Evaluation on the use of new technologies that I used in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages

Throughout the 3 stages of development (Research, Planning, Production) of our music video we used different types of technologies such as last time when we created our 2 minute opening but also additional new media technologies. So our, overall product was better developed than what was produced at foundation level.. This especially, helped us to use special effects such as slowing down the moving image, using straight cuts, and adding edits. This ensured that there was continuity throughout our music product.

Research: In order to familiar ourselves with the genre of R&B, we used the internet, (websites such as, google and Wikipedia). This type of research was fairly easy, as we had access to important information of the genre (such as its codes and conventions). The internet mostly helped us to conclude general codes and conventions in which, was vital in order for our music video to be categorised within the R&B genre. For example we analysed music videos of R&B artists. Also we analysed posters and CD advertisements.   




An example of using the internet is here! we directly
took these pictures of the internet and annoated them for
research purposes.

Additionally through the internet I created a second blog in which is vital in order for all our research, planning and evaluation is kept in order and is thoroughly detailed. Also so our music video can be presented within the project. (It’s a very organised way of keeping things all together, rather than keeping lots of word documents). 

 

Using blogger.com has really benefited us as a group second time round. Through this site we are able to keep track of our progress and actually see how much work we have done from foundation to advanced. Additionally we can also see the changes in how we present our work, especially in how much detail we provide for the advanced in contrast to the foundation portfolio. Through this site i have consolidated  how to embed you tube videos and upload images. This has had a huge impact on our overall presentation of our blogs and our music video as it gives professional  visual elements to what we are doing and enhances our research. It also makes it easier to evaluate our work.
Through the website we were able to scan and upload our work that we had hand written, this was a good easy way to keep all of our work together. It additionally was not time consuming and was easy to upload. From the experience i had at foundation portfolio i knew exactly what to upload and how to do it.

Above is scanned images that we converted into Jpeg in
order to be uploaded to the blog.

This year the research is alot more detailed than last year!
As you can see however it is still clear and easy to read. We
uploaded the pictures off the internet for our research and uploaded the images as
Jpeg.

Planning:

Through the stages of planning for our two minute opening we used a variety of technology. Technologies such as Celtx, Digital cameras, Scanning images, Converting audio files.

Celtx: is media pre-production software designed for creating and organizing media products like screenplays films and video's.
Using this type of technology helped us immensely as we specifically used it as a pre-visualization tool. We created a storyboard of our music video, this was well presented and easy to understand and in contrast to a sketched storyboard this would have consumed lots of time, and for people who cannot draw, it would not of been as neatly presented. Planning our media product was made easier through this and it impacted the whole of our planning of our movie as it involved taking photos uploading them onto celtx and then describing the screen shots such as (mid shot long shot etc) giving an idea to what we wanted to create. Unlike from foundation it was simply just describing what shots, this year at advanced we went into a lot of detail so we knew exactly what we wanted as was organised into filming specific shots. Additionally from last year our storyboard this year is a lot longer due to the amount of detail that has been put into it.
Digital camera: we used this technology to help create our storyboard through celtx. The camera took still photographs in which presented our shots such as (Mid shot, Long shot etc). Digital camera can do things that normal cameras cannot, displaying images on the screen immediately after they are recorded, storing thousands of images and being able to delete them manually. This type of technology was extremely useful as it captured shots in which we wanted to use in our media product. Additionally it gave us a base to our storyboard and what we wanted to film. Additionally, The digital camera helped to develop our digi-pack images and our poster designs. This was vital into the marketing and distribution of the artist and the album that we are technically selling. If it wasn't for these digital cameras the high quality of what we had presented though our poster and digi-packs would not of been created.

Scanning images:

Again throughout the planning progress of our film, i used a scanner in order to upload our edited scripts and story board which are labelled 'Final Version: Script' and 'Final Version: Storyboard' . A scanner is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image. The digital device, has been extremely helpful and has saved lots of time, as it has converted information into digital image. So it can be seen visually.

Production:

Again through the production of the film, their was a technologies such as Digital camera, imovie, you tube, internet

The Digital camera enabled us to capture our moving images for what we wanted within the music video. As explained above, it was an extremely helpful device in which produced the moving image for our music video. This year we had an advantage with the camera, as we knew what to expect and what high quality we will needed for the advanced portfolio.

 Through imovie, we were able to experiment with clips. Such as turning the colour of the moving image to a grey scale. Slowing down or making the moving image faster. For effect and due to the codes and conventions of the genre, we slowed parts of the moving image down, to add effect and make the artist the main focalizer. Also through imovie you can make the moving image clips quite. So that all you can hear is the artists music.
Through this software we were able to create a convincing music video conventional to the genre of R&B.

Youtube: We used this website to upload and analyse music videos. This website was extremely helpful in this way. We could type in any R&B music video we wanted to watch and it was just a click away. For example, if i want to watch Ushers 'yeah' i would type into you tube 'Usher yeah'

Photoshop: We used an extremely important software to edit and create our digipak images and our poster images. Without this software we would not of been able to create the good quality 'crisp' images.  From our research you will gather that this is a vital convention within the genre. Using Photoshop enabled us to change the contrast, make it into grey scale and overall created a crisp image this made the genre easy to grasp.

Xtranormal: Using Xtranormal within our blogs enabled us to have different types of software, and technologies presented. At first I was confused as to how this was a good type of software to use, however looking at the finished product of the xtranormal it so dimensional and different to anything that we as a group have ever used before. Thus this offers more dimensions to our blogs and our overall product when going into the planning and development of the music video.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/13736581/a2-xtranormal
  

Apple Macs's: We additionally used apple mac's in order to actually produce the 'Music Video', also we used it to edit and produce our advertisement and also our Digi-pack. The apple macs even though we had used them before this time round I was more involved with the editing of the music video therefore I learned new skills using the 'newest type of technology'.

All the media used contributed to the development of the music video and for me personally, the technologies allowed me to understand the construction process of my music video. I understand that you need to undergo planning processes and in order to plan you need to know what to plan. So research of a certain genre is needed so you can conclude what codes and conventions you need to include.

Additionally if it wasn't for the technologies that all contributed to the end product. The end product would not have continuity nor verisimilitude because the planning process defines a clear narrative, meaning when it comes down to development you have something to go on and develop further.

The quality of image and edits make the music video look more professional and so the technologies used enabled our media product to look like a professional music video (or at least its the closest to the real thing).