Evaluation 2

How effective is the combination of your main product and the ancillary texts?

Dawid Jurkowski

In my Advanced Portfolio I have created a series of ancillary texts (digipak and poster) to promote my main video. Within the pre-production stages of the my ancillary tasks, I had discovered the significance of a media texts appearance, in relation to potential audience. Hence my decision in producing very similar scenery and visuals throughout my ancillary task and the music video. This allows my audience to recognise my text as well as using it in relation to the music video. I have used the exact same colour scheme of Red and Green throughout my ancillary texts and music video, so my audience can identify that the production belongs to me, therefore using it as a trade mark. The same concept is used throughout ‘Coldplay’s’ videos and magazine posters. They use the same colour scheme of bright colours to indicate its their production, therefore the audience can clearly understand it’s ‘Coldplay’ simply with the use of colour scheme. Therefore making it their trademark. Next, I have decided to use the same focus point (‘Run Down’ facing backwards)throughout my ancillary texts as it presents our artist in a Hip-Hop manner through visuals (cannabis plant)and clothing. Furthermore creates a sense of mystery as there is no face reveal.

The concept of standing backwards towards to the audience is to show that ‘Run Down’ doesn’t look back which links to the music video; his drug addiction and rebellious lifestyle. Furthermore, this will force the audience to view the music video to understand ‘Run Down’ and overcome the sense of mystery produced by the hidden face. Very similar concept is used within Eminem’s digipak and magazine poster ‘Curtain Call’. Eminem’s face is never shown therefore the audience can only assume it's him through the mid-shot of a manly figure. This forces the audience to view the music video to understand and decode the digipak and the magazine poster. On whole I have produced the ancillary texts to force the audience to view the music video which will allow them to decode the digipak and magazine poster, therefore making my ancillary texts and music video promote each other.

Break Down of the Magazine poster and digipak - The name of the album is called 'Exile' linking to the concept of an ‘outlaw’. 'Run Down' is constantly doing negative (outlaw) actions such as Drugs and rebellious behaviour, therefore the name 'Exile'. The font is purposely simple and red as simplicity is generic within the Hip-Hop genre. The idea of using simple font is inspired by Eminem's poster 'Recovery' which contains simple font however, still manages to create successful visuals. Our artist is the main focus point of the poster presented in the middle of the poster as well as digipak for audience attention, which is enhanced by his position within the poster. The artist 'Run Down' is facing backwards to convey the idea of rebellious lifestyle which relates to never looking back. Therefore we don't see the artists face but only his drug life visible within the marijuana plant,'Stoned Riders' hat and smoke at the back of the digipak. The use of marijuana plant and stoned riders hat is for the audience to decode the personality of our artist and to show his negative drug life. Wiz Khalifa in his album ‘Rolling Papers’ uses similar concept by creating a male figure from smoke indicating that Wiz Khalifa and his album will be about drugs (Hip-Hop convention). This idea was adapted into my digipak and magazine poster by adding ‘Cannabis’ symbol on the ancillary texts and Smoke on the back of the digipak.

The colours within the posters are used to complement each other therefore the use of white and green to make the red stand. On the bottom of the magazine poster I have placed social media links as well as an official website for my artist. This will help the audience in receiving information about 'Run Down' as well as getting in contact with him for tour purposes etc. Further more, social media will allow my target audience to follow 'Run Down' which will not only create a larger 'Fan base' but will also increase publicity for the Album, therefore increasing the sales. I have decided to place the record label 'UVR' at the bottom of the magazine poster for publicity reasons as well as bringing awareness to the audience that 'Run Down' belongs to 'UVR' therefore indicating his from a hit record label. However, on the digipak I have placed the ‘UVR’ logo at the back, to make it more professional and clean by decreasing symbols used on the front of the digipak.On whole, the poster and digipak was created in simple manner which is typical within the Hip-Hop genre as magazines and digipaks from that genre don't tend to be fancy hence my decision. I believe that the poster and the digipak does its job and fits perfectly to the Hip-Hop genre due to the simple colour contrast as well as simple clean writing and font.

By producing a digipak and magazine poster it allowed the music video to be produced and advertised. Furthermore, the ancillary texts allowed the audience to gain some brief information about the artist and the album. This is shown through the use of symbols and visuals linked with drugs stated previously. Therefore creating a dominant reading (Stuart Hall) about the artist and the music video. The use of drugs is conveyed through the use of the ‘cannabis’ symbol which will straight away create a dominant reading that the artist and the music video is about drugs. However, without the music video the audience are unable to decode the meaning fully. Therefore forcing them to watch the video and then understand that the dominant reading is that drugs are negative, hence our artist being constantly lonely etc.

The scene taken from the music video used for the digipak and magazine poster. By viewing the music video the audience can understand what’s going on in the digipak and magazine poster.

Lastly, through the use of synergy the digipak and magazine poster work together by having the same visuals. In both of the ancillary texts ‘Run Down’ is facing backwards therefore making the ancillary texts more recognisable for the audience. Also through the use of drug symbols such as the ‘cannabis’ plant and ‘Stoned Riders’ hat, furthermore helping in creating the final outcome being the video. Synergy was used so the audience can understand and relate to the magazine poster and the digipak therefore promoting the music video. Hence, the use of the same concept throughout my ancillary texts. I believe that my ancillary texts are successful as they promote the music video by forcing the audience to view the music video to understand the storyline and decode the meaning of the whole production. Even though the digipak and magazine poster are simple they still manage to create emotions of mystery and encourage the audience to view the music video. Therefore, the ancillary texts fulfill their job.