1. +
How effective is the combination of
your main product and ancillary tasks?

2. +
 In
the real media world, all aspects of promotion
would be completed by the same record company
marketing team. It is important that each part share
strong links, in the form of themes and style, in order
to create a strong representation for the music
artist, and carry this identification throughout. This is
important to give uniform and a coherent identity.
 With
this in mind, I created all parts of this task, the
digipak designs, magazine advert, and the final
music video, with strong visual links, each portraying
the artist in the same light, carrying similar media
language and connotations.
I
feel this is a key role in promoting the artist.

3. +
Roland Barthes - Semiotics
 Roland
Barthes was a French literary theorist, who is
credited with developing the field of semiotics.
 Semiotics
is the study of signs and symbols, and the
idea that everything has denotations (what it actually
is) and connotations (what it may stand for).
 Throughout
my media project, I have encoded my
main task and ancillary tasks with many
connotations. This presentation will go on to explain
in depth, the variety of connotations featured.

4. +
Colour Connotations:

Lots of greens and browns were used in the scenery to connote
nature.

This connotes the ‘natural’ music artist, with her ‘pure’ and
‘natural’ talent in music.

It also links to the fact that the artist is 100% real and down to
earth. Her music promotes the real her.

5. + Clothing:


This adds continuity and also helps familiarise the audience with the
artist.


The artist is featured wearing the same white coat throughout the
music video, digipak covers and magazine advert.
This would help the promotion and sales, as the audience would
recognise the products in shops, online, on the television etc…
The colour white also connotes ‘innocence’ and ‘purity’. This relates to the artists
‘pure’ music style and talent, and the innocence, as she is young. She also appears
innocent in comparison to many other pop singers who are represented in a highly
sexualised way (Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory).

6. + Style (Clothing and Make Up)

The outfit and style of the artist is quite covered up and simplistic,
creating a huge contrast between the usual representations of female
pop artists according to Laura Mulvey’s ‘Male Gaze’ theory.

Mulvey’s theory suggests that females in the media are usually
represented in a ‘revealing’ ‘sexualized’ manor, in order to attract the
attention of the male audience.

My artist challenges this common convention by appearing more
innocent and natural.

I feel the ‘natural’ representation is a much more suited one, to portray
the very mellow, serious message within the track. It also gives my
artist the ‘girl next door’ look, beautiful, but never centre stage.

7. +
Graphics:

Whilst creating the digipak, I used a ‘handwriting’ style font to
write the music artists name.

This makes it appear like the music artists own
writing/signature, adding a personal touch.

I have used the same font throughout every aspect of my tasks
for continuity. It is featured on the CD front, inside (with the
personal message) and on the magazine advertisement.

8. + Objects/Props/Iconography

I tried to limit the use of props, as to strengthen the ‘natural’ feel, and simply emphasise the
focus on just the artist herself.

The only props were the swing set and roundabout, but even they were used in a very
natural looking environment, and the guitar.

The guitar connotes the organic artist, who writes, sings and plays her own music.

Nature is simple and beautiful, like the message told within the song.
Artist stands out
against natural,
simple environment.
Playing the guitar shows the artists
raw, singersongwriter, musician, natural talent. It
also adds to the simplicity of the
track, and how the artist has done
everything herself.

9. +
Facial Expressions

The artist shows quite dreamy and relaxed facial expressions,
linking with the relaxed feel and beat, theme, and style of the
song.
Eyes looking into space
create a dreamy expression.

10. + Body Language and Facial
Expressions
 There
are a few scenes in the music video that capture the
music artist with her love interest. The ‘love’ is shown
through the happy, smiling facial expressions and the
laughter they share. It is also strongly portrayed by the
holding of hands.
 The
scenes then reverse, and show the music artist alone.
The sadness is shown via the unhappy, withdrawn facial
expressions, and the feeling of being ‘alone’ is shown by
the artist being on her own.
 These
themes directly portray the message I interpreted
from the song lyrics, of a love story that didn’t work out as
planned.

11. +
This shows the artist and
love interest literally going
separate ways’ which
hopefully reflects the
feeling of them wanting
different things in life,
causing a seperation.
Holding
hands, and
arms around
each other
connote love.
Compared with the
sadness portrayed by
being alone.

12. + Camera Angles

Lots of close ups were featured throughout my music video and
ancillary products.

I feel that by including close ups of the artist herself, it helps the
audience familiarise themselves with her, therefore making the
artist more noticeable for example when the target audience
are looking for albums to purchase in stores.

It also makes the video more personal to the artist, hopefully
making the audience feel more connected with her.

13. + Camera Angles and Shots
 Arty
shots were also featured
throughout my music video, and arty
photography featured on my ancillary
products.
 By
including this throughout, I feel it
helped establish the ‘alternate’ feel to
the music artist and the song, linking in
with the ‘indie’ ‘alternative’ pop style
song, and the quirky identity of the
music artist.

14. +
Conclusion
 Overall,
I feel that I have effectively used
media language to carry the same themes
and conventions throughout my main and
ancillary tasks. Through doing this I have
constructed a strong representation and
identity of the music artist and her style.