The Pioneers of Film Editing

"Some time ago, it occurred to me that it might be possible to invent something that would do for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear, an instrument in fact that would faithfully record and reproduce practically all motion"

These where the words that Thomas Edison told a reporter in 1894. Thomas Edison was an American inventor who invented the phonograph (for recording and reproduction of sound recordings), the motion picture camera, projector and a long-lasting electric light bulb. His inventions greatly influenced the world that we live in. In 1899, Edison hired Edwin Stanton Porter and made him the manager of his New York motion picture studio. Edwin Porter is considered to be the first american filmmaker who experimented with film editing. 

Edwin Porter

The Great Train Robbery 1903

Edwin Porter was born and raised in Connellsville, Pennsylvania on the 21st of April. He began his electrical engineering at the Vitascope Marketing Company before moving on to Edison's manufacturing company whilst working as a projector. One of Porter's many duties included the duplication of Méliès films. He would take apart one act of reels and combine several of these into fifteen minute program's. In 1903, he put his talent to use when he directed 'The Great Train Robbery', one of the first major American motion picture. The eight minute feature film showcased an excellent climax, story line and boasted a cast of forty strong actors. Combined with Edison's production rights and Porter's editing talent, it became an epic Western film. 

The Lumière Brothers

The Lumière Brothers

In the other hand in France around 1895, the brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière, invented the Cinématographe, a combined printer, camera and projector. The cinématographe became widely known for its usage in short silent films, such as waves crashing in a shore and a gardener watering a lawn. In one of these films, a mail train appeared to rush towards the audience which made them to lurch back in their seats in fear, (sounds like a 3D film projection). The cinematograph widely spread in the US market, including many countries around the world. The invention earned them an international presence as its silent nature bridged between the    language barrier 

An early drawing of the cinematograph

D.W.' Griffith

D.W. Griffith

I've come across a book before called 'The Birth Of A Nation' by Thomas Dixon Jr. and immediately the cover intrigued me, I found later on that the same book was made into a film by David Llewelyn Wark 'D.W.' Griffith who was born on January 22nd 1875. D.W Griffith is a pioneering American film director, best know for 1915 film 'The Birth Of A Nation'and 1916 film 'Intolerance'. The Birth Of A Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera and narrative techniques, and its increased popularity set the stage for dominance of the feature-length film in the US. However the same film made controversy by the way its negative portrayal of African Americans, white Unionists and Reconstruction, and its positive depiction of slavery and the Ku Klux Klan tribe. The film received critics from companies such as the NAACP, however, Griffith responded his critics with the film 'Intolerance', which was intended to show the history of prejudiced thought and behavior. Unlike 'The Birth Of A Nation' film, 'Intolerance' achieved less financial success but was praised by the critics. D.W. Griffith is considered an important figure in American cinema for his command of film techniques and expressive skills. The American silent filmmaker was also considered to have developed the idea of the motion picture. He owned the Biograph Film Company and trained his company of actors. He was also the first to use the close-up shot as a means of emphasis, using the camera functionally by starting and stopping at appropriate times to create a scene development. Breaking different scenes into a series of shots , he created the first rhythm to motion pictures. 

                                                     Birth of a Nation trailer

George Albert Smith
                                                                                                                              

     George Albert Smith

George Albert Smith was born on the 4th January 1864, he was a stage hypnotist, psychic, magic lantern lecturer, astronomer and inventor. He is one of the pioneers of British cinema, best known for his controversial work with Edward Gurney at the Society for Psychical Research, his short films from 1897 to 1903, which pioneered film editing, close-up shots and his development of the successful colour film process, Kinemacolor. A kinemacolor was used commercially from 1908 to 1914. George Smith was influenced by the work of William Norman Lascelles Davidson but more directly by Edward Raymond Turner. The kinemacolor is a two-colour additive colour process, photographing and projecting a black-and-white film behind altering red and green filters. In 1897, Smith directed a short  black-and-white silent comedy film 'The Miller and the Sweep', which features a miller carrying a bag of flour while fighting with a chimney sweep who was carrying a bag of shoot in front of a windwill, before a crowd comes and chases them away. Michael Brooke from the BFI Screenonline, has said that the film "was one of the first films made by G.A. Smith, shortly after he first acquired a camera", and is also, "one of the earliest films to show a clear awareness of its visual impact when projected."

