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

I have used the blogging platform, "blogger" to present all my finished work. I have varied the layout of all my posts to successfully present my coursework in an interesting an engaging way. For example, I have embedded links to Prezi's, saved PowerPoint's as images, used YouTube links and written directly onto blogger to present all my coursework in on one creative platform. I continued the use of blogger throughout all of my coursework including my research, production and evaluation stages.

Advantages of blogger:

• All my work is presented in a relatively creative way and in one location making it easier to see everything I've done and reflect on in the evaluation stage.
• It allows for multiple platforms to be used including thinks like YouTube.
• It is simple to use and allows for some creativity in presentation.
• Allows it to be accessed form any computer without needing to transfer files. 

Disadvantages of blogger:

• The layout is relativity limiting and it doesn't allow you to have complete control over where to put images and how to have fonts, etc.
• Limits picture quality due to maximum upload size being 100MB.

Some of the features I use on blogger.

How I used technology in pre-production:

To use powerpoint I then saved all my slides as JPEG's and then uploaded them as images on blogger.

I used Windows MovieMaker to make all the videos I created for my research and planning an example of one can be found here. This added a more interesting way of presenting my research and planning and was enjoyable for me to create. I also believe this shows off a variety of skills for presentation.

MovieMaker

An example of a Prezi I made for my research and planning can be found here.

Google images were particularly helpful for looking at existing media products especially digipaks and posters. I used the images off here for my analysis and using them as examples throughout my research and planning. I also used these images as inspiration for outfits and in my moodboard which I presented in posts on blogger.

YouTube was very helpful for me to look at existing music videos. I took all the videos I analysed off YouTube and watched many music videos to gain inspiration and discover the common conventions particular with reference to genre. I also posted any of the videos I made for my planning and research on YouTube and added them as a link to my blog.

How I used technology in production:

I used a Nikon D3100  camera to film my Music Video on and for the photo-shoot for my Poster and Digipak.

As I was relying on natural lighting it meant I didn't need to adjust the settings on the camera as much as with artificial lighting. Any adjustments I would need to make I knew I do easily in post-production. One thing I made sure however is that the exposure wasn't set too high as I was filming on very sunny days (relevant for my video). To make sure the settings on the camera during production were correct I did several trial shots and watched them back before deciding on the final setting and positions of the camera. To create interest in my music video I aimed to film the same shots multiple times to get the "perfect" shot because I was dealing with the dancers being in-time. I also varied the shot angles of the same thing so I had more to work with in the post-production process. 

Discarded images

Alternate angles used in music video

How I used technology in post-production:

I used adobe photoshop to edit my images on for my poster and digipak. This gave them a more professional look and worked better on the final product.

Before editing

Editing- black and white filter applied

Before Editing

Editing- black & white filter applied to background, artist cut out and layer duplicated to stay in colour, colour image enhanced with brightness, colour correction and contrast.

Skills:

I used Adobe Fireworks to add text to my images for my poster and digipak. It allowed my position my photos how I wanted especially for my digipak and select various relevant fonts to use. I was also able to select the exact fonts I wanted to use and position them precisely in regards to the images. 

I added font to my images and carefully selected the fonts and colours that suited my digipak and was easily readable to perform its function of informing on my digipak. Every time I wrote my artists name, "Kylie Monroe" I wrote it in the font "Candara" and in the colour white.

The font I used every time I wrote the words "Lush Life" or the other album songs I wrote in the font "Monotype Corsiva".

Here I have used the eye-drop tool to make sure my font matches the colour of my artists top. I did this every time I wrote in pink which helped to create continuity and professionalism. 

I used Adobe Premiere Elements as my software for editing my music video. This was a professional software that allowed me to develop my editing skills through the process of putting together my music video.

I frequently used the transition tool, "cross dissolve" to create my dissolves between scenes. I could choose how long I wanted each dissolve to last and varied this from scene to scene making some longer than others.

In places where I wanted a fade to black I used the transition "dip to black" to create a fade effect which worked very effectively in many areas of my music video.

I used the tool time remapping to add slow-motion and reverse to my clips.

In this clip above I have clearly slow-motioned it using the tool bar at the bottom of the page. This allowed me to control the exact speed that I wanted my clips to be slowed down to. Also, by clicking the reverse button this allowed me to add a reverse to several of my clips which added a creative flare to my video.

How I used technology in my evaluation:

Similarly to my research and planning, for my evaluation I used a combination of technologies to present my evaluation in an exciting way. Overall however my evaluation was posted onto blogger with a combination of directly writing onto the post and powerpoint saved images.

I liked how I could position all my images and screen-grabs and annotate them with arrows and text-box's all using one software. I found this much more visually satisfying and varying rather than just posting directly onto blogger all the time.

Furthermore, to vary how I displayed my answers for my evaluation (again, similar to my research and planning) I decided to answer one of my questions using Prezi, which can be found here. I enjoy Prezi as it allows me to answer more creatively and has a more interactive aspect for the reader.

Screen-grabs from making my Prezi

I used GIPHY to create all my GIF's from my music video that I then used as part of my analysis in my evaluation especially when answering the question; "In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?", which can be found here. I found GIPHY very easy to use and allowed me to add the specific sections of my music video that I was talking aboiut in my evaluation as evidence. They also added to my blog posts and made them much more visual and easier to understand. I used GIPHY to find existing GIF's as well for my comparison between existing music videos and my own.

Screen-grabs from GIPHY

I decided to make a video using Windows MovieMaker to present my answer to the question; "What have you learnt from your audience feedback?", which can be found here. This is because this was the most visual and dynamic way to present my answer to this question. Also, it gives actual evidence as to what people thought about my media products increasing the reliability of my answer.

Finally, for my evaluation I used Google images to find the examples of existing products I used to compare with my own. I also used Google images to find the logos for the various software's I used within answering this evaluation question. Google images was very appropriate to use as it had a full array of images ti chose from so I could have access to successfully present my evaluation especially for evidence.

Evaluation: What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

This is the target audience feedback that I have gained after showing my target audience my media products;

I asked my target audience 4 questions after they viewed my music video, digipak and poster which were;

1. What do you like about my music video?
2. What improvements would you make to my music video?
3. Do you think all three texts work effectively together?
4. Do you think my music video appeals to my target audience (young, females)?

Here are some charts displaying my audience feedback which can help me evaluate my coursework effectively;

There was a wide variety of things people liked about my music video suggesting lots of different section appealed well to my target audience.

All the improvements weren't based on technical or professional flaws, but in fact creativity in the actual video that was limited by the practicalities such as getting the actors together and locations available around me.

Everybody agreed that all my texts worked effectively together suggesting that my target audience liked them and thought they were successful.

All of my feedback agreed that it appealed to my target audience, (who I asked) which means that my music video is very successful in its application of media concepts to appeal to my target audience.

Evaluation: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

My prezi answering the question, "How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?" can be found here

I have identified and analysed the synergy and effectiveness of it across all of my media products/ texts. I have then used screenshots and images as evidence throughout my analysis. My audience feedback also effectively shows how successful my texts were at "selling" my song and creating an effective brand for my artist.

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

My research on music video conventions can be found here
My research on digipak conventions can be found here
My research on magazine poster conventions can be found here

I analysed ecah of my media products to understand how I both challenged and complied with the conventions of music videos. I similarly did this with existing media products (found in links above) to show evidence for my convetnions and stereotypes.

The ways my music video conforms to conventions and stereotypes:

The use of slow-motions- to give the artist power in the scene to show she is in control and to compliment the music along with the dancing.

The use of lip-syncing- a common feature in music videos shows the artist (or in my case several extras and the artist) lip syncing the words to the song. This emphasises the song that the video is about and overall helps the selling and enjoyment of the song through listening to the lyrics. This could be linked to Richard and Geoff Dyer's Star image theory suggesting that the lyrics and use of artist signing them helps create the artists image and gives the audience a character to connect with.

The use of the dissolve effect- to continue interest between the two scenes by using a visually impressive and exciting dissolve to keep the audience enteretained and intersted in the video.

Long shots- used predominately in company with close-ups on the lip-syncing. These long shots show all the dancers in one shot to go with the storyline of the music video. This also adds an impressive and proffessional feel to the video showing all the actors doing the dancing to fit the music.

Musical editing- Andrew Goodwin found this to be an important aspect of music videos and increasing their professionalism and giving stylistic values. I carefully made sure ecah letter changed on the beat of the music to empahasise the pace of the video.

I created a relationship between the visuals and lyrics (Part of Andrew Goodwin's Theory) in my music video.

Lyrics- "Yeah, the sun won't set on us", visuals- a sun setting

Further to emphasise Andrew Goodwin's theory suggests that Music Videos should contain charactersitcs that comply with their particular genres which in my music video's case is the Pop genre. These are the conventions and characetrstics that I have identified in my music video that supports Andrew Goodwin's theory by fitting with the Pop genre;

Use of smoke;

From Rihanna's video "This is what you came for"

My Video

Close up shot lip-syncing:

From Ariana Grande's video "Focus"

My Video

Usage of signs in music video:

From Justin Bieber's video "Sorry"

My Video

My music video also challenged conventions of typical Pop music videos:

Fades- In my music video I chose to use fades as they complied with musical editing and fitted in with the fades in the song however these aren't a very common feature to occur in the middle of music videos.

Lip-syncing- I used extras that weren't my artsist and only used the lips in my music video which isn't very conventional for music videos in general. I chose to do this to give my video some orginality and continue to connect the lyrics with the picture to empahasise the song.

Digipak Analysis:

Poster Analysis:

My back cover follows common conventions of digipak and has similarities with these digipak backs:

My back cover

Ariana Grande's back cover

Katy Perry's back cover

However, my front cover challenges some conventions which can be shown in the differences between these existing digipak's and my own;

My front cover

Demis Lovato's front cover

Adele's front cover