The Music Industry – Contextual Research
Who is Responsible for branding/marketing the music video?: Together, all three parties, the label, artist and management come together to discuss ideas for the video. However since the label fund the video, they have majority say on how the video is marketed and branded. The artists and management collaborate with the label in order to ensure the branding or marketing doesn’t portray them in the wrong way, a way they don’t like, or a way in which existing fans may not appreciate.
Why is the music video so Significant?: Having a music video can help promote your band, through video sites such as YouTube and Social media such as Facebook, as well as by getting exposure on national and possibly international TV. Making a music video is an ideal way of getting exposure as it helps to promotes and build an image of the band or artist as well as in the way they would prefer to be thought of.
Production Process of a music video?:
In general, with some exception of genre, artist and budget, the conventional process for production of a music video is:
(1) The label, artist and management agree what track to release as a single.
(2) The video commissioner makes a shortlist of directors.
(3) The video commissioner sends the track with a broad brief, summarising ideas for the project, to shortlisted directors.
(4) Directors provide outline treatments to the video commissioner.
(5) A director is chosen and budget and deadlines are agreed.
(6) The director develops an idea with storyboards and location photos.
(7) The director, wardrobe people and director of photography are enlisted, locations are booked, sets are designed.
(8) The sets are built.
(9) All personnel are on site for the shoot (usually one or two days).
(10) Shooting complete, the film is transferred to tape for editing.
(11) The editor produces a rough-cut, which usually takes about three days.
(12) The label, artist and management view and comment on the rough-cut.
(13) Changes are agreed and made before visual effects are added.
(14) Online finished video is passed to label for release to TV stations and airplay of single release.
What role do NMTs now play in promoting artists? How has this changed traditional practice? To what extent is this an example of ‘we media’?
New Media Technologies have changed how bands can promote and distribute their music. For example, they can now use social networks to present themselves to a wider target audience as well as instantly communicating with people anywhere in the world. The speed and extent to which bands can promote themselves through social networking shows the difference between the use of new media technologies and traditional promotion techniques. Social networks such as facebook and youtube also allow bands to share other forms of media, such as videos and photos to their audience. Traditionally, bands would attempt to promote themselves in a similar way through posters and radio. However, as social networks and the internet have allowed them to expand their promotion to a wider audience, this can be seen as an improvement upon this.
As well as using the internet to create awareness for a band, it can also be used to promote the band’s music through online blogs and reviews. These will often be posted by journalists or fans of the band reviewing the band’s latest album or single. Again, this is similar to forms of traditional practice; reviews of band’s music in magazines and newspapers. Once again, the use of new media technologies can be seen as an improvement on this as it is able to reach a wider audience and will remain online for longer after it has been posted. Music blogs and online reviews and articles can include videos or music by the band which was impossible in traditional promotional practice.
The ability for music to be bought digitally also allows artists promote their music. Through sites such as itunes and 7digital, it is easier for a consumer to access and buy the tracks, as well as for artists to advertise their music on the home page of the website. These websites often include a feature allowing users to send or recommend tracks to others via email. The prices of digital music are generally cheaper than a physical CD, which could also persuade consumers to purchase online. More recently, many digital download sites allow buyers to download the album artwork booklet as well in an attempt to make the downloaded album seem more like a physical copy of the CD.
This proves that New Media Technologies have allowed artists to promote themselves to a wider audience. The ways this can be done are quicker and can reach more people than traditional methods as well as the consumer often being able to interact with the promotion, for example by watching a video or commenting on the artist.
What role does the music press play in promoting artists in a digital media age? Are they still relevant? Give specific examples from the UK press.
As well as bands receiving free press from reviews in magazines and newspapers, digital technology has broadened this to social networking websites and blogs. This rise in digital promotion has made traditional forms of music press less relevant because of the convenience and ease in digital music press. Blogs and music websites which often review and discuss music can be seen as an improvement upon magazine articles due to the use of photos, music videos and song extracts that can be inserted into them. As well as this, being online means that these opinions can reach a larger and wider audience. As well as often being free to read, they can be viewed across the world at any time, making them easily accessible and convenient as they are available instantly. As well as music blogs, music magazines such as NME, Kerrang! and Q have their own websites, often featuring exclusive content, not available in the magazines. Many consumers may choose to use these websites rather than buy the magazine as it is cheaper and can often include content such as music videos and interviews.
However, music reviews are still commonly found in music magazines. Many of these magazines are specialised in a specific genre, for example Kerrang! magazine is ‘the world’s biggest selling weekly rock magazine’ and Metal Hammer Magazine is ‘The Heavy Metal Bible.’ This can draw in fans of that specific genre who will often want to read the actual magazine rather than the online articles. As well as this, the social networks that have replaced traditional music press in many cases are not used by everyone for that purpose. For example, older people are less likely to use these websites than younger people meaning they may be more likely to read traditional music press, such as album and live event reviews in magazines or newspapers.
Overall, I think that the music press is still relevant because of the specialist genres and target audiences of the different forms of promotion. However, digital media has largely reduced the number of consumers of traditional forms of promotion meaning that although it is still relevant, the music press plays a less important role in promoting artists in a digital media age than it did before.
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