Promotional Images

Filming Process

For the last two weeks we have been filming for our music video, Although we neglected to photograph much of it, we spent this time trying to find solutions for many of the issues we had in filming the shots we wanted. As shown above, we used a skateboard to get a tracking shot from the side, because we could not afford a dolly and walking was not steady enough. Another issue was filming in the car, something we had discovered difficult because of space. This involved attaching a camera mount to the back seat to keep it steady and centred on the actor, as well as hanging mostly out of the passenger side window to film a side profile of the driver. Using what we learned from the test shots, we lit the car using a camping light diffused with baking paper.
The walking shots were slightly easier, and we got these simply by using the camera handheld with the strap stabilising it as best we could. We will attempt to stabilise them as much as we can using the warp stabiliser in Premier Pro, but from my previous experience of using it I doubt will we use it.
The only shots we have left to film is the party, which we will not be able to do until after the winter holiday.

Social Media

In the world of today, social media plays an enormous role in both private lives and business ventures. It is the most accessible and widely used source of information available today, and artists frequently use it to promote music, their brand and build a following. Especially as our target audience of teenagers and young adults are considered Global Natives and will likely use social media extensively.

Instagram is a very popular app among our target audience, and allows people to share images and videos. Our band could use Instagram extensively to publicise our brand and share visual media with our audience, expecially as our ethos includes aesthetic appeal. Videos and images posted can contribute to building a brand image based around the aesthetic values we hold. Due to its nature as a mobile application, our audience have constant access to it using smartphones, and are likely to check it on a daily basis, allowing for constant interaction and connection.

 Although it has begun falling out of favour with a younger generation, many now sneering at the idea of constant connectivity, it is still a very popular site that the majority of young adults, and our target audience, are likely to have.Our band could effectively use Facebook to post more detailed updates, tour information, longer videos and such. As Facebook is a browser site, rather than an application, Facebook would allow us to post links to other sites, something Instagram cannot do. This means we could share articles, venue websites and YouTube videos easily when relevant.

Website Update

We have decided to change the website design slightly so that it connects better to our digipak. Rather than using an image of the musician, the website will now use the ink patterns of the album art, and the whole site will be on one page that you scroll through, in order to increase accessibility by reducing the amount of links the user needs to follow.

Digipak Analysis

Band Profile

Now that were far on creating all our products, we felt it was necessary to finalise what our band would actually be. We decided to make it a duo, as it emphasises the gender neutrality of our music and target audiences, and having a male and female member helps to appeal to both.
The duo is the members of our media group, Myself (James Morrison) and Beatrice Douaihy. This prevents us from having to rely on outside people if we need promotional material such as images.
The band would produce varying experimental electronic music. We don't want to narrow the genre down too much, as it gives us more freedom in terms of promotion if the band is not super specific music wise. The band members persona's and personality will not be stressed, as we feel that in an age where people share so much online the enigma is likely to draw attention.




We used an online random ambient electronic band name generator on the Rigel7 music blog (http://rigel7.com/bandomizer/) to produce a series of random names. One of the names that came up involved 'Xerox', and we liked the idea of using this in the name as it fits the idea of nostalgic futurism, with the strange futuristic word yet the actual physical thing being a now outdated technology. As we went on, we tried it out with other suggestions, and eventually settled on 'dreams' as the abstract noun combines with the concrete Xerox to create a surreal, unusual impression, as well as emphasising the longing associated with nostalgia.

Digipak First Draft

We have changed our design to be more original, instead using only the base ideas from Mount Kimbies designs. Instead of using the geometric shapes, we are using parabolic curves, another element of geometry.

Whilst calling back to Mount Kimbies designs this is different, and we used this as the starting point for our design. Using this principle we then thought about how we could use this geometry in a cover. One idea is to overlay these curves over an image, but we didnt think this would look right or work properly.

Instead we decided to make the curve a main focus of the image, and mocked up the rough idea to include the curve in a v shape. To make it more interesting we decided a second element was necessary and thought that a circle of some kind would be fitting as it would match the curve. We had a few ideas for what to include, such as images from a microscope, paint patterns or a 3D panelled sphere. Ultimately we decided on paint patterns, as it was gave us the option to try many different colour scheme and ideas.

Digipak Ideas

These are our initial ideas for the Digipak.

These rough sketches show our main ideas. They are inspired by Mount Kimbies actual album art, and so we followed similar conventions by using geometric shapes and vibrant colours in the designs.

This was a more detailed mock up of a main idea. The principles are in place, using strong colours
and shapes. the designs for all three pages are consistent giving the digipak an overall look.
It emulates the geometric designs of Mount Kimbies past, but ours is more three dimensional and adds a more complex interaction of the shapes and colours. The shapes will be shaded to give them an appearance of physical existence, but there will be varying light sources and angles to create a surreal, unreal appearance that reflects the style of the music. The back cover mimics the front, but is more subdued in order to give room for the text.
On the inside will be an image of the artist, which connects it to the website and video as well as humanises the band. We will not use an image though, as to still remain somewhat removed from the music, and as this was not something favoured in our survey. Instead we chose to use a line image, which will not be hugely realistic; this creates enigma and interest in the band.
Personally I think this is too similar to Mount Kimbies albums and doesn't properly show our creative abilities. It also isn't as reflective as I'd like of the music video, and we want to make it more consistent with that.