Q3:- WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR TA FEEDBACK?

FOCUS GROUP

In October my group and I carried out a survey to find out what people thought to our music video ideas. We sat in a group and recorded ourselves taking turns to ask questions and hear feedback from our audience as well as gathering ideas from our audience. We asked questions such as “Do you think our video would offend males?” and “Do you understand the narrative?”. We received excellent feedback from the audience, as well as some ideas for our MV. Also we only used people from our class who were all between the ages of 17-18 years of age, so it related to out TA age range quite nicely.

NOVEMBER TA

We came up with some questions that we feel we needed to ask our TA to find out what would sell the MV and album. In the following slides there are questions and answers we received from our feedback.

QUESTION 1: HOW DO YOU CONSUME MUSIC VIDEO'S?

For this question I found out that over 50% of the people that we asked used YouTube as a way of streaming their music. I think this is because it is a free site and is easily accessible. These answers were very useful as we now know how to advertise the music video so our TA will view it.

QUESTION 2: DO YOU LISTEN TO A LOT OF MUSIC?

This in my opinion is quite an obvious question but we found that 100% of the TA do listen to music which is excellent for my music video. I would change this question as I feel that most people (especially teenagers) in a modern day society listen to music on a regular basis.

QUESTION 3: HOW DO YOU MOSTLY LISTEN TO THE MUSIC?

This question similarly told me that my TA use Youtube to listen to their music. Spotify is also a popular site as it has been running since 2006 so it already has a wide range of customers, whereas sites such as Apple Music have recently been created so the number of Spotify’s customers would have decreased. I feel that this question is not needed as it gives us the same answers and feedback as question 1.

QUESTION 4: DO YOU EVER DOWNLOAD MUSIC? IF SO WHERE FROM?

Luckily, I found with this research that the majority of my TA download music in some way. ITunes seems to be the most popular way of downloading music so I will use this when creating my digipak advert. However some of my TA do not download music so this could have caused a bit of a problem. So we had to post the video on YouTube as then it is also free to stream. This question was very useful and reassuring as we found out that 75% of our TA downloaded music from some sort of music site/app.

QUESTION 5: DO YOU EVER BUY CD'S?

From this we found that most of my TA do not buy CDs, I feel that this is because we are targeting a modern day audience so they prefer to download or stream music from their MP3/Mobile. I found this feedback very interesting as the number of people who do not buy CD’s are very high, which tells us that CD’s are becoming out of date.

All of these answers helped my group and I to establish what sites/apps we needed to use and include when advertising the album.

From this feedback we gained information on ways to advertise our music video. I used this knowledge when creating my advert for my digipak. For example I

used the Itunes logo on my advert to advertise to my audience that it can be downloaded from Itunes, as this would relate to them a lot more.

Upon reflection I wish that we had used different questions to ask the audience as some questions overlapped and gave me answers that I already knew and some of the questions were quite obvious.

These answers developed my creativity as they gave me new ideas of what to include on my digipak advert and ways to advertise the star and her album.

Overall…this research developed my creativity.

FOCUS GROUP 2

For TA feedback I put a post up on Facebook asking if people could give me some feedback on my MV. I received many responses from friends and family who are inside my TA age range. I asked a range of questions to find out what my TA thought to my music video and if they could give any feedback on ideas that they did not understand about the MV.

1. DID THE PERFORMANCE SHOTS ENABLE YOU TO IDENTIFY THE STAR/SINGER?

Yes, as there was alot of them yes Yes, the majority of the shots were of the star/singer making it easy to identify her Yes, for sure Yes It was easy to identify the singer, and it gave a clear representation of her feelings Yes Yes Yes they did very clearly, straight from the start The performance focused on the singer and performer all the way through and could really identify who it was Easily see the main singer Yes, I liked the performance shots that were used-the one in the beginning with the bruises was really

effective-and told a story by themselves-Sophie’s acting was really good swell-and you felt empathy towards her right from the start.

Yes Yes Yes, very quickly realised she was singing about herself in a abusive relationship Yes Yes Yes, the singer was displayed in the most shots

From this question I had a lot of positive feedback that was very reassuring for me as 100% of my audience identified the star of the MV. However I feel that this is because Sophia is in every shot so it would be extremely hard not to identify her as the star. This was very useful as this means my TA know who the star of the video is so they should be able to understand the narrative of the MV a lot easier.

2) WERE THERE ENOUGH CLOSE UP’S OF THE MAIN ARTIST? 

