The document discusses the design of a digipack for a fictional artist. It describes choosing images that portray the artist as mysterious, curious, and finding peace in nature. Additional details like the track list and website link were included to make it look professional. Feedback from a focus group was generally positive about relating to the artist's personality, though some felt the images were too stereotypical and could have shown more locations. Through this process, the author learned the importance of planning shots in advance and considering the audience's perspective to clearly convey the intended message.

1. By Jodie Jackson

3. The image for this digipack back cover was taken at a local and mysterious forest.
The facial expression she displays on her face and the fact that she’s looking up was
purposely done to show that she is a curious and mysterious girl herself. Who enjoys
the peace and beauty included in this forest, by presenting the artist looking up at
the scenery. Also by appearing to find reassurance and happiness from this, done to
suggest that she is fond of her own company and appreciating all complex things
and beauty in things, also things that are different and new presumably compared to
her possible ‘boring’ routine.
The details added to this image, such as the list of the artist’s track list, the barcode, the link for
the artist’s website etc were added to confirm the professional and believable side of this
digipack back cover. The website link in the bottom right corner ‘www.MelodyBaymusic.com’
suggests and shows to her audiences that she is constantly promoted and connected with her
fans. The track list also show audiences the themes and ideas that will be sung in her songs.
Songs such as ‘Rebellious’ and ‘broken’. Representing the artist as a carefree damaged sensitive
girl
The image used for this digipack back cover and her song list not only prompts ideas
about the artist, but also her tendencies and personality and encourages her target
audience to recognise aspects of her star image and personality in themselves and
encourages their curiosity.

4. I chose to use this image included on one of the sections of the digipack
because it will be viewed and perceived to audiences as a very unclear and
questionable intense image, that also has aspects of grunge and gothic. I
Displayed the artist as a girl who is lost and content in her own company. I
decided to position the artist sitting down and facing away from the camera,
to present to her target audience that she is determined to hide and avoid
exposure and reveal her true vulnerable feelings, whether she is upset or
happy in this image is a mystery. Additionally, I used the black and white
tint to steer to her target audiences that her image and songs possess deeper
emotion, and also to adopt a characteristic and common feature in tumblr
images which the app is known for, attracting audiences who enjoy images
similar to tumblr themed images and what subjects they normally include.
Also known as the ‘darker side’ of tumblr

5. I chose to use this image in the digipack because it will present to her target
audience that she is troubled and drained, shown by the expression in the artist’s
face and the fact that she is sitting on the floor on the leaves suggesting she is a
casual and that this may be an official routine. The target audience will believe
this is where she may escape to be somewhere quiet and reflect, either alone or
with friends. Choosing to add cigarettes to this image also tells her target audience
that she smokes, and matches the convention of a rebellious and troubled teenager
choosing smoking as a habit. The fact she smokes was included to suggest she
could do it socially or to relieve stress or simply because it is addicting. Telling
audiences she may have an addictive and reckless personality. Furthermore,
selecting key lyrics from the artist’s song ‘youth’ and adding them to the image,
further contributes to the idea that this artist is a thrill seeking destructive and
broken teenager who has experiences trauma/hurt. And contributes to the target
audiences knowledge of the artist’s songs and what will be included in them,
effectively increasing their interest and chance to relate and connect with the artist
and lyrics

6. I selected this image to show the artist as a reflective and highly aware
person, who finds comfort and happiness in isolated and calm places
like the woods, reflecting her as a person who enjoys walks and
distractions to possibly avoid a disturbed experience/mind.
Displaying her as walking away also presents her as running away/
avoiding her reality or her past. The social media thumbnails at the
bottom of the image was added to also promote the artist, and inform
her target audience of where the artist’s information and updates are
available, clearly increasing the digipacks believability and potential
to mirror and resemble a real image from an album

7. After researching the conventions of the media product ‘a digipack’ I attempted and
succeeded to include the same things and feature these common conventions in my Digipack.
The digipack I designed and created uses a variation and selection of differently shot images,
which were chosen for a specific reason or to imply to the target audience a new idea or
aspect of her personality/behaviour. A convention of a digipack is that the images inside of
the digipack contain more pictures of the artist, which I have done in every image of the
digipack, in order to provide audiences with a clear statement of her style attitude and
lifestyle. Another convention of a digipack is that inside it, it contains more information about
the artist, song lyrics and personal messages. Inside my digipack I have developed this
convention by adding song lyrics to the images, also providing possibility to access further
information through showing audiences that the artist has profiles and more information that
can be found on social media websites/apps such as ‘Instagram’ and ‘Twitter’ . Using this
tells audiences that she is young and approachable, also easily connected with her fans, while
also allowing for Melody’s fan base and awareness to spread globally, and to possibly be
liked or popular to audiences that may not even be part of her desired and targeted niche
audience. More conventions of a real digipack would be that the back cover would have a
barcode, track list and image of a record label. My digipack contains all of these things and
develops this convention by the track list being new and original and the barcode being
positioned on a section of the back cover that is usually conventionally placed by real
digipacks.

8. I showed a focus group of people that were within our target audience
description and age category who liked or are involved with things
included and featured in the digipack the final product. The digipack
received a variation of comments which were positive and also negative.
The positive feedback received from this focus group was that the images
were edited very well, and they liked how I added extra information like
website links and track lists and song lyrics, because it allows for the
audiences to be more informed and interested in the artist’s image and vibe.
They also liked the mise en scene of the digipacks images, showing that she
has a particular grunge and dark style (this illusion was contributed to by
making the images darker and having stronger saturation and sharpness),
while also enjoying particular habits and visiting certain places, and
showing her in this way in a private situation makes the audience feel more
personal with the artist and part of her life. The focus group also loved how
the artist’s general persona and image in the digipack seems to be very
entertaining and ‘badass’ and also ‘complex and deep’ and that they felt like
they could relate to her if they were to listen to her music or watch her
music video. They felt like they could idolise her or by inspired by her either
because of her reckless and fun behaviour or her look, if she was a real
artist.

9. Negative feedback from the focus group revealed that they
thought that the digipacks images could of been more
original. As the shots taken of the artist can be viewed as
‘stereotypical’ or ‘conventional’ as the mise en scene and
nature of the images, match or are very similar to ‘what is
normally featured on something like tumblr’ or a ‘disturbed
and romanticised depressed girl’. They also said that it would
of been better if the images were taken in different locations,
or there was ‘the same artist shown exploring different places
she would go’. They said this because they believed having all
of the digipacks images featured in the same location meant it
could be seen as a bit boring, and similar and that by showing
the artist in different places it meant there would be more
variety, and it would be more exciting to look at, and that it
would also give the audience more of an insight into her
world and where she finds herself going a lot.

10. I learnt through the helpful feedback of the focus group that I achieved the
artist being perceived how I wanted her to, while also producing a believable
and intriguing digipack. I learnt that the focus group and my target audience
would positively react to her character, and relate to her problems and why
she behaves in a certain way. I also learnt that ,considering the negative
feedback the digipack, would of been better if it used more locations and not
only sticking to one and that the images shouldn’t conform to being so
stereotypical and mirroring existing themes on sites like tumblr. Generally
from making this digipack I realized that a lot more planning and organisation
is needed. Even before editing the images and choosing which ones you want
to use you have to think about and select the type of shot and camera angle
you would use when taking the pictures, it was a struggle to achieve
satisfactory camera shots without much prior planning. I also learnt that you
have to not only focus on the detail of the image and how it will be edited from
ideas you have in your head, but you have to remember that the audience’s
consumption and understanding of the images is most important and that they
may see it differently to you, and in order for you to get your idea and message
across you need to make it clear.

11. The process of making the digipack involved firstly researching conventions of a
digipack which is on my blog. Also by getting some ideas of the style the artist
will have using inspiration from sites like tumblr and instagram and existing
characters/artists, and also the types of camera angles I would use when taking
the images. Once I had these ideas and a plan for what the artist would wear,
where the pictures would be taken and the camera shots I completed taking the
images and selecting the 6 I wanted to use. Once doing this I began the planning
for the editing stage, considering how I would change/touch up the images and
what filters I would add also what extra details I would add such as lyrics,
barcodes, comments from the artist etc. Once I had ideas about how I would edit
these images I adjusted the colouring and exposure and sharpness of the images,
I also even changed three of them to black and white images, to highlight and
signify her deeper emotion and emptiness by draining the colour and life of the
image. Once I finished adjusting the images themselves I began to add details
which included the track list, the barcode, the record company, the social media
sites and the song lyrics. I added these to contribute to the large perception of
professionalism of the digipack and add more information and depth to the
images.