The document describes the various media technologies used at different stages of creating a music video coursework project. In the planning stage, the student used Google Chrome, YouTube, Blogger, Excel, Photoshop, Prezi and SlideShare to conduct research, create presentations and plan elements like makeup, costumes and locations. Final Cut Pro and a Sony Handycam HD camera were used to construct the actual music video. Facebook and Twitter were utilized to gather audience feedback on the completed video.

1. Q4. How did you use media
technologies in the construction and
research, planning and evaluation
stages?

2. Media technologies used in the construction and
research, planning and evaluation stages:
Blogger Google
chrome
Photoshop
WordPhotoshop
Excel
Facebook
Twitter
Camera

3. Media technologies used for research
How I used Google Chrome
When initially researching for my coursework I used both Google
Chrome and YouTube. Once I had established that I wanted to base
my coursework on the Indie Pop genre, I used google to research
‘what is the indie pop genre?’ to which I used web searches and
image searches to establish what the indie pop genre is. I then
created a document which stated what the formal conventions of a
music video are and what the conventions of an indie pop music
video are, which are stated in the next slide:
These two documents were the first things I researched and created,
this is so I knew what the genre was that I wanted to base my
coursework on, so I had to complete this before any of my planning.

4. Media technologies used for research
Conventions of the indie pop genre

5. Media technologies used for research
Formal conventions of music video

6. How I used YouTube
Media technologies used for research
When researching for my music video I used the web page YouTube. Once
I had established the genre I wanted to use I made sure I searched for
artists that are in this genre and listened to their music and watched their
music videos on YouTube. This helped me to establish things like editing,
cinematography and mise-en-scene of indie pop music videos, which
helped with all of the planning and creating of my ancillary text and music
video.
I also used YouTube to upload my music video to. This meant that I could
easily post my video to social media sites and people were able to view
them. The fact that YouTube counts the number of times the video has
being viewed also helps with my audience feedback.

7. How I used Blogger and Excel
Media technologies used for research
When researching my music video I decided to add a blog poll
to my blogger website, in order to gain enough research and
information about the indie pop genre and music videos.
Questions on my blog poll were those such as: are you male or
female?, how old are you?, do you watch music videos?, how
do you watch music videos, what is your favourite genre of
music?. When the questions on my blog poll where answered
by members of the general public, I entered the results into an
excel document, then creating a pie chart to show the results.
These are the pie charts that were created from my results:

8. How I used Blogger
Media technologies used for research
I started using blogger when I first started the A2 course. Every
piece of planning and research I have done has been posted onto
my blogger page (http://vickyharmana2.blogspot.co.uk/), I have
posted Prezi's, slide shares, videos etc. onto my blog. My blog has
helped me a lot when conducting my music video. It has meant
that I have easy, quick access to all of my research and planning,
which made the production of my video a lot of easier as I was able
to consider all of my research and planning. Posting my work to
blogger also helped my teachers when marking and assessing my
work. They were able to view the posts that I uploaded almost
immediately, meaning I was able to make the recommended
changes.

9. Media technologies used for research
How I used Facebook and Twitter
After completing my music video I uploaded it to social network
sites in order to gain feedback. In terms of Facebook I uploaded my
video and asked people to ‘like’ the post if they liked the video,
also leaving a comment with feedback. When I uploaded my music
video to Twitter I asked people to reply to the post with feedback.
This helped me when researching the feedback for my music video as
the people that I am friends with on Facebook and who follow me on
twitter are my age, therefore my target audience. Because of this I
am able to take their feedback into consideration and use it.

10. Media technologies used for planning
How I used Photoshop
One of the media technologies I used when planning for my
music video and ancillary texts was the programme Photoshop.
When making my reader profile I used Photoshop to add my
images together. I felt that by using this programme my reader
profile looked a lot more professional, as I was able to use the
erase tool to erase the background of my images so the main
background of my reader profile was able to stand out. The
following slide shows my reader profile:

11. Media technologies used for planning
When creating my reader profile I used images that I feel suit the indie pop genre (e.g. very bright,
clothes, music, festivals, make up etc.). The information stated within my reader profile is fictional
information, however information that I think very much applies to the indie pop genre.

12. Media technologies used for planning
How I used Photoshop
Another way in which I used Photoshop during the planning of
my music video would be when I was planning the makeup for my
music video. I did this in a very unique way. I found an image on
google of a model with absolutely no makeup on, I then used
Photoshop tools to add makeup to the image of the model of
which I wanted to do in my music video. The following slides
describe and explain the process by which I did this:
This helped me with the planning of my music video as I was
able to plan the artists appearance in several different ways,
meaning I was able to visualise what the artist would look like
and what would look best.

