1. Q4: How did you use media
technologies in the
construction and research,
planning and evaluation stages?
2. SONY HXR – MC2000E HD Solid State
Broadcast Camera.
This camera was used for all of the filming in our documentary,
including: The interview footage, the b-roll footage, and even
the voice over recording.
For research purposes we used the still image setting on the
camera to take some still shots of dance, these were used for
inspiration in our final documentary.
The image on our newspaper advert was also filmed on this
camera and we used a still image from the filming.
We also used the boom microphone that
comes with the camera to record our b-roll
footage.
3. Dell Inspiron Computers
These computers were used throughout the whole process of
creating our documentary.
During the research and planning stages the computers were
used for the internet, and they allowed quick and easy internet
access. Blogger was a website that was frequently used,
especially in the planning stages.
During the construction stages they were used regularly as they
had the software that we needed (Adobe Premiere Pro &
Adobe Photoshop)
They were also frequently used during the
evaluation stages for websites such as blogger
and slideshare.
4. Clip Microphones
During all of the interview footage we used clip microphones,
this was because they recorded much better sound and created
clearer interviews, this also meant that our footage was of a
higher quality than if we had used boom microphones or the
built in microphone on the camera to record the interviews.
The clip microphones connected to the camera and then
clipped onto the interviewees clothing the capture clear sound
with less background noise.
We also used the clip microphone when recording the voice
over for both the documentary and the radio advert.
5. Boom Microphone
The boom microphone was used when recording our B-roll
footage during the construction stages of our documentary.
Mostly we left the boom microphone attached to the camera
but when recording our vox-pops we used an extension lead to
record closer to the person we were filming.
During the research and planning stages, we used the boom
microphone to record some practice footage, to get us used to
filming.
During the evaluation stages we used the boom microphone to
record our audience responses to our final media product.
6. USB Transfer Cables
During the research and planning stages, these were used to
transfer all of our practice footage and still images onto the
‘Dell Insprion’ computers so that we could look back on our
footage and look on what we could improve.
During the construction stages they were used to transfer all of
our footage on the computers, where it was all put together
(on Adobe Premiere Pro)
During the evaluation stages, they were used to transfer all of
the audience feedback onto the computers and also any still
images from the filming or stills that were needed.
7. Adobe Premiere Pro
During the research and planning stages, this software was
used the create the preliminary documentary, so that we were
able to get used to programme and understand how to use it.
In the construction stages it was used to put all of our footage,
images, music and text together to create a 5 minute long
documentary. This was the main and most important software
used during the whole process.
During the evaluation stages, the software was used to help me
answer question 2 in a way that allowed me to incorporate
different areas of media.
8. Adobe Premier Pro
We used Adobe to edit together all of the footage that we collected. We used tools
such as the ‘fill left’ tool to fill in the sound, this meant that if you were listening
through earphones the sound would come out of both earphones. We also used
tools such as the fade to0l and the zoom tool to add effects to some of the clips
that we used, this added verity. This can be seen at the end of our titles, when the
title zooms forward. We also used different audio sections for our different sounds,
this made it much easier to alter the sound of certain tracks.
9. Adobe Premier Pro
We used Premier throughout the making of our documentary
as it was an easy way to create a professional looking product.
The sound tools were particularly useful as we were able to
disguise breaks in speech and alter the any sounds that were
too loud.
On a lot of the footage we also used the brightness and
contrast tools to improve the colour and brightness of our
footage so that it looked much clearer.
We also used Photoshop in combination with Premier as we
created all of our graphics by using Photoshop and we were
able to incorporate them into the documentary easily by
uploading them onto premier.
10. Photoshop CS5
During the research and planning stages, Photoshop was used
to edit the graphics used in the preliminary documentary, but
we also used it to edit some of the still images we gathered to
give us inspiration.
During the construction stages, we used Photoshop to edit all
of the graphics we included in our documentary, but it was
most important when creating our newspaper advert as the
image we used required a lot of editing to look professional.
