The combination of the main music video product and ancillary magazine ad and album cover tasks is effective because there is clear continuity across all three. Specifically, the same scenic location, similar shots of the artist walking, matching color schemes, costumes, hairstyles, and lighting create coherence. Establishing a recognizable trademark look for the artist through these repeated visual elements can help promote and market the artist as a brand.

1. 2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?
The combination of the main products; the music video and the ancillary tasks; magazine ad and
album cover are effective as there is clear continuity across all three.
Location: Most of the lip syncing shots for the music video were in Abney Park because it is the most
scenic location that we have filmed in. Therefore we chose to keep this location for the print tasks so
the audience can familiarise and identity Abney Park as the main theme/ location across all three
products. The idea was that if they had seen the video then they would identify this location with that
video when they saw the print work. Also, we really liked the secluded forest-like atmosphere, as it
depicts the artist’s emotions of loneliness and sadness that is expressed in the lyrics. So we used the
photos taken in the park for the digipak to create the moody feelto the album cover and to match the
music video.
Walking away/ Action: We created an additional link between the ancillary tasks and main product by
replicating the action. There is a long shot of me walking towards the camera in the video, away from
the bright sunset. We decided to use the same idea of walking for the back album cover, but in a
different location because we didn’t want it to be too similar but instead to have some referential
features ie the action of walking. This similar shot would create some continuity across both texts.
Looking at it now you can see that in the footage we recorded of the sunset shot it really works for
the music video and is more abstract and you can see my face slightly which is what you would
expect for a music video to have the artists face as a feature. However we decided to distract form her
facial expression in the print task by having her back to the camera. This enables the focus to be
drawn to the track list which is the main feature of the back cover.
We liked the photos we took by the muddy lane in Abney Park because it was brighter at that moment
and the lane is in centre of the gravestones and trees,which created a directional force to the focal
point, which is the me walking away from the camera in the muddy lane.
Camerawork and Images: There was a combination of close up shots and mid shots in the music
video. This is because we wanted to film it in a way where the audience can see the artist’s emotions
and draw attention to her facial expression, as if they are directly in front of her. Obviously the
difficulty in continuity of shots and camerawork is that with the prints you are limited to one image
for the magazine ad and then a few for the digipack whereas with a video there are multiple shots. So
we had to be selective about which shot type we wanted for the prints. We filmed and took pictures in
the Abney Park in a low angle for the ancillary tasks and also as footage for main product, so the artist
looks more dominant and independent. Only she can be the one to decide if she really wants her love
to begin again. The back cover shows the artist walking through the muddy lane, thus illustrating the
artists mysterious journey on whether or not she will go and rekindle her relationship with her ex or
will she change her mind so again making clear connections with the lyrics of the song and the
message behind the video.
Another reason why the low angle is used for the main product and ancillary tasks is because we
wanted to get a shot of the trees,skies in the background too, so we get the scenic backdrop in, like
how other Indie/Pop artists; such as Lana Del Rey and Marina and the Diamonds, which gave us a
nice space for the text in terms of layout for the magazine advert. The artist was looking directly at the
camera; which is taken in a lower angle, as if she is looking at her ex-lover with her serious facial
expression, which subverts Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory and links to Andrew Goodwin’s
theory as there is a notion of looking at the artist. The eye contact is aimed to her lover, she is
presenting herself as powerful, she has a say in the relationship. As well as that showing the artist’s
face in the front cover sells her image and was a convention that we found form our research,
especially if it is a close up, thus linking to Goodwin’s theory as record labels and music industry in
general demand for close up of artist so the audience can see the visual style that the artist sells.

