A2 media studies evaluation

A2 Media studies evaluation

Music promotional package
Ruth Heffernan

How did you use new media technologies in the
construction and research, planning and evaluation
stages?
Apple Macs
Throughout our whole project we used the Apple Macs. We chose to use
these, as they not only have a lot more programmes on but they allow us
to use software that can’t be used on a normal Microsoft computer.

The program that we mainly used was called iMovie. This allowed us to
upload of our videos directly from our camera straight onto the computer.
Once our footage had been uploaded, we were able to edit and cut our
clips to help us to develop a music video.

iMovie allowed us to change the colouring of clips for e.g. we chose of music
video to be in black and white which was achievable on this program, by either
reducing the saturation to 0% or pressing the black and white button under clip
adjustments. We were also able to get rid of the sound on our clips as this
sound wasn’t at the same tempo as our song. To do this we hovered over the
clip we wanted to edit, and then clicked the blue arrow that appeared and
clicked on video adjustments. We were then able to reduce the sound to 0%
and put the ducking up to 17%. We chose 17% as this meant that our
soundtrack wasn’t too loud but at the same time it wasn’t too quiet.

For our music video, we decided during our planning that we wanted to have
a split screen within our video. For this to be successful we need the use of
the programme Final cut express. This software allowed to import our clips
from iMovie. However to do this we had to first save them as a new project
and export them from iMovie to allow them to be exported and then imported
onto final cut express. From the image below your can see that import is
under file and this is also an example of what final cut express looks like.

Below is an example of where the imported clips can be placed and ordered
into a sequence.

The screen below is where we could see the changes that we had made.
This is the screen that allowed us to see our split screen in action. This
screen is one if two and was shown on the right of our screen.

This is the second screen, where we were able to make the alterations to
our clip for e.g. changing the length. We were able to see our clip playing
here but not the whole clip as a whole. We could only see the clip we were
editing.

Below is an example of our split screen.

Celtx
This is the programme that allowed us to construct our storyboard. This
was vital for when we started our filming as it showed what shot was being
used at each part of the song. We took our own images and put them
into a storyboard, which also included the length of each shot, which lyrics
are used and what particular shot was being used. Overall, we stuck to
our storyboard, apart from a few alterations we may have made whilst
filming.

Blogger
Throughout this whole project I have updated my blog at regular intervals to
show my progress. This was mainly used to show my planning as this was a
big bulk of the coursework. However, it also allowed me to post up our music
video , digipak and poster. This allowed me to view my own progress and see
any mistakes that I had made so I could correct them.

Internet
The internet contributed in my planning a lot, as it allowed me to view
existing indie videos, CD covers (digipaks) and band posters, which
helped to develop my knowledge on the generic conventions on the indie
genre as this was our chosen genre. The main sites that I used were
Google, slideshare, blogger, facebook and youtube. I used Google to
help me research existing digipaks and posters to help me in not only
making my own but developing my knowledge within the genre.

I used slide share mainly when transferring PowerPoint's onto my blog such
as the PowerPoint I made on the generic conventions of the indie genre.
Below is an example from my blog of my use of slide share.

I used facebook to help me to receive audience feedback on my video by
sending my video out in a message to friends and family. It is also helped
us to communicate with our band members.

I used youtube a lot when doing my planning, as not only did we need to
analyse music videos, but I needed it to help me to learn the generic
conventions of a typical indie genre, which helped in the planning and making
of my own. Below is a link to an example of one of the many videos that I
watched within the indie genre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkaMiaRLgvY&ob=av2e

For our music video, it was necessary to convert our song, which was from
youtube into a file that accessible to allow us to import it into iMovie so that we
could use it for our music video. We did this by using this website:
http://www.youtube-mp3.org/

Filming, Digipak and poster equipment
-Video camera – Used for filming The footage needed for my music video
-Tripod – Needed to help keep the video camera steady and straight whilst
filming
-Camera – Used to take photos of the band for use on the digipak and the
poster
-IPod and IPod speakers – Used when in rural location to allow the band to
listen to the soundtrack whilst filming
-Lighting – Needed when taking photos for the digipak and the poster to
ensure that the photos were the best that they could be.

Photoshop
The was used mainly when editing the photos we had taken for our digipak
and poster to make them look better. We Removed the saturation to make
the photos black and white to match the video and made only the
pictures/logos on their tops in colour and we thought that this looked
effective and went with the style and genre of the music. Below is the
photo that we used on out digipak and poster.

Scanners and Printers
During our planning these were quite vital, as not only did they allow to print off
our drafts for our digipaks and posters, so we knew what needed improving, but
it also allowed us to scan our planning onto the computer so that we could
upload them to our blogs to use as evidence of our planning. We also used the
printer to print off various copies of our storyboard, so each member of our group
had a copy to refer to when filming. We also printed off the lyrics, which we had
typed, so that we annotate them, to try and interpret different meanings to the
lyrics, which would help us when planning what was going to happen in our
music video.

Mobile Phones
These were vital in the communication of our group. Mobile phones were the
easiest way for us to keep in contact and arrange dates and times to meet up
for filming.

