Practice lip sync

Before we created our preliminary lip sync with editing, me and Madeline played a song and attempted to lip sync to it. From making the video we new two things for definite, we needed to make sure we new the words well enough to keep up with a rap and that we needed to create facial expressions when we sang. Obviously this is only a simple lip sync without editing and effects.
Moving on the beat is also a main factor of the music video which i tried to show through my amazing dance skills and movements.

'Your Song' - Ellie Goulding

Many conventions of the music video can be seen  in Ellie Goulding's version of "Your song" originally composed by Sir Elton John. The main artist is constantly in the narrative. At the beginning of the video their are close up shots of Gold leaves and boots. Straight away the audience interoperate this code for nature. The next shot is a close up of a ticket. The camera defocuses on the ticket but we can see that the words 'return' are printed on the front, telling the audience that are artist is returning home. Throughout the video a constant home recording feeling is strewn into it.  The constant jostling of the camera and its defocusing creates this. All of these images create an innocent and warm feeling to the video; the orange light that surrounds Goulding when she's singing into the camera re-occures throughout many music videos. In Rihanna and Eminems "love the way you lie " video, an orange glow is used behind eminem, creating a sense of freedom and space. In the "Your song" video, it creates the same feel.

The constant defocusing in the video makes the audience aware of what they are watching. Creating the idea that what the camera is focusing on is important. When Goulding is in the train, rocking back and forth     relays codes of youthfulness and excitement, and, remembering the train ticket, gives us the idea that shes going somewhere that she hasn't been for a long time or ever. Goulding is seen playing the piano, a convention that is commonly used in a music video in which the artist is playing an instrument to showcase their other talents. The cat is is code for warmth and homeliness, this is the same with the woolen jumpers and the hot drinks. Quick cuts throughout the music video is another common convention.

Album Covers

The reason why album are covers important:

• Represents the artist 
• tries to draw the audience in
• establishes album/artist and music genre
• Persuasive element in selling album 
• 'looks good'  originality - individuality 
• established the credibility 

Codes and conventions are used to communicate the audience

These are:

• Album title
• Artist names
• Picture of artists 
• Song list
• Copywrite

Album Cover Drafts

These are some album cover that I created for practice. The skills that I used to create these prototypes will help me when i create my final album cover.

As our artist sings music of the alternative/pop/indie genre i felt this image helped portray that. The indie population are now being seen as a creative and artistic group of people. In this image that i found from the social networking site 'tumblr' i feel that the photography has tried to emphasize love and secrecy.  She has hidden the facial expressions of the models by using backlighting, creating a silhouette of them both kissing. The girl on the left has vibrant hair (orange) which glows softly in conjunction with the light. The fact that they are obviously underwater in the dark could be a code for secrecy, as if they were hiding their feeling for each other. 

Conventions on the cover that are commonly seen on an album cover are the the title of the album 'Playing With Tides' and the artist name 'Canute'. I also included a plug at the bottom of the cover telling the audience that a curtain song is included in the album.

Album analysis

VV Brown - Travelling like the light 

Genre: Alternative/Indie

Codes

• Travelling like the Light' VV Brown seems to be immersed in a yellow light, creating a direct reference to the sun, light etc. 
• Retro Hair style
• Facial expressions - Moody, mysterious, sexual.
• Looking at the camera (Also a convention)
• Font of the writing - sixties retro, bold, looks as if its lighting up. 

Conventions

• Album name
• Artist name 
• Main image of the artist
• Artist looking into the camera

The overall album cover has no  Mise - en - scene. This in turns the audience focus mainly on the artist. A medium shot has been used to capture this image of VV Brown. You can also tell from the image that one light has been used, creating shadowing on her face. Defining her facial features making her seem mysterious. Her facial expressions are very sultry, drawing the audience in onto her face which is the focal of the cover, she does this with her eyes slightly shut making her look like she's looking intently at something. Also her lips are slightly apart which make her look inviting. The strap line containing the Artists name and the album names give the cover a classic look like an old movie cinema strip. This, along with her bouffant hair style make her seem like an artist that would sing like a pre 1950's singer. 

Mika's album is very psychedelic. The appeal of the album cover to a younger audience is inevitable, as it just screams "LOOK AT ME" when on the shelf in a store. It holds all of the Normal conventions you would find in a music video.

