Evaluation

Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

 

We have learnt a lot of feedback regarding our target audience opinions and what the audience in general opinions, think of our music video, magazine advert and digi-pack. To ensure we made the best quality music video and promotional campaign to the highest standard possible we collected feed back during the process of editing and developing our media product, by producing a rough edit. The video was obviously unfinished and needed a lot more editing done to it; however we thought it would be great to see that our production was moving in the right direction.

We showed a number of media students that were in our target age; 14 – 22 of both genders, as well as our teacher. This is because we felt that their opinion would be more valued as they can take a technical approach and understand in more detail the meaning connoted behind the media specimen. The feedback we collected came in very handy, the following aspects were suggested that they needed improvement/ to be developed in order to make the music video as close to a real media product as possible.

• When a close up shot from a high angle of the lead singers foot tapping to the beat was cut off too early during editing. This had resulted in a transition changing scenes too early. We were recommended to extend this clip in order to have the third foot tap finish on the beat and move straight onto the lyrics rather than being stopped in its path, mid air. We improved this by matching the visuals with audio very effectively.

• An aspect that we knew would need to be edited already was also recognised by the feedback audience, this being the lip synching not being accurate and in time with the lyrics making the product look amateur made. Therefore, we filmed the lead singer, singing the lyrics for a second time in order to get the quality as good as possible. We felt in the end the lip synching was very successful.

• We were also recommended to change the original structure of the narrative, to make it easier to understand and show the process of going from bad, to really bad, to extremely bad. We took this feedback into account and reordered the narratives to be in the order of: chav, prostitute, homeless person. The intended reason for this was to show the fluidity motion of a path of destruction.

• Some media students when watching our rough edit also didn’t immediately recognise the footage of the homeless person being a tramp. Therefore, we attempted to introduce the character in a more apparent way, rather than just having a horizontal, three way split screen at random. We did this by adding a transition before this scene, of panning down the body motion of the prostitute. Moving on from here, we panned down the homeless person’s body, from head to toe.

We also collected positive, successful feedback.

These were:

• The use of ‘Overlay’ during a close up image of the lead singer, lip synching and his face being in the centre of the drum, capturing both images. The reason for this was because it corresponded with the rhythm and tempo of the music.

• The camera shot of panning up the prostitutes body was also apparently a successful introduction the character of her. This is what resulted in us panning up down the body of tow of the other characters; the tramp and in the white room.

• The performance shots had a very positive reaction due to the emotion of the band members during filming. Particularly the energy that can be observed.

• Not only did the performance shots have a very positive reaction but also did the variety of signs that we used. The reason being that it allowed the audience to understand the connotations and themes more easily, and also understand the symbolic nature of them.

Through using the web programmer 'Wordle' I was able to create this montage of words. I took the text from the reactions I collected on the Facebook page that I uploaded my music video onto and found these words were the most popular.

 
 
To collect and learn feedback of my music video, I posted it onto the social network site of Facebook as I am a member. Through this web programme I was able to learn of the reactions and responses to the music video and whether it was a successful product. It also meant that, rather than using Lost In Colours target audience which is 14 - 22, to view and let their opinion of the video be known, a broader range of people out of the spectrum, 22+ could comment.

However, to ensure that I did get some form of responses I sent a multiple amount of emails to various people that I am friends with, politely asking them to view my final product and comment on their opinion. This would enable me to collect as much feedback as possible, allowing me to analysis the responses, reaction and success of the music video as much as possible.

In the small time span that my music video was uploaded onto Facebook nine responses were collected, and more than fourteen ‘off the record’ observations. From the image below you can witness the great response, leading me to think that the overall product that we created through much research and planning and developing was considerably successful. One particualar comment that I am very proud of is;

“i think the writing flashing up in the chorus looks really effective plus I think it loos goof that you carried on towards the end and made your characters hold it, and the split screens fit in with the tempo of the music. alssoooooooo i like the climax towards the end of the video, keeps us all engaged ;) hehehehehe WELL DONE GUYSSSSSSS! you should be proud of ya selves.”

