Evaluation Question Four - How did you use new media technologies in the construction and planning, research and evaluation stages?

I used a range of different media technologies throughout my planning, production and evaluation process.

HD Camera

From my initial planning days I used YouTube to research different music video's to gain ideas. I looked at composition of shots, narrative, studio work, colouring, mise-en-scene, editing and other aspects key in any music video. I looked at the lyrics to the song and thought about what I wanted to film. I then drafted a story board for my first set of filming. After assessing the actual 'Louder' music video I wanted to produce a similar outcome with little use of effects and lots of different camera angles and cutting to different scenes more often. I then began planning by mind mapping my ideas for my own music video and did a monthly plan in my diary so that I had planned my work throughly.

Final Cut Pro

 I  knew I wanted good quality footage so I filmed my work using the HD Camera,  which was the first time I had used this type of camera. I experimented with all its functions especially un focusing and focusing footage, its powerful zoom and moving filming using the dolly. As the HD camera uses tapes unlike the other handheld cameras that use SD cards I had to capture my film from the camera onto Final Cut Pro. I used Final Cut Pro to edit all my work. I transferred my audio onto Final Cut and altered the sound volume and fitted the audio correctly in time with my visual, which took quite a while to get perfect. I made use of the footage effects on the software such as overlapping footage and the colour corrector. I edited my footage mostly using the colour corrector by having my narrative footage in black and white and the studio/lip syncing footage in colour so that there was a clear distintion between the two to my audience. I found this to be a sucessful technique and I think overall it worked well with the storyline of my footage. I used a title sequence as the opening to my music video for a profeshional finish. I did this using Adobe PhotoShop to make a JPEG file which I then dragged and dropped into Final Cut Pro at the start of my timeline. For the end of my video I used the fade out effect to a black screen so that my footage finshed in time with my audio, as well as at the same tempo.




Apple Aperture 3



Adobe PhotoShop



For my ancillary task I initially completed my first photo shoot at my local skate park to include graffiti into my album artwork to highlight the 'youth culture' theme. After completing my final set of filming I did another photo shoot with my model against a brick wall I had used for a lot of my filming. I did this so that my ancillary tasks linked well with my media product and so that they were easily identified with my audience to my music video. I edited my images initially using software I have at home; Aperture 3. I used this programme to edit skin tones, increase definition and contrast and to overall polish my images to a good standard. I then used Adobe PhotoShop to edit my images further in a more graphical way. I included text and graphics in a creative and visually pleasing way  to my images, to produce my final album cover and magazine advert.



For my evaluation I have tried different forms of presenting my work. I have again used Final Cut Pro and recorded my audio using Garage Band and converted the files to iTunes then dropping them into Final Cut for a finished product. I have included moving footage, still images, music and a voice over in my evaluation. Editing timing of each frame in time with the audio, altering the audio levels where needed so that it is clear and can be heard easily. For my audience research I have used the inbuilt webcam in the Mac for feedback from friends so that it fits with the relaxed blogging we have been doing over the course of this project and so that the videos have a 'video blog' feel to them. I have made use of the Internet and resources available to me. I have uploaded my work to YouTube for feedback and for views of my video. I linked my final music video to my Facebook page so that my friends and family could watch my video and give me feedback. I also linked the video to my Twitter page so that people outside my friends and family, a random audience could also view my work. This proved very successful as I received a lot of positive comments and after my video only being online for 2 days I have already received 105 views of my video, which is fantastic. 



105 YouTube Views



 I have overall learnt and built on a lot of skills from this coursework project and have found it very enjoyable. I have used software in more detail and at a higher level than I have before, I created my first YouTube account. I have used Facebook, a social networking site I use everyday to help with advertising my work and for feedback. I have changed my final outcome dramatically from what I began to work with an acoustic slow song with a totally different genre and audience. After changing from working in a group to working alone it did have some difficulties at times but I managed my time effectivly and kept editing my work and refilming footage at different locations with different costumes and extras so that I had a sucessful end result that I am pleased with and proud of myslef for giving myself the challenge of changing my idea well into the project and for working alone.