I have organised my blog so it is easy to follow from one post to the other since I started A2 Media Studies in September. I hope you enjoy looking through my blog where you will find all my Research and Planning, Final Products and Evaluation.
How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Below are all the main technologies I used (that all feature and are explained in the podcast above) throughout the process of my media coursework this year.
iShowU
I used iShowU to often create small podcast, recording my progress (e.g. editing) and updating you about my blog and coursework (trailer, magazine & poster). I also used this use of technology a lot throughout my evaluation.
Blogger
Throughout this year my main mode of technology I used was blogger. Here is recorded and updated my progress through research and planning, post production and production.
Youtube
I often used youtube to update short progression videos such as podcasts, as well as auditions, trailer footage, progress and interviews.
Garageband
I used garageband to create the score and sound effects for my trailer and research and planning.
iMovie
I used iMovie to edit all my research and planning videos (such as auditions and interviews) then later my trailer. I further used iMovie to edit my podcast throughout research and planning and my evaluation.
FinalCut Pro
I only used FinalCut Pro once to edit the webcam scene in our trailer. We needed to use a specific recording effect that was not available on iMovie.
Photoshop
I used Photoshop to create my magazine and poster, as well as little snippets such as production company logos and end credits for our trailer.
Slideshare
I used Slideshare to present online power points, making it easier to upload them onto my blog.
Prezi
I also used another form of online powerpoint named prezi to create other power points. This included power points such as my publication plan.
Flickr
I used Flickr as another form of technology to upload and analyse photos.
SurveyMonkey
I used SurveyMonkey to record anonymous feedback from my target audience, asking for their opinions and advice about my trailer, poster and magazine.
VoiceThread
VoiceThread was again another form of technology to upload and analyse photos.
make a gif
Make a gif was used to create multiple gifs throughout my research and planning process to easily compare photos (such as before and after shots of my poster).
SoundCloud
I used Soundcloud to upload audio, making it easier to upload to my blog (for example my first garageband challenge).
twitter
I used twitter as a form of social networking where I could post my work/questions and ask my target audience for feedback.
Facebook
I used twitter as a form of social networking where I could post my work/questions and ask my target audience for feedback.
WE transfer
Throughout my media coursework this year I used WE transfer to successfully share and send clips of footage/trailers/podcast to Elise and my tutors asking for advice and giving updates.
Canon DSLR
We used many different pieces of equipment (such as tripods and stands) to make our trailer, however the Canon DSLR was the most important as we recorded all our footage on this.
After posting all three of my media products online via the social media site tumblr, I received many positive responses but this post was by far the most positive and detailed:
My target audience member responded that she would definitely go and see Identity from seeing all three advertisements, as well as correctly guessing the genre of Identity. When asked if she could give a brief description about the plot she responded exactly what we wanted to portray in our trailer - two suspects that both have links to the murder of their friend (accusations and evidence), a detective trying to solve the stressful case and possibly a third person who we don't know the Identity off but might play a significant part in the film as they are shown burning vital police documents. Overall, when asked which media text she thought was the most effective form of advertising she answered the trailer. She really enjoyed the music pace and the dramatic plot, further explaining how it gets the audience questioning and guessing what is going on throughout the trailer.
I posted all free of my media products (magazine, poster & trailer) onto the social networking site tumblr as well as four questions regarding them. I am now waiting for some members of my target audience to respond.
Now that I have finished all three of my media products I will be posting them on a social media network asking for feedback on how they all work together to advertise and excite the audience - most importantly, from all these different forms of advertisements would they go and see 'Identity'.
After making the changes that Lauren suggested I reposted a screenshot of my magazine back on twitter, much more happy with the outcome as the page looks less clustered. The audience feedback I got from this post was all positive!
Once I had completed my magazine I posted it on twitter asking for some audience feedback on anything my target audience liked, didn't like or thought I should change. Lauren responded that she liked the overall colour scheme, text and titles but was unsure whether the sticker and film title 'Identity' was a little to big. This is something that I have been thinking about as well as the two seem to clash. I will therefore be making the following changes.
After showing my tutors the final cut of our trailer I asked them for some feedback and the main one that occurred was the end credits being too short. Therefor I have adjusted the speed of them on iMovie to 1.2 seconds instead of the original 0.3 - this will make it easier for our audience to read about the production and dates to our trailer which is a very important aspect to a professional trailer you would see in the industry.
