Research: Creative brief for Digipak

Oasis Academy Hadley
South St, Enfield
EN3 4PX

www.oasisacademyhadley.org

020 8804 6946

                            

Date: 11th of December 2015 Artist/Album Title: Kulture kid/Lost in Paradise

Project managers: Ken Nguyen, Rex Okere and Abdullah Miah.

Department: TV Graphics and design Release date: 1st of February 2015

Product overview:

Who is he? Kulture kid is a upcoming underground rapper, who comes from the streets of London. He usually uses genres of grime, hip hop and soul. This artists has usually released mix-tapes, but has now stared to transform his talent into the albums he’s released so far. Kulture Kid had started to rap in the year of 2011, releasing videos on YouTube. But he gained full recognition with his first official mix-tape ’Who is Kulture? Followed by a well-received album named ’Introducing…..Kulture Kid!!!!’ Kulture kid has gained more popularity, (despite the fact that he is a niche artist) with appearances on channel AKA. He is currently signed to a independent record label Paradime entertainment records. He will release his new album ‘Lost in Paradise’ on the 1st of February 2015.  

The Album concept:

The current album the artist is working on was representing his feeling on life. A album cover was needed to represent the imagination and daft thoughts of Kulture Kid. To project this idea we needed to work with him day to day, to ensure that the album cover comes out perfect. The album cover will show random shapes or signs that partly represent the character of our male artist. To make this album into perfection, the artist should rap and sing in a tone that will connote his feelings and attitude that the album cover aimed to show.

Why are we doing it?

We doing this to keep up with the positive momentum that we have had from our artist mixtapes and first album. This needs to be a success, as it shows the improvement our artist has made. Most importantly, we want to find a way to relate to our target audience as well as our artist’s loyal fans. Furthermore, we want to find a way to portray the versatility of our male artist.

Comparable products:

Release Date - Chance the Rapper: April 30, 2013 Sells in first week: sold 1,000 copies and landed at No. 63 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Release Date - Childish Gambino: December 6, 2013 Sells in first week: sold 10,244 copies 

 

Release Date - Vic Mensa: September 30, 2013 Sells in first week: sold 139,000 units 

 

The digipak consumer:

Primary:                                                                    Secondary:

Male: 60% aged 13-40                                           Female: 40% aged 13-40

 C2 D E                                                                        C2 D E

What is the reaction we want?

The reaction we want is a positive reaction in terms of our target audience and consumers relating to our brand as well as our male rap artist. From a positive reaction, a relationship can be built between the consumers and the artist, this will allow longevity as they share similar views and beliefs.

How will we know it worked?
We will know that our product has received a positive reaction, if we achieve our sales target and certainly, if we go higher than our sales target. Also, we will implement focus groups to reflect on our first drafts and for us to receive feedback from fans. This will help us to improve when it comes to our next product.
Sales Target: 20,000

Key Launch dates:

Press campaign: 14th of January 2015
TVC launch: 26th of January 2015
Album release: 1st of February 2015

Album Sleeve:
Description: The album will be Imaginary and escapist. The rap artist will portray his feeling and emotions that will capture the target audience and promoting them to listen to the rest of the album.
Deadlines: 28th of December 2014
Objective: To present and produce an album that relates to our target audience with everyday regular life. Helping them to enjoy life more.
Proposition: To appeal to a wider target audience that is still within the rap genre. This is to build our rap artist leading to commercial and economic success.
Tone of voice/brand image/Positioning:  To aim for our target audience and make them relate to the lyrics and themes of the song.
Restrictions/Limitations: The only restriction is to provide the album and artist name.
Production specs: 1 CD with a plastic case.
Creative edge spectrum: We strongly want the album to be creative, we are not be completely neglecting the safe side, but we will be taking more risks. To show the target audience what our rap artist is about.
Budget: TBC



Planning: Editing

Introduction: There are editing techniques that will be used for our final idea. Here are some of the techniques we are going to use.

Jump Cut: Jump cut will be used in our video to help emphasise the transformation of our male character artist. This editing technique also helps to represent our theme in the music video which is imagination. The music video that influenced us to make this choice was the music vide of Chance the rapper's song Juice. The reason is because lots of jump cuts were used to enhance the feelings he was showing in the video.

Shot reverse shot: This is another technique we are going to use in our music video to enhance the relationship our male character has with his dream girl who is his imagination. The music video that influenced us to make this decision was the music video of cashmere cat's track 'Wedding bells'. In the music video a sexual and loving relationship is taken place between the male and female character in the music video, shot reverse shot was used to help enhance this relationship. This is the similar thing we are going to do in our music video.

