The document discusses how new media technology was used at various stages of a project. In the research stage, websites like YouTube and online magazines were used to efficiently gather information about music videos, genres, bands, and advertisements. YouTube allowed viewing of archives and pausing/rewinding videos. In the evaluation stage, the video was uploaded to YouTube to collect comments, and blogs were used to self-evaluate and share work. In the planning stage, YouTube helped analyze cutting rhythm by viewing music videos. New media like email was also used to collaborate on constructing the digital packaging for the project.

1. How have you used new media technology in the
research, planning, construction and evaluation stages?
We used new media technology in the research stages of our
product. We used websites such as Yahoo music and YouTube in
order to watch music videos and learn about typical codes and
conventions. These sites gave us a diversity of choice, as they
categorised the genres of the music videos they possessed. The
wide range of genres (including rock, indie, RNB, dancehall, hip
hop etc) enabled us to go straight to videos of the indie genre.
This led us to video’s such as Florence’s “Dog Days” in which the
obscurity is presented in scenes in a forest. We took from this the
idea of filming the ambiguous mask shots in a forest, in order to
enforce this obscure theme with an obscure setting. YouTube
helped us tremendously, as we were able to view extensive
archives of music videos efficiently, without having to wait for
videos to be played on the TV. It also meant that we were able to
pause, rewind and fast forward our specific video so that we can
re-check or enforce our research. YouTube was considerably less
time-consuming and made our research easier to gather.
Another way in which we used new media technology in the
research stages of production was through specialist and minority
sources. For example, we used the online magazine NME to aid us
in our research. This ensured that we were able to look directly at
the genre we are studying, as the magazine is dedicated to rock
and indie. We found an article in NME about the band we are
using, “The Joy Formidable”. This helped us as it gave us a link to
their website with pre-made videos and so we were able to further
our knowledge on the band. NME online magazine was useful as
the website link was instantly accessible, being that we were
already on the web. In the past, we could have had to purchase
multiple newspapers and magazines in the chance that we may
find an article on the band we were using- making NME online
magazine a more economical and less time consuming option.
NME online magazine also helped us to research our advert, as it
had a wide range of adverts all of the indie genre and so we were
able to quickly and effectively view adverts such as The Killers- an
advert very similar to ours regarding font and colour. This was
useful to us, as in the past we would have had to look out for
posters and those of our particular genre, which would have been

2. time consuming and there would have been a possibility that we
may not have found any.
We also used new media technology in the evaluation stages
of production. I order to do this we used the website YouTube. We
decided to upload our video onto YouTube instead of straight onto
our blog. This ensured that we could gather feedback in terms of
comments on YouTube. By uploading our video onto YouTube and
embedding it into our blog, the viewers are able to click on it, be
redirected to YouTube and add a comment. By using the
“comments” application on YouTube we were able to gather
feedback from others outside of the group and draw an
evaluation. For example, the comments we received on YouTube
included, “Good video! I really liked the use of masks!” and “I am
confused about the ending? But otherwise, very good.” Using
YouTube we are also able to message back and ask them to
expand on a specific point. In the past we would have had to
gather a group of people in a room, on the same day, at the same
time, in order to hold a screening of our video and would have had
to create questionnaires in order to gather feedback. By using
YouTube people can comment on their own time and so can work
it around their schedule, unlike a planned screening. This method
is also more economic as we do not have to spend money printing
questionnaires for the viewers to fill out. YouTube also helped us
in the construction stage of production, as we were able to make
amendments according to their comments. For example, one
viewer left a comment on our video, suggesting that the video
“might look more authentic if it had performance shots.” As a
result of this, we were able to ask others if they agreed and after
consideration, did in fact introduce performance shots into our
music video.
New media technology was used in the planning stages of
making our product, in the form of YouTube. This website ensured
that we were able to watch videos whilst listening to audio. This
introduced us to a multimedia experience and was useful in
learning about cutting rhythm, as we were accurately able to see
whether the cuts in the video were to the beat of the song. For
example, we looked at Oasis’ “Don’t look back in anger” video and
saw that the cutting rhythm was inline with the song, and strove
to do this in our own video. We did this by ensuring the beat on
the audio track fitted with the cuts in our editing. In the past, we
would have had to wait for the music video to be played on a

3. music channel and we would not have been able to rewind or
pause, like is possible on YouTube.
Another way in which we used new media technology in the
evaluation stages of production was via our blogs. We used the
site blogspot.com, on which we have the option to make the blogs
live. This ensured that we were able to view other student’s blogs
and perform a self-evaluation of their work in comparison to our
own. For example, I saw that other groups had taken photographs
of their group members working. We thought this was a good idea
and so decided to take photographs as we were filming, for both
aesthetic purposes and as a documentation. In the past we would
not have been able to view the work of others unless we got in
contact with other schools- a more time consuming and less
ethical method. Another benefit of blogging is that we are able to
store work which can be accessed from any location. This means
that we were able to begin work on a post at home and continue it
from school. For example, I was writing a blog at home about the
times of filming and I forgot the timing for Tuesday. To solve this
problem I saved the post and accessed it at home in order to fill in
the missing time, after having consulted my group. In the past I
would have had to phone my group members- being both more
expensive and more time consuming.
Lastly, we used new media technology in the construction of
our product, through the use of email. Whilst researching digipaks
of the indie genre it became evident that art played an important
role, such as seen in Kate Nash’s “Made of bricks” digipak, in
which the background is drawn. In light of this, we were able to
manually draw the layers of our digipak and scan them in. We
were then able to email the images to another member of our
group using fronter.com/wandsworth. This meant that he was able
to access the images at home and layer them using PhotoShop. In
the past, if we wanted to combine digital imagery with art, we
would have had to print the image on photo-paper and glue it on
top of a drawn background. This would not have looked as
effective and could not be accessed online.