Thursday 12 May 2011
Tuesday 10 May 2011
Evaluation
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Performance Shots
Not only did we use similar technical aspects to our video but we also followed the conventions of a narrative to this music genre. We felt this was a safer option as we knew what was expected and we knew we could challenge other things during the music video. We followed the conventional use of footage balance between narrative and performance. This balance is commonly close to 50/50. We felt that this would be the best option because it would split up the narrative well but also put across the emotion and feelings commonly seen in performance shots.
Our mise-enscene throughout the video followed the conventions of similar music videos. We used a combination of indoors and outdoors during the filming which is typical to this genre. We also used similar props during filming, for example during the performance shots we used a guitar to illustrate the performance shots. Are costumes were also consistent to following conventions as we used similar clothes and accessories commonly associated with indie/alternative rock.
shots we used a guitar to illustrate the performance shots. Are costumes were also consistent to following conventions as we used similar clothes and accessories commonly associated with indie/alternative rock.
Develops: we developed the conventions of music videos of this genre in that we used a unusual combination of camera shots during the performance sections. What was different about these shots was that they were angled so you weren’t looking directly at the performer but your eye was drawn across the screen into the background where there was narrative within the performance shots. This may seem complicated but worked well. We also told quite a complicated story within our product which is unconventional to music videos. As you can see from the screen shots above of the performance shots they are angled so you have a wide depth of field, allowing the audience to see more of the surroundings and into the background.
We developed the idea of having instruments in the performance shots. We achieved this by using a guitar like mentioned earlier but had a character in the background playing it as opposed to the singer/performer using the guitar.
Challenge : We challenged it by blurring the barrier between the narrative and the performance shots as in the performance shots there was still the technical aspect of having a narrative within itself.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
For our ancillary texts we designed and made a CD cover/ digi pack and an advertisement poster. Throughout every page in the digi pack and poster they all followed a set of simple but unique characteristics so the target audience can relate to it and remind them about it. This is a very effect form of advertisement as it jogs the target audience’s memory. An example of these characteristics follow…
As you can see this is a very distinctive CD front cover. This is due to the high contrast between the black and white and the deep red. This is one characteristic that I’ve continued throughout the whole ancillary texts. Another characteristic is the silhouette/ stencil look of the main subject. This design is conventional to this genre of music and is a good representation of what you may expect from other texts.
This is the lyrics page to the digi pack, it’s clear to see that I have continued the characteristics I mentioned earlier into this section of the ancillary text. I also used a layer which almost dates the text by having random faint lines washed over the image
My final example of the characteristics is the advertisement poster. As you can see I have kept it very similar to the other ancillary texts just in the form of a poster. Of course there are differences and variations to the other texts. For example there is a more ‘open’ image which I felt was more eye catching for the audience. I’ve also included quotes from magazines about the single. This is also a very conventional technique used of posters.
The main media text (music video) links well to our ancillary texts because the main character in the music video is the face of all the ancillary texts. This gives the target audience an immediate link between the advertisement poster/CD cover and the music video. We also used similar clothing in the main text to which is used in the ancillary texts, helping create a link between the two products and also strengthening the presence of genre.
What have you learned from your audience feedback?
Through looking at our rough cut and showing it to our target audience we established that our narrative shots were too long and to frequent. This was a simple problem to fix as we just included more performance shots in order to compensate for the long scenes. Another constructive criticism we were faced with was the plot being a bit too complicated to follow during a music video. This was a bit more difficult to rectify as it meant cutting clips out which would jeopardise clarity within the narrative. We decided that the best way to rectify this issue was to re-film parts of the video to simplify the story line. I think if we were to do this project again we would keep the narrative simple and uncomplicated.
Another point which was brought up was the voice synchronising. Due to the performer not knowing the lyrics very well and not very familiar with the song it caused the syncing to be out when the final production was finished. This could have been rectified by re-filming the poor sections of the performance shots however this was too time consuming and would have put us behind on our production schedule.
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Construction : During the construction of our project we used high definition cameras to optimise digital footage and ensure out video was to a high standard. For the editing process we used two programmes. One of which is very advanced, Adobe Premiere Pro is a high end video editing programme which is perfect for short films or music videos. With a range of advanced features we were able to compile our video footage and begin editing minutes after filming. We used this programme to its full potential by including effects and adjusting the lighting settings within the programme. We also used a second editing software called I-Movie which is a more basic editing programme but we found it much easier and quicker to synchronise the audio track with our video footage. This synchronising process was possible in Adobe Premiere Pro but was to lengthily and time consuming to do it. So to optimise time management and available resources we decided to continue synchronising in I-Movie.
