Assessment: Identity for your artist

Discuss how you constructed an identity for your artist. Consider issues around gender and youth and discuss how you have challenged or subvert dominant ideology. This should be a dicussion of all aspects of mise en scene?

Through out the research process as individuals we had to research 6 CD covers and 6 print adverts. R&B CD covers and adverts always consisted of the artist/band being in the central of the frame and having a simple background it draws audiences attention to the artist. So we decided to conform to this convention, so when advertising these print products audiences will be able to relate and establish the artists my group has created to conform to the genre R&B genre.

For the print products we decided to use our group as the artists and when taking the photoshoot we used provocative and seductive. Having facial expressions can tell alot about the artists and also give an indication of what the album is about. On our print adverts we portrayed dominant powerful facial expressions this challenges female stereotypes as being weak and dependent on men. However having our artists in seductive positions reinforces female stereotypes as in the majority of the print products we analysed the females were dressed in sexual revealing clothing. For example low cut dresses this conforms to the idea of women being iconic sex objects. Having this convention on the print products will draw attention to our target audience as young females will be able to relate to the artist as many young women know today are familiar with dressing to impress. Because of the costume this possibly draw another audience into to buying the album, and that audience could be males, as males could be persuaded into buying the album just for the sake of the attractive cover.

This could raise issues that as this relates to females being objectified and referred to sex objects and not appreciated for their work and being dominant women.

We use medium close ups and close ups to connote female independence and power but get across the message of what the album is abou, this is portrayed through facial expressions, this is a common code and convention of R&B CD covers and adverts.

Teachers comments

Explanation

(4) Some understanding of the question but you must link it back to the question to provide relevance. This lacks detail.

Analysis

(5) Some examples offered but more detail needed

Argument

(2) Some terms used but it needs to be used accuratley

11/25

Assessment of deconstructing aritfacts

Look closely at your products, video and print artifacts, deconstruct them utilising theoretical concepts..

• You should consider: Narrative, representation, audience. post modernity

For our music video we will include a linear narrative structure as when analysing R&B music videos they conformed to this convention of having a clear beginning, middle and end. So as a group we decided to conform to this convention. To construct a linear narrative within our music video each member of the band will be characterised showing that each of them is in a bad relationship and by the end of the video it will be a case of realisation and them overcoming this bad experience by the women slamming the door on the boyfriends face. A clear indication that the song has ended.

Within the narrative we can apply Todorovs narrative theory as this was also another common code and convention within R&B music videos. This will apply to our music video as at the beginning the state of equilibrium will be when each individual band member is on their own thinking to themselves, the disruption of the equilibrium is when each band member has flash backs portraying their bad relationships which results into the realisation. The realisation will be the artists realising they can no longer stay in a poor relationship, which finishes with the new equilibrium of them ending their relationship this will be represented by having a shot of a door being slammed on the boys face, symbolising the end of an era.

The main story lines which are included through out R&B music videos are things such as cheating and relationship problems therefore the main sub genre of R&B is love. Because of this it is a clear that the Hypodermic Needle Model is used through out many R&B videos resulting into this theory being included within our music video as the Hypodermic Needle Model suggests that an opinion of an individual is not relevant to the reception of a media text, in this case reception of music videos. With this music video we will be giving our target audience what they want, as all of the codes and conventions we are using are present in the majority of all R&B music videos.

In our music video we have represented our artists as being beautiful, strong and independent women. This is portrayed through costume. The costumes that will be used through out our music video are clothes such as revealing modern and casual clothing for example dresses, long tops, skirts and heels. By including this we are following our audience to relate to the band as they will be familiar with what they are wearing. The costume also challenges female stereotypes of the houswife image. We are also challenging stereotypes of women being dependent on men and challenging the idea that women are hopless without men, this will be portrayed through the break up at the endand also shown when the band members unite in the chorus indicating that they are united which reinforces the idea of girl power and also that women are just as capable as men by being able to cope on their own.

These representations are also included in our print products as in our print adverts we include the band members in the foreground standing next to one another in dresses and heels with bold font and confident facial and body expressions, connoting power and independence and again reinforcing the idea of girl power. They are positioned with their legs apart using a high angle shot. By positioning them this way and using this camera shot all attention is on them. In the adverts we analysed it shown that all the R&B female artists are dressed sexy with confident facial and body expressions.

With the album covers we followed the same codes and conventions of the R&B covers we analysed by having the artists dressed in revealing clothing, portraying confident facial expressions and having them stand in a united front. The camera shots we used for the album were medium close ups, this allows the band members to get more personal giving our target audience an indication of what the album is about and indicating what the artists personality are like.

Again by conforming to this convention we are using the Hypodermic Needle Theory.

Teachers comments

Analysis

(6) Some attempt made to apply theoretical concepts accuratley, with good application of narrative theory. Be careful your application of audience theory needs focus and needs to be accurate-good applicated feminist ideas.

Explanation

(6) You provide solid examples to highlight points and you deconstruct the text well. Make sure you discuss all artifacts in detail.

Argument

(3) Some good use of terminology nut try to use all terms accuratley.

