How effectively is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

How effectively is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

COMBINATION OF ANCILLARY TEXTS:

Poster Design, DigiPak and Pull-outs

^When looking at the combination of my Advert and DigiPak (Ancillary texts) it can be seen where they clearly synergise effectively and have a clear link to my Music Video, something that will mean that my potential audience(s) will be able to link them together. This therefore means that the promotional campaign is effective in that there is a clear link 'across it' but also means that the overall effect on the audience is as I intended it (someone in my audience feedback stating they are 'clearly linked'). The clear link across the two texts is the use of powder paint, vibrant colour schemes and the font I have used throughout-giving a very alternative and 'now' feel to both products while still allowing the two to clearly synergise. A direct link of the Advert to my DigiPak is the image 'behind' the CD, being a similar image of the same backing performer being hit by powder paint. Furthermore the bright colours in both the CD artwork and back cover link closely-not only in colour but also feature the use of powder paint, something that effectively links all of my products together. The 'feel-good', expressive vibe across the two products as well as the abstract, 'dance' feel also means they can be clearly linked, when putting the two together the common themes throughout (as well as looking at the video) is something, I believe can effectively mean the two are linked effectively. The same use of font and the pairing of 'Luna Judge' and 'Afterglow' (artist and album name) throughout also means a similar design/layout feature throughout the products-something else that means they visually synergise effectively.

^Additionally adding two ‘pull-outs’ to go with my DigiPak (Ancillary texts) I looked at how they both synergised together as well as with the DigiPak and Magazine Advert. The images within the pull-outs clearly link to the Advert in that the main image is very similar to the pull-out themed on the throwing of powder paint, also using the same backing performer. I have synergised these clearly as when looking back at my research and planning (specifically at the Rihanna-Loud) the digipak/pulls outs clearly linked together with very similar images-both being very strongly linked to my music video. These pull-outs also clearly link to my DigiPak in that they have very similar images (some being the same but without the same post-production effects created on Pixlr Express) as well as similar themes of powder paint, individuality/alternativeness with a central focus on my main artist.

 When looking at all three of these Ancillary Text products, they are all clearly linked in terms of the themes used, colour schemes and main focus of Luna Judge, introducing my new artist is 'now' and someone that my age group would like to aspire to, the use of vibrant colours allowing all the products to stand out as well as clearly link.  Furthermore, all three of the texts above include the similar image of my backing performer Ellie being hit by powder paint-these images being taken on set (similar shots within the video) meaning a clear visual link/synergy between the texts. 

COMBINATION OF ANCILLARY TEXTS & MUSIC VIDEO

Links and differences between Ancillary Texts (& Magazine Advert) and Music Video

DigiPak (Ancillary Texts) // Pull-Outs

^When looking at my front cover and the screen-shots I have taken from my  video I have shown how the two link/synergise clearly. The front cover having somewhat a theme of 'looking' is reflected in the video where I have used several close-ups (similarly framed to the image in the front cover) to reflect this. When taking the images for the front cover I took them on set in the production stage of my filming, meaning they were similar due to the use of set/costume etc. I think the idea of 'looking' as a theme also links with the back-cover, a focus on eyes reinforcing this theme (allowing these pages to synergise effectively both together and with the video).

^When look at my back cover and the screen-shots I have taken from my video it can be  seen how the two synergise. In the production stage the idea of having extreme big close-ups of eyes was something I decided upon when first starting to use powder paint. Being one of my favorite shots I wanted to emphasis upon it in my DigiPak, on a significant page like the back cover (showing the content etc.) The use of this image allows the Ancillary Text to closely link to the video due to the use of the same/similar shot (framing) and the vibrant use of clour-with a clear focus on my Artist's eyes throughout both.

(NOTE: the bottom left image is the same image/taken in production but edited very differently in post-production through the use of Pixlr Express and Adobe Photoshop).

My inside cover is one of my particular favourite aspects of my DigiPak//Ancillary Texts, both because it is focused around my main artist Luna Judge but also because of the double exposure effect and enhancements I have used in the post-production stage. Taking the images I used on set means that they are very similar to shots within the video-as can be seen where looking at the two screen-grabs from my video below my Inside Cover Design. This inside cover also links to my video when looking back at my front cover and how the theme of 'looking' is evident throughout my video (stylised shots of my artist 'looking' in different directions in single shots)-bringing shots such as these together in order to create the image I have used in my DigiPak and Front Cover.

