The Evaluation: Question 4

Question 4 _______ How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

I feel that I made full use of the technology we had at hand. Just before I started my project our media department at my school invested in 26 new Mac computers, with programs like Photoshop and Final Cut Pro installed on them, the department also invested in 10 Sony Handcam cameras and 10 brand new tripods. I feel that having all this new technology dramatically improved the amount of work we could do and to the degree we could do it to.

There were four stages of my production, research, planning, construction and evaluation. Over these four stages of production I feel that I made full use of the technology and the resources I had on hand.

Over the research stages having a new Mac computer to work on was really useful, mainly because we were able to work on our blogs, where as when we started the course in July, we were working on normal RM computers connected to the school network, meaning that Blogger was blocked; so all work I was doing on my blog had to be done at home.

When I was carrying out my audience research, I decided to send my research questions to my friends over facebook. As I thought people were more likely to complete the research if they received it over facebook rather than receiving several pieces of paper.

Over the planning stages of my project I had full use of a Mac computer finish the planning stages. I was able to draw up and make several plans for my magazine advert; I did this on Adobe Photo shop. When we were planning our pre-lim task, Midnight At The Oasis, I was doing all the background work, planning and then construction on a standard Compaq computer. Me and my group drew up storyboards for each scene by hand, I then used a HP printer and scanner to scan the storyboards onto the computer. I used Windows Movie Maker to fully edit the video, I feel that because I used Windows Movie Maker to edit the video the effects and transitions were very limited. And this effected the video as a whole. I think if I edited my pre-lim task on a Mac computer my work would be up to the standard that my actual project is.

Whilst filming this, we made several mistakes, for example, we didn't properly plan our day or keep consistency during different clips. Like when we were editing our footage, people were wearing different clothes in the two shots, which meant we couldn't use half of the footage we filmed; this was a big set back because we only had a day to film. When we started filming for our music video, we made sure we had a second by second in depth treatment, and a detailed shot plan, whish showed every shot we needed to film on each day we went filming.

Without having the Mac computers I feel I wouldn't of been able to complete my project as a whole, as I used the programs on the Mac's to plan and construct my project (I made my music video in Final Cut Pro). If i worked a normal windows computer then wouldn't of been able to use the same effects (chroma keying) and transitions (cross fade) that were used in the music video.

Although at the start of the year we only had basic computers and other technology to work with I feel I still used this equipment and technology as best as I could of. For example I came up with my shot planning on a simple word document. I feel that even if I was working on a more updated Microsoft Office Word like Windows 7 for example, would still have come up with a decent shot planning document. And I don't think how up to date the word processing program is would effect how well I would do my work.

I used Final Cut Pro to edit my music video, which I thought was a really good programme and without it I don't think our music video would be as good it is, this would be mainly be due to the effects we used. Such as the Chroma Key device (which was used near to the end when Ben walks past a billboard when it changed to him and Lilly. The Chroma Key device changed the bottom layers of the background allowing us to cut the background out of the moving image and replace it with Ben and Lilly running and laughing), which was a vital part of our music video and without the Mac computers this could not of been achieved. The Chroma Key effect can be seen near to the bottom of the editing my music video blog.

When we filmed our pre-lim task and our music video we used two Sony Handcam video cameras, which enabled us to shoot from more than one angle with the clips still being in the same resolution and size. Although it was useful for us to use more than one camera, I personally think the cameras weren't that good, and if we had a couple of brand new and better quality cameras I think our music video may of been better. This was one of the only things that I thought slowed us down when shooting, for example, the battery life on the cameras weren't very good. So when we were out filming on our first shoot, the camera 1 went dead. Meaning we could only film from one angle at a time, slowing our whole filming process down. Along with the Sony Handcam's, we got 10 new tripods, this helped our filming process because it meant that we were able to hold a steady shot, and also it made it a lot easier when we did panning shots.

We were also given 2gb memory sticks to keep all or work on, this meant that I was able to take my work home and complete it on my home computer. During the filming process, I filled up my memory stick; therefore I went out and purchased a new 8gb stick. From then on I stored all my work one, this included all word format files of everything I had uploaded onto Blogger and all our filming documents. Having this 8gb memory stick really improved my work, because meant I could have all my work on one stick, and not several. Making my work more organized and easier for me to find it.

During the evaluation stage of my project I feel I have learnt a great deal, and I will continue to use these new skills I have, like the skills I have learnt on Adobe Photoshop. I will continue to use these skills throughout the rest on my life.

I feel that I am now very equipped to use Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro, when I first started editing on Final Cut Pro I didn't have a clue what to do or even how to edit. I now find it really easy to use this programme and it’s something I will continue to use.

This combination is so effective because it’s simple, attractive and because it follows the conventions of what a music video, CD cover and magazine advert should follow.
In hindsight, I think I would change the music video. I would change some of the shots and the actors positions is some shots. I think the shot where Ben is running over the stepping stone near to the end of the music video, I would re-shoot this clip and get Ben to walk faster and smoother over the stepping stones. I would change this clip mainly because I think Ben (real name Zak) walks very stiffly and slowly. In order to make it look like he was running, I had to speed the clip up by 5%. This meant that Ben walks very quickly and stiffly over the stepping stones. I feel that this clip lets the scene down.