Planning - Mock-up of my website

 

Planning - Mock-up of my website

After studying numerous pop ballad singers websites including: Beyonce, Adele, Harry Styles and Lana Del Rey, I then constructed a mock-up of my own website for Scarlett.

Following the cohesive scarlet colour pallet the navigation menu features a 'Home', 'About', 'Music', 'Videos', 'Shop', and 'Tour' option to click on with Scarletts brand identity in the centre.

I then used the first-person pronoun, 'me' and a pun on her scarlet identity in the call to action, 'Let me colour your world...". Not only does that make the website seem more personalised and authentic (almost like Scarlett is saying it herself to her fans), but the call to action demonstrates Scarletts star-affect to change peoples lives and perspectives through her music.

I haven't decided on the thumb nail for my music video or the cover of the single 'When We Were Young', so for the sake of the mock-up I used a picture of Scarlett from our Studio Shoot. My website clearly demonstrates digital convergence and cross-platform convergence with the encouraged action to 'Pre-order/Pre-save" on iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify and/or Youtube. This reinforces Scarletts global presence in real life and online.

My website also features a banner alerting fans that the music video for 'When We Were Young' is out, and following typical conventions of singers websites my website then encourages fans to 'purchase now' the new album (that I am yet to find a fitting photo for). This goes back to the emphasis for celebrities to ultimately make sales through promotion of their music.

This mock-up was a great exercise that helped me begin to plan for my website. I have never made a website before, but now I feel more confident for when the time comes.

Planning - Further Development of Brand and Identity

Planning - Further Development of Brand and Identity

1) Previously I had decided on 3 top fonts to use...

2) Once I decided that I wanted to use the colour scarlet as a tool for Scarletts branding and identity, inspired by Billie Eilish and Beyonce's use of a symbol to represent them I also wanted to have one for Scarlett.

I began by using a scarlet red rose, but I thought it looked too mature and not appealing for a 16-25 year old audience (despite its relevant connotations with love and pop ballads).

3) I then moved to kisses, lipstick and hearts - all conevntional of pop ballads but with a 'younger feel'.

4) Finally, I decided my favourites and came to the final decision to use Scarlett and 2 hearts.

I initially used 1 scarlet red heart, but then for her scarlet red merch the heart would not be seen, so I then decided to include a black heart to - increasing the logos versatility. 

I am very pleased with the final result.

Planning - Colour and Identity

 Planning - Colour and Identity

Through my research into Charli XCX’s brat phenomenon and her iconic use of brat green, I realised how colour can act as a powerful visual shortcut for an artists identity.

Charli’s use of a specific shade of lime green did not just tie together her album’s branding - it became a cultural symbol.

Fans began using the phrase ‘that’s so brat’ as an inside joke, showing how deeply the colour became linked with Charli XCX’s persona.

However, I realised my own approach would be slightly different.

Instead of a fan-created, niche reference, my use of scarlet red is a more direct branding choice, clearly tied to my talents real name, Scarlett. 

This idea was also reinforced by looking at a previous NEA, where a student used Indigo as a stage name and built a colour-based identity around it.

By aligning Scarlett with scarlet red, I aim to build a strong association between the artist and a specific colour - much like Charli XCX did with brat green.

By connecting colour to my talent’s real name, I’ve created a bold, memorable visual identity that feels authentic and instantly recognisable, without relying on niche fan culture.

This approach allows my NEA to feel relevant and reflect the current zeitgeist, where colour is not just aesthetic but symbolic, and increasingly used as a branding tool in contemporary music marketing.

Planning - Building a Brand and Identity

 Planning - Building a Brand and Identity

Focusing on my website, I began by researching how other singers present themselves online to help guide the branding of my own artist, Scarlett.

Initially, I expected the websites of globally recognised artists to feature bold and extensive branding. However, my research revealed quite the opposite...

For example, Adele, Harry Styles, and Lana Del Rey all present their names in an incredibly minimal way. This simplicity could be due to their established star personas or global fame - meaning they do not need heavy branding for recognition.

I then explored Billie Eilish and Beyoncé’s websites and noticed that neither of them featured their name at all. Instead, they used unique symbols or logos as their primary form of branding.

Billie Eilish uses a logo called ‘Blohsh’ - a genderless stick figure tilted slightly to the left. While Billie has never publicly confirmed its exact meaning, fans often interpret it as a symbol of individuality and embracing difference. This aligns closely with many themes in her music.

Beyoncé, on the other hand, uses a star on her current website. Unlike Billie, who has used ‘Blohsh’ consistently for over 16 years, Beyoncé’s star appears to be linked specifically to her latest album, Cowboy Carter. The album is inspired by the original Black cowboys of the American West. In this context, I interpreted the star as an intertextual reference to the stars on the American flag, highlighting themes of heritage, identity, and national tradition. More broadly, stars are symbols of success, aspiration, and positivity, all of which reflect Beyoncé’s public image.

This research gave me the confidence to develop my own visual identity and branding for my NEA.

After picking some of my favourite fonts, I chose the above 3 to develop further.

Planning - Locations and Talent

 Planning - Locations and Talent

Locations

 

Following my planning and storyboard I hope to feature a party setting at the beginning of my music video.

I think this location with be familiar for my target audience and they will hopefully understand the universal feeling of feeling out of place at a party etc, all of which are stereotypical 16-25 year old experiences. 

                                                                                   

I am also considering shooting on Marine Parade and Two Tree Island. 

Both of these locations are within walking distance from my house and I believe they would be great shooting locations for all of my talents due to the locations convenience.

Furthermore, the mis-en-scenes of these locations are open and youthful - featuring great lighting  and distinctive opportunities for photographs etc. 

I also hope to shoot briefly at an airpot reflecting the lyrics that mention travel.

