Jonathan Randall used various media technologies extensively throughout the construction, research, planning, and evaluation of his coursework. He relied on the internet, YouTube, Google, and Adobe software like Photoshop and Premiere Pro to research conventions, locate media texts, develop plans, produce a short film and ancillary products, and present evaluations. While learning new software like After Effects and InDesign, he was able to create professional-looking work. Overall, media technology played a crucial role across all stages of the project.

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

2. Introduction
Overall, media technology is used in my coursework to a
substantial amount. This is due to having to use media
technology to research, plan, produce and evaluate the
coursework itself. Without this, coursework and the
project would be inexistent. However, trying to adapt to
the media technology around me to create a successful
looking professional film was difficult. But despite this, I
feel satisfied with the end product of both my short film
and my subsidiary texts, as for these I had professional
programs to create them e.g. Adobe software. As well as
updating my progress through this website I’m uploading
this on now (blogger).

3. Research
As said previously, media technology has been used throughout most
of my stages in this project, however research has included a huge
majority of it. Firstly, for my research I used the internet. This is
because of how excellent it is in finding out about films. For example
researching the typical conventions of short films enabling myself to
create a short film that follows these. Also, for my analyses I could
identify the specific short film’s I wanted to view (horror/thriller) as well
as just normal short films. Short films are easier to locate on the
internet than normal full length films, as short films are produced by
independent companies/people and uploading to the internet is the
best way to show their ability through filming. Therefore finding these
short films uploaded to websites such as YouTube was easy, and I
was able to research these to create an idea in my head for how to
approach and how to create a successful short film.

4. Research
Following the website of YouTube as a topic. This is an excellent site
which influenced my work very thoroughly. It is an easily accessible
website and any piece of media (short film) in which I analysed this
year and for my AS was viewed from YouTube. As well as providing
me with the basis of work to research into, it was also the main
platform in which I located my media on to be uploaded to Blogger. As
it showed in 1080p, as well as being free and can easily be shared
from the website. An addition positive of using YouTube was the fact of
how close Blogger and YouTube are working, as this made it easier
again to establish my work from YouTube onto blogger with the
function of embedding and sharing video URL’s on Blogger from
YouTube.

5. Research
For even more research, which I needed, I used the worldwide known
search engine named Google. I used this as a important role in my
research, It gave me the information I need as a digital encyclopedia. When
using this search engine in my research, I mainly used it as a way of finding
out the conventions of such areas in my coursework. For example, finding
out conventions and uses of magazine review pages, posters and short
films. This gave me a better understanding of the uses, and resulting in my
knowledge being able to influence itself within my coursework pieces.
Without this, when approaching the coursework pieces without any
knowledge, the quality of the piece will show to be poor. As well as this,
Google allowed me to link with websites, which I used regularly during the
coursework making process. Websites such as Blogger and YouTube was
popular with what I was searching. Also a website such as Wikipedia
allowed me to access institutional information about any of the media texts I
am analysing. This being such a huge source of information globally, it was
very accessible for me to look at.

6. Planning
In relation to planning, I have greatly progressed from my AS level
coursework regarding the amount of media technologies I used, as
well as the quality sources I used. Quality through the way I used them
and the quality of the software/website itself. Firstly, PowerPoint was
very helpful in regards with my use of presenting my initial ideas to the
class, as well as carrying canvases for my mood boards to present the
ideas for costumes etc. As well as this Microsoft programme, Word is a
programme which I used a lot in my planning. It allowed me to plan
risk assessments, call sheets and production schedules when I was
organising all my filming days for my production of the short film. A
final Microsoft programme in which I used was Excel, I used this to
present my feedback for deciding my plans. For example, I used Excel
to produce the graphs and charts for choosing and planning which
initial idea I should choose and film.

