Post-Production: Beginning the Website

Rapidly moving forward, I understand the crucial jump to begin my attempts and experimentation to create my first rough draft of the website. For instance, after completing detailed and thorough research covering inspiring and successful artist’s websites such as, Alessia Cara, Declan McKenna, Sia and many more my motivation and enthusiasm to start playing and producing work is increasingly growing.

In order to create the website, I will use the effective and professional software, Wix. Wix is a cloud-based web development platform that allows users to create websites and mobile sites. I have previously used Wix to begin my practice, however I have been researching many tutorials on YouTube to not only learn many new tips and tricks but to also stabilise my confidence with the basics of the process to achieve the best, possible results. However, luckily it is a straightforward software, allowing one’s creative mind to branch out and explode.

When firstly beginning to create the website, I was met with many different starting options and beginner’s templates, so therefore to begin my practice and to test my skills, I wanted to start with a basic music website template, however, later during the production of our products, I will create my own template and start from scratch although at the moment I am still learning and not rushing the practice. I had many options to choose from but I made a bold decision of sticking to colours of whites and pastel tones to link with light aspects of the video. As I am aware and my groups intentions are for all three of our products to link, so therefore when we have our next discussion we will allow and make our products grow a connection through colours, layout and style. Similar to this, I also kept the layout simple and basic, following a fairly linear structure as I felt this was a clear navigation and starting point for our website; however, this will develop over time. In addition to this, before I showed and sent my group an update of how the website was looking so far, I warned them there is a lack of accurate photos and links, as we are waiting until Wednesday 7^th to complete our photoshoot with Juli.

When creating the website, I spent time considering the crucial and main functions needed for my artist’s website, for instance, I felt the need to include navigation to music, videos, tour, bio, shop, contact and more. For instance, I understand I need to link up our music video, however I do not want to do this yet as it will constantly be altering and developing, so therefore I will wait until it is completely finished. Similarly, I will link more of SIOUX’s music and incorporate the photos we will gain from the photoshoot. However, I have managed to link tour dates of Bishop Briggs, the actual artist through the source bandsintown, although I potentially aim to create my own tour dates later in production. Similar to this, I have created a range of products for SIOUX’s shop, including a top, jumper and hat and I will create more in time using the useful software Photoshop. Lastly, I want to include detailed social media sites for our artist and I want this branch to play a big role within the website.

After showing my group, they seemed happy with the results so far but understand it will be developed and will connote more aspects of our artist as the production process goes on. However, at the moment, they are relieved and are looking forward to the development of this ancillary product.

This is the start of my website

Post-Production: First draft of CD Digipak

As my group and I are constantly working hard to achieve the best results we can, we are rapidly, boldly and bravely are experimenting with our products to produce rough drafts. For instance, Fran collected all our research and noted all our ideas we produced and generated four possible and potential Digipak ideas for the front cover, including the consideration of composition, layout, colour and style.

In addition to this, as a group, we all discussed the positives and drawbacks to her first produced rough cuts. For example, we were fond of the effort Fran had put in and the brave experimentation to experiment, however, we feel we could produce better work. Fran focused hugely upon the idea of the name of our artist, meaning little snakes and therefore based her imagery upon this. As both Harvey, Fran and I are aware we have not yet completed the photoshoot so are therefore lacking the use of correct and appropriate imagery.  Progressing forward, we all understand we need to include a photo of Juli, our artist and therefore base our front cover upon our model. This will also allow easy recognition and will prevent any confusion.

Due to this, we have organised and arranged a photoshoot for Wednesday 7^th December, as this is when everyone involved is free and able to attend. Progressing on, we have created a rough basic plan for Fran to follow, consisting of presenting Juli across the whole front of the Digipak and simply writing her name and the album name across the bottom or top. Similarly, moving forward, we have briefly decided for the inside of the Digipak for the use of a snakeskin pattern to appear, possibly across the two panels where the disk is usually placed, this will be beneficial as this will help to incorporate and link the idea of little snakes in. Lastly, we have considered leaving the back of the album for a list of just the songs with no image surrounding it. However, we are pleased with Fran’s effort and enthusiasm and this we have all learnt from the negatives found within the rough experiments.

Post-Production: Researching Website's

Before I started to create and develop the website using the programme Wix, I unquestionably completed research with my group so as a group we could agree on an initial style or path I should journey down. In my opinion, this was beneficial as if I had already began forming the website without discussing ideas with my team members, I could potentially have wasted huge amounts of valuable time and effort.

For example, we firstly began by researching our artist, Bishop Briggs. to provide us with an inspiring and original start. From viewing her site, it provided us with an inspiring and original start, however we were not particularly fond of her website, therefore we carried on searching. Consequently, we finally found ten websites which follow similar artist’s website’s with whom we could be inspired by and create some detailed observations.