Yes yes Yes, most of the shots were on the main artist I’d say so Yes, just the right amount There was enough close ups Definitely Yes Yes they were, however there could have been maybe a few more different angles because it did seem like most of them

were from head height There was a handful of close-ups of the artist which was in detail showing the purpose of the performance Plenty of close ups Yes, I think that there were enough close up’s of the main artist-and I liked the fact that she was central a lot of the time and

singing directly into camera-it helped to create a connection with the audience and viewer-and really helped to tell the narrative

Yes Yes Yes, close ups show her in pain mentally as well as physically Yes Plenty There were lots of close up shots of the artist 

This feedback was also positive as all of my audience felt that there were plenty of close-ups of the main artist. The reason that we used this idea is because we wanted to make sure our audience could feel the pain and upset of our star and prove that this is a social message, as it is a problem in a modern day society. Also we wanted to capture the strong use of make up to capture her good looks so it would appeal to both genders. Though if I was to go back, I would alter this question to ask (if there was enough close up shots) ‘do they capture the emotion of the star well enough?’ as this is something we wanted to achieve with the close ups of our star.

3) DID YOU UNDERSTAND THE NARRATIVE OF THE VIDEO?

Yes, I feel it was made quite clear yes Yes, from the narrative of the video I gathered that the star was suffering

from domestic violence I did yes, was made very clear The narrative was clear and interesting Yes Abusive relationship, but in love Yes, it was made very clear The narrative of the performance was very well understood and was the

main focus Narrative easy to understand I think so, Sophie was in an abusive relationship-and it was about her

getting out of it-I liked the shot of the happy together as well as it suggesting that just because the relationship seemed ‘normal’ on the outside that things can still be wrong-not every shot is black and white.

Yes Yes Yes, young woman who has finally had the courage to leave her

controlling abusive partner. Yes Yeah I understand very good I understood the story it was told perfectly, the scenes were made very

clear

All of my TA understood the narrative of the MV and some even told us what they thought the narrative was. This is very useful for us as now we know that we have used good representations to make the narrative clear to the audience. We tried to make the narrative clear by showing the bruises and their relationship status on Facebook. Jason was also shown abusing Sophia in one of the scenes. Like I said before I think that because the audience recognise Sophia as the star, they automatically see her side of the narrative.

4) WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE STAR’S REPRESENTATION? (HIS/HER IMAGE)

I thought she was portrayed quite well as the victim with the makeup showing the bruises She was pretty, and the makeup was well done and effective I thought the star’s representation was of a young woman expressing her feelings about her abusive

relationship. I thought the representation was very appropriate for the theme of the video I thought she was represented as someone who was stuck between what she loved and what she

knew was right, which I felt was ideal for the song choice The representation of the star showed how she was willing to stay with him, until it was too late,

which she managed to escape.  I think she represented what was tried to be shown very well and it truly showcases the story being

told Hers was really good, he was portrayed aggressive I think her image was spot on for this type of music video because she doesn’t have too much

makeup on and isn't over dressed for the video and I think this makes the viewers relate to her as she is just a normal young girl

The image of the performer was well thought out and showed the purpose of the piece Represented well (I’m guessing a girlfriend of beating boy) I liked the use of binary opposition with Charlie wearing a white shirt at the beginning, even though

he was portrayed as the ‘villain’ within the story. I liked Charlie’s acting as it was very convincing- and i liked that he portrayed both the ‘villain’ (in the scene that he hit Sophie), but then as the good guy when they were talking it suggested that there were two sides to him and the majority of the people saw the good side. I liked how fragile Sophie appeared throughout the plot her acting was really good and you could see the emotion within it and how upset she was it made her very relatable to a lot of people. I also liked the fact that she was wearing casual clothing as these outfits looks are outfits that other girls can look at and replicate.

Very good portrayal. Image-victims usually have very low self esteem, so no makeup, nothing too showy to make them stand out, I think you have done that well!

They both represented a couple that was happy but behind closed doors they weren’t. Good, not sexualised The wounds look good I thought it was well presented and got the message across The makeup of the artist in the shower scenes were good, she was portrayed to be very serious

which fitted the story very well

A lot of our feedback for this question supported the theory of Propp as they recognised that Jason was the villain in the MV and Sophia was the innocent victim. Successfully most of my TA research came back as the ideas/messages that we wanted to portray. However I feel that we did not word the question well enough, which could have made the audience misunderstand the question being asked. I would have re worded it so it said “Do you understand the stars representations? And what are they?”.

5)   WAS EDITING USED WELL ENOUGH FOR THE MEANING TO BE CLEAR? 

Yes, I think it was used well yes Yes, the meaning was very clear, as the black and white shots clearly showed previous memories Yes definitely  The editing was fantastic, loved the section towards the end where two shots merged together to create a flashback feeling, indicating

she was really thinking which was good. Editing was used well, it helped to show the change in time Very well Yes, I like when the images were layered near the end Yes it was, it was just enough so the video remained quite simple and elegant as well as being interesting to watch (loved the part

where the two clips were layered together) and also loved how the black and white shots clearly showed memories The editing was really good and made the meaning clear and specific Yes it made it clear Yes, I definitely think that the meaning was clear and loved the closing shot with the broken phone and then the torn up photo

showing her getting over it. Yes, very clear Yeah, I liked the bit in the mirror it was very clever Yes, very clear meaning  Yes It was used superbly  The switches of the scenes were good however some different camera shots could be used for example blurring.

