly at the viewer therefore draws you in and immediately captures your attention. The setting of the photograph (in a back of a car) provides us with connotations of the city - urban, industrial, modern and this setting I feel represents the bands unique style of music. The heavy use of the colour blue throughout the digipak enforces the more masculine nature of this CD, whereas with their first single the design of the booklet was more feminine with the pink and purple shades. The title of the song and band's name is much more noticeable in this particular design with the basic font style but in a crisp, white which contrasts well with the dark blue background. For the rest of the digipak we see a wide variety of photographs showcasing the band in a more slightly sexual manner and the cold blue and black theme is occassionally incorporated into the photo itself.

Digipak Research - part 8

Everything You Need - Madison Avenue:
What Not To Do

I don't really like this digipak simply because it looks rather cheap and slightly bizarre. What immediately sttikes me about it is the weird and in my opinion slightly disgusting pciture which has been used as the front cover. The female singer is in a tight, sequin outfit whereas the main in the background is standing there in a a plain blakc outfit. From this the two individuals do not look like a band at all, this I feel is also reinforced by the fact that there is more predominant lighting upon the female than there is the male - and this was the one major confusion with the band was that everyone thought that Cheyne Coates was a solo artist with a back up musician. The pose that she is in also makes her seem quite futile and may be considered as sexest as she is portrayed lower than he is - whereas in there first song 'Don't Call Me Baby' they are sitting side by side. The background of the photograph I think looks very cheap and 'tacky' as it doesn't suit the band's style and it just mkaes the quality of the cover look pretty bad. The one positive point which I have to say about this digipak is the font which is used throughout the enitre booklet - it follows the same concept as before, simple yet effective and especially as it is in this gold colour which makes contrast well with the white background.

Digipak Research - part 7

Don't Call Me Baby - Madison Avenue:

This is the album cover to the song that I am going to use for my music video. When I initially saw it I thought that it was a bit too plain and boring however as I look at it more I start to think that it maybe boring but it is also effective and is direct towards the viewer. In the centre of the cover we see the two band members in quite a normal looking photograph, allowing us to see what they look like. Then the rest of the cover is yet again simple - the text and font style resembles the normal 'Arial' or 'Candara' font on a word document but the dark colours used help make the wording stand out more for the viewer. The dusky pink colour used as a border for the photograph provides strong links with the female singer as she is wearing clothing in the shame shades of colour - connotation of femininity. For the rest of the digipak this colour theme is carried on with the pink and purple tones being used for the lyrics  however on the very last page there features a striking photograph of the lead female singer in a skin tight costume which reinforces the contemporary nature of the band but also emphasises her importance within the band as she seems to be the more predominant character. What I love about this digipak is its simple yet practical design - it may not be as creatively inspiring as more modern CD booklets however it does 'get the job done'.  

Digipak Research part 6

Madison Avenue - The Polyester Embassy:

The first thing that strikes me about this album cover is the unusual and heavily masculine background for the front cover image. The heavy use of metal for this image provides many urban and industrial connotations which contrast well with the high amount of femininity which is being exuded from the lead female singer. The simple, black costumes allow the band to be easily identifiable but it also unifies both of the characters representing them as one group. I love the font style used for the front cover as it reflects the urban theme of the background - the bands name at the top is bold with it being in the black banner and simple with the straight forward font style whereas the title of the album has a much bigger visual impact upon the viewer because of its placement, its size and its more contemporary font. The colour theme of black and beige are carried on throughout the entire booklet and this allows the pages to merge well together. The rest of the booklet is used mainly for the lyrics to their songs, therefore showing us that it is more practical than visual - this allows me to see the progression from earlier to later digipaks as now, in modern society, they are used more for promotion of the artist with the inclusion of many photographs of that band/artist. Overall I think this is a very good digipak, especially for this particular band as it strongly reflects them and what their music is about - the unusual and 'funky' design relate to the band's up tempo, hip hop and urban style of music.

