Conventions of a website homepage

• The artist will appear on the website homepage so the audience are aware they are on the right website for the right person. 
• The artist's name will be made bold as they are the brand. It will most likely be used more than once.
• The name will be featured at the top or in the centre depending on the type of hompage. The audience will look here first.
• Promotional material will be featured on the page. Includes album covers, music videos and fan videos.
• It will have a menu bar with drop down links to other pages. the menu bar will include the conventional headings that are Home, About, News, Gallery, Video, Tour, Forum, Downloads, Blog, Contact (to name a few)
• The success of the artist is usually noted.
• The artist usually has some form of information updated directly from them eg blog, twitter updates.
• It will feature the artist's logo so the audience can identify them.
• Different house colours and styles/themes will be used to reflect the genre of the artist.
• The latest information regarding the artist is usually highlighted for the audience to see. 
• The record label is usually highlighted along with a legal copyright notice. Usually placed at the bottom of the page. 
• The audience are usually able to regognise the genre fromhe way it looks as well as the artist representation.
• Images of the artist as well as there latest music video.

Conventions of a magazine advertisement

• Band or artist will appear on the advert in some form
• The artist's name will feature on the advert usually the main attraction
• The name will be placed at the top of the advert so that the audience will be attracted to it first.
• The CD cover will also be featured somewhere on the advert. However this isnt always the case.
• It will have a snappy tag line, such as stating that it's a new album and when its released  (snappy because it appeals to the audience)
• Quotes will be used from positive reviews/sources. These usually are backed up by a star rating.
• The name of the album is usually featured next to the artists name.
• It will feature the artist's logo - people who already know the artist will be able to identify them from this. 
• Colour schemes don't reflect the magazine's own colour scheme, but the band's or the product's being sold.
• The artist will be represented in a way that will appeal to the audience and they are able to engage with.
• Institution logos will be ibluded these could include record label and music shops. Play.com can be seen on many, because it is a popular source for music distribution. This would be situated at the extreme bottom of the page. Another example would include HMV.
• A release date will also be included on the advertisement

Analysis of magazine advertisement for a digipak

Ellie Goulding is the artist that sings the song 'The Writer' which I am using for my music video. Therefore the advertisement for her is something that can be seen as inspiring to my work as she is potentially the role model of my artist. However I will try to make my artist there self too so that she isn't a copy of Ellie Goulding. Ellie Gouldng is a British Singer/songwriter who has become very successful after winning the critics choice award at the Brit Awards in 2010. Now well known, she is continuously dominating the charts with her many hits that she released over the years.

The point of this advertisement is to make the artist appealing to an audience as well as promoting her music. Highlighting the main successful points of her career so far is something the audience will look at giving the artist the attention she needs to be sucessful. From looking at this you can tell the artist is being represented in a good way as the use of descriptive language in a positive manner is visable. Portraying the artist in a positive way is something the audience will look out for as they are less likely to be drawn to an artist with a bad reputation and little success. The record label of the artist will be doing all they can to make her seem successful as they know this is something that will be looked at. If an artist isnt successful and doesnt have much going for them then audiences arent going to want to know. Magazine journalists from America have commented on her making her look like she is really well known. 'Its hard to crack America in the music industry'- This is something that is often said about British artists and the fact Ellie Goulding has had positive comments shows just how big and powerful she is. She is also dressed quite low key in the image shown, showing that she is possibly quite down to earth and is more about her music than her image which people will identify. The fact she is showing only one side of her face may coonte that she has another side to her the music side and then the real her. It ignites the fact like everybody else she is a real person but just entertains for a living.

The purpose of this media text is to promote the artists album as well as the artist. It is conventionally set out like an advertisement would be, with the main text highlighted as that is the most important message and the artist is on display. The text is making the audience aware of the artist and her music. The purpose of the advertisement is to inform the audience of her music. The institution for this media text is were it is published. Whether its in a magazine or a newspaper they will be the institution. Advertisements are placed in the right kind of magazines in order to target the right audiences. As she is an indie/pop/folk singer you wouldnt expect to find this advertisement in a magazine that didnt reflect the genre as that wouldnt attract the right people meaning she could potentially loosing out on success.

