Print Productions

1. Question 1 – In what ways does your
media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of
real media products? (Print
Productions)
By Connor Southwell

2. Introduction
• Before planning the production of album covers and magazine adverts relevant to my artist and band, I decided it was
imperative to study and research the conventions of the indie rock in order to decide whether to comply or subvert to the
conventions of the genre. As my genre was indie rock, I have studied album covers such as The Killers and Florence and the
Machine in order to capture a sense and feel for these conventions and make a creative decision based on the research I
compiled. With indie, symbolism is used a lot alongside naturalistic settings which I challenge within my print productions
because I have opted to stray away for traditional usage of natural locations like forests, the beach. One reason for this is
due to the conventional music video I’ve produced and this opportunity presented a different approach to manner of which
I could experiment more. In regards to conventions of albums covers, I decided to comply with the four panels conventional
seen in the majority of album covers as I felt the technicalities of changing this could hinder the design elements which I
wanted to be cohesive throughout. I decide to conform with ensuring the dimensions of the typeface for the artist name
and the album name was equal. By doing this, I think it helps my visual elements stand out and communicate more so with
my audience. As my cover contains a picture of my artist, brand identity was already covered and thus I elected this could
be sacrificed in order for a conventional size of album name and cover. Furthermore, on the front cover of an album is
usually a picture of the artist (see examples), and in order to increase the brand identity and distinguish my artist amongst
the indie community, I feel it is pivotal that I conform to this convention. That said however, my design elements make this
interpretation unique in the sense that my artist has been incorporated in a design as oppose to be the central element of
it. As is the nature of the indie genre, conventions can be mixed and matched, however, conventionally, colours are usually
dark and monotonous but I have decided to use a brighter colour pallet to subvert these conventions. The indie rock genre
is a close knit community which is use to adaptation and incorporation of different styles and designs. I felt it was important
to comply with some whilst challenging others to provide my artist with a more unique artisitic interpretation which would
make this album cover stand out on Spotify, iTunes or in HMV should consumers require a physical copy.

3. Mise en Scene/lighting
• For the initial panel of my album cover, I took a range of images using alternate lighting and angles in order to
achieve the effects I was keen to have in my video. By experimenting with different styles of lighting I was able to
create a range of effects including playing with shadows and also eliminating them for effect. Despite having plans
to change the image in post production, I decided capturing a range of images would aide my construction of the
print productions whilst allowing me to change my mind and do something completely different should one
image not look the way I intended it to. The first image displays the diegetic light and naturalistic light to
symbolise how the artist was natural and young. However, I felt the shadows with were created an almost sinister
feeling which I felt wouldn't have been beneficial to his brand identity. In the second image, this is rectified and
the shadows have been eliminated with a fill light which constructs a more positive reflection and a warmth which
makes the artist appear more approachable and likeable. Instead of creating a chiaroscuro style, I wanted a
consistent lighting style which could be altered if need be and I think this image reflects that in a better way than
its counterpart. In this image, the artist is using an indirect mode of address to which establishes an integrity and
professionalism but allows reinforces his distance from the mainstream and hegemony, something conventional
for the genre. For the other panels, I have taken stills from my music video whereby diegetic lighting has been
used due to a limited budget. In post production however, these images have been altered to appear brighter and
also to introduce the two protagonists of the main song to the audience. To have a consistent but cohesive mise
en scene was need to convey this stylised album cover design which I established and the images of artist and
those stills from the music video creates a link between music video and print productions which I was keen to
establish in order to create a sense of continuity whilst establishing a brand.

4. Camerawork/Composition
• This was something which is inferior to the design work on the panels, but my camerawork on my front panel is a mid shot
of my artist from an eye level to reinforce this idea of community which is prominent throughout the indie genre as the
barrier between audience and artists is significantly lesser to that of the mainstream. Once again it’s about the
reinforcement of this togetherness and shared rebellion whilst creating and consuming music which distinguishes them as
opposing mainstream. This camerawork is also reliable and presents the artist in a way which incorporates the brand
identity and star image theory discussed by Goodwin in his theory of how to produce a successful music video and although
this is a print production project, this is an idea which will help a new artist establish an audience and it’s critical that he
appears in the public eye in order to create a brand. In the second panel, eye level is used again to reinforce this idea of
community and place the audience on par with the artist and protagonists. This shot is a mid shot and provides the audience
at a distance whereby they can be passive and creates an emotional response which is an intention I was seeking to create
in order to establish a platform whereby my audience can relate to the characters. It also presents a contrast between the
normality and aesthetic of the background with the struggle and breakdown of the relationship in the foreground.
Furthermore, the intertextual reference of ‘Great Expectations’ displays the confinement and entrapment the male
protagonist will experience following the conclusion of the relationship, which is similar to the feelings suffered by Ms
Havisham in the novel. This is a well known link and one which our audience will recognise immediately and is a cross media
reference which could encourage a wider audience to consume the product. For the poster, this is something which I wanted
to be aesthetically pleasing whilst aligning to the design concepts I am seeking to create and this is something I have done.
This shot is use indirect address again to reinforce this professionalism and rebellion against hegemony. By using a wide shot
and placing the subject in the middle of the shot, it is displaying his distance to the audience but also how he is invested in
his music and wants to focus on making music and developing an invested audience without distraction and the placement
of his guitar reinforces this as it is slightly off centre. Overall, I would have liked a bit more variation in my camerawork and
composition but in order to comply with the genre, I was keen to use the effects to help achieve my intentions and I think I
have been success in depicting the brand identity and idea of contrast and complexity within relationships.