^Editing my CD artwork (main image) from an image I took on set of Powder Paint on a ladder used (when using powder paint//on set) meant an instant link to the video-being taken on set with a very similar 'colour scheme' to my video. The screen grabs below show parts of the video where the use of colour/powder paint is the predominant focus of the shot, reflecting how the vibrant almost 'psychedelic' post-production edit created in Adobe Photoshop for my CD artwork link clearly to my Video. I particularly like how the 'volume' of colour on the CD reflects the similarities to the powder paint fight scenes -where powder paint is one of the main focuses of the shot, especially when being interacted/used between my main artist/backing performers. 

^The image placed behind my CD in my DigiPak links clearly to my video where the image used is a screen-grab from my Music Video, something that I believe allows it to link effectively to the DigiPak as well as Advert. I particularly like this use of synergy, the idea of a purchaser of the album/digipak removing the CD to listen to the content and seeing this image means they will straight away get a 'feel' of the content/track-with specific reference to the Afterglow video. This is something I was really inspired by from my research and planning, liking how certain DigiPaks linked very closely to the main/most popular music video from a track from the CD becoming a very successful and effective use of synergy.

Magazine Promo Advert

My Magazine Advert effectively synergies with my video in that that the shot used is an image I screen-grabbed from my music video itself. The use of enhancements on the image in the post-production stage also meant that I was able to bring the theme of vibrant colours and powder paint to become a main focus. Using the 'clone' tool in Adobe Photoshop to increase the 'volume' of powder paint in the image (copy/pasting powder paint to 'fill' more of the image) meaning it becomes a main focus-especially  when manipulating the main colour of it to allow it to stand out from the main image/backing performer behind. I particularly like how the use of the 'grain' effect on the image allows a vintage/experimental feel to come about to the main image and therefore poster design as a whole. The alternative/dance vibe to my video being synergised through my advert this way. This image also synergises to my DigiPak effectively-using the same image used for the 'backing image' for my CD.

When looking at these screen-grabs taken from my video it is clear where the main image of my advert links effectively to the video/its content. Using singular shots of my backing performers as well as main artist with the use of 'throwing' powder paint as a theme throughout is reflected effectively in my Advert-also the powder paint fight scenes/shots used throughout are reflected in the advert where it looks as if powder paint has been thrown at the individual within the image-therefore giving a 'war' like feel/vibe to the advert.

NOTE: The use of my cast, key props (powder paint), the set used and costume throughout all of my products are a key way they can all be synergised, linked together-allowing a more professional finish both individual as products but also when bringing them together.

ANCILLARY TEXTS AND MUSIC VIDEO-AUDIENCE FEEDBACK

Appealing to the target audience, reflecting upon Audience Feedback (the effect they have on the audience)

How does this DigiPak design link to my Music Video

•  ‘The powder paint theme comes to mind but in the DigiPak I don’t get the feel good vibe…it is more series despite the colours.’
• ‘The theme of powder paint and expressing yourself is a clear link throughout the DigiPak.’

How does this Advert design link to my Music Video?

• ‘The use of throwing powder paint (the theme is obvious and stands out well)'
• ‘The image looks very similar to the Music Video-meaning it links  very well-having the same feel-good vibe.’

How does this Poster design link to my DigiPak design? 

•  ‘The use of powder paint is a clear theme throughout-I love this aspect about the promotional campaign!’
• ‘The vibrancy of colour is maintained as well as the focus on powder paint. Similar colours are used on both the poster and the DigiPak, as well as the information-this is very effective’
• ‘The colour scheme is the same with similar fonts and the model present/image present on the advert is the same as the image behind the CD in the DigiPak-I particularly like this.’

How does the Music Video synergise/link to my Ancillary Texts?

•  ‘The powder paint is a stand out theme-I would easily associate one with the other!’
• ‘They all fit in perfectly! I love the indie vibe to them all, very creative!’
• ‘The artist is represented as stylish and modern and ‘now’ in all of your Ancillary Texts’

^Reflecting upon these specific questions on synergy in my audience feedback I was able to see the effect of my final products synergising together and how my specific target audience reacted to this/what they liked etc. From this I found that the use of powder paint and the use of vibrant colours throughout was one of the key ways in which my target audience found the different products linked together and found this very effective and eye-catching.

