Print brief research and planning
Research tasks:
Look at the following billboard poster:
Now answer the following questions based on the poster above:
1. What historical moment in pop music does this documentary focus on, and why might that moment be significant for audiences interested in music history?
The we are the world charity concert where some of the biggest artists in the 80s performed in order to raise money for a variety of charities
2. How might the poster imagery communicate the era of the music being explored (e.g., 1980s)?
The microphone in the middle of the poster is no typically a microphone that is used now, similarly the artists are mostly wearing headphones in the portraits of them. The hand drawn style of the poster emulates that of comic books which were very popular in the 80s
3. Who would be the target audience for this documentary and why?
The target audience would be people who were around during the time of this concert as if offers nostalgia to them but also could attract a younger audience who are interested in 80s music
4. What visual codes (e.g., typeface, colour, style of photograph) would you expect on the poster to reflect the documentary’s focus on classic pop music history?
the floating heads poster would have been common in the 80s as well as the colour scheme they have used.
5. How could promotional text emphasise both nostalgia and relevance to a modern audience?
they promote the event as the greatest music event in history which attracts a younger audience but also an older audience through nostalgia
This Is Pop on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81050786
(This Is Pop is a documentary series exploring different influences and trends in pop music.)
Watch the following trailer for the documentary series:
Now answer the following questions based on the trailer:
1. What themes and topics does This Is Pop explore based on its episode description (e.g., Auto-Tune, boy bands, festival culture)?
The backstories of the different artists
2. How might a billboard poster visually represent multiple facets of pop music history covered in this series?
The different visual iconography
3. This Is Pop is a series rather than a single documentary film—how might its poster need to differ in design from a single-film poster to communicate that?
There might be different artists to represent the other times as well as different iconographies
4. What aspects of pop culture history might appeal to older audiences versus younger audiences?
The older audience may be watching for nostalgia and younger audiences may be watching to learn more about the different music eras
5. What visual elements could ensure the poster suggests that this isn’t just entertainment, but a music documentary with depth and exploration?
Talk about music and names of different bands as well as different iconographies related to music
These two IMDb image links point to stills or frames from the same documentary series (This Is Pop.)
Compare the two different images from this series:
1. What different visual messages do they convey about pop music?
they both have different visual iconography to represent the time period in which the music was released. For example in the first one there are headphones, a cassette tape and a microphone whereas in the other post the Shirelles are in black and white and features name of popular bands in the 60s such as The Shangri-Las
2. How do these images reflect the diversity within pop music culture (different genres, artists, eras)?
The first poster features people and bands of different races and genders, the second poster also shows people of different race and genders which you would not expect from a poster about the 60s. They both reflect the diverse nature of music and pop culture.
3. What emotions or associations do the images try to evoke in the viewer?
They evoke a sense of nostalgia for the audience
4. If you were to extract design cues (pose, colour palette, style) from these stills for your billboard posters, what would you take and why?
I would use red lipstick, blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner and big voluminous hair for the 80s billboard and more modern styles for the contemporary one.
5. How do the images relate to your understanding of representation and media language in music documentaries?
Shows the evolution of music throughout the different eras and shows how different and unique it has to be
2) Billboard Poster Research (Era Focus)
You must research THREE professional billboard or large-format posters, one from each era:
1. 1980s or 1990s pop artist promotion
Layout - The artist is the main focus and is the central image
Typography - Sans serif font, bold and in yellow which contrasts the monotone background
Colour tone - unsaturated and monotone
Imagery - The background is all one colour but is more white in the middle which is common for 80s posters, he is popular enough that there doesn't need to be a lot of words on the poster
Branding - The name of the song and the artists at the top
2. 2000s or 2010s pop artist promotion
Typography - Sans serif font, much more playful and colourful font
Colour tone - Very bright colours like pastels and colours that contrast each other
Imagery - The image presents the tone of the album which is very cheerful and upbeat
Branding - The colours represent her album as well as how she is dressed which is associated with her
3. Contemporary (2018–present) pop artist promotion
Typography - Sans serif and red font contrasting the white background to make it stand out so it can be read quickly
Colour tone - very minimal and main focus is on the artist and their name
Branding - Much more promotional than the other posters providing much more information about the album
These may include:
- Tour posters
- Album or single promotions
- Music documentaries
- Streaming platform music content (e.g. Netflix, Apple TV)
Choose artists that are clearly representative of each era.
3) Media Language Analysis
For each billboard poster, analyse how visual design communicates meaning and appeals to its audience.
You should analyse:
Layout & composition
(scale, hierarchy, central image, simplicity for roadside viewing)Typography
(font style, size, era connotations, readability)Colour palette
(neon, muted, monochrome, saturation and era signifiers)Imagery
(pose, gaze, styling,i realism vs performance)Branding
(logos, streaming platforms, consistency)
Then, explain how these choices reflect the era of pop music being represented.
