Digipak Templates

Online I have found different template designs for possible digipaks for my work. In this post I will be discussing the benefits of each layout and finalizing my decision on which template would be best to use for my work. 

 

Template one gives me the option of using four panels that would include the front cover, back cover, CD compartment and inside panel. This would perhaps be more similar to some of the digipaks that I have analyzed for my research and could therefore be more conventional to my genre and artists style. On the other hand this gives me less photography options and I will have to be very selective with the images that I choose to use. As this layout is perhaps more simplistic in style it would require a lot more attention to detail in terms of the formatting, which would be some thing I would need to consider.

Template two is the larger template out of the two allowing me to be able to experiment more with the images I use and giving me more scope to enhance my artists 'star image'. This template includes the front cover, back cover, CD tray, the inner panel where the booklet will be placed and a second inner panel with front and back side that will cover the CD when it is closed. When looking back at my research into digipaks I didn't find many pop digipaks that had this layout. Whilst it gives me more space to promote my artist and his brand I don't feel that the additional panel is necessary for the type of ablum I am creating and would perhaps be a little repetitive in style with the imagery and design I am planning to use.

 

 

Overall I feel that the first template will be the template that I choose to use for my digipak. Whilst there are less panels available for me to use, the layout is more consistent and in keeping with my chose genre and I feel it will enable me to focus more on the finer details of the product so it creates an effect, professional and promotion digipak design.

Rough Cut 5

Here is another rough cut of my work so far. In this rough cut I have 2/3 of my performance footage sections added. Both sections are very rough and need a lot of work and tighter editing done to them but I thought it would be a good time to upload another trial to see where my video was at and the progress I've started to make. 

Enjoy!

 

Rough Cut 5 from Laura Greenley on Vimeo.

Editing is driving me crazy!!

I'm currently in the process of editing my performance footage into video and I can tell you it's truly driving me insane. The footage itself isn't bad- apart from a few shaky moments and lighting not being perfect- but the software is the slowest thing in the world!!

I'm wanting to get a rough cut done of the complete video, with performance footage before I post another sample of my video to my blog. 

Hopefully the software will stop running so slowly on my computer and this process will be made easier, but for now I will keep spending hours waiting for footage to render. 

I hope it'll all be worth it in the end.

Hope to have a rough cut uploaded in the next few days!!

Changing the artist name

As discussed in my formatting post I have decided to change the name of my artist from Ed Sheeran so that I can expand on my branding and experiment more with my artists individual style.

To generate a new name I started by looking on random name generator websites but realised that the suggestions that were coming up just didn't work or fit at all! 

One option we had was to just use my actors name but I didn't really like how it sounded and didn't think that it fitted with the brand identity that I was wanting to go for. 

Instead we decided to take my actors middle name (Matthew) and last name and combine them together and my artists new name is now Matt White!! I think this name has a bit of an indie feel to it and has bit of personality which is perfect for the direction of my branding. 

I will now begin to use my artists new name on my promotional designs.

Discussing Formatting

I have been discussing the formatting of my digipak and advert designs with my teacher today and we have spoken about changing around some concepts of the designs.

The overall style with the broken up images we agreed was effective and should be something that is a consistent theme throughout the digipak design. He suggested to me that it may be better if the broken up images were better selected so that they had more significance and impact for the overall design. This was something that I found to be a problem when I was designing the two products on Pixlr Express as it didn't give me the option to choose which sections of the image would be broken up. However perhaps I need to explore this idea by also using and experimenting with Photoshop to see if this is a more effective piece of software to use for my promotional designs.

 We also discussed elements of the text that was on both products. We agreed that the title of the album was effective on both products but that some of the finer pieces of text needed to be focused on in more detail. For example, making sure that the text is aligned in the right format and adding brand logos and bar codes to make the products look more authentic. This is something that again I may need to use Photoshop for after getting the basic editing completed on the Pixlr Express site.

Finally it was suggested that I use a different name for my artist other than Ed Sheeran as my artists style may differ somewhat from his. This would allow me to have more freedoms in terms of branding and I would be able to experiment more with style.

My next step now is to decide on the layout of my digipak and to start developing my ideas, getting them closer to the final what the final products will look like.

More trial designs

Trial Designs

Here are two initial and very rough designs for potential digipak and magazine adverts using Pixlr online photo editor. 

Both of the designs have a strong focus on the artist so that the star image is strongly enhanced. This was something that I found was very common in the existing media texts that I looked at and so I decided it would need to be an important feature of my work if I were to truly follow the conventions of my genre. I have also used the same boxed effect and font style on both promotional items. I chose this font as it was very similar to the types of font Ed uses on his album and other promotional items. Whilst it is a bold font it isn't over whelming and again allows for the image to have a greater impact on the audience. 
To link with my music video I decided to tint some of the image in black and white but so that the work stood out and was a bit more abstract to fit with Ed's musical style I have kept the closer shots in colour and I'm really happy with the effect. 
I'm aiming to try and get some feedback on these trials from members of my target audience (12-20 year olds) so I can see how to improve on my designs and what else needs to be featured. 
I will keep creating and uploading more trials in the meantime.

Advert Analysis- Olly Murs

Here is my analysis of Olly Murs' advert for his album right place right time. Here is a copy of the advert so that you can see what I am discussing in this podcast. Enjoy.

 

Advert Analysis- Kings of Leon

This is my analysis of the Kings of Leon advert for their album 'Only the night'. Here is an image of what the advert looks like. Please enjoy this podcast.

 

Digipak Analysis- Rihanna

Digipak Analysis- Rihanna from Laura Greenley on Vimeo. 

 

Here is a copy of the digipak that I am discussing in the music video

Digipak Analysis- Ed Sheeran

Digipak Analysis- Ed Sheeran from Laura Greenley on Vimeo. 

Here is my second vlog digipak analysis. As mentioned in the video I will also attach an image of Ed Sheeran's album below so you can see what I am discussing.  

Digipak Analysis- Jason Derulo

Digipak Analysis- Jason Derulo from Laura Greenley on Vimeo.

Here is the first of 5 video analysis' I will be doing on digipaks.

Action Plan

I have created a basic action plan from now until half term outlining deadlines that I have set for myself for when I will get my tasks completed. I believe that these deadlines are realistic and allow my enough time to complete my work as well as the other commitments I have outside of the subject. In order to be able to focus on my evaluation throughout half term I need to complete this list of work. My main focus for this week will be to complete 5 digipak analysis' and re-shoot my performance footage for my video.

Digipak and advert material

I am currently in the process of creating video analysis' of existing digipaks for my print product research that I aim to get posted onto my blog over the next two days. I decided to these in a video form as I realise that I could be a little more adventurous with my presentation of some of my blog posts. 
I will also be looking into music magazine adverts and discussing them perhaps in the form of a sound cloud post. 
I aim to do 5 of each type before going out and getting some test shots for my album cover, which I intend to do with Ben when we re-film my performance footage on Wednesday night. 

Filming Update!

Finally after was has felt like an eternity I will be filming my performance footage with Ben on Wednesday night!!! Over the next two days I will gather together my props and secure my location so that everything is in place. 
It feels like I've been trying to sort this out for a lifetime so hopefully everything will go to plan and we will finish filming quickly with good quality shots.