Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product with your ancillary texts?

The digipak, "My Dear", has been created to compliment the music video which is of the same name. Throughout both of these texts I have used reoccurring themes and conventions that apply to the audience and grab their attention while amplifying the genre. The magazine advert has been created to sell the artist to the audience and has been constructed using similar themes.


The first panel was constructed with the intention of selling the artist, using a range of similar conventions and themes as the music video but also using familiar digipaks to create a digipak that establishes the genre within first sight. Focusing on the artist was the key aspect to this, advertising him through the use of close ups and status enhancing shots/angles. The close ups show everyone who the artist is and demonstrates that they are not afraid to show the audience who they really are, creating a strong link between artist and audience. The use of the close ups also enhances the connotations of the video and of the track, showing how he is all alone, and creates a moody atmosphere. The video and the ancillary texts both utilise the effect of the close ups, following the theory of Goodwin  and how music videos use close ups to sell the artist. The effect of the close up also has an effect on the audience, bringing them closer to the artist. The location of the Panel is the same beach   in which the music video was filmed, this creates a strong link between the two texts. I used this location because of the peaceful and romantic connotations but it also has a feeling of 
loneliness and despair because of him being alone there without his love. The images opposite are screen shots from the music video demonstrating the relationship and similarities between the digipak and the music video. As well as showing the location link. The aesthetics of the photograph for panel 1, including the composition connotes a serious tone, an emotional feeling because of the focus all being on the artist and how he feels. The photograph also relates to fashion and the high street clothing brands, different brands use serious poses and extravagant locations to promote their clothing and this also links with the high street fashion which the characters in the video and the artist wear. This brings the artist closer tot he audience, linking the artist with consumerism then causes the audience to be familiar with the style, being more inclined to buy it. This conforms to what Michel Maffesoli said about our post-modern society, that we "express our identities through consumerism". This makes the audience familiar with the artist and relate-able. 
For all of the panels in my digipak I used black and white with a high contrast, I did this because it is a form of post-modernism and is once again an aspect that the audience can relate too. The black and white also played a part in the representation of the character/artist, throughout the music video it is in colour but showed aspects of dull and bland colours that represented the emotions of the artist. When he was alone it was dull and dreary and when he was with the girl it was moody and romantic but on the panels of the digipak I have used black and white as a representation as his loss of love and his depression. 
Another aspect of this panel is the representation of the solemn yet iconic artist , this is used in many digipaks to show the artists emotions and some of their character. In this panel of Justin Timberlakes' album he uses a similar effect, the solemn yet iconic young man searching for what he really wants. 















Panel 2 is set in a location that isn't in the music video but continues with the theme of peacefulness and loneliness. It emphasises the idea of the solemn young man, lost in what to do with his life, this becomes relate-able to the audience one again. The location, a stream within the marshes, is very secluded and tranquil, a place where all you can here is the water and the ambient sounds of birds. This type of location connotes thought, a place where you can think and not be interrupted, a place where you are the focus and this is important to the link to the video.

Panel 3 is different among to the others because it links with a design on the CD as well which brings in a strong link to the music video with the girl character being placed on the CD so then when the CD is removed she is gone just like she leaves in the video. This panel excluding the girl continues with the themes of solitude and connotes the emotions through the locations and weather. The beach is again linking the video with the digipak,the beach becomes like a motif(which music videos usually have according to Goodwin's theory)for the artist along with the focus on the artist looking into the camera or the audiences eyes. Motifs are common among artists, an example of this would be the Foo Fighters, throughout their music videos they use the colour red as a signifier of their music videos.
The CD art adds a stronger link to the music video making the ancillary text even more effective than it already is. It also uses the utilises the story line of her leaving when you remove the disc.
Panel 4 completes the digipak by having the artist walk off into the sunset, this panel once again focuses on the artist but it also connotes a fairy tale theme through the glowing around the text as well as setting of the photograph of the artist walking off into the sunset. The font throughout the digipak has been quite important in linking the texts as well because the font comes across as arty but natural just as the music video does. The track names all reinforce the connotations of the music video, all referencing to relationships and romance.

The Magazine advert has the strongest link from the music video because of the location and shots. The location is the last location in the music video where the artist gazed over the city wondering and thinking. I then chose to incorporate this in the advert to give it a direct link making it a stronger ancillary text. With the image of the digipak on the magazine as well the audience can easily recognise the themes and similarities between all of the texts. My magazine advert would feature in NME , a magazine that features a range of music from a reputable source which is respected in the music industry. NME has more of a variety when it comes to genres compared to Q magazine, so i thought that NME would be more appropriate because of the mixture of genre     of genres by the artist, Daniel Cope.

To the right are screen shots of the music video on St James' Hill which link with the magazine advert. They work well together because in the video you don't get to see over the video but the advert does and it compliments that.