Final Version

 Final video: 

https://vimeo.com/1037031063 

Final 30-sec footage:  

https://vimeo.com/1037271674 

 

Final website: 

HOME | Thecrows (18-etay.wixsite.com) 

(to view normally, zoom the browser out to 80% on a laptop) 

Website - Creation

I began by creating the menu section of the website. This includes a previously-made logo for the band that can be seen in the video and across merchandise, a navigation bar, two animated records to keep in with the retro theme, the website's address, social media links, and a shop icon.

I then focused on the home page of the website, creating the following sections:

A merch pop-up when you enter the website, containing photos of merchandise and a sign-up form.

A slide-show featuring photos of the band, advertisements for the new single, tour, and merchandise, and buttons that lead to the appropriate pages.

A segment that explains why the band decided to make the video, as well as two photos of the band posed as the characters from the Breakfast Club.

The music video itself, featured in a retro TV.

An interactive 'carousel' gallery.

A competition section, featuring two polaroid photos of previous winners.

A collaboration segment between the band and Camden Market.

A tour section with photos of the band showcasing their musical talents.

A merchandise shop.

A footer, containing an email sign-up and the Universal Music Group logo.

I then focused on my second page, the About Us section, which includes:

An introduction for the band, including their influences.

An introduction for each member, including animated photos of their favourite 80s films, and a cassette tape that, when clicked, leads to the MIXTAPES section (see music).

A blooper reel (30 second original footage).

A charity collaboration with the National Aids Trust.

After I had made the two main pages, I then made the last three pages on the menu bar:

MUSIC (including the MIXTAPES section):

TOUR:

MERCH:

Website - Creation

Merchandise

When creating merchandise, I used Adobe Lightroom (photo editing) and Ibis Paint (illustrations) to edit photos I had taken. 

Here is the before and after of a t-shirt I made for the website:

BEFORE (photo without any editing):

AFTER (photo with editing and illustration, plus a version with a transparent background):

I removed any dirt or marks from the backdrop, changed the colour of the bag to fit the colour scheme, added the band's logo, and edited the overall appearance of the photo. I then also removed the background in case I needed to use a transparent version of the image.

Website - Planning

I first designed a mood board for the website so I knew what the visual aesthetic would be like.

I also created a mood board as inspiration for the photography on my website, which I then used as a reference when taking photos.

I then made two different rough plans for my website, the first for the ‘home page’, and the second for the ‘about us’ page. 

I used these plans to highlight the specific features I wanted to include on each page, such as:

Home page:

- Masthead (+ band logo)

- A menu to each website page

- The music video (framed in an old retro TV)

- An interactive gallery

- A competition where fans send in photos of themselves dressed as their favourite 80s film character for a chance to win free tickets to a concert

- A brand deal with Camden Market

- A newsletter sign-up and social media links at the bottom

- A merch pop-up when you open the website

About page:

- Photos of each band member alongside a description for fans to learn more about them

- A feature where, when you click on a member’s description, their favourite film appears

- A charity collaboration

First Draft

Vimeo link:

https://vimeo.com/1022651195?share=copy#t=0

Website - Photo editing

Before making the website, I decided to edit some of my photos using a mixture of Adobe Lightroom and Ibispaint (for drawings).

Below are two photos from the Breakfast Club segment, inspired by two iconic photos from the film (seen next to each photo), where I have edited the photos to have an '80s look' to them.

The next photos are the photos intended for the 'about the band' area, where each member will have an introduction next to their photos. I first edited the photos in lightroom, before adding drawings with Ibispaint, assigning each member with a colour from the website's colour palette and a different 'theme' for their drawings to create a sense of individuality with each member.

Music Video - Planning/shot-list

 Below is a visual plan/shot-list I made before I began filming for my music video, as well as planning for the costume design for the 'Breakfast Club' segment of the video- including the design for badges that 'the criminal' wears, which doubles up as merch that fans can buy on the website. Some of the shots I filmed successfully, whereas others I decided I wouldn't include for various reasons.

I then summarised these ideas into a check-list that I could use when filming for my video and taking photos for my website: