EVALUATION QUESTIONS

EVALUATION QUESTIONS: 4. How did you use new technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

New technologies, in reference to this project, have aided the group hugely as without them, a majority of the work would not have been produced. It has benefitted us in that it has allowed for quicker ways of producing tasks, and tasks are being fulfilled to the highest of our abilities, and to a professional standard also.

The Internet was predominantly one of the main new technologies we used. In terms of the research and planning stages, the majority of work was conducted through this. We were able to view existing products in the market, such as CD covers, promotional posters and even existing music videos via YouTube. The internet also provided us with 'Google Maps' in which the group searched for potential locations; a tool which saved time and money. In reference to planning in particular, the Internet allowed us to search for the Bruno Mars lyrics to "Marry You" which meant it was easily accessible from home or school, when needed to create storyboards, further notes on shot types etc. Our group also used a website available on the internet called "Dropbox" which allowed us to share files online, and again access them from a different location. This became useful as we were able to switch notes, comment on them and further share files.

In further reference to the planning stages, Microsoft Office was often used to create documents, for example our first and second pitches were created using a Powerpoint Presentation, which was ideal in that simple notes were shown on the screen, with a small handout notes page for each group member annotating the information shown. This, alike to "Dropbox" was also easily accessible at home. Whilst planning, hand drawn drafts were created, which were put onto the computer via a scanner, again making it easier to plan the project wholly.

Throughout the construction of the music video, technologies such as mobile phones and social networks were predominantly used as a form of communication. This allowed the group to communicate quickly and efficiently, to organise dates for filming, discuss ideas or simply just to catch up on a day's work.

New technologies that were accessible at school, which the group used to their advantage and produced the majority of our ancillary tasks in was Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator CS3 and Adobe InDesign. These three programs include all the tools in which we needed to create the tasks, such as templates, easy editing techniques and quick ways of importing information.

The construction stage of the actual video was produced using a video camera. Along with the camera, the group required tools such as a tripod, jib, tracking system and other pieces of equipment to enable a variety of shot types. Once the footage had been captured, it was relatively easy to convert it and place it into a folder on to our VEM using a USB cable which was attached to the side of the camera. The video camera also came in useful in terms of our principal photography for the ancillary tasks, as it also took still images, therefore this saved time as we were able to have photo shoots on scenes of filming, whilst also filming with a separate camera.

Premiere Pro, a new technology to the group, is what the music video was produced in. 'Timelines' were created in which we were able to import the entirety of footage, and seek out appropriate clips. Editing hours were often long and tedious, however the fact that the technology was new and exciting to learn meant it became easy to use in a short space of time.

Throughout the evaluation stages, the majority of technology used was again via the Internet. Blogging regularly was an aspect in which the group sought to be very useful, and therefore production schedules were often drawn up and kept to religiously. The feedback that was gathered and used in the evaluation stage was produced using questionnaires, which allowed quick and easily accessible information for the entirety of the group.

To conclude, new technologies were used wholly throughout the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages in various ways. The group effortlessly used some aspects of this technology e.g. Photoshop, as it has been used before, yet struggled with others e.g. Premiere Pro, a vital aspect of technology needed for this project, and this learning process meant that as an individual, I now feel confident in using such technology if required to.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

EVALUATION QUESTIONS: 3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Audience feedback within this project, and other aspects of media, is vital because without it, your product will never continue to improve, and this element is something that I have learned in reference to this project.

Being able to give feedback on a piece of media text is easy, however receiving critical feedback on a task that has required an extended period of time of planning and research, and long hours of continual effort, is much more difficult. At first, approaching this feedback by my peers and teachers seemed like a negative aspect, and I felt quite disheartened by it. However, I now acknowledge the fact that despite how negative this feedback may have been, it improved my work for the better, and therefore I am grateful for this.

Constructive criticism is one thing that I have learnt from my audience feedback. I have learnt how to accept it, and also deliver it in reference to the other groups in my class. Feedback that was given to me in reference to my music video I was unaware of, for example the lack of variety of shot types in the rough edit, due to the fact that I almost became oblivious whilst editing day after day. I was then able to use this feedback to evaluate other groups' work.

Audience feedback from the Creative Arts Evening that was held at school was very valuable to me, and I learnt a great deal from these few hours. This was the first screening of my rough edit and I watched it from behind a curtain. This enabled me to watch the audience throughout the screening and view their facial expressions and general reactions towards the video. This feedback was also aided through the video booth shown in intervals, which has been mentioned in previous blogs.

Feedback from family and friends from outside of my class and school was also valuable, as it became a second opinion as such. People who knew not much of the project were able to give unbiased opinions of the music video and ancillary tasks, which enabled me to gather genuine feedback.

To conclude, I have learnt a great deal from audience feedback. Although it was not at the forefront of my mind at the beginning of the project, it is now and it has improved my work, for which I am grateful.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

EVALUATION QUESTIONS: 2. How effective is the combination of your main and ancillary texts?

On the surface, and at the beginning of this project, it appeared to be difficult to combine both the main and ancillary texts together. However, throughout the duration of the project, it became more apparent that this combination was easier than we thought.

