Bedroom Location Change

I originally had planned to use a teenage boy's bedroom as part of my music video, and this was in my original location. Since I now do not have access to this location, I have had to reconsider the location for this. However, one of my cast members, Connor, has agreed to let me use his bedroom, which I have looked at and it has the right Mise-en-Scene for the video. Also, as he is the actor which this location will be used for, it makes it easier for him and he will feel comfortable acting there. I also can easily get to this location. Below is an image of his bedroom.

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Planning the Band Performance Film Shoot

I have recently contacted the cast for the band performance, and asked them whether or not they are available on Tuesday 6th December, and Tuesday 13th December from 3.30pm until 5.00pm. They have all replied that they are available for this, therefore I am planning to film the band performance parts of my music video on these dates. As there are four actors for this, it is possible that at least one of them may have something else come up meaning they will not be able to film on these dates. If this is the case, I will have to rearrange to another Tuesday; as this is the only day of the week in which all of them are available after school. I will need to gain permission from the drama/music teachers to use the instruments as props, and access the drama hall on these dates before I can confirm to my cast that the film shoots are taking place.

Second Film Shoot

On Monday 20th November, I had my second film shoot with two of my cast. The shoot took place between 4pm and 5.30pm, in two locations. As it is now winter time, it gets dark quite early which means light was limited; however this matches my storyboard as the majority takes place in the evening/night time and this makes it clear. Joanna and Matthew were the two cast members who participated in this shoot. From 4pm until approximately 4.30pm, I did the filming which took place outside. This was before it got too dark that the camera would not be able to focus on anything outdoors. Then after this for the remainder of the filming I used Joanna's living room for some of the indoor footage.

The location problem which I was faced with last week has now been resolved; I have gained permission from Joanna to use her living room and parts of her house for my indoor filming as I no longer have access to my previous location. Her living room had a variety of photographs of family which had to be removed, but other than this her living room has a good layout and set up for the Mise-en-Scene of my scenes. I will need to return to this location to film again, which I am able to do so I no longer have an issue with finding a new location.

In this film shoot, I filmed a variety of different shots and angles of the main female character and the second male character together. These mostly involved the shots with the keys and the front door, and also the scenes of them together on the sofa. I will need to film some of these again with the popcorn prop. I also filmed some different shots of the scene involving the stairs.

This film shoot was very successful and no time was wasted as both actors were fine with the acting and felt comfortable around each other.

I ensured that Joanna's costume, makeup and hair was exactly the same as the last film shoot, and I have informed Matthew that his costume will need to be kept the same also.

My next filming date is Thursday 1st December in the evening from 7pm onwards, and this filming shoot will only involve Connor, and I plan to film the shots which only involve him.

Photoshop Tutorial 2

The image above is an image of Lenka (a female solo artist), which me and Leanne Mok (another member of the class) started with when we created a practice album cover. We had a further photoshop tutorial to teach us how to use portraits in photoshop to edit them professionally. Below is the resulting image we created. 

In this tutorial, we used the lassoo tool and the magnetic lassoo tool to cut the portrait seperately from the background. We then used a tool called 'feather' to soften the edges and make it look like a clean cut. We then used different tools and features to change the contrast, brightness, saturation and colour of the portrait and edit it in any way as we wanted. We did not alter the portrait that much other than darkening some areas and changing the colours slightly. We then imported a background making sure that the layer was behind the portrait. Also, we flipped the portrait around so that it matched the background (as the light on the face would need to be where the sun was in the background to make sense). We then added some text as a layer in the foreground to finish off the image. Doing this has further developed my skills in photoshop and now I feel that using my own knowledge and the information taught to me in these tutorials I will be able to create my own designs for the ancillary tasks of this portfolio. 

Filming Delay

Due to unforeseeable circumstances, I am not able to use my chosen location any longer to film. This means that any filming I have previously done will not be able to be used, and I will also have to find and plan a new location. This could delay my filming by quite a while, whilst I try to find somewhere else I could use. If I cannot find anywhere to film, I will have to re-think, and plan a whole new idea; which would be very time consuming and I would most likely have to rush, as I do not have a long time to do this. Hopefully, I will be able to find a new location which is suitable, and start filming in the near future. My cast has been informed of this, and they are all aware of this change. The location which needs to be changed is the house location, therefore I will have to find somewhere with suitable Mise-en-Scene and room layout. In the meantime, I can still film outdoor scenes and scenes which do not have an obvious location which needs to be kept constant throughout the video.

First Film Shoot Complete

On Thursday 10th November, I had my first film shoot at my location of a friends house. One of my actors was not available on the night, so I filmed with just the main male actor (Connor) and the female actor (Joanna). Because my third actor (Matthew) was not able to come unexpectedly and at the last minute, I had to improvise and film some extra footage to what I had planned which just involved Connor and Joanna. One of my shots in my storyboard was of an argument occurring between the main male character and female character. Although this was simply one shot, I decided to film it from different angles and shots so that I had a variety of options when coming to edit. I used a long shot, mid shot, close up, and I also used shot reverse shot and point of view shots. It took a while for the actors to get used to the idea of the filming; therefore a lot of takes had to be done to achieve the shot. I filmed for approximately 1-2 hours. The lighting was quite dark in the footage, however this may be an advantage because I want it to be obvious it is evening time. Both actors wore the correct costume, but I decided against using the necklace and ring for the female actor. I decided this because the costume looked right without it, and the jewellery I had available to use did not go with the costume very well; and therefore it looked better as a whole without it. Joanna decided to have her hair up, as she thought she could easily create the exact same style each time we film. She also wore a small amount of makeup. Before the filming, I made sure that the Mise-en-Scene was right for the living room.

