Music Marketing Blog Post #1

I am working on a Music Marketing project with Samantha Burke, Sofia Di Lauro and Julia Amigorena. Our journey began with in-depth research, exploring the current landscape of the music industry, identifying trends, and understanding our target audience. We scoured social media platforms, analyzed streaming data, and examined successful campaigns in similar genres. Personally, I really resonated with Charlie Puth's trajectory and I was engaged in how he works with Atlantic Records. I do not like his music, but he knows exactly who his audience is and he markets towards them. 

Navigating this intricate landscape required constant communication, adaptability, and a willingness to pivot when necessary. The four of us instantly made a group chat and had multiple Facetime calls together to flesh out our ideas. It also helped how we were all currently taking our school's AMT class, and could discuss even more about our project during the free time in there. One issue we faced was how I was taking the weekend of the 26th-29th to do musical theatre auditions in New York. This was a crucial time for filming. We decided to replace my spot in the music video with a friend of ours, Yoav Dahan. He was completely up to the challenge.

All of us were very open to any ideas each of us had. From the beginning though, we already had a similar vision for the band. An indie pop band made up of a family, with their first song being a love story with a Lofi-EDM-soft feeling. We each shared the strengths that we could bring to the table, like Sofia's instruments or Julia's LED lights. After thoroughly considering each of the main three music video types, Promotional, Storytelling, and Artistic, we decided to do a mix of a promo and a story piece. There was absolutely a story to tell through the lyrics of the song, but we had to remember the importance of clips showcasing the band members and introducing the vibe of the band to the world. Below is a chart which highlights our process.

This phase allowed us to gain insights into audience preferences, competitor strategies, and potential gaps in the market. The integration of collaborative tools, visual aids, and a robust team dynamic allowed us to tackle challenges head-on, emerging with a comprehensive plan that fuses creativity with strategic precision. As we transition into the execution phase, the lessons learned during this crucial stage will serve as guiding principles, ensuring "our" song and "our" band reaches the right ears and resonates with the hearts of our audience.

Representation in the movie The Prince of Egypt (1998)

"The Prince of Egypt," produced by Dreamworks Animation in 1998, remains a significant portrayal of the biblical Exodus story. The film's handling of Jewish representation, while commendable in many aspects, raises pertinent discussions about both its positive and negative facets. In the context of the late '90s, this depiction was a necessary step in representing a significant biblical narrative on the big screen. However, one notable critique revolves around the casting choices, where several Jewish characters were voiced by individuals not of Jewish descent.

Positively, the film aimed to honor and represent the essence of the Exodus story, a foundational tale within Judaism. It brought to life iconic figures like Moses and Rameses, intertwining their lives with emotional depth. The animation and storytelling were respectful and sought to capture the spiritual and cultural essence of the narrative, resonating strongly with Jewish audiences. The film's production team collaborated extensively with scholars and religious leaders, ensuring an authentic portrayal of the biblical tale, which added to its cultural significance.

Conversely, one of the critical points of contention was the casting choices. In a movie based on a significant biblical narrative from Jewish history, the decision to cast predominantly non-Jewish actors to voice Jewish characters raised concerns. This practice diverted from the essence of authentic representation, limiting opportunities for Jewish actors in roles that held cultural and religious significance. The industry's habitual preference for casting white actors to voice characters of diverse ethnicities and cultures perpetuated a systemic issue of underrepresentation and limited authentic cultural portrayal.

At its release, "The Prince of Egypt" was a milestone in bringing a biblical story to a mainstream audience, shedding light on Jewish culture and heritage. Yet, the casting choices detracted from the authenticity of representation. In the situation of Val Kilmer playing Moses, his shade of skin barely matches who they're playing in this interpretation. In an era where the film industry was beginning to grapple with questions of cultural representation and diversity, this movie stands as a testament to both its ambition and the challenges it faced in fully honoring the narrative's cultural roots.

