Digipak Analysis

Indie-Rock Website Research.

Walk Off the Earth:

http://www.walkofftheearth.com/

The Walk Off the Earth website focuses on presenting the group in a subdued and friendly manner through using almost water-colour style effects and a picture of the group on the main page. In this picture the band are represented as a close-knit friendship and thus it is a welcoming image to present to consumers when they first go onto the website.

There are links to Walk Off the Earth’s social networking pages such as on Facebook and Instagram, and there are also links to places where the music can be listened to, including Spotify, iTunes and Amazon Music. Not only does this make the group more accessible, but it also undoubtedly aids them in the distribution of their music.

The predominantly white background not only coordinates well with the image, but it also makes the type font stand out more making the page seem rigid and easy to follow (much unlike that of Gorillaz’s web page). Included in the links to other parts of the website are: News, About, Tour, Music, Videos, Promos, Contact, Store, Gear and Sign-up. It is here where you can learn more about Walk Off the Earth and buy any related apparel as well as tickets. There is also a section where you can scroll through pictures both on and off stage. This allows a consumer to have a better understanding of the personality of the band in a more holistic focus.

AWOLNATION:

http://awolnationmusic.com/home/

The initial contrast that strikes between Walk off the Earth and AWOLNATION upon visiting their website, is that AWOLNATION orientate much more around darker colours and focus more on advertising apparel and tour dates than Walk off the Earth do. There is much more of an attribution to the rock genre, however a key similarity between these two websites is that they both clearly present links to their social networking sites (on AWOLNATION’s main page, the links are shown on the top right corner).

The background image for AWOLNATION shows six undomesticated horses running in the wild. Metaphorically this signifies that AWOLNATION themselves are attributed to being free and careless; hence the website successfully represents the band symbolically through the use of its images, similar to that of Walk off the Earth. 

Links to other parts of the website include: Photos, Tour, News, Merch, Buy Album and their hashtag, #IAMAWOLNATION. Another similarity that is apparent between these two websites is that they both have capital letters as the links to the other parts of the website; perhaps these have been used to make these subtitles bolder and reflects the clear-definition and rigidity of the websites

ARTIC MONKEYS:

http://www.arcticmonkeys.com/

Another similar genre band to Walk of the Earth is the Artic Monkeys. Their website consists of solely black and white; this corresponds with their logo. This black and white colour scheme means everything is very clearly set out and creates a rigid structure. When you scroll down the web page, the upper subtitles, as well as the logo, scroll down with it- this keeps it easily accessible.

Rather than an image, unlike the previous two web pages, Artic Monkeys have a link to their most recently released video (in this case it is AM- South America 2014). They also have a featured section on the main page including most recent news, such as ‘MTV VMA Nomination’ published on 21.07.15. Updating their main web page with news  allows them to present consumers information which they may not otherwise be interested in clicking on- e.g. as a consumer interested in buying from their ‘Store’, I would not necessarily click on their news section of their website, so, to avoid this incident they simply put the news on their main page. This is opposite to the ways Walk off the Earth and AWOLNATION present their news.

Another comparison to draw out from these websites is the use of colloquial language which suit their stereotypical representation. So, for instance, where AWOLNATION and Walk off the Earth use the term ‘Tour’ to reference any performances they may be doing, the Artic Monkeys have used ‘Gigs’. This demonstrates the more informal tone which flows throughout their website and is perhaps done to appeal more to their target demographic of young people rather than AWOLNATION whom aim to target more older students at a university level and so, arguably, could be slightly more sophisticated.

THE KILLERS:

http://www.thekillersmusic.com/

The Killers, described as an American indie-rock band, use a blue/purple sort of colour scheme throughout their website. This forms both an attractive and unique representation of the group, yet also entices more people to explore their website through the appealing factor of this colour.

More similar to the Artic Monkeys, The Killers use an embedded YouTube video as their predominant focus when going to the homepage of the website. This video takes up quite literally the whole of the screen when you first visit, and further down the page visitors will be able to read about News and ‘Live Tweets’ that are happening. On top of this, regards this main video on the homepage, they have developed a way of cycling through various images and videos, using arrow keys to do so; this also occurs simultaneously upon visiting the website.

Another trait on the website to note, is that the band’s logo is the main focus of the top border. It has been emphasised by using a black on white foreground and background so that it stands out more. Similar to all of the other web pages, it quite clearly key to a bands website to display links to their social media accounts- this allows consumers to explore more about the artists and also means they can develop a more personal connection with them.

