Part of My World

A little update...

It's time for my favorite part of any production... the characters. I really enjoy designing characters and costumes.

Each character has their own assigned color. It would help to develop their individual personalities and motives for why they would kill the victim. It would also add some color (even though they will all be dark hues).

I want all of the suspect characters to have some splash of purple somewhere (since the color purple represents mystery). It would help to develop how all of the characters have something to hide, and how nothing is really clear or straight-forward. It's all a mystery.

I want the suspect characters to also have a hint of white (since white represents innocence). It would serve as a subtle hint that they are all innocent of actually committing the murder.

Victoria Vaughn (Victim): She's popular, peppy, dresses kind of basic/average
For the opening, only a picture of the victim is needed. Therefore, I don't need to cast anyone to play her. So, I asked my sister if I could use her picture for this purpose (and she gave me permission).

These are the four pictures that I'm deciding from. I don't think I'm going to choose the one in the top right, because it doesn't clearly show her face because of her glasses. I don't think I'm going to choose the one in the top left either because she's kind of in a weird position. I'm not entirely sure about whether I should choose the bottom left or right picture. The bottom left clearly shows her face, but the bottom right shows all of her, including her outfit.

Victor Vaughn (Brother): Nerdy, wears silly/punny t-shirts often
The color that I chose for Victor is blue. In this context, the color blue represents his loyalty to his the murderer (his girlfriend); he's willing to go down for his sister's murder because of her.

 

Since he's meant to be kind of nerdy, he'll be wearing a t-shirt with some type of pun or math/science joke on it, a jacket, jeans, and converse. (Similar to Peter Parker's style from Spiderman Homecoming).

He could also wear something slightly more formal/professional. Like a sweater over a plaid shirt. (Again, similar to Peter Parker). Most likely a purple plaid under a blue sweater.

Kira Kessler (Cousin): Rebel, alternative, slight punk 

The color that I chose for Kira is red. In this context, the color red represents her anger at how well-liked her cousin was among their family. Since she's somewhat of a rebel and likes to be different, she's the polar opposite of her cousin (who's a favorite among the family). She's kind of the black sheep of the family.

She'll be wearing black tights, dark blue denim shorts, black tank top, oversized red flannel, and dark purple/plum lipstick (maybe a jean jacket).

Gia Greggory (Friend): Preppy, also dresses kind of basic/average (similar to Victoria)
The color that I chose for Gia is green. In this context, the color green represents her jealousy at how Victoria was more popular than she was.

Since she's meant to be kind of basic, she'll be wearing a cropped sweater/shirt, a shirt from Pink, or some type of oversized shirt, and a pair of leggings.

She could also wear a white shirt with a green jacket over it and a pair of jeans.

Her hair will be put up with a purple scrunchy.

Detective Alred: Curious, dresses professional (with a hint of casual)The color I chose for Detective Alred is brown. In this context, the color brown represents honesty and resiliency. It's also a neutral color, just like how the detective is a neutral party; her main motive being to solve the case. (She won't have any purple)

She'll be wearing a simple white shirt or button down, khaki pants, and a navy blazer/jacket.




This is what I have so far for the designs of my characters. I'm feeling good with what I have planned and hopefully I'll be able to fully execute my idea how I want to.

Very Good Advice

A little update...

After a consultation with my teacher about my film opening, I've decided to change up the scene a little bit. She mentioned how a full two minutes of interrogations may be a little static and slow. So, instead of the whole scene being about the interrogation, only half of it (about a minute) will show the interrogations and the other half will be of the detective trying to put some of the pieces together in order to solve the mystery of the murder.

I will create a new story board that will go along with this change and make a post about it in the future.

Casting

A little update...

I have one character casted already: the role of the friend. I have three other characters to cast: the detective, the brother, and the cousin. A couple of my friends are holding auditions for their film opening after school on Friday (2/28). While we aren't looking for the same qualities, they agreed to film the auditions for me so I can see if any of the people that they interview will fit with any of the characters that I have. I would go myself, but I have to go to work right after school and am unable to make it.

For the detective, they'd need to be somewhat intimidating, as the first scene is an interrogation scene. The rest of the characters would need to be a little serious (since they're confessing to a murder and all).

I have someone in mind to play the cousin, but I want to see how the auditions go before I make my decision.

I'm going to be flexible with the genders, but try to stick with my original plan as best as I can. With a limited amount of options and time, I can't get too picky. For example, I might find someone perfect to play the detective, but they're male and I've written the character as a female. The story wouldn't be compromised or drastically different if I change the gender of the characters.