Research & Planning : With the internet at our fingertips at almost any given moment, it seemed the best and most efficient way of researching and planning our project. We used the internet (web 2.0) to look into a range of genres and artiest before we finalised on indie/ alternative rock and more specifically ‘The Kooks’. With the help of websites such as ‘YouTube’ and bands official web sites we gained a good knowledge and understanding about what it takes to make a music video. We documented all our research and planning on online blogs provided by www.blogger.com which is a Google based company. We were able to use blogger to its full technical ability by imbedding documents such as PowerPoint which we had made and uploaded via a site called www.scribed.com. We were also able to embed YouTube videos and create links to other blogs/ blog posts.
Uses: We made a music video using some of the shots that we had seen in the videos of the kooks. For example we used mid shots which are commonly used within “The Kooks” videos and other videos from the indie/ alternative rock genre.
Narative Shots
 |
| Mid Shot |
 |
| Long Shot |
Performance Shots
Not only did we use similar technical aspects to our video but we also followed the conventions of a narrative to this music genre. We felt this was a safer option as we knew what was expected and we knew we could challenge other things during the music video. We followed the conventional use of footage balance between narrative and performance. This balance is commonly close to 50/50. We felt that this would be the best option because it would split up the narrative well but also put across the emotion and feelings commonly seen in performance shots.
Our mise-enscene throughout the video followed the conventions of similar music videos. We used a combination of indoors and outdoors during the filming which is typical to this genre. We also used similar props during filming, for example during the performance shots we used a guitar to illustrate the performance shots. Are costumes were also consistent to following conventions as we used similar clothes and accessories commonly associated with indie/alternative rock.
shots we used a guitar to illustrate the performance shots. Are costumes were also consistent to following conventions as we used similar clothes and accessories commonly associated with indie/alternative rock.
Develops: we developed the conventions of music videos of this genre in that we used a unusual combination of camera shots during the performance sections. What was different about these shots was that they were angled so you weren’t looking directly at the performer but your eye was drawn across the screen into the background where there was narrative within the performance shots. This may seem complicated but worked well. We also told quite a complicated story within our product which is unconventional to music videos. As you can see from the screen shots above of the performance shots they are angled so you have a wide depth of field, allowing the audience to see more of the surroundings and into the background.
We developed the idea of having instruments in the performance shots. We achieved this by using a guitar like mentioned earlier but had a character in the background playing it as opposed to the singer/performer using the guitar.
Challenge : We challenged it by blurring the barrier between the narrative and the performance shots as in the performance shots there was still the technical aspect of having a narrative within itself.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
For our ancillary texts we designed and made a CD cover/ digi pack and an advertisement poster. Throughout every page in the digi pack and poster they all followed a set of simple but unique characteristics so the target audience can relate to it and remind them about it. This is a very effect form of advertisement as it jogs the target audience’s memory. An example of these characteristics follow…
As you can see this is a very distinctive CD front cover. This is due to the high contrast between the black and white and the deep red. This is one characteristic that I’ve continued throughout the whole ancillary texts. Another characteristic is the silhouette/ stencil look of the main subject. This design is conventional to this genre of music and is a good representation of what you may expect from other texts.
This is the lyrics page to the digi pack, it’s clear to see that I have continued the characteristics I mentioned earlier into this section of the ancillary text. I also used a layer which almost dates the text by having random faint lines washed over the image
My final example of the characteristics is the advertisement poster. As you can see I have kept it very similar to the other ancillary texts just in the form of a poster. Of course there are differences and variations to the other texts. For example there is a more ‘open’ image which I felt was more eye catching for the audience. I’ve also included quotes from magazines about the single. This is also a very conventional technique used of posters.
The main media text (music video) links well to our ancillary texts because the main character in the music video is the face of all the ancillary texts. This gives the target audience an immediate link between the advertisement poster/CD cover and the music video. We also used similar clothing in the main text to which is used in the ancillary texts, helping create a link between the two products and also strengthening the presence of genre.
Finally, I have carried on the aged look in the main production. This has created a strong link between the ancillary tasks and the music video.
What have you learned from your audience feedback?
Through looking at our rough cut and showing it to our target audience we established that our narrative shots were too long and to frequent. This was a simple problem to fix as we just included more performance shots in order to compensate for the long scenes. Another constructive criticism we were faced with was the plot being a bit too complicated to follow during a music video. This was a bit more difficult to rectify as it meant cutting clips out which would jeopardise clarity within the narrative. We decided that the best way to rectify this issue was to re-film parts of the video to simplify the story line. I think if we were to do this project again we would keep the narrative simple and uncomplicated.
Another point which was brought up was the voice synchronising. Due to the performer not knowing the lyrics very well and not very familiar with the song it caused the syncing to be out when the final production was finished. This could have been rectified by re-filming the poor sections of the performance shots however this was too time consuming and would have put us behind on our production schedule.