Digipak Research part 5

Crazy Love - Michael Buble:

The first thing that strikes me about this album cover is the artists vivid glare directly at you. This immediately draws you in and captures our attention with the bright highlighting of specific areas of his face. The two yellow bars at the edge of the album help frame the central image and also funnel your attention into the centre of the page (which is the artist). The incorporation of his hands into the front image adds an element of surprise and yet again funnels our attention to the artist. Throughout the rest of the booklet we see a wide variety of photographs showcasing the artist but also showing off his unique and humourous personality. The font style also reflects the artist with it being contemporary but also quite 'relaxed' in appearance as it looks slightly like handwriting therefore reinforcing the simple nature of the design. The grey background keeps everything simple and yet clean, crisp and professional whilst also creating more focus for the text and photographs. In my opinion this is one of my favourite digipaks simply because it doesnt just show pictures of the artist, but it attempts to show the artist normally - without having to do extravagent photographs or include eccentric colours and fonts. As the artist is so 'down to earth' then this is what I feel they are tring to portray with this CD booklet.

Digipak Research part 4

Celebration - Madonna:

This is probably one of my favourite digipaks simply because of its punchy and vivid impact that it has upon the viewer. The incorporation of bright colours into the photograph of the female singer gives the image a much more contemporary and urban feeling which reflects the theme of the album as it consists of all her greatest hits. The vivid yellow, blue and red help unify the booklet as these colours are carried on throughout the rest of the pages. The stamp effect which has been used for the title and also part of the front cover image help enforce this urban/industrial theme which is predominant in the booklet's design. I love the vintage effect what has been used for the background throughout the digipak as it refers to the purpose of the album - bringing back old, classic songs done by the female artist but this effect also gives the visual design of the booklet a retro feeling. The print image of her in the centre of the booklet showcases the artist and also ties in with the print design of the front cover. I love the fact that it is placed over some of the wording as it is enforcing the predominance of the artist.

Digipak Research part 3

'21' album - Adele:

What I like about this digipak is the simplicity of its design. The front image of the female singer exudes strong connotations of femininity with her soft facial expression, her natural hair and the little use of make up which shows her natural beauty. The black and grey colour palette adds a sense of elegance and quality to the booklet (therefore reinforcing the feminine theme) but it also introduces the viewer to the album itself - its appearance isn't overly dramatic so therefore this suggests that the album is going to be relaxed, sophisticated but above all, focusing on the singing aspect of the album. I quite like the use of capital lettering for the title as it allows the viewer's eye to be immediately drawn to the title but also the soft edges of the text resemble the delicate nature of the album itself. The colour scheme is carried on throughout the booklet with faint grey colours used for the fonts and background which compliment the neutral photogrpahs of the female singer. I love the photographs used in the booklet as they all exude femininity but what is interesting is that they seem to expose her natural beauty, therefore showing her in a positive light for females around the world.

Digipak Research part 2

Beyonce '4' Album booklet:

What initially drew me to look at this specific digipak was the vivid impact created through the dominating picture of the female singer. The simplicity of the design helps emphasise this image and it is a very empowering symbol for women - it strongly reminds me of the statue of liberty. I love the contrast between the masculinity of the ripped, fur jacket against the femininity of her visual appearance. The soft neutral tone of the background compliments the intensity of the black fur throw across her figure but what it also does is suggest the theme of the album which is simplicity, to therefore create a vivid statement for the album itself. Throughout her booklet there are various photographs of the female singer in unique and individual costuming - what this does is visually attract the reader as the booklet is showcasing the artist in a number of alluring photographic images. What I really like about this digipak is the little text which is used as it therefore focusses more upon the creative, visual aspects of its design - the layout, the images, the font style. Its purpose is more like providing the audience with an in depth experience of the artists rather than simply showing the words to the song.