Hopefully I'll find somebody (or three) that will be perfect for my film opening and by next week, at least two more people will have been cast.

Following the Schedule

A little update...

Considering the size and the time length of this project, I think it would be beneficial to have some kind of schedule and plan out everything that needs to be done to complete this project.

Feb 24 - March 1:
- 3 postings
- Work on characters/costumes
- Work on script
- Cast people to play characters

March 2 - March 8:
- 4 postings
- Find a location
- Begin filming

March 9 -March 15
- 4 postings
- Filming
- Begin editing

March 16 -March 22:
- 3 postings
- Final gathering of shots (if necessary)
- Editing

March 23 - March 29:
(spring break)
- 3 postings

March 30 - April 5:
- 3 postings
- Final edits/tweaks
- Creative Critical Reflection
- Post fina project

April 5: Project Due

If I stick to the schedule I should have everything done in time and won't be struggling at the end. Hopefully, this project won't turn into a "make it work" moment.

In a World of My Own

A little update...

Ok, so now that I have an idea of what I want to do, it's time to fully develop it. My teacher mentioned that it would be best to think about the entire story, so that is what I'll do. I'll outline the whole story, not just the opening. This way, I'll have a better understanding of the characters, the conflict, and how it should all begin.

How it starts:

Opens with interrogations of multiple suspects (maybe three: one male (younger brother) and two female (cousin and friend)). The detective (female), Detective Alessa Alred, asks questions and takes notes on the answers (What's your relation to the victim? Where were you around the time of the murder? Do you know who would want to hurt her?) Each suspect responds, confessing that they killed the victim, prompting more questions (Why did you kill her? How did you do it? Were you working with anyone else?). They all give detailed explanations of what happened and how they killed her (differing, but similar stories); however, they all say that they worked alone. The evidence at the crime scene suggests that there was indeed only one killer. So who is it?

Victim (Victoria Vaughn) : college student, female
What happened: She was found dead in her apartment. There was no sign of forced entry, so she knew her killer enough to let them in. She had a wound on the back of her head and had been stabbed multiple times (a crime of passion).
When: On a Saturday night. It was the weekend of their family reunion.

Brother (Victor Vaughn): younger than Victoria by two years, high school student (senior)
Motive: He was tired of his sister always being the favorite. Their parents always compared them and insisted that he had to be more like her. They went to a small school, so they had the same teachers. The teachers always compared them too, and told him how much they expected from him since his sister was so smart. Finally fed up with being compared to Victoria all of the time, he killed her.
How: He claims that they returned to her apartment after having dinner together (they had seafood). He then hit her on the back of the head with a golf club and stabbed her with his hunting knife.

Cousin (Kira Kessler): a year younger, college student (different college), visiting for the weekend
Motive: She thought that her cousin wasn't as perfect as everyone thought her to be. She was tired of Victoria getting all of the attention and praise. She wanted to get rid of Victoria, so she killed she.
How: She claims that she was staying with the victim, and waited for her to get back after having gone out to dinner. She hit her with a decorative figurine and then stabbed her with a kitchen knife.

Friend (Gia Greggory): same age, college student (same college)
Motive: She was tired of always being in Victoria's shadow and annoyed when Victoria acted like she didn't like the popularity. She was jealous at how well liked her friend was and how good her life was; she wanted to be the one who was popular and didn't want to have to worry about certain things (like money). She didn't like being second best. So, she killed Victoria to take her place.
How: She claims that she waited outside the apartment for Victoria to return home from dinner. She went inside with her and then hit her with a paperweight on the back of the head before stabbing her with a pair of scissors.

After the interviews, the detective goes back to her desk to try and put some of the pieces together and find similarities in the three stories.

The middle:

Detective Alred orders an autopsy of the victim, so she can determine the cause of death and see if that matches with the stories of those who confessed. While that's being done, Detective Alred goes out to the crime scene  (Viola's apartment) to take another look around. She notices that the golf bag in the apartment is missing a club. She finds the missing club in the building's dumpster; it has blood stains on it. The blood on it is confirmed to be the victim's; however, the only fingerprints on it belong to the victim.

Detective Alred interviews more witnesses, trying to see what kind of person Victoria was and if she had any enemies. Most people claim that she was nice to everyone, really smart, and could do no wrong, except for one. She also asks about the suspects, trying to see what kind of people they were and if they evil showed any ill will towards the victim.