During the evaluation stage, I used Photoshop to edit the still
images I used when answering questions 2 & 4.
12. Photoshop CS5
When using Photoshop to create the graphics, the tools that we had
most use for were the quick select tool, brush tool and the magic wand
tool.
The brushes helped us to create different and interesting designs on our
graphics, for example, for the graphics we created for the names of our
interviewees we used a star shaped brush with a grey ‘paint’ to create a
collage of stars on the black background, which fit with our theme.
We used the quick select tool when creating the title for our
documentary so that we could cut out the text quickly and add the
overlay of stage lights to the image instead, to make our text more
interesting.
we used the magic wand tool to select certain areas of images so that
we could cut out what we wanted, this made it easy to edit photos, we
used this when creating our poster, we cut out areas of the background
of our image so that it looked much tidier and more professional.
13. Firefox MP4 Downloader
During the research and planning stages we used this software
to download any potential music tracks and archive footage
that we were thinking of using in our documentary.
In the construction stages we used this software to download
all of the tracks and archive footage that we used in our final
documentary and radio advert.
In the evaluation stages I used this software to download any
dance footage or audience responses to dance that would help
me to answer the questions in the evaluation.
14. Microsoft Word
During the research and planning stages we used Microsoft
word to write out detailed plans of what we were going to
film/record and we also used it to write out scripts for the
voiceovers, and also questions for the interviews.
During the construction stages we used this software mainly to
create the running order of our documentary and to create
some spider diagrams for our ideas.
During the evaluation stages, I used word to script some
answers to the questions, but also to plan my answers and the
layout of my evaluation.
15. Microsoft PowerPoint
During the research and planning stage, we used PowerPoint to
present our plans, and easily upload them onto blogger by using
SlideShare. We also used PowerPoint to present any research
that we found so that we could easily find and use what we had
found out.
During the construction stages, I used PowerPoint to keep track
of what information I had put onto my blog and any ideas I
came up with for the documentary throughout the construction
process.
And during the evaluation process, I used Power
Point to answer Question 4.
16. Google Images
In the research and planning stages, Google Images was used
to collect images that would give us inspiration on what theme
to create our documentary on.
Then, during the construction stages, we used it to collect
some images for overlays within our documentary, and we also
collected some images to use within our graphics.
During the evaluation stage, I took images from Google to help
me answer Question 4 and show what kinds of equipment and
software we used.
17. YouTube
During the research and planning stages, we used YouTube to
watch similar documentary’s to the one we wanted to create,
this helped to give us ideas and inspiration for our documentary
and helped us to understand what our audience would be
looking for.
During the construction stage, we used YouTube to collect all of
our archive footage, and once the documentary was finished we
uploaded it to YouTube.
In the evaluation stages, I used YouTube to watch back our
documentary and Radio advert so that I could effectively
evaluate them.
18. Blogger
During the research and planning stage, blogger was used to
document all of our ideas and planning, also the preliminary
tasks were uploaded onto my blog and all of the written work
needed.
In the construction stage I updated blogger regularly and with
any images/audio/filming that we used and completed all of the
necessary written work.
During the evaluation stages, uploaded my evaluation to
blogger and completed any other missing work. I also uploaded
our final products onto my blog as a way to present
them.
19. Barnum's Dance Shop Website
We used Barnum’s dance website in the research and planning
stages so that we were able to get an idea of what kinds of
dance were the most popular, this was so we had a focus for our
documentary and knew what to include.
During the construction stages we used this website to try and
secure an interview with the shop owner and film some b-roll
footage in the shop, unfortunately Barnum’s refused to let us
film with them, so there was no further use of their website.
20. SlideShare
During research and planning, I used SlideShare frequently
because I created a number of PowerPoint’s containing any
ideas I had for the blog. I then uploaded them to slideshare so
that I was able to embed them to my blog.
During the construction process I used SlideShare less as I had
already completed most of my research and ideas
In the evaluation process I used Slideshare to upload question 4
and then embed it onto my blog to show that I used a variety of
media products to convey my evaluation.