The document discusses technologies used in creating a media product. It describes: 1) Using a Sony HDV 1080i MiniDV camera which allowed for better quality shots but initial difficulties in learning how to properly record and review footage. 2) Getting familiar with Final Cut Express for editing, which the group picked up quickly to cut and add sound. 3) Learning to use Blogger to create an online blog for sharing work and research. 4) Both successful and unsuccessful parts of incorporating new technologies, like initial camera issues but high quality final product, and lengthy music searches vs helpful audience feedback surveys.

1. What have you learnt about
technologies from the
process of constructing this
product?
Ellie Lovatt

2. Throughout the process of
constructing our media product, I’ve
worked on and developed numerous
skills that I will be able to take on with
me into A2, which will be useful.

3. Pre production
In pre-production we originally decided to use a small DV camera, as it
would be easy to film on and easy to transport around our different
locations. As we further discussed the different shots we wanted to
create, we decided that using a HDV 1080i MiniDV Sony camera to
achieve better quality shots, such as this pull shot.

4. HDV 1080i MiniDV Sony
cameraAlthough I wasn’t assigned the role of ‘camera man’
in our group, I still learnt the key knowledge needed
to be able to use this camera. We had complications
when we first used it when filming the interrogation
scene, as we were unaware that we couldn’t rewind
and look at footage and film again without going right
back to the beginning. This resulted in us filming over
footage we needed to use. We learnt from our
mistakes, and after our error we went and used the
camera again with ease, this time doing everything in
the right way.

5. Final cut express
To create our film we had to use a
program called Final cut express. This
was the first time anyone in our group
had used the program and so we had
to get used to the basic, like cutting
and creating continuity. We first had
practice on it when we created our
preliminary exercise. Straight away we
were able to use the program with
ease and found it simple. When it
came to editing our film 2 minute film,
we were able to create continuity, cut,
add sound, and other features easily.

6. Blogger
Again, like Final Cut Express, Blogger was another program none
of our group had used before, and so we had to get used to the
basics on it to be able to create our blog for our group. To be able to
use blogger, we had to create a Google account. On our blogger
we've included any bits of information we felt was necessary. Doing
this allowed us to keep up to date on what we’d done/what needed
doing, and it also allowed other members of our group to see what
needed doing. We uploaded things like drafted story boards and in
depth research into similar films.

7. Successful/unsuccessful parts of new
technology in our production process
Less successful –
Less successful aspects to our production process would include
the trouble we had working the camera to start with, and the writing
over of the previous film. Another less successful aspect would be
finding the music to add to our film. This was a long, drawn out
process and it was also hard to find royalty free music that was
suitable.
More successful –
Using the higher quality camera ensured that in the end we had a
better quality film that looked more professional.
Another successful aspect would be the use of the Google
questionnaires which allowed us to get feedback on our plot/final
film. This helped us improve any things the audience didn’t like,
helping us please our target audience.