DNA is discovered under Victoria's nails; it belongs to a woman, so Victor is ruled out as a suspect. The DNA is run through the CODIS database (Combined DNA Index System) to see if they can find a match. Also, some threads were caught in the Victoria's bracelet. They are determined to be wool, the kind which is typically found in sweaters.

While looking deeper into Victoria and her background, it's discovered that she wasn't as innocent as everybody seemed to believe.

The autopsy results are back; the indent on the back of Victoria's skull was indeed made the golf club and her stomach contents reveal that she did have seafood before she was killed (fitting with Victor's story, but he's no longer a suspect). However, Victoria was killed with a blade similar to a kitchen knife (fitting with Kira's story).

The DNA comes back. It's a 52% match for Gia.

How it ends:

Detective Alred is perplexed by how the evidence could point to each suspect yet also rule them out as suspects at the same time. Each suspect had a piece of truth in their story, but no one had the complete answer. With help from a colleague, the detective concludes that they must have been covering for someone, which would explain why they all confessed and why no one had the whole truth. She begins looking to see if they have any common friends and finally figures out who killed the victim.

It was Gia's sister (Gwen), who was also the girlfriend of Victor, and the best friend of Kira. She was the only one during the interviews who hadn't liked Victoria, and the sleeve of her (wool) sweater had been ripped (which the detective had deemed unimportant at the time). It explains why the three suspects had stepped forward (to protect her), why the DNA was a 52% match for Gia (they’re sisters), and also why Victoria was comfortable enough to invite her inside.

Gwen claimed that she had done it to make the others happy (their reasoning for wanting to kill the victim had been true) and because she always knew that Victoria wasn't the angel everyone thought she was.

Now that I have a better sense of the story, I have a better idea of how I want the opening to go. I created a storyboard for the opening and mapped it out, getting more into depth of what I want to happen.

The tentative title for the film is "Three's A Crowd" since three people confessed to killing the victim, when there could only be one killer.

Page 1

Page 2

For the opening, I want to be of the detective interviewing the suspects, but I don't want there to be separate scenes of interviews. I wanted it to cut back and forth. So, every time the suspect is shown it'll be a different on of the three. I think this will make it more interesting to the viewer and enforce how, at this point, we don't really know who did it.

When the camera is on the suspects, there is a slight tilt. I wanted it to have a different look and also give the idea that there's something different or not quite right about it.

Watch Your Footwork

A little update...

A good film needs a good base. Like George B. Hinckley said, "You can't build a great building on a weak foundation." While we're clearly not talking about actual buildings, the same principle applies. You need a strong base to build off of. So, I asked myself: What makes a good mystery? (and then I Googled it).

I turned to the world wide web (yes... more research) for the answer. Hopefully, trolling the internet for any information that may be remotely useful will give me an idea of how to structure my own film opening. (I'm taking into account my previous research on case studies and know that the opening should establish the setting and/or introduce the main character)

A good plot is a necessity - something that engages and is interesting to the viewer.

Each part of the story should be strong in its own right. Each part should engage the viewer; at no point should they become bored or uninterested. Some elements that should be included to achieve this are:
- conflict
- suspense
- tension

Everything matters. Each line of dialogue needs to count; we get a sense of the characters this way, it should serve the story, and deepen connections between characters. Nothing is just thrown in or there just for the sake of it.

To begin writing the plot, two things need to be known: what the situation is and what the characters want. The characters are going to try to get what they want when put into a situation, so both need to be known.

A tip that I found was to keep asking yourself questions. Keep pushing the plot as far as it can go. Asking questions can also help to give depth to the story and focus your ideas, making it more organized. It helps to clarify some things that may not have been so definite before.

There are also subplots (secondary plots that run parallel to the main plot), which aren't as important, but help to develop the main plot. They can also be used to further develop characters and get viewers to become more invested in the characters.

Also, a good plot needs a great beginning and satisfying ending. Although, since I'm only creating an opening, I don't need to worry about the ending.

Some elements that make up a good mystery are interesting characters, great setting, and engaging detective.

After gaining a basis of what a good plot/story should include (and how to develop it), it's time for me to start developing my own.

The sub-genre mystery has many (so many) different tropes that have been used. Such as an absence of evidence, waking up on the beach/in a room, or not-so-fake prop weapon. Also, a typical mystery will follow a detective as they root out suspects  to find the real culprit.

