Drafting & Planning: Fonts

I have looked closely at the font used for Lana Del Rey's album covers and for her name in general on most advertisements, etc. I love this font as it is aligned perfectly, bold and clear to a viewer. This font fits nicely behind an image of the artist and catches your eye when amongst other album covers. I am hoping to use a similar font for my digipak/magazine advertisement as I adore it.

On dafont.com I found a similar font to the one on Del Rey's covers. This font is not as bold as the one on her covers but it is pretty much the same. I love this font so much and will be using it for my digipak/magazine advertisements. This font is extremely clear and looks professional so I will be using it. 

Research into Similar Products: Music Videos

I have watched both videos and listened carefully to both of Lana Del Rey's songs, 'Shades of Cool' and 'Video Games'. 

Shades of Cool is professionally made by Del Rey and her team. It features strong colours and shades of blues which links to the lyric in the song of, 'my baby lives in shades of blue'. The song name also links with the video as blue is a cool shade. This video features a male and Del Rey herself, the male being who she is supposedly singing about throughout the song. The video also has an almost 3D effect in some areas when Del Rey appears which is stunning and unique and would stand out to a viewer. I adore the colours in this video and adore how it is shot in so many different angles and with different effects.

The video for Video Games' video is the complete opposite to Shades of Cool. Video Games is created by Del Rey herself. Del Rey recorded herself at home with a camera lip syncing to the song and placed it in different parts of the video. The video also features different images of different places such as a Chateau in France and the city near where Del Rey lives. Del Rey recorded different things she loved and put them all together and added her music to it. This idea is so simple yet beautiful. It is nice to think that an artist did their own music video and gained so much publicity they became very famous for it. 

I aim to have similar colours and effects in my music video just like in the Shades of Cool Video but I would like the vibe of a video similar to Video Games. For me, Video Games is a lovely idea and very easy to get ideas from. Video Games also shows that you do not have to follow a story like in Shades of Cool but you can be abstract and it is still pretty and unique. 

Research into Similar Products: Album Covers

Album covers (digipaks) are key when it comes to new albums and singles being released by an artist. They must be captivating and individual so that an audience/fans will want to buy the album. If a single from the album has been released before the full album then an audience will anticipate the album when it is released. Music videos released by the artist are sometimes feature on albums when they are also released so this would make an audience want to buy the album even more.
Another key thing on an album cover is the artist. If the artist is featured on the front of the cover then it creates familiarity with an audience because they know that this is the artist and will recognize them from videos, etc.
Lana Del Rey is a good example when it comes to creating familiarity with an audience. Lana makes direct eye contact with the audience which ultimately pulls them in because they have made eye contact with the artist on their cover.
James Bay also makes some kind of eye contact with the camera but is not as forward as Lana, therefore not drawing in an audience as fast.
Mumford & Sons do not even feature on their new album cover but use a simple, pretty setting of a bench on a hill over a city at night. This makes the album seem mysterious and makes an audience wonder what the songs sound like and wonder why they are not featured on the cover which forces an audience to buy the album to uncover the secrets from it.

Drafting & Planning / Oragnisation: Track Listing and Back Cover Layout

For any CD it is obviously important to have a track list. Track lists are often featured on the back of a CD cover. I have decided to make own track list so that I am prepared for when it comes to making the back cover of my CD so that I don't have to worry about it when I am making it. The two track lists I have looked at below by Lana Del Rey both consist of 12 songs so I have created 12 songs that will be featured on the back of my CD cover.
Below is my track list:

1. Shades of Blue
2. Video Games
3. Old Records
4. Garden of Eden
5. Violets in Your Eyes
6. Lights, Camera, Accion
7. Endless Summer
8. Velvet Night
9. Beauty and Rage
10. Amore
11. Decay
12. Flames

I have also looked at back cover's of albums and their track lists for ideas of layout. I particularly like the ones below:

This back cover is really simple and uses simple colours which I like. There is no image of the artist and it gives a sense of anonymity, like the artist just wants the audience to looks at the tracks rather than them. I think this back cover layout could be improved by spreading out the tracks a little bit more so they are not cramped together. Apart from that, the layout is nice and all of the credits and barcode, etc look professional placed at the bottom and not randomly stuck elsewhere.

I like this back cover more than the first as it features a neater, more professional layout specifically with the track titles. They are laid out going straight down and they are easier to read. On this back cover there is also an image of the artist which may have been done because the artist didn't want a plain background like the back cover above. I like this one much more especially with the black and white effect. All of the colours blend together nicely and everything is laid out around the artist image so that she people can still see her. I hope to have a back cover laid out like this but maybe without the artist or maybe I will combined both ideas so that the tracks are straight down but in the center of the page.

Research into Similar Products: Conventions of a Music Video

Music videos are full of conventions that make the music video highly successful. Different techniques are used to construct a meaning through the music video. 

There are technical techniques used in music videos which includes; camera angles, shot types camera movement, editing and mise - en - scene. 

Camera shots such as long shots, medium close ups and close ups are often used in music videos to create and emphasize emotions, setting or the lyrics of the song. 

