The student used various media technologies throughout the project from research and planning to production and evaluation. Apple Mac, Blogger, Google, YouTube, Prezi, Slideshare, Animoto, a DSLR camera, video camera, tripod, Adobe Photoshop, and Final Cut Express were used at different stages. The student became more proficient in some technologies like Prezi from prior experience but also learned new skills like creating textured text effects in Photoshop. Web 2.0 principles of participatory culture applied as the student took an active role in creating media instead of just consuming it.

1. Question 4
How did you use media technologies in the construction and
research, planning and evaluation stages?

2. Apple Mac
• The same sixth form Apple Mac was used throughout the whole process, from
the beginning of research and planning right until the end.
• My experience of using Apple Macs stems four years, meaning that I believe I
am quite competent when it comes to operating them. Because of this, I don’t
think I learnt anything extremely new throughout my A2 project, although I did
teach myself how to download and install new fonts from DaFont.com so that
they would show up in Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Express which meant I
could find the perfect font to suit my products.
• Over the course of the project there were small problems with Safari or Chrome
not working, meaning research & planning and production time were both
jeopardised, although I easily stayed up to date with work at home on my laptop.

3. Blogger
• The online blog site Blogger was used throughout my project in order to
showcase all of my progress right from the beginning until my final finished
products.
• This was my second year using Blogger, as I also used it last year for my AS
media project. Because of this, I don’t believe I learnt anything new as I think I
learnt everything I needed to know about it last year, such as how to create
specific pages (Research, Planning, Production, etc.).
• Having my work showcased on my blog also allowed me to receive audience
feedback, as I frequently asked my fellow classmates to look at a certain post
when they could and let me know their opinions on it.

4. Google
• Google was also a big part of my project as I used it a lot during my research
and planning stage. Using Google I researched various theories that I could
apply to my work, the history of music videos and other things I didn’t know.
Without this tool, I definitely wouldn’t be as knowledgeable about music videos
as I am now.

5. YouTube
• YouTube has also been a prominent technology throughout my project. At the
beginning, I used it to view other people’s A2 media music videos from previous
years so that I had a opportunity to see what was expected of me by the end of
my project. I also used the website as a tool to view other, professionally made
music videos so that I could write up textual analysis about them and also
compare the conventions used.
• When production was looming, I used YouTube in order to view tutorials, such
as for time lapse photography and how to ensure my music video was of the
best video quality possible.
• Finally, I used YouTube to showcase my practice music video, my first draft of
my ‘finished’ music video and also my final draft of my music video. The only
downside I found of uploading my finished product to YouTube was that the
video quality was greatly comprised, therefore making it seem less aesthetically
pleasing.

6. Prezi/Slideshare/Animoto
• These websites were featured a lot throughout my project as I believed they made
my work more exciting to look at than if I’d just written up a blog post on Blogger.
• Prezi is probably my favourite, as it allowed me to create interactive presentations
that allowed the audience to follow a set path through the presentation or click
around as they saw fit. I used this software in my previous AS project, although I do
believe I have become more skilled when using it. Last year, I solely used the ready-
made templates available, but this year I became more adventurous and began
creating my own templates so that they were more personal to my work.
• Slideshare allowed me to embed my PowerPoints onto my blog. I used this website
last year as well, although I don’t think I learnt anything more from using it this year.
• Animoto allowed me to create a short video, complete with a soundtrack, to
showcase the technology I was planning to use throughout the production stage. I
hadn’t used this technology before, but it was fairly easy to use and just gave what
could have been a boring paragraph about technology a little bit of pizazz.

7. Sony a350 DSLR & JVC video camera
• Throughout the planning and production processes, I used my own DSLR camera to
capture photographs. I also researched photography techniques (bokeh, long
exposure and time lapse) which I then practiced with my camera. When taking
photographs, I made sure that I took multiple shots of a subject from different
angles, just in case the shot didn’t turn out as planned. Because of this, all
photographs I took were uploaded to my blog so that my audience could see my
thought processes.
• A JVC video camera was borrowed from sixth form and was used to film my practice
music video and my final music video. This year was the first time I’d used a video
camera, and I believe I used it as best as I could with the knowledge I had. Once I
had finished my music video, however, it became apparent that a lot of the video
cameras had been recording on the lowest quality setting, so if I was to re-do my
music video I would make sure to check the video setting before I started.
• A tripod was used with both cameras so that all shots were steady and not
blurred, however I had little knowledge on how to properly use this product to the
best of its ability, so shots could probably have been just that little bit better.

8. Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Photoshop and I go back several years. I began ‘experimenting’ with the
software when I was 11, so since then I have built up my knowledge of the
programme. Because of this, however, it means that I rarely learn anything
completely new as I’ve learnt so much about it already. However, for this project
I learnt how to create gold textured text. Once I’d carried out the tutorial
however, I figured out a quicker way to replicate the effect that looked just as
effective. I went on to use this text effect in both my magazine advertisement
and the digipak and I think it looks really interesting and gives my print work a
bit more depth. Furthermore, I also think using a textured pattern on the type
makes it stand out more against the background.

9. Final Cut Express
• Final Cut Express was used in order to produce my final music video. Prior to
this project, I’d used this software twice before in order to firstly create a short
film opening and secondly to create a practise music video. By doing that I was
able to learn from my mistakes – film more footage than I think I need, for one –
and also have a better understanding of the basic tools in the software, such as
how to crop footage and add simple effects.
• I do believe I used the software quite competently, ending up with a semi-
professional looking music video. This was achieved by loosely following the
storyboard I had created and by simply experimenting with all the various effects
available to me. I made sure to not go overboard with the effects though, as
doing so could have easily made my music video look unprofessional and tacky.

10. Web 2.0
• Web 2.0 is a term given to describe the second generation of the World Wide
Web. This theory asserts that the audience no longer just sit back and consume
media, they actively create their own media. It states that the web is a platform
and that the user controls the web and asserts their creativity through it.
• Web 2.0 includes a social element where the audience produce and distribute
content freely, with the aim to share it and often reuse it. This has resulted in the
birth of a more ‘participatory culture’, and has seen the web move from a
communication model of ‘one-to-many’, to a ‘many-to-many’ model.
• I think that this theory can be applied to my final pieces because I have used
industry standard software (Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Express), meaning
that I’m not sitting back and letting the ‘professionals’ create a music video for
me, I’m using my initiative and creating a music video for myself which I then
shared on the web.