Panel 1

This is how our first panel, or album cover, will look for our digi pack. The album cover was designed in our own time and was saved to computers we could not get access to after it was finished, however we had a printed version of the album cover that was made. We had to scan the printed version and copy it to our own computers and work on it from there. When the copy was scanned, some of the colours changed and it wasn't looking the same as we wanted, so, using photoshop, we opened up the photo we had before, and layered the scanned copy on top, and had to edit it so it looked the same as the original we had made.

Final Panel 3

After looking at our first copy of the panel 3 and realising it didn't look great, and the writing was un-readable, we looked at other photos we had taken that we could use.
This version of panel 3 is better, we used a different photo, but still the same idea, we used  a photo that had the burning paper to the side rather than in the middle, leaving a dark background to the left side of the paper, in which space we could write the lyrics, in white, as we first desired.

First Idea for Panel 3 (ancillary task)

We have completed our first panel, our second panel are photos that we are going to take whilst filming next week. Our fourth panel is the back cover, with a long distance photo of the burnt piece of paper on the floor. Our third panel is a photo of a burning piece of paper, with the lyrics to 'Free' written on it. We edited it all together on photoshop, and used the font 'Perpetua Titling MT'. We tried many colours that would make the writing stand out from the picture, and finally agreed on white.

Once we had completed this version, we noticed you couldn't read the writing very well, and realised the photo wasn't the best one to use, so we looked for a better one.

Ancillary Task 2

For our second ancillary task, we have found a poster they have used to promote a gig. We are planning on re-creating this photo, by getting a group of boys sat around a table laughing at eachother. This is the poster we will use as inspiration.

Updates...

We have continued to film, but we still have more footage to film. We attempted the part with the coloured flour, but as it was too windy, we couldn't get the desired shots.




We have found in a video by Ke$ha, 'Take It Off', exactly what we want to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edP0L6LQzZE&ob=av2n (1 minute 56 seconds)

Smoke Bombs

As we wanted to add in a smoke bomb into our work, we looked on youtube and found some videos of those that we like and how-to videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bx_SHWBTnw&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM1kxYNxNtU

Also, if the smoke bomb didn't work, or didn't look as good as we wanted to, we have found an alternative - coloured powder.
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Colored-Smoke-Bomb
http://www.ehow.com/how_8298922_make-colored-flour-festival-colors.html

Health and Safety regulations for the "smoke bomb"

In our video, we are planning to use a smoke bomb. However we came across a problem that it might be illegel as it may be classed as an explosive, dangerous material. We researched the laws and regulations about explosives (http://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/forms/exguide.pdf) and researched into actual explosives and what makes them explosives. We found that

"A primary explosive is an explosive that is extremely sensitive to stimuli such as impact, friction, heat, static electricity, or electromagnetic radiation. A relatively small amount of energy is required for initiation. As a very general rule, primary explosives are considered to be those compounds that are more sensitive than PETN. As a practical measure, primary explosives are sufficiently sensitive that they can be reliably initiated with a blow from a hammer; however, PETN can usually be initiated in this manner, so this is only a very broad guideline. Additionally, several compounds, such as nitrogen triiodide, are so sensitive that they cannot even be handled without detonating.
Primary explosives are often used in detonators or to trigger larger charges of less sensitive secondary explosives. Primary explosives are commonly used in blasting caps and percussion caps to translate a physical shock signal. In other situations, different signals such as electrical/physical shock, or in the case of laser detonation systems, light, are used to initiate an action, i.e., an explosion. A small quantity, usually milligrams, is sufficient to initiate a larger charge of explosive that is usually safer to handle.
Examples of primary high explosives are:

• Acetone peroxide
• Ammonium permanganate
• Azo-clathrates
• Copper acetylide
• Diazodinitrophenol
• Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine
• Lead azide
• Lead styphnate
• Lead picrate
• Mercury(II) fulminate
• Nitrogen trichloride
• Nitrogen triiodide
• Nitroglycerin
• Silver azide
• Silver acetylide
• Silver fulminate
• Sodium azide
• Tetrazine
• Tetraamine copper complexes
• Tetrazoles

A secondary explosive is less sensitive than a primary explosive and require substantially more energy to be initiated. Because they are less sensitive they are usable in a wider variety of applications and are safer to handle and store. Secondary explosives are used in larger quantities in an explosive train and are usually initiated by a smaller quantity of a primary explosive.
Examples of secondary explosives include TNT and RDX.