Analysis of website Homepage - Florence and the machine

As I hope to design and create a homepage for my artist I researched one existing one that is for an artist that has a similar look to the model I am using for mine. The artist is Florence and the machine is known to mix up her genres and her sound has been dubbed as indie, rock and soul. She is very successful and her debut album spent more than 2 weeks at number 1. She is fairly popular in the music industry attracting audiences in the age group of generally 15-30.

Florence and the machine the artist is being represented as an individual on this homepage when in fact there are more than one person in this band. However as she is the lead singer the limelight is on her. The representation of her is fairly good. She appears to have an iconic look to her with the porcelain skin and red hair, something which goes back hundreds of years ago. Women in the Elizabethan Era used to have the iconic red hair with really pale skin purposely done as the denotations back then meant that if you looked like this you were wealthy and were high on the social ladder.This image she is carrying connotes that her sound has an edge that could be seen as quite old fashioned as conventionally, sound is represented through image. By this I mean you can tell what genre of music the artist usually is categorised in due to how they appear visually. Also there is only one photo that appears to be on the homepage which is ironically against a black background. This works well as she is pale doesn't blend in with the background. However she is dressed in a black sequined dress which contrasts with the background. To me this suggests that they are only trying to highlight the significance of her unique look taking away the clothing. It doesn't matter what she wears because she is still unique.  Even though she is wearing colours that match the background she is still the main attraction of the site automatically promoting her to the audience.



This picture shows someone from the Elizabethan Era with a
similar image to Florence and the Machine. (Hair and makeup)

Conventionally all website homepages are set out with a home menu bar with drop down bars and pictures. Like many other websites this homepage does the same and has headings that you would associate with music. Some of these are 'Gallery', 'Music', 'Blog' and 'News'. These are links to other webpages that feed information to the audience regarding the artist and is something I will include on my homepage. The purpose of the website as a whole is to promote the artist and there are many things that do this. Album releases, tour dates and blog posts are some of the things that are usually placed on the homepage being the first features the audience will see. Florence and the Machines new album 'Ceromonial' is due for release and so the album is placed on the homepage with a 2nd copy of the main photograph of the artist. Using the same photograph twice suggests to me that this image is a big significance to the album and the audience will automatically relate the album to this image.

From this website you can see that the genre of the artist is indie/rock. The codes of these genres are dark colours with an edgy style which this website shows. Just from how the artist is styled you wouldnt direcetly assume she swas rock due to her conventionally not being dressed in dark colours she is very much the opposite. However she does have the pale skin that bads like 'Kiss' are known for yet they are very much more heavy metal/ hard rock and paint theirs on. Florence may be naturally pale yet her look is unique and appealing to audiences. The person I will be using for my music video will have a similar style to Florence's whic is why I have chosen to look at her website. It is inspiring towards my own work.

The original music video to my chosen song 'The Writer'

This is the orginal video to my chosen song. This music video is more about the artist than the lyrics. She shows herself singing the song aswell as her been shown along side scenery. This is a conventional thing to do due to the genre of the song which is Folktronica. As my music video with be completely orginal it will be different to this one however some elements of this video such as the choice of clothing the artist is wearing and the different shots used would maybe work with mine also. I like the way the artist appears against a white background when miming the lyrics I think it represents her in a way that the audience will get. By this I mean it shows just her singing getting straight to the point nothing else is needed. The ideology behind it shows her as a dominant female expressing her feelings towards something even though the lyrics dont put her in a dominant position stereotypically the male is yet only a female ,being the artist, appears in this video. This may be down to the fact she wants to represent her character as the strong one. In my music video my interpretation of the lyrics will be more straight forward following the narrative and making it fairly obvious to the audience. Showing the story visually makes the them understand what the song is about, this is similar to the music video by Colbie Caillat 'Realize'.

