2. Ancillary Text
For our ancillary text, we were asked to produce and create a Digi-pack. This
included a CD front cover, back cover and the inside booklet. We were also asked
to create a piece of promotion, which was a magazine advert page.
Before starting these products, I researched into real media products that were currently in the
market for my genre. From this I was able to plan what my products might look like. As I looked into
real digi-packs and advertisement which were in the specific genre, I picked up on some ideas and
some conventions of what this genre of music covers should have such as the serif font for the name
of the artist and appearance, what they’re wearing for the photo on the cover and also body
language, that I could use and improve. The research I did can be found on my blog.
After the music video was produced, I wanted to create a CD digi-pack though would stand out, very
eye catching, create an interest and use a design that will be instantly recognisable to the audience. I
also want to create something that would link the video, lyrics, photos, everything together which
would create synergy.
3. Final CD Covers
Here is my final cd
front cover, back cover
and inside booklet.
4. I made the lighting much lighter than
Front Cover
I used a customised serif font. I created it in
you would see in the video. The video
shows Smartz as a silent witness this style to give it a more urban and edgy
darkened in the foreground, I wanted look and feel to it. This has been done by
to switch this as now I want to show erasing into the font. This also creates a logo
that he’s not the silent witness for the artist as its his name that will become
anymore and suggest that he’s risen
above being one. recognisable. It also relates straight to the
genre of the music, UK Hip Hop/Rap. Instead
of creating a single, I designed this for an
album collection.
Used a photograph of Smartz. Although it might
not be a eye contact, centre composition focus. I
think that the body language and the angle and
position of which he is standing in works well
with the overall look and suggests that the artist
is on a higher level.
I decided to photograph
Smartz infront of a plain
brick wall. This is so it
would make him stand
I added the parental advisory out against the dark
background. It also adds
symbol/tag as the song does more of an urban feel
have explicit material songs. towards the whole photo.
As for marketing, this tag will
draw an interest from the
target audience as many of
them are most likely to listen
to explicit material.
5. Back Cover
The photograph is similar to the front cover. This
I added the conventional creates synergy. A link and also having a similar
track listing down the left photo doesn’t make the cover seem confusing or
hand side. seem as if there’s too much going on.
Added the name of the artist
and the name of the album
on the edges, as this is for
the fold, which is another
conventional issue.
I added the conventional
barcode and ‘Hip Hop
Village’ logo. This can be
seen on every Hip Hop genre
CD.
6. Inside Booklet
Inside the cover the left hand side, I
I added a photo of Smartz, have inserted a small biography
which I grey scaled to create a On this side of the booklet, I
about the artist. This is one of the
different but unique look . added each track with the
conventional points that many Hip
The faded background of the makers of each song and video
Hop/Rap cd’s have, like a real
city still give an urban feel to it. behind it.
media product.
7. Advertisement
The advertisement at the top of the page
allows to inform the audience of where its
available from.
I had decided to use the exact
same photo that I had used for
the cover, however this photo is
the original and hasn’t been
cropped as much. I had got this
idea from my research into
adverts and had taken the
similar layout to ‘Wretch 32’ as
they also belong to the same
genre of music.
The splatters of white paint give
the look that they’re splatting off
of him. This creates another
urban look and feel which will
also attract the audience.
The conventional point of adding the date of
when the album will be released. Informs
the audience.
The front cover of the actual CD
can be visible. This is so that
the audience know what it looks
like for when they want to buy it.
8. Conclusion
In conclusion, I do believe that my main product and ancillary text have
combined well. Although they are not photos from the video shoot the body
language and appearance and clothing of the artist within these photos does
create a trend and shows a link between them all. Have a simple yet mature
look is very vital towards an audience of 16-24 year olds.
Both the main product and the ancillary text does show a large amount of
conventional links and signs of a real media product. The genre and the
different types of people and audience it will attract can clearly be seen
through the Digi-pack.