5. Design and Layout
• Design and layout was where I wanted my print productions to become unique and stylised. My design concept
rotated heavily around the concept of a puzzle with a piece missing. The connotations of this concept are to
symbolise the strategic nature of relationships. It isn’t a design which is reliant on colour symbolism but more the
construction of the edit to highlight the themes which I am trying to make more pertinent. When considering the
use of the chessboard and pieces within my music video I wanted to reinforce this idea of relationships being a
game and the idea of an incomplete puzzle seemed a natural progression in order to capture this idea. By
repeating the puzzle idea throughout the four panels it creates a coherent and consistent design concept. On the
front panel, it fills the blank space around the subject and artist in the image. This concept will help differentiate
my artist’s concept to that of other artists within the genre and the aesthetic provided is something which marries
with the key themes of the single ‘This Love’. In regards to typeface, this is something I wanted to be consistent
across my print productions to help establish a brand and provide an indie feeling which will help watermark the
indie genre onto my artist, ensuring it’s easy for the audience to identify with. The style is sans serif and is
distinctive with my artist. It connotes an idea of fluidity and creativity which I wanted to reinforce this rejection of
hegemony through both the positioning and style of typeface. The ascenders and desenders are more flamboyant
than typically seen within this genre and that helps establish a brand for my artist. The use of the yellow colour
enhances the brand identity and star image I am trying to create as it presents a warmth and originality onto the
artist. This yellow colour also widely symbolises an energy and freshness, two traits which my artist will bring to
the genre which a brighter outlook than is present currently. This visual style displays traits of pop art, although it
isn’t explicitly linked to this genre, I have included certain attributes like the bright colour of the background which
contrasts to the darker colour my artist is seen in. In regards to the balance between text and image, despite the
text being inferior to the image, I feel the balance obtained is one which works successfully to let the image and
design concept speak more so than the text. However, I was keen to create a link between the two elements,
hence why I felt naming my album ‘Missing Pieces’ reinforced this element of loss and difficulty in love. Overall, I
feel my design and layout elements equate for a successful and commercial album cover which achieves in both
aesthetic and reinforcing the themes that are present within the music video.

6. Editing
• The editing process was something which really helped turn the idea of my design concept into reality. It began
with the picture of my artist which I wanted to remove the background in order to enhance the image in the ways
I wanted to. By making the image of my artist the central image, it allows for the placement of the image to be
experimented with. After removing my artist from the background of the image, I was keen to experiment with
filters and layers which would enhance the quality of the image. For example, by using the shadows/highlights
layer, I was able to highlight or reduce the amount of shadow present within the image and this was done in order
to create a new textured and stylised image but also to create a realistic sense of him being on the front of the
puzzle so this shine was integral. In order to achieve this puzzle technique, it required two templates of the image
overlaying the background. One of these was a coloured background (pale brown), whilst the other was a
transparent background enhanced with a filter to create a metallic texture to make the image seem like a 3D
puzzle. Once the puzzle piece was extracted through using the quick selection tool, this needed a brown fill in
order to present differentiation and to present this idea of a board underneath the puzzle. To make this appear
3D, I enhanced the shadow around the missing piece to graphically enforce this link of the missing puzzle piece
and to enhance this stylised effect for my album. This puzzle technique is reinforced throughout my print
productions work to marry the themes of my video and also establish a brand for my artist. By using airbrushing, I
was able to blend the background but also by using a rubber with decreased opacity, it made the subject and the
background seem more cohesive. Finally, I used gradient fills to make the colours burst with a contrast between
brightness and a slightly darker colour. By using a colour palette, I was able to establish which colours married
together in a way which was aesthetically pleasing but also helped these colours come together to form a nice
combination. The editing process was something which I was meticulous over to ensure every facet spoke the
message I was intended. By using stills from my ‘This Love’ music video for the back panel, I was keen to fill some
of the jigsaw pieces with stills to create a noticeable link between video and print productions while symbolising
the ‘game like’ relationship shared by the protagonists, it was also a unique design which makes my artist stand
out. This editing process was something which I was keen to exploit commercially but also be experimental with
my concept and colours before making a concrete decision as to the finalised products.

7. Representation
• I have constructed my artist to conform to the genre by using indirect address to display this sense
of rebellion against hegemony and the distance away from the mainstream industry. By
constructing this rebellious but energetic representation (shown through the colour symbolism of
the background), the audience should endear themselves to a hardworking artist who incorporates
their values as oppose to be commercially orientated and swayed towards the big bucks of the
mainstream industry. This adherence will encourage them to support my artists work as he takes in
and displays their ethos and shared values which is special of the indie genre. This representation is
considered progressive as it goes against the idea that artists are egotistical and creates a more
modest persona which is a more humane and indie representation which helps people connect
with him more so. The symbolism provided through the incomplete jigsaw also connotes an artist
who is incomplete and has a strong devotion to his craft. This is a construction of reality and even
though there are authentic and realistic elements intertwined within the print productions, it
places a negative emphasis on relationships. This symbolism of relationships being strategic
evidently doesn’t include everyone or all relationships but it will allow a group who can relate to
this sense of feeling played in relationships to emotionally connect with the print productions and
they could use this album as a source of escapism amidst emotional trauma. The text represents
the issues of heterosexual relationships and how difficult it can be for people to overcome these
issues. By subverting the stereotypical representation of women, I am challenging the views of
society and in doing so am creating a socially relevant text. Furthermore, it challenges the attitude
of many in society and could be used to make a political point. Overall, the representation of the
text is crucial to how the audience digest my text and it was pivotal I got it right.