Concept of logo design- Task

Logo is a huge part of the identity of the band/artist.

Types of logos:

• Abstract mark;
• Mascot logo;
• Combination mark;
• Emblem logo;
• Letter mark;
• Pictorial mark;
• Work mark;

Task: create a new logo for an existing artist

1) Earth, Wind and Fire

Earth, Wind and Fire is an American band that produces RB/soul, jazz music.

Original band logo:



Own take on the band's logo:




2) Nirvana

Nirvana is an American band that produces rock/grunge music.

Original band logo:

Own take on the band's logo:

'This is America' by Childish Gambino- Videoclip textual analysis

'This is America'- Textual analysis 

Donald Glover (known by his stage name as Childish Gambino) is an American rapper, actor and stand-up comedian.  He appeared in multiple of successful movies such as: "Solo: A Star Wars Story"; "Spider-Man: Homecoming"; "The Lion King", etc. Glover is equally successful for his TV works/shows such as "Atlanta"- created by Glover himself- which won two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes.

How Glover is creating a star image?

Childish Gambino's star image is a provocation, unconventional one which reflects his political views and beliefs through his music.

"This is America" was released on May 2018, which won four Grammy Awards, Song of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Music video. The song's genre is hip hop mixed with deliberate elements of Afro-beat.
The song's release was not announced but was appeared online while Glover was live on one of America's best known shows: SNL. This was seen as a promotion opportunity for both the movie "Solo: A Star Wars Story" and the new hit "This is America".


Task- videoclip analysis notes

Childish Gambino's "This is America" talks about police brutality, white supremacy and racialized violence. It contains violent/ provocative scenes referencing to these to past events related to these topics.

Notes:

Camera:

• Mostly use of wide and mid-shots in order for the audience to be aware of the artist's surroundings and actions on the background. 
• Use of zoom in and out to shift audience's attention.

Editing:

• Continuity editing + Long take used to create a sense of realism and the emphasizes the narrative.

Sound:

• Soundtrack/Synchronous sound- music matches with the videoclip's visual.
• Non-diegetic sounds- gun shots, chorus singers, etc.

Mise-en-scene:

• Low key lightings- dimly lit scene with shadows to create a shady, dangerous atmosphere.
• Location- industrial space
• Colours- mostly greys- neutral colours
• Extras- young students in school uniforms

Industry talk: Emma Stake

Notes on talk:

• Traditional media- manager for artists 
• Industry has developed and role of manager has evolved overtime
• Role of a manager has evolved overtime
• In development and scouting team, vocal coach and then moved to art department 

Industries changed- 

• Manager would work on their own and take it to different dept. 
• Now artist must have near to a final product deliver a finished product 
• Have to show a forecast of earning/streams- big following 
• Label are invested in less risk
• Artists' image is changed depending on the situation- may re brand an artist, maintain a image based on personality 
• Names of artists aren't generated on their own- may use a feature by a famous artist 

How far are they established?

• Online presence 
• When locating the artists online do they already have an image you work with or do you create that with the artist in the early stages
• Artists at all different types of stages 
• Some have no social presence and they build it organically
• Some are rebranded
• Quite diverse with artists and stages

How would they start promoting?

E.g.,

• If they had budget and not signed to label 
• Can't expect to organically expand
• Radio, editorial and independent PR, local networks

Where is the industry in terms of how much of the consumer is created by manager and by artist?

• Mostly organic- people have access to do independent releases 
• Nowadays its a trend- since the pandemic

How to pick out the artist based on star persona?

