Question 3-What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Question 3 - What have you learned from your audience feedback?  

• *  Gain feedback on your rough cut (music vid, digipack and magazine advert) from class, from Year 12, from friends, from parents, from teachers, from on line surveys​ 

In order to see whether our rough cuts were as good as they needed to be we split up individually and went away conducting research through my family. I asked both my mum, brother and dad to review the products we had created in our group Scorpio Records. The first product I asked them to analyze was the music video. The feedback given consisted of different aspects. For instance my mum asked whether Amber and Danny were meant to be a couple within the music video as she didn’t think it was clear enough that Danny was the boy Amber was going. She believed this would have further aided the narrative if this was clearer but overall the range of shots were good and enjoyed the video. My brother also gave constructive criticism on our music video as he asked why the flares were done in daylight as he believed that these would have more of an effective if they were done during the night time. However, unlike my mum he believed that the narrative was clear and easily followed. My dad liked the colour schemes we used throughout and the use of the LED lights helped to create a video fit for our target audience. All three of them agreed that the colour used within the music video and the other media products we had created worked well together and gave a bright vibrant feel that would catch our target audience’s attention. They also liked the way in which the digipak was set out as with 6 boxes it allowed a lot of content about our video and our most used marketing tool of the pouty lips that features on all of our products. One way in which we could improve is by presenting more images of the artist as it isn’t overly that clear that Amber is the main star because so much else is going on it takes the limelight away from her. Finally, they believed that the magazine advert was good although the background was plain and a little boring for the target audience our advert is trying to hit. For example teenagers are seen as wild and this isn’t presented with the plain grey background so they believe something funkier could be used alternatively to attract our audience better.  

To further aid our video and make sure our target audience who the music video would be mainly aimed at understood I asked my friend Elle who is 18 to view it. She believed that the use of the dancers were effective and made the video stand out more as there was a wider range of location used. Furthermore, the dancers looked good and enhanced our video as they offered a professional feel.  Although she too thought the flares should be done at night because it looked strange having the flares being carried in broad daylight when it was a nighttime house party. As a group we conducted research from our class on whether they could easily follow our narrative and what they thought. The feedback given by our class was based on all three aspects from our music video, digipak and magazine advert. It was key for us to ask our class as they are the perfect people in order for us to check our target audience is being hit as they are the age range of our target audience and know what they want to see and expected to see. Through our research we found that our classmates were fond of our music video as they found the storyline relatable. This is good because we asked the audience we were directly targeting which led us to the opinion straight from those we wanted to please. Furthermore, they believed the choice of locations were good and they expressed how the location choices were realistic and relatable to what a house party would be like. They also liked the narrative and the way in which the party was set up. Alongside, this they believed that they liked the starring cast to the extras and believed that Amber (Charli XCX) for filled the role well. They also believed that all the products complimented eachother well and there was clear connections between all three products as they shared key conventions of the pouty lips which are seen as feminine. These would be seen as especially effective upon the magazine advert as they would gain attention and become Charli XCXs signature thing. 

Each week our group was set the task of submitting our work to our teachers in order to see an outsider’s opinion on the progression we were making. It also helped us gain information on the ways in which they believed our products could be made more inclusive in order to reach the widest target audience possible. This further enabled us to gain a professional perspective upon our work. The teacher feedback we received consisted of changing the background upon the magazine advert as it was bland and needed to stand out more. Furthermore, changing several scenes within our music video for example when the daylight was too bright and increasing the footage we had of the dancers. They wanted more of the dancing because they believed that this was the one key convention that would draw our audience in. Especially the male audiences through the use of the male gaze upon Amber (Charli XCX within one section of the party. Also stating that we should keep the use of the pouty lips running through all three of our products as this is a good tool. Which would mean changing our magazine advert and digipak to match.  

