The document provides research on existing products related to mental health within the music industry. It examines documentaries, podcasts, albums, and interviews that address this topic. Key elements noted include the use of upbeat music to make serious topics more comfortable, presenters who speak welcomingly, and albums that openly discuss artists' personal mental health experiences to bring awareness. Technical aspects analyzed include the use of color, images, and audio to engage audiences. The research highlights several effective examples and elements that could inform the creation of the student's own mental health-focused music project.

1. Factual Research
Kieran Bradley

2. Existing Product
Here I have found an existing product that is based on similar content
that I intend to make, this documentary explores mental health within
the music industry. After taking the time to watch this video I have
found many technical elements, for example the opening shot of this
video has a young teenager staring directly in to the camera with the
sun in full shot behind him, glaring through. This could send a message
to the viewer, a message of hope and that thinks will get brighter and
better. The main host of this documentary Jemal Edwards, also
interviews people throughout to get there thoughts and views on the
issue, this could also make the viewer feel comfortable because they
are hearing someone else speak about the same things that they are
going through. The producers also use an audio bed at the beginning,
this is good because it engages with the viewer and makes there
attention focus on the person presenting.

3. Existing Product
I have found an existing product that has similar content that I
want to create. This is a series of podcasts created by BBC Radio
1 titled “Life Hacks” this episode explores Anxiety. The main
presenters of this episode Katie and Dr. Radha speak to Bryony
Gordon, a mental health campaigner that shares her story of
suffering with anxiety and mental health problems and also
running the 2018 London Marathon and the release of her new
book that goes in to detail about her drug and drinking
problems. After listening to this podcast I can see that the
producers have made the podcast feel comfortable to the
listener, this is serious topic but the producers have incorporated
up-beat music at the beginning and throughout. I have also
found that the presenters sound “welcoming” and you can hear
this in the way that they speak, they talk about tips and advice to
help the listener and by doing this it will make the listener want
to continue to listen and engage. I think this is a great episode,
because it gives a raw, honest and real life insight in to real
problems and issues that a large percentage of people are having
within our society. This episode offers advice and tips, that I
think is great because some really need that but maybe to
nervous to ask for.

4. Existing Product
Here I have found a video, exploring the meaning behind a song
wrote by a band called Bring Me The Horizon. The interview is
conducted by UK music magazine Metal Hammer. The interviewee
is Bring Me The Horizon front man Oli Sykes throughout the
interview he speaks about that encouraged him to write the song
“Avalanche” and how he wants to help the listeners of his music
who maybe experiencing mental health problems. He also goes in
to large detail about his own mental health problems and his
recovery from drug addiction.
Here I have found a video produced by Radio.com conducting
an interview with two of the members of Bring Me The
Horizon, Oli and Jordan. In the interview Oli talks about the
importance of expressing your feelings and talking about any
problems that you may be experiencing.

5. Existing Product
Here I have found an album titled “The Great Depression” from a band called
As It Is. This is a perfect example of mental health within music, this whole
album is dedicated to bringing mental health awareness, each song on this
album is raw, honest and straight to the point. This album also touches on
some political issues, this is expressed through the song “The Wounded
World” this song is about the state of society and the incoming dystopia that
the narrator predicts what we’ll fall in to, it’s a call to arms of sorts, pleading
for change, before the world falls in to disaster. The narrator also puts the
responsibility on us, the people since we are the ones to blame for the society
we live in. Looking at the album cover I can see that the band have used a
different range of colours, they have used black as the main background
colour, this fits in really well due to the topic behind this album. They also use
the colour red to indicate danger or bad vibes, red is a good colour to use
because it’s the main colour that person gets attracted to the most when
viewing something.
There’s one song off the album, called “The Stigma” this song
brings awareness to the stigma attached to males expressing
themselves and showing emotion. “Boys don’t cry” is a lyric
that gets mentioned throughout this song. This song is
important, because when people aren’t expressing
themselves or talking about there emotions that leaves room
for an impact on your mental health. After watching this
video, I can see that the producers have used a certain theme
throughout to try and connect with the viewer. That theme is
dark and unsettling. They have used an army theme also to
show that the video is about masculinity, also in the video
shows that males should be a certain way, this is shown by
one of the actors forcing someone to face the front and wear
a tie and not express your feelings.

6. Existing Product
Hope For The Day are a non-profit US based
organization. Hope For The Day achieves proactive
suicide prevention through outreach and mental health
education. Hope For The Day is backed by a lot of UK
and US bands, especially in the Pop-Punk and Rock
genres. Hope For the Day was founded in 2011 by
Johnathan Boucher. Johnathan got involved with the
music industry at the age of 13, by putting on punk
metal shows and creating community spaces where
people could feel they belong. Hope For The Day has a
strong place within the music industry and is on the
frontline when it comes to mental health within music.
Ben Barlow, lead singer of
Welsh Pop-Punk band Neck
Deep, supporting Hope For The
Day.

