Evaluation - Part Four

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

Throughout the production, I have used media technology for research and to put together my media products. Programmes that I have used :-

• imovie HD
• Adobe Photoshop CS3
• Quick time
• Digital SLR
• YouTube - videos
• Mini DV camera, three CCD (chips inside the camera that control the colour)
• Google - images
• Social Networking Sites - Facebook.

Pre-Production

With-in the pre-production, I had gathered research to help me with my production. I used the Internet to help with most of the research that was done, this involved product research (secondary research), including posters and teaser trailers. I found Internet research to be the most useful, as it was to get hold of past products on YouTube and using the google search tool. theses were used to help find similar products to influence me with my product. Other types of research that I had to do was audience research, which was primary research.

I would mostly use YouTube to find teaser trailers, and Google to find posters and magazine front covers.
Google search engine was very helpful, as I was able to find many different types of posters and magazine front covers.
Overall using YouTube was easy, but found it difficult to find teaser trailers to gather my product research. There were other websites that I found, but was unable to embed them into my blog. Therefore I had to rely on the trailers, rather than the teaser trailers.

Production

Throughout the production I used a mini DV camera to shoot my scenes. The camera itself was easy to set up, as I already had experience with it last year whilst doing my AS production. Along with the camera I also used a tripod so that my shoots were stable and looked professional. I used this to create a panning shot and to also create many still shots, to zoom in and out. I would also use a hand held camera to create an unstable effect. The camera did have special effects that I could have experimented with and used in my teaser trailer, but my ideas were limited due to it being an independent production.

I used the digital SLR to take photos for my magazine front cover. As this was the first time that I had used it, I found it a little difficult. I had to focus on the mise-en-scene in order to replicate the glamour that it shown in the magazines that I have researched. therefore I had to have two spotlights on either side with a white backdrop. Throughout the process I had to adjust both spotlights to make sure that they were in the correct position giving the right amount of light in the right area. I didn't want to create shadows as it would not replicate my research, the glossy effect.

Overall the camera was helpful, as I was able to capture the right shot (long to mid-shot).

Post Production

Below is a print screen of a YouTube page where I have uploaded my teaser trailer to make it available to the public. This will help with audience feedback, although not that many people have a YouTube account, therefore I have uploaded onto my Facebook account.


This is because many people worldwide have a Facebook account. This has made it available for my friends. Web2.0 has increased the amount that people use the Internet in may ways. It has made individuals become more independent as they take control on what they want to upload on to their blogs/social networking sites such as Facebook. Therefore my products are found to be more appealing to an active audience, due to the fact that I have uploaded both my ancillary tasks and my main product to my Facebook account.