Cecil Hepworth

Cecil Hepworth

Born in Lambeth, London on the 19th of March 1874, Cecil Milton Hepworth was a British film director, producer and screenwriter. He was amongst the founders of the British film industry and continued making films into the 1920's at his Walton Studios. Hepworth came to moving pictures from a background of magic lanterns. His father was a popular magic lantern entertainer and it was from here where Hepworth developed his interest in projecting pictures, often touring with his father. In 1905, he co-directed 'Rescued by Rover' with Lewin Fitzhamon, starring a collie in the title role. The film became a huge financial success and is regarded as an important development in film grammar, with shots being effectively combined to emphasise the action. Cecil Hepworth was also one of the first to recognise the potential of film stars, both human and animal, with several recurring characters appearing in his films. His skill with publicity and his ability to charm his actors to appear in many of his films, made  the company the only British Film Company to compete well with the wealth of foreign imported films. 

Rescued by a Rover 1905

Lev Kuleshov

Lev Kuleshov

Lev Vladimirovich Kuleshov was born on the 13th January 1899. He was a Soviet filmmaker and film theorist who taught and helped to establish the world's first film school, 'The Moscow Film School'. He has also taught Sergei Eisenstain, who will later become an important figure in the film industry. Kuleshov believed that the essence of the cinema was editing, the juxtaposition of one shot with another. To show this example, he created what has come to be recognised as the 'Kuleshov Experiment'. This famous editing example, shots of an actor where intercut with various meaningful images eg (a casket, a bowl of soup etc) in reference to show how editing changes the viewers perception and interpretations of the images. Alongside his theoretical work, Lev Kuleshov was an active director of feature-length films until 1943. Since 1943, Kuleshov was serving as the academic rector of the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. 

The Lev Kuleshov Experiement

Sergei Eisenstein 

                   Sergei Eisenstein

Born Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein in Russia on the 23rd of January 1898, he was a pioneering Soviet Russian film director and film theorist, often considered to be the 'father of montage'. Most notably noted for his 1924 film 'Strike' 1925 film Battleship and October (1927), including his historical epics 'Ivan The Terrible' and 'Alexander Nevsky' (1938). In 1920, Eisenstein moved to Moscow and began his career at the theatre, working for Proletkult, later working as a designer for Vsevolod Meyerhold. In 1923, Sergei Eisenstein began his career in film theory, by writing 'The Montage of Attractions for LEF (Left Front of the Arts) Journal. His 1927 film 'October' or Ten Days That Shook The World (about the 1917 Russian October Revolution) received critical acclaim. Critics of the outside world praised him, but in his home town, Eisenstein's main focus in this film and 'The General Line' or 'Old and New' was on structural issues such as camera angles, crowd movements, and montage. Two of his earliest theories written was that montage (editing) was the essence of the cinema. His books and articles, mainly Film Form and The Film Sense, explain the importance of montage in more detail.

                                                    1927 film October

Alfred Hitchcock


                                 Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE, was born on the 13th of August in 1899. He was an English film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques used in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After having a successful career in the British cinema for both silent and early talking ones, he moved on to Hollywood in 1939, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1955. With a career spanning more than half a century, Hitchcock's fashioned himself to have a distinctive and recognisable directorial style. He pioneered the use of a camera made to move in an way that mimics a person's gaze, making the viewers to engage in a form of voyeurism (the practice of spying other people during sexual activity like undressing and having a shower). He framed shots to maximise anxiety, fear, or empathy, using innovative film editing. Many of Hitchcock's films have twisted endings and thrilling plots that show, murder, violence and crime, usually with an 'icy blonde' female character as the victim and fugitives on the run from the law, as villains. With his cameo appearances in his films, interviews, film trailers and television programs like 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', he became a cultural icons. Alfred Hitchcock has directed more than fifty feature films in a career and is regarded as one of the 'greatest British filmmaker'. In 2007, he appeared in a poll by film critics of the Daily Telagraph, which states that "Unquestionably the greatest filmmaker to emerge from these islands, Hitchcock did more than any director to shape modern cinema, which would be utterly different without him. His flair was for narrative, cruelly withholding crucial information (from his characters and from us) and engaging the emotions of the audience like no one else."



                                                       Alfred Hitchcock's


Information sources courtesy from wikipedia, imdb, archive.org and early cinema.com

The Purpose of Music Videos

What is the purpose of Music Videos?