These photos are of Ellie Goulding and inspire the look for my video. These photographs show her in a scenery image, aginst a neutral coloured background and one more casual photo. These are all elements I will include in mine. I think this sort of look represents the genre and goes with the issue of the lyrics. It shows the type of artist also. I want my video to look casual, meaningful as well as telling the story.

3rd ANALYSIS- Music Video Kate Bush- 'Wuthering Heights'



I have chosen to analyse this video as a second choice because I think it is a good inspiration for my own music video and it includes elements of mise-en-scene and cinematography I will aim to have in mine.
The artist in this video Kate Bush, is an English singer/song writer who has been apart of the music industry for more than 30 years. When she was just 19 she became the first female artist to achieve a number 1 with a self written song and is still known today for her marvelous success with her hit single 'Wuthering Heights'. She is currently signed with EMI but has been previously been signed with Columbia records. As a record label, EMI Records are everyday producing and selling records and magazines on behalf of the artists signed to them. Their goal is for the artist to be successful by drawing in audiences globally as well as making money in order for their company to get bigger. Kate Bush isn't as big a star today as she was previously back in the 70s and 80s but this is mainly due to the change in music genre popularity. Typically her promotional material is mostly aimed at her specific target audience which could be seen as females or even males 30 upwards. Her music is more likely going to relate to this age group as she is someone who they would have grown up listening to and so people of the young generation probably wont know who she is. Her genre of music is mainly Art and alternative rock but sometimes her music can come across quite folktronica which links to my chosen song.

This music video like all music videos shows the artist in a way that will promote herself and her music. The purpose of a music video is to deliver promotional material that the audience can identify making the artist become successful.This song was written by Kate Bush and it was inspired by the novel 'Wuthering Heights'. It was written in the point of one of the characters in the novel (Catherine) were she is pleading to Heathcliffs window be let in. "This romantic scene takes a sinister turn if one considers the events of the book, as Catherine may well be a ghost, calling Heathcliff to join her in death." In this music video the story isn't being visual shown and is more about the artist with the limelight being all on her. She appears to be dancing around in a field with nothing but a few trees around. Whats interesting about the video is that the lyrics are very significant but aren't shown to be. Its almost an abstract video as the reference to what the song is about isn't there for the audience to interpret. The artist is represented as a talent and a performer and in some ways a dancer. The purpose of this is to satisfy her audience as well make her self known to them this is done through her performance. Whats being visually presented in the music video is what the audience is going to relate to with the artist. For this video Kate Bush has played it very safe as it comes across quite simple and does the job its suppose to.

However in some ways Kate has made a statement with what she is wearing making her more noticeable in the video. The colour red connotes love and the fact she is dressed in a long, floaty, red dress could some how be representative of the meanings behind the song. Wuthering Heights is a romantic novel so dressing Kate in this colour portrays this, it reminds the audience that the story is about love. How the artist dresses will have an impact on the audience as they have a desire to be like them whether its the fashion they bring or how they are generally. The messages Kate Bush gives off from how she is dressed are good and are key to the song and meanings behind it. She effectively is the story and is representing her self in a suitable manner which is vital to what she is trying to get across. The artist is the only person who appears in this video which could be seen as difficult way to portray a romance however you can automatically tell its about a love story without having the stereotypical elements.

The fact this music video was shot in a field suggests that the song is about something that can widely interpreted differently. Open wide spaces can connote the feeling of freedom and growth making it open for the audience to interpret the situation. In this case the idea of the open wide field shows that the story can be understood in different ways from either the inter textual references to the novel or their own personal ideas. It can also show a representation of the artist showing her in a way that somes up her feelings. Although the song is specifically about something, it doesn't necessarily mean that the video must carry the same meanings. Kate could be potentially displaying her feelings in the video but through the lyrics, mean something completely different which is what I think she has done here.