I have arranged to film again this coming Thursday, the 17th. This time all three of my actors have said that they will be available to film, however I will make plans in advance just in case for some reason one or more of them is unable to come, similar to the last film shoot.

Photoshop Tutorial

In the lesson on Thursday 10th, we had a two hour photoshop tutorial to teach us the basic things which the programme can do. As we will be using this for our digipak and advertisements, it is important that I know how to use it properly and how to use all of the effects there is to offer. I learnt about how to use all of the layers in photoshop correctly so that some layers were in the background and some were overlapping certain images. I also added text and altered the opacity of certain items. For example the small darker blue butterfly's opacity was altered so that you can see through it slightly. I also tested out different filters in photoshop, to see what effects they created. I also used a variety of the tools available such as the eraser tool, and the magic wand tool. Although I have already used photoshop before now in my art lessons, I was still introduced to some important parts of using the software which I didn't know before. After this two hour tutorial, I feel that I can now use photoshop myself to create my magazine advertisement and Digipak cover. I do think that I need to experiment more by using portraits and creating a practice version related to a music album. 

First Film Shoot

I plan to start filming this Thursday, (10th November). In this shoot, I will be including shots using the three main characters in the music video. I have contacted them all and they are all available on this date to film. I plan to film from 7.00pm for one to two hours. On this shoot, I will focus on the indoor filming in my chosen location of a friends house. I plan to film all or most of the shots which include the second male character and the female character together, as there are not so many of these and it would be beneficial to get these done all at once. I have contacted all three of the cast members of what costume to wear, and how to have their hair and makeup etc, and also if they will need any props such as a watch or jewellery. I have also informed them that this will have to be the exact same every time we film. For this shoot, I will have to purchase popcorn and drinks for the two characters when they are on the sofa together, and ensure that I have all of the props which are needed for the shots I am going to be filming. I am going to film plenty of different shots and angles which differ from the storyboard so that I have a variety of choice when it comes to editing the footage at the end. The lighting does not particularly matter for this shoot, as it is all indoors. However all of the lights will be on so that the footage will be as bright as possible. I will also have to make sure that the Mise-en-Scene of the house is right for my video. For example, photographs and items that are in the living room will need to be removed so that my location becomes believable. I will organise my next film shoot date and time once this shoot is complete, as I will then know what I have done and what is left to do.

Ancillary Task 2: CD Digipak

The History of the Digipak:
A Digipak is a style of CD or DVD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd, an Atlas Holdings company.  IMPAC Group Inc. originally owned the Digipak trademark. The company was taken over in 2000 by MeadWestvaco (MWV). Following this in 2010, MWV sold AGI Media to Atlas Holdings. A Digipak opens in a book-style way with one or more plastic trays to hold the disc inside. Digipaks were amongst the first alternatives for a jewel case. Digipaks are often used for CD singles or special edition CD's. Digipak cases became increasingly popular in the early 2000's among record labels and recording artists.

What is a Digipak:
The CD Digipak is a modern alternative to the standard plastic jewel case. A Digipak is a custom printed card packaging which can hold one or more discs depending on how many plastic trays are glued into the packaging. CD Digipaks are especially popular for CD albums or multiple disc sets. Digipaks were originally seen as being limited edition and specialist. However they are now available at much lower prices and quantities. There are many different types of Digipak, ranging from 4 panel to 10 panel. The most common is a 4 panel CD Digipak, which simply opens like a book.

Compared to the Jewel Case:
The Digipak differs from the standard jewel case, as a jewel case comes in one style, and is made from plastic. The jewel case has been used since the compact disc was first released in 1982, and is a three piece transparent plastic case, which can have a cover slotted inside. The jewel case locks shut itself, and opens in a simple book-style way. The Digipak differs to this as there are many different types and sizes, and is made out of cardboard. The Digipak does not have a cover; each Digipak is custom printed so that the design is printed onto it rather than being seperate. Digipaks still remain less common than jewel cases due to the higher manufacturing costs and lower resistance to wear. This is why most CD's on shop shelves all are sold in a jewel case, and fewer Digipaks are seen.

Different Types of Digipak:
Four different examples of types of Digipak are the '4 panel, 1 tray' Digipak (which is the style of Digipak I will be creating for my chosen artist/track). The 4 panel 1 tray Digipak is the most common and simple Digipak available. It has just one fold and opens like a jewel case would, however is cardboard and the plastic trays are on the inside.

The second example is a '6 panel, 1 tray' Digipak which still only holds one disc as it only contains one plastic tray. However, it has a different folding mechanism which means there are six sides to the Digipak.