From close research, artist’s websites such as, Barns Courtney, Elliphant, Lorde and Charlie XCX were are starting point. We were fond of their website’s, however we felt they lacked element and character and were therefore quite basic. The website’s held very limited information and therefore the site’s felt quite enclosed towards fans. The websites included their names, their albums, link to downloading their music, such as Spotify and iTunes, links to social media sites and brief information regarding tour dates. Therefore, I will not base my prime inspiration upon these sites, but continue researching for more influential sources.

Along our researching journey, we stumbled across artists, such as Alessia Cara, Declan McKenna, Sia, Jess Glynne, Grimes and lastly Jack Garratt. All these artist’s hold successfully and effectively, but as a group we considered potential website conventions of our genre, indie pop. However, we took that into consideration and engrossed ourselves within the further detail held on these sites. For instance, most of the site’s had their latest released music video on auto-play and generally held more exciting and interesting elements. The social media sites were endless, consisting of Spotify, iTunes, sound cloud, twitter, Instagram and more. Most of the site’s also included landed pages and further closer content of news and updates about the artist and their products. In addition to this, the information of relevance included a bio section, music, videos, tour dates and also a choice of exploring a store. In response to this, I understand these websites are more inspiring and entail the viewer with closer detail and successfully constructive information of entertainment as well as interest. However, I will create my own website including my own ideas and concepts but will constantly consider these in mind whilst forming it.

Alessia Cara

Declan McKenna

Sia

Jess Glynne

Jack Garratt

Post-Production: Researching CD Digipak's

After completing the basis and the start of editing our music video, we all agreed on discussing and noting initial ideas for our CD Digipak. We wanted to start with considering concepts towards the Digipak as we all wanted to be on the same page and allow our ideas to be collectively gathered together as a whole. As we understand Fran is in charge of completing the Digipak but we will generate ideas and help wherever needed as this is a group effort but we have split our time and work-load effectively.

As a group we felt research was the best method at this point in production for our ancillary product as it provides a strong motivation for generating ideas. For instance, we started by researching and examining CD Digipaks of artists of the same genre as ours, such as, indie-pop. After time of careful and close research, we were mostly inspired by three effective and previously researched artists, Lorde and MØ.

Researching and analysing aspects of MØ and Lorde’s CD Digipak

Primarily examining the Digipaks, we all agreed we were fond of the colour scheme chosen, consisting of the boldness of the black and white effect. We appreciated this decision as we all felt black and white provides a clear, simple an effective theme but also maintaining the aesthetically pleasing look and mature, professional feel. We are also fond of the easy flexibility of allowing some colour to weave through. From this, we all settled to consider this as an idea in which we might venture down for our Digipak.

As well as appreciating options for our colour scheme and being inspired by the black and white take, however, we are all also hugely indulged towards the composition and layout of their Digipak’s. For example, the inspiring products, especially MØ’s, present an appreciation for space and efficient design. Similarly, the bold choice of negative and positive space is taken into consideration throughout the process of these CD Digipak’s and will therefore ours will be created in the same way, potentially allowing clear negative space to play a big role.

Similar to this, the picture presented upon the Digipak’s are carefully elected and consequently we will plan and organise a constructive and professional photoshoot. During the shoot, we will consider all the angles possible as MØ does. However, we weren’t particularly fond of extreme close up shots as it lacked in clear recognition of the artist and her image. In addition to this, we may possibly consider the positioning and direction given to the models, however will consider our themes of rebellion, youth, domination and spontaneity throughout. From observing and analysing, I noticed the artist’s payed particular and close attention to specific details, such as attention to the look of their image, including accessories and the appearance.

From looking and observing close detail and attention, as a group we were all engrossed towards the style of presentation. For instance, we were all fond of creative consideration, such as, the use of handwriting. Therefore, we will hugely consider this when creating our product as it reads well and falls aesthetically pleasing.

Summing up all our research, observations and opinionative points, we all agreed MØ’s Kamikaze album and her Glass album were of most inspiration and we aim to potentially create a CD Digipak similar to these but with more detail. These particular album's communicate the artist’s star image very effectively and clearly. As well as this, the Digipak's both show conventions of originality as well as unique, creative uses of physical handwriting.

From completing research, it has provided more ideas and concepts for us to briefly use and play around with. Similarly, we all agree we can beneficially combine our most appreciated aspects and decisions from our researched Digipak’s to create something of high standard. In response to our research, Harvey effectively created some useful notes and clear direction for Fran to experiment and start with. For instance, he offered a potential design idea and weaved our original idea of our artists’, SIOUX, translating to the creativity of little snakes.

Moving forward, Fran will automatically and enthusiastically go ahead and begin creating rough drafts of our CD Digipak for our artist, SIOUX.