Digipak Research part 1

A Digipak is a little booklet which usually accompanies any CD, DVD or BD and it is a patented design of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company. The design of a typical digipak evolved from old fashioned vinyl record cases and so therefore the digipak resembles a book-like structure consisting of a paperboard or outer binding which holds the entire booklet together and it encases the CD therefore protecting it from damage. Digipaks were originally used as a cheap alternative to the usual plastic (jewel) case that we are used to today however one major issue with these digipaks was that they were easily vulnerable to abrasion and damage therefore ruining the visual appearance. Licensed digipak manufacturers such as domestic U.S. printer and disc replicator Oasis Disc Manufacturing recommended to other companies that they should apply a coating to the 'raw' paper with a protective UV coating, thus ensuring longer survival against damage.  Major manufacturing companies have sought to reduce their environmental impact and improve functionality of the jewel case by introducing recycled components into its trays, such as recycled bottles. Many printers use recycled or sustainable material for the board stock as well.

Music in the 90's

Hip Hop:
This genre of music came around in roughly 1992, this is when Dr. Dre's album 'The Chronic' which provided a template for modern ganster rap which soon evolved into hip hop. By the mid 1990's hip hop had overtaken other forms of music with its huge commerical sales and advertising, and this was aided by some popular artists such as Fugees and 2Pac. The most signficant point in history for this genre of music was in 1998 when Lauryn Hill released her big debut album called 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'. The album won five Grammy awards and due to this huge success it went on to selling over 19 million copies worldwide. Lauryn Hill was used as the main promotion point for the hip hop genre and helped define what this music is - rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted to musical accompaniment.

Britpop:

Countering this movement of hip hop and rock, Britpop soon emerged from british culture which attempted to reject the themes of youth and freedom that came from popular American music. This genre of british music was heavily influenced by the 60's and 70's disco/hippy culture within the capital due to their relaxed and individual artists and also their unique material. Oasis was the most iconic and popular band within this new form of music as they regularly topped the single and album charts but were the only Britpop band to be able to tap into the American market. Towards the end of the 90's Britpop began struggling to compete with major artists so therefore this marked the gradual decline in this genre to the inevitable break up of groups such as Blur, Suede and Pulp.

Music in the 90's

Pop:

As the same time as pop punk, pop began to emerge in the early 90's. towards the end of the 1990's American teen pop singers and bands started to become very popular within the younger generation such as The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Jenifer Lopez and Destiny's Child. This was the first time in music where artists attempted to target a younger audience (teenagers) and towards the end of the 90's this was replaced by more dance pop music. Due to the huge success of this genre, there was an increase in young, female pop acts which was mainly caused because of the massive impact the British pop girl act 'Spice Girls' had upon the world. 


R&B:

R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk. The music usually incorporates  a polished record production style, drum machine-backing rhythms and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement.This music genre orginated from the arrival of strong vocal, female artists such as Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. What was new and interesting about these artists was that their music focused much more emphasis on melisma which therefore became a trademark of this genre. Janet Jackson's fifth album 'Janet' was the first major breakthrough for this genre as it sold over ten million copies worldwide therefore resulting in global advertising for this type of music. 

Music in the 90's

Towards the beginning of the 1990's music started to become hugely diverse with many different trends emerging, such as alternative rock, grunge music and the growth of hip hop and teen pop which started in around the 80's.

Alternative Rock:

This form of music came about due to the continual success and popularity of grunge and brit-pop. It emerged into mainstream music roughly in the first few years of the 1990's and because of the massive public interest in this genre of music, the music industry soon became very enticed by alternative rock's commercial possibilities so therefore major labels were soon competing to acquire certain bands including Jane's Addiction, Dinosaur Jr, and Nirvana. The most commonly asscociated band with alternative rock is The Red Hot Chilli Peppers who became very important in the rise of this music genre due to the release of their album 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' which brought worldwide attention to them but also the musical genre. Alternative rock consists of various subgenres that have emerged from independent music, such as grunge, Britpop, indie pop, and indie rock. The common theme throughout all these bands is the ethos of punk rock. 