Editing is used throughout music videos, particularly jump cuts as jump cuts allow a sudden change of scene. Fades are often used to fade in or out of a scene into the next.

Mise - en - scene is also key in music videos. Mise - en - scene is used effectively in forms such as blocking which helps position the artist and reveal certain things, e.g. if an artist is positioned toward a window in a dark room it shows isolation from something. 

There are also other key conventions for music videos such as: lighting, sound, props, costume and colour. 

Lighting is important as it can help reflect the mood of a music video and also fit with lyrics in the song, e.g. if a song lyric is dark then the lighting will be low-key to emphasize the mood of the song. Lighting also helps enhance the artist in the video, especially high-key lighting. 

Sound is also key as without the song there would be no music video. Some songs can be used to create a short film or tell a story.

Props are used to give artists a certain look or to help tell the story of the song, e.g. many artists hold microphones or guitars in their videos as this reveals their talents and allows audiences to view them in a state of performance. Props also add significance to people or objects.

Costume is also important. Costume can reveals aspects of the artist or characters in the music video. Costume can also help reflect genre and reveal the setting/time of the story in a video, e.g. if women are wearing 1950's style dresses then it is clear the video is set in that time period.Finally, colour is important as it can help create and reflect a mood. Colour effects are used commonly in music videos, e.g. in Lana Del Rey's music videos some parts are in black and white or a retrospective effect which fits with her music style and allows her to use different colours in her videos whereas a rock song would probably feature dark colours such as black and grey. 

Drafting & Planning: Song Choice

I FINALLY decided on the song I will use for my music video. I have chosen Video Games by Lana Del Rey. This song is one of her most popular and most beautiful songs. I adore this song so much and feel that my ideas for my video will become clear with this song in the background of it. I am very excited to start filming my music video and ecstatic to put it to this song.
I aim to have an abstract video and the video for Video Games has inspired me to continue with my abstract idea as it is very abstract in itself. It has shown me that not all moving images have to be perfectly clear but can be abstract and unusual with a camera lens being slightly blurry or distorted. The Video Games video has influenced and inspired me so much that I feel confident about my own music video ideas and will go out and film it whilst having this feeling of confidence.

Research into Similar Products: Album Cover Analysis

I decided to analyse Ben Howard's album cover for Every Kingdom. I am very fond of Ben Howard and his music, especially this album. I particularly like this front and back cover for his album. 

The front cover consists of typical album cover conventions. First of all, the artist's name and album name. These are both in clear, white, bold font on this cover and are easily readable.The font helps a viewer to easily find the album in a shop and it is big and stands out amongst other album cover. The image is also important on the cover. This image is of Ben Howard under water in a floating position. I love this image as it is distorted and blurred by the water that has speckled over the camera lens. I love this unique and abstract idea although it would be near impossible to get any image like it without editing. 

I also looked at the back cover for the album. The back cover has key features/conventions such as track titles, bar code, record company and credits at the bottom. It is key to have the track list featured on the back cover so that viewers know all of the songs on the album and the order they are in on the album. A barcode is also important as it is used to scan the album and stop any human errors such as entering the incorrect data when searching for an album.
The record label and credits, etc are also very important as the record company have produced the music and allowed it to be release so without them the album would not be out in the world. It is key to have a record label as they support the music and help it progress.

My opinion on the album cover:
I really like this front and back cover. They are simple yet unique and abstract.The colours are simple and run throughout which is what I would like to have on my own digipak when I create it. The fonts are also pretty and simple which I love. They are easy to read and don't make the front or back cover look messy and unprofessional.

Research into Similar Products: Artist Style

As I am going to be making a music video to a Lana Del Rey song I decided to look at Lana's style as I would want my main character in my video to have a similar style.
In many photo shoots Del Rey is often wearing every day clothes that are quite vintage but other times she likes to wear old fashioned dresses or fashion that was around in the 50's and 60's which I have referenced in an older post. 

 

In the above image Del Rey has made her hair really big and poofy much like Priscilla Presley's was in the 60's. There is clearly a recurring theme throughout Del Rey's fashion/style which I hope to incorporate in my music video.
Del Rey also has a particular makeup style that I really like that I would like to try on the actor who will feature in my music video. It is very simple yet it stands out when up close or even from a distance as the false eyelashes look really long and the winged eyeliner sticks out to the side. This look reflects a 50's/60's make up look which I adore.

Drafting & Planning: Song Choices

So far I have created a list of possible songs from Lana Del Rey that I would like to use for my music video. I have decided I will pick the song I like the most over the next week due to the fact that her new album is being released on the 18th September. As she is releasing a new album I refrained myself from picking a song until I had heard all of the new songs as they might bring something new and exciting to my ideas.

Possible Song Choices so far:

1. Shades of Cool - I adore this song and the music video for it. It great inspires me and the lyrics would link great with colours and different colour shades in my music video.

2. Money Power Glory - This song is one of my favourites. It starts slow and builds up to be powerful and reveals the artist's personality and what they want in life. If I were to choose this song I think it would suit a black and white theme.

3. West Coast - This song starts fast but the pace slows down gradually which is really beautiful. I think this would suit a black and white theme also with occasional colours seeping through the video.