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Construction : During the construction of our project we used high definition cameras to optimise digital footage and ensure out video was to a high standard. For the editing process we used two programmes. One of which is very advanced, Adobe Premiere Pro is a high end video editing programme which is perfect for short films or music videos. With a range of advanced features we were able to compile our video footage and begin editing minutes after filming. We used this programme to its full potential by including effects and adjusting the lighting settings within the programme. We also used a second editing software called I-Movie which is a more basic editing programme but we found it much easier and quicker to synchronise the audio track with our video footage. This synchronising process was possible in Adobe Premiere Pro but was to lengthily and time consuming to do it. So to optimise time management and available resources we decided to continue synchronising in I-Movie.
Research & Planning : With the internet at our fingertips at almost any given moment, it seemed the best and most efficient way of researching and planning our project. We used the internet (web 2.0) to look into a range of genres and artiest before we finalised on indie/ alternative rock and more specifically ‘The Kooks’. With the help of websites such as ‘YouTube’ and bands official web sites we gained a good knowledge and understanding about what it takes to make a music video. We documented all our research and planning on online blogs provided by www.blogger.com which is a Google based company. We were able to use blogger to its full technical ability by imbedding documents such as PowerPoint which we had made and uploaded via a site called www.scribed.com. We were also able to embed YouTube videos and create links to other blogs/ blog posts.
Friday 6 May 2011
Film Log
We filmed the performance element of our practical production piece recently. I personally beleived that it went well as we managed our time well and got at least a third of our filming done in one session. Through managing our time well i met one of my targets for the year.
We filmed the shots of the geeky guy in full costume (glasses, scarve and books) from several different angles, doing a full recording of each one to gain maximum amount of footage to work with when we edit.
The positives to come out of the session were that we finally got some filming done. The footage we produced was all useable and it had a very positive outcome. Additionally we have gained alot of ideas to further our production whilst we were recording such as how we can base the narrative around the performance shots.
There were few negatives to take away from the session but these would be that it may be hard to get the same props again the next time we film, and also that possibly the singing was slightly out in places, this however can be changed de to the mass amounts of footage that we have obtained.
The next part of the film that we need to film are the narrative shots and we will be doing this as soon as possible. We do still need top think of ideas around this area so that we cna get maximum marks.
We filmed the shots of the geeky guy in full costume (glasses, scarve and books) from several different angles, doing a full recording of each one to gain maximum amount of footage to work with when we edit.
The positives to come out of the session were that we finally got some filming done. The footage we produced was all useable and it had a very positive outcome. Additionally we have gained alot of ideas to further our production whilst we were recording such as how we can base the narrative around the performance shots.
There were few negatives to take away from the session but these would be that it may be hard to get the same props again the next time we film, and also that possibly the singing was slightly out in places, this however can be changed de to the mass amounts of footage that we have obtained.
The next part of the film that we need to film are the narrative shots and we will be doing this as soon as possible. We do still need top think of ideas around this area so that we cna get maximum marks.
Post Production Question
How much of your text was created in post-production?
There was several parts of the text that were significantly bettered after the production element of our practical. This was mostly acheived through editing. This gave the production stability and a feeling of continuity. Additionally we changed a few elements of our practical piece as we did audience feedback through our evaluation and this menat we were able to meet the demands of the consumer at a more precise level.
What technologies did you use to modify your original material? How did this change the meaning of your work?
We used several technologies in order to change the meaning of our practical piece. To begin with i would like to comment on adobe premier pro. This is where we did the editing to our practical piece and we were able to meet the conventions of indie as we could edit our film such as the 4 way effect to give it a fast flowing feel and tempo. This could also be said for final cut. Additionally we were able to add in very intricate and small spounds to areas such as the opening using garage band on the mac books. Additionally in creating the logo we used photo shop and this was a vital element to changing the meaning of our tezx
Adobe prmeier pro
final cut
garage band
photo shop
adobe photo shop + in design
There was several parts of the text that were significantly bettered after the production element of our practical. This was mostly acheived through editing. This gave the production stability and a feeling of continuity. Additionally we changed a few elements of our practical piece as we did audience feedback through our evaluation and this menat we were able to meet the demands of the consumer at a more precise level.
What technologies did you use to modify your original material? How did this change the meaning of your work?
We used several technologies in order to change the meaning of our practical piece. To begin with i would like to comment on adobe premier pro. This is where we did the editing to our practical piece and we were able to meet the conventions of indie as we could edit our film such as the 4 way effect to give it a fast flowing feel and tempo. This could also be said for final cut. Additionally we were able to add in very intricate and small spounds to areas such as the opening using garage band on the mac books. Additionally in creating the logo we used photo shop and this was a vital element to changing the meaning of our tezx
Adobe prmeier pro
final cut
garage band
photo shop
adobe photo shop + in design
Album Covers
Below is a compilation of cd covers and cases of bands all from the indie genre.