Ultimately, while "The Prince of Egypt" succeeded in bringing a revered biblical story to the animated screen with visual splendor and emotional depth, it also highlighted the industry's ongoing struggle with authentic representation. The movie's impact and significance cannot be understated, but it also serves as a reminder of the importance of genuine representation in casting, ensuring that cultural and ethnic voices are accurately portrayed and heard.

(The soundtrack by Stephen Schwartz and the score by Hans Zimmer is incredible though)

Genre Research Activity

Genre: Science Fiction

Genre Conventions - Content:

Science fiction is a genre characterized by imaginative and speculative themes often set in futuristic or otherworldly environments. It explores scientific and technological concepts, often pushing the boundaries of reality. Typical content elements include advanced technology, extraterrestrial life, time travel, and dystopian societies. Themes commonly revolve around the consequences of scientific advancements, the exploration of the unknown, and the impact of technology on society.

Genre Conventions - Production Techniques:

Science fiction films employ various production techniques to create visually captivating and otherworldly settings. These techniques include CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) for futuristic landscapes and creatures, practical effects for alien species or futuristic gadgets, and advanced cinematography to capture the grandeur of the sci-fi universe. Sound design also plays a crucial role, with futuristic and electronic soundscapes enhancing the immersive experience.

Institutional Conventions - How is Genre Marketed:

Science fiction films are marketed with an emphasis on their awe-inspiring visual effects and imaginative storytelling. Trailers often showcase the film's cutting-edge technology and the mysteries of its futuristic world. Key promotional strategies involve tie-ins with merchandise, comic books, and video games to engage fans and create a broader media franchise.

Film Sample #1 - "Blade Runner" (1982):

"Blade Runner" is a classic science fiction film that embodies the genre's conventions. It presents a dystopian future, sophisticated technology, and explores complex moral questions about artificial intelligence. The film's use of neon-lit cityscapes and a haunting Vangelis score adds to its iconic sci-fi atmosphere.

Film Sample #2 - "The Matrix" (1999):

"The Matrix" is another prime example of the science fiction genre. It delves into virtual reality and questions the nature of reality itself. The film's groundbreaking "bullet time" effects and the visually distinctive green hue of the Matrix world contributed to its iconic status.

List of 5-7 Other Film Examples Within the Genre:

"Star Wars: A New Hope" (1977)

"2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968)

"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982)

"Inception" (2010)

"Alien" (1979)

Sound Blog Post

A few weeks ago, we completed work on our sound projects. We had to tell a story through only sound effects and auditory techniques. It had to be as detailed as possible and as realistic as possible. Only seven words could be used. At least four of the scenes must be foley and must be created with random objects.

Here is our outline:

Zachary G., Violette M., Joseph M.

Inside Taxi:

• White noise (to show inside taxi)

• car engine 

• Honking in the background 

• Background radio 

• Cars driving 

• Taxi stopping with a screech 

Leaving Taxi:

• “25 dollars” ***

• Unzip wallet ***

• Paper (cash) brushing 

• Unbuckling seat belt 

• Opening taxi door ***

• Stepping off with heels on concrete (two foot steps)

• Closing car door ***

Entry to club scene:

• walking in heels on concrete 

• Loud chatter in background 

• City sounds (honking, cars driving, random yelling, slight ambulance sound)

• Walking stops to louder chatter 

• “ID please” ***

• Unzipping wallet, handing id ***

• Velvet rope unbuckled 

• Walking heels on marble floor 

• Club music gets louder 

Inside club:

• club music 

• Sound of electricity of colorful lights

• Champagne poured in glasses ***

• Glasses cling (celebrate)

• Chair pulled out at bar

• People yelling, talking, cheering

• DJ Sounds (vinyl scratch, dubstep, yelling)

Police shuts it down:

• Police siren getting louder while music stops/gets softer

• Hear laughter and cheering until they realize

• Doors open abruptly

• “Hands up” ***

• People running, gasping

• Glass crashing on floor 

• Thumps of falling

• No music at end (Scene left with white noise, electricity buzzing, etc.)

