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? 

The documentary focuses on the 1985 recording of “We Are the World”, when some of the biggest pop stars of the time came together in one studio to record a charity single. This moment is significant because it was rare to see so many major artists collaborating for a single cause. For people interested in music history, it shows how pop music could bring artists together and be used to make a real global impact, not just entertain.

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

The poster clearly suggests the 1980s through the way the artists are presented. The hairstyles, clothing, and large studio headphones are all strongly associated with that era. The classic microphone and recording-studio setting also help place the documentary in the past, while the illustrated style gives it a timeless, almost nostalgic feel.

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

The documentary is likely aimed at a wide audience. Older viewers who remember the song will be drawn in by nostalgia, while younger audiences may be curious about the story behind a song they’ve heard referenced in popular culture. Music fans and students are also part of the target audience, as the documentary offers insight into a major moment in pop music history.

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?

You would expect retro-style typography, warm or muted colours, and imagery linked to recording studios, such as microphones and headphones. The illustrated portraits rather than modern photography help suggest that this is a story from the past, focusing on legacy and cultural importance rather than current chart music.

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

The promotional text could reference how the song defined a generation, while also highlighting that the story still matters today. Phrases that suggest untold stories or behind-the-scenes moments would appeal to modern audiences. Linking the themes of unity and social responsibility to current global issues would also make the documentary feel relevant, not just nostalgic.

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 a wide range of key influences and trends in pop music. These include topics such as Auto-Tune and digital technology, the rise and impact of boy bands, festival culture, and how pop music is shaped by industry decisions, fame, and audience tastes. Rather than focusing on one artist, the series looks at how pop music evolves and why certain sounds or movements become so influential.

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

A billboard poster could show a collage of different visual elements rather than one central image. This might include microphones, crowds at festivals, studio equipment, neon lights, or silhouettes of performers. Using layered imagery would reflect how the series covers many different eras, styles, and ideas, suggesting that pop music history is complex and constantly changing.

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?

Because This Is Pop is a series, the poster would need to communicate variety rather than one specific story. Instead of focusing on a single moment or artist, the design might feel broader and more dynamic. It could use bold typography, multiple images, or abstract visuals to suggest that each episode explores a different topic, encouraging viewers to keep watching beyond just one episode.

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

Older audiences may be drawn to episodes about earlier pop movements, such as the rise of boy bands or iconic artists from past decades, which evoke nostalgia. Younger audiences are more likely to be interested in topics like Auto-Tune, streaming culture, and modern festivals, which connect directly to the music they consume today. This mix helps the series appeal to multiple generations.

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

To show that the series is more than just entertainment, the poster could use a clean, serious design, muted or contrasting colours, and minimal but striking imagery. Studio footage, archival-style visuals, or layered text could suggest research and reflection. This would signal that This Is Pop is exploring the cultural and social impact of pop music, not just celebrating it.

‹‹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 Greatest Night in Pop presents pop music as serious, emotional, and historically important, focusing on one powerful moment of unity.

This Is Pop presents pop music as diverse, energetic, and ever-changing, showing many styles and influences rather than one event.

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

The first image shows diversity through collaboration in a single moment, while This Is Pop shows diversity more openly by including multiple genres, artists, and eras.

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

The Greatest Night in Pop evokes nostalgia and respect, while This Is Pop creates a sense of fun, curiosity, and recognition.

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?

From The Greatest Night in Pop: emotional expressions, warm colours, strong central focus.

From This Is Pop: bold typography, collage layout, and illustrated visuals to show variety.

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

Both images use media language to show pop music as culturally significant, not just entertainment; one through emotional history, the other through breadth and analysis.

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 era.

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.

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)

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.”

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

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?

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.

Statement of Intent

1) Once you have completed your print research and planning, go back to your statement of intent and make sure you have included the print brief in your final draft. Then, submit the final draft statement of intent to your teacher. The due date for this will be confirmed by your coursework teacher.

Use your Media coursework lessons to complete these planning tasks - homework time should be exclusively to revise for mocks.