Again we received lots of positive feedback from this question as some people described the editing as ‘fantastic’ which is extremely good for us. I am very happy that people liked the editing in our video as this was new to us so unlike Adobe we were not familiar with the software. We wanted to use editing to create meanings and representations in the MV. For example we under cranked the MV when she walked away from the house and the line ‘I don’t wanna fall another moment in your gravity’ to create synergy with the name of the song and to represent how it was a hard thing for her to do. This was successful as we received lots of positive feedback on our editing which tells us that we managed to have an understanding of how to use Final Cut Pro X.

6) DID YOU LIKE THE COSTUMES/LOCATIONS? DID YOU HAVE A COSTUME OR LOCATION THAT YOU PARTICULARLY LIKED?

Yes, again I thought the makeup was good for showing the bruises and I like the location where she ripped the photo up

Yes, I liked the wood location Yes, I particularly liked the shots in the woods and in front of the pond I thought the costumes and locations were good choices, however there was no

particular favourite I felt they all worked really well, I especially like the location where the two were having

some form of picnic together, I feel this represented what the relationship was supposed to be like perfectly.

I like the costumes and especially the locations, were very good, as it showed that even if it happened behind closed doors, it effected people on the outside.

Yes, my favourite was the last scene where she was sat alone I think clearly demonstrated what was being told

I liked the dark bathroom scene Yes I did, like previously said her costumes work well with the video as it plays on how

she is just a normal girl All locations were used effectively, the best two were in the house and when they were in

the field as it shows that it isn't always noticeable outside of the home or when others can see.

Costumes just seemed usual clothes but shower part was good as it highlighted the personal aspect

I particularly liked the over the shoulder mirror shot, I thought the lighting and miss en scene in that shot was really good! I also really liked the fact that she wore casual clothing for a lot of the shots as it made her relatable. I also like the shower shot in the beginning as it really portrayed her vulnerability.

The costumes were accurate. I think someone in that frame of mind would have found a quiet place to sit and think more.

I liked how the locations changed from being happy in outdoor areas and not indoors Costume shows her to be dressed like anybody else so you can empathise with her.

Shower scene is most powerful as it shows the extent of the physical violence. I liked the locations and the costumes but i don't  have a favourite Loved them, the shower one very unique thing to do and the bruises were very realistic! Yes, I liked the location of the forest/woods place, it made it look although it was

somewhere for her to escape

I received mixed feedback on the favourite locations/costumes. This is good for us as this means we used a range of successful locations and costumes throughout the MV as they all attracted my TA to the music video. The shower scene at the beginning of the MV was the most popular out of all the locations, as people describe the scene as being powerful as it automatically hooks the viewer. We received positive feedback on the costumes we used throughout the MV, but because there was mixed feedback on the locations, you could say that this is successful as we used good locations for each shot.

7) WOULD THE MUSIC VIDEO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BUY HER MUSIC OR PRODUCTS? 

Probably not, not because of the music video because I don't usually buy things from just liking a video Yes Yes, as the video connected with the audience and the topic of the song could be related to people’s everyday lives. Possibly Yes The music video would encourage me to buy her products yes Yes, I love her voice Yes definitely would because the music video doesn’t make her seem to over the top and like a nice relatable kind of

girl. The music video encourages me as a viewer to watch out for the violence but also could make me buy more music Yes it showed song well and the artist Yes, I think that it would as I liked the overall affect of the music video. Yes, she told the story well Yes Yes Yes Yeah, it gets to your heart Yes

Our feedback tells us that people would be encouraged to buy our stars music as they feel that the MV represents her as a kind and innocent girl. This tells us that we have been successful as we have introduced our star into the music world and people already like her so she will be successful. Upon reflection I wish I had asked in the question ‘what way would you buy the song?’ to find out what site/app/store will they buy the song from, e.g. ITunes, Spotify, HM, etc.

8) DO YOU BELIEVE THE NARRATIVE COULD BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG GIRLS WHO ARE IN A BAD RELATIONSHIP TO GET OUT OF IT BEFORE IT IS TO LATE? 

