The combination of the media main product (a music video) with ancillary texts (a digipak and poster) is effective at creating a coherent style. The digipak incorporates motifs and imagery from the music video, such as smoke, to develop a cohesive visual theme. Photographs used in the digipak and poster are screenshots from the music video to strengthen connections between products. Layout, color schemes, and compositions are similarly minimalistic to reflect the electronic music genre. Overall, linking photography, subject matter, and design elements across the music video, digipak and poster creates a range of complementary products that successfully advertise the artist and album in a unified way.

1. Question 2
How effective is the combination of your media main product with
ancillary texts?

2. Digipak:
• With the digipak for Vanilla’s album I needed to adapt the style of my music video into
the album artwork. For my first panel I used a screenshot of me holding the smoke
grenade in a barn. The smoke was used as a recurring motif in my music video with the
dragon and factory as well. So, by incorporating it into my digipak I am developing this
motif and forming a much stronger and coherent style.
• The first panel shows me composed in the centre of the frame with the smoke
venturing all the way to the left and right side of the image. With the orange smoke
and light coloured bricks in the background it gives the front cover a very warm feel
which is carried onto the warmness of panel 4. The Guy Fawkes mask and black
costume that was also warn for this shot can be associated with images from some of
the outfits featured with the Class Wars riots. This is a binary opposition apposed to
the ambient images of the sky in the Fens. To the right I have contrasted my panel 1
with Vanilla’s panel 1 for the original album. The colour scheme and font are very
similar. Obviously his ideas and my own had a large amount of overlay. The electronic
chill genre supplies the music industry with a large amount of minimalistic digipaks
which explore and celebrate art and photography.
• My music video focused a lot on cinematography which is something I wanted to bring
across in my digipak. All 4 panels needed to represent the artist and genre whilst also
having a strong sense of the quality of imagery. I think this is achieved with the first
panel dues to its strong sense of composition and continuation of the smoke motif.

3. Digipak:
• Artists like SBTRKT now use photography as their album artwork
as apposed to computer generate images/symbols. The image to
the right shows the front cover from their ‘Hold On’ EP. The
photo is a portrait of a man wearing a mask who has moved his
head whilst taking the picture, therefore creating a sense of
motion. The smoke from my first panel in a sense also creates the
idea that there is movement in the image.
• This artwork emphasises both the artist and the person who
produced it because it is a piece of art by itself. Arguably my first
panel could be seen in the same way because of its aesthetic feel
and controlled composition. This artwork for SBTRKT continues
to reinforce the idea that music of this genre uses mostly
minimalistic imagery to create
• an idea of what their music sounds like. The music is very simple,
repetitive, and hip-hop influenced. The artwork of this genre
tends to use a central composition as a convention that
continues the idea of a minimalistic piece of work. This style of
artwork usually appeals to the audience of the electronic chill
genre.

4. Digipak:
• For my second and third panel I used another screenshot, which is the first image
you see when you watch the music video. I wanted these two panels two flow very
well together and the best way to achieve this was to use a panoramic photo. These
two photos combined together portrays the beauty of the Fens that I put across in
my music video. This again helps me to create a more coherent style that is
projected in my music video and print productions. The two panels shows the main
actress from my music video composed on both the left and right hand side. Even
though she is seen to be the main focal points of the panels she is surrounded by the
emptiness of the countryside that creates a sense of isolation. The idea of isolation is
another motif I created in my music video. This was created through the idea that
the girl was always seen alone. So, with these two panels I managed to continue the
coherent style and isolation from my music video.

5. Digipak:
• Panel 4 of my digipak shows a sunset over a river with the track
list of the album composed on the left in the centre. This exact
shot isn’t used in the music video, but the location is. Just to
the left of this shot is the factory that is seen to be polluting the
air towards the end of my music video. By using the same
location I have continued the coherency of all of my work.
• This panel is very similar to Brand New's Deja-Entendu back
cover which is to the right. This artwork shows a dark orange
sky with a pool of water composed below. The Deja-Entendu
cover is much stronger in terms of tone, contrast and colour,
yet the subject matter is still the same which is what creates
the relationship between the two.
• The colour pallets of panel 1 and 4 are very similar. They both
have a very strong sense of warmth due to the orange tones
that are used. The connection between the two panels ensures
the digipak works together as a whole and advances the
coherency of the overall product.

6. Poster:
• The poster that I have chosen to produce uses the
same image as panel 2 and 3. This creates an even
stronger coherence across the package. The photo is
used in a very different way in this poster because of
the extended scope of the sky. However, its not
enough to break the link between all three
productions. The typography also helps to
complement the quality of the photography with its
composition in the frame. There is an equal balance
between the albums release date and the name of
the artist. The composition of the whole piece curves
outwards from the top of the image downwards to a
peak at the bottom. This helps for the viewers eyes to
easily make its way through each stage of the poster
and view each section of it.

7. Poster:
• Some artists release posters in magazines in order to
advertise the release of their album. Due to the small
audience for this genre of music the producers don’t
have enough funding to publish adverts in magazines.
They usually advertise their music through social media
and small one off gigs. The closest comparison for my
poster would be to a movie poster. Some movie poster
(like the one to the right) use photograph to advertise
the film. My poster and this one have similarities with
the wide open sky and dominant blue colouring. The
photos that are used may sometimes actual screenshots
from the film. This help to create a coherent style
through the production. This is an element that I have
used. My poster used a screenshot from my music video
to advertise the album and create a stronger coherence
between each production.

8. Overall:
• I think that through my music video, digipak and poster I have created
a range of products which all compliment one another in a way that
forms a coherent relationship. All three productions have links with
their photography, subject matter and composition that tie them all
together to create an effect package. There is clear advertisement of
the artist and the titles of the song and album in each production.
This ensures I have given the artist and good amount of recognition in
each production which also ensures the relationship between them is
as strong as possible.