Music and Postmodernism

Pick 'n' Mix culture: the past, or distant and exotic cultures, are a) detached from their

environment and b) used selectively to anchor the chaotic images of modern European

and American life (Elvis Presley's 'It's Now or Never/O Sole Mio'; Gregorian chants in the

Top Ten) A modern example would include artists such as Lady Gaga, MIA, Madeon and

Active Child.

My example of Pick 'N' Mix culture would be Belle by Jack Johnson as it has the style, lyrics and language straight from French culture whilst encompassing the often chaotic problem of relationships.

Intertextuality: The preference for parody, nostalgia, kitsch and pastiche over realism 

My example of a song with a preference for parody and nostalgia over realism would be that of Tim Minchin and his songs, which are based on real occurrences and issues however they play parody and comedy over realism.

The dominance of surface over depth

Surface over depth implies that greater emphasis is based on the image of the singer or song writer whilst the song is made in a style that would is most applicable to the widest audience. In today's society I would say that this is the 'X-factor' audience. My example of a song writers or artists which place surface over depth would be that of One Direction.

No strong sense of history or the future. Alienation is abolished by saying, 'Utopia is now'

as in raves or music festivals.

I think that this is obvious within the club scene. Especially within the newly domination Dub-steb scene and preference of other artists to make there work rave like and seem like the whole thing is made for a club. For example Rihanna.

A new status for art culture. Art does not represent or reflect reality: it is reality Like the

characters in a soap opera, pop stars can seem more 'real' than our own friends.

This has had increasing relevance over time and the development of social networking sites such as twitter and Facebook. The pop stars use of these sites often brings them closer into the lives of many people. Especially when this is coupled with the existence of magazines such as Heat. This is increasingly obvious as normal people use twitter accounts in the name of the famous as a way to spread good wishes and pass statements of wisdom.

Postmodern music

A very interesting aspect of postmodern music theory. This will help you with your next essay.

Media Theorist Jonathan Kramer says "the idea that postmodernism is less a surface style or historical period than an attitude. Kramer goes on to say 16 "characteristics of postmodern music, by which I mean music that is understood in a postmodern manner, or that calls forth postmodern listening strategies, or that provides postmodern listening experiences, or that exhibits postmodern compositional practices."
According to Kramer (Kramer 2002, 16–17), postmodern music":

1. is not simply a repudiation of modernism or its continuation, but has aspects of both a break and an extension
2. is, on some level and in some way, ironic
3. does not respect boundaries between sonorities and procedures of the past and of the present
4. challenges barriers between 'high' and 'low' styles
5. shows disdain for the often unquestioned value of structural unity
6. questions the mutual exclusivity of elitist and populist values
7. avoids totalizing forms (e.g., does not want entire pieces to be tonal or serial or cast in a prescribed formal mold)
8. considers music not as autonomous but as relevant to cultural, social, and political contexts
9. includes quotations of or references to music of many traditions and cultures
10. considers technology not only as a way to preserve and transmit music but also as deeply implicated in the production and essence of music
11. embraces contradictions
12. distrusts binary oppositions
13. includes fragmentations and discontinuities
14. encompasses pluralism and eclecticism
15. presents multiple meanings and multiple temporalities
16. locates meaning and even structure in listeners, more than in scores, performances, or composers

Jonathan Donald Kramer (December 7, 1942, Hartford, Connecticut – June 3, 2004, New York City), was a U.S. composer and music theorist.

Active as a music theorist, Kramer published primarily on theories of musical time and postmodernism. At the time of his death he had just completed a book on postmodern music and a cello composition for the American Holocaust Museum.

Postmodernism and Music

The postmodern sensibility is that anything can be considered cool in an ironic 'I know it's bad, but it's so bad it's good' kind of way.

I think that an example of this would be James Blunt and Your Beautiful. I would say this because it was a large hit yet popular consensus was that it was a terrible song.

Work that is created based (entirely or in part) on older material. This incorporates sampling and will take you from the realms of hip hop culture transporting you finally in today’s modern fragmented musical landscape. You will have to listen to some of the artists to fully appreciate them and their work.


Whilst this was not made by either The Kooks or Kanye it is still examples of sampling as the producer has drawn his work from to separate songs and put them together.

Audiences that are both niche and mainstream. E.g.: Radio 1, 1xtra, BBC6, XFM

I think bands such as the Fleet Foxes, Noah and the Whale or Mumford and Sons fulfil this catergory as whilst they play music that would be considered niche, they now present themselves to a mainstream audience

The ways in which people engage and listen to music e.g.: iPod, DAB, mobile phones etc


The iPhone is a perfect example of this, as it is seemingly universally widespread.

