Final Products

Final Video

Final Magazine Advert

Final Website

Link -  

Evaluation - Question 4

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

A wide range of new media technologies have been used throughout the advanced production. Some of these media technologies I have used in previous projects. Some of the new media technologies have been used for the first time in this project. I have developed many of these new media technologies in this advanced project to make a good quality music video.

Construction

The programs that were used regularly during the construction of the advanced portfolio were Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Flash and Adobe Premiere Pro. 

Adobe Photoshop was used to alter images and add effects to images and text. I have used the Photoshop a lot in previous projects and in GCSE. I am very confident using this software, such as cutting images, raterizing images, altering 'Hue/Sateration,' adding an outline and more effects on images or text. In order to create the tour date/ album poster, Adobe Photoshop was used as it helped to alter and manipulate the images. Above is a video that shows how Adobe Photoshop was used to alter the images 'Hue and Sateration.'

Adobe Illustrator was used to help make the text for all of the ancillary tasks and to make logo (above image). Using Illustrator made it easier to create the text, alter the shaping and space of the letters and merge them into the composition desired. Adobe Illustrator is one program that I was not comfortable with using before the start of the advanced portfolio. However, as I progressed through the project my knowledge and skills in the program started to grow and at the end of the project, I was confident using the Illustrator enough to actually help others. 

In order to create the website for the band, part of the ancillary task, Adobe Dreamweaver was used. I was confident going into this section of the project as I have used this program in previous subjects. Adobe Dreamweaver helped to create the initial layout of the site, I then used Adobe Flash to create the buttons, slideshow and other multimedia aspects of the site. Above is a video showing how Adobe Dreamweaver was used to insert the logo.

The most important program that was used was Adobe Premiere Pro. This program allowed the group to upload, alter and create the music video. This was a program that was hard to get to grips with, several lessons were spent learning new skills from other pupils, teachers and from tutorials on YouTube. The above video shows using Adobe Premiere Pro, using the cutting tool to alter the video. 

In order to take shots for the video a Sony HD Handy-cam was used, this allowed the group to take good high definition filming, which made the final product much stronger. These sections of the project have made very confident using new Adobe software.

Research

A huge part of the research of the advanced portfolio was the use of YouTube. As well as using YouTube other new media technologies that were used include Google and DropBox. Each of these media technologies helped to develop my understanding of the conventions and forms that are associated with the genre, music videos, magazine adverts and websites. Below are a few videos that demonstrate how each of the media technologies were used to help with the project. Some include looking for existing band logos, Adobe Premiere Pro tutorials, the codes, conventions and forms of a music video, magazine advert and website. 

YouTube was also used to upload videos and help to upload them to 'Blogger.' Above the video shows how YouTube was used to locate a music video similar to the genre focused on in the project, by locating this video I was able to use it develop my understanding of the genres codes and conventions. Google was very useful during the research stages of the project, below the video shows how google was used to find existing band photos. This helped to develop my understanding of the conventions and forms that are associated with band photos. 

Dropbox was used to help share documents between computers. Which helped when working with my group and then when I wanted to complete some work from home. Below the video shows how Dropbox was used to share the album cover between the whole group to evaluate and develop.

Planning

To help the group share work at ideas at the start of the project a Dropbox folder was created to help everyone share documents with each other easily and efficiently. However the main new media technology that we used was Powerpoint and excel. Powerpoint was used to help create a slideshow, which stated our plans, ideas etc. This was used to present our idea to the class, and gather feedback on our narrative ideas and initial song choice. Excel was used to create a plan, which was used to help the group check on track of the project and know what aspects we needed to complete. 

Evaluation

I used my iPhone during the evaluation in order to record audience feedback. This made it easier to capture feedback then carrying a camcorder around. I then used YouTube to upload the videos and then upload them to Blogger. I also used my iPhone to take the videos you see above and YouTube to upload them. 

Evaluation - Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Development

During the final completion stages of my development, it was essential that audience feedback was taken into consideration. Feedback was needed in order to make the essential improvements. Feedback such as:

'I feel that the video needs to include more shots of the narrative' or 'I think that the image of the album cover on the magazine advert should be larger.'

Feedback such as the above was extremely useful as I was able to make the improvements and create a stronger product.

Evaluation/ Final Product

On the 25th May a Creative Arts Evening was held, where the music videos created by 6th form were played in front an audience. After our video had been played, feedback was taken from members of the audience. Below are the videos of feedback that the group were able to acquire:

Strengths of the Video

Below I have created a collage of words that resemble the strengths that were expressed by the people in the feedback above. The words displayed show what I was able to learn about the video from the audience feedback:

Weaknesses/Improvements of the Video

Below I have created a collage of words that resemble the weaknesses/improvements that were expressed by the people in the feedback above. The words displayed show what I was able to learn about the video from the audience feedback:

Below is the reaction that the video got from the audience:

Evaluation - Question 2

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

It is always important in a promotional package that all of the products use and repeat conventions. By having the same conventions the audience is able to relate the products, and know they are part of the same promotional package. This was very important during the construction of the video and the anncillary tasks, below are images that show how each of the products created relate to each other.

Ancillary tasks

A collage of all the ancillary tasks is below, the aspects of the ancillaries that relate them to each other and show they are part of the same promotional package have been highlighted with red.

1. The logo is the same across all of the media products.

2. The band members are the same on all of the media products.

3. The tour dates on the magazine advert are the same as the ones on the website.

4. The font style that has been used on hte magazine advert was also used across the whole website.

It is clear the ancillary tasks are part of the same promotional package due to the reasons above.

Link between video and ancillary tasks

The shots below also show how the colour scheme, black and white, has been used throuhgout all the projects.

This shows that the main signer has been used throuhgout all of the meida products.

This shows that the guitarist is used throughout each of the media products.

This shows that the drumemer is used throughout each of the media products.

Evaluation - Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In order to understand a media product, the audience must be able to notice certain repeated features, the codes and conventions. Media products are created in specific ways to create repeated forms and conventions, which allows the audience to interpret the product's genre. When creating my media product it was very important that forms and conventions of existing media products were used to help the audience develop their own idea of the video, and notice that new conventions were being created specifically for the project.

This blog will evaluate the way in which the media product has used, developed and challenged the forms and conventions of real media products.

Comparison with real media products

Camera Shots

The idea for this shot came from the shot from 'The Script,' 'Hall of Fame.' The group decided to take a similar shot, a slow zoom from the side into the singer. The convention was slightly developed and challenged as the way the singer was standing and singer was different, so that the convention was now unique to the media product.

The idea for this shot came from the video 'Green Day,' 'Minority.' The group decided to take the shot, a close up shot of someone playing the guitar. The convention was challenged and developed as an electric guitar was used to fit the gerne more, and a zoom in on to the guitar was used, while the existing media product uses the a reverse zoom.

The idea for this shot came from the video 'The Script,' 'We Cry.' The group decided to take the shot, a close up of the guitarists fingers on the guitar. The convention was challenged and developed as we used a different angle and used a zoom in on to the guitar, this created our own convention.




Editing

This is one example of editing that we was inspired by. In the video 'Use Somebody' by 'Kings Of Leon.' The group decided to use a similar overlay effect. The convention was developed and challenged by appling it to a different genre, however by using the convention in a different way, the effect was able to suit the projects genre.




Narrative

This image is from 'When September Ends' by 'Green Day.' The narrative that runs throughout the video follows the same conventions of the genres existing media products. A story that follows the relationship of a couple, their ups and their downs. The Narrative for this project is similar to 'When September Ends' as both have realistic open ending.



Ancillary Tasks



Final Website

When creating my website, I decided not to include the 'Facebook' section on the website and just use the 'Twitter' section. This made the page look more attractive and appealed to my audience more. I did not make several drafts like I did with the magazine advert, as I decided to do that just before its creation, and so I did not need any drafts or need to make changes that made differences from the ones on my designs. The only difference from my designs is that I decided to make every page instead of just the home page. Below is a link to my website, or images if the link is not working:

Link -

Home Page

About

Gallery 

Team

Merch

Evidence of filming - Band shots

As I was in the band I was unable to take the video for the band shots. But, I was able to help with the direction of the camera, the lighting and the equipment that we were going to use.

We have used a handheld dolly camera to make the band shots fluid throughout the video. The location that we decided to go with was the dance studio, as we were able to control the lighting, which made each band member stand out more. The dance studio also helped to create the sense of isolation with the black background and just the small glimpses of light. We took each shot several times in order to get different angles, lighting effects etc. Which allowed us to choose from a wider selection of shots. I also helped to look at the storyboards and say how to take the next shot, which angle, movement etc.

Below is a video showing me helping to set the drums up, as of course I do not have images of me filming as I was in the band:

Final Magazine Advert

Below is my final Magazine advert. I have used all of the critisims in the previous developments to help create this final product. I have used new images to make it stronger in terms of generic conventions. The colours that I have used contrast with each other, meaning that each  feature stands out and does not merge together.

