The document discusses the use of various media technologies in creating a stop motion music video and related materials for a band. Photoshop was used to edit images and add text for promotional materials. Premier Pro was used to edit the video, adding transitions between clips to match the music. Audacity was used to edit the audio track. Online tools like YouTube, Facebook, and Google provided research materials, audience feedback, and templates to inform the project design.

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

2. The first piece of equipment that we used was the Nikon Still Camera. It was important to use this camera because it is specifically suited for capturing still images and thus is able to retain their high quality and resolution, keeping their exact features. We also used a tripod to place the camera on. This is equally as important because of the fact that we were creating a stop motion film. We needed to ensure that the camera took pictures from the same angle, height and at the same light exposure to guarantee that the images appeared to hold some continuity and didn’t falter when played through as a video. Equipment

3. The internet played a great role throughout the process of creating our media product, mainly for the audience feedback section. These are the logos of the main sites used: YouTube and Facebook were most prominent during the feedback processes where we were able to publish our products and ask for opinions and discussions about the strengths and weaknesses of our coursework. Google itself played and important role during research and planning as it provided us with a database template that could provide us with information and facts about real media products and ideas of how to portray our band in relation to what other people had done before us. Online technology used

4. Photoshop One of the most effective programs for the editing and creation of our ancillary texts was Photoshop. We were able to perform a number of tasks within just one, simple program. We performed a range of edits such as Turning things from colour to black and white Adding texts from dafont to images Resizing images so that they are suitable for Premiere Altering the image quality so they are easy to convert onto a timeline Adding a blue overlay to the entire digipak to create the desired effect and reflect the title of the album Ancillary texts

5. Print screens of Photoshop tools We used the crop tool in order to scale down images that were too large to be introduced to Premier The colour selection tool allowed us to ensure that all of the colours used were related to one another and remain the same throughout the pictures. The text tool allowed us to add any text to any images we uploaded. This shape tool allowed us to create a background to the poster title.

6. Background to poster title Reducing the fill opacity of the rectangle provided it with a translucent look and provide the title with the perfect platform for appearance on the advertisement. DOUBLE CLICK

7. In order to reduce the quality of the image and ensure that it is suitable for importing into Premier we had to reduce each image in Photoshop. In order to do this, once the image was opened in Photoshop we went to File > Save as and then the following box was opened: Reducing image quality Once this box appeared we dragged the bar to 8 and this therefore meant that the image wasn’t too high to be processed into Premier but not too low that it removed all quality and looked like a cheap, blurring image.

8. The editing of the video took place on Adobe Premier, however, because it wasn’t a usual film, the images had to be imported onto the timeline one at a time. This meant we were easily able to cut clips that were too long or stretch images that needed to fill gaps. As well as this, we were easily able to see where there were parts of the filming that needed altering and create images to replace the ones we didn’t like, and this timeline meant that not whole pieces needed to be refilmed. The timeline offers you limitless editing opportunities and can mean that what was originally unsuitable footage can be converted into exactly what you wanted. video

9. The things we were able to do on Premier ranged impressively. However, we focussed on creating the right image for the band and genre. First of all, we decided that we need some slide transitions to ensure that the images were not just appearing one after the other and therefore provided the eye was something different to look at and some variety to the texture of the video. We added a “stretch” in order to fit well with the music that was being played at that time, where there was an elongated banjo sound. As well as this, we also used a page peel where corners of the page were released at 4 different times. We reduced the speed of this peel so that by the time one image had disappeared, the next image was ready to appear in time with the correct point of the music. Things we did on premier

10. This is the part where the stretch transition was used. This was a good technique to use because it fit so well with the music. It was trial and error to find which transition was most suitable.

11. We added this effect, which was called double vision, because the song was discussing people being drunk. This effect brought the images to life and ensured the audience could understand what was currently taking place.

12. This is the page peel transition. It reveals part of the next scene bit by bit and therefore doesn’t expose too much at once, creating suspense and excitement.

13. We felt that the audio track we was using was too long and therefore decided to cut it using a programme named ‘Audacity’. Already located in the blog is a slideshare presentation depicting how we indeed did cut the song. Here is a link to said slideshare to explain again how the process was achieved. http://www.slideshare.net/holliecoral/how-we-cut-the-song AUDIO

14. Research and planning WHAT WE USED GOOGLE MAPS LASTFM.COM NOAH AND THE WHALE FACEBOOK PAGE YOUTUBE VIDEOS BLOGGER.COM GOOGLE IMAGES

15. As well as being vital to gaining feedback, these websites also proved vital in the research and planning processes. Facebook allowed us to look at the fans and people who connect with Noah and the Whale and what sort of people were partial to the band. This helped us tailor our media product as a whole towards these specific audiences. YouTube, as well as providing us with a distribution platform, allowed us the opportunity to observe amateur stop motion films and pick up on strengths and weaknesses from these creations. This provided us with ideas about what we should and shouldn’t do when we were to create our video as well as what looks good and what doesn’t flow as naturally as it should. FACEBOOK/YOUTUBE

16. Google Maps: This application allowed us to observe different locations and accessibility to such locations for the digipak pictures. This allowed us to be sure that the location was suitable for the look that we wanted to achieve. Without this feature, we would be left to go to these locations and therefore lose vital photographing time. Google Images: Google images provided us with a realm of opportunity to Google different indie bands and the way in which they advertised their albums or what their albums looked like. This meant we had a template of ideas and layouts to play about with rather than creating something with a complete lack of knowledge. google

17. Overall, we believe that new technologies have been vital during the creation of each section of our media coursework. These new technologies have opened us up to editing that bears no limit and allowed us to use images that at one point in time wouldn’t have been good enough. It has also meant that we were able to gain as much knowledge as possible about the products similar to the one we were creating to ensure that we were aware of what to include within our coursework and how to present it to the desired audiences. Because of all these things, we were able to create a group of products that not only appealed to their target audiences and reflected their achievements well but also reflected the talents of both myself and Coral Mcfarlane. conclusion