2. Lighting: The lighting is brighter for the digipak so it goes with the fantasy/ fairy-tale theme as well
as that we want the audience to clearly see the artist’s face,as the initial pictures of the artist were
dimly lit. The dim lighting is more suitable for the music video as the focus is on the audio but with
print the images need to be clear.
Logo colours and text: All aspects of the text was chosen to fit the Indie/Pop genre. We were thinking
of what colour goes with our media products, as the artist is female singing about love, but the mood
of the song is depressing and slow, so we all agreed that the colour purple is more glum yet urbane,
which is what you expect to see in the Indie/Pop genre. Therefore, we picked purple as our main
theme for the media products and ensured there was a clear link across all three with this colour.
Particularly, the colour purple is quite subtle in the video but is more obvious in the ancillary tasks
because the filtering I did in Photoshop. I made sure the filter blends in carefully with the naturally
green toned scenery,so the audience can still see that this picture is in the same location that was
filmed for the music video, it creates that continuity. We were planning to use purple (violet) and
green (emerald, teal) coloured font to match the album cover colour scheme, but it matched too much
to the extent where you could hardly see the font. Also, since we didn’t include any typography in the
music video, except for when the artist painting a line from the song, we chose to use the colour white
for all the typography instead on the album, even the logo ‘Indigo’, so the audience can clearly see the
text without any trouble. Also form our research we found that many Indie/pop artists keep the font
colour scheme very minimal. This is more effective as it creates a very chic and suave look; also using
the different colours in one album cover would be too funky and a distraction to the
artwork/photography. We were initially were going to make the font white for the artist title in the
magazine ad, but it looked too much like the album cover and while we wanted continuity we also
wanted each text to have something unique about it in terms of design. We wanted to further
introduce and promote the artist’s name by changing the font colour into a violet base colour with teal
border/outline, so stands out more visually against the A4 size image of the artist/myself. The A4 size
image if is obviously more longer lengthwise than the album cover, so more the off white sky was
showing, so the dark coloured artist title sat well in the pale sky.
Costume: Another element of continuity was that we used the same costume for the main product and
ancillary tasks. This is because it enables the audience to identify the artist’s trademark costume; the
maroon and indigo tartan print shirt, black chiffon skirt, black velvet boots and the pearl and dirty
gold necklace. Also the costume is also very suited to the Indie/Pop because of the choice of colours,
and the vintage jewellery, and the black boots. The dark makeup has to be the same to (for when the
actress wore this costume), it keep that continuity within our media products. And the dark makeup
complimented the overall outfit too. The idea would be again that if they had seen the print and then
the video they would make a connection through the look being identical.
Hair: We also kept the hairstyle the same for the music video and ancillary tasks. The hairstyle is
mostly supposed to look naturally wavy but also like a doll’s hair, because that specific hairstyle will
go with the costume, and the feminine and dark eye makeup, as the eyes look attractive and alluring
along with the long flow hair. The hairstyle is also an expected feature which we found in the
Indie/Pop genre, as many female artists have this hairstyle. This hairdo is can easily adjust and match
the edgy themed causaloutfits for some camera shots and glamorous look for the other camera shots.
Keeping the overall hair, make-up and costume the same for the ancillary tasks and main product was
effective because you don’t want to confuse the consumer and it gives the consumer a moment to
appreciate the artist’s trademark look and be more familiar with it.
Creating a trademark: Since my group and I decided that the costume which consists of the maroon
and indigo tartan print shirt, black chiffon skirt, black velvet boots and the dirty gold and pearl collar
necklace, should be the main look for all three texts, we also agreed that this will be the artist's
trademark look. This would allow the audience to easily identify the artist's unique image.

3. For example, different artists from different genres have their own trademark look. Michael Jackson -
Genre: Pop/R&B/Soul/Disco - Trademark: white sparkly glove, snazzy blazer/jacket, curly long black
hair, black pants, white socks with black shoes, hat fedora hat.
Jessie J - Genre: Soul/Pop/R&B with elements of Hip/Hop - Trademark: bold makeup, pale skin, thick
black bangs, short black hair, tall and voluptuous legs.
Sia - Genre: Electro-pop/Soul/Indie-pop/Trip-hop/Acid-jazz - Trademark: red lipstick, hair covering
face,blonde hair.
Nelly - Genre: Hip-hop/R&B/Pop/Rap - Trademark: baggy street wear,plaster on left cheek, do-rag.
Marina (and the Diamonds) - Genre: Indie-pop/Pop-rock/ Synth-pop - Trademark: big hairdo,
vintage/retro makeup, dresses,drawn on black heart on left cheek.
Having a trademark mark look is important because trademarks are an effective communicate tool; it
allows other record labels create merchandise and market and promote the artist's look, which will
create profit and create a reputation for the artist and record label. This also makes the artist to be a
potential brand for the company, as consumers or fans will be using the Internet to keep up with the
artist through social media and by buying the merchandise on their website.
This is links to Richard Dyer's Star Theory, as the artist or 'star' will be a star of construction through
advertising, of commodity by making profit through the merchandise and as a ideology, all the digital
promotion especially will then lead to their fans to create socialgroup or 'fandom' where they build up
the artist's image, by copying their style or keeping up with interviews; seeing what the artist is like,
his views on particular things. Dyer also explained how there is a paradox of the star, where the star
must be ordinary (relate to audience) but extraordinary (possess a extraordinary/unique quality or
talent), as well as,present (through social media, merchandise and conversations amongst fans/social
groups) and absent (Out of reach,not able to meet them in your everyday day life).
Our star will apply to most of these qualities. Star as a construction: artist will advertise through her
music video, album cover and magazine ad. The artist will be 'present' through these advertising
techniques, but she will be 'absent',as it wont as easy to meet in your everyday life, as it would be just
''see'' them digitally. Star as a commodity: The artist wont be produced to create profit through
merchandise, but her style of clothing will, as she dresses like an Indie/Pop artist. Her style is a bit
more 'extraordinary' but she’s is suited to the genre, she is a bit more unique from the rest of the
artists; generally Indie/Pop artists are Caucasian,but this artist is Bengali. Star as a ideology: The
artist may potentially become group of discussion once viewers see the music video. The target
audience may relate to the artist's style, opinions on love and heartbreak, thus making her 'ordinary’
which may be lead to the artist to have a fan group.