Media

1. Abi Semple

2. Technologies we have used…
Production
Photoshop
In Design
Adobe
Premiere
Research and
Presentation
PowToon
Twitter
The Internet
Survey Monkey
Slide Share
Author Stream
Netflix
BBC iPlayer
YouTube
Blogger
Scribd
PowerPoint
Word
Excel
Sound Cloud
Prezi
Emaze
Communication
Facebook
Gmail
Telephone calls
Hardware
Camera
Audio
Recorder
Smart
Phones

3. Research and planning
Before we decided on a topic for our documentary, we watched the documentary
‘Supersize Me’. This was shown to us from a DVD in the classroom, using the
computer and projector. From this we became aware of typical conventions of
documentaries which could initially help us to decide on a topic and give us
After we decided on the topic for the documentary we then researched into other
documentaries to try to decide on conventions to include in our own, as well as to
get ideas of presenting and footage. We therefore used Netflix to watch
documentaries such as ‘Bronies’ found on Netflix and ‘Reggie Yates’, found on
BBC iplayer. We watched these on the Macs, our phones and tablets and our
computers at home, as well as on the TV.
We also watched YouTube videos before we began production so that we were
aware of any techniques we could use in our own documentary.

4. Research and planning
When presenting the process of creating
our documentary, we used Blogger. This
enabled us to keep a record of all of the
research and planning we did for the
documentary. To present information,
including research into target audiences
and existing documentaries, we used a
wide range of different programmes so that
our blog was varied and was interesting. It
also enabled us to experiment with
different sorts of technologies, so that we
now have knowledge of a range of different
presenting programmes. These
programmes included Slideshare, Scribd,
Prezi and Powtoon. We also used
Microsoft word and Powerpoint to present
information, as well as writing individual
posts straight onto the blog, which may
have included pictures and text.

5. Research and planning
When we created our
questionnaire on topic research
on SurveyMonkey we needed to
make sure that our participants
were of the appropriate age
group etc. for our target
audience. Because our target
audience are likely to use social
media, we therefore shared it on
Facebook, so that as many
people as possible could partake.
Because of this we had a high
response rate. Therefore, we
used social media to our
advantage.

6. Presentation on the Blog
So that we could keep record of
what we were doing, we uploaded
video diaries to YouTube so that we
could keep track of what we were
doing each time we did something
significant. This added to the
variation of different media
programmes on the blog, and we
felt that the videos made the blog
more personal. We made our own
YouTube channel so that all videos
that we uploaded could all be kept
in one place.
https://youtu.be/yk35fUCEMTU

7. Communication
As well as this, we used Gmail to communicate
with each other (for example, sending screenshots
to add to the blog) and to also communicate with
interviewees and to get in contact with possible
filming locations, so that we could plan when,
where and who we were going to interview. We
were also able to send questions that we were
thinking of asking to the interviewees before we
filmed, so that they could plan what they were
going to say. Gmail was a good source of
communication, and people replied quickly to our
requests. If our emails were not responded to, we
phoned them using our mobile phones, and when
we arrived in Birmingham to begin filming voxpop
interviews we rang the lady who had allowed us to
come and she came out to meet us. We also used
the college email system, Tyber, to message
teachers concerning interviews.
Therefore, these sources of communication were
successful and were crucial for the production of
our documentary.

8. Communication
To enable us to stay in contact and communicate as a group, we set up a
group chat on social media so that we could plan what we were doing as a
group and make sure that we all had full understanding of what we had to
do. As well as this, the group chat enabled us to ask the rest of the group
any questions if we had them, so that we were always clear and every
decision made was a group decision.

9. HardwareBefore we began filming our documentary, we used a range of different
hardware to film interviews and footage. The video camera we used was a
Canon HG20 and allowed us to film effectively due to it’s high resolution
lens. This allowed us to control all footage so that it was exactly how we
wanted it, in terms of brightness, exposure and focus. The footage we
took were all of high enough quality due to the camera, that we were able
to effectively edit them when we began the production. To make sure that
the sound of the footage was of high quality we used a shotgun
microphone, so that we could precisely record every sound when filming
the interviews. We were also able to reduce the background noise
effectively when recording interviews, particularly when filming voxpops
in the canteen, where there was a lot of noise surrounding the
interviewees, due to the foam covering the microphone. It was essential
that all of the interviewee’s words could be heard clearly and this
microphone worked effectively to achieve this. While recording, we used
HD201 Headphones so that we could clearly hear sound levels during
filming, so that we could make sure they were consistent, and if problems
emerged to do with the sound, we could easily fix them due to how clearly
we could hear through the headphones. We also used a tripod, as this
was needed to make sure the camera was steady and straight when
filming, as well as enabling us to make smooth movements and angle the
camera to create a variation of shots. All pieces of equipment were vital in
creating a documentary that was high in quality. Despite the tripod being
more difficult to carry, all pieces of equipment were easy to put away in
storage bags and be transported when we wanted to film in different
locations. This proved to our advantage, as we were able to film in
various areas which worked effectively in our documentary footage and
made it more interesting to watch.

