Evaluation Question Four

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

Hardware

One of the main pieces of media technology I used was the HD Sony Handycam. This video camera allowed me to film my preliminary tasks, research tasks, main product and evaluation questions. My music video had to be bright and vibrant - the high definition of the video camera allowed this. This is an improvement from the standard definition cameras I used for my AS Level product. The picturesque scenery within my music video was amplified greatly due to the increased quality. The HD Sony Handycam is a lot smaller than industry standard cameras are and so they can easily be positioned in tight spots. For example, when I filmed the high angle shot within the female character's bedroom, I needed to fit into a very small space. The camera was small enough that I could fit it in and still get the angle I required. The Handycam is also very light weight, meaning it is easily portable. This helped when I was transporting all the equipment and props up onto the hill.

High Angle Shot

Another piece of hardware I used to add multi-media to my blog and help with my ancillary tasks was a Fuji-Film digital camera. The digital camera allowed me to take my own original images for my blog such as the actor, costume and props board. This was important as I needed to anotate these images as part of my planning for my main product. As well as this, I also took a variety of photos of the sky for my ancillary tasks. These were then modified and evaluated so I could choose the best image. The Fuji-Film digital camera I used is quite a recent model and so the megapixel quality was more than decent. This helped in that it gave me the best quality images for my ancillary tasks to make them look professional.

Keeping my shots steady during the filming of my main product was important as it helped give the music video a neat, professional finish. Shakey shots would look unprofessional and put the audience off watching it. To keep my shots steady, I use a standard tripod. The tripod I used was very light weight and therefore easily portable.

The computer and laptops I used during the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages of my project were probably the most important aspect. The laptop held all the software I needed to edit, connect with people, and write up every section of this project. I used a computer during school hours because they were easily accessible in the classroom and study room. When I got home, I used the laptop to touch up or finish up any work I was doing. This meant that no matter where I was, I had the opportunity to contribute to this project in some form.

For my hand-drawn animation in the first minute of my music video, I used a webcam to take frequent photos of the picture I was drawing. So when I merged all the photos together (using software), it became animated. This webcam allowed me to add an interesting aspect to my main product.

Software

When editing my preliminary task, I used the school's Corel VideoStudio Pro X3 to edit it together. This software allowed me to make cuts when necessary, add text and over lay, and add music. I used this software when editing my main product because it's very simple to use. I'm also experienced with this piece of software because I used it last year for my AS Level product. Corel VideoStudio Pro X3 is great for simple cuts and edits. When it came to my evaluation questions, I had Corel VideoStudio Pro X5 installed on my laptop. This piece of software had all the functions that VideoStudio Pro X3 had and more. It held more transition effects such as 'burns' and more text effects. This helped to increase the level of professionalism in my evaluation questions. Overall, both versions helped me to edit all the video footage I needed to add multi-media to my blog and to put the finishing touches on my main product.





To bring my hand-drawn animation from my webcam to video, I used Stop Motion Pro to connect all the photos together. The webcam is connected to the computer, and through the software, the photos can be directly added to the current production. This means that not much actual editing work on my part is needed. This was a quick and easy process that ended with an interesting result in which my peers complimented in the feedback.

Social media has really helped when going through the stages of this project. Firstly, it allowed me to comment of a video on YouTube for the Owl City song 'Galaxies'. I pitched my idea to Owl City fans through YouTube and ended up getting an overall positive response which gave me the go-ahead on the planning. It also allowed me to use the Space Shuttle Challenger launch that played a key role in my music video as overlays on the artist shots. Facebook helped in that I could gather peer feedback on my finished main product. Peers contacted me via comments on the post and in instant Facebook chat. Social media is almost instant and so I was able to gain feedback quickly.











Instead of using Adobe Photoshop which could only be accessed from school, I used free photo editing sites. This way I could work from home and still get the same results as I would from Photoshop. PicMonkey was the first site I used and it gave me the fonts I needed for the band name and album title. However, PicMonkey found it hard to stay free and so launched it's premium service. Meaning free members had to pay to get extra effects. This only restricted me somewhat and I still used PicMonkey for it's fonts. I then moved to Pixlr to do the majority of the editing for my magazine adverts. This site had exactly the same tools as PicMonkey and served just as well when I needed to crop, add overlays, and use transparency. 

Blogger and Vimeo are two of the most frequently used websites within this project. Blogger is the host for my blog and has helped in that I can unpload unlimited posts. It also allows me to add images, videos and sound bites. Blogger's acceptance of multi-media has allowed me to create a varied, interesting blog. Vimeo is my chosen video hosting service. Vimeo allows me to upload videos whenever I choose and is quick to render and upload them to the site. This efficient upload means I can easily add new videos in a very short amount of time.