Facebook Page

I created an Artist page on the socil network site: Facebook. It allows fans to keep up to date with the artist's new, videos, photos etc. Once fans have clicked 'Like', any updates from the artist will automatically pop up on the fans feed. More about facebook in the Social Networking Post Here is a link to the facebook page I have created: Facebook Page

Screenshots:

Final Music Video

Editing - Music Video

My first step of editing was finding all the important filming and elminating anything i didn't need.
On my first day of filming I filmed a lot down my a bridge but whilst editing I realised it didn't fit in aswell with the other shots and they were not dark enough. Even when trying to edit them darker I still didnt feel it worked, so I decided not to use these shots. I now know that it is possible to film in darker lighting and next time I will save time.



During my editing process I cut all the shots, added effects such as black and white and slow motion, as well as eliminating the diegetic sound and adding the non-diegetic sound of the music track.

Album Digipack Creation

I created my album artwork using Photoshop. I ensured I had every important feautre that are displayed on the majority of artists album artwork:
- Barcode

- Track List

- Record Label Logo & Distributor Logo

- Record Label & Artist website

I used images taken from a filming day photoshoot as they had good lighting and created interesting shadows. I feel the photographs looked professional and are similar to many featured in professional album packs.

I edited the photographs with a warm redish tint to them, to represent the 'emotional pain' that each song from the album represents, especially G4L being about the fight against domestic violence.

For the front cover I chose a close up shot, which is very stereotypical for the R'n'B genre as it gives a feel of intensity and closeness to the artist.

For the inside, the black circle indicates where the CD would fit and the black line represents the pouch in which a booklet will hold. Artists often included a booklet of either pictures, song lyrics or information about each song.

Click on image to see a full sized verison

Album Digipack - Research

As the album rated r is quite a unique style, I thought it was best to research the album cover of Rated R itself as well a single from the album, to analyse the style so I can adopt it into my designs to ensure my product fits the genre. The album is full of very dark and edgey tracks and her album cover and single covers reflect this, with the dark colour scheme, fake barbed wire and a stern look to herself.

Like many solo female artists, the images are close ups to allow the audience to feel engaged by the artist and to portray the emotion.





On the Russian Rouletter cover, even though she is wrapped in barbed wire, she still portrays sex appeal which is important to the majority of solo female artists.



The back of albums are important;



After researching these, I found that the main features that are found on the back of female solo artists albums are;

- Track List
- Bar code (doesn't always appear on the bottom of the album)
- Image
- Record label - In form of a website or symbols
- Some also feature an artists website.



I wish to include these feature into my design.

Website Creation/Link to website

Link to the fully functioning website: http://izzy-music.weebly.com/

Plan:

I created rough plans in order to design a suitable navigation system for the website, including all the important features.





I created my website using an online service: Weebly.com It unfortunately did not let me add every aspect of my original plan in the: Ideal Website Post. I was able to complete the following things in my fully functioning website:

Home Page - A page to enter the site

News Feed - news updates incl. new music video, album artwork and behind the scene photos

Live Social-Network feed (Facebook)

Gallery - Photos from various photoshoots (behind the scenes photos are hidden and can only be accessed through the news bulletin)

Music - Featuring the music video

Community - A form allowing fans to contact the artist and sign up to the newsletter

Tour - List of tour dates

Ideal Website Design

After researching into professional websites, there are many aspects I would want to feauture on my own.

Social Network Feed - Live twitter, and facebook feed, as well as links to the social networking sites. It promotion for the social networking sites as well as the artist. Fans can view this on the website and link themselves directly to another form of promotion for the artist.

Downloads - I would want to give the option to download the artists music, and occasionally give free downloads to keep the audience fresh, as well as attracting new audiences.

Videos - videos of music videos are common and give a multi-media advantage on a website. Artists often post video blogs of behind the scenes and special announcements to keep their fans interested and making them want to visit the website on a regular basis.

Gallery - A frequently updated gallery is a vital feauture of any artist website. It allows fans to view recent photoshoots, or behind the scenes images

News - News features on every artist/bands website. Fans are able to see up coming events, personal appearances, single/album release dates, recent photoshoots, tour dates, or any other bits of news.

Tour - tour dates are important in terms of sellnig tickets. Fans can check tour dates in advance to ensure they are able to get tickets. I would provide a link to ticket sellers, for quick access to buying tickets. Fan pre-sale is another advantage of selling tickets as fans feel they are getting an advantage of being served first.