This is a front cover of the kook's album "The inside in the outside out". We will be aiming to replicate something similar to this as it is plain simple and easy to do aswell as being effective. It has a group photo of all of the band members together with a plain white background. This could be done easily in the photography suite that is available to use in school.
This is The Fray's album cover. I found this to be a really artistic album cover using light and different techniqes to spell out the bands name. I don't think that we would be able to do this but i was interested to see that the indie genre has the connotations of being a slightly artistic genre and this album cover fully represents that image.
This is Franz ferdinand's album cover. I feel that this once again follows the conventions of the indie (indie rock) genre being artistic. Once again this is something that we could within school with the resources that are available to us. I am also fond of this album cover so i think that this is a real possibility to do something similar to this.
This is a front cover of the kook's album "The inside in the outside out". We will be aiming to replicate something similar to this as it is plain simple and easy to do aswell as being effective. It has a group photo of all of the band members together with a plain white background. This could be done easily in the photography suite that is available to use in school.
This is The Fray's album cover. I found this to be a really artistic album cover using light and different techniqes to spell out the bands name. I don't think that we would be able to do this but i was interested to see that the indie genre has the connotations of being a slightly artistic genre and this album cover fully represents that image.
This is Franz ferdinand's album cover. I feel that this once again follows the conventions of the indie (indie rock) genre being artistic. Once again this is something that we could within school with the resources that are available to us. I am also fond of this album cover so i think that this is a real possibility to do something similar to this.
Friday 4 March 2011
Pro's And Con's
At the moment our time management as a group isnt very good. this is due to lack of communication between myself and my partner.
I'm also disspaointed with the progress from my blog as I feel I could have done a lot more if my time management was better.
On the other hand our filming has gone very well. We have got nearly all of our footage and have made a start on editing. We hope to have a rough cut done within the next week.
I'm also disspaointed with the progress from my blog as I feel I could have done a lot more if my time management was better.
On the other hand our filming has gone very well. We have got nearly all of our footage and have made a start on editing. We hope to have a rough cut done within the next week.
Friday 18 February 2011
Target Audience Questionnaire
Target audience questionnaire
Q1) Do you enjoy music from the indie genre?
Q2) Do you prefer indie rock to indie?
Q3) Would you pay money for a cd /download from an indie genre?
Q4) If we were to create a magazine advertisement would you expect it to be colourful?
Q5) Do you prefer music with romance style lyrics more than any other?, if no the other style you most prefer is ……………………….
Q6) Do you come from the age bracket of 16-19?
Q7) Do you own a personal music playing device i.e. ipod, mp3/4?
Q8) What for you are the most memorable music videos and why?
Q10) What would you expect to see in an Indie music video?
Costume:
Props:
Location:
Storyline:
Tempo:
Q11) Here is a couple of lines from the song “Naïve2, how do you interpret these lyrics.
I know that she knows that I'm not fond of asking
True or false it may be
She's still out to get me
Q1) Do you enjoy music from the indie genre?
Q2) Do you prefer indie rock to indie?
Q3) Would you pay money for a cd /download from an indie genre?
Q4) If we were to create a magazine advertisement would you expect it to be colourful?
Q5) Do you prefer music with romance style lyrics more than any other?, if no the other style you most prefer is ……………………….
Q6) Do you come from the age bracket of 16-19?
Q7) Do you own a personal music playing device i.e. ipod, mp3/4?
Q8) What for you are the most memorable music videos and why?
Q10) What would you expect to see in an Indie music video?
Costume:
Props:
Location:
Storyline:
Tempo:
Q11) Here is a couple of lines from the song “Naïve2, how do you interpret these lyrics.
I know that she knows that I'm not fond of asking
True or false it may be
She's still out to get me
Allocation Of Roles
For our practical production Alex and I decided that he would be the main charactor for all the performance shots and I would do the narative shots.
We decided this becasue those parts were better suited to us. We are yet to film the narative shots. Our final allocation was for "boy 2" and "girl 2" these will be played by friends of ours.
We decided this becasue those parts were better suited to us. We are yet to film the narative shots. Our final allocation was for "boy 2" and "girl 2" these will be played by friends of ours.
Wednesday 19 January 2011
Role Allocation
Together we decided that it would be best for myself to be the narrative performer and for Alex to be in the performance shots. This was due to a number of reasons but mainly because I had acting experience so it made sense for me to do the acting and Alex was happy to be in the performance shots.
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