The music video, promotional poster and CD digipak all fall into the same genre, and there are combined primarily in this way. The hip hop, romance genre that Bruno Mars' song "Marry You" falls into is reflected in every aspect of the main text and ancillary text: the principle photography shows the couple having fun, very much 'in love', as does the video, and the mise-en-scene that occurs alongside it.

The two texts have also been combined through the consistency, for example costumes. The costumes that are seen in the video are also seen in the ancillary task images, therefore this religious consistent form establishes the actors, and combines the two.

The use of Gaze theory also combines the two texts together. In terms of the female target audience, many will aspire to be with or fall in love with a male that imitates the actor who plays Bruno Mars in the video, and the photographs which are displayed in the ancillary tasks also relate to this, or aspire to be the woman (female actor) of whom such a man would want to fall in love. However the same theory applies to the male target audience, who will aspire to look and act like the actor in the video, and perhaps imitate the dress sense and personality of those displayed in the photographs in the ancillary tasks. Therefore, the two texts are combined through this theory.

The target audience naturally combines the main and ancillary texts together for the evident reason that the target audience will not change over the two texts, therefore this must be reinforced throughout the video as well as in the ancillary poster and CD digipak, which I believe was mastered correctly through my media products via consistency within.

To conclude, I believe that the combination of my main and ancillary texts was fairly effective. There were aspects which could have been improved upon, for example it may not have been very evident on a first glance where the combination stood within the two, and this could have been made clearer, however overall I feel this was a high quality achievement.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

EVALUATION QUESTIONS: 1. In what ways does your media product use, develop, challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Bruno Mars' songs fall into the genre of romance and love, and his videos often reflect this, for example the song "Just The Way You Are." The song represents his love, and stereotypical music videos of this category usually contain the lead singer, and a love interest, in this case a female. However, unlike in Bruno Mars' videos whereby it consists of only himself and another person, my group and I decided that we wanted to subvert this convention that he has created, and use several other people in our video. It was very easy to do this too, as there is no original video that has been released to this song, therefore it became easy to produce our A2 video as we wished, basing it solely on our own ideas.

Whilst studying Bruno Mars' official videos of his songs, it became evident that there were many factors in which he includes, that we must too include in our video. Examples of these are shown in the locations, e.g. Bruno Mars continually uses open spaces for his music videos, be it a room, apartment, roadside etc. We mirrored these conventional locations, and used a park, an empty room (photobooth section) and a normal home (wedding planning).

In addition to this, there are also conventional shot types that Bruno Mars' uses that we too found appropriate for our own music video, for example Bruno Mars' frequently is shot sitting and singing, looking directly in the camera, and certain shots are taken from different angles which make it easy to cut and edit for a fast effect. We imitated this shot type, and continually use it in our music video.

Bruno Mars' videos also use effects and transitions, for example the lens flare, and the dissolve tool on Premiere Pro which differentiates between scenes. Again, we used and developed this convention, and challenged it slightly in that we also used a different transition tool; a cross stretch.  

In reference to my ancillary tasks, I feel that they didn't directly challenge forms and conventions of real media products, but instead follows them ritually. My product uses the conventions of real media products in various ways, for example the poster has an eye catching bold title, and an iconic image of 'Bruno Mars'; which is easily recognisable. Conventions are developed in the use of typographic styles and image styles to convey and reflect the genre of the poster/CD, in addition to the target audience, and I feel that my media products reflect this. The font style 'Nueva Std' that we chose as a group is consistent throughout the entirety of my media products, and therefore follows a house style.

To conclude, I feel that that my media product uses conventions of real media products extremely well; it mirrors certain aspects that were evidently needed to produce such a task, yet also subverts aspects that as a group we decided to include. Overall, the video and ancillary tasks use the same techniques as many of Bruno Mars' promotional packages.

FINAL: Music Video

Above is the final version of our A2 project, a music video for the song "Bruno Mars - Marry You." Enjoy!

FINAL ANCILLARY TASK: Advertising Poster

Below is the final advertising poster for my second ancillary task. As demonstrated in previous ancillary update blog posts, there have been significant changes to the poster, for example the social networking logos have been added, there has been a black opaque box added to the bottom, the opacity of the background has changed and the tag line "includes the hit single" has been moved.


I personally am very happy with my final product; I feel that it reflects the genre very well, and imitates the conventions of promotional posters.

FINAL ANCILLARY TASK: CD Digipak

Below is the complete digipak, in its final condition.


The first image shows the front cover of the CD. It has not changed from previous blog updates, however the 'Bruno Mars' logo has been added in the corner, with the opacity changed slightly.


The second image is of the inside of the digipak, including the CD and the back page of the booklet. The CD again has not changed tremendously as the feedback was mainly positive, however the back page of the booklet has; it includes a Thank you letter, and an image of the artist.


The final image is the back cover of the CD. Again, as the feedback was positive for this product only small details have been changed, for example the rulers are now evident as all texts and images are lined up correctly, and the copyright statement has been located on the far bottom left of the page.


Overall, I am extremely pleased with my final product. I feel that it looks professional and of a high standard, and fits the genre and narrative of my overall project.