Digipak

These are images I am considering to use for my digipak. I have a an issue that I am working to solve if I was to use these images how it would fit on the digipak, as it's not 20 by 20. I would have to compromise some of the image or work out another technique to put the images I want on the digipak.

This image is one of the images I'm considering to use as the back cover, I photoshopped a crown and added it there. I blurred it out and change the hue and saturation so that it looked realistic with the rest of the shadow. I feel this image gives off a cool vibe from my rapper. The wave projector in the background gives a nice effect and gives a metaphorical meaning that my rapper is 'deep'. Which is essential to Hip Hop. The crown and shadow gives the impression that even though my rapper is on the upcoming, he views himself already as one of the legends, and is aware of the power and inspiration that he can bestow upon people. Even though this isn't conventional to the Old school era of Hip Hop, I feel that it's conventional to the new school era of (True) Hip Hop, I vision other artists such as Chance the Rapper, Mac Miller, logic, Vic Mensa, Big K.R.I.T, J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar doing the same.

Throughout the digipak there are symbols which tie into the album's name and concept. If this image  is part of the digipak then it's going to be portrayed across 2 panels. This image gives an insight to the artist, I noticed that some rappers have an image of their area, or a place that is close to their hearts, within their digipak. An example of this is J. Cole's Forest Hills drive, and Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid Maad City, digipaks'.

If the image before isn't put into the  digipak, this would replace the 2 panels. This image also ties in with the symbolism theme that I want to represent. One layer of the image is of the artist from waist down. I wanted to have snippets of the artist, as it evident of the front cover, the face of my artist isn't shown but parts of him. This metaphorically ties in with the concept of the album. My artist, is revealing parts of him but not his face, meaning that  he is revealing his true self, but never shows what face he has on, so you cant read his emotions physically unless he exposes them. I also feel that this make m artist mysterious and ambiguous. Being a fan of many upcoming artists, it's almost a trend that when a artist is upcoming, there isn't much information revealed about them and their identity. This could be seen through The weeknd's upcoming 5 years ago, Bryson tiller, Partynextdoor, even though these are rnb artists it's also shown through rappers such as Tory Lanez before his rise to fame. Moreover there isn't much of a difference between the true essences of Hip Hop Rap and Rnb, after all rap is an abbreviation for rhythm and poetry, while rnb is for rhythm and blues.

Costume

My artists bad character will be dressed in a black hoody. This is easier to understand by the audience  as evil has always been associated with the colour black , and i was mainly inspired by the famous Ying Yang philosophy.

My artist's good character will be dressed in a white tee. This is the subconscious subliminal message that white represents good, light, and celestial and heavenly images. While black is associated to the devil and evil, and hatred.

The lip sync version of my artist will be wearing a brown jacket, and will interchange with a grey Hollister jumper. This is to differentiate between the actual artist , and the two versions of him in the storyline. I felt that the use of brands were important as, it is quite synonymous to have a brand within a Hip Hop Brand.

Digipak Cover

This is a potential front cover for my digipajk. I feel that it reflects the new modern hip hop era. However i discovered that i may have a problem with the size of this cover. I may have tocompromise and lose some of the image. Alternatively, i could explore other ways of fitting this simage on my digipak, or icould use another image altogether. This is something i have to excplore and experiment with, and will update on!

Experiments

These are all pictures i took of my artist in a photoshoot. I tried to experiment with everything on the DSLR camera, to try and get the best shots of my artist. I have at least 2 themes that i could use on my digipak. One theme is the theme is the pictures of my artist wearing the brown jacket, the other is theme with the wave projector. I still have to decide which theme is best for my artist, and what i want on the front and back of my digipak.

Inspiration Digipak

All of these artists who are featured in the album covers, this made me think if i wanted my artist to feature my artist in the album cover as well as doing something creative with him or something that's conventional.I have also thought about not showing my artist's face but making him still featured on the cover, this could be through close ups on body parts.

Shotlist Narrative

Analysing a Hip Hop Digipak

Digipak Collage

Storyboard

For my storyboard i'll be using Artist 1, 2 & 3 to describe the characters in my music video. Artist 1, 2 & 3 are one and the same . However Artist 1 is dressed in white, he is thee innocent and loved version of himself. Artist 2 is dressed in black, he's the darker suspicious version of himself and Artist 3 is the rapper, who isn't involved in the narrative side of the music video, only towards the end.

My artist (Artist 1) is dressed in white, and throughout the whole music video he is unconscious of the camera. The first scene he is washing his face, you then see him talking with his mother having a conversation that they are both enjoying. After that you see him playing with his younger sister making her laugh. This all shown in the music video to portray how loved and innocent  artist 1 is. 

Throughout the music video you'll see artist 3 rapping to the camera. He'll be wearing different clothes so that the audience can see he's involved in the narrative.

In the next part you see artist 1 lying on his bed, where he can hear his sister crying from the abuse that she's been dealing with. This changes him and his actions. You then see him shouting at his mother, and being distant with his younger sister. Everywhere he is not himself, artist 2 is following him around. This is to show artist 2 is always with him when he's negative, the way the devil is portrayed to be on your shoulder to influence you whenever you commit bad actions.

 You see artist 3 rapping again towards the camera, with much more movement. I also decided that i'm going to use a star projector that would be reflected on my artist and the background. I think this will be effective, as it gives a vibe to my artist's song, and tells the audience that he is different. As well as foreshadowing that my artist is a star, and is about to hit the mainstream sooner or later.

Artist 2 then confronts artist 1 to reveal himself to the audience to show artist 2 and 1 are the same. Artist 2 then threatens artist 1 with a pen. You then see how artist 1 became artist 2, that his sister's abuse affected him, and he became more lonely, distant and dark.

Artist 3 is rapping towards the camera wit much stronger movement and emotion.

You then come back to the scene artist 1 and 2 facing off, they both take out their pen. However you don't see the actual fight and the screen goes black ( or a shot of the environment) You then see artist 3 walk out the house, with ink on his hands. WHich make the audience wonder who artist 3 is , is he the old innocent version of himself ( artist 1) or is he the lonely, distant and dark version of himself (artist 2). This is for the audience to decide, and replay the video to make sure of their choices.