The legal issues surrounding sampling. (Led Zeppelin borrowed heavily from old bluesmen and it took years for the songwriters to be credited and paid royalties. The same group took a hard-line stance initially to be sampled by hip hop groups.)

It has been claimed that Coldplay used Joe Satriani's chord progression in the song Viva la Vida:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/joe-satriani-sues-coldplay-for-viva-la-vida-plagiarism-20081205

The state of the music industry incorporating any recent developments that change how we access/ interact with music e.g.: Spotify, X Factor, iTunes, illegal downloading, free cds with newspapers etc

Matt Cardle made a single out of Biffy Clyro's Many of Horror. Which then becamse a success due to his X-factor performance. Number 1 hits tend to be from X-factor winners.

Pulp Fiction Prezi

Copy of Pulp Fiction on Prezi

In what ways can Inglorious Basterds be considered Postmodern

In what ways can Inglorious Basterds be considered Postmodern?

After the 1960’s it can be said that the film industry moved away from modernism and films with utopian ideals and general, large story lines. Instead it can be argued that there was movement towards a postmodern era, in which films today can still be catagorised, such as Inglorious Basterds. Post Modernism upsets the mainstream conventions of narrative structure and characterisation whilst films which are catergorised as postmodernism often use Hyper-reality as a means to define what is actually real. It can be seen that these characteristics can be seen in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds and this is what makes it an exemplar of PostModern work.

Postmodern elements run throughout the film; through each of the chapters given. Inglorious Basterds can be seen as postmodern due to elements in chapter one.

The first of these elements is that of his use of yellow text. It can be seen that Tarantino’s use of yellow text is Postmodern because it breaks conventions of text on screen, which usually consists of white or black subtitles, very rarely are they a colour; especially yellow. It is this yellow colour which is a second reason that this is an element of Postmodernism. it can be said that the use of yellow text for subtitles is a homage to his other work; for example Kill Bill. This is Postmodern as it reminds us that this is his piece of work and we as an audience are being told that this was created by Tarantino and thus we are reminded it is a text.

A second reason that chapter one of Inglorious Basterds can be defined as Postmodern is because of the Fourth wall. It can be seen that breaking the Fourth Wall is a postmodern element used by Tarantino throughout this chapter of the film. This is exemplified firstly via a birds eye shot of the room revealing the beams and thus the set and secondly by a pan down through the floor to where the Jews are hiding, rather than a normal cut which would have been expected by the audience. Again these are features of Postmodernism as Tarantino has gone to lengths to remind us that we are watching a film and not letting us become enthralled by the narrative.

Intertexual references within the first chapter are the third reason that Inglorious Basterds can be considered Postmodern. The intertextual reference is that of The Sound of Music and in particular the scene links strongly to the famous ‘The Hills are Alive with the sound of music’. This has been done so that the link is as recognisable as possible. This can be considered Postmodern as it adds an element of fantasy into the narrative-this coupled with the fairy tale title at the beginning allows the film to move away from the general story lines of modernist films and create something niche and unreal. To this point the theory of Levi-Strauss can be added. He believes in the theory of ‘bricolage’-that all texts are are constructed from the debris of other, socially recognisable texts.It can be seen that the use of The Sound of music back drop has been added by transposition from one film to another.

The use of music within chapter one is the fourth reason that the film can be considered Postmodern. It can be seen that Tarantino has deliberately taken the music from a Spaghetti Western and re-contextualised it to allow it to fit his own film. It can be seen that this is postmodern as it reveals the directors influence and helps to build drama and tension within the scene.

Elements of Postmodern film continue through chapter two. One element which makes the film Postmodern in chapter two is that of the acting. This links to that of both Brad Pitt and the actor who plays Hitler. In consideration of Pitt it can be seen that his acting is over done and at points it can be hard to take him seriously. This feature is also extended towards Hitler, who is portrayed as sulky and pathetic. This element of acting can be considered Postmodern as it links to hyper reality, presenting these characters to the audience as real when in reality it be hard to find anyone as characteristic. This parody of characters; especially Hitler can be termed hypotexuality as coined by Gerard Genette. This is when the text is a parody or has parody elements to it of a previous film. The portrayal of Hitler within this scene can be seen as a parody of the one portrayed in Downfall.