The main purpose of a music video is to sell the song of the artist and cause a reaction to the viewer so that it leaves them remembering the song. Like the Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' video. She looks really alien and weird like something that came from another planet. The video looked different to what you get from the lyrics, instead of showing something that people can relate to (a couple arguing, someone getting bullied etc.), Lady Gaga chose to show something that people will talk about, whether it conveyed the lyrics of the song so that people would understand or find confusing when watching it, (the clip doesn't quite match up with the song lyrics). Music video's give the listener a better understanding of the songs and what it's trying to convey, this happens mostly when you watch a music video with a narrative structure in it. They are there to entertain the viewer and show of the talents of the artist, like acting, dancing and most of all, the singing 

Sometimes, songs need a visual aid that helps get the message across to what it's trying to convey. It helps the songs get recognised. Lyrics often hide the meaning of a particular music or it could mean something else, having a music video makes it easier to understand the songs that often a lyric can not do. 

Artist often use music videos to express their personalities and creativeness. An example is Katy Perry; she’s always acting out a different character for each music video that she does. You might see her dressed as an alien or an old woman, all these helps the viewer to visually understand the music more. This makes it more interesting to watch.

Seen in ET with Kanye West

The One Who Got Away

Music videos are there to sell the CD'S of the artist to the viewer; it's also there for them to download it on websites such as iTunes. Creating a memorable visual for the song increases the music track sales. Artist use this marketing strategy of expansion and exposure to increase their popularity and profile. iTunes is a media player and library application from Apple. The application is used to download, play and organise audio tracks and videos on computers, phones and macs. Through iTunes, you can buy and download music. Each time a person downloads a music track from a particular artist, the musician in turn will get an increase in sales and more recognition. Music charts like the Big Top 40 (weekly music chart update) also helps the artist to be widely known. The chart works alongside iTunes by counting how many downloads per person the artist receives  the person with the most will then become number one. Popular songs that get released around midnight, could find themselves number one, because they received thousands of downloads, a recent one is Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky', a song that was number one for 4 weeks.

All these purposes are there to promote the artist. The music video of the artist is a promotional tool for them to become more popular and well known.

Example of a popular Music Video

Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ was listed in the Guinness world Records in 2006 as the ‘most successful music video’, it sold over 9 million records. In 2009, the video was put into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, the first music video to get this. This honour was given for being ‘culturally and historically significant. At the time at its release however, the video didn't get much acclaim because this was the first ever music video to be 10 minutes plus long. People didn't know to react but over the years, it became really popular in popular culture.

  

Editing Techniques, The History and Purposes

The purposes of editing (why do we edit?)

The editing of a film or any form of video is a very important fact to consider. It determines the way the finished video will look like and the effect it could give the viewer. It brings out the intended meaning that the director and producers have created in the film. Editing helps to go over the four main structures of film/video narrative. The order of which you take in information about the plot, how much detail are you meant to take in in the narrative and how you perceive the characters and events that happen at a particular scene. The speed and pace of the film/video, also plays a big part. The editor decides on the duration of a particular shot. The pace/speed of a film determines on the mood and action of each scene. Usually when you view a long shot sequence, the pace is often slower. It shows the setting in detail for the viewer to take the information in. Shorter clips often show fast paced movements and the importance of the action.

The Principles of Editing Techniques

Slow Dissolve
I've noticed that in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, they use a slow dissolve editing technique on the the villain Norman Bates. The camera moves slowly into the the characters face until the final moment where his face is mixed up to show the skull of his mother. This editing often leaves the viewer hooked on the disappearing image for several seconds. The editor overlaps the end of one shot with the beginning of the next one.

Two-Shot and Shot-Reverse-Shot

Editing determines your judgment of a character or events.Sometimes the way a character is edited shows the viewer who they are and what they are doing. In romantic films, when we see a man and woman talking to each other, they can be shot in a two-shot or shot-reverse shot. A two-shot or shot-reverse-shot, sometimes shows the two characters in a certain level of intimacy between them. Sometimes however, a shot-reverse shot can make the audience assume that the characters are looking at each other because they are shown facing in opposite direction, it can often show the characters seem emotionally apart when they are not physically close.

In this scene from the Hunger Games film, Katniss is seen talking to Peeta in a close-up shot-reverse shot. We get to see who is talking and the emotions on the individuals face.



