I highly commend the web page 'Nine top tips for Media students'. From the people behind theory.org.uk, its worth a read!

Tuesday 13 June 2017

Summer tasks

SUMMER 2017 TASKS, DUE FOR RETURN IN SEPTEMBER
To commence the A2 we resume lessons to explore the conventions of the music video format, and plan your initial idea.

If you wish to engage in some independent reading over the holidays, then see this post for suggestions - but of course my 3 main blogs for the A2 would be useful! The book Money For Nothing is especially recommended as light reading that links into industry, audience and audience, and should help you with some ideas too (especially if you look up some of the videos or directors discussed in it).

ALL my blogs are listed here, with links for YouTube coursework playlists by year in this post. Student blogs here.


For 2017 the focus is on advancing your main proposal. To this end you should return with:

  1. Your blog set up and formatted as instructed.
  2. Initial Posts completed (see below for details)
  3. Posts on a minimum 5 videos you've analysed. See 'Conventions Research' below for details, and go through this guide before completing these posts. OPTIONAL: work on the initial general video conventions vodcast. You could also begin OPTIONAL posting on the industry or any other aspect.
  4. Posts on your idea/pre-production planning - see the list below. You should return with some sample footage and a highly detailed revised pitch, backed up by the specific posts listed below.
  5. If for any reason you cannot finalise a clear idea at this stage, you must then complete the general conventions posts + vodcast AND the industry research posts and vodcast.

SET UP NEW BLOG:
Follow instructions here. Note one change: use the 'simple' template. NOT picture window. There are lots of minor changes to follow through, so read the post carefully.


INITIAL POSTS: 
1: Welcome to my blog! OR And so it begins again!
[whatever you want to call it] Introduce yourself. Address the following:
  • say a little about yourself and your media profile: experience, skillsets, strengths, interests, ambitions.
  • your hopes for the A2
  • 5 key lessons/things you'll approach differently from the AS
  • embed your AS opening + link your blog

2: The Brief 
music promotion package  A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music video (major task), together with a website for the band and a digipak for the album’s release (minor tasks).
3: Thoughts on some past A2 Media Coursework
View and reflect on at least 1 past (IGS or StG) final video - as we will view chapters from my 2014 documentary on the 2014 work, they (Storm Queen, Faithless, Atomic Kitten) might be a good choice (blogs; YouTube). The 2016 StG A2 videos are here (blogs here). 
  • embed each video being discussed, and provide student blog links
  • did they make any mistakes you can learn from?
  • are there any clear differences from AS film brief to A2 music promo package brief?
  • were you impressed/inspired by any feature of each vid?
  • does your developing editor's eye see anything you could improve?
  • any other thoughts/points?
  • sum up: what do you think you'll need to work on to create a successful music promo?