Pop Punk:

The pop punk genre of music emerged into mainstream in the mid 90's however it struggled to become emergent before this because the genre was not commercially viable for labels to take it on. The major breakthrough for this genre was in 1997 when the pop punk band 'Blink 182's' was signed by a record label to therefore promote them into the mainstream. both of these factors therefore influenced the arrival of some independent music labels such as Lookout! Records and Fat Wreck Chords. The band which made pop punk popular amongst mainstream music was the Californian band 'Green Day' who released an album called 'Dookie' in 1994, which sold 10 million copies in the United States and 20 million copies worldwide. Another band called Offspring soon after that released an album called 'Smash' which sold just as well as 'Dookie' and because of the success of these two albums, major labels soon became very interested in this new music genre. 

 

Letter Of Permission

20th September 2011

Jamie T - CEO

Dear__Pacemaker Recordings___,

My name is ___Luke Moss___ and I am currently studying A-Level Media Studies at Aldenham School. 

As part of my coursework this year, I am creating and producing a music video to a song of my choice.  I have chosen  ____Hometown Glory____   by  __Adele__  as the song I would like to create a music video for, and I am writing this letter to seek your permission to do so.

Please note, this video will be used only for my coursework and will not be distributed or marketed in any form.  I would greatly appreciate your permission to use this song.

Many Thanks,

Luke Moss

Adele - 'Make You Feel My Love'

This is my favourite song done by this artist as it immediately attracts the viewers attention from the very beginning. The setting of this video is based around an exiciting, urban environment which provides a dramatic contrast to the femininity of the lead female singer.The wide array of different shots constantly keeps the viewers attention and the heavy use of close up shots upon the singer's face creates a sense of intimacy for the viewer - drawing them into the action. The long shots help enhance the realism of the video by showing off the surroundings and props. The lighting is immediately striking and vivid as it reinforces the gloomy and sombre atmoshpere - what this does is unifies the entire video by emphasising the theme throughout. Together both the lighting and shot types frame the female artist and also emphasise half of the commodity that is up for sale - the artist and the voice. Finally, the costuming throughout the video resembles negative emotion surrounding the situation of the song - so her clothing is quite dull and unflattering to represent her sadness. The atmosphere of the song is also represented through the use of quite dark tones of grey and black - symbolising the negativity that the female artist is trying to portray.

Adele - 'Rolling in the Deep'

The first immediate aspect of this video that draws me in is the sudden build up of orchestral string instruments which instantly create excitement and tension for the entrance of the song. The various backgrounds involved in the video create a modernistic and contemporary atmosphere with the unusual architectural features and unique set design (such as the floor full of drinking glasses) but they also help emphasise the female singer's unique costuming - the elegant yet sophisticated clothing reinforces the youthful and feminine nature of the music video. What I love about this video is the wide variety of shots used - the jump cutting and the constant change in shots keeps the excitement level high and maintains the energy throughout the footage, the close up shots draw the audience right into the centre of the action whilst the long shots showcase the lead singer and display her natural beauty and femininity.

Adele 'Hometown Glory' (My Song Choice)

"Hometown Glory" was the first single from Adele's debut album 19, in which it was released on 22 October 2007 in the United Kingdom. In 2008, the song was re-released as her fourth single attempting to increase the sells and promotion of her album. The song became globally popular with it being within the top 20 on the British UK charts.

What I love about this video is the delicacy and soft nature that is created through the low lighting and the simple set design. The unique composition of the video (the artist in the centre with the posters behind her) draws our attention straight onto the artist and maintains it with constantly changing shots that showcase the different backgrounds which move past her throughout the song. The shots which focus upon the artist seem to portray her in a delicate and gentle manner which represents her character.

