By Chitra JeebodhunA2 Music video coursework.

Evaluation Question 4:How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research,

planning and evaluation stages?

Introduction…Throughout the two years of this course, we have used different technologies in

order to provide the best of our work. From old to new, we’ve used various kind of technologies and our knowledge on technologies also expanded. I have never used

Survey monkey, and it was absolutely intriguing to see how fast we can collect audience feedback through the use of technology. Most of these technologies I’ve

used for my AS coursework however there are many of these technologies that I’ve mentioned which I’ve recently learnt how to use but Even though we used them in AS, this year we were able to know more into detail of how to create the advanced tools to create better work. As a media student, I have learnt how the technology is

advancing minute by minute and it enables us to produce better products. I have never imagined that I would be able to have the opportunity to be able to produce a Thriller movie and a music video, as whenever I looked at real movies and videos

it makes me think that for a normal person to create such fine piece of work is impossible. But with the use of technology it proved me wrong, anyone can

produce a media product all that is needed is your dedication and hard work! I have also learned to appreciate the directors and crews of movies that were made way before technologies were introduced, as if it’s hard enough with technologies

then it surely must have been a lot of work for the movie makers.

HD Canon Camera

The camera was our main technology we made use of throughout the making of this music video, from it’s planning to research to actually producing the media product. Last year we had a normal camera however this year we got a more advanced one, though most features were the same it was still new to me and my partner but it was easy to use! This Camera and tripod were the easiest as we had practice from last year. With the help of this I was able to film my music video and audience feedback before and after constructing the media product.

The TripodWithout the tripod, it would have been almost impossible to get good and still shots. The tripod avoids us from getting ‘shaky shots’ as it will completely ruin the scene. For all of the scenes, we’ve used the tripod to get us good and still shot. It was easy to get pan shots without moving it too much.

Samsung Digital Camera

We had to take pictures for locations while we were planning and pictures for the digipak and magazine adverts too. I was able to also take some pictures for my animatic using this camera. The good thing about this camera is that it provides us with good quality images.

Blackberry Smartphone.Personally I own a blackberry, the useful thing about this is that you can do many things on this. Since this phone is always with me, it has helped me in every way during the planning, research and construction of this media product. The pictures of locations, props costumes, animatic, behind the scenes images and pictures to the process of editing were all taken from this Smartphone. I was also able to keep the track on my Smartphone as whenever we were filming it would be easier to get access to the music and I also saved the lyrics on the phones just in case the main actor has issues remembering all of it as it’s a pretty hard song. I was able to use word on my blackberry to write my posts whenever I was unable to access a pc. One of the scene consisted of me and the main actor texting each other and thus this phone was used.

Unsigned.com

In order for us to get started in creating this media product, we did a lot of research on unsigned.com for us to be able to find unsigned U.K based artists so that we can use their music in our video. This site contains music artists that are not signed by big records companies and the aim of this site is for those artists to post their music in hope to get feedback by companies looking for new talents. We found a lot of good ones that matched the story we had for the music video in our minds however unfortunately they were American artist or the music was only under a minute long.

YouTube.comAfter failing to find music on unsigned.com, You tube was our only reliable source. You-tube contains everything and anything and since I know a lot of unsigned artists therefore me and my partner decided to look through their music until something that grabs our attention. We were unable to decide at one point as we liked a music and it was perfect for the story of our music video but the only problem was rapping and not many people can rap therefore we had to thrash this one. However we found another artist I knew and his music was just what we needed. I emailed the artist and we soon got the reply back in which he allowed us to use his music.You-tube also helped me in researching for other alike music videos from which I got ideas of particular scenes that I could use in my own music video.

Final Cut Express.

Final cut express is the only technology that has been used by us throughout our 2 year’s course to edit our products. This software allowed us to created our preliminary exercise, the focus group and the MAIN PRODUCT! Final cut express is very advanced as we can use many kind of video transitions to make the music video look like a real music video. Using this technology has made me reali

Adobe PhotoshopThis is a technology that I’ve faced a lot of difficulties and struggled with simply because I have never used it. Yes, I have heard of this software and I am aware that many people use it however since this was the first time I even got to see what this whole Photoshop is about, it was very hard. I had use YOU-TUBE to watch tutorials for every parts I needed to use in order for me to get started. Honestly, I still haven’t fully gotten used to every feature but only those I’ve used in order to create my ancillary tasks which was the magazine advert and digipak. This software seems very complicated at first but since you continuously use it, you automatically get used to it. If I was to use Photoshop a lot, I believe it wouldn’t be hard for me to get used to it fully although while using this has allowed me to challenge myself in doing something new.

Picnik.ComThis is a site that I’ve used to edit many of my pictures so that it would be easy for me to insert it in Photoshop on my ancillary task. The good news with this site was that it’s offering their premium features free until the 19th April which is really helpful as it helps us edit to the best quality. Many of the digipak images have been edited using this site. Many teenagers use this site for personal use and since I have used it myself therefore it was simple to use as I am aware of all the tools.

Imac

Without the Imac, it would have been impossible to gain a media product that is of such good quality. As you know, the IMac is an advanced technology and some people also believe it’s like “having the world at your fingertips” for it’s so advanced. It provide good quality work which is why we have used it to get our work to the best possible standard.

Microsoft PowerPoint

This is not really a new technology but it has helped us get our evaluation into our blog therefore it is an important piece of technology for us. I’ve used the PowerPoint to write on slides and it is a good software as we can animate it in our own choice. E.g. colours, font. The hard part of using this technology is that it has upgraded within the years and since I was using the Imac to created my presentation, it was totally different to what you find on a normal PC.

Slideshare.comSlide share was also important as in order to put the presentation on our blog it had to be put on slide share so that we get an effective presentation. In this modern world, according to me, technology plays a big part it is being used everywhere every second. And different technologies allows us to present things in more creative and effective way.

Prezi.com

Prezi.com is also like slide share but it is different. The similarity is that both provide an effective presentation. The difference is that prezi doesn’t need Microsoft PowerPoint, you can use texts boxes and add what your need to write and you can upload pictures and the fun part is that you can choose in what order you like things to be using the PATH tool.

Survey Monkey.

During research and after creating our music video and the ancillary tasks, Survey monkey has been our main feedback tool. It allowed me to create surveys based on my music choice, the finished product and the ancillary tasks. It helped me analyze the responses of the audiences. Without survey monkey, it would involve much more work interviewing people and since audience feedback is a vital part in many thing because this is how we know what the audiences expects from us and their cho

Facebook

Face-book is a social networking website, however it has helped me a lot in this coursework as I was able to post my surveys on facebook in order to get a wider group of audiences to take the survey. I was also able to communicate with my partner on facebook if ever I couldn’t get access to my phone. Facebook simply makes it simpler for me and others to be able to gain our intended audience as we can ask them what their opinions on the spot. It also helped us with our audience feedback on our music video and the ancillary tasks.

Wordle.

Wordle is a fun website as this is where I was able to put the findings of my audience research in creative way. I have used this in my first year as well as my second as it allows me to show the examiner different ways that media technologies can be used to present something to a set of audience in a creative way.