Saturday, 26 March 2011

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:






Photoshoot from filming day 1 + 2

During the filming on day 1 + 2, I also did photoshoots to be used on the website and for the album digipack.

Outside locations:
Some of the pictures from the shoots at the two outside locations will feature on the website.

Sample of Images:






Holding Cell:
The location was perfect for this as the lighting was unique, creating the shadows and I was able to get a variety of shots in order to work with later.
A selection of the images will be feautured on the website and a couple will be used for the album digipack.

Sample of Images:



Filming Diary - Day 2

Location:
Holding Cell - Shire Hall

People Needed:
Myself
Isabelle Lunn (Performer)

Props:
N/a

Costume + Make-up:

Costume;
Lace Leotard
Wet look leggings
Black high heels

Make-up + hair:
Hair styled down, slightly curly
Same make-up as outside shoot

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.

Photoshoot - used for website + album digipack

Objective met? Yes



Filming on location 2: