Print brief research and planning

 Research tasks:

1)  Billboard poster research:

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?

It focuses on the charity single 'we are the world', this may be significant for audiences as it involves legends like Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie who were united in one night and interest an older audience

2. How might the poster imagery communicate the era of the music being explored (e.g., 1980s)?

The poster image shows the most famous artists in the 1980s

3. Who would be the target audience for this documentary and why?

The target audience would consist of those who grew up with the song 'we are the wolrd' and are nostalgic of that era and general viewers who are interested in music and the history of it

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 almost painted images of these pop stars represent the era of 80s music with the consistent yellow and blue can symbolise this

5. How could promotional text emphasise both nostalgia and relevance to a modern audience?

The untold story behind phrase interests the audience as they learn more about this era and bring back nostalgia and the greatest night in pop attracts all pop fans to watch the documentary 

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)? 

This is pop explores the history, evolution and cultural impact of popular music focusing on how specific trends, technologies and genres have changed the industry through international influence, cultural crossovers, song written factories

2. How might a billboard poster visually represent multiple facets of pop music history covered in this series?

It can visually represent multiple facets through a layered chronological approach merging different images of different genres and styles

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?

Through instead of a central image, they may have to use a collage of different genres and eras to showcase diversity and through the focus on branding to emphasise different episodes of the series rather than a single film

4. What aspects of pop culture history might appeal to older audiences versus younger audiences?

The appeal of older artists like Michael Jackson will create a larger appeal to the older audience as its nostalgic and newer pop culture artists like drake will attract a younger audience and the different genres in the different eras

5. What visual elements could ensure the poster suggests that this isn’t just entertainment, but a music documentary with depth and exploration?

Through the name of the streaming service can communicate a documentary and through the photography style as high quality studio shots may communicate a poster and using symbolic visual elements rather than straight forward and literal meanings

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?

The first one has hand drawn images of a variety of bands and artists from this era and the second one has black and white pictures

2. How do these images reflect the diversity within pop music culture (different genres, artists, eras)?

A variety of different artists and bands from rappers to singers symbolising the different genres within pop music 

3. What emotions or associations do the images try to evoke in the viewer?

These images bring back nostalgia for audiences who grew up in this era 

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?

The style of cut outs of there head while it can represent one artist but also a band and the style of editing the background images with effects and the colour scheme

5. How do the images relate to your understanding of representation and media language in music documentaries?

Through the different artists and different genre attracting a wide range of audience and the verbal codes like taglines create an understanding of the music documentaries

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

2. 2000s or 2010s pop artist promotion

3. Contemporary (2018–present) pop artist promotion

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

1980s-1990s
 

2000s-2010s

2018-present 

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, realism vs performance)

• Branding
  (logos, streaming platforms, consistency)

Then, explain how these choices reflect the era of pop music being represented.

1980s-1990s: One large central image that takes up a a large proportion of the poster making it easy for roadside view as Bruce Springsteen was easily recognisable. The typography of Bruce's name is central and large with the font linking to the era whilst also promoting his songs down the side in a smaller font. The age rating of the genre is in the bottom right with the price.

2000s-2010s: promotion of tour in a larger text to allow for easy roadside view, large central image of Rihanna performing to attract the audience and non direct address, sans serif typography and a font linking to the time period. An almost monochrome colour pattern with Rihanna dressed in white and the text in white

2018-present: Smaller image at the top half of the screen with the list of songs on the album on the bottom half. Streaming services at the bottom left while signature and the name of the artist at bottom right. Use of black and gold with the different shades shown below the central image shows a more modern look and almost painted font making it hard to read making it more modern, also the artist looking down at the gold cup to symbolise wealth

4) Representation and Era identity

Explain how each poster represents:

• The artist

• The music culture of the era

• Attitudes to fame, performance, and identity

Consider:

• Fashion and styling

• Gender representation

• Star image

• Youth culture vs nostalgia

• Authenticity vs commercialisation

Apply at least one theory, such as:

• Stuart Hall – Representation

• Postmodernism (nostalgia, pastiche, remixing eras)

1980s-1990s: It represents the artist and music culture through the guitar representing the artists identity and the era while looking up expression symbolising the passion and love for music. The clothing highlights traditional 80s clothing and targets them as the star image Bruce springsteen was a welll known American musician 

2000s-2010s: the white clothing and non direct address to the audience symbolises rianna on stage reflecting the artist and the culture, this creates a star image to the audience and attracts the youth audience while promoting the tour in bold 

2020s-present: the use of black and gold symbolises the artists wealth to the audience it creates the albums theme and can be seen as the dominant reading to the album. This links to the fashion of the artist due to Drake being in informal clothes while writing a song 

5) Audience appeal

For each era-based poster, explain:

• Who the primary audience is

• How it may also appeal to other age groups

• How nostalgia is used to attract older audiences

• How modern design elements attract younger audiences

Link this directly to the documentary’s aim to appeal to “people of all ages interested in pop music.”

1980s-1990s: targets an older audience due to springsteen being an older artist this creates nostalgia through the older generation but also younger generations getting to understand the artist through little modern elements 

2000s-2010s: this can target both an older audience and younger audience due to riannas star image she is well known through both generations, this allows the nostalgic stage performances attracting them while modern elements such as the colour scheme to attract younger audiences 

2010s-present: this artist targets a younger generation through the use of wealth and the image of writing in black and gold this inspires them to be like him while the scenery and paintings can attract an older audience to listen to his well known 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)

• Use of logos and release dates

• How platforms communicate where and how to watch

• How global audiences affect design choices

You may refer to:

• Netflix documentary posters

• Online promotional materials

• Billboard adaptations of streaming campaigns

Streaming services usually prefer imagery over long texts as it quickly grabs the readers attention like iconic shots while quickly attracting them through the nostalgia. The streaming services brand image is displayed to reinforce brand loyalty and recognition, the use of clear visible release date and tours to create anticipation to the audience and tell them when it’s available. A large producer like Netflix also uses large imagery and minimal text to instantly attract the reader making it one of the biggest streaming services 

7) Application to your coursework

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?

• What visual codes will you use to differentiate eras?

• 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?

In my production I will use the different uses of imagery and writing to attract that era of audience through  the clothing, colour scheme and typography. The brand logo will be provided in each poster to create brand loyalty and recognition to the audience. I will need to play around with photoshop and watch tutorials to allow me to develop the skills to create these documentaries. The visual codes from the posters like the mise en scene allows me to identify the specific setting and clothing needed for that era 

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.

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. 

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.

3) Plan the mise-en-scene. What costume, props or make-up will you require for your photoshoots?

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.