The use of cinematography stands out in this music video. A range of different shots are used to create a unique look for the artist and the video. The artist appears in a long shot most of the time as the camera is shpwing her full body. As she appears to dance in this video this  shot would show her full movement.

2nd ANALYSIS: Painting 'By The Flowers'

This picture is one that reflects the style of the artist as well as overall feel of the music video I am wanting to create. For me it represents an independent woman stating her feelings through the way she is styled and placed in this picture. The mise en scene includes colours that are almost vibrant,connoting happiness and positive vibes however I think this contrasts with the way she is sat and the expression she is giving. To me the woman appears lonely and worried its almost as if she is waiting for something and is willing for anything to make her happy again. I think the brightness of the colours and the flowers in the background represent what she wants and is hoping for and shes caught in the middle of a world she desperately wants. Looking at this photo I personally am drawn to the boldness of the flowers. I think they stand out more than the woman for a purpose even though she is in the centre. Its like she is wanting to be the main focus but at the moment is just blending in. The clothing she is dressed also seems to be very significant as the neutral colours make a statement.

The colour white comes with connotations such as:

• to clear clutter and obstacles away
• to start a fresh beginning
• to bring about mental clarity
• purification of thoughts or actions

Not only does the colour white have some significant but the fact there is a fair amount of pink being used shows that there is a story behind the painting. Pink can be associated with love which gives me the impression that, that is what the painting is about in some aspects. It also has codes of acceptance and contentment drawing conclusions that the girl is not feeling complete without love in her life or she is stuck in a relationship wanting to get out. This photo gives inspiration to my music video as the lyrics to the song I have chosen tell the same sort of story.

 What influences me about this photo is the way the arist is styled as I would like my arist to look a similar way. I would hope to tell a story through the appearance of my artist ie. the clothing she wears, make up etc. The genre of the artist can usually be seen through the way they are dressed and styled. For example this picture shows the girl in a white dress which isnt out there and so you wouldnt expect the genre to be rock or hip hop as the conventions are not being followed. I hope to dress my artist in a similar way as the song I have chosen is appropriate for this type of clothing.

1st ANALYSIS: Music Video/Colbie Caillat- Realize

I have chosen to analyse this video as I think it is a good inspiration for my own music video. It has a story that can easily be interpreted differently and it shows the artist in more than one role which I would like to do with mine.

The artist in this video Colbie Caillat, is an American singer/song writer who broke onto the music scene in 2007. She has since had big success with a number of her songs most popularly 'Bubbly', 'Realize' and 'The little things'. She is currently signed with Universal Republic Records a subsidiary of Universal Music Group and is continuously selling records. As a record label, Universal are everyday producing and selling records on behalf of the artists signed to them. Their goal is for the artist to be successful by drawing in audiences globally as well as making money in order for their company to get bigger. Colbie Caillat isn't typically a global artist and therefore her promotional material is mostly aimed at her specific target audience which could be seen as mainly females ageing between 15-25. Her genre of music is similar to artists such as Ellie Goulding and reflects the sort of folk indie sound sometimes verging into pop.

This music video shows the artist in a way that will promote herself and her music. The purpose of a music video is to do that and so the artist has took full advantage of this. This song tells a story through visual representation and also shows the artist perform. It makes the music video more interesting to have both of these elements together as it paints a picture of a story teller in the form of the artist and the actual story being the song and what is being shown. The music video represents the artist as a talent and a performer as well as a song writer and story teller. It all is done for a purpose and that is to satisfy an audience. The artist, Colbie Caillat, plays a role in the story as well as just the story teller. She acts upon what she is singing about. She is also in control of her image as she is dressed in quite casual clothing which gives an impression that she doesn't want to be out there as it wouldn't reflect the lyrics or genre of the song. Dressing this way also gives a representation of her wanting to be like the audience. They can relate to her as she comes across normal and they want to project them selves on to her. Audiences want to be like the artist and making the artist as close to them as possible will only increase their desires further. The representation of the artist in this music video is fair and accurate to the story the lyrics are telling. The ideology behind the song is the belief in a relationship so shes not representing herself in an outrageous form.

