This document discusses how digital technologies helped with research and planning for a media project focused on the neo-noir genre. Padlet, Survey Monkey, Adobe Spark, PowerPoint, Word, Prezi, and Quicktime Player were used at various stages. Padlet gathered audience feedback, surveys informed character and narrative choices, and Adobe Spark and Prezi creatively organized research. PowerPoint and Word created professional planning documents. Quicktime aided in analyzing trailers and covers. Overall, digital tools enhanced creativity, organization, sharing, and understanding of the genre.

1. DIGITALTECHNOLOGY
IN RESEARCHAND
PLANNING
Jamie Robinson

2. INTRO
 Digital technologies played a crucial role in not only my personal
research into topics such as the neo-noir genre, but also my
groups planning and audience research.Without digital
technology it would have been much harder to create a high
quality multi-media marketing package. Digital technology also
allowed me to be more creative in my research and planning,
especially my written, interpersonal and artistic creativity.

3. Padlet
 Padlet was very useful in gaining feedback from members of our
target audience. It allowed us to get feedback much faster than
we could possibly have done using written surveys. I simply
created the page on Padlet and then sent out an email to a
number of members of our target audience and asked for one
positive and one thing to improve.We were able to get around 10
pieces of feedback on the first drafts of our poster and magazine
cover.This meant that we had lots of things to improve on for the
final draft. As I previously mentioned, Padlet was at its most useful
in terms of getting feedback on our ancillary tasks and perhaps
would be less effective in receiving feedback on our trailer.A
filmed focus group is a much more useful method of receiving
feedback on our trailer. Overall, Padlet was the most effective
method of receiving feedback on our ancillary tasks and it was a
simple way of highlighting areas our audience thought could be
improved.We then made these changes and as a result our poster
and magazine cover appear far more professional and more
appealing to our target audience.

4. Survey Monkey
 We mainly used Survey Monkey as a form of audience research in order to collect
quantitative feedback on our trailer. We released Survey Monkeys to receive
feedback on our trailer first draft. Questions included:Was the narrative clear? And
which aspect of the trailer needs the most improvement? From this, we found that
our narrative was not especially clear and the pace of the editing needed
improving. Also, as part of my research into the neo-noir genre, I created a Survey
Monkey, which included questions such as: do you emphasize more with male or
female characters? And which traits make you more likely to associate with a
character?This survey provided quality feedback, which allowed my production
group to develop characters and narrative around the target audiences
preferences. Overall, Survey Monkey was very effective in the research phase of
production. It also boosted my artistic creativity as when creating the plot forTwo-
Minds the feedback helped us realise that it had to contain certain themes,
character types, narrative points and overall conform to the neo-noir genre and
appeal to our target audience.

5. AdobeSpark
 Adobe Spark is my favorite way of presenting findings of my research. It
allows me to be far more artistically creative because there is no way I
could lay information out that aesthetically on paper or without this
piece of digital technology. I mainly used Adobe Sparks in my research
as it allows me to use pictures, text, attach videos and link to other
websites, which is very useful as it ensures all my research into one area
can be easily found on one page. Another benefit of Adobe Spark is that
because it is an online piece of software, it is easy to send the link to
other members of my group so we could share our research to
strengthen all of our understanding on a particular area. For example, I
emailed the link to my ‘noir repertoire of elements’ Spark Page to the
other members of my group to aid them with their research and also
developed their knowledge to ensure that when it came to the
construction phase we all had sound knowledge of the noir genre.
Overall, Adobe Spark allowed me to be far more creative when laying
out my research posts and also allowed me to share research with my
production group as a form of collective intelligence (Jenkins).

6. Microsoft
PowerPoint
 PowerPoint was very useful in the research
phase of the production. Using PowerPoint
allowed me to structure my research in a
neat, organized and easy to follow manner.
Not only was this a benefit to me but it also
benefitted the entire production group as it
meant we could easily use each others
research strengthen all of our
understanding on a particular area, which is
an example of collective intelligence
(Jenkins). One example of my use of
PowerPoint in my research phase was when
I used it to break down an EMPIRE
magazine cover. I found that because I
could insert a picture and text on each slide
this was the best way to break down the
information, which helped me demonstrate
my knowledge into aspects of a magazine
cover by having an individual slide on each
individual aspect of a magazine cover, such
as the main image and skyline. Overall, in
the research phase of my A2 media course,
PowerPoint allowed me to be more
artistically creative as it contains designs
and layouts which are very aesthetic which I
could not create on paper with a pen.

7. MicrosoftWord
 Microsoft Word was at its most effective in the planning phase of the
production. This piece of digital technology allowed me to create
different planning documents to a professional standard. For example,
on Word I created location recces, risk assessments and scripts which
were crucial to have when the construction phase came around.Taking
the script for theTwo-Minds trailer as an example, Word allowed me to
use the font, line spacing, letter spacing and the general format used
within the move industry.This was crucial in ensuring all of our planning
documents were to a high standard. Whilst Word is a fairly basic piece of
software which I have been using throughout my education, my A2
media practical allowed me to use it in a far more advanced and
professional way to produce real documents, which follow the mold of
those from within the movie industry.

8. Prezi
 Prezi was very useful in my research as It boosted my artistic creativity
as it is a way of laying out information, which I could not achieve without
digital technology. Prezi allowed me to present my research exactly how
I intended as the viewer is essentially following a journey created by
myself. Prezi also allowed me to break my research into sections or
categories, meaning certain areas of the Prezi are specific to certain
fields into which I have researched. For example, one Prezi I made
focused on the DSLR camera and how to properly use it. Prezi allowed
me to separate my research into 4 areas, ISO, aperture, shutter speed
and white balance. Therefore, when I come back to my research, it is
easy to find what I am looking for as it is laid out in such a way. Similarly
to Adobe Spark, I sent my Prezis to the other members of my production
group because it is a simple link which can be emailed or put in our group
chat for example. Overall, I used Prezi mainly as a way of presenting my
research as it allows information to be categorized.

9. Quicktime
Player
 Quicktime Player was a fantastic method of analyzing existing
neo-noir trailers, posters and Sight and Sound covers, as a form of
research. I found these screen recordings especially useful in
reviewing and analyzing existing trailers. It allowed me to stop
trailers at certain points and on certain shots so that I could
analyze specific parts in detail. Quicktime was not something I
utilised at AS, however at A2 I have realized how useful it is and
have utilized it to a much greater extent. For example, I created a
Quicktime of my analysis of Dan Gilroy’s ‘Nightcrawler’ (2014)
trailer, which lasts for 2:28 minutes. However, my video was over
1o minutes, which highlights how much detail I am able to go into
using this software. It would take hours to write down everything I
said in my Nightcrawler analysis.Overall, using Quicktime really
sped up the research process and allowed me to undertake more
research and therefore have a more solid understanding of the
neo-noir and classic noir genres, which led to a higher quality
multi-media marketing package.