By Hadley O’Garro

Technology

Technology that I and mygroup used throughoutthe coursework includedcameras, camcorders,Blogger, Slide Share,Final Cut Pro, MicrosoftOffice and socialnetworking websites likeTwitter.

Technology that I and mygroup used throughoutthe coursework includedcameras, camcorders,Blogger, Slide Share,Final Cut Pro, MicrosoftOffice and socialnetworking websites likeTwitter.

Google played a massive part in both theresearch and the construction of my work

I used Google to find the case studies for myprint products and my music video

Using Google for research was helpfulbecause it helped me identify the conventionsof the case studies and therefore know what Ishould or shouldn’t include in my work

As Google is a website that I utilize literallyevery day, I had no problem finding usefulinformation that contributed to my own work

Blogger

Another technology that I usedthroughout the project was Blogger. Ihad previously used Blogger last yearfor my AS Media coursework so I had afair idea of how to use the website whenI created another blog for my A2 Mediacoursework.

Blogger is essentially an online diarywhere I recorded every stage of mygroup’s planning, development andcreation of our music video and printproducts.

This year while using Blogger, I foundthat my skills with the website increasedas time went on. I had no problemuploading, editing, and constructing myblog because I felt incredibly confidentwith Blogger.

One of the reasons I enjoyed usingBlogger is because I could easilyinclude work that I had completed fromdifferent software/websites such asYouTube, Prezi and Slide Share.

Furthermore I also downloaded theBlogger app onto my phone so that Icould access it immediately and updateon a more regular basis.

I preferred Blogger to other blogwebsites such as Word Press and alsotraditional coursework folders because itkept all my work in order and neat.

YouTube

Before we could begin planning and filmingour music video, we had to research anduse case studies to help us identify theconventions of music videos.

I used the websites Google, YouTube andVevo to search for quite recent musicvideos by artists in the same genre asRihanna. I was quickly able to find videosthat had been directed professionally, andthrough YouTube/Vevo I could easilypause, rewind and forward the video.

I could also screen shot certain shots that Iwanted to include in my case studies. As Iuse YouTube on a daily basis, I found thewebsite incredibly easy to use as I wasfamiliar with it.

After the filming of our music video wechose YouTube as the platform to uploadour finished video onto. We uploaded manyof our feedback videos and behind-the-scenes shots onto our account.

We chose YouTube as we can easilyembed the video in our blogs, and we couldget feedback easily through likes,subscribes and comments.

Canon DSLR HD camcorder

(moving images)

•For the filming of our music video we used aCanon DSLR HD camcorder, we chose thiscamera because of its impeccable quality as wewere filming in natural locations.

•With this camcorder we were able to film arange of shots from close-ups to extreme longshots in different locations.

•Before we began filming with the camera wehad tutorial lessons where we learned how toproperly use the camcorder and supportingequipment.

•We also learned how to control the flash, zoomand white balance features. Myself and grouphad a fair idea of how to use a camcorder aswe all had experience using one before,however at first it took a while for me to get thehang of it, but by the end of the session I feltconfident using the camcorder and itssupporting equipment.

•During the filming process of the music video,my filming skills increased dramatically. I haddiscovered features that were previouslyunknown to me and had begun to experimentwith it. I enjoyed filming the music video with myteam members and our actors.

•We all had different ideas for the music videoand filming and effectively contributed them, soI am incredibly happy with the end result.

•Furthermore my group had a rota which sharedout the duties of filming, and who looked afterthe camera.

Canon DSLR HD

camcorder (photography)

•We used the same camera for our

photography because we were really happy

with the result of our music video and

wanted the same quality reflected within our

print products

•We had a very lucid vision of how we

wanted to do our photo shoot and how we

were going to go about it. We planned to do

two photo shoots; one which portrayed

Rihanna in a vulnerable light and the other

which portrayed her in a confident light.

