Final Products

Video:










Poster:

 

 

 

Website 

 

Music Video

Here is the finished music video from our band Fall Line:

Band Poster

Band Website Live

For our Group Work we have created a website for the band which is now live. Click the link below to check it out.
Fall Line

Overall Reflections

Due to the fact that we were working in a group I feel that this lightened the workload and stress on each of us. As we could split the workload we weren't as weighed down. This then gave us the ability to take our time and come up with creative ideas. Using inspiration from each other we could make the product better and better, whereas working individually, I would have had to do everything myself and wouldn't have had any other input. One aspect that particularly was helped by working in a group was the planning stage. We created in depth shot lists and storyboards which helped the process immensely.

In the group it was my role to take a big part in planning the filming and then to be on film to star in the video. I also took care of the editing process. During the filming process I suggested shots to the cameraman that I wanted which helped me in the editing process. I believe I played my role very well. I used the Sony Vegas software for the editing as I was already familiar with this from work at GCSE and personal use. I believe I edited the video very well and achieved the correct themes for the video and the fast paced nature of the genre as well.

Working in a group was the best thing for me as I could then film a video to the genre I enjoyed. As an individual I would have had to probably do something indie or something by a solo artist to make it easier. I wouldn't have been as enthusiastic about that which would have shown through my work. Working in a group meant we could combine resources and get it done well. In a group we could combine ideas and creativity. As a group we were able to tackle more difficult tasks, together. I am glad we worked in a group which helped us both get what we wanted. In some ways if I had been working as an individual it may have been beneficial. I would have been able to perhaps delve into a genre I wasn't familiar with and therefore learn more on the journey but overall I am happy with my choice.

However due to splitting the work the were some technologies I missed out on. These included photoshop and the website creator WIX. These tasks were left with Ste. I am very happy with what he created with these however. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to get more familiar with these but overall I am happy with my choice to be the editor which I really enjoyed.

I am very proud with the work me and Ste have produced. I have greatly valued his input, hard work and ideas and believe we have made a great video. I am very happy we took on the project and didn't let it weigh us down. I hope others enjoy the video as much as we did making it.

Filming and Editing Inspirations

We put up a post on the group blog about bands that inspired some of our filming and editing styles. These bands were Disturbed and Avenged Sevenfold.
Inspirations

Photo Inspirations

On the group blog we put up some pictures from various shoots and then talked about the inspirations of them. Please check them out here, thanks:

Photos

Group Reflection

My group work is making great progress. We are almost done with the filming process. We have all of the narrative filmed, so now all that is left is the performance section. This should be getting filmed on March 1st. After that we will have to edit it and make additions to perfect the final product. For the narrative we stuck to the storyboard we had used to plan quite well with a bit of room for improvisation.

We took inspiration from bands such as Avenged Sevenfold and Linkin Park for the rock fashion. I believe we did this well. For the performance the protagonist will wear an Avenged Sevenfold t-shirt as a sign of respect, just as they do by wearing Metallica t-shirts and such. After getting the performance filmed and the little bits left from the narrative we will then have to edit the video in which we will use sony vegas. The overall experience has been fun and I can't wait to see our finished product and what we have accomplished.

The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work

This song by The Verve can be interpreted in different ways using audience theory. People could take the lyrics to this song in different ways. The main example is 'the drugs don't work, they just make you worse' These lyrics could be taken as an attempt to discourage the use of drugs as they'll nake things worse. However Rchard Ashcroft the writer said the lyrics were about his father who was being treated for cancer but the drugs wouldn't work and he wasn't getting better. Applying the reception theory or the hypodermic needle to this song, the message of the text is completely misinterpreted quite easily without knowing the context.

Blumler and Katz (Uses and Gratifications)

Blumler and Katz is about how the audience uses media rather than what the media does to the audience. Katz proposed we ask 'what people dow with media' rather than 'what media does to people'

This theory recognises that the audience is not passive but actively chooses how to approach media. They decide what shows they are going to keep up with or if they are going to watch a certain type of media or not.

The theory suggests 4 different needs:

Surveillance - This is based on awareness. We want to know what's going on in the world around us and this makes us feel better.

Personal Identity - We use the media to shape our identities. Celebrities become role models. As a result of this when a celebrity misbehaves there is outrage due to the effect the celebrity has on children.

