Category: Digipak

Here is the fourth and final draft for our digipak. Since draft 3 we have; expanded each image so that there is no empty white space, changed the font of the album name ‘parvenu’ so that it isn’t the same as the font of the band name, straightened the image in the inside left pane and designed the spines to feature the band’s name and the album name.

Our finished digipak follows the conventions of our genre by firstly dressing the stars in each of their own different styles, which are all similar yet different. Secondly, we have used images that each show different sides of the band. For example, the front cover is used to showcase the stars and how they are extraordinary, whereas the rest of the digipak is used to show a more fun and playful side to the band, highlighting the ordinary in them (Dyer). Finally, the chosen fonts that we have used suit the genre well with the rugged and scrawled style even more so adding to the range of conventions that we have used to fit the alternative rock genre.

Here is the third draft of our digipak. Since draft 2, we have; recoloured the stars on the front cover so that they are in full colour, while the rest of the cover is in black and white, as well as changing the fonts used and album name. We have also substituted the original image that we were going to use as the inside right pane for a new one and also adding a canter to the inside left pane image. We have also added a spine and completely remodeled the back cover, using a new image, and laying the text out in such a way that frames the image.

What’s Next?

• Use a background to cover the empty white space, or expand the images so that there is no empty space
• Design the spines instead of leaving them as empty black blocks
• Change the font of the album name so it’s not the same to the font of the band name
• (possibly) straighten the image on the inside left pane as the cantered image may not be the best idea

This is the second draft of our digipak. Since draft 1 we have; selected the images to use in our middle panes, recoloured the song list on the back cover, and manipulated the second inside pane to be the same size and shape as the disc that would cover it – a decision that may be changed in a later draft.

What’s Next?

• Change the album name to our own original one
• Change the fonts on both the front and back covers
• (possibly) choose a new image for the back cover
• Choose a new image for the second inside pane
• Add a spine
• Manipulate the front cover so that the stars are in colour

 

Here is the first draft of the front and back covers for our digipak. For the front cover, we used photoshop to manipulate the image and take away the saturation to give it the black and white effect. In terms of our mise-en-scene, we have dressed our stars in a range of styles, showing their individuality which is typical to the conventions of our genre.

What’s next?

• Start the production of the middle panes
• Choose a better font to use for both covers
• Change the colour of the texts
• Choose our own original album name
• Manipulate the front cover so that the stars keep their colour
• Possibly choose a new image for the back cover

Here are some of my favorite photos from our photoshoot for our digipak.

On the first slide is my proposed photo to use as our front cover. In it, the stars are framed in a mid-long shot or long shot with the varying depths being effective in highlighting each star in a different way, further emphasised by the mise-en-scene they are pictured in. I have chosen this picture specifically as the background of the long and barren road is effective in showcasing a convention of the genre in the isolation that the band experience from greater society.

The second and third slides showcase what would be my preferred images to use as inside covers, as they allow the audience to see both the extraordinary side of the band on the front cover, and the ordinary, fun and playful side on the inside covers (Dyer).

The last side shows what I would use for our back cover, as it is essentially a reversed image of the front cover, this time allowing you to see the faces of the band as well as their individual styles in their mise-en-scene.

This is a contact sheet, displaying each photo we took during our shoot for our digipak. Overall, I believe that the shoot went well as we took photos at a variety of distances and angles, although we ran into a problem where the camera didn’t work, we improvised and used a phone we probably gave us better colour saturation than we would have got from a camera.

In order to ensure our shoot goes as smoothly as possible, it is important that each member knows exactly where to be, when to be there and what they are responsible for. By creating this document, it makes it easier for each person to find this information and therefore create a much more productive shoot.

These images are just a few of the ideas that our group have had for our digipak. They each follow the ideas of being chaotic as well as being able to be interpreted in many ways. We haven’t decided on a set colour scheme, but the use of oranges, pinks and purples in the second mock up work very well to compliment each other and add a bit of character to the artwork.

By analysing a digipak from another band within our genre, I can gain a further understanding of the conventions of digipaks, as well as allowing to get inspiration for my own digipak. I now know that the generic conventions within the genre are different to that of most genres in the fact that this genre is all about standing out and being different, so there is no specific template to follow, unlike most other genres.

In order to create our own digipak, we first need to gain a better understanding of the conventions within our genre. From the look book we have identified; the general colour schemes of the genre, the fashion, the personality types and the stars of the genre. This information will provide us with inspiration for our digipak as well as our social media page for our star.