2. WHAT DID I DO TO COLLATE AUDIENCE RESEARCH
AND FEEDBACK?
• Through out the course of the project, I collated target audience feedback on all three aspects of my promotional package, in order to gain a
better understanding of issues within my products, and also to understand what works well from individuals who enjoy and have knowledge
of the indie music genre. Prior to starting to the production of our music video, we realised that to truly understand the indie genre, and to
highlight to us any issues involved with our music video concept, we needed to collate some target audience feedback from our pitch. To do
this we decided to film two female participants, Rosie and Jess, as they both enjoy the indie genre and so subsequently this meant that they
were using their cultural capital of the indie genre in order to detect redundant features of indie music videos, allowing us to further
improve our own music video. Another reason we decided to collate feedback via video is because we would subsequently collate
qualitative data. Qualitative data is useful for us as participants are able to freely express their opinions, with no restriciions on their
answers.The feedback we gained from the pitch was extremely useful in determining which aspects we should use and which we shouldn't.
For instance, we were told that our concept for our music video was suitable for our genre as they had seen real indie music videos with the
same features, and that it was achievable due to our use of outdoor locations, meaning we would be using naturalistic lighting which would
be costless for us. We were also told that the casual clothing, hair and make-up aspects we had chosen to include were suitable for the indie
genre as they connoted a relaxed, chilled vibe which was common amongst indie music videos. Due to these responses, I feel as though
from our initial pitch feedback the audiences have taken a preferred reading of our text, which Morely of the Cultural Studies approach
suggests that this means audiences understanding the values being offered by the text and accept them as normal and legitimate. However,
the pitch feedback was particularly helpful to us in determining which aspects perhaps would not work so well. For instance, we were told
that an issue with our concept was that we may have had trouble getting access to the drama studio, as my group and I had not thought
about this issue before hand, we subsequently found it extremely valuable to learn this from our audience feedback, and we therefore
decided to redirect our creativity and opt to film all of our performance scenes outside, opposed to in the drama studio or Ludlow assembly
rooms. This also meant that we were infact cohering more generously with the indie music genre as the majority of indie music videos are
filmed outside, including artists such as Nina Nesbitt and Birdy. From our audience feedback we also learned that also our choice of using
outdoor locations may bring some hazards, such as using electrical equipment outside when it's raining, therefore we opted to restrict
filming to days when it was not raining in order to avoid this potential hazard.
3. THE VIDEO PITCH FEEDBACK WE COLLATED:
Link to video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bvEWySaN
Og
Link to video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQU
k2DLt8Y
4. WHAT DID I DO TO COLLATE AUDIENCE RESEARCH
AND FEEDBACK?
In regards to our music video, the next set of target audience feedback we acquired was feedback from our rough cut. For this, we
decided to gather a focus group of three girls, and one boy in order to almost highlight the ratio of female to male within our target
audience, as our music video is feminine and the song is perhaps more targeted towards females. All of the participants had
valuable knowledge of the indie genre and we ensured that they were fans of the indie genre itself before filming. Thus meaning
that all four of our participants were using their cultural capital of the indie genre when answering our nine questions in regards to
our music video, thus allowing us to gain valuable and useful feedback in order to improve our video. From our questions, we
learned that our audience was affected by the text in an expected way, as they understood the narrative and the general consensus
was that our music video conformed to the generic conventions of indie music videos. From our rough cut audience feedback we
learned that our music video fitted into the indie genre due to our redundant mis-en-scene aspects such as: the use of outdoor
locations, the use of a love story narrative, the casual clothing we had used and also the shot types we had featured, such as the
close up shots in which we referred to Andrew Goodwin's theory of 'demands of the record label' by ensuring we featured many
close up shots of the artist. Also, the use of close up shots creates a brand identity for the artist and in referral to Richard Dyer,
adds to our artists' star image. We therefore learned that our music video was instantly recognizable as belonging to the indie
genre and looked like a realistic product. We also learned that the majority of our performance shots looked realistic, however
occasionally the lip syncing was slightly off, therefore we decided to delete the sections where the lip syncing did not look as
believable and re-film these sections. Also, we were told that whilst the majority of the narrative was clear, the reasoning behind
the couple breaking up was not. We thought about this aspect after receiving our feedback, however we decided to not make it
explicitly clear how and why the couple break up as we had created a very redundant music video, we wanted to feature one
entropic aspects and create a sense of mystery to our narrative in order to make our music video more original and creative, as we
wanted to also conform to Auteur theory, by putting us, as directors, our own personal stamp on our music video. We also learned
from our rough cut audience feedback that our music video offered pleasures for the audience in terms of: the use of close up
shots which relayed emotion to the audience, allowing them to feel sympathetic towards the couple, and that the pace of our edits
matched the pace of the song, which the audience felt worked well and enjoyed.
5. THE TARGET AUDIENCE ROUGH CUT FEEDBACK WE
COLLATED FOR OUR MUSIC VIDEO:
Link to the video -
https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=1nVs1-ZSSYU
6. WHAT DID I DO TO COLLATE AUDIENCE RESEARCH
AND FEEDBACK?
• When it came to creating the two ancillary tasks, my digipak and print advert, I found target audience feedback held a significant and
extremely important part in the creation of my finalised products. I found audience feedback to be extremely helpful in allowing me to create
the best, most professional promotional package that I could. In the beginning stages of my digipak, the first piece of audience feedback I
acquired was class audience feedback. From this, I was told that in order to improve my digipak I should focus on choosing fonts that not only
fitted the genre, but were also clear and easy to read, as I learned that the font I had chosen to use called 'Alkisah' downloaded from the
website 'DaFont' that I used for my song tracks on the back panel of my digipak, was not easy to read, and thus, because of this I decided to
space out my song tracks to allow for easy and clear reading. I also learned that I should ensure my images were of the best quality, as from
my beginning draft of my digipak an image I had placed on Photoshop appeared to look slightly squashed, so to combat this I was told to cut
and resize the image, which I did, resulting in appropriate looking images. The next bit of target audience feedback I acquired was via video
format, in which I asked Hollie and Rosie, two females that fitted my target audience profile to comment on issues within my print work. I
collated this target audience feedback mid-way through my progress of the project. I asked twelve questions in total, which allowed me to
explore and express queries about my print work in depth. From my target audience feedback, I gained some positive responses about my
work, and as a result of this I feel as though the audience had a preferred reading of my products as they both understood and related to the
idea that they were part of the indie genre, thus meaning that they had been affected by the text in the way that I had expected, due to my
use of redundant features. The in-depth answers I recieved also illusrated that the audience were using their cultural capital knowledge of
the indie genre. Positive responses I got included aspects such as: my print work represented the indie genre as I used conventions of real
digipaks and print adverts by the vintage/warm colour palette I had used, therefore the audience took pleasure in my colour palette,
appreciating it and acknowledging that it fits into the indie genre, the use of outdoor locations, the handwritten, informal font styles I have
used were redundant features of indie print work, the use of featuring a booklet and CD on my digipak cohered with real indie digipaks , my
use of effective shot types for both digipak and print advert such as close ups and long shots reflected the genre, the layout of my print
advert was effective as it was not overcrowded, the sizing of my fonts were all appropriate and stood out and were clear and also the white
colour of my fonts was appropriate as it was simplistic and clear. I also received helpful constructive criticism from my audience feedback, in
which I learned that: I should ensure I create continuity between my digipak and print advert by using the same vintage/retro image effect on
both of my products, as I had only featured this effect on my print advert. This was extremely helpful to me as it enabled me to use
Photoshop to replicate the effect on my digipak, thus creating continuity between my products. In regards to my print advert, I also learned
that in order to make it look more realistic I should add a magazine reviewer to my star rating system, as at this point I had used three
newspapers, I was told that if I added a magazine this would creative variety and realism for my print advert.
7. THE TARGET AUDIENCE FEEDBACK I COLLATED FOR MY
DIGIPAK AND PRINT ADVERT IN ITS BEGINNING AND MID
STAGES:
Link to video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=tedjE-5QtC4
8. WHAT DID I DO TO COLLATE AUDIENCE RESEARCH
AND FEEDBACK?
• Another way in which I collated audience research and feedback on my digipak and print advert was by creating a Facebook
group involving two female members, Charley and Louise who are both fans of the indie genre, who both used their cultural
capital knowledge of the genre to aid me in creating a professional promotional package. I decided to use the social media
website Facebook as a means of collecting audience feedback as I felt it offered audiences to respond perhaps more freely,
without feeling pressured and feeling as if they had to respond how I wanted them to, if I had been sitting in front of them. This
links with the Hypodermic Needle Theory that the mass media could influence audiences by 'shooting' or 'injecting' them with
appropriate messages designed to trigger a desired response. The theory suggests that the media is a dangerous means of
expressing an idea as the audience is powerless to resist the impact of the message. The theory argues that audiences are seen
as passive and end up having media material 'shot' at them, thus making people think what they are told as there is no other
source of information. Therefore, I feel as though the use of Facebook allowed my audience to respond freely. From my
Facebook audience feedback from Charley I learned that: My fonts worked well and that there was a clear house style amongst
my products, both my products emulated the indie genre and that my choice of editing of my images worked well for the genre.