Long-Shot
In editing, the information that you provide for a particular scene holds the importance of a particular event. We see a long-shot in the 1963 Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra 7:09 into the part 9 clip. Cleopatra makes a grand entrance in a statue-like throne that is pulled by slaves. The scene gives the audience the majestic appearance that Cleopatra made when first entering Rome. We also see the Roman citizens in awe of this out-of-this world entrance.

Long shots also known as wide-shots, shows the whole human figure or object that is intended to be placed in some relation to its surroundings. Long-shots give the viewer enough detail to establish the sequence of a particular scene. Long-shot views often requires the use of a wide angled lens to capture more of the films surroundings.

Straight-Cut

There is an interesting scene I like from the Lawrence of Arabia 1962 film, it features one of the most famous cuts in British film making. It shows that instead of T.E Lawrence travelling from his office to the deserts of Cairo, he chooses to extinguish a match in the office that cuts immediately from the close-up of the match light to the stunning scenery of the desert and the orangy flame colour of the sunset. The straight-cut happens from 01:17-01:18 minutes.

Cross-Cutting/Parallel Editing 
This editing technique is mostly used in films and videos to establish action happening at the same time in two different locations. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action scene to another action scene, which often suggests that both sequences are happening at the same time, however this is not often the case. This editing technique is often used to create suspense by cutting between both clips to show and explain what is happening. In this clip of The Godfather (1972), parallel editing is used to set the theme. The cross-cutting goes back and forth from the baptism scene shows the questionable lives of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). In the church scene, Michael accepts God and renounces Satan. In the parallel editing however, shows hitmen recruited by Michael to murder his enemies. It shows the split personalities of Michael, because in one scene Michael fulfills his religious obligations, in another, her carries on with his shady mafia duties.

Shorter version


Longer version


Fade In/Out 
A fade usually occurs when the picture starts to turn into a single colour, often in black or white, or when a picture begins to appear on screen. Fade ins often occur at the start of a film or act, in the other hand, fade outs are found at the end of a film or act. When fading an image, the editor fades one shot to black and then fades into the next. It is often used to indicate a change in time and place of the scenes.

Jump-Cuts
A jump-cut is a transition between two shots which appears to 'jump' due to the way the shots are framed in relation to each other. Jump cuts usually comes from a continuity error and it isn't much of a stylistic choice by the director. A jump cut occurs when a cut, designed to act as a camera angle change, shows a continuity error between the two shots. In this short clip from the French film 'Breathless', the first video shows the woman sitting in a car which is driven by the man (we don't see this but we can hear his voice), the camera keeps cutting of and moving on to another sequence of the same car setting. It created this jumpy feeling and looked as if the director and editor made error during the editing process. The next video has the same jumpy effect, this time there is a man holding a gun in one hand while driving (we get to see his character in this shot). It may seem as though the director made mistakes when shooting the project, but I believe, he made it on purpose to add an unusual effect to the film.

Clip 1


Clip 2
 Continuity/Invisible Editing
This technique creates action that flows smoothly across different shots and scenes without it looking like it has inconsistencies. The scenes go in a chronological order so that it creates a sense of a story to the viewer. It's main purpose is to smoothen over any discontinuity of the editing process and to establish a logical relationship between each shots. This image shows the girl opening the door and about to enter the room, the next shows her opening the door and slowly coming out while in the third picture, she has emerged from the room and is almost fully out the door when in the last image, she is completely out and the door is closing behind her. These images depict an order that runs in a chronological way.


Cutting on action

This is used by editors when they want to cut from one shot to another shot that matches    the first shot's sequence. The shots can often be shot hours apart from each other but as longs as the cutting provides an impression of continuity when editing the film, the the audience will understand the film/video without wondering what is happening. Often when an action is the subject of such editing, the shot can be carried through to completion in the next scene, allowing the editor to create a visual bridge, which in turn can lead the viewer to be distracted from noticing the cut or any continuity errors between the two shots. 

180° Degree Rule
Many film editors use this technique. The 180-degree rule is a basic guideline about the on-  screen spacial relationship between a character or object within the scene. An invisible line called the axis, connects the characters and keeps the camera on one side of the axis for every shot in each scene, the first character will always be placed in the frame of the right of the second character who in turn is always framed left of the first character. This example is shown in Natalie Portman's V for Vendetta film where the camera is focused on her and her surrounding as she moves into the room.

From about the beginning of the clip to almost 02:00 minutes into it, shows an example of the film's 180  degree shot.

