Shooting weekend 1

This session was really good.

• much better direction on shoot
• the lighting may need to be improved
• the team were fast
• the acting was really good
• most of the footage could be used
• i still think there could be some different shots
• we should start earlier next week to ensure we get all the footage needed.

MySpace Analysis: Bloc Party

I chose to look at this band as they remind me of the artist that we could create. They compose music of a similar genre. To Continue...

http://www.myspace.com/blocparty
-simple black background which maintains the focus on the content itself and is clean and a generic colour for indie/rock.

-the layout is clean, non-linear and simple to navigate around with only a scroll up and down option. All audience age groups can use this page.


At the top of the myspace page is an advertisement, 'bloc party.//intimacy- the new album'. This is a bold staement across the top of the page acting like a banner to promote their new album and the band as a whole to all browsing audiences.

Underneath this in order:

• a music preview function: this plays their most recent single automatically when the page is opened, 'signs'. There is also the option to listen to 3 of the bands other songs such as 'mercury' 'trojan horse' 'one month off''.


• on the left there is a bloc party profile picture of the band with links to more exclusive pictures and videos of the band and their lifestyle and personality.


• there is a contacting section, where members of myspace can add the band as a friend, send them a messsage, rank them, add them to a group, etc. This is an exmple of band and consumer interaction.


• a general info. function. this gives details such as ...
  -band website: blocparty.com
  -band members
  -record label: wichita/atlantic recordings
  -influences: 'Pinkerton' by Weezer. New Order. Dungen. Prince. Sebadoh ('Bakesale' not 'Bubble and Scrape'). Broken Social Scene. Warp Records. Shanks And Bigfoot. Yukio Mishima. Husker Du. Stanley Kubrick.'

-This 'influence' info. is of particular interest as this shows who the band my have learnt their craft from and who they have aspired to be from an early age. We as consumers get a greater idea of how our icons have developed over time.

• upcoming shows feature: over 15 Bloc party gigs which are coming up including time, location and date. This is instant for the more loyal fanbase to obtain vital information in terms of keeping up to datee with the band shows and live tours.


• latest blog entry section: e.g. 'Bloc party webchat tomorrow'. This section is not as interactive as Razorlight's blog entry as there is no direct address from the band members to the audience. In this case it is purely for information to be advertised to the audience and exclusive events to be revealled in which audiences are able to participate in. It seems all geared towards commenting and responses almost creating an online community who share the taste in music-specifically this band.


• about Bloc Party feature:

Target Audience:'I kissed a boy'

The main target audience:

• Our main target audience would be both genders between the ages of 15-25years as this reach would understand the depth and complexity of the music video and artist.


• specific fans of the musical genre , alternative/punk rock.


• the artist is attractive stylish and iconic and provides an image which young girls would adore and due to the nature of the song, homosexual males.

also...

• The SHOCK VALUE and the fact the song is CATCHY and recognisable means that it would be constantly sung (the hook lyrics 'i kissed a boy..' ) by a wide spectrum of ages.


• issues and action codes in the music video gives light to many interpretations and so many people will have an opiniion about it.

Therefore audience is very large due to high public interest in song!!!!!

Consumption profile:

• likely to consume similar generic artists:
  Fallout boy, Good charlotte, blink 182, elliot minor, razorlight, linken park, franz ferdinand, etc.

- i think it is important to realise that the artist is not actually homosexual and so to appeal more directly to this core audience the branding of this artist would really need to be appealing to females (i.e. he is masculinised)

In terms of males, i think this debut song would generate a secondary audience of homosexual males. This is clearly due to the nature/themes of the song especially the hook lyrics.

Uses and gratifications:

The audience would use our song to reflect more on issues in their lives. Due to the past tense lyrics, direct adress and other Brechtian techniques used in our Music Video this allows the audience to almost get an insight into the life of the performer. Therefore not only do they get to look at issues which affect others' lives but they are encouraged to actively look into the issues within their own lives.

Fans:

I think fans of the artist would see his costume, tattooes, and accessories and from this generate a similar identity from this. For example fans may get fake/real tatooes or use eyeliner or start to wear wrist accessories. ALso fans would possibly get teh same hair cut and have similar styles of clothing, paticularly the younger ages in the 15-25main target audience who may idolise the artist.

Music Consumption:

this song may be consumed with a groups of friends due to the lyrics and a light hearted outlook on the words. However it may be consumed on a more perosnal level where the audience is invited to reflect on other peoples lives and their own situation. public and personal consmption

Artist Image and marketing inspirations: Linkin Park

Here is more the identity i think the lyrics and song and artist should reflect. I think looking at how they have adapted their image and branding over the years will help us to promote a really current and original artist.

Identity:

• Genre(s): Combination of 'alternative rock', 'nu metal', ' rap rock' and 'alternative metal', with influences of 'electronica' and 'hip-hop', utilising programming and synthesizers.
• Album 'Minutes to Midnight' the band experimented with their established sound and they drawing influences from a varied range of genres and styles.
• They are compared to "U2's" work.
• Linkin Park's use of two separate vocalists has become a large part of their music.
• Known for using growling and screaming vocals common in various forms of metal, while also using more melodic singing.
• The band got their name from California's Lincoln Park named after president Lincoln.
• The band started off with the name Xero, then Hybrid Theory, and finally Linkin Park.
• Linkin Park's influences include 'Nine Inch Nails', 'Deftones', 'The Roots' and 'Aphex Twin'.

note: We share more similarities in terms of themes and generic inspirations/backgrounding. Also we use similar instruments and our music is open to interpretation due to its multi layering. -i.e singing, growling, screaming, etc. which are seen in our debut single.