I also learned that I should ensure all my fonts stood out and were not lost against the nature background, I agreed with this
comment and decided to lower my song tracks where the font was hidden so it was easy to read. Due to Charley's mix of
positive feedback and constructive criticism, I would say that she has taken both a preferred and negotiated reading of my
products, as whilst she accepts and understands the main elements that are offered, she has also interpreted them to fit her
own interests by giving me ways to improve. From Louise, I learned that I had used conventions of indie print products that you
would expect to see, for instance the use of a barcode etc and also the use of close up shots and long shots was effective as it
created a more interesting digipak. From Louise's response to my print work I feel as though she has taken a preferred reading
of my products, as the Cultural Studies Approach by Morely expresses, as she has understood the values being offered in my
products and also accepts them as normal/legitimate. Therefore, I feel as though my products offer pleasures such as the fact
they use conventions of the indie genre, which pleases the audience as they are recognizable as part of the indie genre.
10. WHAT DID I DO TO COLLATE AUDIENCE RESEARCH
AND FEEDBACK?
• The final target audience feedback I acquired was via video from Rosie and Jess, who both have cultural capital knowledge of the indie genre
on my finalised products. From the audience feedback I noted that the audience had aa preferred reading of my promotional package, as
they understood and accepted the main elements as normal and to be expected due to the redundant features amongst my promotional
package. I asked a set of ten questions about all three parts of my promotional/marketing package in order to understand what works well
and what perhaps does not. From my feedback, similarly to other feedback I received, I learned that: the majority of the music video
narrative was clear, the pace of the edits matched the pace of the song as they were both slow, creating fluency to our music video and also
allowed the audience to understand the song by not going too fast, our music video looked like other indie music videos such as Nina Nesbitts
video, due to redundant aspects such as outdoor locations, naturalistic lighting and clothing options, I also learned that there is continuity
between all three of my products, as I have used the same location in all three, and that the fonts I have used are replicated on both the
digipak and print advert, to highlight that they belong together, the fonts that I have used on my print advert and digipak, for instance the
artists name, connoted the indie genre as they are written in a handwritten font, which connoted informalness, laid-back attitude and also
added a personal touch to the print work which was a common convention of indie print work. I also learned that my products look like real
indie genre products, due to aspects such as the 'iTunes' logo on my print advert and the barcode on my digipak, the colour of the fonts is
appropriate as the white colour is neutral, and also finally the shots I have used (close ups and long shots) are appropriate for the genre as
they clearly highlight the main attraction, which is the artist herself. From my feedback I have learned that audiences are using the products
to link to the indie genre. I also asked the question 'If I were to create the music video again, would I need to improve?' and the response I
recived was that I should ensure to create a completely clear narrative in order for audiences to relate and understand the video.
Furthermore, If I were to alter my work after this feedback, I would ensure to create continuity between all of my products and in regards to
the music video, film more narrative scenes where by the audience can explicitly witness how and why the couple break up. Also, I would
perhaps think about adding a wider variety of shots into my music video. I feel as though from this audience feedback I can say that the
audience has been affected by the products in an expected way, as from my other target audience research I received similar comments.
Overall, my target audience feedback has been extremely helpful in aiding me to create a professional, coherent promotional package that is
easily identifiable as belonging to the indie genre. I also blogged about my target audience research in a prezi on my blog.
11. THE TARGET AUDIENCE FEEDBACK I COLLATED ON MY
FINALISED PROMOTIONAL PACKAGE:
Link to video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=m9g5OLgKQ38
12. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED FROM MY AUDIENCE
FEEDBACK?
• My target audience feedback proved extremely useful in the creation of my promotional package, and I feel that I learned a lot from collating
it via qualitative methods such as video and Facebook responses. I chose to use qualitative methods opposed to quantitative as qualitative
methods allowed for more room for audiences to express thoughts and opinions freely, as often the questions asked are open-ended
questions that end in 'why? why not?' meaning audiences had to express their thoughts clearly. Where as if I had opted for methods which
produced quantitative data, for instance a questionnaire with close-ended questions, I would not have gained a thorough understanding of
what my audiences meant by their responses, and the responses would have not been as helpful. Therefore, from my target audience
feedback I have learned a multitude of things such as:
• I have successfully created continuity and coherence across all three parts of my marketing/promotional package, which is a vital aspect of
promotional packages as it links the products together, creating a brand identity and star image for the audience.
• My work has a clear house style, created by my use and repetition of fonts, colours, mis-en-scene aspects such as location, hair, make-up,
posture and clothing.
• That the majority of my audiences had a preferred and expected reading of my products
• That if I were to do the task again, I should make changes such as ensuring to create a clear, understandable narrative within our music video
• Majority of the audiences believed my promotional package looked like other real indie products on the market today
• My choice of shots compliments my image filters and suits the indie genre
• I have used and conformed to the conventions of real indie music videos, digipaks and print adverts
• To conclude, I have learned a lot of beneficial criticisms from my target audience feedback, which I believe has thus enabled me to create a
coherent, professional looking promotional/marketing package.