LOOKING BACK AT MY PLANNING & RESEARCH

How this helped and inspired me when developing/producing my own products (DigiPak, Advert, Music Video)

<This video/advert I found in the research and planning stage reflects the ways and style in which I was inspired to create my music video. The ‘war’/’fight’ feel to it with the ‘fun’ (dancing) undertones to the video is something that I wanted to achieve/reflect in my video. I believed this would add another aspect of interest (visually) and involve backing performers more effectively and reflect my artist more clearly as ‘now’ etc. This video also shows the use of colour I was inspired to use within my video when using powder paint. I believed that by having a plain white background (setting) to begin the video will show the audience the gradual build-up of colour throughout (going on the surroundings of the individuals within the video as well as on them). This is why I was inspired to use similar costume and set for my own video-allowing the use of powder paint to look a lot more effective/stand as a main aspect within the video. The use of slow motion, fast forward and other post-production effects added another expressionistic (stylised) feel to the video where the use of powder paint can be made a lot more visually interesting when applying these technical aspects to the video in post-production which again, inspired me to use similar post-production effects in my video.

This previous (found in my planning and research stage) example idea is an 'Essentials for Education' video for 'enough food for everyone-IF campaign'. This is was a very good example of the initial ideas I had in my head for my music video at the beginning of my research. With focuses on specific people (couples etc.) as well as the group with the initial 'powder paint fight' was the central idea for my music video (in accordance to Wilkinson-Afterglow), similarly/inspired by this video. I particularly liked the opening of this video as it focuses (goes through) the main characters of the video after the powder paint 'fight' has happened; the initial (central) part of the video being the actual fight meaning that it almost looks as if its looking 'back' onto the fight (with two tenses and therefore two main aspects to the video). This opening as well as the opening to Wilkinson Afterglow were my main inspirations for the introduction to the use of Powder Paint as well as the ‘introduction’ of my main artist and the backing performers within the video.

^When looking at my finished media product (Music Video) it can be seen where my inspiration from the videos/adverts I found in the research and planning stages has been used in my own video. I was able to make sure this was possible/similar in the pre-production stage, planning the setting, costume and 'vibe' (war/fight feel) to the video as well as the specific shots I would us in my shot-breakdown etc. The use of slow-motion, single shots when using powder paint of my backing performers (in more developmental shots/with the use of the paint) and the 'war'/powder paint fight scenes were my main inspiration taken from these two exiting products/adverts-something I believe adds to the 'feel-good' feel throughout the video.

My main inspiration taken from the Mumford And Sons-Sigh No More Digipak design was the way in which the band have been cleverly represented as well as a focus throughout of the genre of the album. This was something I wanted to do not only in my DigiPak but also in Advert and Video. The dance music genre being very 'now' with the age group my products are aimed at (15-19 years of age) meant that when having my target audience appeal/like my products it was key I made sure the genre was clearly visible/one of the main aspects of the promotional campaign/products. The Mumford And Sons DigiPak reflected the country genre effectively with the use of colour and the images used (having an overall country feel/yet morden), I tried to do the same with my digipak-using vibrant/dance colours and images that reflected the genre/style of music (vibe etc.) effectively.

<One of the most effective images/post-production edited images (part) of my DigiPak in my opinion is the Inside Cover. I beleieve this is the most effective in reflecting the genre because the use of double exposure/bringing to images taken in the production stage together (in post-production) with further image manipulations  done on Pixlr Express has allowed a very developmental/'dance' feel to the image/DigiPak. I particularly like the focus on my main Artist's eyes in this image/edit-having a more personal feel to the album with the focus on her eyes-being fairly 'up-close-and-personal', similarly to the Back Cover of the DigiPak design. This image is similar to the Disclosure 'face' symbol-something I looked upon in the research and planning stage-exisiting dance artist's such as them using double exposure/developmental images throughout advertisement campaigns.

The image to the right is an image taken from the advertisement from the LORDE performance that featured DISCLOSURE-the advert showing the ‘Disclosure Face’ very clearly. The use of this face is a very clever promotional, advertisement tool-being used all over social media etc. This is similar to the edit I have used on the inside cover-showing how I have been inspired from my research and planning in the production and post-production stages of creating my products when creating my DigiPak etc. I particuarly like this design created by the two brothers that 'create' Disclosure (the artist's themselves) having a very alternative/dance feel. 

<The inside pull-out of the Rihanna Loud Album inspired my own pull-outs in the sense that the whole digipak but in particular the pull out synergise/are themed with the music video of the most popular track in that album (in this instance-Only Girl In The World from Rihanna’s album LOUD). I particularly liked how Rihanna was the main focus of the front cover with an image of her looking away becoming very striking with a clear link to the rest of the DigiPak in both colour, style and the way she is being reflected (both feminised and sexualised). 