• *  Gain feedback on your product (music vid, digipack and magazine advert) from class, from Year 12,  from friends, from parents, from teachers, from on line surveys​  

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          Our group decided to gain some research from the year below who are too studying the subject of media and will know the theories etc. and what we would want to achieve from our music video better than any other individuals. Furthermore, they fit the age range that we are trying to target with our video. After making all of the improvements advised by our primary research we felt confident that the year 12s would revel in viewing our music video. After showing them our music video we had numerous positive appraisals. They consistently stated that our narrative was clear and easily followed. I feel this is because we added in extra scenes to compliment those that already existed in order to clarify the relationship between Amber and Danny. Which my parents and brother had asked for as the narrative to begin with wasn’t as clear as they wanted it to be to fully engage the audience and be able to see the boy Charli XCX is really with. Which is now much clearer to be able to view and make the relation between amber and the one specific boy. They also liked how amber was seen to be crashing the house party as the lyrics reflected the actions within the video. The way people looked at her as she walked in made her look outrageously. Furthermore, the use of the balloon with the glitter on the while screen with the lyrics in the background “purple glitter flying through the air” linking to Goodwin’s Theory when the lyrics link directly to the visuals produced within the music video.  We always showed year 12 our final digipak and magazine advert and they said they liked the link between the magazine advert and the video. Stating their positive opinions on the link of the backup dancers on the two products saying this is a good idea as it tells the audience a subtle indication of what is going to be included in the video. They also liked the detail included within our digipak and the way it looks so presentable and professional just like an actual artist’s digipak.   

            We placed our video on the internet and allowed people from different ages, genders, ethnicities, classes etc. comment upon what they thought of our video. Receiving a range of answers through conducting this research. Finding that 67% of women enjoyed our music video from the survey we led. Which also found 46% of men appreciated watching our video. This presents a 21% difference between males and females which shows women preferred to view our video more than men. We believe this is because the theme we incorporated throughout the shoot was heavily female unless male orientated. However, these statistics still show that 46% of men enjoyed watching our music video. The main reason for men viewing this could be due to the use of the Male Gaze Theory that sees women in a sexualized manor. Due to the mix gendered cast this could also give another possible reasons as to why men are fascinated to watch this video. But then again shows how women are targeted more than men for our specific music video and its continual theme. They also stated that the magazine advert and digipak linked well together through costume, colour and the use of props and cast.  

           After showing my family the final product of our music video my brother was pleased to see that we had made improvements upon the lighting used with the flares. We managed to find a way on final cut with the help of a YouTube video to be able to dim the lighting in order for the flare scene to look like it was actually done at night time instead of broad daylight. Furthermore, my mum and dad found it easier to follow the narrative when all of the fillers were removed and the real footage was put in place we even added extra clips of Danny and Amber in order to make it really obvious that that was the boy Charli XCX wanted to be with. Leading to a far smoother narrative as my mum was able to fully understand what was going on. It was also clear that they all agreed the dance choreography within the music video was effective and the use of the white screen gave a professional touch to the music video itself. The final magazine advert also included a funkier background which really caught the attention of my parents and therefore, I believe that other people will too be drawn towards the background but hopefully this won’t take all attention away from Charli XCX (the artist) and her album title and name.  

• *  Explain what you have learnt from this feedback and the feedback from your rough cuts/drafts.  How has it helped you? Hindered you?  

I have learnt from my feedback that it is always best to get feedback from a variety of external sources. As what we criticize internally may not even be an issue that other outside sources pick up on. Controversly they may see aspects we have glazed over and not looked at in depth for instance the flares in the daylight would not make sense as well as Amber and Danny just because we know as a group they are together we cannot just expect the audience to know as we may not have enough content to fully present the storyline and narrative we are aiming to achieve. The use of feedback has allowed us to be able to make adjustments in order to reach as many goals as possible that our range of external sources have set us. Furthermore, by using a range of different age groups and genders it has enabled us to be able to reach a wider target audiences demands for our music video, digipak and magazine advert. It has really helped as it has allowed me to be able to make progress within our video because through our primary research we can see how the use of feedback can aid a piece of work and the way in which constructive criticism can make a huge difference especially when making sure an entire audience can clearly see and are able to the relate to a narrative. As without this feedback we wouldn’t have been able to make the necessary adjustments. Especially within, the magazine advert as we wouldn’t have known to change the background so it wouldn’t have drawn many people into our work and also the digipak and the other two media platforms we wouldn’t have made the link between the lips on all three of the products. I don’t feel although the feedback from any of these methods of sources have hindered us in any way as it has allowed us the feedback we need in order to get a better grade through the use of non-biased opinions.  

( I created my presentation on Prezi but it wouldn't work so have screenshot my information)