My target audience is middle to up market so I hope they will resonate with travel experiences and emotions that follow this.

I also plan to shoot in London.

Specific locations include train/tube stations and iconic landmarks.

I think these locations would be great if I could link intertextuality to them. Furthermore, the typical London locations will reinforce the 'British'ness of Scarlett - something that Adele capitalised on.

Talent

Scarlett is going to be my main focus on talent.

As previously mentioned in my posts she is going to be the true singer of the music video and star.

Theo is going to be Scarletts love interest.

Theo and Scarlett will be the age demographic featured most and the 'present'.

Until I shoot with 'mini Scarlett and mini Theo' I do not have any pictures of them.

However, this is a photo of Theo and I when we were younger. 

Scarlett and Theos 'mini versions' will be roughly this age.

Justine and Greig will play the 'older' versions of Scarlett and Theo, and Linda and John will play the 'oldest' versions of Scarlett and Theo.

Planning - Storyboards

 Planning - Storyboards

Following my planning and initial ideas,  I then decided to storyboard some of my ideas.

Below is my first attempt at creating a storyboard...

I created this storyboard with Procreate on my dads iPad.

I decided to storyboard the first verse of my music video.

This was a useful exercise as it encouraged me to get creative and start to visualise my music video.

I then decided to storyboard a few specific lyrics too as seen below.

Planning - Codes and Conventions

 Planning - Codes and Conventions

Screen Within Screen

In many music videos screen within screens have been used. I think they are a great experimental shot type to incorporate into music videos.

I experimented with this shot type when I was in the studio with Scarlett, and I think it was quite effective.

Establishing and Wide Shots

A very prominent convention in pop ballad music videos is the use of establishing and wide shots. Based on my research, pop ballad music videos typically feature dramatic locations, and the use of these shot types help emphasise these settings. I shot an establishing/wide shot of Scarlett from the studio and I think it clearly demonstrates the studio location.

Performance and Piano

It is clear from my research that many pop ballad music videos are performances. Despite my intentions of mainly following a narrative storyline, I also want to include some performances to reflect the convention of performance pop ballad music videos. 

Many of these music videos feature the ‘hero’ (main singer) playing the piano, so I ensured to film some videos of Scarlett singing and playing the piano too.

Direct Address Singing

A key convention of not just pop ballad music videos but music videos in general is direct address. This technique really helps the singer emphasize their emotions directly to the watcher, and I hope to include this in my own music video.

New Ideas From Meeting

New Ideas From Meeting

Recently, I met up with my 'main girl model' and I ran through with her my initial ideas for the music video.

This meeting was very useful as I could gather her opinions and ideas that she had, and together we could positively edit my initial ideas!

Below, is a new annotated copy from our meeting...

New ideas we have are in purple, and parts of the song I have removed from the 3 minute audio I have removed from these lyrics - allowing us to only focus on what will actually be included in the music video.

When We Were Young

Song by Adele ‧ 2015

Lyrics

Begins at a crowded party, lots of people, flashing lights, smoke machine etc.

Everybody loves the things you do
From the way you talk
To the way you move
Everybody here is watching you
'Cause you feel like home
You're like a dream come true

The main boy is the centre of attention, being idealised and listened to by everyone around him and then the main girl is the opposite and aware of everyones admiration for him.

But if by chance you're here alone

Transition from him being in the centre of the frame with lots of people around him to having no one around him, he is "alone".

Can I have a moment?
Before I go?

'Cause I've been by myself all night long

Main girl sitting by herself at the party, by herself on train, by herself in room, etc.

Hoping you're someone I used to know

You look like a movie

Him at the cinema

You sound like a song

Him at a concert

My God this reminds me, of when we were young

Transition to when they are younger

Let me photograph you in this light

She takes a photo of him with a disposable camera

A line of all of her ages pans out 

In case it is the last time
That we might be exactly like we were
Before we realized
We were scared of getting old
It made us restless

Sitting next to their oldest versions 

It was just like a movie
It was just like a song

I was so scared to face my fears
Nobody told me that you'd be here

He is somewhere random?

Eg. she is singing and he is in the crowd?

Film in London 

Be on a platform and he appears on the other side but disappears after the train leaves - emphasising the fleeting tendency of love

And I'd swear you moved overseas

Him at airport with suitcase

That's what you said, when you left me

Text message he sends to her of 'I'm moving overseas'

You still look like a movie
You still sound like a song
My God, this reminds me, of when we were young

Oldest version looking through a photo album of their younger selves, then a zoom in on the photo, and then a transition to the moment the photo was captured with their younger selves.

When we were young
(When we were young)
When we were young
(When we were young)

Montage of them growing up, eg. first day of school, gcses, first day of work, etc.

Let me photograph you in this light

Photograph youngest and the contrast to oldest - wearing the same outfits - style conscious!

Or Polaroid picture, when taken they are young and then when the polaroid comes out and has developed they are old.

In case it is the last time
That we might be exactly like we were
Before we realized
We were sad of getting old

It made us restless

It was just like a movie
It was just like a song
When we were young

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins / Tobias Macdonald Jesso

When We Were Young lyrics © Melted Stone Publishing Ltd., Songs Of Universal Inc.

Other Notes!

• Main girl playing the piano and in studio singing - convention for pop ballad
• Make sure to also take photos for the website as you film
• Gather old vs now photos from main actors and lots of people - could do a montage of lots of people holding a picture of their younger selves 
• Add like a 'film' filter, intensifying the nostalgic qualities I aim to convey
• Young shoes vs old shoes, also use props to portray emotions - eg. "To the way you move"
• Film in London
• La La Land Intertextual reference 
• Find out about studios to film the typical 'singer scenes' in
• Analyse some other music videos for inspirations of eg. locations etc.