Evaluation 4

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

Research

During the research stage of my blog, I used multiple technologies to help increase my knowledge based upon music videos their conventions, digipaks, and magazine advertisements. Without these modern technologies I would have most certainly struggled to establish any knowledge/ facts or even general ideas about what I intended to achieve in my coursework

Internet search engines played a vital part in my research, especially 'Google'. Google allowed me to access a variety of useful data such as revealing to me a range of music videos, a variety of album covers, spines, and magazine advertisements in addition general information which benefited my coursework). Without this I would not have been able to explore and analyse extracts in great depth, as I lacked valuable knowledge about my tasks. Google Images also allowed me access images, which were relevant to my tasks, which moreover assisted me in explaining my points.

'Wikipedia' also played a major part within my research as I could explore information from the 'free encyclopedia' in great depth. Wikipedia allowed me to explore definitions of certain key words that generalised key terms and meanings, which then further made clear sense and understanding. For example Wikipedia attended to my rescue in terms of identifying  the meaning of a digipak.

Although Wikipedia had many answers to my questions, I was in doubt in stages because of its lack of reliability due to its information  edited by its online community, so therefore I opted to cross reference information with Google or another additional search engine such as 'Bing' to double check if it was accurate.

'Youtube' was my final internet source that gave me the chance to watch certain music videos such as Wizkid Pakurumo, Beyonce - Halo, Rihanna we found love etc... Which were vital visual information I could take on board and use within my research.

Planning

In the planning stages I used various technologies to help me prepare and organise myself for when it finally came to the filming section, without these technologies I probably would have struggled.

'Google Maps'  and Google Imaages' was used in some parts of my planning stages before filming. It allowed me to access satalite images of one of my chosen locations. The modern advancement of 'street satalite' images allowed me to capture the image of my location second hand. This made organisation that extra easier, I then print screened the image of my location, and copied and pasted it onto my blog, in addition via URL.

I used the social networking site 'Instagram' to access images of my potential actors during this section. I believe that this was useful, as it allowed me to visualise them, and allowed me to investigate whether they would have been suitable enough for my music video. Thankfully Instagram allowed me to effectively select actors Bemi and Lewis.

I used 'windows live movie maker'  to make assumptions about how I intended my very first scene to look (evidently in my planning section) This was beneficial towards my final product, as the timing which was taken in movie maker, in addition to my storyboards was so accurate in comparison my final product.

I used the scanner to scan my storyboards onto my blog. I found this fairly easy to use as I own a scanner in my own house, and use it regularly. The scanner helped me in terms of bringing my written work, to visual terms on my blog.

I also used my iPhone to also take photographs of some of my locations 

Construction

During my construction stage I used a more wider selection of modern technologies and editing software. Without the use of these technologies and editing softwares I would have failed to produce a successful music video, an effective digipak and magazine advertisement.

During the filming stages I used my iPhone mostly and sometimes my Sony Camcorder. Despite the fact that I used my iPhone, the visual quality was a lot better than I expected, and 90/10% of the time it was more effective than my camcorder. I was able to upload my clips and footages onto my computer majority of the time without any hassles or difficulties. The modern advancement of the iPhone 4s allowed filming  to be more defined and moreover easy to operate with a tap on the screen.

The iPhone modern capabilities such as a multiple zoom of more than 20x, has been a major advancement compared to the multiple zoom in of 5 which was only a few years ago. Moreover the battery life has also increased, as chargers have become more powerful, meaning that I could film for longer periods of time. This demonstrates how in recent years media technologies have cross converged to make life a bit more easier and simplistic.

The editing software 'windows live movie maker' was a vital component which helped me make my music video. Although this wasn't a professional software it has been more use able widely amongst amateurs like me. Windows live movie maker gave me a chance to adapt, edit and cut certain shots and footages to a suitable length as I began to link pieces together. During the editing process I used a wide range of effects and filters such as 'fade in' 'fade out' 'adjustment of play back speed' 'brightness' etc to help capture the shots I was looking for. These features would have never been available on previous versions of movie maker, so the advancement in technology has benefited my project.

'Photoshop' and 'Pik monkey' gave me the chance to 'manipulate', 'merge' and 'filter' certain photographs to maximum effect. This was most beneficial during the digipak process, for example filtering Temis face to present that 'flawless' look. Without this It would have failed to present the modern interpretation of the independent woman, to represent a solo female artist in the R&B/Soul genre. Overall these technologies were vital during my construction stages.

Moreover I used 'youtube' to upload my final pieces, which I found very easy, and beneficial to other media students seeking ideas for their own media music videos.

The use of media technologies was finally used to help me gain audience feedback and analyse them which I then broadcast it  onto my Blog. I used Microsoft excel and Word to analyse work from my questionnaires. I used Microsoft excel in which I created series of graphs in the process. I produced bar graphs and pie charts, which were labelled to some extent. I found it difficult to label both axis, however without using this modern technology  I would have struggled as a lot of my time and effort would have been consumed if these figures and graphs were hand drawn and written. 

From this I have learnt overall that most importantly media technologies have made my life a lot easier, and more simplistic as I can access valuable sources at my fingertips requiring little effort and  little of my knowledge. Without these new and advanced media technologies my life would be time consumed and over complicated.

FORGOT TO INCLUDE THIS IS MY AUDIO

I USED SLIDE SHARE AND MICROSOFT POWER POINT - Slide share allowed me to upload my power point representations onto my blog, because I print screened my editing steps onto the power point instead of enduring the time consuming process of uploading it onto my blog. I found this the easiest software to use, as it was very simplistic. 

I USED BLOGGER - This was to upload every single one of my posts