Evaluation Question 4: How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

Throughout my coursework I used many different media technologies. I created a film trailer, a poster and a magazine front cover and to achieve this I used a video camera, a computer, a microphone and a digital camera.

The construction of my coursework consisted of me using the video camera (Canon FS200) and microphone in order to create decent footage for my soap opera. To edit the film I used ‘Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0’ software. Using this I made my clips follow on from each other and inserted different effects such as sharpening the images and making it look like night time and transitions such as fading. I found it to be very easy software to use and grasped it fairly quickly. I also found that it gave a very professional look to the trailer and I liked the wide variety of tools and effects available. I used youtube to upload my trailer.

To create both my poster and my magazine front cover I used a digital camera (FUJIFILM). I used these to take photos of my characters and then used the software ‘Adobe Photoshop’ to edit and develop my ancillary tasks further. Photoshop is extremely good in achieving a professional look but I do find it very difficult and confusing to use. These are some examples of the tools I used on photoshop to create and edit my poster and magazine front cover: (lasso tool, magic wand tool and clone stamp tool).

For the research of my soap trailer I used youtube videos of previous soap operas and analysed the shots and sound. For both ancillary tasks I used google images for research and ideas. I then posted all my findings onto my blog.

The planning didn’t require many media technologies. I used my scanner at home to transfer my hand drawn planning onto the computer to post onto my blog. These included my story board and the drafts I had made for my poster and magazine front cover. I used a digital camera in my planning to capture my location shots which was extremely helpful. I also used ‘Microsoft Publisher’ to create my timeline which helped me when making my film as it showed me what should happen when.

Throughout my evaluation I used many different media technologies; I used a scanner to transfer my written feedback on all coursework tasks onto the computer.I used 'Microsoft Powerpoint' to create a presentation to answer the first evaluation question, transforming it into a slideshow for blogger. For the second evaluation question I inserted a voice note of myself. I then answered the third evaluation question in the form of a video.

Throughout construction, research, planning and evaluation stages I used a computer and the internet to access blogger.

I thought blogger was good as it was simple to use and I had no trouble using it. I thought it was extremely useful how it automatically saves posts as you write them and had it not done that I would have lost my work several times. The only problem I had with it was that in order to insert audio I had to transfer it into a video.

Question 3 Continued

Additionally I asked some people to write down their feedback on my trailer and the results are scanned in below.

I uploaded my soap trailer onto youtube in order to collect feedback. However people had trouble trying to post feedback due to youtube having technical difficulties as shown below. (Click on images to enlarge).

This shows how Rachel has tried to post her comment and the server has said "Error. Try Again"


















Rachel sent me an email to my hotmail giving her opinion instead. I appreciated her feedback and thought it was very useful. Two other people did the same as shown below.

This is the only post that worked on youtube and I found it very helpful.

To conclude, from my audience feedback I have learnt that everyone has enjoyed my film trailer and if I could improve my video it would have been to have the arrival of the car arrive in a less busy place to keep with the location of the woods for the rest of the film, although this would have proven to be extremely difficult. Also having a written page at the end of the film displaying the time, date and channel was a good suggestion although I have a voiceover giving these details.

Poster Feedback

Magazine Feedback

Evaluation Question 3: What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

I filmed four people: Sarah, Josie, Rachel and Emma to see what they thought of my film and what they thought could have been improved. The feedback was very helpful, assuring me that they thought my camera angles and lighting were good and that they enjoyed the storyline. The criticism was also helpful.

Evaluation Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Evaluation Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Evaluation question 1

View more presentations from alexbiswell.

Feedback on the Magazine Front Cover

Feedback on the Poster

Problems

• Firstly as I have been working alone it has meant I have had twice as much work to do than others. I have also not had another persons opinion to help and I have only had my own ideas.

• Secondly I have had problems with actors being busy when I need to film them which has meant I've had to delay filming a few times.

• There have also been problems with weather. During December there were 2 weeks where it was snowing and as I result of it I could not film. When I did manage to start filming there was still snow on the ground so I had to refilm. Additionally, a few times when it has been my turn to use the camera it has been raining which has meant I have had to delay filming. I cannot film in the rain because the camera equipment would get wet, the quality of the film would be bad and I cannot have parts of my film with my characters with dripping wet hair.

• It has also been difficult as in my media class there are three groups and only one camera so we have had to share and due to us all having jobs we have had to work out fairly when each group can have the camera. This has meant that each group doesnt get to film for a couple of weeks at a time.

• Despite having experience from making a music magazine front cover for my AS coursework, I am not gifted in using the programme Adobe Photoshop so it has taken me longer to create my soap magazine and poster than it should have. Working alone means I haven't had any help or assistance in doing my ancillary tasks and have not been able to share the workload so it has taken me longer than other groups.

• Having my film set at night time proved a problem because despite using lighting sources, the footage came out in very poor quality and it was hard to distinguish the characters and what they were doing.

• The camera quality was also not very good which caused a problem in places.