The student used various media technologies throughout their coursework project to plan, research, and produce a music video. Social media allowed them to connect with their target audience and others to inform their production choices. YouTube provided inspiration by allowing analysis of other popular music videos. A camera was used to capture footage for the music video. Adobe Fireworks enabled editing and adding effects to enhance the visuals and create the desired mood. Overall, these media technologies were crucial to completing the project and allowed the student to create media texts similar to professional standards.

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

2. Throughout the process of my coursework task, I have used several media
technologies which have helped me to plan, research and produce my own
music video. Even though the media technologies I used helped me
throughout this coursework task, they did so in different ways. For
instance, I used You Tube to help inspire my narrative decision and to help
create my own. I used social media to establish and then question my
target audience, yet also question different demographics, to find how I
could possibly make my music video appeal to them as well. I feel I have
used a camera quite convincingly throughout my coursework task, which
has captured the footage for my music video and also images for my
digipak and magazine poster. Adobe Fireworks also helped me to revise my
footage when it came to the editing process, which allowed me to
enhance the colour of my shots and also use special effects in order for it
to look professional.

3. Firstly, the use of social media during this project has allowed me to connect with my target
audience and others, informing me on their likes and dislikes and therefore influencing the
production of my music video. Not only did I use Facebook to distribute my survey, I also found
that Facebook helped me in order to look at professional artist’s digipaks and posters and also
how they chose to advertise it. For instance, many now pay to have their posters advertised on
social media sites like Facebook and be distributed to a mass audience, this allowed me to see
the importance of the use of social media. I also found how adverts tend to be minimalistic and
simple, especially when I was able to compare others on the website. This was the reasoning for
my advert and digipak following this theme, showing social media is useful for several matters.
YouTube can also come into discussion with social media due to it being a social media platform.
YouTube has been a crucial website for me as I have been able to scrutinise pop music videos
from powerful artists within the industry, helping me to finalise my narrative and also helping
me to see how such credible artists construct their own music videos, especially in terms of
mise-en-scene. You Tube has somewhat changed the music industry as music videos are now
easily accessible because of the platform, this has caused them to become an expectation
meaning artists are competing with each other to makes their music videos as appealing as
possible.

4. Camera work has also been a vital technology whilst completing this coursework
task. Last year I used a Nikon D7500 which meant using it this year wasn’t a
challenge, it also has several settings which change according to lighting needs.
Due it being technologically advanced, I could experiment freely with the footage
and decipher it easily. After directing my music video, I used Adobe Fireworks in
order to revise and change my footage. The programme really allowed me to
manipulate my footage which I felt supplemented its overall image. Adobe
Fireworks also allowed me to speed up some of my footage and slow some down.
This allowed me to create the mood and theme I wanted to and had some of my
shots not been changed in this way, it would have been difficult to create the
effect I wanted to. Special effects were also a benefit using this software, which I
felt allowed my shots to become more engaging and its content memorable. Even
though not all artists use special effects, I felt it fitted with trying to make my
music video common pop yet also authentic.

5. In conclusion, media technologies have been a significant help
whilst creating my three media texts. The advancement in
technology has allowed me to replicate a campaign similar to ones
within the industry. Had this technology not been accessible, I
would not have been able to express myself creatively through my
campaign.