Tertiary explosives, also called blasting agents, are so insensitive to shock that they cannot be reliably detonated by practical quantities of primary explosive, and instead require an intermediate explosive booster of secondary explosive. These are primarily used in large-scale mining and construction operations, and in terrorism.
ANFO is an example of a tertiary explosive.

Low explosives are compounds where the rate of decomposition proceeds through the material at less than the speed of sound. The decomposition is propagated by a flame front (deflagration) which travels much more slowly through the explosive material than a shock wave of a high explosive. Under normal conditions, low explosives undergo deflagration at rates that vary from a few centimeters per second to approximately 400 metres per second. It is possible for them to deflagrate very quickly, producing an effect similar to a detonation. This can happen under higher pressure or temperature, which usually occurs when ignited in a confined space.
A low explosive is usually a mixture of a combustible substance and an oxidant that decomposes rapidly (deflagration); however, they burn more slowly than a high explosive which has an extremely fast burn rate.
Low explosives are normally employed as propellants. Included in this group are gun powders and light pyrotechnics, such as flares and fireworks. "


After reading through this, we realised that smoke bombs don't count as explosives.  However we do have an alternative way if we have any problems with the materials we wish to use.


-Information taken from wikipedia.

Filming

We have started filming. We have filmed the part where the piece of paper is on fire that says free, it took some time to film as it wouldn't look right, or there were problems with the weather, etc... The first problem we had was the weather. There were several issues with this; at some points it was too windy and the fire would blow into plants and fly away. And the other was lighting. The difficulty we had with lighting was it was either too dark and you wouldn't be able to read what the piece of paper said properly, or it was too light and it just looked odd.
We have also started filming properly with people. We have filmed most of what we can with people, but as we want to use a smoke bomb or coloured powder, we had to research into the smoke bomb as it could be considered illegal. We have now reserached into it, so we can carry on filming.

Planning for our main task

We started writing a rough idea for our main task, to get an idea of how we want it to go, how many people we need in the video, locations, settings, etc.


The video starts off at a slow pace, to fit the pace of the music, which then speeds up after the third line. It is going to begin with a boy walking, across a field possibly.
As the third line begins, it jumps to a piece of paper on fire, and flashes images of it.
At the last line of the first verse "It plastered on a face for me."- the boy in the video will stop, look into the camera and sing the line.
As the beat speeds up, and the line "Whoa, where's your passion, where's your fire tonight?" starts, the boy starts running fast.
At the second line "Whoa, I can't believe there's nothing you're willing to hide" A girl starts running.
"Whoa, I want to believe" This line will have flashes of the two running.
"I set my body on fire so I could be free" Both stop and scream free, they throw their arms in the air and look up to the sky.
"So I could be free" x3 Clips of them running. Some in slow mo, some in black and white, all in different effects.
"Don't be told it can't be done" Flashes of fire again.
"Because the best all die young" The girl stops running.
"Yeah we all feel the same" She mimes the line, then at the end begins to run again.
"And if theres nothing left to say" The boy is running.
"Just have the guts to disagree" The boy stops running.
"Or plaster on a face for me" The boy mimes the words. You see them both running at the end of the line.
"Whoa, wheres your passion, wheres your fire tonight" They run into eachother on the 'whoa'. Then when they collide, a explosion of coloured powder rises up from where the couple are stood.
"Woah, I can't believe there's nothing you're willing to hide" They come running out of the smoke cloud, holding hands smiling/laughing.
"Woah, I want to believe, I set my body on fire so I could be free" Skip between clips of them running and clips of them lying on the floor next to eachother.
"So I could be free, yeah. So I could be free, so I could be free, yeah. Free, free. Free, so I could be free, yeah. So I could be free, so I could be free, yeah" Repeats of clips, most likely adding more in once filmed and put together.

