RB - Digipak so far...

I've pretty much finished the digipak, all that's left to do now is print and assemble it. I have used all my own images except from one, which is Jakes. The logo that says 'chew lips' was taken from the bands website however I have edited it on photoshop substantially, enough to make it look like a new image, so technically all I have really used is a font. Below is the digipak set out in its template, and the final poster that will accompany the digipak, plus screenshots from photoshop.

Something extra I thought of whilst creating the digipak was on the back of the digipak where you have the barcode, track names, websites, etc was to create a QR (quick response) code. This, when scanned by smartphones will link you to a website of our choice, in this case it will link to the blog. Evidence of this below:

JD - Rough Cut #2

I completed the second full length rough cut in the lesson yesterday. The studio shots of Tina really helped to bring the whole video together and gave more continuity to the whole video as it linked the shots of the instruments with the rest of the video.
We still have to film the flour shot for near the beginning of the video but are undecided whether or not to still do it. there are also still a couple of shots that aren't properly synced.
We were planning on getting some feedback yesterday, but uploading the video didn't go too well and are hoping to get this done today.

Feedback:

Did you enjoy the video and why?

Bright colours, use of pullback focus, fast cutting rate

Does it stand up to repeated viewings?

Yes, due to the fast cutting rate and interesting locations/colours

How is the genre of the track apparent through the video?

Colours, empty urban spaces, has an electro feel in a subtle way

How do you percieve the artist/band?

Edgy, alternative, British

Name one shot you liked and why.

Foot splashing, sky transition, red performance shots

Name one area that could be improved.

Less repeated shots, link girl and boy together, some syncing is out.

SA - Video Progress and Timeline

On Thursday the 25th I completed the vast majority of our music video. There is only about 20 seconds to finish off and sync, although there is footage in that time space. I should be able to finish the whole video by the end of the week, and then that allows us to get some more feedback from the class and then leaves us time to change bits and tweak certain areas in order to produce a final music video.

This is a our timeline which helped us to plan our editing, shooting and print work construction etc:

JD - Looking at a Music Video

We were advised to look back at music videos again so that we didn't get lost in the editing and footage of our own videos. Looking at other music videos from our genre would help us to see again what a music video from our genre should look like.

I chose this video as it really shows the grimey side to drum and bass and almost shows the roots of drum and bass as it was formed in a very 'underground' environment in terms of music. The use of the slow motion and flour in this video is something that we were actually planning on doing and shows how effective it would have been, but we ended up deciding to not do it as it would make too much of a mess in the locations we would do it.

RB - contribution so far...

-Digi-pack mock, including poster and booklet.
-Record smashing shoot.
-Helped edit the video after the first rough cut.
-Tested certain shots at home (speaker shots).
-Filmed the flour drop shot
-Filmed the flour on drum shot.
-Filmed the flame shot.
-Final Digi-pak prototype

JD - Completed Tasks

So far in the production I have done:

- 2 minute rough cut
- Hastings shoots
- Drama studio shoots:
+ Instruments
+ With Tina
- Speaker shots
- Other half page advert
- Took photographs for Digipak

RB - The record smashing shoot.

During a lesson last week we shot the record smashing sequences. we started off in the studio but the records wouldn't smash on the wooden floor, so we went outside to smash them on concrete :).  Trying to smash the records proved quite difficult as they were very plastic-y so trying to throw them hard enough and at the right angle accurately was quite hard, but we got it done. Here are some pictures from the shoot:

SA - Looking at a Music Video

At this point of production, we were advised to look back at a music video that appeals to us and just look at the bigger picture of what a music video should be and look like. When producing and editing our own video, it is easy to get lost in your own footage and lose what the overall picture of the video should conform to, or not if applicable.

• I looked around for a music video that broke with the normal conventions of a music video because our genre doesn't usually make music videos, although more are coming through nowadays.
• I found 'Power - Kanye West' and this is completely unconventional as a music video, it is a continuous slow pan outwards with extreme CGI and super slow-motion. It has Kanye west in the middle looking straight at the camera and there is rapping over the top but his mouth in the video never moves and neither does his body.
• The video is only 1:42 minutes long making it extremely short as a music video, also the super slow motion and high definition of the video makes it a really rich video to watch.
• Below is the video:

SA - My Completed Tasks in Production

So far in the production I have done:
- The Hastings Shoot
- The Drama Studio Shoots:
1. instruments
2. with Tina
- The Record Smash Shoot (at school)
- One of the half-page adverts for a magazine
- Co-edited with Jake

JD - Studio Shoot #2

Overall I feel that this shoot went very well.

- We used mainly red light to get the same feel as the shots with the intrumetns and it helped to link them together.

- We directed Tina, our singer, to show more emotion in her singing due to the feedback we got form our rough cut.

- When we first started shooting we were using only the red light at full power, but after a few shots we found that this created very stark shadows under the eyes, so we got Tina to move backwards so the light was more infront of her than above her. We also reduced the power of the red light and turned a white light on that was facing her to help eliminate the shadows.

- We could have tried to use different coloured lights rather than just red to give a variation through the video.