A second reason that Inglorious Basterds is considered Postmodern is because of how the main scene in the woods is established and written as a Spaghetti Western. It can be seen that the camera angles used and the position of the characters across the hill couple with the music is Postmodern. This can be considered Postmodern because of how it is a direct intertextual link to the penultimate scene in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, allowing the audience to associate the film with another.

A key element in chapter two which makes the film Postmodern is that of the voiceover. It can be seen that by using Samuel L. Jackson as the voice, the film gives direct links to Tarantino himself, whilst when the voice over is coupled with the writing on the screen it can be seen that it is a feature used to remind the audience that they are watching a film. This can be seen as Postmodern as it removes the audience from the narrative and allows Tarantino to present key elements of the film via a cameo role by his friend.

A fourth reason that the film can be considered Postmodern is because of the intertextual links provided to us in chapter two. It can be seen that within the Stiglitz scene there is the use of recontextualised Blaxploitation music which intertextually links to the film Shaft. Whilst within the woods scene there is the link of the scalping to western films and the baseball bat to the USA. This can be considered Postmodern as it allows the audience to be reminded of previous films during Inglorious Basterds and this constantly reminds us of Tarantino’s direction during the making of the film.

A final reason that it can be considered postmodern is because of how elements break the Fourth Wall. It can be seen that this is exemplified during the woods scene when the camera angles are focused upon the faces of the actors, and a high depth of field is used to blur the backgrounds. This is considered Postmodern as it allows the actors to appear to be communicating into the camera and thus through the screen to the audience. This is another medium through which the audience can be reminded that the film is a film.

Within the third chapter there are key Postmodern elements. The first of which is that of the electric guitar track from Blaxploitation films used when we are presented Goebbels. This can be considered Postmodern as it is a motif which is continued through the film several times. This continuation is a feature not often used in modernist films and thus it can be considered Postmodern.

A second element which is Postmodern is that of the public information film. This is a feature which is commentated by Jackson; again a motif which continues through the film. Not only this, but the short clip is British, giving no obvious reason why it should be portrayed to the audience. The Postmodern element of this feature is that of how it is unexpected; but is used as a different medium through which a vital component of the plot can be explained. Whilst there are not as many Postmodern elements within chapter three, those that are presented to us are definitively Postmodern.

Within the chapter Operation Kino the Postmodern elements are centered upon the British. This is exemplified in numerous ways including how the British have perfect accents whilst each British character has a witty retort. The character played by Fassbender is over the top and charming. This is seen as Postmodern not just because it plays upon American stereotypes of the British but it also portrays Hitchcox as a binary opposite to Brad Pitt’s character. Giving opportunity for the audience to compare the two whilst removing the film from modernist counterparts. it does as within a modernist film’s general storyline we would expect characters with binary opposite mannerisms to be enemies; however it Inglorious Basterds they are allies.

A second Postmodern element which again runs as a motif throughout the film is Tarantino’s use of Rod Taylor to play Churchill purely as a Cameo role. This can be viewed as Postmodern as it is a motif which aligns itself alongside Tarantino’s use of Jackson for the voiceovers.

Within the final chapter there is one key element which must be considered Postmodern. It can be seen that this is the projection room scene involving Shoshanna and Frederick Zoller. One reason this can be considered Postmodern is because of the music used. It can be seen that there is a deliberate use of contrapunctual music. This can be viewed as Postmodern as the audience is uplifted by what is romantic and pleasant music whilst we are also privy to a shocking scene in which both the characters die. It can be argued that this is Postmodern as it is a feature not used within previous modernist films.

Secondly, it can be said that there is a intertextual link to Romeo and Juliet within the scene in which both characters die at the hands of the other. This can be considered Postmodern as it allows a tragic ending and links the film towards that of a love story.

A final reason why the film can be considered Postmodern is because of Tarantino’s use of slow motion. Whilst it can be argued that previous modernist films have used slow motion; it can be said that Inglorious Basterds is different because of how the slow motion is used as a means to extend the tragedy of the scene. It extends this tragedy as it allows the audience to focus upon the death of Shoshanna; arguably the main character and gives the audience time with which to reflect upon how despite the fairytale beginning; the ending has no links to a happy ending.

However, aside from this scene, there are numerous postmodern elements. The first of which is that of how a 1980’s David Bowie song is played over the top of the first scene. This goes against what is expected of a specific genre; such as a war film. It can be seen as Postmodern as the audience would be expecting period music or classically scored orchestra music, whereas in Inglorious Basterds the audience is presented with an intertexual link to the 1980’s.

