The document discusses the various media technologies used by the author to complete their coursework portfolio, which included creating a music video. They used Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Prezi to present and analyze their work. Google Documents was used to create and distribute an audience survey, and Photoshop was used to create logos, advertisements, and other ancillary texts. Final Cut Express was the primary software used to edit the music video, while YouTube and Blogger were used to upload and host the finished video online. Throughout the process, the author utilized different cameras, lenses, tripods, and other equipment to film footage for the music video.

1. Question 4:
Whilst constructing my portfolio, I made use of multiple different media
technologies. This was especially when creating my music video in all stages. For
most of my research and a large portion of my planning, I used a number of
programs to present and analyse my work, such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft
Power Point and Prezi. I also had to use an online program called Slide Share
when it came to uploading a Microsoft program to blogger. If I didn’t use Word,
then I typed up an answer through blogger itself. Prezi’s are efficient and smart
when it comes to presentations as they can include videos, images, music,
hyperlinks and text in a number of different slides that span across the screen
with optional motions and themes.
When it came to conducting my audience research survey I used a program by
Google Documents that allowed me to craft my own questions and send them out
to people through e-mails. One thing that was extremely helpful with Google
Documents was the way the results of the survey were presented. If I chose to, I
could be shown each question's responses through a graph, or pie chart, or a
simple collection of the words most used to answer. This was extremely helpful
when it came to showing the results of the survey, and then drawing my
conclusions from them.
I used Microsoft Power Points when it came to things such as my 9 frame
analysis of music videos, and my album cover photoshoot analysis. By doing this
I was able to present my work in a clear format and show essays in capable
fractions, accompanied by images that were to be analysed. When it came to
using both Power Point and Word, I had to use a program on the internet called
SlideShare. By doing this I could then show my work on blogger, with the
capability of being presented on full-screen.
When it came to using photo's, all the found images came from Google, however,
I needed to capture the results of my audience research survey. To do this I used
the Print Screen tool, and then pasted it into Microsoft Paint. By using this
program I was able to crop the image easily to the size I needed and save it as a
JPEG, which I would then import into a Prezi.
When it came to creating aspects of my coursework such as my logo, magazine
advertisement, album cover, and contact sheets, I used Photoshop. These
ancillary texts were much easier to create with the use of this media technology.
If I struggled with any part of using this program, tutorials were easy to access
through the video search engine, You Tube. When it came to using individual
brushes, fonts and patterns, I was able to download what I wanted from sites
such as Brusheezy. This helped when giving a unique look to aspects of my work,
for example, the magazine advert.
I needed permission for the song that I used once I'd decided which would work
best. To do this I used Twitter to message, or 'tweet', the band, You Me At Six.
This proved to be a challenge as I had originally written out a request in the form
of a letter, but Twitter only allows 140 characters per message. Because of this
my request was then shortened down to :I am an A-Level media student, creating
a music video, requesting to use your song 'Crash'. Educational use only.
After I had decided that I would use the song 'Crash', I used I Tunes to download
the song so that I could then create my music video.

2. When it came to uploading my videos, such as my animatic, music video and
evaluation questions, I used You Tube, which I could then put onto my blog by
copying the embed code and pasting it into Blogger after I had set it to HTML
mode.
When creating all my videos that I would then upload to You Tube, I used a
program called Final Cut - Express. A program used in the professional film
industry, and an extremely effective media technology when it came to creating
my ancillary texts. With this I was able to make lip-syncing especially easy for
myself by using the marker tool and moving the audio files to where they needed
to be, until I felt they aligned with the visual in a way that made it seem as
though Matthew was actually singing the song 'Crash', even though the only
thing the viewer would be able to hear would be the MP3 that I had bought from
I Tunes. Lip syncing was essential in making my work appear professionally
produced and fit for the music industry, and by using Final Cut I felt that I had
achieved this standard.
Another program that was very helpful when it came to showing my progression
and construction was QuickTime, and the option it provided to screen record. By
going to File -Begin New Screen Recording, and pressing the record button, I was
able to show the process of things such as how I created my Logo, or how I used
Final Cut. Another use QuickTime provided was when I exported my music video
through QuickTime, instead of saving it as an MP4. Doing this meant that my
video could keep as much of it's quality as possible after I customised the
settings, allowing the audience to then view it at 720p, a classified HD setting.
For the filming segment of my production I used a Nikon D5100 camera with and
average lens, capable of filming in 1080p at 24 - 30 fps, with image quality of
16.2 MP. For wider ranges of zooming capability that helped with the
introductory shot of the pull focus zoom out I used a Sony Macro lens. This
especially came in handy for the flash back scenes that provided a more
aesthetically pleasing environment that responded to closer detail viewings
better. The memory card that I used for the filming of my music video was a
SanDisk Extreme, also capable of holding HD footage whilst maintaining the
memory capacity of 8GB - or 120 minutes of footage. I also had a 4 GB Sony
memory card, in case I filled the first, but it was never needed.
Whilst filming scenes such as the art classroom and flash back scenes, I used a
tripod for more stable and professional footage. With this I was able to preform
simple pans, as well as keeping the camera secure whilst I had it zoom in and
pull focus while I was filming.
When it came to the art classroom scenes it was necessary that I got outstanding
crane shots and high angle pans that travelled smoothly as they tracked certain
actors and provided a good view of what was to happen. By laying the track
smoothly and making sure I had the appropriate amount of weights to counter
balance the camera I was able to achieve the shots I wanted.
I feel that my use of media technologies throughout the whole making of my
products, including the construction, research and planning, and evaluation
stages, was key to facilitating my aspirations and helping me with my creative
development.