4) Representation and Era identity
Explain how each poster represents:
The artist
The music culture of the era
Attitudes to fame, performance, and identity
For each era-based poster, explain:
Who the primary audience is
How it may also appeal to other age groups
The variety of different colours appealing to different age groups as well as the simplicity of some of them compared with the overpacked props on other posters
How nostalgia is used to attract older audiences
The different references to older posters for example the sombr poster is reminiscent of the David Bowie poster
How modern design elements attract younger audiences
The variety of pastel colours and maximalist vibes of the Katy Perry posters may be attracting a young audience of children’s and maybe young teens however the sombr poster and the Bowie posters may be attracting older teens and adults due to the less saturated monotone colour scheme as well as the artists themselves being the focal point of the poster
Link this directly to the documentary’s aim to appeal to “people of all ages interested in pop music.”
6) Streaming services and industry conventions
Research how streaming services (e.g. Netflix) promote music documentaries.
Analyse:
Common visual conventions (minimal text, strong imagery)
In all of the Netflix posters for the promotion of their music documentaries the text is minimal and the title of the poster is the biggest out of all of the information of the poster and in some cases is in a different font
Use of logos and release dates
The Netflix logo and dates or streaming now is in the middle of the poster at the bottom in all three posters
How platforms communicate where and how to watch
The use of the Netflix logo and words like streaming, Netflix is a very well known company so not much information has to be given other than their easily recognisable logo
How global audiences affect design choices
The poster that is in Spanish has the name of the artist in a cursive red font which is associated with Spanish speaking counties and culture. In a similar way the other posters use design and typography to reflect the genre of music that the artists release.
You may refer to:
Netflix documentary posters
Online promotional materials
Billboard adaptations of streaming campaigns
This section must directly link your research to your final production.
Answer the following:
How will each era influence the design of your three billboards?
For my 1980s poster I will use many different colours and will apply an effect to make the images seem more vintage as if they have been taken from old footage of the band. I will also use makeup looks and hair styles that were synomous with the 80s as well as visual iconography such as an 80s style phone and maybe 80s technology like a Walkman or a cassette tape.
What visual codes will you use to differentiate eras?
I will use more colourful makeup for the 80s poster compared with the contemporary poster. The colours of my 2010's and 80's poster will be much more colourful.
How will you maintain brand consistency across all three posters?
How will you promote your band from Task One as contemporary pop?
What design skills do you need to develop before production?
I will learn how to layer images on top of each other
Planning and sketching
1) Plan the content for your first billboard poster:
- Title of the documentary film (must be NEW original mainstream music magazine you have invented):
- Name of streaming service the documentary will feature on
- Original image (the band you promoted for one of your TikTok music videos)
- Release date of the documentary
- Ways your billboard poster will represent the contemporary pop era
- Font style / colour scheme, additional design aspects:
2) Plan the three images you will use for the billboard posters - use the elements of mise-en-scene (CLAMPS). One image has to be the band you promoted in one of your TikTok music videos required to meet the minimum content in the brief.
For all of them it will just be simple pictures of the band and in some of them the band will be posing or performing.
3) Research and select the font or typography you will use for your billboard posters. This is a critical element of your print work - the brief requires a consistent house style running through all of your pages.
4) Produce A4 sketches of your billboard poster designs and scan it/upload a picture to your blog.
5) Finally, create the pages in Adobe Photoshop or InDesign so you have the documents ready to go in terms of adding your text and images. This will need to include:
- A3 landscape
Photoshoot
1) Who do you need to photograph for your billboard posters? Remember, you need three original images across the whole print production.
Antonia
Laiyla
Sanila
Janice
2) What camera shots do you need? Write a shot list or draw a storyboard for your photoshoots. Make sure you plan a variety of camera shots you will look to capture - medium shots, close-ups etc.
Medium shots
Medium close ups
Close ups
3) Plan the mise-en-scene. What costume, props or make-up will you require for your photoshoots?
I will use very bright makeup for the 80's billboard with blue eyeshadow and heavy blush. The 2010's poster will have lighter makeup with eyeliner and more casual hair/clothing and the contemporary poster will be very minimal in makeup but the clothes will be less casual then in the 2010's poster.
4) Finally, note down the time and date for your photoshoots. This may be inside or outside school (or a combination of both). You will have Media lesson time for this after the mock exams.
Fridays/Saturdays
Statement of Intent
1) Once you have completed your print research and planning, go back to your statement of intent and make sure you have included the print brief in your final draft. Then, submit the final draft statement of intent to your teacher. The due date for this will be confirmed by your coursework teacher.
Use your Media coursework lessons to complete these planning tasks - homework time should be exclusively to revise for mocks.
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