This document summarizes the use of various digital tools throughout the planning, production, and evaluation stages of a group music video project. Blogger was used as a collaborative workspace to share research, ideas, schedules, and for communication. Survey Monkey was used to create and distribute an audience questionnaire. Adobe Premiere Pro was used for video editing and linking clips to music. Adobe Photoshop was used for image editing and design work. After Effects was used for color grading video. A DSLR camera was used for photography and videography to enable various creative techniques.

1. Evaluation: Question 4
Callum King

2. • We used blogger.com as a collaborative e-portfolio in our
group throughout the planning, construction and evaluation
stages.
• For example, during the planning stage the separate
members of our group researched and analysed other
music videos for inspiration, and we were able to collate
this research on the blog. This was useful as it allowed us
to view each other’s work and ideas in order to build on our
own ideas. Furthermore we were able to use the comment
facility to suggest improvements and useful points to our
peers, and it was extremely useful for communication when
we were not in the classroom.

3. • While we were in the
construction stage we were
able to upload our call sheets
and risk assessments to the
blog, which was helpful as it
enabled us to access
electronic versions of them
while we were on location at a
shoot.
• During the evaluation stage,
blogger has been a useful ICT
tool to present the answers to
the questions for our
evaluation. As well as this it
has been a useful resource to
view our previous research all
in one place and allow us to
fully expand our answers.

4. • Survey Monkey was used to carry out
our audience research.
• It was useful as we were able to create
and send out a questionnaire to our
target audience with ease.
• Due to this all our results were easily
accessible as they were all in the same
place, which also made collation
relatively simple.
• Furthermore we were able to attach a
link to a YouTube clip of our song on the
email, meaning that people were able to
listen to it before they answered our
questions.
• The use of IT made the whole process
less time consuming, not only for us but
for those carrying out the survey, in
comparison to how long it would have
taken to collate results from a physical
version.
• This is an example of how Web 2.0
allowed us to save time in a more
efficient and effective manner.
• This also demonstrates progression
from AS as we have used a more
effective way of carrying out this
research and therefore we have
been able to gain more useful
results, which have proved more
helpful in our work.

5. • This was integral to the editing of our production.
• We used this to cut the clips together onto the timeline
• One of the key challenges was editing the cuts in time to the music, however using this
program we were able to do this effectively, thus there was a strong link between music
and visuals.
• At the end of the piece we were able to
fade one of the characters out of the
shot whilst leaving the other, giving the
interpretation that the character has
either died or is no longer there for
some reason. We did this by layering
two shots from exactly the same angle
on top of each other, one with the girl
in, and one without. Then we faded out
the top clip which made the girl fade
out while the boy stayed. Here is an
image to further explain this:

6. • When we needed to cut between several shots quickly, we found that the easiest way to
do this was to place the shots we wanted cut together on multiple levels of the timeline,
and then go through and cut them all at once on the beat of the music, and then delete
the shots we didn’t want and move the shots we did want to the top. A few examples of
this are shown below:

7. • Adobe Photoshop was extremely
useful for editing our print work. We
were able to use colour grading, insert
text and piece the frames for our
digipak together.
• In order to create a cohesive aesthetic
across all the parts of our promotional
campaign it was necessary to use
colour grading, we began by using the
Hue/Saturation tool to desaturate the
image, giving it a more vintage feel.
• We then used the colour balance tool
to edit the shadow, midtones and
highlights settings, mainly altering the
red and blue colours. This is shown in
the image to the left.

8. • Finally the curve tool was
used on the RGB setting to
make the print work match
the video.
• We felt that it was necessary
to replicate the use of the
vignette from our video.
Photoshop allowed us to do
this by creating one copy
layer which was a
combination of all the layers
together using the ctrl-alt-
shift-E shortcut and applying
multiply to darken the image.
Then the eraser tool, with a
large soft brush, enabled us
to erase the darkness in the
middle and leave it around
the edges in order to create a
vignette effect.

9. • After Effects was used to do the
colour grading on our video
• Using the curves tool we were able to
boost some colours and dampen
down others, this included bringing
the blue down in shadows and up
slightly in highlights and bringing the
red up on both.
• This allowed us to achieve the
vintage look we were hoping for in
the video.
• This also shows development from
AS when the colour grading wasn't
considered an issue, therefore I have
managed to develop my skills in this
area.

10. • We used a DSLR Camera in both our print work and our film shoots.
• This enabled us creatively as we were able to make use of things such as the pull
focus, which we use in a lot of the instrument shots.
• We were also able to use a stabiliser lens, which allowed us to create steady, flowing
shots, which are typical of folk music videos.
• We also made use of the light exposure settings to make the shots as consistent as
possible in the changing light conditions.
• We also made use of the glidecam on a number of occasions to again give it a
smooth, flowing feel. Camera movement is extremely important in a music video and
the glidecam allowed us to properly exploit this.
• When taking photos for the print work we were able to experiment with the landscape
and portrait settings to see which was most appropriate.
• We also played with a range of shot lengths and angles which made it easier when
editing as we had plenty of footage to pick and choose from.
DSLR Camera