Adele '19' - Hometown Glory lyrics

"Hometown Glory"

I've been walking in the same way as I did
Missing out the cracks in the pavement
And tutting my heel and strutting my feet
"Is there anything I can do for you dear? Is there anyone I could call?"
"No and thank you, please Madam. I ain't lost, just wandering"

Round my hometown
Memories are fresh
Round my hometown
Ooh the people I've met
Are the wonders of my world
Are the wonders of my world
Are the wonders of this world
Are the wonders of my world

I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque
I love to see everybody in short skirts, shorts and shades
I like it in the city when two worlds collide
You get the people and the government
Everybody taking different sides

Shows that we ain't gonna stand shit
Shows that we are united
Shows that we ain't gonna take it
Shows that we ain't gonna stand shit
Shows that we are united

Round my hometown
Memories are fresh
Round my hometown
Ooh the people I've met

Are the wonders of my world
Are the wonders of my world
Are the wonders of this world
Are the wonders of my world

Artist Research - Adele

Adele is an English singer and songwriter who became globally famous for the release of her debut album '19' which was released in 2008. At a young age Adele went to 'The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology' which gace her the ambition to become a performer. She produced a small collection of songs which were posted on Myspace which therefore led to her being discovered by a music label called 'XL Recordings'. From this moment she was becoming more involved in the music industry with her providing back vocals to many albums and songs such as Jack Periate's song 'My Yvonne' to performing at charitable concerts which invovled some top rated singers such as Will Young. As a result of this, she became the first recipient of the BRIT Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008. Adele's genre of music is considered as soul/jazz which is combined with modernistic pop traits - critics have stated that 'her vocals were more developed and intriguing than her songwriting'.

Influential Material part 6

Marks and Spencer Advert:
This advert showcases femininity off to its best potential. Firstly the women used in the footage are all iconic models so therefore they immediately portray the female gender in a positive light. Their costuming throughout the clip is constantly changing and helps emphasise the women's figures but also the clothes themselves provide connotations of femininity with their soft, tonal colours, pretty embellishments and vivid patterns. The different sets used throughout the footage all reinforce the feminine nature of the advert and sometimes provide a masculine contrast - such as the plane runway and the royal guards sequence with Lisa Snowdon. The best aspect of this video I feel is the music - Cheryl Lynn 'Got To Be Real' it simply exudes femininity and provides a good tempo for the advert to work to. The strong female voice helps enforce the stereotypes of the women in the advert but also to draw the audience in to the clip. The reason why I am using this as inspiration is because of the high amount of feminine connotations used throughout the clip - the costuming, the music, the characters, the set design and the props.

Influential Material part 5

The Devil Wears Prada:

This film is an excellent example of showing the stereotype of the youthful, fashion conscious women. I am looking at this film simply because of the costuming which yet again exudes high amounts of femininity and this is what I want to try and recreate in my video as it will provide a good contrast with the industrial background which I plan to use (London). The vibrant colours emphasise the youth of the characters and help keep the viewers interest, especially as the film is based around a fashion magazine. The costuming I believe is the best aspect of this film as it helps emphasise the femininity of all the female characters and yet it does this in an understated way.

Influential Material part 4

Beyonce:

Beyonce is a world renowned superstar who shows the world just how strong and independent women can be. The reason why I am drawing upon her as inspiration is because she throughout all her videos provides the partygirl stereotype which I am trying to achieve. The costuming within her videos is a major aspect of her stereotype as they help enhance her natural beauty but also create a vivid and individual character for her videos - such as Single Ladies, Deja Vu and 1+1. Beyonce constantly exudes femininity whether it be in her costuming or her intricate dance routines however it is the way that her music videos portray this which intrguies me. For example in Single Ladies it is the costuming and her highly skilled dance routine which attract the audience and showcase her as an artist, in the song Irreplaceable it is the make up and soft textured clothing which put emphasis upon her feminine nature. What I want to take away from this is the charisma which Beyonce as a performer constantly exudes and portrays to her audience.