Digipak

Our first print coursework task this year will involve designing a DVD Digipak. This will be for a CD/DVD which will feature the song we have chosen and the video we are making. The cover will be produced using Adobe Photoshop and Indesign; using our own original photographs/images. The DVD Digipak cover will include 4 panes.

'Digipak is a patented style of compact disk or DVD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI Media, a MeadWestvaco, Inc. resource, it was then licensed and the name and designs were manufacturers around the world. Digipaks typically consist of a book-style paperboard or card stock outer binding, with one or more plastic trays capable of holding a CD or DVD attached to the inside.' - Wikipedia.

Our groups song is 'Ares' by Bloc Party, the genre this falls into is Alternative rock. Other bands that may fit into this are Blink 182, Arctic Monkeys, Biffy Clyro and The Cribs. People who will be interested in buying our CD will be people who are fans of Bloc Party, so we need to use previous themes and fonts that will follow on from their previous designs. And from this people should be able to see similarities and be able to make comparisons between ours and the real thing.
There are three elements to our coursework, these will all come together to create a promo pack; this will create one image for the band. Elements of the mise-en-scene like costume, setting and use of colour can help create this coherence. These will appear in the music video, the poster and the single cover.

As an example of how bands use a theme throughout creating their promo pack. I have print screened a still from the bloc party video 'Helicopter' and found an image of their debut album, released in 2005. 'Silent Alarm'. I then found an image of the band on google. Throughout the 3 images you can see there is a theme of dull and neutral colours. The album uses only grey, black and white. The music video on the left uses only black and white, which means it has to focus and rely on the cameras shots and angles to make the video interesting. The lyrics of the song itself are very cold and blunt, this can metaphorically be expressed in the colours; hence the dark and bland theming. The image of the band is taken outside in the cold which relates to the album cover and shows a background of snow and they are in big coats and scarves. This links to the album cover which then allows both of them to connect with the video, showing no colour' only black and white. The mood of the video is created with facial expressions, in the close up shots and extreme close ups. All of these together can be linked as they share similar features, this helps create a promotional image for the band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R6S5CJWlco

Another example of this happening for a band is with Fall Out Boy, their promo pack is different in terms of they use brighter colours and weirder themes. the bands group shot is more posed and they appear more main stream to the look Bloc Party give off. This happens because of their facial expressions and the way they are standing and the overall look of the photo. The clothes they wear are alot less mature for example one of the band members is wearing a baseball cap. However, in the video at points the band members are seen wearing suits but the audience may not necessarily take this seriously as other props are used to make us look past the clothing. In their music video they carry on using immature themes, throughout 'Thanks for the Memories' they use a monkey as their band manager, the lighting changes the whole aspect of the video as the brighter colours make it more lively and help it fit to the beat of the song. This weird imagery used in the video is then reflected on the album cover of 'Infinity on High' as there is a picture of a lamb in what looks like someones bedroom against a blue background. This is a strange image because sheep or animals are not directly linked to the band. Yet again their album cover portrays child like features, the writing and the images. Making Bloc Party in comparison, seem like the more mature band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTHbrEX9rPs

For my Digi Pack i need to create a front cover, a back cover and an inner cover for a CD case. For this i have the idea to use an image that creates confusion with the contrast of speed to standing still. This is good for this particular song i think because the lyrics are aggressive yet subtle in their meanings. The images i have taken for this project are ones that link to lighting techniques and how they make the individual stand out. These photos were taken in a village by traffic light reflections and car lights.

I also then went to a woods near by where i live to take photos for my digi pack this was a secluded spot full of abandoned junk; including bumper cars, Lorry's and broken down sheds. this was a good spot because it allowed the idea of confusion and modern fantasy.

I found a image from a front cover of nickel backs album, that gave me ideas of a simple yet effective theme. This involved a man sitting on a chair in the middle of know where, which again is good as it shows the idea of loneliness and being fearless. below is a shot, that is my take on recreating the image. i put the mask in the photo so it suited our video and being in a woods followed our theme.