Question 6. What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Question 6. What have you learned about technologies from the process

of constructing this product?

EquipmentThe camera we used was a 1080p camera filming in high definition, from this we were able to get good, high quality film, even in bad weather conditions. Other equipment that we used when filming included a tripod. We used a tripod to stabilise the camera when filming in order for us to get the best out of the camera. Some of the areas that we filmed had uneven ground which made it hard for the camera to stay stable. Although using the tripod in this situation made it a bit better and easier to film, the ground was still quite awkward with the tripod and continued to be a problem when filming.

When filming, we had no problems with the camera, however, we did have some problem with the tape and when it came to capturing the film, we found that it was a bit stop-start. This, we found out was because once we’d shot a scene we played it back on the camera, therefore causing a gap in the film. These gaps came out on the capture and slowed down the process of capturing the footage. So from that point on we didn't play back the footage on the camera after filming a shot.

Software

When it came to editing our footage we used Final Cut Pro, this was a very useful piece of technology as it meant we could capture our film and from that edit it and put it into a sequence in which we went on to edit and fit together to make the final sequence. Functions that this service provided us with were:

The ability to add certain sets of footage in a sequence, this meant that we could rearrange shots that we had taken and put them in an order to form the base of our thriller opening sequence.

Adding sound to sequence - in Final Cut Pro you are able to add a layer of sound that plays in time with what you’ve already sequenced together. The sound wasn't necessarily limited but you could only edit the soundtrack from the source software

Being able to add effects to the shots - this was a handy feature as it meant that you could change the appearance of some shots to make them seem more thriller-like. An effect that we used on our clock shots was ‘colour correction’. This allowed us to change the colour of certain images/shots to make them look more thriller-like to the audience.

Ability to add text to the frame was a handy feature to have as it meant that we could add titles and credits to the shots. From this, you would see the text over the top of the scene, perfect for adding titles and credits throughout the opening sequence.

GaragebandWe did our soundtrack in Garageband and then once we exported it and added to our Final Cut sequence, we could then no longer edit the sound, instead we would have had to go back to Garageband and re edit the soundtrack and then re export it back into Final Cut Pro.

As well as this, in Garageband I was able to adjust the pitch of the sound that I had made. By adjusting the pitch we were able to make the sound seem more thriller-like.

iMovieUsing iMovie we were able to sync our sound and video together so that the sound played alongside what was going on in the scene. As well as this, we used iMovie to add sound effects and backing loops to build tension within the scene.

Below is the sound for our final opening sequence:

Sound EffectsThe sound effects that we used in our final piece e.g. clock ticking. came from a website called sweetsoundeffects.com and this allowed us to download the sound file and from that import from iTunes into iMovie or Garageband and use it in our final piece.

Titles/Logo

QuestionnaireWhen creating the questionnaire/poll we used an application on an iPad. From this we were able to go round to people in the surrounding area and ask them to fill out the poll and then submit it.

From this, we were able to go online and check the polly daddy website for the results and see what answers we had received from the people who had done the poll. The results we received from the poll on the iPad was easily transferrable to the online version through a simple transfer button.

This synced with the account being used and transferred the data across to the online account, therefore allowing us to view the results online in a more suitable way.

BloggerThe use of an online service called Blogger has allowed us to publish our work at constant and up to date pace. This allowed other members of the group to view things that other people had done and access feedback and other things like soundtracks and videos.

By being able to embed certain things we were able to post virtually anything onto the blog so that other people could see what stage we were at with our coursework.

As well as this, we used Facebook to create a group that represented our production group. From this we were able to post our poll to get more results towards making our final product.

Adding to this, we used Facebook to post our soundtrack for people to listen to and give feedback on, the same with the rough cut. We posted that so we could get feedback and therefore improve on it towards our final product.