Ancillary task 1&2 info

Here is the photo we are going to use for our cd front cover and our poster.

We've allready the front cover of the 4 insert digi pack.

For the back cover of the digi pack, we are possibly going to use a photo of the peice of paper, after it has been burned, left on the floor. The photo has been taken from further away, as if somebody has set themself free and walked away.

Ancillary task 1

CD Album Cover.

For our first ancillary task, we had to create a Cd Digi pack. We had to do four panels which included the front cover, back cover, and the two parts in the middle. For our front cover, we decided to have a piece of paper that said 'FREE' and that was on fire. For Danielle to create this, she set many pieces of paper on fire, and took photos from different angles. She then used one main picture of the paper on fire, and took other parts of fire from other photos  and added them to the original photo to create the illusion of more fire. To do this, she used photoshop technique. For the back cover, she took a photo of all the burnt paper, but was taken from far away. By taking this photo from far away to make it seem like someone was walking away. With them walking away, it reflects what the piece of paper saying 'FREE'.

Analysing videos

'Down Down Down by Charlie Simpson'

• It is narrative/performance based.
• There is a storyline about two characters in a house, but you also see the singer, Charlie, walking through the woods and singing and playing guitar, between clips of the characters.
• The editing and cutting of the video is quite slow, as is the song. However towards the end of the song, the pace picks up, and suddenly so does the pace in the video, as the male character suddenly panics at what has happened, and stars packing stuff in a bag, while the girl is running through the woods.

Analysing Videos

'Free by Twin Atlantic'

• The video is performance based, beginning with one of the band members playing the piano, and then showing the other band members, singing, and playing other instruments.
• the video is quite a fast pace, fitting with the music beat. The Video and lyrics don't have a major link, however, at the beggining you see a crowd of people stuck behind a gate trying to get into where the band are  playing, and later on in the video they are released through this gate, and are running freely, around the area, so this is the link between the lyrics, being free.
• However, the lyrics "I set my body on fire so I could be free" obviously are not shown in the video.
• The performance based video shows close ups of the lead singer, the guitarist and his guitar, the drummer, and the crowd around them.
• The camera work is shakey, dramatically shakey, as if you are there yourself, watching the band jumping around, performing, really putting everything into this one performance.

Mini Mock Up of Poster

This is a mini mock up/plan of the layout. The background image is of a piece of buring paper with 'Free' written on it. The bands name is either the top, or in the middle. And there will be various quotes and ratings going on within the poster. At the bottom of the poster, there will be information about the CD, who produced it, wrote the songs, etc... The release date will be written in the top right hand corner. At the moment, it seems very precise as to where everything is placed, however when i comes to actually making the poster, it probably will slightly differ in the way it looks.

Planning for first Ancillary Task

After looking into othe bands from the same genre and origin, this has helped us. We have decided we don't want to use a picture of the band, this is also because on Twin Atlantic's poster, they use random objects.

As part of our idea for our music video, we want a piece of paper saying 'I set my body on fire so I can be free' we are going to include this in our poster. Instead of the paper saying that, we are going to change it to the song title, with the bands name.

The font they have used on poster seems quite square, like a font used on an old computer. As they have used this font, we will probably use on similar. The font we have looked into using in shown on http://www.dafont.com/aldo-the-apache.font?text=Twin+Atlantic
Although this font is quite similar to the one used on their own poster, its a lot more rounder, and looks more modern.

We have also discussed adding quotes and reviews from different music magazines, bands and the audience. We will probably also include star ratings out of five. You could usually find these on posters too.