Marketing:

• Their very first show was at L.A.'s famed rock showcase spot, 'The Whisky'.
• Linkin Park's first headlining tour was called Projekt Revolution.
• Won "Favorite Artist - Alternative Music" at the 31st Annual American Music Awards. Chester and Phoenix also introduced Metallica's performance.
• Best friends with the Backstreet Boys and even did a song with them called 'Points of Authority'.
• Linkin Park collaborated with Jay-Z because they were requested to do so by MTV.
• Donated $100,000 to the Tsunami Trust Fund.
• Established Music for Relief. It's an organization that helped people affected by the Indian Ocean earthquake on Boxing Day (December 26th).
• Played a Live 8 concert.
• Linkin Park Underground is a fan club for Linkin Park.
  

Band Image:

This is very much the image i think we should create for our artist. As it links with the conventional look of the genre, as well as reflecting the personality of the artist. i.e. his rebelliousness, abstract views, unique style and behaviour which maybe questioned by members of society, etc.

Wikipedia

iamfan.com/~linkin_park/

'Bertolt Brecht'

One of my/the ideas of leaving the studio lighting in the background whilst the performance continued, gives connotations that the performance is not reality itself. Instead it is almost an insight into the artists mind and more like a visual representation of reality. Also this is helped by the constant performance to the audience in the performance shots.

• After looking at some of these shots, it arose that infact such performance shots are an example of BERTOLT BRECHT's 'Verfremdungseffekt' theory. -(translated as distancing effect, estrangement effect, or alienation effect).

'Brecht thought the audience required an emotional distance to reflect on what is being presented in critical and objective ways, rather than being taken out of themselves as conventional entertainment attempts to do'.

A summary of this theory:

• a play (mv in our case) should not cause the spectator to emotionally identify with the action before him or her, but should instead provoke rational self-reflection and a critical view of the actions on the stage. - i.e. in our MV we are trying to make the audience look at the issue which arises from the lyrics not just have an emotional attachment to the artist. to clarify we do not want to the audience to think the artist is homosexual or has kissed a boy literally, instead they should be listening to the lyrics and the issue within the song. -JUST AS KATY PERRY'S version does not imply that she is homosexual or has kissed a girl in real life.


• Brecht employed the use of techniques that remind the audience that the play is a representation of reality and not reality itself and hence provides a distance between the artist and the audience, including: the direct address by actors to the audience, transposition of text to third person or past tense, speaking the stage direction out loud, exaggerated, unnatural stage lighting, the use of song, and explanatory placards.
  

-in our MV we are using purposeful unnatural lighting and the fact the audience can see some of the lighting creates the impression that this is not narrative performance (i.e. not part of the narrative/'storyline'). Instead this intentionally draws the audience to become more active viewers and think of the process and issues more critically.
-past tense lyrics (execpt for initial lyrics) which are also like stage direction in the sense he is stating 'he kissed a boy'
-exaggerated action/ gesture codes - which adds to the artists personailty
-direct address

Bertolt Brecht:

Born: 10 February 1898(1898-02-10)Augsburg, Germany
Died: 14 August 1956 (aged 58) East Berlin, Germany

occupation: poet, playwright and theatre director

Notable theatre work: Life of Galileo, Mother Courage and Her Children, Caucasian Chalk Circle

key to my Music Video: The Verfremdungseffekt theory

developed ideas/initial shot list

since getting a great idea for our performance shots, i have now developed these ideas for the more abstract cutaway shots throughout:

1. close- closer- closerer shots of the actor/artist or an object of significance
2. XCU of hand gripping a bat
3. xcu of smashing a glass against the wall
4. xcu of smashing a car window with a bat- 2shots- 1 big close up outside against the window pane, 1 close up from inside the car at a low angle of the window smashing
5. xcu of a hand feeling the side of a males cheek
6. in the dark (poss a club atmosphere) - close low level handheld track through lots of people/males. -camera winds through people.
7. then close high level track HANDHELD through lots of males.- panning side to side (poss fades) of men all staring at the camera.
8. XXcu of male body climbing out of pool. low angle- cant really make out who it is
9. XCU of touching bare body or gripping arm
10. close ups of tattoos- strobing through shots in black and white
11. close up track up tattooed arm ?
12. the first few performance shots in night vision
13. studio lights in performance background turn on with the beat one at a time ( 2 different shots) as they come on the night vision changes. - similar affect on the audience to that given in Justin Timberlake's 'my love' whereby black and white colour contrasts alternate via lighting and costume.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeNzKWDZtfs
14. once the studio lighting illuminates the wall the artist walks back and shot changes to close up against the wall (side on) as he begins to spray paint
15. slow-mo: shots of artist not singing but brands his image. e.g. shots sitting on floor with arms in legs staring at camera, or offscreen. -basically POSING LIKE A MODEL
16. slow-mo side on: XCU of 'dusty' punch bag and as it is hit the dust (powder) surrounds the glove.
17. instead of water coming out of mouth ( as this looked quite poor on camera during the test shoot 13/9/08) i thought CU of the shower head turning on would have the same phallic connotations.
18. CU of gold chain dropping from a males neck- connotations of emasculating the males.
19. MCU of two men arguing facing each other and one grab the other by the scuff of the neck
20. then XCU of the scruff of the neck as this suggests a sexualised gesture code. - a shot with multiple interpretations
21. handprints on a steamy window/ shower screen.
22. close up of liam taking a male's belt off
23. MCU-CU of liam grabbing male pushing him against wall, with facial contact (KISS NOT NEEDED!)
24. possibly shots of male or liam's are being forced/pinned to the wall.

BLK feedback

love all the graffiti ideas and the words on the screen - i think that would be wicked
great blogging matt