A final element of Postmodernism given in Chapter five is that of a hyper-real ending. It can be seen that the ending cinema scene in which all the top Nazi commanders die can be seen as hyper-real as it goes against what is real, changing what has happened and presents it to the audience as reality. This is Postmodern as it gives direct links to Hitler’s earlier scene in which he is presented as a hyper-real character. plus it can be seen that in traditional war films, there would have been a desire to remain true and stay the course of history.

Therefore it can be seen that Inglorious Basterds is a Postmodern film; one which portrays key elements which define this. 

Baudrillard and Lyotard's Theories Within Inglorious Basterds

Braudrillard's theory his based upon the idea of hyper-reality; something which makes it easily associated with Inglorious Basterds. It can be seen that there are numerous points in which Baudrillard can be associated with Inglorious Basterds.  For example:

• The characters themselves can be classified as hyper-real; especially Aldo Raine and Hitler who are both portrayed as extremes within social boundaries.
• The death of Hitler and the top five within the Nazis party is particular Hyper-real as it alters reality in which none died in a cinema. It is taking this element from the film and warping it into its own reality.
• The portrayal of the British and British characters within the film is another point of hyper-reality. This can be seen due to the perfect nature of their actions and elegance, something from reality but viewed stereotypically to be correct.
• Props within the film can be seen as hyper-real. An example of this includes Hans Landas pipe in the opening scene. This hyper-reality is used to add humour and to break the tense scene. 

The theorist Lyotard believes in the idea that postmodern films are made of micro-narratives, which are unpredictable in nature compared to the grand narratives of of modernist films pre-1960. He believes films which fall under this category are those which are unpredictable to the audience and that reflect diversity in the narrative. There are elements of this in Inglorious Basterds:

• The plot takes a great twist in the projection room scene in the final chapter where Shoshanna and Frederick Zoller both die at the hands of each other. This is unpredictable because Shoshanna is established as arguably the main character-we do not expect her to die.
• There is an unpredictable nature to the tavern scene in 'Operation Kino'. The violent end is unexpected as the dialogue had be running for so long, plus there is the added element that characters defined as 'good' die in the scene.
• There is also the unpredictable nature of Tarantino's choice of music; highlighted by his use of the 1980 David Bowie song over the top of scene where Shoshanna prepares for the cinema evening.

Gerard Gennette

Intertexuality-Quotation, Plagiarism and illusion


There are elements of Intertexuality within Inglorious Basterds for example Tarantino has included music and positioning from the Spaghetti Western The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Second, the idea of killing SS and Nazis can be seen to have come from the film with Clint Eastwood, Where Eagles Dare. 
The background scene to the opening chapter can be seen to be taken or inspired from the The Sound of Music. In particular the scene in which The Hills are Alive with The Sound Music music.
Along side this is the the opening dark screen where the title is written in the style that would be expected from a fairytale.

Architextuality-Designation of the text as part of a genre by the director or the audience


It can be seen that there aren't elements of the actual film which fit under Architextuality however the film before it was produced was coined as Tarantino's war film and thus became expected by the audience as a film from the war genre.

Metatexuality- Explicit or implicit critical commentary of one text on another


Within Inglorious Basterds it can be seen that there are examples of Metatexuality when Frederick Zoller talks of Charlie Chaplain, his German counter part, Van Johnson and there is commentary on the film Pitz Palu and its director. This can be seen as Metatexuality as Frederick Zoller gives critical commentary on real films from the period in which Inglorious Basterds is set.

Hypotexuality-The relationship between a text and a proceeding hypo-text. A text or genre on which it is based but which transforms, modifies, elaborates or extends (including parody, spoof, sequel, translation)


There are elements of hypo-textuality in that Inglorious Basterds as there are numerous moments of translation throughout the film. For example there is translation of Where Eagles Dare, the Dirty Dozen

Quotes and Creativity

"A process needed for problem solving...not a special gift enjoyed by a few but a common ability possessed by most people" (Jones 1993)

I disagree with this quote. It can be seen that creativity is a process for problem solving and this is demonstrated when challenges are presented. Such as the coursework we completed in our AS year and in our A2 year. However I believe that it is an ability which is possessed by all people, it is just that different people use it in different ways, as there are so many different ways to use creativity. It can be seen that creativity is enjoyed by all people; it may just take time and the right circumstances for it to develop and be used. Thus proving that people possess it.