7. Existing Product
That’s The Spirit is the fifth studio album by British
rock band Bring Me The Horizon. This album centers
it's self around mental health and that’s very clear
to see, even from the title “That’s The Spirit”
sounds very sarcastic and the band wanted to
illustrate that, you say that to someone that isn’t
okay, and that sounds like a quick fix to a long term
problem, it’s as if you’re telling them to “Cheer up”
“You’ll be fine”. After listening to each song on this
album, I have found that some are very hard-hitting
one song titled “Happy Song” is an open letter to
the world about how we use superficial and trivial
things to ignore real problems. Another song on the
album titled “Drown” is about the expectations in
life that can grow to much to bear, and about
someone that could take that weight off your
shoulders and help you back up.

8. Existing ProductLooking at this album cover and the colours that have
been used, I can see why they have been chosen.
They have used black background to outline the
white umbrella, by choosing a black background
rather than any other colour is good because when
you put white on top of it, it stands out massively and
will then be eye-catching to your chosen target
audience. They have also used the image of an
umbrella and the outline of rain drops to give the
viewer a feel for the album, this tells the viewer that
this album isn’t bright, or positive. The rain drops
have been placed underneath the umbrella, this tells
the viewer pain and discomfort gets through
anything, the umbrella is a shied from the rain but
you can still get wet. Looking at the image I can also
see that it is very clear and clean, it would be easy to
understand for anyone looking at it.

9. Research summary
After looking at the research I have conducted, I have seen some really good existing
products that I have found such as the “Life Hacks” podcast, this will help me when I
come to produce my own video, I have taken away certain elements of the episode,
such as how the presenter speaks and the theme and feel that it gives the listener. I
think also including “The Great Depression” in to my research gives me a great chance
to explore mental health within music because this album is based entirely on that. I
have also seen a lot of technical elements in two of the videos I have found while
researching, for example in both videos that are surrounding the same topic, that
being mental health, they both have incorporated a shot of the sun, this will give the
viewer a sense of hope and make them feel that things are going to get better.

10. Existing Product
Demi Lovato is a US singer, song writer and actress, I have decided to research about this
artist because, I have seen that she talks a lot about her personal mental health
experiences within her music. Demi talks about her addiction with alcohol and drugs, in
July, Demi was being treated at an LA hospital for an suspected drug overdose. June 21st,
Demi released a song titled “Sober” this song talks about her relapse in to drinking heavily
again, in the song she openly apologies to her mum and dad for falling down this spiral
again. I think Demi Lovato’s music is a perfect example of “mental health within music”

11. Referencing For Research
Anon. (13th November 2017). Exploring Mental Health Within The Music Industry . Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OepihUptef8 . Last accessed 10th September 2018.
Anon. (12th June 2018). Life Hacks: Anxiety . Available: https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/p069vt47 .
Last accessed 10th September 2018.
Anon. (25th September 2015). Bring Me The Horizon: "We're All Mental. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-B2B69vJU8. Last accessed 10th September 2018.
Anon. (23rd September 2015). Bring Me The Horizon- Avalanche (Official Video). Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNaYpBpRJOY&bpctr=1537182098. Last accessed 10th September
2018.
Anon. (20th June 2018). As It Is- The Stigma [Boys Dont Cry] (Official Music Video). Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxV1Jwg9xCk. Last accessed 10th September 2018.

12. Initial Ideas

13. Idea 1
One idea could be creating a film with the subject being based on Trophy Hunting,
as this is something that I feel strongly about. I could create this in the way of a
film, exploring what Trophy Hunting is. I would also conduct a number of
interviews to explore thoughts and opinions on this topic.

14. Idea 2
I could create this idea in a number of ways, one way that I could do that is a
video, I would use a camera to film my project, I would also incorporate music
within my video, by doing this I think it would open up the topic more. I would
also conduct a number of interviews to express this topic in further detail. I
would also use Premier Pro when it comes to editing my film.

15. Idea 3
• I have chosen to base the subject of my project on mental health within music, I
have decided to do this because it’s something that I feel strongly about, a lot of
the bands that I listen to are very vocal on this subject, I have decided to produce a
number of questions and conduct an interview for the core part of my project.
Within my research I have looked at complete range of different things, from
charities, bands, albums, podcasts and documentaries. Throughout my research I
have analysed the technical elements of the album covers that I have found, this
has given me more understanding on why the band have used certain colours and
will help me for when I come to create my project when thinking about my target
audience. I have decided to create my project in the way of a podcast, with
interviews and music. I thought this would be a great way for me to express this
topic because it gives me the chance to work on my editing skills and script
writing. I also use the Adobe Audition, when I come edit the audio for my podcast.