q4

1. Evaluation Q4 How did you
use media technologies in
the construction and
research, planning and
evaluation stages?
BY CARMEN KATEMA

2. Media Technologies
 For the duration of the project I used a range of media technologies in
order to help me create each product. Here is the variety of
technologies/programmes used:
 Youtube
 Final Cut Express
 Blogger
 Google
 Photoshop
 Filming Equipment

3. Youtube
 A video sharing website which allows users to upload, view and share.
 Through youtube I was able to research music videos along the lines of a
synthpop genre. This gave me further understanding as well as inspiration
in how these types of videos are made.
 By watching these videos I was also able to identify the forms and
conventions for the genre I was tackling.

4. Final Cut Express
 A video editing software suite created by Apple, designed for advanced
editing of digital video.
 I used the programme in order to create my main product. Before tackling
the main video, we were given the opportunity to do a preliminary
exercise based on the video, ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ by Britney
Spears. This gave us more independent experience on how to navigate
around Final Cut Express. Personally I learnt the importance of continuity
and using editing to make a storyline flow smoothly.

5. Blogger
 A blog-publishing service that allows multi-user blogs with time stamped
entries.
 I used blogger to illustrate my progress and journey throughout my
coursework. It was very important that I kept referring back so that my
teacher can keep track of how the process was going. I thoroughly
enjoyed using it as it helped me to update through a fun and creative
way.

6. Google
 A search engine which was a primary source for all my research .
 It allowed me to conduct valuable secondary research for numerous
things. For example, Romina and I needed a considerable amount of
props for our video, therefore we researched shops within our area that
sold the appropriate props that we would need.
 We also needed to research what record label would be appropriate for
our artist. Also, what kind of things are typically seen in a digipak and
magazine advert for pop/synthpop artists? I managed to gather valuable
information for both these questions.

7. Photoshop
 Adobe Photoshop is a graphic editing programme developed by Adobe
systems.
 Usually this programme helped me mainly to edit my ancillary texts. At the
start, I found navigating around the programme quite challenging,
however we got familiarise ourselves and eventually I began to really
enjoy the overall creative process. The thing I found most enjoyable was
playing around with fonts, because I there was so much I could do to
make the words stand out more (outer glow, use of colours, size, opacity
etc).

8. Filming Equipment
 For film equipment, Romina and I needed a filming camera (digital
camera for original images), tripod and a dolly for following our artist as
she dances and runs.
 Thanks to our AS work for our film opening, I was already familiar with the
process and I found this really helpful because I found that I didn’t really
have to worry about how to use the equipment, I could focus my attention
more so on what’s happening in the shot.