Website research #2

In addition to looking at myspace pages that although are very effective in targeting the appropriate audience and channeling the huge impact such social networking sites have, the format may seen slighting generic not just in terms of layout but also lack of additional elements that the artist own website contain, which I have addressed below. 

Here on Rihannas own personal website fans can purchase not just music but merchandise such as exclusive clothing and accessories which allows fan to have unique items that echo the style of her brand and music. The availability of such products not only promotes the artist to the consumer of the products, but also friends and family that see it, expanding the artists publicity further.

I think the element of 'NEWS' page on Rihannas website allows fans to access information about her synergy with other aspects of the media. Here this post gives exclusive footage of her extremely prestigious Vogue cover, widening her audience to not only her music fans but also tapping into fans that have interest in fashion and lifestyle. This is an aspect I will defiantly try to include for my artist and incorporate links to interviews, online blogs videos wether in be at fashion shows, music event or awards shows or any press publicity.

Lady Gaga's website that conformers to her edgy and mysterious aesthetic, additionally includes links to her own personal blogs and international websites allowing easy access to a diverse range of fans from across the globe. Such personal blogs increase artists personality, removing her from an un-relatable celebrity status to a real person which fans can identity with her views and interests. Moreover it synchronizes with modern audience's desire to know exclusive personal information about celebrities and conforms with the hyperbolic level consumers want information within celebrity culture .

This is intern is echoed in the 'info' section which includes a platform which fans can ask any questions they want through google, twitter and youtube.This innovative synergy with the worlds most popular search engine reveals her success and also integrates all extremely popular aspects on the internet. This feature again strengthens the artists relationship with her fans, and allows an interactive way for fans in her 'little monster' community to communication what they most want to know about the artist to other fans and directly to the artist. In my website I think this would be an extreme effect way to increase fan base, break conventions in the way in the ways fans communicate with artist and blur boundaries further between the artist and fans to strengthen loyalty.

Making a website for my artist - Research

Before embarking on creating a website for my artist as a important device in the promotion of new music/album releases/ tours, developing fan relationship, and increasing the strengthening of the brand as a whole, I have looked at my 2 predominate inspirations for my female artist -Rihanna and Lady Gaga that both emulate ideologies of female empowerment, sexual dominance, the exposure of corruption in the media and an unconventional challenging of the 'perfect female aesthetic'

Firstly I have begun looking at their myspace pages as the social networking site is extremely popular in modern music and establishing a platform for artist the post music, blog post and pictures directly to their fans free of charge. I believe its a great PR devise as it directly targets the medium in which the generation of technology and the internet responds to most. Such pages also incorporating synergy with other social networking sites such as 'twitter' which allows direct contact between fans and the the artist, and breaks down barrios between producer and consumer.

CONVENTIONS I HAVE FOUND
-Include background aesthetic that synchronizes with the album currently released and the currant 'look' and style of the artist, again the furthering the promotion of the new music. Links to websites to purchase said music is also found to be predominate on the page as well as information on currant tours.

-Navigation bars contain links to music, videos, photos, shows, friends and fans and advertisement of the websites sponsors also appear predominate on screen.

- Place for fans to comment on music, the artist ,their opinions, experiences of concerts ect , this builds the fan community and draws in a unified common bond between fans that strengthens the artist brand further.


I think that the striking and visually intriguing picture of the artist followed by the album names looks aesthetically appealing and is defiantly a convention I will work most proficiently on. Additionally artist to fan communication will be a key element on my website as I believe its an important devised in the success of the artist, and the internet, and such websites such as myspace, is a key factor in such crucial communication.

Editing update #3 - Screen shots and analysis

As we have been unable to upload a short segment of our video due to software restrictions I have print screened the beginning shots to explain the purpose and message of each carefully constructed aspect, such a the angle of the shot, the amount of edits, and also costume and styling choices.


Final cut has been a great help in aiding in creating a professional, well edited video with incorporated effects such a hyperbolic use of speed and fast motions with is reflected of techniques used in the industry today.

Our first shot is a extreme fast motion of are artist dancing in a tongue-in-check stereotypical pop-performance style however the extreme fast motion editing adds a twist which foreshadows the distortion in the narrative shown though out. Her hyperbolic glamours aesthetic, using common motifs such as red lip stick, fur coat and provocative reveling add a ironic, parody feel to the video with mocks the stereotype of overly sexualized woman and what 'perfection' 'wealth' and 'glamour' is defined as in society and the industry at present. 

The next shot continues this hyper realism feel though extreme fast passed editing, and shows the artist frantically flicking though fashion and celebrity magazines, portraying societies obsession with money and fame, which again is conveyed in the lyrics of the song. We have chose to shoot this low to the ground to symbolize the artists low self esteem when viewing such images as it creates an inferiority complex bring confidence down also. We have kept costume and makeup simple to highlight a contrast in the character, implying that she is physically and emotionally stripped down but this capitalistic fixation.

