Self-reflection

This is the critical self-reflection of my Component 3 Music Video production project. 
(word count: 1689 words including intro) 

Cambridge gave the variety of briefs that I could do, I chose to create a music video since I never involved in making a music video and this is my first experience in creating a music video. The brief given to me said that I needed to create a music video from the music that me and my teammate chose, a digipak and social media page that represents the fictional artist we created "LUNA". I decided to choose the genre of alternative/indie music because after discussing with my team, we found out that creating a music video for this kind of genre is easier compare to other genre that we analyzed during our research. In this project, I worked as a group of 3, my other teammates were Satria and Theo. You can find links to their blogs in my blog. 

For this MV project, we decided to choose "Oceans & Engines" by Niki Zefanya as our song. We decided to choose this song because we had the similar music taste and the meaning of this song is likely align with nowadays young teenagers that mostly are facing problem in their romantic relationship with their partner. The social group that we represent in our music video is the youngsters who are facing broke up in their relationship as the social issue. While in our digipak and social media, we decided to use our real footage from the photoshoots we've done that matches the vibes of the actor we chose to be our fictional artist and the song itself. It has been represented both positively and negatively since it shows that most of the teenagers are simply happier when they are with their partner and this was shown through the outfit that were used by the main actors (the female artist) which is bright yellow color where yellow color symbolize happiness and sunshine. This shows that she was happy with her boyfriend which were shown from the many activities they did and the smile that are always on their face when they are together. Furthermore, the white dress that were used in the middle of the video was to show that their relationship are pure. We decided to use filter that shows dreamy vibes in these scenes to convey that it was her dream. However, the outfit that she wore changed when she woke up from her dream and realized that what was happening before are just her dream with enjoying her life with her ex-boyfriend and it shows that she has to continue her life without her boyfriend anymore with her. However, from this part, we decided dark outfits to be used my our main actor which was all black outfit that connotes strong feelings of sadness and this were supported by the acting of the actor that was very different when she was with her ex-boyfriend. While she was with her friend, she still thought that her ex-boyfriend and her facial expression immediately changes from sad to happy when she was having delusion of her ex and it changes back to confusion and no expression when she realized that it was just her delusion. Continuing to the last part of the music video, we decided to do the shooting at Pantai Nyanyi which was pretty far for the city. Here, we decided to shows that the main actor was still having difficulty in forgetting her ex and she went to the exact same location which reminds her of the memories with her ex. This was also supported by the whether that was about to rain which makes the atmosphere more dramatic and we also decided to use a polaroid picture of them when they are still together. We made a slowmotion when she threw out the polaroid picture from the window to make it look more dramatic and when she starts to drive the car away for the beach, it shows that she's ready to start her new life without any memories with her ex. The reason why most of the scenes are on the beach, even some parts of the lipsync and photoshoots were also using beach as our background is because this song has a strong relation with beach and we want to show that beach has a strong connection with their relationship. Additionally considering that most of the teenagers loves to go for dating and having fun at the beach where beach has the stereotypes as a romantic place for couple to spend their time together but at the same time it also being the place for many people to go when they are not in a good mood knowing that beach is the best place for having and for those people who wants calm atmosphere at the same time. 

For our branding towards our fictional artist, we decided to create a social media page in Instagram in order for the audience to have interactions with the artist as well as a place to promote the song, MV, and the digipak. In the social media itself, I decided to use real footage from the photoshoots we had and I'm the one who's in charge for the social media page. I decided to make the social media page more organized and more or less adopting the similar ideas from the research I did because having a more organized social media page seems more appealing and interesting instead of making it look like a personal account which won't make the posts not so organized and structure. In the social media page, it contains all of the informations regarding the production of the music video we made and the digipak. There will be an information about the release date of the music video itself, the digipak design, music video teaser to make the audience more interested into the product that we made which is the music video. It also includes some concept images that are related to the music video and the personal branding of the artist. The branding we created for our artist are charming and the innocence of teenagers who just started to explore the world. This is shown through the outfits style that she used which is mostly very casual and not very revealing and also shown through her makeup since we don't want to create a wild character branding for her which doesn't matches the personality of the song. The ideology is also supported by her where she still maintain to have social life by gathering with her friends and not keeping herself away from the society even after she broke up with her partner and when she decided she still need to continue and have a better life by leaving all the memories with her ex-boyfriend in the music video. 

Some ways we did to connect with the audiences are by creating a social media page which will be an interactive place for the artist and fans to interact. Furthermore, there is also a barcode in the digipak which will directly link us to the social media page and we will also promote the link of music video in YouTube through the link that will be in our social media page that will connect the audience into the music video that will be posted in YouTube. The audience will be having an easier access to link towards the social media, digipak, and music video just by scanning trough the barcode and link towards MV that were provided in our digipak and social media page. This MV fulfill most of the whole theory of Uses and Gratification by Blumler and Katz. Where personal identity shows how the audiences relates with the situation happening in the music video where there are many youngsters out there struggling to continue their life after broke up that are mostly very different when they were with their partner back then. Diversion is used where audiences watch and engage with this music in order to be distracted for a while from their real life difficulties and surveillance where people always wants to be updated about what's going on around this world. 

In order to be focus on this project, I did so many research about the same or similar genre and concepts to explore more that are related with our project and focus the effort in specific areas. The research itself helped me in gathering and exploring various concepts that we want to use for our music video. By looking further into more products that are similar to the genre of song that we want to use in our MV, it helps us in focusing the mise-en-scene with the concept itself and having more options in creating the mise-en-scene for our music video project. Moreover, by doing in depth research about other genres and artists helped me in determining what image that will be good for our artist and how we will build the branding for the whole product. I did not do research about non-music videos since I was just planning to focus on what is essential in our project and what is slightly needed for us to implement into our final product. The genre conventions of other genres of songs and music videos I did research was that other genres mostly are more colorful with upbeat music and it has more crowded scenes in it, however, some other genres has very dark vibes with upbeat music and it is not very crowded since it was done in indoor studio/setting. In this case for this Component 3 project, me and my group, we subvert these conventions and decided to go with different genre and create our own meaning from our perceptions as teenagers that can slightly relate with this kind of situation. We did more research after deciding what type of music genre we want to do before we finalize "Oceans & Engines" as the song we will use and create a music video based on that song. We also discuss and gather more information about products with similar genre and we change a bit of the branding of the artist we use with the real artist which is Niki Zefanya. 

Final Piece

This blog contains the final product of the music video, digipak, and the social media page. 
Written by me (Nadine) 

Music Video 

Here is the link of the video if in case there is a problem in accessing:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FMF4PhOGDXxS1GuUSOiGiDVEW7ahaSVs/view 

Digipak 

Social Media 
Here is a link to our social media page: https://www.instagram.com/lunisnante?igsh=MW5zZWt5M2w5N2xoMw== 

Post-production

This blogpost includes the some images of the editing process for the music video (done by Theo), digipak (done by Satria), and social media (done by me, Nadine). 

MUSIC VIDEO 
Credit: Theo 

1. Colour Grading

Colour grading is the most essential part of the music video editing where I wanted to make sure where the music video is likely to be visual appealing and spoil the audience. Colour Grading also important in driving the mood and the tone of the music video. 

2. Glowing Dreamy Effect

This is done by copying the layer below into the top and putting the Gausian blur effect on top and put luma key in other to get the glowing blooming effect. 

3. Music Video Title

4. Stabilizing

Since some scenes were quite shaky I need to edit the scenes to be more stable. I do this by doing some masking on the subject since the effect I used is wrap stabilizer. The masking is important for making sure the subject is not jellying.

5. Slow Motion effect

I do this by slowing down the speed 

6. Key frame

I used keyframe technique to make the zoom in effect or zoom our effect

DIGIPAK 
Credit: Satria 

The images above are comparison between 2 same pictures with different filters the first picture above has a darker filter to make the image warmer by adding a slight blue filter on the other hand the second picture uses a bright filter to make everything look shiny. At the end I decided to use the first picture to as the front digipak cover, because with the warmer color it connotes more to the song which in this case have the song have a sad vibe. The warmer color fits more in the digipak due to the warmth it has and a darker brightness. Beside that it also easier to fit a font color on the first option, because it is not to bright while the second option the color is way to bright which may cause difficulties to read the caption.