Below is the up to date version of my magazine without guide lines. I will be asking my target audience for feedback over the next few days then make any adjustments according to this. After that I will be finishing off and posting my evaluation.
In the next stage I have added text to the left hand side of the page describing what is in the magazine. I also adjusted the outer glow and drop shadow to help the text stand out more and become more readable. Furthermore, I changed the colour of main titles (Furious 7, Exclusive Interview, Taken 3) similarly to the bottom banner to make my magazine look more appealing and professional. I also adjusted the size of "Identity" and "Murder Has Many Faces" as that and the sticker seemed to be competing.
I have been going over my magazine, adjusting some of the drop shadows and outer glows to make the text on the page stand out more. An example of this is the text "Identity" it is much more effective and easy to read.
I have repositioned the sticker to the right hand side of the page and added a drop shadow on the outside/a inner glow to make it more 3D and effective. I then placed the text I got rid off "10 Best Thrillers Ever Made" inside the sticker and used the drop shadow to make it more effective.
The next thing I did was add the issue, price and website below the magazine name similarly to professional film magazines; "MAY ISSUE 2015 £4.99 FINALCUT.COM"
The last time I updated my magazine I had "10 Best Thriller Ever Made!" along the top left hand side of the magazine. After playing around with additional photographs (to make into inside photos) I decided to instead has the line "Our Biggest Preview Ever!" This font is the same as "Identity" continuing this theme, as well as being bright (though drop shadows/outer glows) and effective.
Below is the questionnaire I have created via surgery monkey. I am going to ask multiple target audience members to watch my trailer that I have now uploaded to youtube then take this questionnaire to give me a further understanding on what I might need to adjust regarding their results. Here is the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NDRQVPR
This week while I have been editing our trailer, I noticed that because we have had to make certain changes to the structure of our trailer due to scenes we were unable to film, the order or our trailer didn't make much sense. The deceptive explains that he has found some evidence to the suspects half way through the trailer, later followed by him actually finding it. Trailers do not have to run in chronological order of the film - they tend to be the most exciting parts of the trailer to excite the audience and make them want to watch the film. However, because we couldn't film additional 'exciting' scenes I rearranged the footage (as you'll see in my next post) to help the audience understand more, as as well as wanting to excite the audience, you don't want to confuse them as they will not want to go and see it. The trailer is currently one minute and twenty two seconds long, suggesting that it might now be considered a teaser trailer (the short version of the original trailer) rather than a full length trailer that tends to be over two minutes. I did this to keep it short, understandable and entertaining.
Once my trailer is uploaded to youtube, I will create a survey monkey asking the audience to guess the genre, plot, ext. The response to this will hopefully come back positive, meaning we have portrayed all of these themes throughout our trailer.
Along side the sound, I also added a series of sound effects to heighten the mood and genre, as well as present what is going on on screen more clearly. For example, when the forensics find evidence and our detective arrives at the crime scene, I used a rescue helicopter and walkie talkie garble sound effects to exaggerate the extent of the incident/murder, just as this sort of situation would do in everyday life. The sound effects continue throughout (in forms of police sirens, ext.)
The sound in our trailer starts as a distorted sound called 'Drone Dark Suspense' (1&2). This plain and simple track gives an eery feel to our trailer. As the trailer progresses, the music gets louder then right at the end using the fade out tool I gently fade the sound alongside the credits, signalling the end of the trailer.
When tweaking our trailer I decided to add another sound element throughout our trailer - a heartbeat. This starts at the beginning and continues throughout (alongside the distorted /main/ sound track). As the trailer progressed I wanted to make the heartbeat progress with it, getting louder and fast before fading out all together. To do this I created a new iMovie project - inserting a blank tile and placing the heartbeat sound alongside it. I then exported this as a movie before importing it into the footage below and dragging it into my film. Next I adjusted the speed of the clip (ultimately speeding up the heartbeat) then detached the sound so I could place the faster parts at the end of the trailer. This could suggest that the characters and the plot become more active and stressed as the trailer/film continues, ultimately possibly ending in someones death?
One of the final things I used in my trailer is a boom effect when anything exciting or dramatic happened. For example, at the start or our trailer a series of little straight cuts show a glimpse of the boys body lying in a field, and the forensics working on the scene. I added this boom effect to make the impact more dramatic and excite the audience watching.
