Question 4: How did you use your media technologies in the construction, research, planning, and evaluations stages?

Question 3: What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product with ancillary texts?

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Question 1: In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Final Edit of Music Video 'Stay Awake' by The House of the Old Boat

Final Draft of Album Advertisement

Final Draft of Digipak

Focus Group Amendments to Music Video

Once getting feedback from my focus group, I made few alterations suggested by my target audience but decided not to increase the amount of shots displaying the clock. I don’t want the symbolism of the clock to overshadow my representation of my actors and the relationship between the characters. The clock is a metaphor for their relationship however the depiction of the characters interacting with one another is crucial to the narrative and I feel as if balance between presenting the clock and the characters is evenly balanced. Therefore just adding some effects to the still shots of the clock I think gives more focus to the backwards narrative. With the comments of making some props more explanatory to the park scenes, I think it should be left up to the audience to decide. I want my audience to have a negotiated reading so that a wider interpretation can be made to what I have decided, therefore their reading of the scene may be them walking home from school or maybe just hanging out with one another. It is the focus on the character interaction when a third member disrupts the harmony between the couple that should be the main focus, not so much what they are specifically doing. I also adjusted the text at the end of the video, changing the font to the new handwritten appeared typography. By making minimal adjustments, I feel I have done enough to satisfy my target audience in the way they understand a an indie subculture understand the music video.

Focus Group Amendments to Ancillary Products

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Focus Group Feedback

To access flowchart of focus group feedback click link below

http://www.gliffy.com/go/publish/7531743

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Focus group feedback was a very useful step in understanding whether my new designed product targets my indie audience. Through looking at my products and listening to their discussions, it gave me an insight as to how they were interpreting it and relating to it to themselves.

During discussing improvements for my music video, one person commented on the lack of performance shots present in the video that would be expected in an indie music video. However when including them before they became a clear distraction from the complexed reversed narrative, choosing me to challenge conventions in this genre. Yet the fact that my music video mentioned this shows I was on the right track in targeting my audience correctly.

Overall my focus group has given me a good selection of areas to improve on that will assure my product is targeting the correct indie audience.

Questions to ask for Focus Group

Questions for Focus Group

Second Draft of Album Advert

Relating to the same design as my digipak, my new advert grasps the idea of promoting an indie band much better. The clear album name and band name is now much clearer as to which is which, with a larger type face that an audience can recognise to be the main focal points of my product. The circle around my clock gives a great anchor point in which I curved my text around to give a creative balanced design for my layout. The minimal handwritten font works well against my strong imagery, yet they harmoniously work together in terms of importance. By using the same design, font and imagery as my digipak cover, I have created a clear brand identity that work well in demonstrating the connection of products that together create a successful promotional package.

Second Draft of Digipak

 

 



This is the second draft of my digipak. With only key elements taken from my previous design, I think the new layout really conveys the indie audience my product is aimed at. The softer tonal range works better with my clock image compared to the harsh dark colours of my previous design. Also taking influence from existing indie album designs and including the geometric shapes not only orders the imagery but works with the representation of a circular narrative the same as my music video. The track list works well curving around the inner edge, its track numbers appearing to represent the time on a clock, carrying the clock theme throughout the product. Changing the inner panel to have a burnt circle rather than clean cut represents the deterioration of the relationship as you open the digipak, revealing another burnt circle in the disk space. Including an editorial within the inside panel and between the lyrics makes my product more conscious of the bigger fans and show the band appreciate them. I think my new layout specifically speaks to my target audience through its recognisable layout, fonts and overall design that works well with my other products as a promotional package.



Redesigning After Hot Desking

If page doesn't load click link: http://issuu.com/theresakuhn/docs/amendments_to_products_after_hot_de_941d67e9d70e0d

Extended Research into Existing Indie Albums

From the feedback I gained my main priorities were to change my design as much as possible so it was addressing the right target market, this intending to be indie. Therefore I researched back into existing indie albums to refresh my mind on designs, layouts, colour schemes and font that reflect this genre.
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