1. Evaluation Question 4:
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research,
planning and evaluation stages?
By Chitra Jeebodhun
A2 Music video coursework.

2. Introduction…
Throughout the two years of this course, we have used different technologies in
order to provide the best of our work. From old to new, we’ve used various kind of
technologies and our knowledge on technologies also expanded. I have never used
Survey monkey, and it was absolutely intriguing to see how fast we can collect
audience feedback through the use of technology. Most of these technologies I’ve
used for my AS coursework however there are many of these technologies that I’ve
mentioned which I’ve recently learnt how to use but Even though we used them in
AS, this year we were able to know more into detail of how to create the advanced
tools to create better work. As a media student, I have learnt how the technology is
advancing minute by minute and it enables us to produce better products. I have
never imagined that I would be able to have the opportunity to be able to produce
a Thriller movie and a music video, as whenever I looked at real movies and videos
it makes me think that for a normal person to create such fine piece of work is
impossible. But with the use of technology it proved me wrong, anyone can
produce a media product all that is needed is your dedication and hard work! I
have also learned to appreciate the directors and crews of movies that were made
way before technologies were introduced, as if it’s hard enough with technologies
then it surely must have been a lot of work for the movie makers.

3. HD Canon Camera
The camera was our main technology we made
use of throughout the making of this music
video, from it’s planning to research to actually
producing the media product. Last year we had a
normal camera however this year we got a more
advanced one, though most features were the
same it was still new to me and my partner but it
was easy to use! This Camera and tripod were
the easiest as we had practice from last year.
With the help of this I was able to film my music
video and audience feedback before and after
constructing the media product.

4. The Tripod
Without the tripod, it would have been almost impossible to get good and still
shots. The tripod avoids us from getting ‘shaky shots’ as it will completely ruin
the scene. For all of the scenes, we’ve used the tripod to get us good and still
shot. It was easy to get pan shots without moving it too much.

5. Samsung Digital Camera
We had to take pictures for
locations while we were planning
and pictures for the digipak and
magazine adverts too. I was able
to also take some pictures for my
animatic using this camera. The
good thing about this camera is
that it provides us with good
quality images.

6. Blackberry Smartphone.
Personally I own a blackberry, the useful thing about this is that you
can do many things on this. Since this phone is always with me, it
has helped me in every way during the planning, research and
construction of this media product. The pictures of locations, props
costumes, animatic, behind the scenes images and pictures to the
process of editing were all taken from this Smartphone. I was also
able to keep the track on my Smartphone as whenever we were
filming it would be easier to get access to the music and I also
saved the lyrics on the phones just in case the main actor has issues
remembering all of it as it’s a pretty hard song. I was able to use
word on my blackberry to write my posts whenever I was unable to
access a pc. One of the scene consisted of me and the main actor
texting each other and thus this phone was used.

7. Unsigned.com
In order for us to get started in creating this media product, we did a lot of
research on unsigned.com for us to be able to find unsigned U.K based artists
so that we can use their music in our video. This site contains music artists that
are not signed by big records companies and the aim of this site is for those
artists to post their music in hope to get feedback by companies looking for
new talents.
We found a lot of good ones that matched the story we had for the music
video in our minds however unfortunately they were American artist or the
music was only under a minute long.

8. YouTube.com
After failing to find music on unsigned.com, You
tube was our only reliable source. You-tube
contains everything and anything and since I
know a lot of unsigned artists therefore me and
my partner decided to look through their music
until something that grabs our attention. We
were unable to decide at one point as we liked a
music and it was perfect for the story of our
music video but the only problem was rapping
and not many people can rap therefore we had
to thrash this one. However we found another
artist I knew and his music was just what we
needed. I emailed the artist and we soon got the
reply back in which he allowed us to use his
music.
You-tube also helped me in researching for other
alike music videos from which I got ideas of
particular scenes that I could use in my own
music video.

9. Final Cut Express.
Final cut express is the only technology that
has been used by us throughout our 2 year’s
course to edit our products. This software
allowed us to created our preliminary
exercise, the focus group and the MAIN
PRODUCT! Final cut express is very advanced
as we can use many kind of video transitions
to make the music video look like a real music
video. Using this technology has made me
reali

10. Adobe Photoshop
This is a technology that I’ve faced a lot of difficulties and struggled with simply
because I have never used it. Yes, I have heard of this software and I am aware that
many people use it however since this was the first time I even got to see what this
whole Photoshop is about, it was very hard. I had use YOU-TUBE to watch tutorials for
every parts I needed to use in order for me to get started. Honestly, I still haven’t fully
gotten used to every feature but only those I’ve used in order to create my ancillary
tasks which was the magazine advert and digipak. This software seems very
complicated at first but since you continuously use it, you automatically get used to it.
If I was to use Photoshop a lot, I believe it wouldn’t be hard for me to get used to it
fully although while using this has allowed me to challenge myself in doing something
new.

11. Picnik.Com
This is a site that I’ve used to edit
many of my pictures so that it
would be easy for me to insert it
in Photoshop on my ancillary task.
The good news with this site was
that it’s offering their premium
features free until the 19th April
which is really helpful as it helps
us edit to the best quality. Many
of the digipak images have been
edited using this site. Many
teenagers use this site for
personal use and since I have used
it myself therefore it was simple
to use as I am aware of all the
tools.

12. Imac
Without the Imac, it would have
been impossible to gain a media
product that is of such good quality.
As you know, the IMac is an
advanced technology and some
people also believe it’s like “having
the world at your fingertips” for it’s
so advanced. It provide good quality
work which is why we have used it to
get our work to the best possible
standard.

13. Microsoft PowerPoint
This is not really a new technology but it has helped us get our evaluation
into our blog therefore it is an important piece of technology for us. I’ve
used the PowerPoint to write on slides and it is a good software as we can
animate it in our own choice. E.g. colours, font. The hard part of using
this technology is that it has upgraded within the years and since I was
using the Imac to created my presentation, it was totally different to what
you find on a normal PC.

14. Slideshare.com
Slide share was also important as in order to put the presentation on
our blog it had to be put on slide share so that we get an effective
presentation. In this modern world, according to me, technology
plays a big part it is being used everywhere every second. And
different technologies allows us to present things in more creative
and effective way.

15. Prezi.com
Prezi.com is also like slide share
but it is different. The similarity is
that both provide an effective
presentation. The difference is
that prezi doesn’t need Microsoft
PowerPoint, you can use texts
boxes and add what your need to
write and you can upload pictures
and the fun part is that you can
choose in what order you like
things to be using the PATH tool.

16. Survey Monkey.
During research and after creating our music video and the ancillary tasks,
Survey monkey has been our main feedback tool. It allowed me to create
surveys based on my music choice, the finished product and the ancillary tasks.
It helped me analyze the responses of the audiences. Without survey monkey, it
would involve much more work interviewing people and since audience
feedback is a vital part in many thing because this is how we know what the
audiences expects from us and their cho

17. Facebook
Face-book is a social networking website,
however it has helped me a lot in this
coursework as I was able to post my
surveys on facebook in order to get a
wider group of audiences to take the
survey. I was also able to communicate
with my partner on facebook if ever I
couldn’t get access to my phone.
Facebook simply makes it simpler for me
and others to be able to gain our intended
audience as we can ask them what their
opinions on the spot. It also helped us
with our audience feedback on our music
video and the ancillary tasks.

18. Wordle.
Wordle is a fun website as this is where I was able to put the findings of
my audience research in creative way. I have used this in my first year as
well as my second as it allows me to show the examiner different ways
that media technologies can be used to present something to a set of
audience in a creative way.