Looking at Matthew P’s already existing products I see that there are common factors between each one. For example each one contains the same typography in the titles of the song which creates a continuity between each product. All products contain one simple image and the artist logo and title fit around. On the album covers there is minimal information because not much information is ever depicted on the cover as discovered by convention. This juxtaposes the tour poster which contains significantly more information such as review, tour information, price, artist logo, support act and Facebook page. I feel that this is because Matthew P is a less well known artist and unlike Ben Howard needs to convey as much information as possible and direct the people straight to the information rather than relying on the viewer researching. It’s more of a invitation to attend rather than encouraging the viewer to research like Ben Howard. Things that I must remember during planning and the shoot itself: •
There needs to be room for a logo and information. Therefore the image can’t be too busy otherwise it will detract from the information.
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Must include the artist within the image.
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There must be a link between the album and advert in the photo.
To the right is screenshots from my music video. I really liked this location compared to Aldeburgh (the other location featured in the music video) as I felt the artist was more associated with this location (Southwold). The personality from the beach huts not only reflects Matthew P’s Suffolk identity but adds colour to the digipak. I really like how each beach hut has a different personality. For example the middle screenshot has a window with a patriotic style. I really like this and want my digipak to reflect this individuality. For my photos I will bring a different tripod that has more height to allow me to get eye height with the artist. I will go to the location when it is sunny to assist the cheerful mood as well as to tie in with the music video to heighten continuity.
Here is a mixture of poses that I quite like from filming. I have placed them near the ones used by Matthew P so I can conform to his style. I feel that I would need to take the photos closer to the subject rather than stay at the distance I was when filming. There is nothing formal about the poses during Matthew P’s products and this does reflect the laid back genre he conforms to. One way I could experiment with is while the subject is in front of the Union Jack to turn left and this would be a patriotic link to the stamp, although this might be too composed. But it would also suggest that Matthew P is the best of British talent. I will experiment with the stamp idea but will also focus on relaxed positions to conform to the genre style as well as Matthew P’s persona.
For my digipak and advert I will involve two props from the music video to act as motifs. This will be the guitar to highlight the genre and the bottle to remind the viewer of the narrative. I will involve the guitar within the images but I feel that the bottle could be painted and scanned in. Yet this is subject to experimentation
To the left is the outfit I will make my model wear. I picked this outfit out of three used for him in the music video because this is the outfit that he ‘narrates’ in. As this position as the ‘narrator’ he is superior due to the viewers associations of if he is narrating the story then the rest of the video must be a flashback. It is also a very simple outfit that won’t detract from any important information. Black is also the typical outfit for a musician while performing so conforms to this expectation. Finally I used an outfit from my music video to add continuity between the ancillary products and the music video. This is vital for an upcoming artist such as Matthew P so the viewers make connections between the song and the singers identity.
EQUIPMENT • Canon 1100D- I will use a DSLR for the images as this will add to the continuity as I have used the Canon 1100D throughout the music video and then the ancillary products. It will maintain quality. • SD Card- I will take a 64GB SD card to allow me to take images in RAW and JPEG simultaneously to ensure the best possible quality and allow me to know what photos to edit in Lightroom. I will also take two 8GB memory cards to allow me to take as many photos as possible to give me the best choice. • • • • • • •
Flash Gun- To get the best control over lighting I will take a flashgun to ensure there will be an even spread of light over the subjects face, unlike in some places during the music video. It is vital that the whole of the subjects face is lit up as the face is paramount in building an identity. Silver Reflector- If the lighting isn’t too dark on one side but the tone is slightly different I will use a reflector to balance the light. Batteries- I will take three fully charged batteries to allow me to photograph to my full potential without being paranoid or rushed due to the battery declining. Step Ladder- I feel that a lot of the images need to be take at eyelevel with the subject, I am aware that during the music video that this wasn’t the case but these images will be at the front of the merchandise so need to be at eyelevel. Therefore I feel that I will need to use a stepladder to boost me to the height of the subject on the wall. Tripod- To produce straight and stable images I will use a tripod that goes high to enable the camera to be eyelevel. 50mm lens- I will bring a 50mm lens with f/1.8 to produce narrow depth of field images that will come out crisp and clear which will contrast with the blur and force the viewer to look at the in focus section of the image. 15-55mm lens- I will bring this standard wide angle lens to provide establishing shots and portraits.
PROPS • Guitar • Wine Bottle
SET UP The camera would be set up in the same place as it is situated in the music video to add continuity as well as being the best place to accentuate the subject and his surroundings whilst highlighting the same location as in the music video.
Within my digipak I want to include images depicting Matthew P’s life back stage. Looking on his website I found this images which show a various lifestyles; his life on stage, his hobbies, his travelling and his effort towards the community and their relationship with music. I really like these different views on his life and it really does give me an insight on his life outside of his promotional and marketing. I will focus on this by photographing my actor partaking in gigs, hobbies and with fans.
MUSIC LIFE • Book out a music studio and photograph my actor rehearsing within a studio environment. • Explore local venues to see if I could use their stage to photograph the actor performing on a stage • Busking on a busy street. • In a van on tour. • In different locations around the country
HOBBIES • Explore Southwold beach (the artists local area) and photograph the actor partaking in local activities • Go to The Rumburgh Buck (the artists local pub and performing venue) and photograph the actor having a pint. • Photograph with friends. FANS • Outside gigs with fans. (Go outside a singer/songwriter gig before it starts and ask for photos with the actor) • With people in the street. • Fans holding signed single next to artist outside a record shop (i.e HMV). EQUIPMENT • DSLR with 18mm-55mm lens to depict spontaneity. • SD cards and batteries. • Flashgun for photos taken while dark.