These two image above are comparison of fonts that we might use for our digipak album cover. The first picture has a font that is called "Just Another Hand" this font has a simple and compact design compare to the second picture with "Lumios Brush" font it has a more complex design and to add the first font its easier to read rather than the font in the second picture. We chose "Just Another Hand" for our 

In the middle of the timeline I decided to change our font into Louiseville ll, I change to this font instead of the previous font because its is fit better to the background of the digipak and it also has a connotation that this font is handwritten by Luna. We the handwritten design of the font gives the vibe a bit more calming rather than the other are more leanign towards AI generated font, I want to make this digipak look like Luna's is creating it from scratch by herself with her own hand writing.

To finalise the design of the digipak i decided to use the Lousieville ll font to use for the final product of the digipak.

SOCIAL MEDIA 
Credit: Nadine 

First, I used an app called Grid Maker to chop my picture into smaller pieces that fit Instagram posts. Then, I brought those pieces into Canva to make them look better. In Canva, I played around with colors, added text, and fixed things up. By using Grid Maker and Canva together, I made a bunch of nice-looking Instagram posts that all fit together well on the profile, making it look neat and cool for everyone who checks it out. 

1. Brown color choice: I picked brown because it gives a cozy, stable feeling, which suits the serious tone I'm aiming for. Brown makes the text feel reliable and down-to-earth, perfect for sharing info or keeping things grounded. It's easier on the eyes than bold black, especially if you're reading a lot. Plus, it blends nicely with different backgrounds, so it stays easy to read while adding a bit of class to the design.

2. Subtle shadow effect: I added a touch of shadow to make the text stand out a bit. It adds depth and makes the text pop from the background, which helps with readability. The shadow gives the text a lifted look, like it's floating a bit above the page, but not too much to distract from the overall design. It's all about finding the right balance so the shadow doesn't get in the way of reading.

3. Italic font style: I used italic to give certain words or phrases some extra oomph. It adds emphasis and style, making those parts stand out more. Italic text breaks up the regular upright text, making it more interesting to read without making it hard to follow. But I made sure not to overdo it, so it still looks neat and easy to read. 

I decided to change the format to inject some excitement and captivate my audience's attention. By adding a pop of dark red color to the text, I aimed to make key points stand out and evoke a sense of urgency and intensity. Dark red signifies power and passion, and I wanted my content to pack a punch. For the font, I chose Lumios Brush because it adds a personal touch and injects creativity into the text. Its handwritten appearance exudes warmth and authenticity, making my content feel more relatable and inviting. I wanted my audience to feel like they were having a conversation with me rather than just reading information. Overall, by incorporating these design choices, I aimed to create a visually appealing format that not only grabs attention but also enhances the overall engagement and impact of my message. 

Deciding to tidy up my social media layout felt like the right move. It's like decluttering my online space to make it more inviting and user-friendly. I want people who visit my profile to have a smooth experience, like finding things in a well-organized room. By arranging my posts neatly, I can showcase what I'm about and make it easy for others to explore different aspects of my content. Plus, ensuring my layout works well on all devices ensures everyone can enjoy it. Overall, organizing my social media layout reflects my desire to create a welcoming and accessible space for everyone who stops by. 

However, I realized that instead of keeping my social media all polished and professional, it's better to make it feel like a personal account. This means sharing more about my everyday life, thoughts, and what goes on behind the scenes. By doing this, I can make my fans feel closer to me, like we're friends. It's not just about showing off my work; it's about letting people into my world and building a real connection with them. This personal touch can help my fans feel more engaged and loyal to me as an artist. 

Filming Schedule

This is our filming schedule for our project. 
Credit: Theo & Satria 

Production

This document includes the shooting process and the several images of the behind the scenes. 
Credit: Theo 

Day 1 (28 December 2023)

On the first day we are having the shooting day for the Lip sync scenes where we focuses on constructing the Lip sync part. The scene was plan to act as self reflective phase where she will be alone with blank spaces as time doesn't exist. 

Problems: We didn't really plan on the shot list and how our artist should act during the lip sync scene so at the end we wasted lot's of time during the set.