In what ways do your media products use, develop
or challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?
In the first phase of our planning and research we worked on the textual
analysis of 5 music videos in the genre that we were planning to use, which
in our case was the indie genre. This was in order to help us to develop our
knowledge of the generic codes and conventions of the genre we were
interested in using for our own music video. From watching and writing
textual analysis’ of these videos, we were able to take note of parts of the
parts that we liked, so that we could incorporate what we liked into our
questionnaire to find out whether our target audience would also like it. We
also did this so we could incorporate some of the same shots, edits and
lighting into our own music video. After we finished our research we decided
that for our own video we were going to link the lyrics with the visuals as this
was very generic to the indie genre, so we decided to conform to this
convention.

From our research we found that mid shots are commonly used within the
indie genre, which allows the artist to be the main focus, as they are looking
into the camera, creating a connection with the audience. Throughout our
video we used a lot of mid shots. This uses the codes and conventions from
real media products as we thought that this looked the best.

Our production The Kooks - Naive

We also used a lot of mid/long shots throughout the video as this enabled
the viewer to see not only the character but their surroundings also.

Our production The Kooks - Naive

Below is examples of the uses of long shots in Indie music videos, which as
you can see are frequent and generic to this genre. These clips show that our
video uses the codes and conventions of real media products

Our production Arctic monkeys – when the sun goes down

The Foals – Spanish Sahara Kings of Leon – Sex on fire

Split Screens – We decided to use a split screen in our video, as we thought that it
helped our video to look more interesting and from our research, we found that this was
generic to the indie genre, so we decided to conform to this convention, as we felt that it’s
something that the audience wouldn’t be expecting, so it helps to keep their focus.

Oasis - Wonderwall Our production

Mise en scene and location – outside places such as streets and parks and
generic to the Indie genre, due to their simplicity. As you can see that we have
chosen to use the codes and conventions of real media products.

Arctic Monkeys – When the sun goes down
Our production

Oasis - Wonderwall

Performance – We have chosen to challenge the codes and conventions of real media
products when it came to performance, because not only did we feel this looked
better, but it was more convenient and we didn’t have the correct equipment for the
performance part of our video to follow the codes and conventions of real media
products. Instead of doing our performance outside, we chose to use the drama
studio, with proper musical equipment, which helped to establish the bands image.

Oasis – Don’t look back in anger Our production

The kooks – She moves in her own way

Props –The three main props that we used were guitar, drums and microphone, which
from our research are generic to the Indie genre. We chose to the follow the codes and
conventions of real media products as we thought that not only the appearance of the
band was important but we thought that it would help to promote and improve their
popularity.

Edits

From our research we found that straight cuts are generic to the indie genre
and they tend to go with the rhythm and pace of the songs, which contributes
to the continuity of the song. We decided to conform to this convention, I think
that it helped the audience to follow and understand the video better, as well
as keeping them interested.

Ancillary Texts
We also did a similar thing for our ancillary task. We did 5 textual analysis’
of a CD front cover/back cover and the inside inlay left and right. This again
helped to develop our knowledge of the generic codes and conventions of a
digipak, which helped us in developing our own in the same genre. Below
are a few examples of the CD’s we chose to analyse.

From our research, we found that a lot of people within the indie genre have
an image of either the artist of band on the front cover or of unusual
images, which tended to be for the more known artists/groups. When
research band covers we found that a lot of indie bands present a dominating
photo for their album front cover, showing them as a strong collective, with a
good inter band relationship. The overall style tends to be simple, which the
audience to focus actually on the band. This also helps the band to create a
connection with the audience. We decided to conform to the convention of
having a band image presented on the front of the album. It presents our band
as a strong collective, which the audience can easily focus on.

From my research the inlay of the CD digipak, usually has a certain
theme, that matches the colours throughout the album. The colours all seem
to be similar. We decided to conform to this convention. Below is an example
of the Florence and the machine album ‘Lungs’ inlay and an example of our
own. As you can see the colours follow through and are similar to the colours
of the rest of the album. We decided to conform to this convention as we
thought that it was important to have a certain colour throughout, so that our
audience were able to recognise that our digipak was promoting our video.
Our inlay is in black and white, to match our video and poster. We chose to
use images of the band, as their image is very important in promoting their
music.

The back cover of the CD digipak, usually just lists the track names, with
sometimes and image, but from the majority of the ones we researched, the back
covers tended to be plain. However, on some there is an image which links back
to the front cover, for example Florence and the machine ‘lungs’. The back cover
to his album, has a sketched picture of some lungs, with the track lists coming off
parts of the lungs. As a group we decided to challenge the convention, as we
used an image of the band holding up a black board with the tracks written on.
We did this because we thought it would make our album more unique, and
because when researching other digipaks, we found that sometime within the
indie genre, their albums tend to be very random. However, we still decided to go
with the overall colour scheme of black and white.

The typography throughout a CD digipak of the indie genre tends to be very
simple and bold, for example the album cover for The Verve ‘Urban hymns’ uses
a simple font that is easily readable. We decided to conform to this conventions
by using simple text, written in big letters, that are easily readable, so that are
audience can recognise the album instantly. This simple, block font also
connotes a more masculine side to the CD, as our band is male dominated.

From researching and looking at different posters within the indie genre, we
found that the majority of images that are used are the same as the images used
on the CD digipak, or its of an image that links to the album title. We decided to
conform to the convention of using the same image on the poster that we used
on our digipak, as we thought it would be easier for our audience to make the
link between the digipak and the poster. We decided to use five star rating at the
time, and quotes from well known music magazines stating their opinions. This
helps our audience to feel that the band are respected, which helps to persuade
our audience to buy the album.

A2 media studies evaluation

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