Evaluation Question 4

Evaluation 4

By Liam Hughes

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

The technologies I have used during making my Film-Noir Trailer include a computer and two cameras (A Nikon 1 J1 and a Flip camera). I also used programs and websites such as Blogger, Photoshop, Slideshare, Prezi, Sribd, Flickr, Music Maker 14, YouTube and Windows Live Movie Maker.

• I used the computer in every aspect of this course because through this, I gained research, created and imported planning, uploaded the footage and edited the raw clips together and constructed my evaluation. I gained research by creating an audience questionnaire on this computer by using word, printing it off, sending it to my target audience and then transferring that data into a PowerPoint presentation. This helped me find out what my target audience is actually like, what they expect to see in a trailer and what they don’t want to see in a trailer.

• The way I used the computer for planning was by writing the planning up such as call sheets and the pitch, creating drafts of the magazine and poster and scanning in the story board. By doing all these things with a computer I was then able to upload them onto my blog through the same use.

• I also used it to edit the raw footage by cutting them, adding enhancements and then piecing them together by using a program on it called Windows Live Movie Maker. I created a rough draft by doing this, gained audience feedback and them improved on it.

• And finally I used it during the creation of my evaluation as I wrote it up on my computer first then transferred them onto different programs such as Prezi or I printed them off to then record myself talking about one of the questions.

• One of the ways I have used the Nikon Camera during the construction of the trailer was actually recording the scenes. This camera enabled me to capture high quality video without error and therefor improving the quality of the trailer. With the help of its HD recording and 10mm to 30mm lenses I have created a Film-Noir trailer which actually looks good. Another way I used this Nikon camera was when I recorded me talking about the third question in the evaluation. This allowed me to reach out in more than just writing or the use of Prezi. I thought this was an effective way of answering the question and it was very useful. I also used a Flip camera, and I used this in the planning and the research stages. The way I used it in the research stage is that I recorded some of my target audience give feedback on a practice trailer I created. This gave me ideas on what I should put on the final trailer and what I shouldn’t. I also used it to gain some practice shots. This also gave me an idea on which shots I should have in my final trailer and which one shouldn’t. This helped me decide if I needed to change the characters, the angle or the actual scene. I thought I used the Flip camera effectively during these two stages as it helps me gain audience feedback and to test out some scenes which I was thinking of putting into the final product. It basically helped me improve my final trailer.

• I also used the website called blogger. This is a blogging website where anyone can have their own blog and write what they wish. But I have used this for educational purposes, to present all of the stages of the creation of my Film-Noir trailer. This website keeps everything in order in one place for anyone who is interested to see. Also this blog site has allowed me to present my work in a different and creative way. Also I have used this to gain feedback from my target audience or my tutors.

• With the use of Photoshop I used this in the planning and the construction stages of creating my trailer. Through this program I was able to create and alter my movie magazine and poster. This allowed me to add effects onto an image to change it from a colour image to a black and white image. I could improve the images if they had any weak points that were obvious to its target audience. With the magazine and poster this program enabled me to integrate image and text onto the front cover as well as just add effects onto the image. Also I created two production companies to be at the start of the trailer. If this was a real film this would have shown the audience who has created the film.

• I used two media technologies that do the same thing but with little differences. The first site I used was Slideshare. This is a website where you are able to upload your PowerPoint presentations for whatever reason (mostly for education) and share them with others. I was able to embed this presentation into my blog so whoever was reading it would just be able to watch the presentation on the page. This presentation consisted of “The key aspects of Film-Noir”. This was about the conventions of Film-Noir and what Film-Noir actually meant.

• The other site was Scribd which again was a place where a user was able to upload a presentation and share it with the world but it was like a big word document. Instead of going through the presentation, the user has to scroll down through the pages. I used this site for my practice and my final pitch. So I used it in the planning stage, the research stage and the construction stage. I used it the research stage as I would have to find out how to create a pitch and how to improve it. I used it in the planning stage as I basically planned the whole trailer out on this pitch. And in the construction part, this was a template for creating the actual trailer.

• I used Prezi only for the evaluation part of this course, as I presented question one in this form. This gave me another way of presenting my work to others and this is a more creative and exiting way of presenting work. This allows the reader to from paragraph to paragraph it a touch of a button. This is a more professional route to take when choosing a program or site to present with as it draws in the audience instead of boring them like an essay.

• I used Flickr just for the research stage of this course as I used it to show how I analysed some of the media texts such as the movie magazines and the posters. Through this I analysis parts of each text informing the reader on what their job is on this text and how they do this job. Through the use of this website I was able to add notes to this image I have uploaded and then embed this image with the notes onto my blog. This again is a more creative way of presenting my work instead of just going for the essay route.

• I also used YouTube in all stages during the creation of this trailer. This is a website where you are able to upload and view videos where you can also embed these videos into another website or blog. You are able to comment on these videos to share your views on a particular video, through this aspect you are able to give feedback and this is one of the ways that I gained feedback from my target audience. I uploaded my trailer before it had any feedback onto YouTube and I gained feedback on how to improve and what is good in a couple of days.

• Also I gained feedback through the use of video on YouTube when I created a practice trailer for the film “The Machinist”. It was a voxpop from some of my peers and target audience who analysed this trailer and provided their positive comments and their improvements. Another way that I used YouTube during the research section was when I was analysing trailers to gain knowledge on the conventions of trailers. I again embedded the video onto my blog and had the analysis under the video.

• I also used YouTube to upload and share the practise shots I carried out. This allowed me to show that I was experimenting with different angles and actors/actresses to get the perfect shots. This method seemed to work well as I think that these improved my shots in the end as I realised where I had went wrong and where I could improve.

• I used YouTube in the construction part as I uploaded the trailer before feedback. This was to gain feedback and to therefor improve the trailer.

• I also used this in the evaluation part of the course as I uploaded me talking about question three. This was an effective use of YouTube as I got to present one of my questions in the evaluation in a different and creative way that may please those who are watching instead of boring them.

• I also used the program Music Maker 14 during the construction of my trailer. Using this I created the sound track by using samples on the program and samples I gained or created myself. In this program I allows you to choose the speed of the track, the pitch and many other settings. This helped me piece together the separate tracks smoothly and professionally. It also helped me make the sound track and the trailer run well together at the same time therefor making it look professional.

• Finally I used Windows Live Movie Maker in the construction of the trailer as this was the program that I used to cut, modify and then piece together the final trailer. I used this to cut the raw footage into smaller scenes so I would be able to have them in my final trailer. This also allowed me to insert the sound track into the video and make sure that they run smoothly together as a trailer. Also this program gave me the option of transitions and video effects. I used transitions and effects that would fit in with my chosen genre which were fade out transitions and one of the black and white effects.

• Overall I think that I have used many media technologies during the time I have been creating the trailer and I have used every one of them effectively to my advantage.