From these responses I also identified the aspects of the music video that people specifically liked:

• The use of black and white
• Close up shots of the instruments
• The emotional response conjured by it
• The lip synching and synching of transitions with the tempo
• The use of split screens
• The use of signs to enhance meaning

Focus Group

In order to ensure that my music video and promotional campaign of the magazine advert and digi-pack was a success I conducted a focus group to discuss the beneficial points of the texts. Also the negative points of the advert were discussed; this allowed me to see what can be changed in the future if I were to create another similar product. Through doing this the designs could be improved to make them more appealing to the audience. This focus group can be considered as a form of primary research as it is identifying what the intended target audience like from my music video, magazine advert and digi-pack and what aspects of it they would reject. Conducting the focus group allowed me to find out what I can improve in the future and how I can develop and challenge the conventions I used in this media product.

I asked four people; two male, two female, all aged 17, that were in Lost In Colours target audience ten questions. Five for the ‘Searching For The Sun In The Dark’ music video and five about the magazine advert and digi-pack. This information collected from the four members of my target audience was done to allow me to connect with their reaction and see if the final product was a success.

Lost In Colours, ‘Searching For The Sun In The Darks’ Music Video Focus Group Results

For the overall music video product that Rachel and I created four out of four of the people I asked ‘do you like the video?’ simply gave the answer ‘yes.’ This immediately already tells me that the construction and overall product was an accomplishment. From conducting the focus group I found that a pattern occurred when discussing ‘what stands out and appeals most when viewing?’ All the responses (that can be seen below) indicated that the contrast between narratives and also the contrasts of colours really stood out and held a grip on the audience, therefore suggesting these conventions we successful techniques used. A great response for ‘initial response’ was made; great feedback was given regarding the meaning perceived when looking at the music video. Words such as,‘inequality,’ ‘discrimination,’ ‘trapped,’ ‘society’ and ‘inevitable’ were used suggesting that the intended meaning created within the text was obtained. However, one member found that they did not straight away identify/understand the meaning found in question four. “I’d improve it (the music video) by portraying a stronger and more obvious meaning so everyone who watched it would understand the purpose and meaning of the video.” Therefore, more awareness may be needed in the future regarding the message.

A few things were taken into account which the public I asked, did not like when conducting the focus group. The other members of the focus group responded to ‘what do you dislike about the music video and how would you improve it?’ with fairly obvious and simple answers. These being, use less of the same images, show more of the narratives and add another narrative which includes a group of people feeling the same emotion. These improvements are basic and specific to this particular product, therefore I will take these improvements into account in the future if I ever re edit the text. Lastly I asked ‘would you buy this product?’Overall, all of the focus group said that they would buy this product for a personal, emotional reason to them.

Lost In Colours, ‘Searching For The Sun In The Darks’ Magazine Advert and Digi-Pack Focus Group Results

When observing the designed magazine advert and digi-pack, the focus group found a variety of aspects regarding the advert appealing. When looking at a criterion for what a magazine advert should include and also what I found from other magazine adverts in secondary research I found that I included this in the Lost In Colour, ‘Searching For The Sun In The Dark’ advert. Image, colour tones, connotations and simplicity were all used and all indentified by the public. Therefore, through the design of the magazine advert and digi-pack they successfully and aesthetically appealed to the intended target audience. As this is a magazine advert and not a poster, the focus group decided that it would be better to include more imagery than information.

Typography I found is not a problem for the advert I designed as all members of the focus group though that the font was appropriate for various reasons. Therefore, this is an aspect I do not need to reconsider in the future. A great discovery that I made when conducting the focus group was that the same meaning was perceived for the magazine advert and digi-pack as the music video, indicating that during designing both the correct techniques were used. This lead to the following meanings; loneliness, harshness, isolation, suffocation, death and inequality, all of which are appropriate for a genre like pop-rock. ’Overall, all of the focus group said that they would be persuaded to buy this product through the appealing nature of the magazine advert and digi-pack, this being because the images are interesting and intriguing.

If I were to redevelop the advert and digi-pack in the future I will take into account the improvements suggested by the focus group, particularly when reconsidering the amount of information, font and quality. I know to improve these things due to the answers collected from question five of the focus group I conducted.

From the audience feedback that I collected through various methods I have learned that my music video and ancillary tasks were more successful than I could have ever imagined.