10. Hardware
For our radio trailer we used a voice recorder,
which we had also used for the voice over of our
documentary. For most of our radio trailer, we
used snippets of our documentary, such as the
voice over and voxpop interviews, but we did
record more sound footage so that the radio
trailer would perform it’s purpose, e.g. telling the
audience when the documentary was airing. For
the double page spread, we used a simple digital
camera, so that we could take photographs of
the Meninist for the main image on our spread.
Because we took the image at the Sixth Form
College, we had access to the photography
studio, where by using lights and props we had
brought ourselves, we were able to make the
images look more professional. We then
transferred all image and sound, as well as all
our footage from the filming onto the Mac
computer, so that we could edit it.

11. Using the hardware
during pre-production
This was us recording the voice over
using the voice recorder, as shown
through our video diary on our blog:
https://youtu.be/vYNbZIzJ_hc

12. Production- Photoshop
To create the Meninsism logo we
used Photoshop. To create the
base shape of the logo, we had to
layer two shapes on top of one
another and then selected it as a
whole and made it also into one
colour. Photoshop was effective as
it is used predominantly to edit
images and so we were successful
in editing our logo to a high quality
because of the programme. We
saved the image as a ‘.png’ which
meant that, they could then be
moved to whichever product we
needed to use it in.

13. Production
To make the documentary
itself we used Adobe
Premiere. This allowed us
to edit all pieces of footage
that we had, as well as
putting them together so
that they flowed into a
watchable film. We also
used this to edit the sound
levels and to add titles and
fonts.

14. Production
An important feature when creating the
documentary on Adobe Premiere was the
timeline. Before we began making our
documentary, we experimented with the
timeline, so that we knew how to use it and
would be fully prepared for when we
started properly. The fact that the timeline
allows you to layer footage and sound on
top of each other so that they can appear
at the same time was very beneficial, as it
meant that we could show footage to
demonstrate what we are talking about and
ideas can be put across clearly. We used
this particularly during interviews, when the
interviewee talked about a particular topic,
we would show footage which related to
this topic, making the visuals interesting
and varied. Therefore, through this feature,
our documentary benefitted as a whole.

15. Production
We were also able to add text over the top
of the voice over, so that certain words and
phrases would stand out more clearly and
could be memorable.

16. Production- Effects
After watching the documentary
‘Banksy’, we thought it would be
effective to block out the features
of somebody’s face to help
achieve an anonymous look.
Therefore, we decided to do so
with the Meninist in our
documentary. When filming we
used a light source behind the
subject so that their face was
already darkened. We also
watched a tutorial video on
YouTube to show us how to edit
the exposure on Adobe Premiere
so that the subject was even
darker against the background.

17. Production- Effects
Then on Photoshop, we
created a black,
shadowed, oval shape
which we exported as a
‘.png’ file and added it over
the subject’s face so that
his identity was completely
hidden. We changed the
position of the shape in
each frame, so that it
linked exactly to how the
subject was moving.

18. Production- Fonts
We made sure that we used fonts and texts in our
documentary. To do this on Abobe Premiere, we first selected
the Title menu and chose ‘Default Still’, which allowed us to
add a text. We were able to chose the font and colour of this,
and so would be completely appropriate for our documentary
and what was being said.

19. Production- Fonts
Once we chose which font we wanted to use, we could then drag the title
onto the timeline and place it above the footage we wanted it to appear on
top of. We also used the pen tool and the razor tool to make sure it was the
right length and to change the opacity so that it could fade in and out.

20. Production
As we used Adobe Premiere for the
radio trailer too, a particularly effective
tool was the pen tool. Through this
tool we could separate the audio and
visual footage, and then edit the
sound levels so that they would
change if we wanted them to. This
meant that we could change the
sound levels of the radio trailer and
audio of the documentary if they were
high/low at particular points, by
dragging the pin points up or down.
This meant that they were the same
levels throughout. This tool also
enabled us to change the opacity of
visual footage, and fade in and out so
that there were no interruptions when
transitioning from one piece of
footage to the next. The yellow line with the pin points are
used to edit the sound levels.

21. Production- Cutting clips
A successful tool when editing our
footage was the razor tool. This
meant that we could cut footage if
we wanted to delete certain parts,
as well as stopping footage at a
certain time so that we only used
film that we really wanted. This tool
helped make cuts precise and look
professional and clear. Also, if we
separated our visual and audio
footage we cut parts of one, which
worked particularly well if we
wanted to cut parts of footage to
show other footage over the top of
the audio during interviews.

22. Production- Double page
spread
To create our double page spread,
we used InDesign. This was very
helpful as many professional
magazines are created on
programmes such as this, and so
contained key features to help us
make it effectively. Most of our
features had been made already,
such as the logo and main image,
and so we exported these as a
‘.psd’ onto InDesign and then
edited until we knew the exact
layout. The article was written in
Microsoft Word, and so could
easily be copied and pasted in.

23. Overall…
Overall the technologies and programmes
we used abled us to produce three
products which fulfilled their purpose and
ultimately allowed us to create them to the
best possible standard.