The student used a wide range of digital technologies throughout the construction and research, planning, and evaluation of their media product. These included Google, IMDb, YouTube, Blogger, Celtx, Microsoft Word/PowerPoint, SlideShare/Prezi, free music websites, a voice recorder, Premiere Pro, and a camera. While most technologies were useful, some had limitations like not containing all desired information, being time consuming, or having a learning curve to their use. Overall, digital technologies helped improve the student's skills and knowledge of media production.

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

2. Throughout the process of making our media product we used a wide
range of new media technologies which have supported us through
the process of producing our final media product. We used new
media technologies in construction, research, planning and
evaluation stage of our product. Additionally, we used the new media
technologies to work together and produce a short film, radio trailer,
poster and lots of other products to support the making of our film.

3. Google
In the research and planning stages of making our media product we used Google.
Google was useful as it allowed us to find research about thriller films and identify the
conventions of the genre which helped my construct my own thriller story ideas. Google
was easy and a quick method to finding information, such as when I was researching the
history of thriller films. However, Google didn’t always contain the information I required.
Google improved my knowledge about thriller films which allowed our group to form a
final storyline for our film as we knew the conventions of the genre. Google has improved
my knowledge as it has educated me about all different areas of thriller films and has
enabled me to apply the information to my own work.
https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl

4. IMDb
I also used IMDb in the research stage of making our film. I used IMDb in order to
research similar films to mine and see what age ratings they were rewarded so that
we could conclude our age rating for our film. Also, I used IMDb to research similar
films in order to get an idea for our thriller film poster and follow the conventions
of the thriller genre. However, IMDb didn’t contain some thriller film in which we
would have liked to have research more.
https://www.imdb.com/

5. YouTube
I used YouTube in the research stage of making our media
product in order to identify conventional sounds and music
for the thriller genre. I also used YouTube when I was
analysing my chosen title sequences. Additionally, I used
YouTube to showcase my media product. However, a
limitation of YouTube is that not everything can be found
easily. For example, if I wanted an example of a tracking shot
from a similar thriller film to ours, YouTube might not have
had exactly what I needed.
https://www.youtube.com/?hl=en-GB&gl=GB

6. Blogger
I have used YouTube throughout the process research, planning, construction and
evaluation stages of our media product as I documented and organised all my work.
Blogger allowed me to demonstrate my progress from the beginning of the year up until I
had finished my media product. Additionally, Blogger allowed me to receive audience
feedback, as I frequently asked my teacher and classmates to evaluate each post so that I
could improve it. However, I have learnt in AS and A2 that Blogger is sometimes
inconvenient as I personally lost some work; which was time consuming to re-do.
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1701504345161751540#allposts/postNum=34

7. Celtx
I used Celtx in the planning and production stages of
developing our media product. Celtx was useful for
our media product as it allowed us to produce a
script. I found Celtx to be rather easy to work on as
the software provided clear instruction which I
understood. However, a limitation of Celtx is that it
was extremely time consuming to upload the script
onto Blogger, so we had to use Snip in order to
present our work. I used Celtx for both my AS and A2
projects, but I found that for my A2 media product I
was more confident due to the fact that I used it
more frequently due to changes in our storyline.

8. Microsoft Word/PowerPoint
I used Microsoft word in all the stages of developing my media product. I found Microsoft Word to be
useful because the software is simple to use and also identifies how many words you have written,
which was extremely useful during the evaluation stage of my media course. Word was particularly
helpful when I was developing my shot list due to the fact that we changed our storyline and word
made it easy to edit my work. I also used PowerPoint in every stage of developing my media product. I
found PowerPoint to be useful as it allowed me tov present my work in a more exiting way, rather than
just using Word or Blogger all the time. PowerPoint was particularly helpful when I was researching the
conventions about thriller films because it allowed me to present my knowledge in a creative way.
However, a limitation of PowerPoint is that your work had to be uploaded to Blogger through Slide
Share which was very time consuming.

9. Slide Share/Prezi
https://www.slideshare.net/ https://prezi.com/
I used Slide Share and Prezi throughout most stages for developing my media product in order to present
my work in a more exiting way, rather than just using blogger constantly. Prezi was useful as it allowed
me to provide interactive presentations. However, Prezi did cause some complications when I lost some
posts on Blogger and had to re-do them. Additionally, I found that from my experience of using this
website in AS and A2, Prezi takes a lot of time as it requires more detail than just a regular posts. Slide
Share was useful as it allowed me to present my PowerPoints on Blogger which was useful as it allowed
me to show that I can use a wide range of media technologies to present my work. However, a limitation
of Slide Share would be that it’s hard to access and tak3es a while for work to be uploaded.

10. Free Music Websites
https://freesound.org/
I used free music websites in the production stage of
developing our media product as we needed sound effects for
our film. The free music websites, such as ‘Freesound’, was
useful as it allowed us to improve our media product and
make the film appear more realistic. Additionally, the free
music websites allowed our group to produce a high quality
radio trailer with plenty of effective sound effects. However, a
limitation of the free music websites is that they didn’t
include some sound effects we would have liked or preferred.
For example, for our media production we found it very
difficult to find some ‘chase music’ for our chase scene so we
had to improvise and speed the music up gradually ourselves.

11. Voice Recorder
In the production stage of making our film we used a ZOOM H1 to
take recordings of our voices. The Voice recorder was useful for our
media product as we used it to record the voice over and make the
radio trailer. The voiceover was significant as it allowed us to explain
certain aspects of our film to the audience which made our film
more effective. The radio trailer was an ancillary product to
promote our film, so the voice recorder ensured that we had an
effective radio trailer to promote our film. The voice recorder had
clear sound and was very simple to use. However, a limitation of the
voice recorder was very sensitive and picked up every sound so we
had to re-do some of the voice overs to ensure the sound we added
to our film and the radio trailer was effective.

12. Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro was an extremely significant digital technology during our production stage of developing our media
product. Premiere Pro was useful for our media product as it allowed use to edit our film and combine all our footage
together. [premiere Pro allowed us to add interesting effects to our film to make it appear more realistic, which we hoped
would make the film more conventional to the thriller genre. For example, in the flashback we used black and white to
help the audience understand that it was a flashback scene. Premiere Pro also allowed us to add sound effects and music
to our film which made our film more realistic and effective as it increased the tension. Additionally, Premiere Pro allowed
us to demonstrate what restricted and unrestricted editing was, as well as what elliptical editing was. However, a
limitation of the Premiere Pro software would be that it was very complex to use and caused the editing process to be
time consuming.

13. Camera
In the production stage of our film, I used a Cannon HFG 25 to film the footage of
our film. The camera was useful as it allowed me to collect footage for our film
which was good quality, which I could then edit. Additionally, the camera allowed
me to demonstrate what restricted and unrestricted narration was. However, a
limitation of the camera we used would be that it was complex to use. I found it
particular difficult to become confident with this camera as when we uploaded
some of our footage onto the computer the shots weren’t focused. Therefore, I
sometimes struggled to get a clear picture. The camera has helped me develop my

14. Conclusion
Digital technology has been useful throughout the research, planning, production
and evaluation stages of this media course. Additionally, digital technology has
helped to improve my skills and knowledge of media as a whole. For example, I can
now confidently use a Cannon HFG 25 and a ZOOM H1 confidently, as well as being
able to comfortably use numerous software's, such as Celtx and Slide Share.
Therefore, my progression has been positively effected by my wider use of digital
technologies as I am more knowledgeable and have developed new media skills.
The digital technologies I have used throughout the research, planning, production
and evaluation stages have been essential for the success of my advanced level
portfolio.