• Artist name
• Album name
• Image of the artist

The name 'MIKA' is thrown straight into the audiences face with its immersing 3D effect. The images that surround the artists name are very interesting as they represent many different things. The album cover itself resembles that of a cartoon dream, with clouds and drawing of cartoon people all around giving it a fun and childlike appearance, and with the disney style writing all related to the title of the album 'Life in cartoon Motion'. An image of the Artist is a common convention and this album does have this, however it is very small as if he does not want himself to be them focus of the album, however we learn some things about the artist from this art work. In the top left hand corner we can see a piano, an obvious interest that he must have, and surrounding this are other things like shoes, flowers, vinyl CD's, birds etc... all codes representing his interests. 

The ban beneath all of this sitting in the sofa, could be code for the music of the CD telling the audience that its easy listening, that the music within it is relaxing and fun. 

The cogs and gears within the album link to the album name especially the word 'motion'. The gears are code for life constantly on the move working towards something. It also looks as if the gears are working the image, as if, if the Album cover were to move, the cogs would be the ones working to move the image around.

Mika as an artist uses intertextuality between all of his album covers, bright colours and drawings etc...

The bright colours on the album make it veer appealing to women, but how can he broaden his audience? Mika released a separate album cover which replaced the pink with a dark green, obviously to make himself appeal to a Male audience as well as female. 

Definitely Maybe 

Typical conventions of an album cover:

• Lead singer looking into the camera
• Lead singer usually closest to the camera or biggest in the shot and always centre
• Album name
• Artist name 

The Cover:

• Portrays a down to earth feel
• Created the sense that they are a family unit
• makes the audience know that they work together
• Shows them watching TV (ordinary)

Codes (positioning):

• Centre, for ground is the lead singer, showing the audience that he is the most important member of the band.
• He is on the floor, relaying confidence, arrogance, individuality and that he is pensive.
• Second closest to the camera, lead guitarist.
• Holding a guitar telling the audience he is the musical talent in the band. 
• He may be the song writer, is simply jamming. 
• Confident
• May run the band behind the scenes
• The other two members of the band are there but furthest away and they are least important, however they are still part of the band. 

Mise - en - scene:

• Wooden floors, Sophisticated 
• Well off working class conditions 
• Wine glasses, creates a sense of sophistication 
• Benson and hedges cigarettes, still regular guys
• Globe hanging on the wall. Creates the idea that they will pen day own/ conquer the world
• Mirror with the reflection of the sky creates a sense of freedom and space whilst in the room
• Dusty, hazy image, more unique. 

Reuben Jay - Jack & Maddie

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Album fonts

There are several fonts that i could have chosen for, for my artist. HOwever i chose the last font of the above. (DESDEMONA)

I felt this this font is very individual. And I will be able to edit it easily with a variety of colours if I wish. Its clear and easey to read and has a sense of classiness to it that you don't usually see in fonts. I feel that the font will represent my artist well as a font can say a lot about about an ratios. I feel this font says to the audience, 'Take me seriously'. Its simple yet bold with bubbly type writing.

The XX

The XX are a band that were created in 2005 when signed to indipendent record label, 'Young turks'. They released their first album in 2009 and released various singles such as 'Crystalised' and 'Islands' to premote there album 'X'. The XX have used various methods to publisise their music, from tv sound tracks, radio air time all the way to premoting their music by creating various web pages for themselves.

Such as:

• Mypace - http://www.myspace.com/thexx
• Official website - www.thexx.info
• Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PElhV8z7I60
• Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-xx/10429446003
• Bebo - http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=10388608479 (fan made)
• Blogger 
• Amazon
• Rough Trade

and many more...

The XX are also available to download on websites such as Itunes and Spotify.

On the XX official website they give you the choice to do a verity of things. These range from the audience to buy XX merchandise,  watch their own videos, listen to their songs for free, link to their misact page and gives you information on how to contact various member of their PR team.

The xx myspace:

The website follows the same theme as the album cover (first image). The audience at first are  only being able to view the artists through a large 'X' (obviously their logo). Its extremely simply giving you the most obvious options that the audience are on the site for.  Through all of their websites there are opportunities for you to buy their music.