Slow editing: This is another editing technique that we plan to use in our music video. The reason being is to build up the tension of the male artist and character losing his dream girl, in other words his imagination. Slow editing, will be mainly be used to build and portray the action between the male character and his imagination. The video that influenced our decision was 'The weeknd's music video of the King of the fall.

Conclusion: These are some of the editing techniques we plan to use in our music video.

Planning: Lighting and colour

Introduction: In our music video lighting and colour will be crucial for our music video as it will help to connote our themes.

Types of lighting:

Low-key lighting:
Some` music videos that we have used before as our influence come again in this topic of lighting and colour. For low-ley lighting it was the music video of The Weeknd 'King of the fall'. The lighting in this music video, as it represents a dark atmosphere the artist is surrounded with. We would like to use something similar when our male character and artist is at home and starting to play his music, or get 'high' on music. This is because we would want to portray a transformation of the artist from being down to being alive in his imagination.

High-key lighting:
In the music video of Ellie Ingram Poetic justice uses high-key lighting to represent the feelings of the artist as she is singing. This will influence our decision to use high key lighting to connote the happy feelings of our 2 artists.

Colours and connotations:
Colours and connotations are used in the music video of Chance the rapper song, Juice. The hoodie he is wearing underneath is jacket is quite colourful, this connote the feeling of being happy and lively within the bright lights around him in New York which is also bright and colourful. This influences are decision to use colours and connotations in our video, to connote the happy feelings of our male artist when he is in his imagination.

Conclusion:
These are the lightings and colours we are mainly going to use to portray our artists.

Planning: Production Roles

Introduction: There are production roles that will be shared within my group as there are only 3 of us. Me ,Abdullah and Ken.


The cameraman/woman: This person films the action that takes place during a film. They have to work with the film director and the storyboard organizer, to see how they want the action to be filmed to get the right film shots, film angles and film movement.

Director: The directors are the people who make the characters. They essentially have the overall say in what happens in the film, where it happens and how it happens. They are in control over all aspects of film making. This is in order to make the film a good representation towards the film distributor.

Editor: The role of this person is to edit the video of the filming in as way that is effective on the audience. They will have to work with the director on how they want the music video to be shown to the audience so that It won't confused the audience.

Producer: The role of this person is to manage the budget of the music production. They supervise the making of the film. They present the music video to the film distributor in order to gain investment. This person provide the equipment for the film to the directors, editors etc.

Print designer: The job of the print designer is to promote and advertise the music product to it's target audience.

Lighting manager: The role of the lighting manager, is to manage the lighting that is used for the music video set, to make the music video special.

Storyboard organizer:  The role of the storyboard organizer is to set the storyline of the music video. in order to make the target audience understand what is going between the characters in the music video.

Make up artist: The role of the make up artist is to provide make up for the music video on the artists and actors. They are to ensure that the artists and actors are incredibly suited to the demands of the music video.

Me: I will have the roles of editor and producer. I will make sure that everything for the music production is running smoothly and I will be involved in every process within the music production. Also, I have managed to grasp the techniques that are required when it comes to editing by using garage band and final cut pro.

Ken: Ken will have the production roles of director and cameraman. As he has experience of filming from he right angles, to make the video special and perfect. Also, he has a good imagination of what will happen in the video and how it will be portrayed in order to relate to the audience.

Abdullah: Abdullah will have the roles of storyboard organiser and print designer. The reason being is because he has a good understanding of how things will occur and he draws things that will happen in the video to exact detail and accuracy. Also, he has good ideas when it comes to promoting a product and making it appeal to it's target audience.

Conclusion: These are the production roles that we are each taking on for ur music video production.

Planning:Characters

Introduction: It is important for us to think about characters, as we need to relate to our target audience as well as portraying our themes. More importantly, we needed to provide understanding for our audience and the characters will help with that process.


Male:

Name: Kulture Kid

Age: 19

Ethnicity; Black Caribbean

Gender stereotype: Rich, young, reckless and care free.

Costume: Street fashion: Nike, Denim, Adidas. This will represent the genre of the music video were doing.

Hair and make up: He will wouldn't wear any make up as that is not what males usually do. Although his hair will be neat.

Body language and facial expression: intoxicated, fragile, lazy. These will all represent the body languages of our male character

Artist similarities: Our male artist is very similar to upcoming rapper Vic Mensa as they are around the same age. Also, they have a similar representation in terms of the body language and attitude they both have. Furthermore, they both have a similar interest in street fashion, wearing designers like Nike. In addition, they both suit the gender stereotype of the genre of hip hop
.

Role in the music video: Our male character is the main character who through out the music video portrays his feeling and emotions through his imagination.

Female:

Name: Nicole Hasting

Age: 18

Ethnicity: Mixed race between English and black Caribbean.

Gender stereotype: Young, rich, seductive, conforming and beautiful.