13. This is the image
that I will be using,
the main focus of the
image is the models
face and she is
wearing no makeup,
which makes
applying makeup
using photo shop
easier.
The first thing I do is
duplicate the layer that
contains the image of my
model. I do this so there
are two layers, altering
the top layer.
Secondly, I add a filter on the top layer,
using the blur tool to add a Gaussian blur
at the radius of 20.5 pixels.
I then add a layer mask onto the top layer
which is now currently blurred. This will make
the square next to the image on the layer copy
appear, which I will then use the fill tool to
make it appear black, which will turn the image
back to normal (non-blurred).

14. When my image is
back to normal I will
select the brush tool
in the colour white,
with the hardness
percentage at 0%.
Then lowering the
capacity to around
30 – 50 %.
Using the white brush tool to colour all of the
skin visible it brings out the blurred filter
slightly, making the skin appear smoother.
From this To this
Finally when altering the skin, I will
create a series of layers using the
paint tool of different skin tones to
even out the tone of the models
skin.
Secondly I will alter the lips of my model,
making it look like she is wearing lipstick. I
use the lasso tool to select the lips.

15. Once selected I add a filter to the lips,
selecting artistic and then plastic wrap.
Which causes the effect on the right to
appear on the lips. I then go to image and adjust the image,
raising the brightness, once this is done I
move this layer behind its duplicate.
I then use the paint tool on a dark
red colour and several lighter colours
to paint the lips on a separate layer, I
then lower the capacity of the layer
to make it look more natural.
Thirdly, I will alter the eye colour of the
model. I use the lasso tool to select the
pupil of the eye.

16. I then save this selection under the
name of something like ‘right eye’ or
‘left eye’, then pressing ok, I will then
load the selection.
I will then alter the hue and lightness
of the selected areas, which alters the
colour of her pupils. Finally using the
blur tool to make the alteration
appear natural.Next I will alter the eye makeup/eye brows. I will use
the eye drop tool to copy the colour of her hair, then
using the paint brush tool to ‘paint’ on the eyebrows,
making sure to copy the original shape.
I then lower the opacity of the layer, in
order for the colouring and filling of the
eyebrows to look more natural.
Finally using the paint brush tool
to add additional shaping and
filling of different shades to the
eyebrow.

17. When starting with the eye makeup I use the
paint brush tool in the colour black and add a
layer to the bottom eye socket. Then lowering
the opacity of this layer to 40%.
Also further
adding a black cat
eye layer. I then
use the same
black paint brush
tool to add eye
liner of different
shades of black
and opacities all
around the eye.
This is the final result once I have fully
edited the image. I do not want my model to
look this edited, I was simply using this to
practice my photo shop skills.

18. Media technologies used for planning
How I used Prezi
When planning for my music video I used the website
Prezi, which is a cloud-based presentation software
and storytelling tool. I used Prezi to create
presentations for things such as: the lyric analysis of
my song, the costume and makeup in the video, the
history of music videos, the results of the blog poll,
health and safety, the prop list and location list and
the pictures taken during the ancillary text photo
shoot. When using Prezi I was able to establish a
theme and colour scheme for my music video and all
research and planning. Prezi made planning easy as I
was able to easily upload images, YouTube videos,
text, music, symbols and shapes.

19. Media technologies used for planning
How I used Slide Share and PowerPoint
I also used the web programme Slide Share to
create presentations for the research and
planning of my music video. When creating slide
shares you upload a PowerPoint presentation,
which meant I could personalise it to suit the
planning. I used Slide Share when creating my
textual analysis 'and a detailed process of
adding nail varnish to my models pictures using
Photoshop. I used this programme as the
presentation that was created was very easy to
navigate for the audience, and I was able to
create the presentation that I wanted to as I
know how to use PowerPoint.

20. Media technologies used for
construction
How I used Final Cut Pro
When constructing my music video I used the Apple
programme Final Cut Pro. I used this programme as I felt it
was a simple programme that would give me the best results
when creating my music video. I found the process of
constructing a video on Final Cut Pro very easy, from
uploading my chosen song onto my Final Cut Pro file,
through to adding edits to my clips. Using this programme
clearly helped me as it lead to the construction of my music
video. I added coloured effects on the top of my footage,
also slowing down and speeding up footage, reversing
footage and adding glowing lights on top of my footage. This
programme helped me achieve the look I wanted when
constructing my music video.

21. Media technologies used for
construction
How I used Sony Handycam HD
To record my music video used the Sony Handycam HD
camera, using a tripod to make sure all of my shots were
stable. We were taught the basics of using the Sony
Handycam at the beginning of our A2 year, for example
learning things such as in a long shot making sure the feet
are at the bottom of the shot and the head is at the top of
the shot. It was very easy to film when the camera is on the
tripod, as the stableness the tripod created made the shots
steady and made the camera focus more. However when I
tried to film without the tripod I found that the camera
focused less and made the shots look less professional. I
also found that when the lighting was brighter, the camera
focused more, however when I shot things in my bedroom
the lighting wasn’t as good and therefore that reduced the
quality, for example:
Good lighting Bad lighting