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

stages?

Evaluation of Magazine Advert/CD Cover Design/Music Video

Question 3

Introduction New media technology are the cultural objects which use digital computer technology for

production, distribution and exhibition e.g. The Internet, media related websites, blu ray disks etc...

For my project, it was essential for me to make use of new media technology in the planning, construction, research and evaluation stages in order to create a marketable product in promoting the artist.

There are different new media technology that I used for my media project. In this essay question, I will explain the different types of technology used in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages of the media project.

YouTube and other new media technologies

While undertaking my media project, an important new media technology I used was YouTube. YouTube is what allowed me to broadcast the main product in allowing easy access for the potential audience to consume our music video. You can find my music video from this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhs7c-dnmgsYouTube also allowed me to publicise and share the video in the evaluation stage to other people in order for me to receive critical audience feedback. With the audience feedback, this allowed me to amend a couple of things in the music video to make the video have the potential to be a marketing vehicle. YouTube also allowed me to research and plan for our music video. I was able to look at indicative music videos of our chosen genre which is rap which gave me ideas on how our finished product could look like as this would be following the codes and conventions.

YouTube and other new media technologies continued [Screen Shots]

This is how I wanted the start of the video to be like where it would focus on setting, location, the artist. This is a tracking shot of J.Cole walking along the road. This is the same type of camera angle and shot I wanted to incorporate in my main product. All of this was done through research and planning stage to know how I would want the video to look like.

This is a split screen which I researched when constructing my music video. I wanted to use a special effect and a split screen was one of them. This split screen in rap music videos is something I researched when planning to make my music video.

Screen Shots Continued

This is another type of shot and camera movement I incorporated in my main product. I used a rolling and tracking camera movement at a straight eye level angle with the artist looking away from the camera which challenged codes and conventions. Also the location here is similar to the location of my video as my music video was situated at secluded road paths, near garages, car parks and dead end roads. Looking at this indicative music video on YouTube, it helped me plan and construct my music video by getting ideas from other real media products.

YouTube and the Indicative Music Videos in aiding me in the research, planning, construction and evaluation

stage.• Indicative music videos for our chosen genre allowed us as a group to research and plan the

mise en scene, camera shots, movement and angles, sound, production design and editing for our main product. In the evaluation stage, I was able to compare my music video to my indicative music videos/real media products where I asked the potential audience if I have followed codes and conventions from real media products as this is the way they liked it. This assisted me in the construction and evaluation stage as I was able to get the audience critical views on how good my planning and research has been in making the video to follow the US codes and conventions as it is a UK music video.

• Our finished product was converted as a MP4 file to Quicktime Movie to get the correct framings for the music video which is 4:3 and then we used the computer to upload the finished product under my account on YouTube for where this was distributed and exhibited to the potential audience.

Facebook

Facebook was a new media technology I used for my media project. Through the construction, research, planning and evaluation stage, I was able to use Facebook for a number of things. I was able to use Facebook for critical audience feedback on my main product and ancillary texts which helped me in the construction and evaluation stage.

Magazine Advert

CD/Digipak Design

Facebook- aiding me in planning and research stages

• During the process of constructing, researching and planning my music video, CD digipak design and magazine advert, Facebook allowed me to set up questionnaires and interviews with the potential audience which allowed me to ask them how they would want the main product and ancillary products to look like which would be following codes and conventions. From asking potential consumers how they would like the products to look like would meet the consumer’s needs and wants which would lead into a higher consumption unit and generate publicity for the product that has been produced, distributed and exhibited which creates a synergy.

• During my evaluation stage, I was able to upload my music video, CD design and magazine advert for the audience to view and comment so that I could receive feedback on what was good and bad which would allow me to make instant changes to the main product and ancillary texts. Audience feedback helped me in creating new ideas for the products that have been constructed. An initial link can be made between the main product and ancillary texts to meet codes and conventions.

The Internet as a new media technology

• The internet was a useful source of technology in the making and planning of my video. I undertook research to know the process of making a music video to get an initial idea of what I would have to undertake in the media project process.

• How to make a music video?• http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Music-Video• I also researched magazine and CD cover designs of my chosen genre which was rap/grime.