15/25 C

Assessment: Our group ideas

How far do your group ideas for the music video conform to convention? You should include a discussion of the following codes and conventions :-

• Setting
• Characters
• Narrative structure
• Mis en scene
• Iconography

As a group we decided to base our music video on the genre of R&B song. Our group watched several music videos and we decided to conform to most of the conventions that we found.

When looking at the setting we found that most of the videos we watched and appear to be set in everyday settings for example in a video i analysed Chris Browns 'With You' he is walking in a public on the streets and then he gets on a bus which we all know a bus is a public transport this will able our target audience relate to the artist and be familiarised with the settings. Due to most R&B videos the settings are everyday and simple settings we have decided to conform to this convention because it will be easy to find familiar settings.

Characters in the music video tends to follow Propp's characters theory. There are eight characters that show up in any media and those characters are as follows...

• The hero
• The princess
• The helper
• The villain
• The donor
• The false hero
• The dispatcher
• The father

Propps character theory is represented in Rihannas 'Unfaithful' video. As it is shown in the video Rihanna is cheating with a man, so the man in which she is cheating on her boyfriend with is the villain. She is a princess as she needs help and rescue in making a decision on which man to be with. Her actual boyfriend is the hero. We will follow this convention depending on what song choice we pick and if that song is suitable to create propps characters theory.

Todorovs narrative theory can be applied through out the majority of the music videos that we have watched. There are five stages to a narrative. A state of equilibrium, a disruption, a realisation of the disruption, an attempt to repair the damage and the last stage the new equilibrium. Our group established that this is represented in Ne-Yo's music video 'Mad'. The equilibrium appears to be when the couple are arguing because it is normal for them two to argue, the disruption is when he gets run over and dies, the realisation of the disruption is the funeral when the woman is crying and grieving. The attempt to repair it is her grieving while the ghost of the male protagonist is watching her and the new equilibrium is when she walks away a symbol that she has let go and moved on which has enabled him to move on, this is presented when he disappears. We have agreed to use Todorovs narrative theory in order for it to appeal to our target audience as effectively as we can.

Female artists in R&B music videos always appear to be wearing modern clothing but at the same time revealing, this is symbolic as in R&B videos women always appear to be dressed seductive, this represents women as being sex symbols. If we use a female artist we will conform to this convention but we could face set backs as it will be difficult to find some one who will be willing to wear revealing clothes. However it differs from female to male as the males in music videos seem to be dressed in casual, street clothing for example Chris Browns video 'With You' he wears sneakers, T-shirt and a hoody, wearing the hood up reinforces stereotypes as young males wearing these types of clothing. My group has decided to find a male willing to wear similar costume as it will be similar to what they wear themselves.

High key lighting is used in all of the music videos that our group have watched, we believe this is used to create verisimilatude. We would like to conform to this convention but it may be difficult because we won't have the equipment to create high key lighting, so we will try our best but just use the best lighting we can create. The props that are used in the videos are everyday props such as public transport, cars and mobile phones. Mobile phones will be easy to gain access to as most of us will have them and also using mobile phones will relate to our target audience as they will familiarise with them.

Teachers comments

Explanation

(7) A solid response, showing good understanding of the task and you link ideas well to your creative ideas. Make sure you go into more detail. Good use of theory.

Analysis

(7) Good use of examples showing a really good understanding of the assessment objective providing evidence of good understanding.

Argument

(4) Excellent use of terms

18/25 B-

Final Adjustments

Audience feedback of music video and print products

On Monday 23rd November we showed our final music video and print products to the class, they all gave us positive feedback. Our teacher told us that she thought the opening was very conventional, we had a very good selection of costume and we had linked the narrative well. The class gave us similar feedback with a lot of people saying that they particularly liked the second chorus filmed in the road. The only thing that people said could be improved was the lighting in verse 3.

Everybody really liked the CD covers saying we used really strong images, had a good colour scheme and that the costumes were conventional of R'n'B. The only thing that people were unsure of was the name of the album and suggested that we put one onto the album.

Again everybody really liked our print advert. They really liked how we used the same costume and font as it made a connection and people especially like how we included the album cover and an iTunes logo in our advert. They gave us nothing they thought we could improve.

From this feedback we need to look at the lighting in verse 3 to make it look more consistent throughout the verse and name our album. We want to relate the album name to the band and are thinking of naming it 'Heartbeat', after a song on the album.

Final print advert

We decided to use this image because we realised from people's opinions they favoured this shot the best. We took several pictures in the school photography room against a black background to make it simplistic but effective. However to get this shot did involve taking several pictures because it was found a bit tricky to get the band to stand equally close to each other. In the end we had to edit Chelsea closer as she appeared to be further away from the other two. The picture of the album in the corner will allow our target audience relate to the band. The red font contrasts really well with the background giving an image of the band and their songs to be full of energy and life! Again the final print advert proved to be liked resulting it into a success!

CD cover front and back

After we gained feedback from our print mock ups we decided as a group the best formal decision to make was to have the image as a whole body shot of the band so audience can picture them whole as a united front and people can see what they are wearing. The font was difficult to find because we had to get a font that made it look pulsey and lively relating to the band name and album name itself.

On the front cover we had the artists face the front and on the back have them facing backwards.

We had a black background which overall i think worked really well as the black background and black dresses make the band stand out really well.

To make them look professional we included a barcode,record label and information about producers etc. The final outcome was successful :)!