The Brief

For A2 Media Studies, I have selected the music related brief in which I require to create a promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following options:

• A website homepage for the band
• A cover for its release as part of a digipak  (CD/DVD package)
• A magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package)

The exam board also require me to create my own 'identity' for my artist or performer. 

Q6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?

Q7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Q2: How does your magazine represent a particular social group?

A social group refers to a group of individuals having some form of social relation or interest, for instance, gender, class and subculture. Every institution has a target market and it is essential to represent their customers through the content. i.e. the images. Consequently, the customers can identify and relate to the content, arousing their interest.

My magazine is predominantly aimed at the lower middle class. The reason being, many of the lower middle class are primarily liberal which fits the lyrical content of folk music. Most songs are to protest against issues created by the leading classes, therefore middle class and upper middle class are immediately ruled out.

The values of folk music consist of naturalness, authenticity and tradition and I believe I expressed this clearly.

I have purposely selected this model as he owns several features that represent my social group. Folk music was popular amongst individuals during the hippie movement and hippie symbols purposely reflect a rebellious and disorderly style. This is present in my model’s appearance, for example, he wears his hair long and untamed, along with his facial hair which looks almost unintentional, and this promotes the idea of naturalness and rebellion. I elected a young artist as they’re more likely to rebel and challenge standard social conventions

Moreover, I selected appropriate attire to further denote my social group. I chose a faded blue shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. This is chiefly inspired by traditional English County attire, encouraging sincerity and unaffectedness, this predominantly worn by folk artists. The faded design provides a rustic impression which adds character and an authentic quality to the image. I chose to roll the sleeves up as it provides a casual exterior creating a spontaneous image. He wears a necklace, inspired bohemian style which is closely linked to folk in terms of values and fashion.

Folk is a very honest genre and is usually played or recorded before a live audience; therefore the artists are unable to conceal any flaws in their performances. This in mind, I chose to situate my model on a stage and captured him in mid-performance to present his enthusiasm of the art. I selected this particular image as the facial expression he’s wearing is extremely passionate, an emotion relating to adrenaline and rush. This implies that the included artists are passionate about music and not characterised by their fame and futile lyrics.

I chose a black and white filter as it intensifies the image, suggesting that the magazine contains profound lyrical artists. Additionally, the use colour also presents a passé quality, implying that the magazine has values which correspond with previous decades, i.e. the hippie movement. Similarly, I applied a tattered Polaroid format on my double page spread to achieve a rustic seventies quality. I also layered it in a disorderly fashion to further signify the rebellion of folk culture.

My contents page displays an image I captured during a festival I attended. It shows a large group of individuals walking in mud. I chose this image as it is earthy and grungy, corresponding with the values of folk. My contents page also shows a young male artist, located in a field. I used a field backdrop as it is a rural environment which reinforces the values of naturalness represented in folk ideology.  

Q1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Unused Images

Final Draft of Double Page Spread

Final Draft of Article

As Noah Oberst slinked through the doors of Camden’s Hawley Arms on a January afternoon, a certain charismatic energy exuded from him to the appreciation of the crowd. He appeared both elusive and taciturn, like the love child of a deer and a walrus.  He modelled an Afghan Coat, carrying the scent of patchouli oil. ‘This is a seventies throwback!’ I exclaimed.

Oberst chuckled ‘Yes, I honestly believe I was born in the wrong decade’

‘Is that so? And what era would you feel most comfortable in?’

‘Oh my, I’ll struggle to answer that one’ Oberst expressed, taking a deep breath in. ‘Probably the stone age with a few rudimentary instruments for a bit of sound. The reason being because I detest machinery which is why I only play acoustics. Also with the Stone Age, I think my dress sense would seem quite advanced and I would be a throw-forward rather than a throwback’.

‘Now, we’ve been requested to discuss your recent global success and your music, but of course you famously refuse to’

‘I love making music’ he explained ‘But I loathe talking about it. You’re welcome to ask me anything as long as it doesn’t concern music’

‘I suppose that is a fair compromise, however, we may have to include at least one mention of your band and music, one teeny weeny one’ – I said eagerly.

‘Hmmm’ Noah sounded with a grin.

The subject turns toward Oberst’s educational background. ‘The only good think about my education was that, having gone to a grammar school pretending to be public school, I had a really inspiring English teacher who was also into music and he turned me on to Woody Guthie, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and stuff like that. Needless to say, he didn’t last long in my school. The rest of my education was spent mainly in a Greasy Spoon where I used to hang out miserably by myself’ – Oberst asserted with a smile.

‘Is there any particular subject that you excelled at in school?’

‘Indeed, I was good at sport, especially football. When I realised I was rubbish at actually kicking the ball, I became a goalkeeper which suited by outsider-ish, angst-ridden personality. I stopped doing sport in favour of mooning about unavailable girls and thinking about death. I also started reading a lot and went straight from Noddy to Sartre.’

‘And then you became a musician, presumably?’

‘I suppose so.’ It was an accident, really. I started writing music in my teens and solely for the love of it and then I met Heather and founded Mankind and Mayhem. I’m afraid that is all you’ll be getting’ he uttered with a wink.

‘What is your favourite tipple?’

‘Well, until last year, I used to drink a lot of neat brandy but I had to cut down as it was starting to burn a hole in my insides, now I’m just on the beer. I’m really into real ale at the moment, I’ve just discovered ‘Tipsy Toad’ which seems to really hit the spot and gives me the glow that seems conducive to good music.’

‘What about food?’

‘I have very subtle taste buds. My most common meal is what I call the ‘Everything Casserole’ where I empty the contents of my cupboards and put it all in the oven in a sea of gravy. It works for me’

‘I suppose with your new found stardom, you no longer have to make your own meals?’

‘I guess that’s so, to be honest it’s been a while since I’ve had an ‘everything casserole’, now it’s everything room service – I’ve become everything I hate about the world’.

Draft of Double Page Spread (excluding the article)

Construction of the Double Page Spread

Photographs for Double Page Spread

Final Contents Page(s)

Construction of the Contents Page(s)

Creating the Album Cover

For both a discussion topic for my article and for design purposes, I created an album cover to be placed on the contents page of my music magazine. I designed this in Photoshop by layering a series of images on another and cutting away sections in a linear format, before placing text on top of it. 

All my own Photography for Contents Pge

Inspired Contents Page Layout

As opposed to completing solely one contents page like may leading music magazines, I have chosen to design two, in a format very similar to MOJO magazine. I believe this layout is more pleasing to the eye as the text isn't clustered together and a more minimal approach looks more professional. 

Final Draft of Front Cover

Construction of the Front Cover

Image Selection for Front Cover

I have made a final decision concerning the image for the final cover. I believe this image captures both passion and adrenaline for music which I think is appropriate for a folk magazine.

Potential Photographs for Front Cover

Drafts of Initial Ideas

Inspired Photography

I aim to recreate this photograph for my front cover. I believe it is effective in depicting the passion that the artist holds and I imagine this will enthuse the reader. 

Fleet Foxes

This image is my inspiration for my double page spread and I believe it is a creative and captivating approach.