Yes, I thought the video gave out a good message Yes, the video was extremely touching Yes, as it showed that the violence could get worse and the singer was not happy. I’d say so Yes, it shows that even though it can be difficult, you can still get out I believe this would be very encouraging to someone in a similar situation, and it would help them to

be able to ask for help. Yes I think it represented bad relationships very well and showed what was wrong with the

relationship thoroughly  Could go even further to encourage girls to get out if there was another scene where it showed her

happy and single with her friends or something at the end Yes I do, the words are meaningful and could be inspiring to someone going through the same

problems I believe this will encourage both genders to get out a bad relationship before it is too late as it

shows the emotions very well and also can show what happens later on. Yes very Yes, I definitely believed the narrative and I thought that it was really strong and powerful I think that an added piece at the end showing her happy that she got away would help. Yes Yes, the video shows that there are always people around to offer help and support Yes I believe not Yes, it shows what it can lead to therefore girls will learn that if these things are happening it is

wrong

My TA feel that our video could encourage young females to come out if they are in an abusive relationship, which suggests that our video will be a good social message to people and could relate to a wider TA. It also tells us that our narrative was successful as people understand the representations and meanings from what we wanted to achieve. I also feel that our music video was successful as it gives the social message of technology being destructive and can influence anger and upset, as every time Jason and Sophia argue in the video, Jason had been on his phone before hand.

9) IS THE MALE CHARACTER PORTRAYING AN OFFENSIVE MESSAGE TO OTHER MALES STEREOTYPING THEM AS BEING VIOLENT? 

No, I wouldn't say the video stereotyped all men No, I just see his character as an abusive person but I know and understand that not all men are like that No, because the video showed one couples relationship and didn't imply that all males are violent.  No, I wouldn’t say so I don’t think so, I believe it sits comfortably in acceptable stereotypes for representation I believe that the male character is portrayed in a way that isn't offensive to other males, but shows clearly how some

people treat others. No No, there is other videos where men do worse No I don't think he is at all, and i don't think this has been controlled well by the short clips of him, plus i also think it

would make males really think about how they would make a girl feel if they were to be abusive as well. I agree this could be seen as a stereotype but on the other hand there is males who are in bad relationships but

statistics may show it happens more to women I don’t think so No, I don't think that he portrays and offensive message to males or stereotypes them as violent as it could be easily

be role revered and then from an other perspective. It portrayed an abusive relationship it didn't portray an offensive message but portrayed the fact that abuse is always wrong and shouldn't be done, if anything it taught people not to do it. 

No, not at all I think in this situation it isn't as its a female artist I don't think it would look right the other way round. I didn't find it offensive or stereotypical as there are men like that and if the video helps any woman leave and abusive

relationship they that is a good thing.  It does stereotype males. So you could of done two different relationships one with the guy being abusive and the

second being the female being abusive.  No

This was one of the biggest concerns about the MV as we did not want to offend males or portray males in a negative way at all. As some of my audience for this question were males, makes me feel better as they were not offended by the MV. The feedback was successful as I found out that the video will not make males uncomfortable while watching it, however if I was to go back I would change the video to show off more of the males side to the story, to show why he acted the way he did and why he was so aggressive.

I did not share the MV to Facebook as I only wanted people that trusted to view it, so I posted a Facebook status asking if anybody could help me and I would private message them the video instead. As you can see I had many people willing to help.

COMPANY LOGO FONT

For this we printed off 20 sheets of paper with these fonts on and handed them to people in our TA range. This showed my sense of journey as I used a larger number of fonts than I used in AS. These fonts were for our logo as by this point we did not know what our company logo would look like. So we printed off our company name ‘Rebel Records’ to find out which one people liked the most and would suit our logo. This was not as useful as we thought it would be as we did not use the full name of our company in the logo and only used the first 2 initial letters, as we thought this looked more symbolic and eye catching. However this developed my creativity as we knew which font to use for the ‘RR’ for the logo.

INSTAGRAM TA RESEARCH

We decided to use Instagram as a way to get feedback from our TA on which logo we should use for the company. We thought that Instagram was a good site to use as it is a modern day social media site and it is used for mainly photos, so we thought this would work in our favour. This TA research was very successful as this helped us choose the logo as the TA chose the logo in the top left got the most votes. This also developed my creativity as I had to create different logos to find out which one my TA thought I should use, as well as finding out which one appeals to my TA the most.

FLICKR TA FEEDBACK

We used Flickr to find out which are the best images to use for our digipak and ancillaries. This was very useful as we received feedback and improvements on what we should use and shouldn’t use. This was successful and useful as we received plenty of comments on the images on if people liked them/didn’t like them and what they would use each image for in terms of advertising and the digipak.

SUMMARY

Overall I feel that this TA research has highly influenced my music video as it has given me a list of ideas that I needed to include in my MV, which helped us create it. The TA feedback also helped with the creation of the digipak and advert because of the feedback we received from Flickr. I feel that the feedback has also developed my creativity as they have given me ideas on how to advertise the album and what I need to include on the advertisement, as well as feedback on representation ideas and other ideas for the production stage of the MV.