How did you use new media technologies in the research, planning, construction and evaluation stages?
In the first stages of our video production we had some practise in using Final Cut and how to edit shots to music. Firstly we did some lip syncing practise, which is vital in creating a music video, as a class. We used the song ‘It’s Not Unusual’ by Tom Jones (http://youtu.be/3Zmk6aDvuOc) and as a class we spent a day filming different shots of performance. This gave us the opportunity to see how different shots and angles can be effective and how they look when put to music. It also showed us how important it is to be able to cut shots to the beat of the music, which we also practised with our animatic storyboard (http://gliscoproductions.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/blog-post.html) and the pink panther editing tasks. (http://gliscoproductions.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/blog-post.html)
When we began our A2 coursework we started off by researching different videos that we could use as inspiration using YouTube. We also used Google and Wikipedia in the research stages of production, and once this research was complete we used sites such as Wordle to present our research and help us see our ideas clearly, such as our prop lists and costume ideas. This technology was extremely useful throughout this stage of our coursework production. Here is the link to our Wordle mind maps: http://gliscoproductions.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/word%20cloud
The internet was a major part in the creation of our coursework, not only for research but for presenting and logging our ideas. We used Blogger.com to keep a log of every stage of production, to write down our ideas and to plan what needs to be done next. Every group member contributed to the blog, and our teacher was able to see our work in progress. Blogger was extremely useful in helping us document our group work as well as posting work as individuals. We also used software on the Macs such as Photoshop and Final Cut Express. We used Photoshop for our digipack and magazine advert, in which we uploaded our own images and used the features of the software to change the images to fit our theme and to make our work look as professional as possible. This program was vital in the creation of our coursework, as without it we would not have been able to create the various effects, such as font and backgrounds, on our artwork. At first we found it difficult to use this software as we had never used it before, but once we had used it a few times and had some of the more complicated features explained we found that we were able to use it effectively. We used Final Cut Express to edit our footage for our video. We were somewhat familiar with this program after using it for our AS media coursework, but we felt that it was important to learn how to use many more of its features to enable us to make sure our video meets the brief. We practised using the software with simple editing exercises and this made us more confident when making our music video. Without this software we would have not been able to produce our video to a professional and high standard and were extremely lucky that we were able to use it successfully.
For our A2 coursework we were able to use a Sanyo HD Camera to film our music video, which was very useful and helped us to make our footage look as professional as possible. Using a good quality camera was essential in making our footage clear and this was also useful when transferring it onto the computer. As a group we were very thankful that we were allowed to use such good equipment and it also taught us some of the basic rules of shooting a music video. We learned that correcting the white balance on the camera was vital, as it made the colours in the shot stand out and adapted the camera to the natural light on display. We also used a tripod when filming to stable the camera and ensure the same stability in our footage. The tripod enabled us to film shots from different angles and different heights whilst always ensuring the camera is steady and straight. Our group managed to use this equipment easily and made sure we put it to good use.
Our video is set in various places in London. When filming on location we found that one of our biggest problems was accessibility. As London is constantly busy we found it hard to get some of the shots we had planned due to the large crowds and hectic traffic, including the shots inside the various shops and the panning shot in Oxford Street. This caused us to rethink some of our shots, and eventually we decided to change them to more realistic shots. Another problem we faced whilst on location was the unpredictable weather. Due to the fact that we filmed our video in the November/December months, we were aware that we would be partial to shooting in bad weather. On a few occasions we had to cancel filming due to rain, as we didn’t want to risk taking the equipment out in the rain and we didn’t want to waste time shooting un-useable footage. We also had to ensure that the natural light was the same in every shot, which proved difficult when the weather changed daily. To try and avoid this problem we made sure that we had planned every shoot in advance and had checked the weather forecast daily in the lead up to filming. Despite being inconvenient it ensured that our footage would be of a good quality and that we would not be wasting any time.
In the editing stage of production we used Final Cut Express to complete our music video. Our ability to access the software at school proved very helpful, as this is where most of the editing took place and we were all able to contribute as a group. The various features of Final Cut let us edit our music video to how our group wanted it, as well as making it look expert and in keeping with the OCR brief. We were able to improve some of the mistakes we had made when filming, such as increasing the brightness in some shots and cropping out any unnecessary images. The software also helped us to keep track of our progress and store all of the footage we had shot without including it in our final piece. We made a first draft of our video which helped us to see how well we were able to use the footage and the software as well as looking for changes that needed to be made. Here is the link for our first draft: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34pigPEBH3c
After our video was completed we then focused on making our digipack and magazine advert using Photoshop. As I was mainly working on this task, I personally found Photoshop easier to use than Final Cut as I had more time than the other girls to become accustomed to the different tools of the software and to practise using them with multiple images. At first I did find the program challenging as it was something I had never used before but practising with different images and ideas definitely helped me improve my skills and essentially helped me to produce high quality work. The facilities we were given by the school were fundamental in creating our coursework. The various practise tasks we were given, as well as tutoring by our teacher and school technician helped our group to produce a high quality and professional media product.
After our video was completed we then focused on making our digipack and magazine advert using Photoshop. As I was mainly working on this task, I personally found Photoshop easier to use than Final Cut as I had more time than the other girls to become accustomed to the different tools of the software and to practise using them with multiple images. At first I did find the program challenging as it was something I had never used before but practising with different images and ideas definitely helped me improve my skills and essentially helped me to produce high quality work. The facilities we were given by the school were fundamental in creating our coursework. The various practise tasks we were given, as well as tutoring by our teacher and school technician helped our group to produce a high quality and professional media product.
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