I want to do something slightly different for the introduction:

My idea for the overall story is that someone has been murdered (that was a bit of a given) and the detective is trying to solve the mystery of what happened and who did it (obviously).  So, the murder has already taken place. However, in the opening, a few suspects will have already come forward and confessed to the murder, but they all claim that they worked alone; the detective will also be introduced. So, during the film, the detective would not only be working to find out who did it, but would also be working to narrow down those who confessed as possible suspects to find out which one of them did it (if any).

The opening would still introduce the main character (the detective) and, even though most of the case studies I analyzed didn't, introduce the conflict.

Next, I'll develop the idea for the film opening further and create a basic outline of what will happen.

One and the Same

A little update...

To get some inspiration and more of an idea of what a typical "mystery" film opening is like, I've selected a few to watch and analyze. (AKA an excuse for me to watch a bunch of movie openings)

Hugo

2011

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Film Opening

The film opening for Hugo is meant to establish the setting and introduce the main character. It begins with a graphic match that cuts from a mechanism of gears (which relate back to the clock theme of the film) to a busy city. A pan is used to solidify that the city is indeed Paris by showing off the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe (two classic Paris attractions). The next shot takes the viewer along as if moves through a train station. The mise-en-scene elements (mostly costume design) and the sound track convey the time period of the film to the viewer (1930s). The shot ends on a close up of a boy (the main character), seen through a clock. The viewer sees as he watches the people below, and gets a hint that he may have some trouble with the police. A tracking shot it next as the camera follows the boy through tunnels as he makes his way from one clock to another, showing how familiar he is with his surroundings. The opening ends with a shopkeeper catching the boy as he tries to take a toy that had been sitting on the counter. The shopkeeper calls the boy a thief, alerting the viewer that this isn't the first time he's done this and maybe this is why he was scared of the officer earlier.

Now You See Me

2013

Directed by: Louis Leterrier

Film Opening

The film opening for Now You See Me is meant to introduce the main characters. There are four different scenes. Each scene highlights and introduces a different character from the four horsemen (the group of magicians that is formed later in the film) as they perform some type of magic trick for an audience. It gives a brief look at their abilities and a little bit into their personalities. It also shows the scale that each magician is at. The first character is doing an elaborate card trick in front of a large crowd. The second character is doing a mind reading/hypnosis trick for a couple. The third character is doing a street performance as a distraction for his pickpocketing. The fourth character is hosting an elaborate performance on a type of stage with a large audience.

Sherlock Holmes

2009

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Film Opening

The film opening for Sherlock Holmes is meant to establish the setting and introduce the main character. It begins with company logos and throws the viewer right into the middle of a chase scene. From the mise-en-scene elements (such as costume and set design), it can be deduced that the scene takes place around the late 1800s or early 1900s in a town somewhere in England. The main character is seen running while a group of carriages are also charging through the streets, its occupants preparing guns. The opening brings the viewer in immediately with the action and the question of what is happening. The score also increases the tone and builds up the mystery.

Zodiac

2007

Directed by: David Fincher
Film Opening

The film opening for Zodiac is meant to establish the setting/time and introduce the conflict. The opening shot is an aerial shot of the city and then cuts to a moving shot through a neighborhood. Fireworks are a constant sight, letting the viewer know that there's some type of event/celebration occurring. A subtitle tells the viewer the location and exact date (July 4, 1969 - Vallejo, CA). The music switches from non-diegetic to diegetic and a shot counter-shot editing technique is used as the characters converse. Two shot is used as the viewer rides along with the couple to their destination. The conflict is introduced at the end of the scene when the couple is repeatedly shot and murdered by an unknown person. A police officer shows up to investigate as a phone call to the police department plays. It is of the culprit telling the police exactly what he did and where they could find the kids, he also confesses to murdering other kids the year before. Since the couple aren't main characters and are killed off, the opening is not used to introduce characters (unless you count the killer).

After looking at multiple examples of film openings from the mystery sub-genre, I gathered that the main purpose of them was to establish the setting and/or introduce the main character(s). Except for Zodiac, none hinted at the overall conflict of the film. I will make sure to take this into account when I create my own film opening.

I Know Things Now

A little update...

Mystery

When first presented with this project to create a film opening, I had no idea what I wanted to do. There's so many genres that are available, and I enjoy so many of them. However, there is one genre (or sub-genre) that really sticks out to me: mystery. So, I decided to dive a little deeper into it and find out what it takes to make a film in the sub-genre of mystery.

On to the research!

