evaluation question for my media prodctions - a level

2. To start our research and planning for our final production, we decided to take inspiration from the pop genre as this was the
genre we were both already most familiar with as well as it being the type of music we enjoy and listen to. A poster was created
including details of lighting, costumes, locations and other elements of videos within the pop genre. I research into this by
looking at existing music videos and websites.
I then watched various music videos in this genre which were from the following artists; Cheryl Cole, Little Mix and Katy Perry, to
specifically look at how they were constructed. Analysis’ were then completed by selecting different points of the video and
commenting on the camera angles, costumes and props were used and what they represent to the audience. A pattern
running through this were that the artist has an equal balance of performance and narrative elements which I included in my
music video. I also looked closely at the use of presentation of the band/artist, especially in the Little Mix video ‘Hair’. When
wanting to add more editing techniques into our video, we took inspiration from this.
We particularly like the split screen element as it shows the conversation between all members of the band. I didn’t have a
band, however I had one artist that I used in every part of my split screen. I included a performance element for my split screen
however Little Mix included it within their narrative.

3. I analysed Katy Perry – California Gurls. This video was based in a fantasy, surreal world. I
liked this idea because it is part of the narrative and performance element of the video
as it links to the lyrics. I have taken influence from this video by linking the narrative of my
video with the lyrics of my chosen song. For example, the lyrics ‘back to the train’ and
we showed a train going past the platform.
Parachute by Cheryl Cole is a music video based on a dance routine therefore is mainly
a performance throughout the video. The performance element of a pop video is a
main convention however I didn’t want my video to be based around a performance. I
broke the typical conventions as I combined a narrative with a slight performance. The
star, Cheryl, is in her own video all of the time which makes her the attraction from the
audience which is why people will watch the video or even buy her album.
Contrastingly, my video does include the artist and star however I think it is mainly based
around the set narrative of the evolution of the love story between the couple.
I had to think about who was going to be the target audience for my final music video. Using YOUGOV website to start with, I
researched into the demographics of artists – Cheryl, Little Mix, Katy Perry and Bruno Mars. I continued looking at the videos
and artists that I had initially researched into but also included Bruno Mars. This was due to us using a Bruno Mars song to create
a video for therefore it was important to look into his existing audience before creating the video. For the female artists, the
demographic group they came under were females aged 18-25, however the group for Bruno Mars was females aged 40-54. I
think that young females can relate to artists and celebrities such as Katy Perry and Cheryl where as Bruno Mars could be seen
as a sexual figure to the older ladies. From this research, we decided to aim our music video to a demographic group of the
ages 15-19 due to use being 18. This has an impact on our target audience due to using actors in our video of a similar age
therefore the video could be relatable to them.
A questionnaire was created for our target audience that included questions such as what they expect to see in a typical pop
video and do you prefer a narrative or performance structure. From the answers we based our music video on it in order to get
a wider fan base for the video and artist. For example, 15 people took our questionnaire and 11 people said they watch a
video because of a specific artist or band which is why our male artist was featured in our video throughout. This questionnaire
helped us in order to be able to include as many codes and conventions that we could in our video and make the video as
physically pleasing as we can for our target audience.
We then gathered up ideas for our video and showcased them to a group of our target audience – a group of people aged
16-18, both male and female. This was so that we could follow through with the best idea, narrative, costumes and locations.
All members of the group participated which is how we gained our final ideas. Next, we began other theoretical research
whilst we started shooting our video.