Personal Relationships - We form relationships with the subjects of the media. We watch numerous productions of theirs to feel closer to them. We build relationships and feel as if we know them even if we don't. Reality TV is a big example of this as it is more intimate.

Diversion - We use the media as an escapism or form of entertainment. We engage ourselves in our favourite soaps or TV shows.




This is Big Pimpin' by JAY Z. Blumler and Katz would suggest as an audience we watch videos for our own purposes. Mainly this is entertainment. As an audience we would see this video as a portrayal of what we would maybe want our own life to be. We see the video and just enjoy it. For this particular video the male gaze theory can be used due to the provocative women used in the video. This is for the male audience to just gaze at the screen out of entertainment. We get what we want out of a video.

Merchandise

We thought that like other bands it would be suitable for us to have our own line of merchandise so click here to check it out.

Reception Theory

Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model is used for the reception theory. It is based on the relationship between the audience and the text. The audience may interpret something from the text when the creator meant sonmething completely different.

Encoding - media creates messages

Decoding - audience decodes the message

3 types of decoding:
Dominated - Audience reads and accepts message the way the creator intended.

Negotiated - Audience will except, reject or adapt message in accordance with previous held views.
They me neither agree or disagree with the text or not care.

Oppositional - Audience rejects message for cultural reasons and actively opposes text.

Other theories would suggest we are a passive audience however this one contrasts with those views. This theory focuses on the relationship between the text and the audience. How we view or respond to a text will not only be based on the text itself but our culture and background of previous experiences. These experiences will dictate if we respond negatively positively or neither.

The Oasis song Cigarettes and Alcohol depending on your experiences may leave you wanting to smoke or drink to seem 'cool.' On the other hand our previous experiences may have taught us smoking is bad and we shouldn't do it and that we shouldn't drink too much either. The lyrics talk about cocaine. The audience may see this as a sign to use cocaine as their favourite musicians do or previous experience and education of drugs may tell them not to.

Effects Debate

The effects debate is about what effect a media text will have on its audience, be it a positive or a negative effect. People who argue over these effects are usually concerned with the violence in modern media and it's influence on people.

There is regulation within media to 'protect' those who might be effected. These are usually children and teenagers. There are three categories for this debate.

• Those who have researched and collected evidence on the effects.
• Those who voice their opinion without evidence
• Those who are subject to the debate(teens and children).

This debate is why there are age ratings on films and other restrictions to protect those subject to the debate.

Many would suggest that a lot of violent crime is a result of violent video games. Although video games may have some effect violence has been around far before violent games so people would suggest video games are used as a scapegoat to hide the underlying issue.



M.I.A, Born Free

This video is about collecting all gingers and executing them. If as an audience we are passive and see this as okay to do then we would all be killing gingers which clearly doesn't happen. This would suggest we are not passive and watch videos with common sense. Obviously genocide is not okay. This video is clearly for entertainment purposes.

Hypodermic Needle

The hypodermic needle is the theory that the media acts as a needle and injects us with content. We receive this passively. This can have big effects on people, usually negative. As the content is 'injected' into us we see it as a positive thing. For instance in this Madonna video she is being a 'bad girl.' We see her using a tazer on people to steal money from their ATM. She also runs people over in her car. As a passive audience we could see this as a positive thing and then try to emulate her actions.

An instance of this in the media was of the movie 'Childs Play.' Two children saw this movie and then reenacted certain scenes on another child, killing him.

There was also a radio broadcast of War of the Worlds. People in the past had trusted the radio and thought that the 'Alien invasion' was real. This created mass hysteria and widespread panic.

We see content and have no choice in how we interpret it, the media is always correct. In the video Madonna is a criminal. As a passive audience we don't see the negatives of these actions.

Risk Assessment

Over the course of the project we took some safety precautions. On our group blog we put up a risk assessment. Please take a look:
Risks

1st Shoot Reflection

Over last weekend we got our first bit of filming done. This was predominantly done in the chinatown area of Liverpool. This was filled with small side streets and was rundown which was perfect for the theme of our video.

We got a lot of footage done which was really fun to do. This area is also very quiet so people weren't getting in the way of filming.

However when we filmed there was heavy rain so we couldn't have the camera the way we wanted at times. The rain was also a positive as it fits in with the gloom of the theme of our video. Overall I look forward to getting more filmed and am enjoying the process very much.