A movie in the sub-genre of mystery typically revolves around the main character(s), usually a type of detective, who is investigating and trying to solve some type of crime (usually a murder). They gather clues and use logical reasoning to come to a conclusion. The detectives can be amateurs, private investigators, or professional policemen like police detectives or forensic specialists.

The other characters tend to be suspects. The main detective examines them and their motives, trying to figure out who did it.

Although stories of mystery typically revolve around a violent murder with graphic details, they don't always have to. There's a sub-genre titled "cozy mystery". In this sub-genre, the graphic and more violent elements are downplayed or treated humorously. The crime takes place in a small, intimate community. The detective character is almost always an amateur and usually a woman who has a contact on the police force (often treated as nosy and not taken too seriously). This character is typically well-educated, naturally intuitive, and holds some type of position or job that places them in contact with many of the residents in the area.

The murders aren't committed by psychopaths or serial killers; they're members of the community with a motive such as greed or jealousy. They are usually rational and give the culprit a chance to explain after they are captured.

Supporting characters are often treated as comic relief and may have eccentric personalities (making the detective stand out seem like the only sane one).

From what I gathered, suspense is a large part of this sub-genre; it keeps the viewer interested. In order for suspense to be created, the viewer needs to be well informed; it becomes nerve-wracking for the viewer because s/he is waiting for the big thing to happen. If the viewer doesn't know what is going on, then it would be considered as shock, not suspense. However, the viewer also needs to be constantly be guessing as to what comes next. They can't know exactly what's to come; s/he needs to want to know and care about what happens in order for them to keep watching. If they knew everything, then it wouldn't be as interesting and s/he likely wouldn't finish the film.

"There is no suspense in inevitability." ~ Damon Lindelof

"Suspense is achieved by information control: What you know. What the reader knows. What the characters know." ~ Tom Clancy

 "It is indispensable that the public is made aware of all the facts involved. Otherwise  there is no suspense." ~ Alfred Hitchcock

Foreshadowing can also be used in this genre. It is known as red-herrings. They are misleading clues that are used to distract the viewer and give them the wrong hints about upcoming events.

I found that there are two different types of mystery films: closed-mystery and open-mystery.

Closed-mystery is when the identity of the antagonist isn't revealed until the end of the film. It is a "whodunit" type of production. The suspense in this type of film is created from the viewer not knowing who committed the crime. S/he follows along with the protagonist and attempt to figure it out. They have access to all of the information, but nothing is certain; s/he doesn't know for sure how it will end and who is the real culprit.

EX: Scooby Doo would be a "closed-mystery" because the culprit is revealed at the end of the film.

Open-mystery is when the identity of the antagonist is revealed at the beginning of the film. The viewer watches while the antagonist unveils and executes their master plan. The crime usually ends up going unsolved until the very end of the film. It is a "perfect crime" type of production. The suspense in this type of film is created from the viewer watching how the crime will be committed, since the identity of the antagonist has already been revealed. S/he watches in anticipation, wondering if the criminal will really be able to pull off their intended scheme or if they will be caught in the act.

EX: Ocean's 8 would be an "open-mystery" because from the very beginning, we know who the culprits are and what they plan to do. We follow them to see how they plan off such a daring plan and if they will be successful.

There is also Film Noir; although, it was mainly popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Its style is very distinct; it's characterized by black and white and strong lighting effects. It relies on a narrative voice and flashbacks to explain its intricate plot. The main character is typically some sort of cynical hero.

Photo by: Shelton Muller

Even though Film Noir is no longer popular, it does lead into the next point: lighting effects.

Lighting can be a useful tool for a film of this type. Lighting and filters can be used to set the tone of a scene; low lighting can be used to create harsh shadows and an ominous tone. Also, camera angles, sound tracks, and plot twists can be used to help increase suspense.

Due to the nature of mystery films, they don't require expensive special effects (which is great since I have an extremely, extremely low budget - if one at all).

After researching this sub-genre, I have a better understanding of what it is and what it takes to create a film for it. I also have a better appreciation for the work that goes into to making a film in this genre.

I am a sucker for puzzles and brain teasers, so naturally, I gravitated towards mystery (for entertainment and this project). I enjoy the process of trying to figure out who did it, or what happened. I also grew up reading books like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and watching movies like Scooby Doo. Mystery has really had an effect on me and who I am.

Now that I have more knowledge about the inner workings of a "mystery" film, I hope I can do it justice when I create a film opening for this genre.

