1. Personal Skills Audit Name:_Michael Rowell______________
Skills acquired How did these skills
contribute to the creation of
your product?
How will you develop these
skills during the A2 project?
Digital technology
- What
equipment/software
packages did you use to
produce your
production?
I learned to use photoshop and
final cut last year at AS. I also
learned how to work a camera
and use a Dolly-track. I also
used Cubase to create a
soundtrack to use for my AS. I
also used a flash-based
presentation software on the
internet called Prezi. This was
used as an alternative to
powerpoint.
My main focus in the group,
was to supervise the sounds of
the product. I was in charge of
making a soundtrack for the
film, and finding the sound
effects used. I also did most of
the graphic work, such as a
company logo, and a film
poster.
This year, I hope I will be able
to spend a lot more time with
the resources available at
college. These include using
the macs to further develop my
editing and graphic production
skills using Photoshop and
Final Cut.
Post production
- What software did you
use to create your
production?
- Discuss specific features
of the software.
With Cubase, I used its built in
functions to build the different
instruments digitally that I
wanted to use in my
soundtrack. I wanted
instruments that would stick
with the noir genre that our film
fell into. These instruments
include, saxophones, piano,
violins, muted trumpet.
These skills helped me to
achieve my major group role,
which was sound
producer/engineer. I think my
sound work was to a high
standard using the resources I
had at the time. Ultimately I
achieved a B grade for my
coursework.
I will develop my editing/ sound
editing skills this year, in the
hope that I can achieve an A
grade. This year I want to be
able to do all the
editing/graphic work/sound
work myself.

2. Research and Planning
- What tasks did you
complete when
preparing to film your
sequence?
- How did your planning
help the smooth
progression of your film?
Last year, the research and
planning stage gave me the
opportunity to develop my skills
and understanding of the
subject.Last year, I
deconstructed different media
texts such as opening
sequences from films of the
same genre.
These skills that I acquired
contributed to my work
significantly. I used my
research and planning skills to
use when it came to planning
my own opening sequence.
These skills will develop in A2
because I am in a smaller
group this year, meaning I will
not be able to rely on other
people to do some research
tasks. This year I will have to
use and develop these skills to
ensure I get the B grade I
want.
Using conventions of real
media texts
- Which texts did you
analyse?
- Did you take any
inspiration from the
conventions found from
your research?
In AS, I had to analyse various
media texts, and by doing this I
think I have acquired a fairly
extensive understanding of the
conventions used in various
media texts. For my group, I
had to analyse the opening for
Memento.
Analysing these media texts
last year, allowed me to learn
how to break down a media text
and study the individual things
that I could later incorporate
into my own work.
This year in A2 Media, I want
to select a wider range of
different media texts from
different genres. This is
because I think it will give me
the chance to learn more about
how a music video is
structured. I also want to
analyse more media texts than
last year, as I thought that in
AS I could have done more
work for my research.
Creativity
- were your ideas for your
portfolio imaginative and unique
or did you adhere to
conventions?
At AS, I think I learnt how to
think creatively thanks to the
many media texts to study and
worksheets that were made
available.
These skills that I acquired,
allowed me to use imaginative
and unconventional ideas in my
work.
This year I aim to push my
creative ideas as far as I am
allowed. I think that, by
studying more outlandish
media texts, I can learn how to
use different and unique ideas
without over doing my video.