A2 Media Studies Evaluation

Critical

EvaluationCritical

Evaluation

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

real media products?

My media products predominantly use conventions of real music videos, CD digipaks and website home pages. My music video has taken ideas from videos that I analysed. I wanted to do it in black and white and for it to be focused mainly on the band rather than have a story to it. My audience are used to the conventions of music videos, most of them being focused on the artist. They are not however used to them being in black and white. So here, I have had a balance using and not using conventions. I found a variety of different music videos to analyse, including ones that are and are not in black and white, and ones that are and are not focused on the artist. My bands digipak front cover reflects upon those already on sale. It features the band name in the top left corner and the album name in the bottom right. Much like many of the ones that I analysed. The rear of the CD package features common conventions like the track names and a bar code, but the track names fit in better with the background image by flowing down the curves. I feel I have developed on a convention here by improving viewing pleasure.

The website homepage uses many conventions, but also develops on them. It naturally has everything you would expect to be on a bands website like tour dates, news, discography etc. But I think that it has more than many band websites out there. Comparing it to ‘The Kooks’ one I analysed, I feel it features much more by having more to look at when first viewing.

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Questions

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

I feel that the combination is very good. I have tried very hard to link all of my products together and I think it shows. After making the main product (the music video) in black and white. I thought it would be appropriate to make the two secondary products (the website and CD) predominantly black and white too. The jumper the artist is wearing in the music video, is featured on the website. The CD also features similar material and a picture of the artist linking it back to the video. The CD and the website link together very well. All the fonts and main colours used are featured on both, the bands logo is Spread throughout both products and the CD is even featured on the website as an upcoming album that can be pre-ordered.I think this is how bands would do the same. They want their look and logos to be widely known and this can only happen if they spread their conventions across their products. Though I have only used conventions here, I feel it’s the only way that it would even be done in the real world.

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Questions

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

From my audience feedback, I have learnt that it is the most important thing to consider, before attempting to create my own media products. Before beginning the construction of my media products, I did a questionnaire that when answered would help me better understand who my target audience is and what they want from my media product. I had a rough idea of what I personally wanted to achieve in my product, but I needed to clarify that others wanted the same. When I got the results back, I learnt from my audience feedback and improved on my initial ideas.

After showing the same audience my finished products, I feel I have accomplished most of their original desires and even improved on them. However, there are some aspects I would change. For example I may include more scenes in the video to gain extra interest, but I have learnt this from my audience feedback, not just my own.

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Questions

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and

evaluation stages?

I used new media technologies in all stages of my coursework. In the construction, I used video editing software ‘Sony Vegas’ to compile and edit my video. Using this software was not easy at first but by the time I’d finished editing the video, I was confident in using the basic features.

I used ‘Photoshop’ to produce the CD package and background to the website. I am very familiar with what this software has to offer due to using it in AS Media Studies and in Photography A2 level.

PowerPoint I used to create the rest of the website and this evaluation. Though you might not expect this software to be able to create a website, I found it very good. It takes I while to get used to using it to make a website as oppose to a slideshow however. I originally set out to use ‘Adobe Dreamweaver’ but after trying profusely to do even the simplest task, I turned to PowerPoint as the software was perhaps too advanced to do something so simple, easily in the short amount of time I had.

When doing research and planning, I used the internet and it’s services like YouTube that offer me music videos that I can analyse using ‘Microsoft Word’. I also used ‘Blogger’ to present my work electronically as a blog. This shows that I am capable of using a variety of different new media technologies.

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Questions

Music Video

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=xlzKscKguxs

Website Homepage

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CD Digipak

Front & back

Inside

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Audience

Feedback

Owen - I enjoyed watching the video, I liked how it was kept in one location and just focused on the artist. I liked the in house style of all the products and how they were all linked together with such things as colour schemes and fonts.

Leanne – I particularly like the website because it has everything I would want to find on a real bands website like tour dates and news. I also like how all the products are connected to each other and the genre of music

Chris – I was particularly moved by the video’s contrasting emotional range. I was transported through Rafael’s world which made me feel how I can only assume he does. The website is nice and looked very real and the digipack is pretty slick. I like the barcode especially as it makes it look as if you can really buy the album.

Lois – I liked the black & whiteness of the video as I felt that it reflected the style of music. I also liked that it was quite simple so that I could focus more on the music which is what I really care about when watching a music video.

Comments From Peers on final products

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Conclusion

In conclusion I feel my products have achieved their purpose. The video has demonstrated aspects such appropriately faming a shot, selecting mise-en-scene like colour and lighting, and using sound with moving images effectively.

My CD digipak shows conventions of real media products, hosting a variety of images fonts and text sizes but complying to the conventions by having an ongoing theme throughout.

The website combines text, images and video that is appropriate combined with my other products. I feel the page communicates clearly and effectively, allowing the reader to navigate easily though the material.

The audience feedback shows that the majority are pleased with my final products and would happily make a purchase if they saw my work in a shop or online. I’m glad that they appreciated the in house style that I created and got a ‘feel’ for the artist through the video. I am personally pleased with all my products and I feel I have appropriately done each task set.

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