Generic Research: Artist Website 2

Tom Misch Website - link from video analysis

This website adheres to the typical conventions of a music website to some extent. The front page is actually a moving image of clips taken from the most recent tour. Its quite a simplistic layout with only two links on the navigation menu to 'shop' and 'contact'. Usually there are 6/7 different links that typically include a news and videos section. This makes the website look very minimalistic with details about tour included but not much else information and no use of interetxtuality and not a huge use of digital convergence.

The colour palette is maintained throughout the front page to create a house style and a mix of fonts creates his brand identity. Theres a chance for the audience to be active through subscribing to the news letter to get updates on the artist.

After clicking through to the shops section there's a chance to buy merchandise and music which is conventional for an artist website. Digital convergence is also used in the section of the website through the links to all different social media sites allowing the audience to feel connected with the artist and to keep them active and engaged, linking to Stuart Halls audience response theory.

I believe an easter egg is used on the home page - if you click on the moving image you are then taken to another website about the artists latest release and the collaboration song with another artist. 

This gives the audience more chance for interaction through social media and 'supporting local record stores' - showing something the artist is clearly passionate about. This same font is used as on the front-page maintaining a house style and brand identity.

Generic Research: Artist Website 1

Blossoms band page - link from video analysis 

The website adheres to typical conventions of a music/artist website.

The homepage consists of a main image of the band members in the exact same location as the cover art of their newly released album this year. It constructs the band as a brand though their retro-style clothing and the brightly coloured mise en scene - reinforcing the bands ideas about how they should represent themselves as pervious albums also all include pictures of them as a group on.

The menu bar is placed clearly on the left which is a typical convention of a website to make all areas easily visible and accessible. There are links to tour, videos, merchandise store and a music store reinforcing a commercial imperative.

 The colour palette and layout is quite simple as is their band logo and the iconography they use. This simplistic layout is consistent throughout the website maintaining a brand identity.

Cross media production and digital convergence is a present on the homepage with hyperlinks to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Spotify. All these platforms are used to promote the brand and to interact with fans. The links make the platforms easily accessible for fans to find out more information, see what they have been up to etc. This could link to Henry Jenkins 'participatory culture' theory where fans are active consumers that can interact with the artist through sharing, commenting and creating online communities such as fan pages:(https://www.instagram.com/blossomsvideos/?hl=en)

The podcast link is something that is not conventional for a band/artist website in particular although, this is something the band do every week as part of their star persona. It includes interactive features such as calling fans or reading out fans comments to maintain their active audience.

On the videos section the first one linked in is the one i analysed. This is used to promote the bands star persona and their music through fun and enticing videos. The layout is again very simplistic to maintain the house style. When clicking on the video the viewer is not taken to another website the video is just embedded to keep fans on the website and to save moving over to another tab which could be more time consuming.

After clicking on the music store tab it takes you to that page where there is a pop up regarding deliveries. This keeps fans aware the band are doing their best despite the circumstances and the viewer has to actively click off of it to access the website fully. 

The website does not use easter eggs which is quite unconventional although, on the home page of their store there is a header mentioning a competition which is conventional for bands to do especially after a new release. The band tactically mention that people who have pre ordered the album automatically are in the competition promoting the benefits of buying their album as a way of saying thank you almost. This represents the bands persona as grateful and caring of their fans perception of them.

Their house style and brand identity is further maintained and emphasised through their merchandise online store by including their logo on the centre at the top of the page quite large and having the background image as a picture of all the members. This further shows how important it is for the band as a collective to make their faces recognisable to their fans, something that is conventional for most band websites and videos.

Research: Intertextuality

Some extra research in how music videos generally have incorportaed interextuality into videos.
I found typically, it's from other films or general iconic things that have happened.

Revision Of Pitch

Ideas I want to adapt

Narrative and Performance    

I  want to definitely include a mix of both styles into my video now and try and keep it as balenced as possible and not too heavily one or the other. Originally i thought in my pitch that it should be narrative although from further research, a mix of both is a common convention in music videos. Having the artist perform their song alongside a narrative is a typical structure and allows more engagement with artist to audience - something the audience will appriciate.

Lyrics to Visuals

This is still something I want to incorporate into my video especially as through research ive found it is a common convention. I have found I can do this through physically showing the lyrics somehow or  through a shot of something physical that is mentioned in the video e.g the lyric ‘we read it in The Mail’ and a shot of the subject reading that paper (also an intertextual reference).

Camera Movment & Editing 

Matching the sound to editing is something I want to use especially with an upbeat song and by using lots of different settings, it will make the video more interesting and engaging – something that the video will need to be to keep the demographic involved.

Audience Research Summation

    To bring my research together, i developed my understanding of my focus group and brought together the general and most important ideas i found about the '16-24, socially concious middle to upmarket' demographic.

After doing the audience behaviour research (https://6123as.blogspot.com/2020/04/audience-research-audience-behaviour.html) i decided i wanted to ask m focus group a few more questions to gain some general feedback and answers.

1.How often do you watch music videos?

Ella – ‘Regularly, I like to see the artist and their perception of the song’

Lewis – ‘When ones promoted by an artist and I’ve seen a short clip on Instagram/Twitter and want to see the rest’

Emily – ‘sometimes - if I get them recommended on my Youtube page which is a few times a week’

Sean – ‘When one of my favourite artist releases one or if its being talked about on social media’

I thought answers would be like this due to the large, constant use of social media from this demographic, the audience are more likely to find out about new music videos than an older audience.

2. Do you prefer a narrative video or performance video?

Ella – narrative

Lewis – performace mainly but narrative by artists I really enjoy

Emily – narrative

Sean -  narrative

As most of my focus group are interested in current affairs and show a lot of social consciousness i believed most would prefer a narrative style video as it gives more depth and meaning to the artists song - something they are likely to enjoy from a music video.

What I have learnt?

The media, leisure and consumption habits of the 16-24 demographic:

•One of the main things I’ve found is that a fifth of this age range spend more than 7 hours a day online everyday. This would mean the ones interested in the music scene would want an interactive feel with artists and they can gain this through websites and music videos featuring the artists

•Leisure time is spent going out with friends a lot so I could incorporate an idea of unity in my video to bring a sense of community/friendship to it enticing the demographic.

•Middle to upmarket people in this age range have more spendable money for leisure activties such as concerts, festivals and travelling to cities with friends for the day etc. They’re also more politically engaged than lower classes so are more likely to be more mindful about interpreting a music video.

Generic Research Summation

Extra Research: Music Video Theorists

AliceShort3