Research for first Ancillary Task

As part of our ancillary task, we are going to do a poster. As Twin Atlantic is an Alternative Rock band from Scotland, we have researched into posters released in the same genre and place. Here are some pictures:

Biffy Clyro

Yashin

We Were Promised Jet Packs

As you can tell, only one band have used their picture on the poster. Were as the other two bands use objects or other people. By researching into other bands from the same genre and the same origin (Scotland) it has helped us come clear with what we want on our poster.

Rough Idea for Music Video

We have chosen 'Free by Twin Atlantic' for our music video. As we wanted to do a narrative based video, we feel that this was the bst choice without copying what has previously been done.
When we chose this song, many ideas came into our minds about how and what we was going to film. Here is our rough idea:

• Slow motion, not fast paced.
• People running and hiding.
• Make sure the setting is fairly dark, and use shadows.
• Close Proximity (as the song is about being free, making someone fight the closeness).
• Someone running, then stopping and mouthin 'I can be free'.
• A piece of paper saying 'I set my body on fire so I can be free' then setting the paper on fire, as a gesture of becoming free.

This is only a rough idea.

Research into Twin Atlantic "Free"- album cover.

We did some research into the new album cover, to see whether the band used a photo of themselves, or used an alternative cover design.
Here is what we found;

This is a photo of the front and back of the album, aswell as the CD itself.

This is the album cover we found, which we really like, we think its quite interesting with all the different objects, it makes us wonder why those objects were chosen, is there any relevance to any of the songs? Or to Freedom? Or do they mean anything to the band?

Analysing Videos

'The A Team by Ed Sheeran'.

• It is narrative based.
• The meaning behind the video is about a girl addicted to coccaine. The meaning behind the lyrics are shown to be about coccaine too, so there is a link. 'She's in the class a team' this lyric shows that she is taking class a drugs (coccaine). 
• The editing and cutting of the video is very slow, which reinforces the slow pace of the video. This could also reflect how she is feeling?
• Each scene changes on the new beat.
• The lyrics greatly link with the music video, as they describe the activites she is doing throughout the day. 'Go mad for a couple grams' which refers to her drug addiction of class a drugs. This lyric is backed up by the girl buying and then taking drugs. 
• This video looks as if it has been set in a busy city of some sort. The places that are seen in the video, are every day, common places, which makes the video seem more realistic.
• As the video is filmed in black and white, this makes it seem quite simple, only costing £20, but this could also reflect the simplicity of the characters life.

Possible Song Choices

We have narrowed our choice down to three songs. We have chosen to do a narrative based video as we believe it will appeal to the audience more. 

Our first song we hve chosen is 'The A Team - Ed Sheeran'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAWcs5H-qgQ 

Our second song is 'Free - Twin Atlantic'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkY-sEkWc-I

Our third song is 'Down Down Down - Charlie Simpson'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_g3pT8nac8

We originally had about 10 songs from different genres. We couldn't decide which ones we liked the most, so we eliminated the genres we thought wouldn't work as well as others. These were songs by Chase and Status, You Me At Six, Artic Monkeys, Jessie J and more. The genre we decided to sway towards was indie/alternative. Because we wanted our video to be narrative based, we thought this genre was more accessible in us doing so. We then narrowed it down to the three songs above. We think these will be very good to film and edit, and we think the audience will enjoy them as much as we will!

Introduction to A2 Media Advanced Portfolio

Candidate Name: Becky Groves                     Candidate Name: Danielle Comb

Candidate Number: 8271                              Candidate Number: 8160

Centre Number: 15205                                 Centre Number: 15205

 

This year, for my A2 Advanced Portfolio in Media Studies I will be looking and researching into the codes and conventions that help produce a Music Video. After I have researched this, I will start to plan my own Music Video with Danielle Comb. As well as creating a Music Video, we have to produce two ancillary tasks; a advertisement promoting the Music Video, and either a CD digi-pack or a DVD digi-pack. With the help of researching into old and new Music Videos and theorists, hopefully this would help in the creation of a good Music Video.