In summary, it is quite clear that to construct an effective website, there are a few key traits and qualities to include. First off, the need for an appealing welcome to the website- this is particularly relatable to Walk off the Earth’s current webpage. Secondly, links to their social networking pages are key for consumers- they have to be clearly visible and simple to use, and thirdly, perhaps including videos, or if not, images, of the group(s) is an effective way to develop a representation of the band that reaches the consumers when they visit the web page. A final note would be the inclusion of colloquial language that suits the personality of the group; this could be like ‘The Killers’ whom use ‘Sweet Talk’ to reference their forum chat.

OTHER SIMILAR BANDS…

Vlog 5

VLOG 4

Walk Off The Earth Case Study

A montage-style video, with voice-over, developing on research I have done into Walk Off The Earth. It explores their genre, ways of distribution, social networking platforms they are present on, as well as awards they have won and the image the consumer receives of the band from the album covers they have made.
This video was made on iMovie and then exported to YouTube, followed by being embedded onto my blog.

Walk Off The Earth - Planning: Storyboard animation

Location scouting / Shot preparation

Location Scouting Photos:
After doing some research into potential location scouting on Google Maps' Street View feature, we visited some sites which we thought would be appropriate for our music video:

Storyboard

Continued Audience Research.

This survey, taken on Survey Monkey, is a continuation of my previous research carried out. It predominantly focuses on the themes of our music video, as well as the ways and means of distributing it such as on social media and YouTube.

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Walk off the earth research from tbgsmedia1415

Vlog 3

Lesson Time Lapse.

This shows a time-lapse of a lesson in which we worked on completing our storyboards for our music video.

Cont. Audience Research.

Continuing on the previous audience research I carried out, the below images show a conversation I had over Facebook Messenger in order to develop the research further. This particular research shows how our music video is well suited to the younger generations- particularly teenage girls. After explaining our concept of the music video, as well as after listening to the song, they reflect upon and share their feedback. Overall they liked our concept and had few ideas to further develop it unlike the research I have previously carried out, however regards determining our target audience, this research was very helpful. 

17 Year Old Girl

Audience Research

Shown below is the audience research I have carried out so far. If I was to draw a conclusion from the research I would evaluate saying that our idea is largely liked and people seem to think that our concept suits the song- I also discovered a few ideas people suggested to improve our narrative (such as beginning the argument between the main couple later on so that it suits the lyrics more), and consequently we will take this on board in the making of our music video. The research also showed how the majority of our target demographic consists of young people (although some older people may  be interested in watching it too) and they are more than likely to be female, but once again males are likely to watch it as well.

VLOG 2

VLOG 1

Pitch Review.

Music Video Pitch- Hold On

How has Ed Sheeran's image developed over time?

Music Video Style and Representation Comparisons.

Solo Female: Beyoncé- 'Crazy in Love'.

A music video with no apparent plot line suggesting that it has a fairly spontaneous and illogical narrative, hence implying that its purpose is not to create a heart-throb story- this is also very unlikely considering the nature of the music being sung. It is evident throughout the music video that Beyoncé aims to appeal to both the male and female viewer through the use of the male gaze, including provocative poses and close-ups on body parts. It is, in a sense, an exhibition of Beyoncé and she is very much central to the performance. On top of this, she creates the impression that solo female artists are confident and assertive divas at heart. The representation of men stereotypically being the dominant gender is also reinforced in this music video through Jay-Z appearing in control.

 

 

Solo Male: Ed Sheeran- 'Thinking Out Loud'.

Ed Sheeran's music video, in contrast to Beyoncé's, heavily features a female gaze- that is to say that the way it is presented as from a female perspective or reflects female attitudes, because of the creator's gender and as it is deliberately aimed at a female audience. It is apparent in this music video that Ed is in control of the dancer- he takes the lead and she dances around him; unlike 'Crazy in Love' there is no threatening feel generated however. On top of this, Ed is presented as somewhat metrosexual in character, being a elegant and clearly emotional character in the music video. Arguably this breaks away from the using representation of male soloists in music videos.

 

Boy Group: Backstreet Boys- 'I want it that way'.

The boy group heavily features in this music video, with all attention being paid on them; this is similar to music videos produced in the contemporary music market by boy groups such as OneDirection. Once again as a consequence of their target audience (young females) it is clear that the music video is unthreatening and light-hearted, likewise there is no complex plotline- it solely focuses on the performance of the Backstreet Boys. Throughout the video they are often shown as pointing at the camera as well as singing directly to it. The purpose of this is to make the audience feel included in the video and hence the boy group are presented as more desirable. It could be argued that once again the female gaze concept comes into effect in this video.

Girl Group: All Saints- 'Black Coffee'.