We then change setting again, conventional of music videos of the period, to engage audience and also to show artist dancing holding Christian Louboutin's -another motif of wealth and materialistic ideologies-, again this juxtaposition reveals to the audience the multiple sides of this lifestyle, and undercuts the surface level of 'perfection'.

We then used three sharp cuts on 3 still images at different camera angles, the stagnant feel of the shots conveys the paralysing effect this destructive way of life has, echoed by the disheveled hair and makeup, and the juxtaposition of the Moet champagne bottle - another motif of hyperbolic wealth and idealized glamour.

We then have used a shot in which the artist is holding the camera, again a devise to make you aware that you are watching a video that is 'constructed' just like society. this can also be used in music videos through the used of defocusing. 

The motif of a bath is used in our video to again follow the juxtapositions of desire and destruction. The use of the artists placed in the bath symbolises her need of purity and to be cleansed back to innocent, however can also represent the cold, blank and emotionless way the Media and society deals with how they impact young women to such a extream extensent, again echoed in her hyperbolic styling.

Here we have used a birds eye view of the artist lying on a bed, which is synchronous with conventions in currant music videos. The close up not only adds emphasis of her artist glamours aesthetic but also highlights under lying vulnerability convey though the high angled shot, stereotypically lowering status. This paradox create questions from the audience and raises ambiguity causing one to intern think deeper in to the lyrics of the song.

Pictures from shooting - further album cover ideas

Here I have uploaded images from one of the scenes from our video shoot, the motifs used such as moet champagne bottle and Christian Louboutin heels symbolize societies desire for the wealth and glamour, juxtaposing with the artist disheveled, distorted ascetic which exposes the irony behind this capitalist facade, and revels the harmful impact it can have. The forceful sexual image also has elements of how hyperbolic female artists are increasing getting to, such common motifs are used in outrageous artist Kesha, which can be seen on the one hand as a postmodern devise to mock the over use of such symbol in the media and music, or conform to stereotypes embodied in the industry today. 

I believe such images could also be effective for an album covers, and following the same theme that i originally began planing, the artist here looks very doll like with heightened make up, costume and body language, all at extreme levels coinciding with her rigid and disconnected body language again echoes the idea of passive doll, conforming to the conditioning of a fame, money and sex obsessed culture, all of which the artist addresses in her music. this intern creates a spoof like, ironic edge to her music, satirizing images of artists like kesha who take this serial, hyperrealistic character too seriously. 

Further research into postmoderisum

I have begun looking further into postmodernism contextualised in the music industry, which looks deeper into the use of genre synergy, pastiche and the use of parody and irony in music videos today. 

Postmodern music culture is a hybrid of intertextuality where resonance from every era can be seen, in the case of music past ,present and future themes are merged in to one, boundaries of genre are broken and clear ideas from different eras or artists can be seen to convey a message, weather it be applying homage to them, or used in a spoof like way to mock them. The production of music can be seen to be combining and alerting already existing imagery and sounds may convey that music with post-modern essence holds entertainment as its ideologies, which can be seen predominately through MTV, which fuses all aspects of popular culture together. As the 'image' culture grows in conjunction with the constant stream of information bombarded and the dominance of the TV screen, music videos implementation of a saturation of the real and a use of 'hyperrealsium of sitimulation' which can on the one hand be an escape to the monotony of normal life, or a reflection of our extreme exposure to the media, politics, culture of all times ,ages and perspectives, echoing to fast passed nature of such postmodern videos. Further more Goodwin predominately describes postmodernism in music as ' an abandonment of the rational'.

Here I have highlighted conventions I found to be most common in postmodern music

- has aspects of both a break and an extension

-uses irony

-does not implement boundaries of the past and the present

-shows disregard for the often unquestioned value of structural unity

-considers music not as autonomous but as relevant to cultural, social, and political contexts

-includes quotations and clear references to music of many traditions and cultures

-considers technology not only as a way to preserve and transmit music but also as deeply implicated in the production and essence of music

-embraces contradictions

-includes fragmentation's and discontinuities within in the sound, editing and narration

-encompasses pluralism and eclecticism combining virtues of many styles

-presents multiple meanings and essences of ambiguity in ideologies and representations, no 'fixed' meaning

Editing update

Now that we have finished our first session of new filming after improving set, actress's and costumes as well as working further on different camera shots and interesting and engaging performance techniques. We have edited a rough cut of our final video and I am pleased to say my group and I are extremely happy with the way it is looking, even in its earlier stages! The fast pases serial edits we have used with in the first 30 seconds of the video that convey the warped disfunctional nature of video conforming to stereotypical hyperbolic editing seen in currant artist such as Lady Gaga and Rhianna. The implementation of this allows the start of our video to look authentic, interesting and the sharp cuts synchronizing with the beat aid in how effective the video would fit  in the industry today.

I will attempt to upload the finsihed first section of our video as soon as possible in order to compare to our first attempt and evaluate improvements.