^From my final Pull-Out designs it is clear how I have linked this to both my DigiPak as well as the main video/track of the album (my Afterglow Video). Taking all of the images on set having very close themes (setting etc.) to the video-I particularly like how they also reflect a sense of 'progression' shown in the video (particularly the pull-out focused on one of my backing artist's being 'hit' by powder paint). In post-production I have edited the images in order to make them look more developmental/stylised-similarly to the Rihanna-Loud Pull Out. I have included two Pull Out designs in order to have one focused on the Powder Paint aspect of the video (inspired in the research and planning stages when looking at the Coldplay-Mylo Oxyloto Pull Out/DigiPak) and also one more focused on the artist and her interaction with the backing performers/Powder Paint theme.

I also was inspired by the act of Rihanna ‘Looking Away’ and how this added a sense of  femininity and almost becomes ‘mysterious’ and entices the potential buyer/listen of the album to purchase this. When creating my own front cover I made this aspect part of my own, giving a sense of the 'unknown' for my new artist but at the same time becoming alternative and 'now' looking, the use of the mirror effect enhancing this aspect of the main image/Front Cover further.

I particularly liked this Coldplay advert/DigiPak (part of the album promotional campaign). I also conducted my own audience research on the design in order to see if the use of bright  colours and extremely 'abstract' feel to the campaign would appeal to my target audience so I could translate it into my own designs/finished products. I found that 'the range of people I asked said that one of their favourite aspects of the overall designs were the use of bright colours/the creative artwork (describing them as ‘exciting’)'. When discovering that the use of colour and design/layout of the advert in particular strongly appealed to my target audience for my own products/Artist I was inspired to create a similar final design specifically for my poster.

When looking at the main image used when creating my Advert it can be seen where my main inspiration from the 'Mylo Xyloto' existing media product, having bold/abstract colours with a vibrant/eye-catching effect means a similar effect to the Coldplay advert-looking exciting and creative. This is something I also wanted to use in order to reflect my new artist-being 'now' and alternative in her music (dance genre) and clothing/personality. I found that similar individuals would be potential fans of coldplay to my artist (but with a different age range)-having a very alternative/urban feel to the campaign similarly to the Coldplay existing promotional advertisement that I evaluated earlier in my research and planning.

<My main inspiration from this Mumford And Sons advert, evaluated in the pre-production stage was the use/layout/size of the font used throughout the design. I particuarly like how the Artist's name and Album name are the main focus with an inclusion of some of the tracks within the album and the record company name/logo-something I wanted to use in my own final Advert Design. I also liked how the advert (similarly to the DigiPak) had a clear 'country' theme/music genre-something that I aimed to do in my advert when reflecting the 'dance' theme of the Video/Advert. I also like how the white text used allows it to stand out from the main background/images while still 'fitting' with the country theme-also synergising more effectively with the DigiPak-white being a predominate colour throughout echoed in this advert.

 When looking at these cropped images/parts of my Advert layout in terms of font/text used it can be seen where my inspiration from this advert has been used. Having the same layout/style as the Mumford And Sons advert in that the artist and album name are the predominate font at the top of the advert with a similar layout and content of the album at the bottom of the design (in particular the tracks included within the album).  I found that when creating my advert the use of font was the main aspect (other than the main image) to make it look more professional and effective in terms of advertising the album and promoting/reflecting my new artist Luna Judge. I found that the use of white font also had a similar effect that it had when being used on the Mumford And Sons Advert-standing out effectively from the main image/background more effectively.

I particularly liked how the artist’s name was centrally at the top of the advert meaning that the viewer is immediately drawn to the artist (being the predominant font other than the album name). Being spaced across the top of the advert also reinforces the importance of it (the artist) and links well to the album name-being the same font style/same importance. The use of white font means it stands out well from the background and visually grasps the viewers’ attention. The font is also the same font used on the DigiPak-allowing them both to synergise and also have a similar effect on the album front cover (the use of font being effective in that it stands out/becomes the central focus of the image). I also liked how the colour scheme was fairly minimal in variation yet vibrant and eye-catching-something that I wanted/aimed to enforce into my final advert design.

<From my final advert design it can be seen where my inspiration from the Rihanna-Loud promo advert has been used throughout the design/layout. The use of font being similarly spaced across the top of the advert, with the same font as the album name and synergising with the Digipak through font in the sense that the same font is used and similarly in layout. Being inspired by this synergy between the Loud Album and Advert was something I believe allowed my Ancillary Texts to link well together and become a lot more professional. I also kept my colour scheme fairly 'mono' (limited when consider the amount of colour used throughout my Video) and editing these to become more visible/eye cathing to potential fans/buyers of the album.