The document lists and evaluates various media technologies used during the construction, research, planning, and evaluation stages of a media project. These included a JVC camcorder for filming, Windows Movie Maker for editing, MS Word and PowerPoint for writing and presenting, Adobe Photoshop for image editing, YouTube and Facebook for sharing work online, Blogger for project blogging, and Scribd for embedding documents. The document concludes that these technologies saved time and effort over manual alternatives and allowed for feedback on and improvement of the work.

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

2. List of Media Technologies I used JVC everio camcorder Windows Movie maker MS Word MS Powerpoint Adobe Photoshop YouTube Facebook Blogger Scribd

3. JVC everio camcorder The JVC camcorder allowed me to film my media piece without using a tape because the film went straight onto a hard drive allowing me to copy and paste my film work straight onto the computer. However the problem with these types of cameras are that the hard drive can run out of disk space, especially if you have already got footage on the camera. Also the camera caused a lot of light to fog the camera giving my actors shiny reflective faces. However if I did not have use of this camera I would have to film with a camera that requires a tape. Tapes need to be imported onto a computor which eats up a lot of time.

4. Windows Movie maker Windows movie maker allowed me to edit my film. If I did not have movie maker I might have to edit on the Macs at school. I do not understand apple computers and this would have hindered me as I would have to become familiar with the software.

5. MS Word MS word allowed me to process my work digitally instead of writing it out by hand. I was able to create a professional looking piece of writing that would check for spelling mistakes and grammar ones too. I t also allowed me to change my work if I so desired as well as being able to change it’s style with fonts colours and pictures. It also allows me to upload my work onto Scribd so that I can embed it onto websites and let others read my work. If would have had to write by hand if I did not have word.

6. MS PowerPoint PowerPoint allows me to present my opinions and work through the medium of a slideshow presentation. I am able to put my point across in manageable chunks without having to write to much as I can elaborate on what is written through what I say and how I myself present the the work. I am able to embed Videos and Music onto my presentations as well add pictures and data to visually aid the viewer. If PowerPoint was unavailable to me I would have to perhaps use an old form of slide show involving pictures and words on small cards placed in a real slideshow viewer. Perhaps have picture or written aids with a verbal presentation and perhaps some music from a CD, ipod or mp3 player.

7. Adobe Photoshop Photo shop allowed me to edit and enhance pictures for my poster. I was able to change lighting and colour effects as well as digitally edit and emprove photos so that I could get a poster that looked good. If I did not have this technology I may have had to draw my poster or even paint it. I could have also used older programmes as well such as MS Paint.

8. YouTube YouTube allowed me to preview my video on the Internet so that people could watch my media and provide feedback on it. It also allowed me to embed the video onto power point as well as blogger. However I did not receive the desired amount of feedback from YouTube I wanted. If YouTube wasn’t available to me I may have had to put my film and radio trailer on a disc for people to watch on there own computers. However this takes time as people must load the disc first and not everyone would be able to watch the film at the same time.

9. Facebook Facebook gave me the opportunity to advertise my work to my friends and peers. They could comment on my film poster and I could also send them links on YouTube and Blogger. I could event organise a screening event if I wished to do so. If I did not have ascess to Facebook again I would have to show my work to people individually or in small groups.

10. Blogger Blogger was the website we used to log our progress for media. Write down our thoughts, as well as inspirations and information on our media. We could also find out about how everybody else was doing, as well as what the teachers were saying about our work. We could also go on there blogs and look for inspiration from them, as well as receive homework and deadlines. If we did not have this website we would have had to log our work by hand. Which would generate a lot of paperwork. More paper work would be created when teaches gave out homework assignments. To look at each others work we would have to exchange notes, which would be frustrating if they were lost or jumbled.

11. Scribd Scribd is a website I used to embed word documents onto my blog. It allowed me to do a professional looking piece of writing and then post it onto my blog. If I did not have access to this I may have had to write it on blogger which I personally think looks scruff or write it by hand which takes time and typing is quicker and you can also add or take things away easily on MS Word without rubbings out tipexect. And you can change font size and colour as well as add diagrams and pictures.

12. Overall Evaluation Overall if I did not have access to these Media aids I would have found the project a lot harder. A lot of things would have required me to work manually. Where as the electronic aids do a lot of the work by helping me save time and energy as well as allowing me to store and save my work neatly. Also I am allowed to share my work with other people so that they may perhaps use my work to help them or help me improve mine. I am also able to receive feedback from people about my work and for me to take this feedback and change things accordingly.