The Internet• These real media products gave me a rough idea on how I could construct my ancillary texts.

This allowed me to research how rap magazine adverts and CD covers are constructed in media. This followed codes and conventions and allowed me to create ideas and learn techniques in making my ancillary texts. This was important in the research and planning stage as it helped me to create my ancillary texts and assisted me in my evaluation to get potential viewers to view and comment on the media products to see if there has been a relation between my main product and ancillary products.

Final Cut Pro• I used a programme called Final Cut Pro which was used for storing footage and for editing to

combine and consider the arrangement of the footage for the music video. Final Cut Pro allowed us as a group to put a collection of footage shots together and edit our footage which helped us in our construction and planning stage. I also took a number of screen grabs for my music video from Final Cut Pro where different screen grabs helped me to consider what type of shot we wanted as a group and if it was effective in use for the music video. Here are a number of screen grabs I took. These screen grabs assisted me in the planning, construction and evaluation stages when making my music video.

Screen Grabs

Final Cut Pro Continued• Final Cut Pro also allowed me to use different effects for the music video such as colour

corrector and the Sin City Effect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgXAw56YCg

• Sin City Effect and colour corrector allowed me to change the background colour and clothing colour. I also went through some YouTube tutorials which showed me how to use Final Cut Pro. These tutorials for Final Cut Pro helped me in editing the music video and helped me use special effects as well in the music video. This was important in the construction stage as it made me feel more comfortable in using the technology and making the main product.

• http://www.youtube.com/user/nyvs?feature=pyv&ad=6285390734&kw=final%20cut%20pro%20tutorials&gclid=CP-wsNuzpKcCFQoY4QodRjLGCA#p/u/0/THyq5K7Os2E

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMoeUrE0dEc• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR-YrnRu3lo&feature=related• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCdGqHbdZRc&feature=related• Also I used tape decks for my music video. I looked over my footage on tapes and captured

footage that I thought was good to use for the video which was used from my tape log and edit decision lists which can be found on my blog.

Digital Components Used when Editing

Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint and Paint

I used Microsoft Word to write up my production schedules, production diaries, the artist’s research file, the treatment for the music video, the risk assessment and the Look Doc which then allowed me to put this up on my blog. I also used Paint to grab screen shots from my music video and indicative music videos to show how I used different camera shots and angles from real media products.

Photoshop and InDesign

I also used Photoshop and InDesign to construct my magazine advert and CD cover design. Photoshop and InDesign helped me to create effects and also crop out things from photos. I had a couple of difficulties in using Photoshop when making my ancillary texts so I went through some tutorials online on Youtube which assisted me in using the programme efficiently. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPOGXYJtafw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94BMoqtur1Q

Google, Apple Mac and CDs

I used Google for the research of related CD design and Magazine advert to get a rough idea of how I would make my ancillary texts look like. E.g. Colour scheme, framing, type of shot etc...I also used an Apple Mac which was quite tricky at first but I finally got a hand on it during the process of my media project. I used the Apple Mac for editing and to construct the music video.I also used CD discs to burn my music video on it so that I could have a duplicate of the original copy just in case something happens to the main product.

Blogspot and Slideshare

I also used blogs to record everything I did for my media project. You can find this on my blog address- http://wwwmusicvideo-daniel.blogspot.com/And http://wwwmusicvideo-daniel.blogspot.com/I also used Slideshare which allowed me to upload powerpoints as this helped me to present my evaluation in a professional way.

Digital Components Used for constructing the main product and ancillary texts

Evaluation of Digital Components.• I used a Cannon 32k camera and a tripod when constructing the music video. These digital

components allowed the cameraman to perform steady shots and hand held camera shots in making the video look presentable. Also the cameraman was able to go out of focus and in focus and was also able to use variable zoom ins and zoom outs. I also researched the type of shots used in our chosen genre which was rap as I got many ideas of what angles and shots to use in the music video. I then used a digital camera when taking pictures for my CD design and magazine advert to make everything look professional. I used the digital camera in capturing good frame shots for my magazine advert and CD cover design which assisted me in the planning and construction stage.