Solution: we will try to inform our artist and try to do some rehearsal before arriving at the shooting location or far away before the production day 

Day 2 (21 January)

On the second day of production we are having the "Play Date Scene" in Ikea. The team arrived at around 4 pm. After all the members and actors arrived we do some short rehearsal that this scene would be them acting naturally without any guidance and the camera man (me) will just try to documented the moment

Problems: We didn't know that camera's aren't allowed to use inside the Ikea store

Solution: Since we have no other choice we have to use one of our phone camera member to documented the scene since we have arrived.

Day 3 (27 January)

On the third day of the production we were having the "parking lot date" in Lotte mart parking lot. This scene will be about how the artist is waiting for her boyfriend where the scene will be the introduction of the music video.

Problems: The weather was very cloudy where potential rain is likely to happened

Solutions: We have prepared our umbrella and raincoat so we can still proceed to the shooting.

Day 4 (3 February)

On the fourth day of the production we were having the "Picnic in Car day" in Pantai Nyanyi where this scene will be the about the couples having fun while slowly started to fade away. Since the location is quite far from our place we decided to to a full day shooting production and do the "Realization day" where she will be alone and showing she realize that her boyfriend has gone for good. We also decided to do the photoshoot there as we have spend quite a lot for renting the place.

Problems: There were sudden rain where the team was force to leave the place.
Solutions: We have to wait for the rain to stop and luckily the rain stop after we finished our lunch. 

Risk Assessment

This document contains the risk assessments of each locations. 
Credit: Satria, Theo, Nadine (all members) 

Research: Digipack

 This blog includes the digipack research of component 3. 
Credit: Nadine 

BLACKPINK 

BLACKPINK's digipack, viewed through a media studies lens, encompasses a carefully crafted blend of design, imagery, layout, and symbolism to communicate the group's brand identity and convey thematic elements of the album. Employing a bold and vibrant color palette, the album cover and inner pages feature high-quality, visually striking images of the members, contributing to a cohesive visual narrative. The layout and composition follow a strategic design, utilizing consistent elements to guide the viewer through a visually appealing journey. Iconography and symbolism, including specific symbols or icons, add layers of meaning, while textual analysis involves examining lyrics' presentation and formatting. Technological elements, such as augmented reality or interactive features, may enhance the user experience, and the digipack may also embed cultural and societal references to deepen the audience's connection. Overall, this holistic approach reveals intentional choices made by the creators to engage the audience on both visual and thematic levels, making the digipack a crucial component of the overall media experience. 

From BLACKPINK's digipack, several features stand out as commendable and inspiring. Firstly, the vibrant color palette, bold typography, and high-quality imagery create a visually striking and cohesive aesthetic that aligns seamlessly with the group's brand identity. The consistent layout and composition guide the viewer through a well-structured visual narrative, contributing to a memorable and engaging user experience. The incorporation of symbolism and iconography adds layers of meaning, fostering a deeper connection with the audience. Additionally, the potential use of technological elements, such as interactive features, showcases an innovative approach to enhancing the overall user experience. However, it's essential to acknowledge that preferences may vary, and there could be aspects of BLACKPINK's digipack that might not align with certain project goals or personal preferences. For instance, if a more minimalistic or subdued visual style is desired, the bold and vibrant aesthetic of BLACKPINK's digipack might be considered too energetic or overwhelming. Additionally, the use of certain symbols or imagery may resonate differently with diverse audiences, requiring careful consideration of cultural sensitivities and context. It's crucial to discern which features align with our project objectives and target audience and which may need modification to better suit our specific goals and aesthetic preferences.

Adopting a concept similar to BLACKPINK's digipack in our project holds considerable appeal for several reasons. Firstly, the carefully curated design elements, including the vibrant color palette and striking imagery, contribute to a visually engaging and memorable user experience. By incorporating consistent layout and composition, our project can achieve a cohesive and well-guided visual narrative, enhancing user engagement. The integration of iconography and symbolism, as observed in BLACKPINK's digipack, can add depth and meaning to our project, fostering a connection with the audience. Furthermore, leveraging technological elements, such as interactive features or innovative design, can elevate the project's appeal and align it with contemporary trends. Considering the success of BLACKPINK's approach, adopting similar strategies can help create a visually compelling and culturally resonant project that effectively communicates our intended message and captivates our target audience. 