"The making of the new and the re arranging of the old" (Bentley 1997)

I disagree with the the beginning of this quote. I do not think that creativity is the creating of new things; as having completed my AS and A2 coursework I feel that it is very hard to create anything which is completely original and 'new'. Instead I believe that creativity is contrary to this quote; and that nothing is original, but elements of products are taken from elsewhere and used.

"Creativity results from the interaction of a system composed of three elements: a culture that contains symbolic rules, a person who brings novelty into the symbolic domain, and a field of experts who recognise and validate the innovation." (Csikszentmihalyi 1996)

I think that this quote is saying that for creativity to exist there must be a culture in which it can flourish; and particular elements of creativity already existing. For example in the Renaissance there was a culture in which rules existed. Guiding artists to develop specific pieces of work. The second half of the quote involves people, but these people must creative. The novelty refers to their creativity. By 'a field of experts' I believe this can be referred to in today's society to consist of whether there is a general public consensus in support of the pieces of work which has been created. I agree with the quote in the terms that I have describe. However I do not feel that there needs to be rules involved, but that creativity exists regardless of whether boundaries exist.

"There is no absolute judgement [on creativity] All judgements are comparisons of one thing with another." (Donald Larning)

I believe that this means that nobody can (should) judge a piece of work just by looking at it. Instead I believe that this quotes means all work must be compared to other pieces of work. I agree with this quote. I feel that the principle of this quote lies with the idea that nothing is original.

"Technology has taken all the creativity out of media production"

I believe that this is incorrect and just wrong. I believe that this quote cannot exist when tools and platforms such as Photoshop, iMovie etc etc exist.

"A project that is too well planned lacks opportunities for spontaneity and creativity."

I disagree with this quote. I think that there is need for planning however, I do not feel that this would obstruct creativity. I believe this because within my own A2 coursework, despite planning-we still decided to add effects in post production which were not planned. Other creative mediums are just as spontaneous, for example photography.

"Media producers can learn nothing from studying the conventions of old texts"

I disagree with this quote and this is because I see this quote as insinuating that inspiration cannot be drawn old texts. I would also describe old texts as any media creation which has been made before. I therefore believe that 'nothing is original' and that inspiration can be drawn from anywhere. 




The creation of bringing something new into existence-"this particular understanding of creativity involves the physical making of something, leading to some form of communication, expression or revelation" (David Gauntlett)


I think that this quote means that creation involves the creator making something to communicate or express either their creativity or how they feel. These creations can then lead to revelations from those who view them. I agree with this quote. In particular I agree with the idea that creativity is the physical making of something. I especially believe that this is done to express how one feels.




If creativity is not inherent in human mental powers, and is, in fact, social and situational, then technological developments may well be linked to advances in the creativity of individual users" (Banaji, Burn and Buckingham 2006)


I think that this quote implies that if creativity does not come naturally to some people then it is present due to social situations and the community in which people live. It can be seen that the quote is saying that if creativity does not come naturally to certain people then technology will help advance it. To some extent I agree with this; I believe that all people have creativity and that new technological advances can help develop it in those who struggle to express it.

What is Creativity?

Imagination

-  Within my AS coursework I used my imagination to develop a background story and the article to create around my subject in the magazine. This can be seen as creative as I used my own ideas and creations to develop something which suited the genre I had picked.

Within the A2 coursework we used our imagination as we created a scenario we wanted to develop. This scenario consisted of that of a apocalypse. This can be seen as imaginative as not many music videos consist of such a theme.

Inspiration 

-For my AS work it can be seen that I used inspiration to fill out my contents page. This inspiration came from the music magazine NME and is evidenced by my use of such sub-titles as ‘Radar’.

For the Digipak from my A2 coursework, it can be seen that I used inspiration from the Bombay Bicycle Club Flaws album. This inspiration can be seen in my colour scheme and the use of images across the whole of my digipak. Secondly, inspiration can be seen in my decision to use elements of the XX’s magazine advert to help me use my own images.

Ingenuity

-Within my AS coursework I feel that I used ingenuity in the naming of the piece of work. I merged the two different titles and came to use the creation of both. As I saw that my merging both I could create a link to my genre of music.

Within the A2 piece of work we used ingenuity via the variety of pieces of equipment we used. It can be seen that this was done via ingenuity as often we had very little time and had to adapt to using a different piece of equipment.

Inventiveness

 -In my AS coursework it can be seen that I used inventiveness upon my front cover through the use of black and white on the main image. This was inventive as I had not planned the use of black and white; it can be seen as a spontaneous decision.