Based on stage presence, how audience reacted to them, image should be authentic not perfect but unpolished can make it interesting 

• Biggest impact on music industry was social media 
• Music videos- is the music video still relevant in plans with artists?
• Videos are getting popular again- audience enjoy watching the performance 
• More opportunity for revenue stream when making a videoclip 

Age of Youtube

 Music videos and what their are in the age of YouTube 

• Place where you could see music videos and live performances was in television- e.g. MTV 
• Show had very specific guidelines- advertisement, curse worsens of violence- also created reality TV shows
• YouTube gave same distribution deal- producers expensive music video would be on the same platform and distribution method as a prosumer
• Platform- cheap, high quality camera equipment and good editing meant multiple videoclips are produced
• To make video stand out from thousands of others there needed to be a USP
• brought the 'music video artist' 
• Artists who have been linked with their music- Bohemian rhapsody

• Time of YouTube you have artists who are solely linked to their music video
• Most people just know their favorite song's name not the name of the album
• Changed- music videos aren't now a form of promotion for the single to help sell the album- instead they produce work that generates money from views on YouTube- pieces of art 
• Not to support a campaign- Gangnam style 

• Need a great track- selling music- focus on sound taking care 
• Look at band and artist- star persona- how to show it through music video

Example of first music video-

What is record label trying to tell about them? What was they showing?

                                         

link to vid

Design Task

Design Task-

Front and back cover for Joey Badass' B4.DA.$$.

Key conventions on an album artwork

What are the key conventions and information included on album artwork?

What has to be on album and why?

Example of album: ACDC Highway to Hell 

 
Front cover:

Back cover:

Full digipak:

Track list:

Side oneNo.TitleLength
1. "Highway to Hell" 3:29
2. "Girls Got Rhythm" 3:24
3. "Walk All Over You" 5:10
4. "Touch Too Much" 4:28
5. "Beating Around the Bush" 3:57

Side twoNo.TitleLength
1. "Shot Down in Flames" 3:23
2. "Get It Hot" 2:35
3. "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" 4:38
4. "Love Hungry Man" 4:18
5. "Night Prowler" 6:18

Importance of album artwork

Why is album artwork still important and how is it used?

Lady Gaga's first video clip "Just Dance"

Lady Gaga's first album "The Fame"

"The Fame" was Gaga's debut album released in 2008, highlighting the iconic single "Just Dance". The genre of the album is pop/electro-pop. The album's cover introduces the star image with an extreme closeup of the artist's face and name in large letters below. The album's cover represents the songs' concepts of fame/ 70s glam as well as the video clip. The main colors, blue, black and yellow, are used in both products.


Notes on creating an album-

• What works?
• What doesn't work?
• What is the genre of band/artist and how do you know? Conventions used?
• What message and theme is there behind the art choices of band/artist made?

Digipak (Album Artwork)-

• What connects this artwork to song?
• Is this successful? Why?

Music video-

• Establishes genre;
• Star image;
• Represents the ideology of band/artist;
• Links to album;

Andrew Goodwin's Music Video Conventions theory

Theory states music videos share these common features:

• Link between lyrics and visuals
• Link between music and visuals
• Reflect the common features of the genre of music
• Use of intertextual references
• Notions of looking and voyeurism
• Demands of the record label evident eg budget 
• Star image a key focus
• Performance base/ narrative based/ concept based

Link between the lyrics and visuals
The visuals reflect lyrics metaphorically, symbolically or literally.

E.g. Ariana Grande's God is a Woman.

Metaphorically/literally- Ariana Grande's God is a woman.

Link to video

Link between the music and visuals

Visuals reflect the pace, rhythm and atmosphere of music.

Link to video

Reflects the genre of music

Link to video

Use of intertextual references

Link to video

Notions of looking and voyeurism

Demands of the record label evident eg budget

Could reflect issues such as the record label's financial status, power and connections, other signed artists, global location and target audience.


Star image a key focus

Link to video

Performance based, narrative based and concept based

Lik to video

Link to video

Star Theory: Richard Dyer

Introduction to media theory

Common values of music stardom

• Youthfulness
• Rebellion
• Sexual magnetism
• An anti-authoritarian attitude
• Originality
• Creativity/talent
• Aggression/anger
• A disregard for social values relating to drugs, sex and polite behavior
• Conspicuous consumption, of sex, drugs and material goods
• Success against the odds

Stars and Stardom
The term 'star' refers to a set of meanings constructed around music industry/ performance to sell the artist to a large audience. Some stars aren't talented but are marketed, sold and created as star- sold to the audiences as 'A stars'.