Shop - Giving the opportunity to buy merchandise, albums, songs etc will create a high revenue from the site and allow fans to feel safe and garenteed to be perchasing official products.

Audio/podcasts - Audio clips of new songs would keep fans excited about the site, and will keep re-visiting to check if any new exclusives have been released.

I would want my website to look as professional as possible with the theme fitting in with the current album, for example: rihanna's website appearance changes with the new genre/style of her latest album. The website would be full of interactive activity and lots of multi-media levels for the fans to enjoy.

Social Networking

Social Networking is one of the most modern and popular way od advertisement.

Many bands and artists use facebook as another form of communication between them and their fans. Artists can use facebook to share news, and things that they have been up to etc.

Their facebook pages can allow their fans to comment on their posts, look at their latest videos and links. Thousands or even millions of people can like their page quickly and easily, with just a click of a button and stay connected with the artists.

Artists can advertise anything, from their tours, to their recents singles and albums, as well as posting videos, pictures and set up pages for fans to buy their music, merchandise or tickets.

Website Research

To help me design my website, I researched into Female Solo Artists websites to look for generic features as well as unique ones.

The generic pages that appear to feature on the majority of professional websites are;

- News
- Tour Dates
- Gallery
- Log in/Community
- Video/Music

Other features include things like -
Links to social networking - facebook, twitter etc
(often with a live twitter and facebook feed)

Design;

The design and graphics used on the websites change to fit the artists current album.
For example, Rihanna's website changes constantly. During the time of her Rated R album, the website was very dark, using blacks & deep reds as the colour scheme, with pictures that tied in with her album and music videos.
Now rihanna's genre has changed to pop and electric dance, her website has changed themes and now ties in with her current album 'Loud', with graphics used from her hit single 'Only Girl'.



Another example is Jessie J. Jessie J's website uses the same picture and typography from her current album cover.







Features;

Social Network feed;



Many artists use social networking sites to promote themselves, and links to these often appear on their websites.
Links to twitter, facebook, myspace and youtube are the most common links to appear on a website for a music artist.

Live facebook and twitter feeds also feature on the majority of professional websites, where fans can keep up to date with the artists live posts. These feeds aso link to twitter and facebook, and allows advertising for the social networking aswell as advertisement for the artist to get extra followers on twitter or extra fans on facebook, allowing them to get their name known and their music heard.



Many sites now provide the option to login with your facebook account, allowing you to comment on their gallery via your account.
This also shows up on your facebook profile, allowing your friends to see the activity you have done on the website, which again, promotes the artist.



News;

Many home pages of the artist's websites were full of news, either about new singles/albums, tours or dates for public appearances etc.
This allows fans to keep up to date with their favourite artist and not miss out on exciting news or competitions etc.





Gallery;



Galleries allow the artist to promote video shoots, magazine cover shoots etc.

Tours;

Artists will always display the dates of their up and coming tour, and often have links to where you can purchase tickets from. It's a simple and quick way of promoting their tour and selling tickets.
Often, there will be a partnership with ticket sites such as tickermaster.com and if the artist puts a link to their site they will sponsor the tour.



Login;

Artists website, nearly always allow you to sign up for extra features. Most of the time, when you sign up, you can access fan forums, receive exclusives newsletters and the chance to enter competitions and receive exclusive videos, songs etc.
Many also allow for fan pre-sale on tour tickets.



Music/video;



Artist websites also allow you to listen to their music or watch their latest music video, again for the art of promotion. Fans can hear tasters of their music and then decide whether to buy the single or album. Music videos can consumed a lot through the internet, including the artists websites.


Video blogs are also sometimes featured, allowing the fans to view messages from the artists or to watch the activities they have been up to recently.

Photoshoot - From filming day 3

Some photos from the photoshoot on day 3 will also be featured on the website, in order to give a variety of photos.

Sample of images:

Filming Diary - Day 3

Location:
Prison Cell (location can not be given due to legal reasons)

People Needed:
Myself
Isabelle Lunn (Performer)

Props:
N/a

Costume + Make-up:

Costume;
nude colour jumper

Make-up + hair:
Hair up but messy
smudged eye make-up

Equipment:
Camera
Tripod
ipod + Docking station
small flood light

Objective:
Film lip sync to the whole song with variety of camera angles and movements
(close ups, medium lengths, zoom etc)
Film movement without lip sync for cut aways.
Film CCTV

Photoshoot - used for website

Objective met? Yes




Images of location used: