Media technologies

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

evaluation stages?

Adele Jackson

Technologies used for Research and Planning

Research and planningUsing the internet, I chose to present my media work on Blogger, a free tool for creating only blogs or journals. The website as a whole, particularly with the use of Google also allowed me to collect a lot of information on the forms and conventions of a music video, along with their history. I found that particularly helpful when considering what should be included into the video and how to keep it up to date.

I made particular use of Youtube when researching into our particular music genre. This was achieved by studying and deconstructing other already existing videos found on this site.

Microsoft word enabled me to create a well structured questionnaire, which was printed and handed out in aim of collecting audience feedback for what they would expect from our video. Once these questionnaires were completed, I was then able to use a scanner to upload evidence of these only my blog. Similarly, this programme also allowed me to create a simple form of a call sheet when planning the props, dates and times at which we would be filming, as well as what was actually going to be filmed. This call sheet and in depth planning helped a lot when creating our video.

Research and planningFacebook and other social networking sites enabled me to connect with a wider audience, using these as a method of gaining feedback from audiences expectations and acknowledging what our target audience may be.

A camera was used to take pictures of the locations we considered using before choosing the ones we felt would be best. These were uploaded on the computer which also meant we were able to consider what we could add to the mise-en-scene to make the scenes look more effective.

Due to use working in a team of two, we found email and our mobile phones particularly helpful in allowing good communication between us, allowing us to plan and organise when we were both available and what we would be achieving. Windows live hotmail also became useful when emailing the band to ask for permission to use their song.

Printing our organisation sheets enabled us to take them with us when filming a particular scene to enable us to ensure we were doing what we said and following our plan in detail. We also made use of a printer to print our questionnaires that we made. Similarly, a USB stick enabled us to transfer research between computers, such as our home and school one for example.

Technologies used for Construction

ConstructionAfter having an in depth plan and understanding of what I was going to do, I used a Canon video recorder to achieve my filming. A tripod was often used here, in aim of keeping the camera steady. However, this was not done through all the shots, choosing to have some held hand ones to add effect. We believed this would engage the audience further and again, help add to the style of the video. We made use of the video recorders ability to zoom here.

After completing our filming, we uploaded this onto a Mac, using a lead to connect the video recorder. This was uploaded through the programme named imovie which enabled us to edit the filming. Whilst on this programme, i made use of cutting, slowing and speeding up clips, overlapping certain shots, creating still frames, fading out shots, copying and pasting film, altering the colour of some shots, adding effects, and reversing shots.

A standard camera was also used here in aim of creating some effective still frames.

Artificial lighting was also used in some cases, enabling me to make certain elements of the shot stand out, particularly when filming in the dark. This was done with the use of lamps, often using more than one.

ConstructionTo upload the song I chose to complete my video to, I first had to get it off iTunes, before burning the song to a disk using my computer and a blank CD. Once this had been achieved, I needed to upload this CD on the Mac I had been using to edit my filming. I was then able to alter the sound of the track and edit it as I wished.

Once i felt that the video was completed, achieved using Imovie, then i then had to burn this video back onto a new CD, making it possible to download it only my own computer using a DVD drive. The internet was then needed, allowing me to access youtube. I downloaded the video directly onto my youtube account. The video was then able to be placed on blogger using the URL it had been given.

To construct my website, this was done with a website named Moonfruit. The final digipak chosen was completed with the use of Microsoft word and a pen and paper. Also involving a scanner to load specific images onto the computer to use here.

Technologies used for Evaluation

Evaluation When referring to how my product uses or challenges the codes and conventions of music videos. Microsoft word was used to type up my evaluation along with a voice over, giving you the ability to listen to me talk about my beliefs on this topic rather than having to read through the text given.

Looking at media technologies, in relation to this evaluation question, you can see that i have used Microsoft PowerPoint, using the website slide share to upload it only my blog.

The combination of my ancillary tasks and how effective I felt this was has also been answered using Microsoft word, also making use of the internet by using images found from Google and other sources.

What i have learnt from my audience feedback will be portrayed with the use of video’s of other peoples, used as examples of my audience feedback, as i use word to explain what i found and understood about these feedbacks. The videos were taken with the use of a video recorder and tripod.

When describing what social groups i have made reference to, I made use of Microsoft word, typing up the answer to the question. I also used the computers ability to ‘print screen’ so i could include images of my video to help portray what i was talking about from youtube.

Media Technology

I have found that the media technology available to me was extremely helpful in not only constructing my music video, but to enable me to present my research and planning in a clear format, making it more easily understood. The ability to work with such programmes also saved me time, preventing me from having to do these hand written.