Costume:   High Street fashion(denim, adidas jacket, crop top and trainers ) as this will help represent the genre of the music video.

Hair and make up: Lovely nice hair that is curly with high volume sometimes tied up. Her make up will be nude and natural

Body Language and facial expression: The female character will have a body language that is seductive, but her body language will be effortless in portraying her natural beauty. As for her facial expression, it will usually be plain but at times she will smile.

Role in the music video: The female is going to be our main character as she will be the centre of attention when our male character has his imagination of his dream girl. She would sometimes do a short piece of a dance.

Artist similarities: Our female character has a lot of similarities to upcoming female artist Tinashe. Tinashe like our female character is very seductive but beautiful, as she has natural beauty.




Conclusion: These characters will be used in our music video, our final idea.

Planning: Pre-production paperwork

Introduction: The pre-production paperwork is crucial for our progress in this music video production, for so many reasons.


Release and Consent agreement:

This form is for the musicians and actors mainly to negotiate the terms and agreements made by the music producers the form must be signed and given to every person that is involved or part of the cast. This form will influence the film to run smoothly as there will be no disputes over the agreement being signed or not.

Location Release:

The location release is document that is legal and it gives the film crew permission to film the music video. The terms and agreements are made and discussed between the music crew production and the local company, councillor people who gives us the permission to film there. Without this legal document, the music production will be illegally prohibited for filming without a signed approval to film. But with a signed location release the music production crew of Paradime can prove that they have the right to film their music video on the location.

Production Schedule:

In the production schedule, it states what is going to happen in the music production. Everyone in the film crew must be given this to be aware of the time and dates for the music production. This will help the music video to run smoothly.

Location Recce:

This form is for the location for the filming, to see if the location is perfect for the filming and the plot to take place. It is crucial for everyone to have this form so that everyone is aware of the location that the filming is going to take place.

Risk Assessment:

This is the most important form that everyone in the music production crew should have as the music production crew will crucially have to be aware of the risks that could arise during the filming of the real production of the music video. Therefore, the risk assessment form will help the director and producers to make plans to avoid the risks from occurring on the location, which could be hazardous in reality. The risks of the location should be known by every person on the music production crew

 

 

Planning: Artist Image

Introduction: This blog post will show the image that my group will have of our male and female artist in our music video.

The Image of our male and female artist:

Age: 19

Ethnicity: African-American

Physique: The artists will have a medium build physically.

Genre stereotype: The artists will rap and sing, as they are representing the genre of hip-hop and RnB. 

Costume: Clothing that connotes the street style. In other words, urban street wear. Snapback, tracksuit, hoodie etc.

Hair and make up: The hair of the female artist will be neat and stylish along with her clothing.

Body language and facial expression: For the male artist, the body language will be: Sloppy, lazy and carefree. As for his facial expressions it will include being laid back and being happy(in his imagination). As for the female artist, her body language will be seductive and caring. Her facial expression will be also seductive and happy like the male artist.

Representation in the video: The male artist will be represented as oblivious when he has his imagination of his dream girl. The female artist, will be represented as seductive and caring when she appears in the male's imagination.

Interactions with others in the video: The interactions the artist (male) will have with others will be non-existent as he will be oblivious to whatever is going on around him in his imagination. But he will have a lovely interaction with the female artist who is his imagination.

Traits of our artist according to our genre:
1). Imaginative
2). Unpredictable
3). Controversial
4). Unique
5). Oblivious

Moral values: Our artist will have values that are social. This will relate to the artists being distinctive, creative and a fantasist.

Media perceptions: The artists will be niche. Also, our artists use social media sites like twitter and Facebook etc. Also, the artists are likeable and they appeal to the audience even though they can be quite controversial with their drug taking which usually has a bad influence on fans. Our artists represent the idea of narrative escapism.



Relations to the theories:

Goodwin: Close up shots will be used this includes: Mid close up, extreme close up etc. This will help enhance the star image.

Mulvey-male gaze: The female artist there will have camera shots on her lips and close ups around her body showing male gaze.

Popular culture: There will be dancing and scenes that relate to drug taking.

Dyer-Star image: Our artists will be used as constructions as they will have a unique selling point in the video.

Hebdige- Subcultures: The audience will be active from viewing our music video as we are making it for them. Therefore there will be a niche appeal.

Two similar artists:

Vic Mensah: This rapper is stylish and artistic with his rapping and clothing he is really attractive which makes him marketable. Furthermore, he is a independent artist making him have a niche appeal. This relates to our male artist.

Tinashe: This is a artist that is really seductive with her looks as she is very attractive  and really flexible, due to the fact that she is a dancer as well as musician. Clearly, she relates to our female artist.

Conclusion: These are the images that are artists have and will clearly show in our music video.`