Music Marketing

Recently in class, we had to do a project where we had to create a marketing plan for a song and a new artist. Our genre was pop. The pop genre is usually includes a target audience of females 13 to 26 in the middle class with part-time jobs or are full-time students. They tend to be fashionable and follow trends closely. They also tend to spend a lot of time on social media. The songs in the pop genre tend to be about love and relationships; the music videos tend to utilize storytelling.

Current marketing trends in the pop genre include heavy advertisement for the release of an album or single through the use of popular social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, since they are used often by the target audience. Bruce Springsteen is a good example of this. He uses Twitter to relay news and information about his music to his fans and Instagram to post about his performances, promote merchandise, and offer ways to find his music. He also uses YouTube to post music videos, interviews, albums audios, and live performances.

While most artists follow this trend, well established artists like Beyoncé prefer to use a different technique. Beyoncé markets her music very little. She relies on word of mouth to generate awareness when she releases something new and allows others to do the advertising for her. For example, when she was collaborating with Disney on the live action film The Lion King, she allowed them to do almost all of the marketing. Or, she'll allow her fans to spread the word after she's released something. However, even though Beyoncé isn't the one who is doing the actual marketing, it is all still done mostly through social media.

We made careful decisions to develop the brand of our artist. We chose to have a solo male artist because it would appeal to our female audience and most pop artists are solo. We named our artist Wayne Parks. We only gave him a first and last name and not a special stage name because most of the solo artists in the pop genre use their real names (i.e. Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars). Although, some solo artists use stage names (Lady Gaga, The Weekend) or just their first name (Rihanna, Drake). Also, people tend to respond better to white sounding names rather than more ethnic sounding names.

We chose to develop the brand our artist through social media. Since social media is popular among our target audience, and many artists in our genre utilize it as their main way of marketing, we decided that this would be the most effective way to promote our new artist. We specifically chose to use Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube since these platforms are the most popular among our target audience. We would use Instagram to release information about events and clips/teasers of performances, music videos, and behind the scenes footage. Plus, it serves as a way for the artist to connect with his fans through comments and hashtags. We would use Twitter to release information about upcoming events or releases. It also serves as a way for our artist to share some of his more personal/random thoughts and connect with his audience. We would use YouTube to release music videos, full videos of live performances, behind the scenes footage, potential vlogs/updates/live streams, and possible interviews that may arise in the future. Using these platforms would help our artist to expand and connect with his audience.

We also decided on a set color scheme: purple and yellow. Purple is associated with mystery and yellow is associated with happiness. We chose these colors specifically because we wanted our artist to have a light, positive air about him yet also read as mysterious. Adding a sense of mystery would help to generate some interest in him and his music.

We used the music video as a tool to develop the brand of our artist. We used the strategy of storytelling and created the video around a couple, as is the trend in the pop genre. The overall video has quite a happy/light feel to it which reinforces the positive vibes (yellow) of our artist. However, we included a twist that accommodates the mystery (purple) aspect of his brand.

The marketing products that we created for our campaign include shirts, a hoodie, and stickers. They can all be purchased through the website that we set up. The website serves a general hub where fans can find whatever they need: links to download music, merchandise, news, and general information about the artist.

The t-shirts are offered in multiple sizes, colors (including his signature colors), and designs. Each design includes the logo on the front and the logo and full name on the back. This way people who aren't fans can easily see who the artist is. They help to create a sense of unity and belonging among fans; they feel like they're a part of the community. It is also a way to advertise the artist via the fans and another stream of revenue.

The hoodie is offered in multiple sizes and colors (including his signature colors). It's a popular item among those in our target audience. The front has the logo of the artist and the back has his full name and the name of his latest single. Like the shirts, it helps to create a sense of unity among our audience, a way of advertising the artist and his music, and an extra stream of revenue.

Stickers are another way that our artist can connect with the audience. They're also just a cute/fun little item that fans can purchase to support the artist. The fans can put them wherever they'd like, which conveniently can offer another method of advertising. They are offered in the artist's signature colors, which helps to reaffirm his brand. 

Through the process of creating the music video and development of a marketing campaign, we learned that every decision is important and has a reason to support it. Nothing is random or done just for the sake of it. Everything requires thought and research to ensure that it's the best possible decision and will generate the most success. Even the decisions for the music video require careful consideration in order to develop and showcase the artist's brand further. Planning is also important during this process. If not planned properly, it can become overwhelming and compromises would have to be made in order to finish everything. This would lead to a product that isn't as great/successful as it could be.