Within the A2 coursework it can be seen that we used inventiveness in our use of post production affects. This is evidenced by our used of filters over the top of certain elements of the video. This was inventive as it was something we played with in our first draft. we never planned to use it.

Resourcefulness

-Within my AS coursework it can be seen that I was resourceful through the decisions I made regarding genre. I used the alternative genre as it was the one I listened to and thus knew most about; giving me greater scope to develop a piece of work on it.

In our A2 coursework it can be seen that we used resourcefulness as we owned the equipment we used and thus knew how to use it and had the option to always use it. This applied to the musical instruments we used as well.

Creativeness

-Creativeness can be seen in my AS piece of coursework via the front cover I developed. This is evidenced via how I used colour to fill in the superman emblem on my subjects top and placed a shadow of superman behind him. I did this to develop a link between the two and add depth to the front cover.

Creativeness in my A2 piece of coursework can be seen by the effects I place over the top of the images I used on my digipak and magazine advert. I wanted to create a darker apocalypse feel and thus added vignetting and a filter.

Vision

 -Within the AS coursework I had vision in that I wanted to develop an alternative magazine  via the use of images which created a relaxed atmosphere.  This was done via capturing the relaxed nature of the clothes my subjects wore.

In the A2 coursework  we had an aim  to make a post- apocalyptic video which we managed to carry through. A second reason this was  fulfilled vision was  because of how closely it stuck to the storyboard we drafted in the research and planning; which consisted if images of our original vision.

Innovation

- Within my AS coursework it can be seen that I was innovative in the style of the magazine I created. I looked to develop something different from other magazines and I feel that what I created shows this, particularly via my use of fonts and the different variety of bands I featured on the cover of of my magazine.

In my A2 coursework innovation can be seen in the way that we used more than two locations. It can be seen that the majority of music videos use one or two. However, for ours, we used three. Something which I feel was innovative.

How creative do you think you have been?

Throughout both my AS and A2 coursework I feel I have been creative. I feel that for my AS my creativity was unexplored then the challenge that developing a magazine presents allowed me to develop and explore my creativity via the use of photographs and designs. I would say that by the end of the AS coursework I had been creative and that I felt this was highlighted through what I felt I developed as my personal style; the use of particular colours, style of images and style of fonts.

Continuing from this I feel that my creativity increased from AS to A2. One reason I feel for this is because I knew what I was capable of, and I knew how to use the tools to progress my creativity. A second reason I feel that I have been creative and that i think creativity has increased from AS to A2 is because of how the music video was developed as a partnership. By comparing views and ideas I was capable to act upon advice and criticism and from this develop ideas further. 

What has prevented you from being more creative?

In my AS work I feel that one thing that prevented me being creative was the limited technology that was available for use. I used older pieces of software and the use of equipment not capable of the standard of work I was aiming for.

In my A2 work I would say that one thing that prevented creativity was that of time. The lack of time to develop a 2nd draft can be seen to have stunted creativity as perhaps we lacked opportunity to rethink certain areas of the work, and thus missed an opportunity to develop the work in a fashion that would have allowed more creativity.

Have boundaries prevented you from being creative?

In my AS work I do not feel that boundaries prevented me from being creative as I was unsure of what needed doing and I had not formulated enough ideas to be constricted. It can be seen that knowing the guidelines I had the boundaries provided help me developed ideas that weren't going to be dismissed on the grounds that they were to broad.

In my A2 work I feel boundaries did not restrict my creativity but actually helped in. I would argue this as by being told what we had to develop, creativity could be poured into this one area, helping to develop specific ideas. Instead of being lost over a decision making period on what product I wanted to create.

Album Cover

1. Generate a name for your band by using WikiPedia's random page selector tool, and using the first article title on whichever page pops up. No matter how weird or lame that band name sounds.

2. Generate an album title by cutting and pasting the last four words of the final quote on whichever page appears when you click on the quotationspage's random quote selector tool. No matter what those four words turn out to be.

3. Finally, visit Flickr's Most Interesting page -- a random selection of some of the interesting things discovered on Flickr within the last 7 days -- and download the third picture on that page. (Even better: Click on this link to get a Flickr photo that's licensed under Creative Commons.) Again -- no cheating! You must use the photo, no matter how you feel about it.

4. Using Photoshop (or whatever method you prefer), put all of these elements together and create your very own CD cover, then upload it to the CD memepool

Here is my own version: