2. Importance of audience feedback:
The audience is what brings in revenue, therefore without pleasing the
audience, the products created will not sell well, resulting in loss of money
in the industry.
Finding out what the audience think of the product in a positive and
negative way will help detect what elements of the design work and help it
sell and which don’t. Asking if the audience understand the message that
is trying to be communicated through the product will make it clearer as
to whether the product uses the conventions of, for example the genre,
correctly.
From my audience feedback I can change and develop aspects of my
products depending on the feedback to suit my target audience more.
3. Questions I asked my audience:
Can you see any themes between my products and how do they link?
What genre do you assume my media products to be?
What do you like and what don’t you like about my products?
Can you tell what my music video is about?
Are my ancillary texts effective and do they promote my music video well?
4. Every individual recognized the consistency in colour between my
ancillary texts. The use of monochrome was noticed which implies
my artists album is about serious matters rather than upbeat happy
songs. Also the use of the same image on both mediums and
typography, to keep continuity.
One my first design for my magazine advert, they particularly liked
the image taken from my music video of the fire as it links back to
the music video and the fire represents the danger aspects within
the narrative and nature of the song. They also liked how the album
is visible on the page too as this made is apparent of what the
advert was trying to promote.
The colour scheme for my second design for a magazine advert was
not as effective as the colour scheme was slightly different to my
album design therefore lacking continuity. The main image for this
advert also doesn’t show the artists face and doesn’t include an
image of my digipak therefore they believed it was difficult to link
this magazine advert design to my other products.
Can you see any themes between my
products and how do they link?
5. What genre do you assume my media
products to be?
They stated the implied genre of my ancillary text is indie
which is positive as this is what I intended to be
communicated. The reasoning for this is because the style
and conventions were unique and different to most genres
such as R&B. The image was specifically pointed out and
said to be ‘independent’ as it is just my artist on the front
cover and not much writing, there is no major record label
logo anywhere or apps such as Spotify which is suggestive
of independent companies which is what indie-pop songs
are produced on due to the low budget. I used low
budget locations/props which are conventions of an indie-
pop video due to the lack of money available to spend on
these kind of factors. It was also said that it was clear it was
not for a young audience such as 9 year olds as there are
no bright colours or ‘fun things’ on it which implies the
indie, older target audience.
However it was said to give off an R&B vibe as some of the
features I used were similar to what R&B products might
use such as the typography.
6. What do you like and what don’t you like
about my products?
From my focus groups I have gathered positive and negative feedback on what they
liked and what could be improved. This allows me to develop them further if I were
to have more time and understand which features of my products were effective and
which weren’t.
The main image on my digipak and magazine advert final design was said that it is
difficult to see the artists face due to the dark lighting and lines across her face
therefore the audience can’t identify her image and connect with her as easily.
However, I found that putting the album title on over the two disks was effective with
my audience as they thought it looked visually effective and was unique.
The main image of my digipak was said to not link massively to my music video
therefore it was suggested that I could have used a different image which links to my
music video more to make the link between my products even stronger.
One of my first designs for my magazine advert was liked the best as opposed to my
final design as I used an image from my music video on it as well as a picture of the
digipak I designed so it links and clearly promotes my products well. However I
didn't choose this image as it was also said to look too busy with all the information
and a simpler design would be more effective which my focus group agreed on.
As for my music video, a positive comment I received from my target audience was
that the use of repeating footage is effective and highlights looking back on the past
and that my artist is trapped within her own disorder.
7. Can you tell what my music video is about?
Narrative is clear although fragmented. Displays her ‘split personality’ well due to the
juxtaposition of shots. It is obvious that the music video is based upon a mental condition
however, specifying which one exactly was more difficult to do from watching the video,
therefore I could have made it more obvious it was about bipolar by adding more shots and
maybe a structured story line to my video.
It was said to possibly represent a lot of things there my music video is very subjective and
the audience will have different interpretations of what the message is depending on their
own belief and ideologies.
The message may have been clearer if I had used a linear narrative which still represents
bipolar however I decided to show it through the use of micro elements rather than replying
on a story. This automatically makes it more subjective and fragmented, resulting in the
message being less clear however from my focus group I believe all of them understood the
mental state she was in from this.
8. Are my ancillary texts effective and do they
promote my music video well?
The images and colour scheme we pointed out the most in my focus
group when I asked this question. The colours I have used on my digipak
I used on my magazine advert to make a clear link between them. The
black and white which contrast with each other was said to reflect upon
what is happening in the music video as she is either happy or sad which
are also contrasting. This was my intention and it was communicated
effectively through the use of colour.
My magazine advert was said to promote the music video well as it clearly
identified when it was being released, who the artist is, the name of the
artist and album.
The genre of my music video is also communicated through my ancillary
texts. As the main image is unique and abstract is highlights aspects of
indie genre and as there are no major record labels or logos such as
Spotify or iTunes it implies the low-budget indie-pop genre that it is.