Richard Dyer is a Film Studies professor at King's College London. He is known for his research on the role of stars in film, TV and music.

Notes on Dyer's theory:

• A star is an image, not a real person.
• Star is constructed out of a range of materials, e.g. videos; artwork; performances; media appearances; etc.
• Star are commodities produced and consumed.
• Stars depend on subsidiary media- e.g. magazines, TV, radio, internet- used to construct an image which can be marketed to their target audiences.
• The star image is made up of meanings which are attractive to target audiences.
• Part of the image constructed is through the use of a USP (Unique Selling Point)- creates an iconic imagery that can easily be associated with the artist + help to sell their star image.

USP: Music star vs Film star

Pop stars have advantage over film stars- their image is more consistent and not dependent on the input of others (e.g. screenwriters).

The star image can change over time. Their ideology might develop over time to reflect the change in their audience grows up or they attempt to find a new one.

Richard Dyer's star theory states there are three main features that make a star:

1) The star as a construction

The images of the artists are shown through - advertising, television, magazines, etc.- created by their management. Can be shown as humble or crazy- helps to sell them to a specific audience.

2) The star as a commodity

The star is constructed by their record label to appeal to their target audience. E.g. "Music magazines feature bands or artists on the front cover as their image becomes the commodity that attracts the target audience to buy the music magazine."

E.g. Macklemore refuses signing record deals because they don't want their image to be controlled- meaning their success is theirs.

3) The star as an ideology

Ideology- what the band/artist represents and believes in.
E.g. Spice girls represented girl power and friendship.


The star image is incomplete and 'open'. This is because it is based upon two key paradoxes.

Paradox 1
"The star must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary for the consumer."
E.g. Someone to look up and relate to.

Paradox 2
"The star must be simultaneously present and absent for the consumer."
E.g. Audience knows all about them, who they are and what they represent.


Star image- designed by the label through media products and marketing tools to sell to the audience. The better the image the easier to sell.


Changes/opportunities

Social media has a huge impact on how stars are constructed. Social media is used by record labels to give backstage footage- to connect and share with the audience. Has a huge impact on how stars are constructed.

Example of Star persona: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is an America pop singer, she became hugely recognized by her single "Just Dance" which changed the pop culture. Throughout her music career she produced other iconic songs such as "Born This Way", "Bad Romance", "Poker Face", "Paparazzi", etc.

Clip of Lady Gaga's Telephone videoclip

Gaga shares some common values of music stardom such as rebellion, sexual magnetism, an anti-authoritarian attitude, originality and creativity/talent and a disregard for social values- drugs, sex and polite behavior, etc. She is known for pushing boundaries and disregarding society's perception of normality.

Gaga's alternative sense of fashion and extreme music videos are the artist's USP. Her iconic looks are easily recognizable/associated with the artist. She is perceived as a controversial, intriguing character but to certain audiences relatable.

Gaga is open to sharing her personal views on her views on fame, sex, feminism, self-empowerment, sexuality, overcoming her addiction, etc. As a bisexual woman she supports the LGBTQ community- who looks up/relate to her- and is considered a gay icon. She express her view through her song "Born This Way".

Social Media Strategies

Why social media is important as part of a marketing strategy?

Social media nowadays an important factor in a business' marketing strategy. Social media has become an easier way of helping you reach a wider audience and spread awareness about your business/brand.

Engagement (why audiences watch and consume the account?)

Tell a story (showing some sort of behind the scenes of them making their music).

E.g. Producers make story behind the artist/music marketable product- they pick out human interest stories which would sell the audience.

Promote (using the social media to promote their album/merchandise/tour etc.)

Little description of what that means and why it would help artist/band to connect and target their audience.