Fast Cutting
Fast cut editing is when several continuous shots (of a duration of around 3 seconds or less), is shown in the film or video clip. This technique can often be used to convey a lot of information quickly or just to show the energy or disorder of a particular scene. Fast cutting is often used to shoot a dialogue involving two or more characters, in turn changing the viewers attitude to either concentrate on the reaction of another character's dialogue or to draw attention of the non verbal actions of the speaking character. In Moulin Rouge, a 2001 film by Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby), he used the fast cutting editing technique which can be seen in can-can dance sequence,



The scenes kept switching to the next consecutive scenes in fast paced action. The theatre performers sang a lively, fast and dramatic song that worked well with the editing's speed. It video showed a lot of energy expressed by the characters and the music.

Montage
A montage is a editing technique used in films/videos. It is when a series of short shots are edited into a sequence which shows space. time and information. It has been formally introduced to the cinema by Eisenstein, early Russian directors also used this technique for when they edit their films. In France, the word 'montage' means cutting.

These images shows the sequence of each scene being shown one after the other. This means that they've used the montage technique. In the 1930's to the 1950's, filmmakers have often combined different short shots with optical effects like fades, dissolves and split screens.

This youtube montage clip shows romantic scenes from seven films.

Slow Motion

Slow motion or slowmo, as it is commonly abbreviated, is a editing technique where the video clip showing is a scene's time is slowed down. Invented by  August Musger, an Austrian priest and physicist, this technique is used a lot in films/videos and games.



The 2006 film 300, features a slow motion sequence where Leonidas (the main character) charges through a horde of Persians who all failed to bring him down. The scene is full of chaos, blood and gore sprayed all over. Leonidas makes killing people seem like he's killing a fly.   



In the 1987 film 'The Untouchables', there is a scene in the film at the Chicago's Union Station, in which Kevin Costner (the main character) tries to ward of Al Capone's mafia accomplices (who do the dirty work) whilst being distracted by a runaway pram. The whole scene is tense from start to finish with Kevin and the mafia gang having a shoot-out at the train station, a young woman crying for her baby who's pram is slowly descending down the staircase, until Andy Garcia's (Kevin Costner's side-kick) last-minute save is really cool and came at the right time. If the scene was faster, it wouldn't have the same tense effect.

Fast Motion
Fast motion is an editing technique used to make the film clip look faster than normal on the screen, it is mainly done by filming the scene at a less than normal speed in the camera, then later projecting it at a normal speed rate. 

Primary Research TV Advert Questionnaire

Please tick the question that is appropriate to you:

Which of the adverts shown was your favourite?

1. Paco Rabanne Black XS L´EXCÈS For Her Perfume

2. The Guardian Three Little Pigs TV Advert

3. Sony Xperia Z TV Advert 

4. TV Advert: Doritos - goat 4 sale - Super Bowl 2013 Commercial

Do you like seeing a narrative in the advert?

                         

Yes            No

Which genre do you like seeing the most in an advert?

1. Romance
2. Action
3. Comedy/Humor 
4. Sport
5. Make-up/Clothes
6. Music

Do you think that tag lines/catch phrases are important in an advert?

Yes          No

Do you think that celebrity appearances make a huge deal in TV adverts?

Yes          No

How long do you think a TV advert should last?

1. 20-30 seconds
2. 30-40 seconds
3. 40-50 seconds
4. 50+

Thank you for answering my questions.

Paco Rabanne Black XS L´EXCÈS For Her Parfum TV Advert Analysis

Structure	Tick Box
Linear
Non-Linear
Realist Narrative
Anti-realist narrative
Animation
Documentary
Talking Heads
Stand alone
Series
Style
Humour
Surreal
Dramatic
Parody
Codes and conventions
Camera
Lighting
Sound
Editing
Graphics
Special Effects
Techniques (of persuasion)
Hidden messages
Overt messages
Emotional response or association:
Solution to a problem
Fear
Concern
Social Position ‘Keeping up with the Jones’
Self-perception
Celebrity Endorsement
Statistics
Hard Sell
Repetition

Describe and explain the structures of the advert


I've chosen a linear structure for this advert because the story has a narrative and runs smoothly throughout the short clip. I've also used the dramatic structure because the advert is showcasing the lavish and excessive life of a rock star, portrayed by a male and female model, with the appearance of  Iggy Pop. 

