The document discusses how the author planned consistency across their main music video and two ancillary texts (a magazine advert and album cover) to effectively promote an artist's new album. Specific elements like font, color, layout, and imagery were kept consistent to clearly brand the artist and make the materials memorable and recognizable across different platforms. Lighting techniques, camerawork, and props were also used cohesively in the video and ancillary texts to immerse audiences and suggest the indie genre. The goal of the ancillary texts was to intrigue audiences about the artist and album to drive sales and future interest.

1. How effective is the
combination of your main
product and ancillary texts
By Chris Wotton

2. Ancillary Task’s

3. How you used typography, layout, design & colour
to create a consistent style?
I planned both ancillary task’s with the idea of them both both being
consistent in branding and sharing the same or similar attributes to
market the artists new album. I wanted to have the same font across
both the magazine advert and the album cover as they both work hand
in hand at advertising the artist and therefore there needs to be
consistency across the two.
The use of colour across both task’s was planned out so that the artist’s
name would be clear and the layout of both task’s reflected this so that
it would be memorable. In this case by using white text with a darker
background connotates a deeper meaning with the image such as
being heartbroken; whilst the text highlights the key artist information.

4. How genre is suggested by your three texts
In our music video, and in my poster and digipak (album cover) I wanted to
keep the colours consistent across all three text’s as this makes the branding
universal across on content forms and platforms. The indie genre is pushed
forward through using effective props a form of mise en scene. It was shown
in audience feedback that our the mise en scene was very successful and
produced verisimilitude for the audience consuming the product as they
could identify with the emotions of love and connection; likely because they
are of an age where they have either been in love or experienced elements
of it. We used prop’s such as a rose that had connotations of love and
emotions but as we later found out it also bring’s elements of femininity. The
Guitar that was also used is a very conventional prop for a music video in
particular an indie one. Across all three task’s I set out to the keep the
elements the same to make all three pieces of artist material the best
marketing assets possible.

5. How mise en scene is created in your three
texts?
Across all three task’s I wanted to keep the mise en scene very similar. As a group
we achieved this through using low key & high key lighting to focus light on
particular iconography in the video. For example we used many different prop’s
such as letters on the wall alongside love letters, memorable pictures and cards.
We were able to use the lighting techniques alongside effective camerawork such
as close up camerawork to set the scene and allow for the audience to feel
involved. This therefore ties in with the theory by ”Bulmer & katz” known as uses
and gratifications as the audience can “identify” with what’s being shown to them
in turn building a relationship between the producer and consumer; potentially
leading to a future follower of the artist. Other effect’s were also used such as a
vignette, directing focus to the center of the video; something we found
particularly useful in the media production to block out unwanted clothing and to
make sure the audience were directed on the correct elements. I also used
vignettes multiple times in the ancillary task’ s the poster and the digipak album
cover to keep the dark theme consistent across all 3 pieces of content.

6. How your ancillary texts sell/promote/create
interest in your main text
The ancillary text’s and products are solely responsible for the success of the
music video. The purpose behind the text’s it to intrigue the audience to a
point where they remember the artist and the information displayed on
screen. Therefore they can then feel intrigued; and are likely to buy the
album and future product’s. Across all ancillary task’s I decided to use the
same font family to give my media text’s the best chance of attracting the
audience attention in the form of an album in store or the poster on a
website. Having convergence across multiple platforms is where the real
marketing success occurs and that’s why I planned my media task’s to
succeed in this way so much and not just by chance. A call to action on the
ancillary task’s is essential as in this case there is the release date which tell’s
the audience when the album will release and be available to purchase;
without this the audience may never actually plan on buying the album
unless they saw it in store by chance or they were a very avid follower of the
band.

7. Conclusion
Overall, I set out for the task’s to link together and have
similar attributes across all 3 highlighting key event
details such as the release date and the “Hit Single”
name. The two ancillary task’s both the poster and the
digipak/album cover were useful marketing tool’s for
the music video we produced as well. Whilst there was
consistency across both ancillary task’s, I would now
change certain element’s looking back. For example the
images used in both task’s were identifiable to the
music video; however it would had likely been more
successful if I had used images with deeper emotions
and connection’s towards the artist. Whilst I am happy
with the task’s produced I feel that I could had achieved
a better outcome by being more strategic with the
images used. Finally, the poster act’s as a great piece of
marketing for the album’s release and based of my
audience feedback I would say that I achieved what the
task was set out to do.