Luke Newcombe learned about various technologies while constructing an opening sequence for a product. These included Sony cameras, Serif Movie Plus editing software, YouTube, Weebly, Photoshop, studio lighting, and Slideshare. Luke gained skills in filming techniques like angles, framing, and camera movement. He also learned how to edit video, add sound, and include text using Serif Movie Plus. YouTube and Weebly allowed him to upload and share the opening sequence online. Photoshop enabled him to design titles and logos. Consideration of lighting helped set the proper tone.

1. Question Six: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT
ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE
PROCESS OF CONSTRCUTING THIS
PRODUCTT?
By Luke Newcombe

2. During the construction of the product the
technologies I have learnt are;
• Sony Cameras
• Serif Movie Plus
• YouTube
• Weebly
• Photoshop
• Studio lights/ backdrops
• Slideshare

3. The most crucial piece of technology used while making my
opening sequence was that of a Sony camera. This camera
was used throughout the entire production process to film the
footage of my opening sequence. During the filming process
there were a range of skills which I acquired in order to make
my product look as professional as possible. For example, the
use of both high and low angle shots to reflect authority and
power, with high angle shots indicating a character is superior
in comparison to a low angle shot. Furthermore, during the
filming process I also learnt about skills on focusing and
framing the camera in certain positions in order to show
relevance and importance within different scenes, for
example, framing is used for specific reasons such as showing
particular props within the background to convey meaning
(for example the use of fake ecstasy pills within my own
sequence conveyed to the audience that the location was a
drug dealers house).

4. The use of zooming in and out as well as panning was also
techniques that I gained knowledge of during the filming
process, this also further enhanced the professionalism
and visuals on screen as the use of zooming can add an
increase sense of drama, and the use of panning shows
further details of locations for example. Although
zooming wasn’t a technique used within my own product
the skills and knowledge were still learnt while creating
my opening sequence. To add to that, further skills were
developed with holding the camera steadily in order to
increase the level of professionalism and also increase
the quality of sound, whereas a shaky camera and the
noise that would come with it would be audible on
screen. The features above were all aspects which
increased my knowledge of the use of the camera and
also increased the professionalism of my product.

5. Another piece of equipment used within the production of my
opening sequence is that of Serif Move Plus. This piece of
software was used in order to edit my opening sequence and
make the final product. During the editing process of my
opening sequence I learnt various techniques such as cutting
clips in order for the most relevant aspects of that clip to be
used within my product. This also helped with continuity and
flow within my sequence, giving the appearance clips
continue on from each other. Another techniques also gained
by using this software was the knowledge of how to add
sound clips and remove sound clips over footage. For
example, within my opening sequence there are certain
scenes where the music couldn’t be picked up by the camera
alone and in order to counter this and still make my product
seem professional I added sound clips, found from sites such
as YouTube, over the top of footage to give the appearance
that the sound was diegetic, when in actual fact it wasn’t.

6. In order to add text into certain clips/ over the top
of clips within my opening sequence the ‘T’ button
brought up a text field, this was used in order to
add the names of the producer, edited by and actor
section of my sequence. The final technique I
learned while using Serif Movie Plus was that of
different affects and transitions that the software
allows you to use, such as fading in and out in as
well as the greyscale colour technique in order to
help enhance flashbacks for example. Although I
didn’t use these techniques within my own product
these skills were still developed while using the
software.

7. In order to place our opening sequence onto the
internet and onto Weebly the platform we did
this through was YouTube. YouTube enabled me
to create a free account which I could then
upload my video onto. From YouTube links could
then be gathered which could then be
embedded onto Weebly in order to give a direct
link to my opening sequence. YouTube also
enables users to make videos private in order for
people with specific links to be able to view the
sequence.

8. Weebly was used in order to merge out coursework
and our opening sequence onto the same platform.
Weebly allowed us to again create free account
which gave us a template of a website which can
then be edited, from this template the option to
embed a YouTube video meant that my product
could then be placed directly onto a website, with
analysis underneath it on the same page. By using
Weebly, which has a pre made template of websites
which can then be chosen, in gave my coursework
and the video a professional appearance due to the
platform is was presented on.

9. Another piece of software used to create the titles for my
opening sequence was that of Adobe Photoshop. This
software allows for both text and images to be combined
in order to make both our production company logo and
the film titles itself. While using Photoshop many
different skills were developed, such as the ability to
remove backgrounds and erase certain sections of images
using the eraser tool. Furthermore, the ability to add text,
using a ‘T’ button, as well as being able to change the
font styles used, using the ‘A’ button, were also different
skills that I learnt while using the software. This enabled
me to have a varied choice in terms of what style and
choice of lettering could be used within my titles in order
to have a professional look that is fitting to the title itself.

10. Such as the use of a graffiti style font (hand of Sean) in
order to reinforce the working class theme my production
company y has, indicating that the genre of my
production company is drama. The ability to resize
images was done through using the squares at the edge
of a selected image, this allowed us to rotate and resize
images to fit our specific needs, for example this tool was
used in order to resize the train used on my production
company logo in order to give the appearance that it was
coming from behind the writing. Other tools which were
also used were tools such as fading and gradient tools.
These enabled different effects and shadows to be used
within writing and images within my logo. Although I
didn’t personally use these features they were still skills I
gained while using the software. Further reinforcing the
professionalism within my sequence.

11. Another piece of technology learnt about while making my
opening sequence was the use of studio lighting in order to
reflect different tones and attitudes to the audience. For
example, the use of dark studio lighting reflects a dark, grimy
tone which would be associated with the genre of drama and
horror. In order to create this dark and grimy tone within my
own opening sequence I used features of the location, such as
closing the curtains, in order to present this dark tone and
atmosphere reinforcing the topic of drama. This was done
within my own sequence in order to enhance the visuals on
screen and make it seem more energetic in order to reflect
the behaviour and attitude of the characters within the
sequence, whereas using dark lighting which is commonly
associated with dramas would have failed to reflect this
attitude properly to the viewer. Throughout the production
stage of my product the use of lighting enabled me to create a
professional looking product.

12. The final piece of software used within making
my final product is that of Slideshare. This was
used in order to upload our coursework in order
for different forms of viewing on Weebly.
Slideshare enables users to upload
presentations which can then be viewed
publicity, also, an embed code is also given
which can then be used in order to implement
the Slideshare presentations on other websites,
such as Weebly.