"The video for "Realize" was filmed in both Toronto, Ontario and Haliburton, Ontario Canada. Most of Colbie's driving scenes are on Highway 121 and Highway 118, two main arteries of the Haliburton region.
As explained on Colbie's 2008 summer tour with John Mayer, there is a story behind this song. Caillat, Jason Reeves, and his roommate were a close group of three friends. Colbie was unaware that Jason's roommate had a huge crush on her, and when she found out about this later, she decided to base her song on this. Jason co-wrote the song from the perspective of his friend." As research behind this music video I found that this song had particular meaning behind it coming from real life experiences from the artist. However as part of the audience my interpretation of the story was a slightly different. This shows that music videos can create different reactions and responses from the audience based on how they are viewed.

I think this music video has been purposely set out to look like a clip from a film trailer, as its telling a story visually and through the lyrics. The visual interpretation resembles a film trailer due to the mise en scene and the way the people in the video come across. Also the screen music video appears to be in the middle of two black blocks which conventionally is usually seen with film trailers at the cinema. I think this has been purposely done to show that this the music video is more about the story being told then the music.The audience are being shown an interpretation of the lyrics visually which has become the narrative of the music video. From the beginning of the music video the artist appears to be in a scene of woodland and trees showing. Different trees have symbols of meaning depending on what kind of trees they are. The trees that appear in this music video symbolise new beginnings, strength and relationships similarising with the meaning of the lyrics. The significance of them appears to be shown when the artist is performing in front of them. Colbie addresses the audience in parts of the music video by miming to the lyrics. Throughout the music video this clip is repetitively shown reminding the audience that the artist is at the centre of the video and is there to promote herself. The narrative in this music video is intercut.

The title of the song 'Realize' is mentioned quite a lot in the lyrics but the message of it is also shown in the music video. The narrative of the video is the realization that the relationship between two people is meant to be. The audience can see this as we are shown the perspective of two people in the same position effectively feeling the same thing. However from the mise en scene of the woodland and the city landscape you can see that they are in two different worlds allowing the audience to make consumptions as to why the relationship isn't working. It gives a reaction which in a way is what the artist is trying to do. The facial expression of Colbie when she is singing individually doesn't just show her singing it shows her believing in what she is singing about. The ideology behind this suggests the artist is a strong individual fighting for what she believes in which is something the audience can relate to.

If you just realize what I just realized,Then we'd be perfect for each otherAnd will never find another
Just realize what I just realized   We'd never have to wonder if
We missed out on each other now.

Highlighted in pink is the repetitive pattern of the word 'Realize' reminding the audience of the meaning of the song as well as the story. The idea of this being about a relationship is also shown through the lyrics which is why I have highlighted the words 'each other'. Repeating the words makes it clearer for the audience to understand the meaning of the song. Some music videos choose to have a video with no reference to the song whatsoever but this music video shows the actual story of the song which in some ways shows only one interpretation of it which is easier for the audience to comprehend. Identifying the audience for this text seems simple enough. I think she is likely to appeal to teenagers and young adults specifically 15-25 as her message within the song is most likely going to relate to them more. It is conventionally aimed at young people due to the nature of the storyline and the mise en scene within the video and the characters are young so people of the same age can automatically relate to the situation being shown.

 Part of the mise en scene of this video is something I see as an influence for my music video. Seeing the woodland scenery work in this video inspired an idea with what to do with mine. The symbolism and ideology behind trees says a lot about growth and relationships and adds to the narrative of the video which is why I am choosing to use a similar setting. Even though this music video also included city landscapes this is something I wont be using with my text as it wouldn't fit in with the narrative where as with this one it shows the two lifestyles of the people who are willing to be in a relationship, visually showing the narrative. This music video works well as it is doing both key things sending out a message causing responses from an audience as well as promoting the artist. Colbie Caillat got a top 20 hit with this song proving success is achieved from promotional materials such as music videos.