Audience research 1: Initial questions and theory

Uses and Gratifications

Research and planning your pitch

It was lovely seeing so many of you finally finding your feet and getting down to business this morning. There is a huge task ahead so make sure you keep the momentum going.
Next Thursday, your group will be presenting your pitch. Look at last year's examples(Hasina amongst others) and look at the guidance document I will be posting below tomorrow. Remember to focus your research on target audience and similar artists/products. Look at the mark scheme to ensure your cover all areas.
It will also be my last chance to amend your PC1 as it's the deadline then for entering them on the system!

Please also make sure you watch music videos from your chosen director in preparation for next Monday's lesson. Watch the DVDs and/or the playlists on the YouTube channel.

Good luck everyone. Keep on top of things and find me or email me if you have any problem or question.

PS: Don't forget to post your Transforming into a Star task.

The Pitch - Examples

Media powerpoint2

View more presentations from callison1318

L&L Music Video Pitch

View more presentations from Arcadoom

Look for more!

Home Learning set 14.9 due in week beginning 20th September

- Read the chapter from Vernallis’ book (required reading pack) for next week

- Update individual blog about choices made. Start Group Blog and send url to HO – make sure that everyone in the group is linked properly.
First post should be about the selected track and the reasons behind the choice as well as initial ideas emerging from group discussion.

- Design a mood board from the music genre you’ve selected, including images from videos you are particularly inspired by.

NOTE: 1. Books can be borrowed: Goodwin, Auzterlitz, Vernallis
2. Your presentation on a music director of your choice should also be on your blog and presented in class next Tuesday.

Your detailed music video analysis using Goodwin's ideas is to be ready for Tuesday 28th September. This is to be an analysis of a video of your choice / similar product to the song your group ends up picking – Doesn’t have to be a PPT but might be easier to present it that way; it must contain annotated screengrabs.

Getting started now - UPDATED

Having read the great advice from Pete Fraser, it is imperative that you start your research now over the summer. You also need to start your Video project blog to chart your early thoughts, which bands / titles you have in mind (remember the advice about using MySpace to find bands). Discuss which genres of music you're interested in working on and find existing videos for this particular genre so that you start getting a feel for its conventions.

You should upload music videos that you like / are relevant and explain why.

As usual, start your blog and send me the url so that I can link it to the main blog. Remember to also put a link back to the main video project blog. Add a picture of yourself to your profile. Add any interesting links that you use or find useful. You probably don't need the Followers gadget, so get rid of it for better clarity. Do use labels to organise your posts more clearly and to allow the moderator to navigate your blog more easily.

You will be expected to come back in September with a selection of 2 to 4 titles so that you we can discuss them and agree.

To sum up, what you need to do now and chart on your individual blog is:
- research potential tracks - link them to your blog; explain why they would be good choices and what the bad points might be;
- research into similar products (artists and record labels, album covers, artists' websites, music videos, artists' looks/ fashion and iconography)
- exploration and analysis of the forms and conventions of similar products
- research target audience for existing artists / videos / music genres, particularly the ones you're interested in.

Your selected track must conform to the following:
- it should have plenty of scope for creativity;
- it must be available as a digital download or CD, and have been mixed and recorded to a high standard;
- it must NOT have been promoted successfully (in the last 10 years) by a professional music video;
- it must be clearly identifiable as a genre / sub genre;
- it must have a clearly definable audience;
- it must be suitable for public broadcast so no swearing, no sexually aggressive language / imagery, no drug-related lyrics.


We are aimimg to submit the coursework for the January session and therefore will need to get things under way very quickly.

PS: MySpace is full of new artists who have a webpage very much like the one you might choose to do as one of your ancillary tasks. Start searching here for instance.

You could also investigate less well-known song covers. See links on the right.

Watch, watch, watch...

Watch as many music videos as possible from a range of genres.
Use the links on the right, including the playlist from PHMedia's YouTube Channel.