Magazine advert - Development draft 6

Below is my sixth development draft of my magazine advert. I have now added that it is 'From the album Science and Faith.' At this point I was going to change the album cover to the singles cover, so that the phrase above it made sense. However after this point I took my new shots and changed the text to 'Includes the single For the First Time.' The images also changed to stronger images, following the conventions of a band photo more and the overall images were stronger, in terms of compostion, lighting etc.

 

 

After this point I took the new shots, and used all the improvements I had learnt from these developments to make my final magazine advert.

Magazine advert - Development draft 5

Below is my fifth development draft of my magazine advert. I have now changed the composition of the album cover and changed the colours to make the different features easier to see, I have also darkened the key image to suit the genre more. In order to improve my work further I have asked my peers to evaluate my work.

Below is the feedback I was given:

· The year that the tour is should be included next to 'UK Tour,' this would then make it stronger in terms of following a magazine adverts conventions. 

· I think that you should state that the song you are doing for the project is from the album 'Science and Faith.'

Magazine advert - Development draft 4

Below is my forth development draft of my magazine advert. I have changed the image back to its orginal image. In order to improve my work further I have asked my peers to critise my work.

Below is the feedback I was given:

·         The album is quite difficult to see behind the logo at the top. I feel that it is being hidden from the audience’s eye.

·         I feel that the album is also quite difficult to see, I think the other reason for this is, the colours blend into each other to much, a black album on a black background.

·         I think that the key image is too bright for the genre you are trying to target.

Magazine advert - Development draft 3

Below is my third development draft of my magazine advert. I have changed the image and included the image of the CD Cover. In order to improve my work further I have asked my peers to critise my work.

 

After reviewing the work myself, I decided that this new image was not working. The images did not fit together as well as the previous image. I also felt the other image made the magazine advert stronger in terms of its generic conventions.

 

Magazine advert - Development draft 2

Below is my second development draft of my magazine advert. I have now added who the special guest is going to be and added the social network logos. In order to improve my work further I have asked my peers to critise my work.

 

Below is the feedback I was given:

· The key image looks like you have just stuck image on top of image, I think that you should experiment with another image, see if it looks any better.

· You need to include the image of the album. The magazine advert is meant to be advertising the new album as well. By including this image the magazine will be stronger in terms of it relating to the conventions.

Magazine advert - Development draft 1

Below are my first development draft of my magazine advert. In order to improve my work I have asked my peers to critise my work.



Below is the feedback I was given:

· I need to say who the 'Special Guest' is going to be, this will make the generic conventions stronger and make it more appealing to the audience.

· Need to include the 'Facebook' and 'Twitter' logo in order to make it a more realistic magazine advert.

· The colours work very well, I like how the black and white contrast with each other and make every stand out more.

· There is a small white line in the key image, this makes the whole product look unprofessional and unattractive.

Second Band Photos

Below is a selection of the new band photos that my group have taken. We have used all the conventions that we learnt from the evaluation of exisiting band photos, but we are also trying to create our own conventions as part of the project.

Evaluation of band shots

After taking the first initial band photos, as a group, we decided that they was not to the best quality they could be. For this reason, we decided to retake our band shots. We also came to the conclusion that the band members we had chosen first were not working with the genre and style that we was trying to create, and so we are going to use different band members, which should help to make a higher quality final product.

Before taking the new shots I have decided to look at some existing band photos, looking at the style that has been used to portray the genre, and what the conventions of band photos are.
The Script

Above is a photo of the band 'The Script.' This band use the same composition for each of their shots, with the main singer at the front of the shot, and the other two band members behind him to either side. This is a convention that runs throughout each of their shots. The clothing is this shot is very similar to the clothing they wear in other shots. The majority of clothing they wear is black, with bits of colour to help split the colours up and not become to overwhelming. The poses are very neutral, with hands in their pockets or by their side. Each of the band members have neutral faces, looking directly into the camera. None of them are standing completely straight, the two on the outside are facing inwards, with the main singer faces forward but slightly to the right. They also make complete use of Gaze theory, with the most attractive and popular member at the front to draw the most attention and appeal to the target audience. In other images some of the members occasionally look away from the camera.

 Green Day

This is a band photo of the group 'Green Day.' Green Day has created conventions for their photos that they always follow, and some conventions that they like challenge from time to time. Above is a typical band photo for the band. The main singer is at the front of the photo, in the middle. The other two band members stand behind him, at either side. At part of their code and conventions, and to suit the genre they are in, they will always black and white. In all of their photos, the band members are always close to each other, making the shot more compact and tight. They also always have different expressions on their faces in each of the photos, for some they stay neutral, but for others, such as the one above, they look surprised or confused.