7. Production
Within the production stages of both my short film and my ancillary
products I really tested myself with my choice in producing software.
Within my AS production I had little experience with any Adobe Software,
only the use of iMovie was really shown in production and only used basic
tools for the editing side of my project because of this. For my filming
aspect of my project, I used a Nikon D3100, which is a popular DSLR
camera among photographers with it’s incredible high definition camera
shots. This really helped us with our production by being able to create
shots that many other cameras may fail to produce; these were substantial
in our shot types. Although we did Go Pro shots on the bike of the main
character, we didn’t end up using these due to the fact of the low quality
and the shakiness of the shot. The camera stored recordings onto an SD
card making the transferring process of our shots a lot easier to obtain on
the school computer in which we edited on. However I did use an iPhone
for taking pictures of locations and costumes as well as the photo that we
used in the photo-shoot for our ancillary products; this shot being the one
with the stalkers shadow portrayed onto the door. I was very pleased with
the shots we took. However, some shots including the conversation of the
two teenage characters within the living room of the sleepover location that
the focus may be slightly out. This we couldn’t fix, however it’s not
substantial in ruining the narrative flow and we just have to blame it on
poor camera use at the time.

8. Production
Around the subject of editing, personally I think that I used most of the
media technology in this stage due to the fact everything has to be done
on technology to create the project. During my time of editing in AS level,
my knowledge was very small, as all I knew to start with was iMovie
processes and editing skills, which were of course very basic.
However, with the introduction of my A-level I became familiar with Adobe
and their programmes, which was good timing due to the fact of the tasks
set this year. Being introduced to Adobe was great as it had all the tools to
make a professional A-level film. The fact that you can use such tools as
the ‘warp stabiliser’ made it a lot easier for shots to be portrayed better, as
some of the shots were slightly shaky. As well as this, adapting contrast
changes and colour changes made the editing software even better as I
needed to make one scene in the short film showing it be night, despite it
being filmed in the day.

9. Production
With Adobe as well, I found After Effects, allowing me to add my
titles into the film of the characters names. I used this to make the
titles of the characters names look indented into the object, which
it is presented on. I feel this makes it look more professional and
looks a lot better than just covered onto the screen. The skills I
learnt for After Effects were in fact learnt from the use of YouTube
online tutorials.
This I felt was a good use of media technology because I was
using YouTube as a source of learning new material to apply to my
coursework. By having Adobe’s Creative Cloud, I could transfer
the clip from one programme to another. In my coursework for
example, I transferred the clip I wanted to add effects on into After
Effects, and then it would change within the original programme,
Premiere Pro to what ever I did on After Effects which I thought
was very useful in my editing progression and use of media
technology.

10. Production
For my subsidiary texts, It involved even more media technology, including
Adobe mainly again. The problem I found with Photoshop was that I had
never used it before; therefore it took a considerable amount of time to
establish good knowledge of the interface and the tools. With the photos
already taken at the photo-shoot, I could use that as a basis to work on.
Layers and the layout I eventually found easy so I could keep adapting to it
over several weeks to get the look that I found was the best and followed
my plan. The technique that I learnt and the ease it was to produce a
professional looking poster, you couldn’t do in cheaper programs/websites
such as Paint .NET or www.MonkeyPic.com. For my magazine review page
I used Adobe InDesign, which is a publishing program like Microsoft
Publisher, and it’s intent is to create magazine articles and designed work
such as leaflets, so I saw this as an easy option to produce the media on. I
hadn’t used this software in my life before, so my media teacher taught me
the basic tools and techniques to create a successful magazine review
which portrayed all the correct conventions. The graphic work I obtained
from inspiration on the internet and through the technique of trial and error
to get it how I wanted it and how my plan showed.

11. Evaluation
Finally, within my A2 evaluation stages I presented my evaluations
on a range of software including Slide Share, Prezi, through the
use of iMovie (with images) with an audio track explaining the
evaluation and a blogger post. Slide Share allowed me to present
my evaluation question to you through Microsoft PowerPoint in an
accessible way to be viewed. Prezi created a very aesthetically
pleasing way of viewing my evaluation question through it’s
varieties of designs and transitions. iMovie allowed me to supply
the evidence through pictures on screen while explaining my
question through audio, which I recorded on audacity. The diverse
use of presenting my evaluation posts I feel summed up how I
used media technology. From this, I feel on my coursework
journey in A2, I have used a substantial variety in different
programs and websites for the production of my media texts.
Without these, my coursework would not be made to the best of
my ability.