Evaluation- Question Four

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

.

Numerous software's and equipment were needed in order for this project to be completed; you wouldn't even know where to start without it.

.

First things first, technology came into direct contact right at the beginning of the project when we had to create our A2 media blogs. The software BLOGGER, the same as in the AS year was the chosen software to publish our coursework on. Blogger is an essential component in this project not only for displaying our work effectively, but also providing a way of communication, managing our time and obtaining feedback. This interactive blog also enabled us to post research videos from YOU TUBE as well as allowing us to publish Slide-share publications and Vimeo videos, displaying our ideas, planning, research and of course our final work.

.

.

The search engine FIREFOX acted basically as the hub for this entire project. In order for us to research, access our blogs and review other work, the internet was essential. This in turn leads on to how we began to research. After discovering our chosen music genre, we needed to research into the music video conventions. In order to do this, the broadcasting site YOU TUBE was used predominately in order for us to watch and analyse numerous music videos.

These two pieces of software provided us with existing music videos in abundance as well as helping us to understand the conventions of these products. This ensured that we were able to create a realistic and professional; product which complied with the industry’s conventions. It was in fact the internet that lead us to finding the music genre that best related to our chosen song. The website UK TRIBES was used in order for us to obtain in depth information about our target audience as well as an insight into their interests and hobbies. Without the internet, such accurate information as this would have been hard to come by.

.

The social networking site FACEBOOK, was the chosen software for our group to correspond and discuss ideas out of school as well as obtain a wide range of feedback for all three products, whether rough or finished.

.

Even though the above can be accessed on nearly all PC's, our work would predominately be created and manipulated on the sophisticated APPLE IMAC. This quality piece of equipment enabled us to construct the aspects of our project effectively and with ease.

.

The Ancillary Tasks

In order for us to create distinctive and high quality ancillary tasks, the software ADODE PHOTOSHOP was used. After using the software at AS level, we were able to effectively construct a Digipak and Magazine Advertisement , using all the necessary tools provided by the software. The magazine advertisement consisted of a basic image of our artist looking in an upward direction. This image was heavily manipulated in photoshop using such techniques as desaturation and the stamp tool in order to achieve the desired effect. Again, for the Digipak such tools as the magic wand and adjusting the opacity levels were used to create the basic firework template. The coloured firework impression was also manipulated via the hue/ saturation tool and changing opacity levels. (For more detailed information please see the development stages).

The Music Video

We used a Sony DCR-HC62 camera to film our video. The high quality camera enabled us to achieve the crisp look we wanted and needed for our video to look professional. The settings on the camera also enabled us to manipulate such aspects as lighting in order to achieve the desired effect. An example of this was in the opening section of our music video. The spotlight setting was used in order to illuminate the artists face, but not the surroundings. For some of our footage, we used a tripod. This allowed us to obtain stable footage for desired sections of the video. Predominately, however we used it hand-held. As our artist was constantly on the move throughout the video, the camera movement worked well with the walking sequences.

.

Our footage was then uploaded to the programme FINAL CUT. Our audio was first manipulated on the highly advanced garage band. It was then imported into the Final Cut software's timeline, before capturing our desired footage and, over time, placing sections of footage into place. The took a lot of time as some aspects such as lip syncing and narrative features and to be shown at chosen parts in the lyrics. The software enabled us to constantly view each section of footage, which if needing to be modified, was easy to do. The software also enabled us to experiment with different effects for our music video; it being either colour correction or transitions.

Editing the Video

Please click on link to view in better detail.

When out filming, images were taken on an IPHONE 4 of our group working, locations and of our artist performing. This provided us with crisp images to work with and use as evidence, showing our group working effectively. These images could then easily be uploaded to the desired software in JPEG form.

.

Technology has been vital when presenting and assessing our work in the evaluation stages. Technology has been used throughout as well as answering these evaluation questions efficiently. Video's have been created, provided final feedback on all three components of this project. Compilations have also been created in order to elaborate on the text based answers. Such features as these make the evaluation much more engaging for the viewers as well as express our work in a more effective manner. Without all this technology, this project could not be done!!!