4. When it came to researching into intertextuality, I studied into the three of the different links between two or more
media medium platform’s. These were homage, parody and pastiche. Including these within my music video, I think
that my video fits with being a homage. I think this because it is not a copy or anything in a respectful or disrespectful
manner. I created my video based on inspiration but not a duplicate on something already created which is why this
is the best category for my video. It allows me to portray my own ideas and feelings for the song and the video to the
audience in order to gain responses.
We thought about and planned our costumes and props for our music video very strictly. The initial ideas were to dress
the people in our video casually, slightly smart for the male role as he was travelling to work everyday. We also
wanted colours of the costumes to associate with the autumn season due to the target audience saying that the
song reminds them of autumn the most out of all four seasons. We also wanted a few different outfits. Roughly, we
stuck with the costumes as we were filming within school hours therefore casual clothes were worn there. For example,
our female role wore a burgundy coat with a skirt and top and then jeans and a jumper and our male role wore jeans
with a top and changed to wear a shirt. If I was to change this in a future video I would make sure I changed
costumes if necessary. For example, in our video we wanted to demonstrate a story over a certain amount of days,
maybe even months, therefore a regular change of clothes is important to show this and maybe having only two
costume changes confuses this which doesn’t show a clear narrative. We wanted to use props such as a folder, flask
and bags. We thought this would show the audience that they are on their way to something educational or
occupational. I think we were successful with the various props used in our video such as bags, phones, newspapers,
flask and car. We also used a guitar as a prop but for the performance element of the video because most artists
either have a microphone or instrument in their videos which we took inspiration from.

5. In order to plan our filming as best as we can, we planned out a storyboard
including types of shots in certain locations. This was so that when we was
filming we knew exactly what we needed to film rather than doing it
spontaneously. Below, I have analysed my story board with my final music
video, comparing my video with my storyboard.
Close up shots were used of
many different girls. The
editing technique was to
speed up the videos of the
girls. The last shot of a girl was
a longer shot which shows
the audience that she is
important in the video.
Instead of a panning shot, we
placed the camera and tripod in a
fixed position and videoed the
train driving past the camera. We
used this type of shot instead due
to the train already moving,
therefore a panning shot may
have been too much with the train
moving as well as the camera.
I videoed this from the seat
opposite the man. This was so
we could include the person
so the audience could
establish which character this
was as well as the location,
which is why I didn’t use an
over the shoulder shot.
This shot was identical to
the storyboard however
I included both
characters walking past
one another so the story
flows better for the
audience. It was filmed
from the platform.

6. A long shot of the female
character was used, of
her on the platform
drinking out of a flask. This
shot introduces the
female character.
A medium close up was
used of the female. The
storyboard said smiling,
however I carried on the
theme of using the props.
Another medium close up
shot was used to show the
male looking back at the
train. Our storyboard had a
long shot on however I
thought a medium close up
was more efficient as you
can see who it is looking
back and you can see
what he is looking at
whereas a long shot would
not highlight this as much.
Following the
storyboard, we used the
studio to film our music
artist signing to the song.
A close up shot was
used as he was singing
the lyrics therefore this
type of shot show cased
that in our music video.

7. A close up of the artist
driving adds more to
the narrative rather
than being repetitive
with the trains. We
continued to follow our
storyboard for this shot.
Instead of filming him from
the bottom of the steps, I
filmed him from the stop of
the steps. I also added
movement as I followed
him with the camera held
by myself.
The next shot was him
waiting for the train. I
positioned the camera in
the same place as I did
for a shot at the start of
the video. This angle
allows the audience to
view the train as well as
the man waiting to get
on the train.
This part of the music video is
where I went against the
storyboard. For example, my
storyboard was planned to
continue with focusing on the
narrative element of the video
however I wanted to involve
more of the performance side. I
chose this to be the shot I
changed because I thought
that this shot would be boring
and seemed to be repetitive
because it is similar to the
previous shot that I used.

8. Most of these shots were also
altered. The first three on this
storyboard strip were
discarded and not used in
the music video at all due to
it being difficult to plan and
film regarding the train times
etc. The next scene – house
scene – was therefore
moved forward which is
what this shot in my video
should be from.
I used two different shots of
him brushing his teeth from
different angels to mix it up
a little bit therefore it acts a
bit like a shot reverse shot.
A mid shot was used in
order to show him walking
down the stairs.
An extreme close up was
used to show what he is
doing on his mobile phone.
The angle used was also
from a slightly high up
vantage point on the
phone and it was shot from
over the shoulder.