There is a lot of fast cut shots, close-ups and camera angles in the the advert. This adds a dynamic and perspective to what the perfume is about. The close-ups are used to show what the main characters are feeling, they are expressing their daringness and 'don't care' attitude, enjoying carrying on with what they're doing. Mid and long shots are also used to show the movements of the characters. They show the set location and what the background has got to offer.

The background music is rock while the narrator (a man) has a sultry, however each time a word comes on the screen that highlights what each scene is about, he changes it to match the description. When it says be careful, his voice goes higher with a note of caution. The rock music sets the 'rock star life' mood to the advert. 

Iggy Pop who is featured in the perfume advert, also adds the rock and roll factor to the advert, because he is a famous punk/rock musician, he adds believability and celebrity endorsement to what the perfume company's image they created.

The advert is shot in black and white, while the lighting used is a bright white, you can tell that the light is shinned above the characters. Also some scenes in the advert where filmed in the studio and on the stage. You tell this by the fixed colour and the plain surrounding (apart from props like the skull, table, money, candle, bed and guitar) that the background has included.

Summary of Advert 

(Sorry for my lengthy description)
In the beginning of the advert it shows a man's black boot walking into the studio, where he drops a metallic leather coat on the floor. The next scene shows the word, 'be pretty'  where a woman's eye, heavily coloured with eye shadow (above one eye), sticks her tongue out, doing the opposite to what the words say. There is then fast cut scenes on the same woman having her hands on her hair, tongue out and shaking her head. Another shows the top part of the guitar, before a man comes and throws the guitar to a supposed glass, shattering it. The next scene starts with the text to 'be good', however the two main characters where supposedly arrested and where taken mug shots, whilst holding a placard that shows the date and month they where arrested, the woman does a 'I don't care  ' finger gesture. The next text then says to 'be romantic' but it shows two girls kissing a diamond covered small shaped skull. The next scene texts then says 'be polite' but the two main characters play the electric guitar on stage in a concert, while the couple hold their middle finger up.The next text tells them to be careful but the man in the studio shakes is head before jumping into the audience in the concert scene. The scene following tells them to 'be discreet', however the couple where filmed kissing against a wall in the corridor. The scene then moves on two the same couple filming a sex tape in their bedroom before emerging out from the hotel building being photographed by many paparazzi's. There is another fast cut scene showing Iggy Pop shaking is head and torso in beat with the music. The last text tells the couple to 'be excessive', which in turn they do, lying on the floor filled with US dollars. Another fast cut scene happens showing Iggy Pop and the male model (half naked) shouting in front of the camera, moving on to the the female model dark coloured lips licking an ice-cream that has a black skull design in the middle, she then grinds her glitter covered teeth. The final scene shows the couple holding hands and raising it up while bright sparks come up from the floor on the stage of the concert.

Main message of the advert

Viewers that saw the advert where attracted to the explosive couple who where living their rock star personas. The perfume was create to thrill seeking women to add a flame to their outer appearance for a sex & rock n' roll finish. The designer Paco Rabanne is known for his outlandish and flamboyant creations so this advert was no surprise coming from him. He also created the perfume 'Lady Million'.


Target Audience

The Paco Rabanne Black XS L´EXCÈS For Her Parfum, is aimed at women in their early to late 20's, who like the rock and roll outlook of the perfume.

Identify and explain the characteristics of the product or service

Benefits offered:
The main benefits offered in the product is that it has a distinctive smell, it has a fusion of being orientally floral, whilst having a mix of energy, with hints of the neroli and black pepper, jasmine and rose to add the 'Queen of the Night' vibe and cashmere wood to add a voluptuous, mysterious and addictive spell. It gives the perfume wearer a feeling of being a rock star. 

Advantages over other similar products (unique selling points):
The advantages that the perfume has over other similar products is that unlike many perfume brands, is that it has brought a new new style to the perfume scene by adding two fragrances together. Two talented perfumers, created a perfume to highlight excess. Emilie Coppermann for Black XS L´EXCÈS for Her and Fabrice Pellegrin for Black L´EXCÈS, together added their scents for the designer brand to produce something unique. The perfume has won over many fans.

Lifestyle Appeal:
The Paco Rabanne Black XS L´EXCÈS For Her perfume evokes the rebellious, rock and roll attitude that the wearer would have. The perfume design features a glossy silver skull, representing rock and roll, while the text and black and pink colour add a gothic outlook to the perfume bottle.

Brand Identity:
The brand identity of the perfume brand is that it known worldwide, created by a bold and flamboyant designer with the help of two excellent perfumers.