Best CD covers of all time.

 I have researched many sources to find a range data on the best CD covers.
This is a list of some of the websites I used for research.           

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/fedderedder/rolling_stones_100_greatest_album_covers/

http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/music/50-coolest-album-covers

http://www.pinterest.com/santacruzer/top-100-album-covers-of-all-time/

From these I have found that they have the same range of covers but with a change in the ranking order.

Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles features highly among the lists.
I've chosen to analyse this because it is iconic as you instantly know its the Beatles, even when the band name is cropped out.

This album cover shows us that the Beatles are colourful, cheerful and shown as rebellious because this mood is in contrast the era of the 60s and time before it. This is due to most things being in black and white in the era. With regards to sizing hierarchy the group encompasses more of the picture but the band name is more prominent because the band name has less images to compete with on it's half of the screen compared with the half with the group which appears as busy.  

Aspects I like: - The title being part of the scene rather than being on top of the image, this improves the visual style.
                        - Imagery behind the Beetles is inconsistent
                        - The Beatles stand out
Aspects I don't like - I bit to crowded.
                                - Some items to be out of place, unknown inter-textually
                                                                                                                        



 
Pink Floyd-The Dark Side of the Moon is very simplistic which is very different to most album covers. It suggests the band are experimental showing a prism which links to science. This suggest that the music is going to be different to anything you've heard before. With regards to sizing hierarchy the band name and album title are not present which draws the focus on the symbol. It stands out because all the other albums at the time have usually have the artist face/s on it.

Aspects I like are: - The rainbow stands out as there is no colour anywhere else.
                              - Quite minimal with the only image being the prism.
Aspects I don't like: - The overall image isn't eye catching and come across as bland
                                 - Too little information       

All the top album covers are by popular/successful artists with few exceptions on other lists.

Textural analysis of a music video using Mulvey's "Male Gaze" theory

http://youtu.be/yyDUC1LUXSU

Song: Blurred Lines

Artist: Robin Thicke

The video supports the theory, it does this by having a lot of scantly clothed girls surrounding men, this highlights that men are seen as dominant. Their dominance can be seen by their suits as there are symbol of authority and power stressing the a patriarchal with it being in contrast with the girl being naked which comes across as vulnerable and manipulated. The mans body language suggests ownership due to his close, intimate hold of the girl, making it seen as an object for his gratification.

In contradiction the girl appears to "play along" with mans flirts, not being forced to do something she doesn't want to do. Also that their is "shared gaze" between the characters, which means that you are looking at both of the characters and not just the woman. 

 

    
This shows the representation of women as a sexual fantasy from a heterosexual male point of view and large amounts of scopophilia. The video suggest to the viewer that the men have some form of authority/control over the women whom seem to only be their to be looked at. Although the women seem to be "playing along" with the men's activity.


This image highlights the active and passive features of the theory. The man appears Animated whilst the girls seem to be static, this suggest that the man is in control (as if they are under his spell) and has told them not to move. There is representation of women as a sexual fantasy and from a heterosexual male point of view in the picture above there is 1 fully dressed man and 3 minimally dressed girls, which is a typical male fantasy and he is covering his groin with his coat pocket.

Music video genre texural analaysis

http://youtu.be/ScNNfyq3d_w

Song: Castle Of Glass

Artist: Linken Park

Genre: Rock

The Music video has very low saturation and dull colours throughout with a key theme of conflict and warfare.  The video also remains a state of sadness which is seen quite a bit in rock videos.


Throughout the video there are instances of actual soldiers and in game footage of "Medal Of Honour: Warfighter" which fits with the conventions of rock music.
Although at the beginning it is slow paced and quite which doesn't fit the conventions of rock music.
The video does support Fiske's theory "genre relfectthe zeitgeist" as the setting for the video is current conflict and military. It also supports Hodge and Kress as it's connection to a video game, the game publishers probably asked for a lot of things to be added and to keep inside conventions.

"Rockabilly" music genre conotations

- "country folk"
- old fashioned
- Stetsons
- guitars electric and acoustic
- concentrates on the lead singer
-very traditional even in modern rockabilly.  

A useful source on how to write a script

http://www.writersstore.com/how-to-write-a-screenplay-a-guide-to-scriptwriting/

Discovered when searching the web casually and thought it might come in handy later when it comes down to some of the planning.

A2 Preliminary task

The task was to make a short music video (1 minuet-"ish") to test the new skills we learnt from AS.