9. Regarding the storyboard,
we managed to get back
on track with following our
plan. Another extreme
close up was used so that
the audience could read
what was on the text
message. This is important
in the music video as it
explains part of the
narrative to the audience.
The storyboard shows
that the male character
should be in the
bathroom however I
have already shown that
previously in my video a
few clips ago therefore I
reversed it and showed
the model getting ready
by putting on his shoes
with a close up, match
on action shot. It is also
videoed by focusing
down on the shoes.
This shot went against
the storyboard again
as the narrative had
shown the male in a
house therefore it
wouldn’t have made
sense for him to be on
the train. A long shot is
used to show him
leaving the house.
A panning shot of
the train was used to
show the audience
that we were back
focusing on the train.

10. Over these two shots we show the female
asking the male if they can sit together.
Instead of filming the couple from the platform, we filmed them getting off the train together
as it was more accessible. We still filmed them walking off together which fits the end of our
storyboard. The music video still wasn’t finished so we added in some other bits at the end.
An extreme close up over the shoulder shot was
also then reversed into the opposite shot.
Long shots were then repeated for the last three shots of the
video to show the couple having fun on the park.

11. We wanted to end our music video similarly to how we started it therefore we videoed it in the studio. At the end of the
video we also wanted to imply that he had found his ‘perfect girl’ therefore the footage was of the couple rather than
lots of different girls. The same camera angle was used as the camera was positioned on a tripod at the front of the
studio. This was not included in our storyboard as we didn’t think we would have time in our video to show the couple
evolve however in the end I am glad that this was included otherwise I don’t think the narrative in our video would
have been as easily followed.
Overall, I think that it is highly important to follow the storyboard as it showcases initial ideas however,
your ideas always change therefore your final production is bound to have a slight change in
comparison to the storyboard. I think that my final production followed the story board however when
creating it I underestimated how short the shots would be which is why we had a lot more towards the
end of the video which we didn’t include in the storyboard.
When we were planning our
video we thought about and
chose specific locations. Here
are the locations we planned
compared to the locations that
we used.
All of the locations planned were involved in the music video. I
think that locations are important in a video as it sets the scene
and the narrative is based around them.

12. Whilst filming the music video, I was researching into Digi packs as well as planning and gathering my
ideas for my own Digi pack, linking to my music video. To start with, I researched into existing Digi
packs of pop artists. From this I learnt that a Digi pack is fully linked with the main video from the best
single of the album as well as using a linking photoshoot specifically for the Digi pack.
The arrow
theme does not
occur in our
music video
however the
idea came from
the song title
‘somewhere in
Brooklyn’ being
a destination
which is why the
Digi pack
includes arrows
and signs.
These bright
colours link to
our music video
due to it being
within the pop
genre, therefore
bright colours
are a main
convention for
that genre.
I completed a specific photoshoot for my poster and digi pack
which I found useful when creating my album cover. This image
fits with my music video due to having a guitar in the video.

13. I also had to produce either an album release poster or a tour poster for my artist, again relating to my
music video and now my digi pack. I decided to create an album release poster therefore I
researched into album posters within the genre. From this, I found that again, the main colour scheme,
fonts, information and main image is all used on both the album poster and the Digi pack in order for
the audience to identify a clear link and it makes it easier for them when they are looking online or in
shops when purchasing the album.
The photograph used is slightly different to the one used on the front of my
Digi pack however I have continued to use images I took of the artist with a
guitar. This implies to the audience about the specific mood of the album
perhaps.
I wanted to show similar colours in the poster that I have in the Digi pack and
music video because I think that is the strongest element that features in all
of my products. I have used similar colours but have applied it in a different
way – on the poster I used it for the different coloured text however it is used
as a background in my other products. The text stands out against the plain
black and white background on this why is similar to my music video as all of
my clips are in black and white.