•Although we had an idea of how we

wanted our photo shoot, we improvised

during both shoots to get an idea of what

other ideas my work

•We ended up with a range of photographs

from both shoots with different shot types,

poses, and lighting.

•While first starting our photo shoot, we had

trouble with the ISO setting as the lighting

was too bright. It took us a long while to get

the camera back to normal. However once

we overcame this problem, we continued

our photo shoot with no other problems

•As we used the camera for our music video

we knew how to use all of the camera’s

functions.

Final Cut Pro

My group used Final Cut Pro software on Maccomputers to edit and perfect our music video.This is the software that synchronised the songand the footage together. Before we beganfilming our music video, we had a tutorial, similarto the camera, where we learned how to use thesoftware. However, the lesson was quite briefand we only learned how to cut and import thevideo clips.

When we began editing our music video, wefound that the more experience you have withFinal Cut Pro, the more you understand thesoftware like many others. We did endure a bit oftrouble with the software at first because wecouldn’t remember all that we had learned in thetutorial session. However we became incrediblymore comfortable as we got to grips with thesoftware and asked our teacher and peers forhelp if needed. Towards the middle of editing ofmusic video we learned how to add texts andspecial effects to the music video. Lastly weadded transitions such as cross fade to our musicvideo which was pretty easy to do. Overall usingthe software was a great experience because itwas my first time properly using the software andI feel that I learned a lot about it in a short spaceof time.

Photoshop

All of the print products were created using Adobe

Photoshop. We researched the dimensions of both our CD

package and magazine adverts and created them from a

blank white canvas. We utilized the rulers to make sure the

text was straight and that the images were where we

wanted them to be. All of the font on both of the print

products was from Adobe Photoshop.

We also used the software to edit the photographs we had

taken using our model to improve the quality and make

them look more professional. We used the blur, smudge

and burn tools to make the background colour clear and to

give them a gradient effect. We intentionally wanted all the

images to have a white to grey gradient effect on the

background to coincide with the yin-yang theme that we

portrayed in our photography.

I used the software when creating my magazine last year in

AS Media. I had experience with Photoshop before AS

Media so I was fairly comfortable with the software last

year. This year however I felt even more confident with the

software. I had absolutely no trouble using it and as a group

we completed the print products quite fast.

Microsoft Word and PowerPoint

I used Microsoft Word to make

sure the text I copied into other

forms of technology was written

and spelled correctly

This was easy as I use this

software for most written-based

activities

Moreover Word contained work

that I had written and allowed me

to easy add to ideas that I had.

Microsoft PowerPoint helped meto present work similar to thisevaluation

It is the easiest presentationsoftware to use as I can usepictures, graphs and text.

I used PowerPoint to present myprint products case studies. Ifound this incredibly simple as Iwas able to analyse and presentthem in an efficient way.

Prezi

•Prezi is another software that I used to present my

groups ideas

•When I first began to use Prezi for my evaluation last

year I didn’t enjoy the website because I found it

confusing and too hard to use compared to PowerPoint.

•However when I began organizing my ideas using

presentation programs, I decided to use Prezi once

again. I decided to experiment so that I got a better

understanding and could use all of the features.

•I enjoy using Prezi because I can add images, links and

YouTube videos while remaining neat and organised.

Prezi also offers a range of interactive themes that other

presentation software's don’t have to offer.

•Moreover creating an account with Prezi keeps all of

your presentations in one place so I can easily refer back

to and edit a presentation even after I’ve saved or

embedded it. This is something exclusive to Prezi that

makes me enjoy using the software even more.

•I used Prezi for a lot of my work during this year’s

coursework including our Music Video idea presentation

and Question 2 of the Evaluation.

Slideshare

Slideshare is another software that

allowed me to upload my presentations

of work either publically or privately.

Slideshare is incredibly easy to use as

you create the presentation using

Microsoft PowerPoint and then upload it

into Slideshare so that it can be

embedded into my blog