RED VELVET 

The Red Velvet digipack, analyzed through a media studies lens, reveals a strategic amalgamation of visual elements to convey the essence of the music and the band's identity. The color palette, predominantly featuring the group's signature red and velvet tones, signifies passion, energy, and sophistication. Typography choices and font styles provide clues to the genre and mood of the music. Imagery, including carefully selected photographs and illustrations, captures the essence of individual band members or conveys thematic elements. Symbolism and semiotics are crucial, with recurring motifs and cultural references contributing to the overall narrative of the album. The digipack's layout and composition play a role in guiding audience engagement, while targeting a specific demographic with elements tailored to resonate with Red Velvet's fanbase. 

Deriving inspiration from Red Velvet's comprehensive album packaging, including the album cover design, photo cards, and the CD, presents a holistic and strategic approach for our project. The album cover's use of the signature red and velvet color palette, coupled with impactful typography, can serve as a guide for creating a visually striking and cohesive first impression for our project. Incorporating a similar strategy for photo cards, capturing individual band members or thematic elements, offers a personalized touch that fosters a sense of connection and collectibility among our audience. Additionally, emulating the symbolic motifs and cultural references found in the CD design allows us to infuse deeper meaning into our project, enhancing its overall narrative. Adopting a meticulous layout for the CD packaging, similar to Red Velvet's digipack, ensures that our content is organized and visually engaging, guiding the audience through a seamless and immersive experience. By synthesizing these elements, our aim is to replicate the successful engagement and visual allure that Red Velvet's album packaging has demonstrated, creating a project that is both artistically resonant and captivating for our target audience. 

TWICE 

Analyzing TWICE's digipack design provides valuable insights that we aim to incorporate into our project. TWICE's use of a vibrant and diverse color palette reflects the group's lively and multifaceted musical style. The strategic application of typography conveys a sense of playfulness and excitement, effectively aligning with the group's cheerful image. The inclusion of both individual and group shots in their imagery adds a personal touch, allowing fans to connect intimately with each member. Notably, TWICE's digipack design incorporates symbolic motifs and recurring themes, creating a layered and immersive visual experience for the audience.

Inspired by TWICE's digipack, our project seeks to adopt a dynamic and diverse color palette that resonates with the energetic essence of our content. Emulating the playful yet strategic typography choices will contribute to setting the tone for our project, aligning with its nature and engaging our target audience effectively. Additionally, incorporating personalized touches, such as individual or thematic imagery, draws inspiration from TWICE's approach, creating a more intimate and collectible experience for our audience. Overall, by infusing these elements into our project, we aspire to replicate the captivating and engaging qualities of TWICE's digipack design, creating an immersive and visually compelling experience for our audience. 

ATEEZ 

ATEEZ's image and vibes are intricately aligned with the dynamic and bold characteristics conveyed through their digipack designs. The group is renowned for their powerful performances, innovative music style, and adventurous concepts, all of which are reflected in the visual elements of their album packaging. The energetic and contrasting color palette used in their digipacks, often featuring intense reds, blues, and blacks, mirrors the intense and diverse musical journey ATEEZ takes their audience on. This color scheme not only catches the eye but also reinforces the group's fierce and adventurous image. Typography plays a pivotal role in capturing ATEEZ's vibes, with bold and stylized fonts amplifying the overall excitement and intensity associated with their music. The album covers, characterized by striking visuals and action-packed scenes, embody the group's dynamic performances and bold stage presence. These visuals not only serve as a visual representation of the music but also contribute to the overall narrative and theme of each album.

The inclusion of photo cards adds a personalized touch, allowing fans to connect with individual members on a more intimate level. This aligns with ATEEZ's image as a group that values and appreciates their dedicated fanbase, creating a sense of collectibility and closeness. Moreover, the symbolic elements and motifs found in ATEEZ's CD designs contribute to a cohesive and immersive storytelling experience. These elements often tie into the broader theme of the album, enhancing the overall impact of the music and creating a multidimensional artistic expression. By adopting these aspects of ATEEZ's image and vibes into our project, we aim to resonate with a similar sense of energy, boldness, and engagement, creating a visual identity that captures the essence of our content and appeals to our target audience.