Question 4: How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

The media technologies we used were; 

Here are a few examples of how we used them;




I used WIX to create the band website. This was a website i had never used before and so i had to learn how to use it. This proved challenging at first, but I believe i overcame this difficulty and produced a professional looking website. Furthermore, after i learnt how to navigate my way around the website it actually became very easy and will definitely be something i use again. Whilst using this technology we had to learn about the conventions of band websites, and what types of font, format and imagery would work best.


I used YouTube annotations for a textual analysis of a music video. It proved effective because i was able to talk about what was shown on screen whilst the audience can see exactly the same thing. I learnt how to use this technology this year and i believe it was effective way of displaying research. YouTube is an example of a web 2.0, a term that was coined in 1999 by Darcy DiNucci, which allowed us to share our own content in a fast and easy way.

For the post production side of our coursework, we used Adobe Premier Pro. We used it to cut the shots together, to create a 'sunshine' effect on the narrative section, to create a title at the beginning and finally to change the saturation in the performance sections. Adobe is a programme that has to be bought, and therefore I had never used it before I began studying media at a-level. This year I learnt how to change the saturation within a scene to either create high key lighting or low key lighting, (although these scenes never made it into the final music video).




This year, I also developed my knowledge on effects with Adobe Premier Pro. I learnt how to alter the image, and to create a 3D looking image using lighting and titles. I used this at the beginning of our video as an introduction to the band.





Finally, this year I learnt how to use photoshop. We decided to use this to create an image for our ancillary products, as we wanted to use something that was slightly abstract. This was because, whilst researching CD covers for Indie bands we discovered that they very rarely have images that are realistic and haven't been altered in some way. Therefore, we had to learn how to blend two images together using the opacity levels.

Another key technology that I used, especially during the research stage, was Prezi (an online presentation website). This is an effective way of presenting research in a less boring way, as it allows us to present our findings in creative ways. However, I couldn't use it for some of my evaluative questions as I discovered that Gifs do not work as a part of the presentation.

We also used two cameras during our production, these were a nikon d3200 and a panasonic camera. However, after filming our performance section we notices a difference between the quality of light each camera would let in, and the sense of depth that they both created. The nikon d3200 let in more light so created a whiter colour, and also allowed more depth of picture to be created. In contrast, the panasonic camera created a yellower and more 2D picture. Throughout the editing stage we attempted to readjust the colouring in the picture, however the difference was too strong to change completely. We considered re-filming the performance section, however this was not possible to restrictions on time for the DCAS centre.

Question 3; What have you learned from your audience feedback?

In response to our audience research, we decided to create a news report explaining what we learnt.

Audience research: finished piece.

We asked 4 people to give us their opinion on our music video.
We asked them;

1. What genre would you say it belongs to?
2. What audience would you say it is suited to?
3. Is it easy to understand and follow?
4. What improvements do you think we could have done?
5. Does it fit with other music videos?

Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and your ancillary product? PART 2

Together, Misha and I created a Prezi presentation explaining how effective he combination of our music video was in comparison to the CD cover and the band website.

Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary products? PART 1

Part 1.

• In our music video, the colour blue is featured predominantly. Therefore, when creating our ancillary products we attempted to create continuity with this theme by also using blue colours.

As the wall is blue in the performance section, we decided to continue this on the key features of the website; the writing and the photograph.


We added this continuity in an attempt to help the audience establish a relationship between the two products. This is important because it helps the audience identify features of the band. It is also an effective marketing strategy as the audience can easily identify the bands CD in shops and online.










A key aspect in our music video was the focus on the female character. Therefore, we decided that it would be important to keep this focus a main aspect of the CD cover.

We believe this was important because it would allow an audience to easily identify the band from the video if they had seen the CD cover, or for them to identify the CD cover if they had seen the music video.

However, as the girls face is not seen in the CD cover, the continuity may not be as effective to a  passive audience. We chose to do this because we felt it fit in better with the genre of the band (Indie), where the focus is usually not on the artists.

 

 We attempted to converge the ancillary products with the music video by using the same, or similar, locations. We have done this because we wanted there to be a clear link between all three products to make it easier for the audience to identify the artist and their products.

We also used the same colour scheme for the CD cover and website. There is a turquoise colour which features on both, as well as the grey background



By converging features of all three products we begin to create a brand image. This is effective because an audience are then able to recognise the band from key features, for example, photographs, the logo, colours and font. As explained by McQuail's uses and gratification theory, an audience will use these product's for a number of different reasons; to gain a sense of identification, for entertainment, to reinforces their beliefs etc. Therefore, by creating a brand image, an audience that are trying to find a sense of identification will be able to take ideas from the music video and the ancillary products and relate to them. The continuity will also add to the reinforcement of the beliefs that they may gain, for example, how to dress and act.

                                                                        

Question 1; part 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Question 1; part 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

*At 7 seconds, where it says text will be displayed for three minutes, I actually meant three seconds.*