Band Emblem

We created a band emblem that I think we could use on merchendise etc.

Lighting

We want to create some cool backlight effects in some shots (possibly to show eye strains of first turning on the lights after waking up etc.), as well as using the standard bedroom lights to light the set, for this we will use a big yellow light. We have tried it out in the media block to see what types of lighting and quirkiness we could create and have decided its perfect for our shoot (with the mindset that even if we dont end up using it, its useful to have just incase) .

Storyboard

We've written out a storyboard featuring a shot-by-shot idea of what we intend to shoot complete with shot angle and a slight description of what the shot will feature.

Our lists of what needs to be done

Album images ideas

We want the images of our band for our album/website to be fun and quirky, so we have been thinking of ideas as how to capture this and here is a summary of ideas in picture form.

Here the band are being ridiculous and are giving a matrix kind of feel with being totally serious yet doing stupid things, such as offering Tupperware and holding up children.

underwater shots would be funny and cool but we have a dilemma as to how to get a camera into a public pool.

Audience Research

After talking to members of our target audience 18-25 males and females, we deduced that the radio stations they would expect to find our song on are Radio 1 and XFM, to which we have found information about them to see potentially how much reach we could generate etc.

Station	Coverage	Latest Audience Figures		Last Quarter	Last Year
		August 2011		May 2011	August 2010
		Audience	Reach	Audience	Audience

XFM London	Greater London	671,000	6%	604,000	553,000
XFM Manchester	XFM Manchester	151,000	5%	135,000	179,000

BBC Radio 1

UK wide

11,692,000

23%

11,825,000

11,810,000

Aswel as this we asked them what they like about other indie bands and what they like about our band idea, here were some of the responses:

'I dont like indie bands that try too hard to be serious, its boring'

'Indie bands should just look like average normal people- approachable'

'I think your idea is good- no other really indie band has a really funny, carefree image, they are usually more punky bands that do this'

'I think them being funny would make them more appealing as they are relatable, just acting their age, like Sum 41 and band like that, except a different genre'

Pie chart showing percentage of people who liked different genres of music (as you can see indie is the largest)

Within the indie percentage this pie chart shows the number of which are male and female giving us a better understanding of our target audience. 

Band Test Shoots

We took a quick test shoot of the three confirmed members of the band to see if they look the part! We believe they do!

Changes to our Treatment After Final Teacher Meeting

- No more girl in band- as this allows Philippa to focus more on the filming on the day and also gives us the generic indie band look.

-During the chorus we will have the evil characters (who are band members) finding instruments around the room and picking them up and crazily rocking out with them.

-We believe the band should push through the fact that they are not fully focused and respected for their music, but are just more about having a good time and doing fun things with their image. Examples of bands like this are Bowling for Soup and All Time Low, however our bands music will still be indie with a serious edge.

-Through our video we will not see the band image, but through the marketing we will have to put across that the band, ultimately are all about having fun, for instance by doing silly poses and dressing up in photoshoots.



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This is an example of the fun quirky image we will try to portray



 

But the bands music will still be identifyable to the indie genre, much like the Arctic Monkeys type of music.

Feedback to Our Pitch

Feedback from Peers
We recieved much positive feedback from our classmates. We were asked however to be more clear with our narritive idea. However, we believe as our video is concept based a clear narrative is not entirely necassary yet would add another element of story to the video.

As well as feedback we were also othered an alternate ending which was very helpful as at first we had struggled with how to end the video.

Feedback from Teachers
The overall concept of our video was approved and we recieved lots of feedback comending the imaginative ideas we intend to feature within our video. However, there were concerns that the only female muscisian would not feature within the video as she would be dressed as one of the villains, more specifically 'Darth Vader', this was an issue as the actress would have to wear the iconic mask and a large outfit; this would obscure her gender leading people to assume the person in the suit is male.

This becomes an issue as traditionally it would be considered sexist or perhaps detremental to the bands success in a male audience if the female muscisian were hidden.

Band Name

We decided upon the name Small Town America as we believed it was a catchy, memorable name that would tie in with the 'american' look and style of our band.


Here is a prototype banner for the bands name. Sporting the red, white and blue and american font I feel it ties in nicely with our concept.

Copyright

An email we sent to sony record label ^^

The reply we got from youtube allowing the content.

Our Printed Treatment

Media Treatment Page1

Media Treatment Page2

The Song Itself

Band Logo

If we go with our working album title, which is fairly abstract and weird/quirky 'That Damned Beaver! ' then we have designed a logo, or familiar image that we will link throughout our marketing campaign which combines cartoon with picture and draws in with the Americanisation of the band- linking beavers to Canada and Northern America etc.

Band Image

We were thinking that the band should be more focused on their music than their image at this stage in their career, and so we want them to dress casually as possible the target audience would do, as this is also very relatable and approachable (they feel like they could potentially meet them and become friends etc)

This kind of top is recognisable to being very American and it is casual, yet can be fun with the different coloured sleeves, and as green/red/ black are the most common, maybe our band members could wear a different colour that will make them rememberable against others. 

We believe shoes should be fairly worn out and old, and not necessarily vans and converse, but trainers with an 'old school' look.

And then just jeans, which give them a casual and relaxed look, potentially bootleg, maybe a bit skinny and could differ between band members.

The girl member should not be objectified and should wear similar clothing such as skinny jeans (maybe worn out with holes in) or cut up denim shorts, trainers and a baggy t-shirt. 

Our Idea

Band Members
- Lead vocals – Lewis Allison

- Guitar – Darth Vader (Philippa Dodi)

- Bass –  Joker (Michael Carbonell)

- Drums – Doctor Evil (Callum Harney)
All of these people live fairly locally to where we plan to shoot and are fully committed to give the time to shoot and test shoot, as well as this, having Lewis as the lead singer is good as it means he can capture his own vision with his acting. 

Band Identity

-New American alternative rock band

-Not too fussed about image (relaxed, relatable) a bit like  Pigeon Detectives and The Ordinary Boys

-We also like the idea of a fun and quirky name that is completely abstract, to link with their carefree image. 

-Tattoos? possibly just a few small ones, nothing too big like sleeves, as this would suggest a harder rock genre.

-A hybrid of  The Arctic Monkeys (with the colloquial style) and  The Pigeon Detectives (who are more well known for their music than their image)

-Fun, abstract and amusing

Target Audience

-Both Genders 18-24

-Split down the middle? Music appeals to stereotypical male music tastes whilst hopefully band would appeal to a female audience.

Audience like to feel like ‘individuals’.

The whole ‘I SAW THEM FIRST’ style band where you like them before they become big.  


AUDIENCE PROFILE

Name: John Daley
Age: 19
Education: studying at university, not a top high achieving student
Interests: Partying and hanging out with friends, occasional drug use, going to music festivals and clubbing, sports.
Music Taste: The Strokes, The King Blues, Pigeon Detectives, Arctic Monkeys, The Streets etc. 
Values: Not too interested in his clothes
Style: a bit grungey/hipster, just logo or quirky t-shirts, jeans and vans. 

Ideas
Narrative based – Dance routine?
Trippy, different camera angles etc.
‘Man trying to get to sleep in his bedroom, he wakes

and recites stories about ‘wicked’ people. As he does so, these ghost like characters of evil villains, which supposedly only he can see, enter his room and begin to do activities to tire themselves out so that they can ‘rest’. In the end he ends up sleeping, with our end shot being the man from an above angle lying in bed and he blinks in time to the music, and as he blinks he changes from one of the evil characters to another, then back to himself and then just to black to end the song. 

Close ups of things associated with sleeping and lots of whip pans and/or blurred motion to show a lack of sleep and that the room is almost spinning.
This has connotations to drug use and drinking which ties in nicely with our audience.

Evil Villains as far are: Darth Vader, The Joker and Dr. Evil. All of which are known in popular culture and often villains which pop up the most in TV and media.

Marketing Plan

-Music Video and Website

-Posters

-Banner on Itunes and Spotify as a new and upcoming band

-Radio playlist on Radio 1 (live lounge) and XFM

-Jo Whileys Music Show

-NME and KERRANG magazine feature

-Reading festival introducing stage

- Facebook, twitter, myspace page

Technical

-Set at night so may need some padlights in case bedroom light isn’t powerful enough but must create a natural feel as set within the narrative

- We want it to have an independent film style, a bit grainy with some surveillance and quirky shots. FISH EYE CAMERAS

Practicalities

-       We only have one set for our whole video (Lewi’s bedroom)

-       Narrative based so no studio lights needed – bedroom lights only (may need a few studio lights)

-       The group are all committed and willing to be part of the shoot and all actors are local

-       We have found online outfits to purchase for the villains already

-       We will only need around a few evenings shoot and one evening rehearsal plus a back up shoot

-       We can eat as we work! (raid Lewi’s

       fridge)

 Ancillary Products

Album Cover- images of the band doing fun and silly things a bit like All Time Low in photoshoots, possible in dress up (to link with them dressing up in the video) but the logo will dominate the cover 

Website- a banner promoting new single, lots of links to buy it on the home page, the video at the top which automatically plays as you enter the website. Links to facebook and twitter and record label. Ticket and up and coming gigs information.

Merchandise shop available, although very basic, just t-shirts and hoodies (as just starting out)

-Interests: Festivals, Drinking, Partying, Drug use...