A third example is the  '6 panel, 3 tray' Digipak, which folds in the same way as the example above, but is fitted with three plastic trays so that it can hold up to three discs. This would be useful for multiple disc sets.

A final example is the '8 panel, 4 tray' Digipak. This is a large Digipak as it holds up to four discs as it is fitted with four plastic trays. There are also eight sides to the Digipak.

The style of Digipak I will be creating is a 4 panel 1 tray Digipak. I will be creating a simple book-style mechanism of folding, with one plastic tray to insert a disc. I will also be designing the Digipaks exterior.

Examples of Digipaks:

This Digipak is a 6 panel Digipak of Bon Jovi's greatest hits. The main colour scheme for this Digipak is brown. There are also colours such as black, or lighter browns, and small hints of red. These colours represent the style of Rock as they are quite dark colours. From the CD inside of the Digipak, I can see that the disc is black with red on it. Black and red are quite common colours associated with rock and alternative rock, as the bright and dark colours contrast.


The image of Bon Jovi on the front of the Digipak means that it is instantly recognisable. Also, the artist name is central at the top of the Digipak in large letters. The front of the Digipak is quite plain and simple, with the name of the album, the name of the artist and a large image. All of the information is on the back of the Digipak. This is because it looks better if there is not much writing on the front as it makes the cover clearer and would appeal more to all of the target audience as they can choose whether or not to read the back cover.

The spine of the Digipak states that the Digipak is a double disc pack. This may also appeal to the target audience as they would recieve two CD's of Bon Jovi's greatest hits. Also, as well as on the front cover of the Digipak, a different image of Bon Jovi is on the back cover. The CD is also made to look like an old record vinyl, which fits the genre of the music and style of the artist. The fact it is black and made to look quite old also links with the colour scheme and style of the Digipak as a whole. From this angle of the picture alone, 'Bon Jovi' has been written on it four times in a clear bold font, to appeal to the target audience and make it clear to a buyer of what this Digipak contains.

The Digipak as a whole is obvious as to what is in the content, such as the artist, the amount of discs, and what the album is (Greatest Hits). This means it is clear to the target audience and would appeal to a buyer if they were looking for this.

This Digipak is also a 6 panel, 2 disc pack. It is for the Wombats, which is a band of a similar style to my chosen artist, Simple Plan. Bright colours have been used such as bright pinks, and a contrasting colour of black.

In the centre panel, there is a large image of the Wombats, which would appeal to the target audience, and it also adds more colour to the Digipak as a whole to make it look bright and colourful. This represents the style of the band.


Each disc is of a different colour which contrasts with each other. Also, the background of the panels containing the discs are also of opposite colours. This makes the discs stand out and adds to the colourful theme of the Digipak. The two discs also cleverly have a slight hint to the name of the band, the Wombats. For each disc, there are two small 'ears' above the colour of a disc to emphasise the name of the band being about Wombats, (a small animal).

This Digipak as a whole is of a similar idea to what I would want to do in my own Digipak, by using bright colours which represent the artist, and to include images of the artist (in my case, the cast members of my music video).

This is a Digipak of a 6 panel, 1 tray style, for My Chemical Romance (MCR), which is a band of a similar style to my chosen artist. It also uses a similar colour scheme to what I had in mind also, and a colour scheme which is associated with many rock bands, red and black.

As is similar in most Digipaks, an image of the band is large on one panel on the right hand side. The image is in black and white and contains all of the band members standing next to each other in an arrangement. This would appeal to the target audience as the style of the photograph is poster-like, and the black and white colour scheme also links to the genre of the Digipak being rock. Also, the pose and arrangement in which the band are standing represents the fashion and style of the target audience. They are all dressed in dark colours of a similar style, which would appeal to the target audience.

All of the information is displayed on the left panel of the inside of the Digipak. This could be because if lots of information was put on the outer covers of the Digipak, it might put off buyers and also take up room which could be used for important information and images.

The whole colour scheme of the Digipak is black, red and white, which is an obvious trend when it comes to rock and alternative rock bands.

Similar to the Digipak for Bon Jovi's greatest hits, this disc is also made to look like an old vinyl record, with circle lines on the black disc. Also, a random red 'pattern/shape' is central to the disc, which contrasts with the old look of the vinyl disc and adds a modern touch which represents the band.

Ideas:
I have collected a few images to get ideas and inspiration on what to put in my own Digipak design. I have considered the colour scheme, including photographs of the band members and cast, instruments, and writing style. It is clear from looking at some examples of Simple Plan albums that red and black and white are colours which often appear. Also, block lettering is used to make it stand out on the covers. The writing is often in white. I would like to get the idea of the genre of the song across by using images of instruments and also by the fashion in which the cast would wear. Below are some example images which I have looked at so far to give me ideas of what I could possibly include.

I have now created a bar code using a bar code generator online so that there were no copyright issues. I have used my full name and candidate number as the text along the bottom of the bar code so that it is personal and is useful to have on the back of my Digipak. I chose the dimensions of the bar code and I also chose to have a white background with black font. Below is an image of the bar code I created.