- Me and Violette created ideas while Zachary was our main editor. He put together a great setup using Adobe. In the link below, you can see how drastically each sound was meticulously placed. There were some problems with importing vocal files, but we got it sorted out. The main source of error came from volume. Adjusting the volume of each file was very hard. Of course, placing the sound templates in the correct places was hard, but controlling the volume to see if it reflected the POV of the character (who the three of us wanted in the spotlight) was extra hard.

- Recording the foley sounds was fairly easy. We knew that money was a crucial part in the scene, as she needs to pay to her taxi driver. My group used actual cash. It sounded very realistic. Makes sense.

- Some additional foley sounds used were the sounds of heels walking inside and outdoors and a seatbelt buckle sound created by Violette. It seemed very funny to do the foley motions these practices, and we did not think it would work out so well. It was amazing. We think, the average consumer, wouldn't notice anything wrong.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16VZElXfU_yySCSNiq1XCaotLgcY05a7W

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QGU2BZoG4T7LzkWBx0bLn8W7pCjLTqSo 

Final Project:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gJTMI5EY4SHah7Tr8D3wsv7pAMRCFI4G/view

Camera Shots/Angles Quiz

We were assigned a quiz in AICE Media Studies to prove our understanding of camera shots and angles. Instead of a typical multiple choice or short response test, we were asked to complete a a project. It involved us creating a story made up completely of stills. With only 15 shots, we had to create a coherent narrative. Within the project, a variety of shots must be included, like establishing shots, medium shots, close ups, and more. All of the images were then to be put together into a Powerpoint or Google Slides. Underneath each image, there must be a 1-2 line explanation included of the shot.

I worked with a girl from my class named Sofia. During class time, we managed to put together a draft of the project. We wanted a tragedy (in the lines of the iconic shower scene from the movie Psycho). A rule of the project was that we could only use inanimate objects, so we decided to add some humor to the mix. Our victim was a banana. Our murderer was a shoe. The plan was to devise a safe setting where the banana takes a dip in the school water fountain before meeting her utter demise being stepped on. We thought we would have enough time to take the pictures in class, but we didn't. The fact that the project was due the next day and the fact that Sofia was about to head on an 8 hour plane ride with no wifi all caused for some major project changes. I took the pictures at my house. I had no bananas at the time, unfortunately, so I used a granola bar as my subject. 

With the setup that Sofia and I created, it was very easy to put the rest together on my own. Some struggles that I faced were:

- Trying to balance up the granola bar. The Nature Valley bar has an un even surface at the bottom, so I needed to add a pen to help balance it during each shot.

- It was also hard to balance the granola bar on top of the shower edge. It was somewhat wet still from the last time I took a shower. It took a few tries to create a good arrangement. This involved using a tissue box during a long shot to further help keep the granola bar up.

Some highlights of our project would be:

- The first medium shot, which hints at how the granola bar is going to take a shower. Just enough of the background is seen while the main focus is still on the subject.

- The clever "over the shoulder" shot. It is not exactly an OTS shot, but it mimics the feeling with how the camera is from behind the shoe's body. It's almost as if the granola bar and the shoe are having a conversation. In this case, though, it is actually the shoe ready to pounce on his prey. In the future, I may title the shot differently, just so no one is confused.

- The high angle shot at the end. I was worried that the remains of a dead nature valley bar wouldn't be as funny as the squished banana, but the crumbs turned out to be even funnier. 

In the end, me and Sofia were able to complete the project while full marks on our shots/angles, our content, and our presentation, earning us a 50/50. I learned how to create my own examples of the shots and angles we learned in class, as well as practice creating my own story, however goofy it may be.

(pictures submitted in reverse order)

First Post

Hi! I'm Joseph, but I prefer Joey. I have a love for theatre and film, but I am excited to dive into more types of media, as well as build upon the passions I already have. This blog will be used to post anything I would like to share during my time in AICE Media Studies AS. I am ready to go in-depth into this process.