Unlike the other examples given there is only a minimal form of male gaze in this music video, perhaps this could be as a result of the nature of the song or the impression the girl group wanted to develop. Furthermore, in contrast to Beyoncé the females in 'Black Coffee' are not overly diva-like and assertive, although at points they are fairly confident. The stereotype of male dominance however is once again revealed in the short plot/ narrative that is present in this music video. With the combination of harmonising and individual sections to showcase each of their talents, All Saints are shown to oppose some of the concepts expressed in the other examples.

Male Band: Muse- 'Mercy'.

This futuristic video features a scenario telling the tale of a female model who discovers she is a clone and rebels to assert her individuality, hence generating a view as upheld by the Muse band members. Essentially it expresses their views regards the controversial issues as faced in society. The cross-cutting between the band performing and the basic narrative told increases in pace towards the middle when the song reaches its climax. This conforms to the expectations of a rock band whom are stereotypically loud and fast-paced, being very uncontrollable in nature. Whilst it does explore the effective performance of the band, much like Queen's 'I want to Break Free', it is also largely conceptual in the perspective it tries to develop. There is no focus on developing a female gaze and considering the model clone is female it is possible to argue that this video generates the view that men are in charge, however with the role of increasing individuality taking place this video explores how this sexual discrimination will soon balance out and women and men will have equal rights as well as equal dominance in society.

Female Band: Hole- 'Celebrity Skin'.

Hole are represented as 'breaking away from the norm' in this music video (a similar sort of showcase is demonstrated in Queen's 'I want to Break Free') through challenging attitudes about celebrity culture etc. Whereas one might expect a rock band to be uncontrollable- and Hole certainly don't disappoint when it comes to this- they do however use some features of their video to represent alternate ideas- for example introducing the pink guitar to the band or the use of provocative dancers to develop a male gaze, both of which are not usually attributed to the style of music they produce. But, in other aspects, such as the fast paced close-ups that are used throughout the video to induce a feeling of uncontrollability, it does conform to the conventional attributes of a female rock band. Similar to the girl group example, All Saints, throughout this music video particular attention is paid to including shots of each band member performing individually in order to showcase their talent.

Other Examples

Imagine Dragons' 'Demons', is an example of a performance orientated music video similar to that seen in David Bowie's 'Life on Mars?':

Furthermore, Twenty One Pilots' 'Stressed Out' is an example of a conceptual music video similar to Queen's 'I want to Break Free':

Music Video Conventions Case Studies

David Bowie- Life on Mars?

Style of Video:

• Slow transitions between shots.
• As the song intensifies the shots quicken and more close-ups are used. 
• Performance is establishing an image of Bowie.

Image of Artist represented:

• Reflective expression as expressed through the close-ups used.
• Bright hair and makeup.
• Portrayed identity of him as a performer.
• Not represented as mainstream but alternative and indie. 
• Breaking away from the 'norm'.

WOW moment:

• First shot showing hair and makeup etc.

Queen- I Want to Break Free.

Style of Video:

• Conforming to stereotypes (wives stay in the house to work).
• Starts in every-day house and continues through the door to an imaginary 'lit-up' world.
• Conceptual/ Thematic.
• This music video is largely abstract with no distinct narrative of which it focuses on.
• Partially performance based however does not include instruments all the way through so evidently is not solely based on the performance of Queen but more on the message they are trying to convey.
• Breaks away from the stereotypical 'rock n roll' music video as it does not include a performance on a stage.

Image of Artist represented:

• Transitions with effects overlapping.
• Freddie sings about how he wishes he were free; in this instance about coming out about his sexuality. It is also evident that this music video distances itself from the misogynistic views of the 1950s by expressing the view that women can be free from the domestic environment.
• Dancing with professional dancers- performers are centre of attention.
• Represents Queen as breaking away from the 'norm' and providing a counter typical voice for women.
• Metaphorical: dreams hiding in the closet.

WOW moment:

• Head turn of Freddie Mercury at the start revealing the apparent woman as a man.
• A shot within a shot in the music video whereby the cupboard door opens.

Bon Jovi- Always.

Style of Video:

• Narrative shows the main character losing her partner, continuing with him full of regret.
• Ballad type music video.
• Explains the difficulties of letting go of someone you have loved through the use of a faded image of his previous partner which dissolves to leave him reminiscing the past.

Image of Artist represented:

• Mixture between band and storyline.
• Rock-style conventional band set-up e.g. drummer, guitar etc.
• Emotive- singer clearly believes what he is saying.

WOW moment:

• Explosion from building with main character walking away from scene, followed by a cut to the band.