4. Video Games - This song would suit a Polaroid and old crisp effect with the camera occasionally being fuzzy and not focused entirely. The lyrics for this song are also beautiful and I feel would suit ideas I have in mind.

I have a few more songs in mind but I am not entirely sure yet. I aim to listen to all of Lana Del Rey's albums over this coming weekend and select the song that would be most suited to my theme and ideas. 

Research into Similar Products: Artist Information

As I am using Lana Del Rey's music for my music video I decided to include some information about the artist herself so that I have a greater understanding of her musical style and some background information on her. By looking into my chosen artist I have gained knowledge of how her music is created and who her music is aimed at so I felt it necessary to include some information on my blog.

Lana Del Rey began her career in 2005 by releasing a 7 track EP disc which was published under her birth name, Elizabeth Woolridge Grant. Between 2005/2006 she also recorded an album under the name of 'May Jailer' that was eventually leaked in 2012. Her earlier music was much more jazzier and a lot more upbeat than her recent music.

After this she took on her stage name of Del Rey after being discovered on you tube and began writing songs and albums for release. Her more recent music is less jazzier and more melancholic with some songs being slightly more upbeat.
Del Rey appeals to many teenage girls and boys due to her creative lyrics and the way her voice is layered in many of her songs. Most of her songs feature different instruments as well.

Del Rey is often linked to 'Indie', 'Rock' and many different music genres due to her wide range of musical styles. Her voice is unique and attracts many fans as she has a wide vocal range.
Del Rey possesses an expansive contralto vocal range, which spans three-plus octaves and has been described as captivating and highly emotive, being able to transcend from sounding high and girlish in her timbre, down to a low and jazzy sound with great easy, although both these areas of the voice can be conflicting in the contrast of their sound, initially polarizing opinion. Her music is noted for it's 'cinematic sound' and she is often described as a 'self-styled Nancy Sinatra'. Del Rey also references pop culture from the 50's and 60's in her music and styles herself from those times.

Organisation: Effects

For my promotional image/magazine advert I have looked at different effects to use. My favourite effects are used by photographer, Neil Krug, who uses a Polaroid/different light effects for his photos. I really like these effects as they are unique and make an image look older and classier. I think all of Krug's images made an impact to whoever is looking at them as they stand out and you are immediately drawn to them because they are so different from other photos you see as adverts or promotional photos.

I am also fond of the colours used. The first image is a combination of purple, blue and some ordinary colours from the original pictures. This edited picture is so pretty and attractive that is yells at you to look at it. The wide shot used for this image allows the artist to be viewed with nearly her whole body in the shot. It also allows people to see the range of colours in the video and makes the artist stand out.
The second image is a close up and is much more brightly coloured. The bright colour of yellow connotes happiness and brightness but also a complete contrast of sickness, confusion and cowardice.
The third image is a medium close up and is in an effect similar to a Polaroid. The red flowers in the background are brought out by the dullness of the rest of the image. The red makes it looks much more prettier and would be a perfect background as it is simplistic but classy. Del Rey is not showing any emotion which is good as she is not revealing whether her album or music has any type of happy or sad emotion.
I love all of these images and hope I can recreate the colours in my digipak, video or magazine advertisement as they are gorgeous and fit my style of abstract.

Research into Similar Products: Magazine Advertisements

Magazine advertisements for the release of an artists album are extremely important as they attract an audience by taking up a whole page in a magazine. These magazine advertisements are mainly featured in magazines such as Q or NME as they fit with the style and genre of music that NME are based around. Advertisements for albums allow fans and other people to know when the album is coming out easily and gives them an insight into some reviews from other magazines which intrigues them and makes them want to buy the album to listen to it. 

This Tom Odell advertisement allows an audience to see that Tom Odell has won a Brit award so therefore he has musical talent. There are also clear reviews allowing people to know what others think of the album, therefore drawing them into wanting to buy and listen to the album even more. By using an image of the artist allows an audience to know who they are and gives them a sense of familiarity with the album itself as this image of Tom Odell is the same of that on the album and so is the font of his name and the album name.

The second advertisement is for a Arctic Monkeys tour which allows readers to know the dates of the tour quickly and be able to find the date for where they live. An attractive advert like this quickly draws a reader into it, especially if they like the band and allows an audience to know in advance when tickets for the tour are on sale, therefore allowing the audience to save up or ask for money for the tour.

Both of these Mumford and Sons advertisements are promoting the same album. By using two different advertisement styles audiences and fans are drawn in to know what is so amazing about the album. The advertisements differ as one is light and one is dark which sets the feel of a light or a dark album. Audiences are allowed to think for themselves and predict what the album is about and why these two advertisements are so different. Although, both advertisements feature the artist allowing familiarity, specifically the first advertisement as that is the real album cover and audiences would recognize it in a shop. The second advertisement features popular singles from the album which allows an audience to be familiar with the album as well because they have probably heard these singles before. 

Research into Similar Products: Music Video Analysis

By analysing West Coast by Lana Del Rey I have identified the many different conventions of a indie music video which will help me create my music video as I can apply the conventions to my own video to make it successful.

West coast lana del rey analysis from meganmailixo