Costume - Girl

We are now starting to think about what our protagonists will be wearing when we are shooting. Considering that our USP (Unique Selling Point) is telling a classic 'boy meets girl' story, with a kooky and quirky vibe, we must ensure that the costume follows this trend. When looking at previous films that we take inspiration from, and in this case [500] Days Of Summer, you can see that the costumes connote cute, originality and indie.   

Frills and bows are featured, suggesting a girly girl, which is something we want to portray. The colours are subtle, suggesting the girl may be slightly reserved and innocent. There is a definite vintage tone, again highlighting the quirky vibe we want to capture.  

These are some other dresses that we think our female protagonist would wear. Again it shows that she has a quirky personality!

Steve Jobs

My teacher showed me this inspiring speech made by Steve Jobs in 2005. Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks at the university's 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005.  Steve Jobs was a defining figure in the media evolution, affecting the way we communicate today. This speech highlights the importance of new media technology and its role in the world today. To me, this was very inspiring and made me want to have an impact on my target audience in the same way that he has influenced people.

Romance Genre

Genre: A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, categorised in similarities in style, form or subject matter.

I have chosen the genre of romance for our music video, because it has clear conventions that I can create with ease in my final piece such as having the mutual attraction and love of a man and a woman as the main plot. I am part of the target audience (being a teenage female) meaning I have a clear understanding of what one wants and can expect from this genre. The songs that I am considering also have romantic connotations, ie. The Beach Boys - Wouldn't it be nice, has hidden meanings of loss of love, or longing for love.

When asking a member of my target audience (Cassie Shaw), what came to mind when I said the word romance, she immediately said 'Titanic', highlighting how influential the media can be.

Strong Narrative?

When asked about how to summarise our music video simply and effectively, it took me a while to think about how to describe it in only a few sentences.

The narrative to our music video is the typical 'boy meets girl' romance/young love story, however the story is subverted and the relationship breaks down, so it's not a classic fairytale ending. It plays with the theme of nostalgia and it holds a certain quirky kooky vibe.

Storyboard

Me and Rachel have created a detailed storyboard that clearly shows our thoughts about what we plan to do and how to direct our actors when filming. It has allowed us to understand and appreciate how much time and detail goes into the planning stages of creating a film piece. I now feel more confident and calm about future filming. 

Audience Feedback

Rachel and I decided to film some audience feedback to make sure that our focus accommodates our target audience's desires. We asked three people of 17 years old; one boy and two girls (as our target audience is mainly female) about their views on music videos and their opinions on the concept for our music video.

We learnt that...

- A strong narrative is vital, as it engages and entertains the audience. 

- Our ideas do appeal to our target audience, as all feedback was positive. 

- Despite the fact that one person had not heard of the song, 'Wouldn't it be nice' by the Beach Boys is widely recognised and in general, a good choice of song. 

- The connotations of the song are nostalgic: "summer", "childhood", "young love", "beach"...

- All three agreed that our narrative and song choice go well together, thus creating a sense of resonance. 

We are very pleased with this feedback and we're confident with our ideas and excited for the future! 

Understanding Audience

I found this mnemonic acronym last year when doing my AS coursework, and I thought it still applies to our present coursework, as we are marketing to a niche target audience.

• Analysis: Who are they?
• Understanding: What is their understanding of the subject?
• Demographics: What is their age, gender, background, profession, and so forth.
• Interest: Why are they interested in your genre?
• Environment: Where will they be viewing, and what are the conditions?
• Needs: What do they need from you?
• Customization: Do you need to adjust things for any special needs or interests of specific audience segments?
• Expectations: What does your audience expect? 

We are going to respond to these questions throughout our project, so we will gain a understanding of our target audiences needs and desires.