Question 4: How Did You Use Media Technologies in the

Construction and Research, Planning and Evaluation

Stages?

Austen Nuttall

Research

http://www.unsigned.com/browse_artists

To research unsigned local, British artists and bands, I used “Unsigned.com”. The advantage of using “Unsigned.com” is that it

has a simple layout and interface. This allowed me to quickly research artists and bands by choosing specific search terms in the

advance search, this allowed me to specifically find similar musicians as I could pick the genre of music.

Unsigned.com

I picked Brian Korteling’s “Information” due to the use of a catchy, memorable chorus.

I submitted my choice on my group’s Facebook page. Facebook has helped in choosing our track as it allowed my group to communicate easily and quickly. Another benefit is that we could discuss ideas and concepts throughout the course as I could access the website through my mobile phone or IPod touch.

Facebook Group

While researching other potential unsigned British artists, I was also researching real media texts for inspiration and ideas by using Youtube and Google as they have a massive database of information. A specific example of research was “Russell Howard’s Good News” opening title sequence. I enjoyed the animation and it inspired my group to create something similar.

To start the video, please click/double click the black screen on the next slide, or use the hyperlink.

Planning

Facebook has also helped in planning. I created a questionnaire to find out the potential target audience for our chosen track. By planning and researching which audience demographic enjoys our track, I can implement and consider my findings when constructing my music video.

Photographs

Instead of using a scanner to digitally upload my work onto a computer, I chose to take a photograph with my Canon 600D. I chose this option as then there wouldn’t be any waiting times to use the scanner or any clipping issues.

On top of this, I’d have a digital copy no matter where I go as I take my camera and SD cards everywhere.

1) Filming

2) Editing: Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 + Photoshop

Construction

Filming

To film my group used my Canon 600D digital camera. I've previously used this camera for my A.S. Media, Thriller Opening. The reason behind using my Canon was due to the fact it can record in full 1080 HD.

Sam chose not to rent a camera from the school for his own use encase he was 'out and about‘ at location or saw anything of interest, meaning he would of been able to capture footage without me if he did. He did however, film me with my camera. I filmed when I could since he didn’t want to appear in the production.

My 600D only records in (dot) .MOV files. Due to software limitations in Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 at school, the .MOV plug-in isn't allowed to be installed from my camera. Meaning I needed to convert our footage from .MOV to (dot) .MP4 so the files would become readable.

I spent many hours converting our footage to a correct file format. I tried many different programs, such as Zamzar, MOV to MP4 and even Windows Movie Maker.

This process involved me coming into school, testing if a converted file would work and if not, start the process all over again. I could of tested on my computer, however I was unsure if the school version had limitations unlike my own software.

The disadvantage of converting stock footage is that the quality dramatically decreased. I was aware and sanitised with this, as then my group would have something to edit in Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 and more importantly, be able to show arrangement of mise-en-scene. If the footage wasn’t converted, my group wouldn't of been able to edit anything at all.

Memory sticks and Email

I used memory sticks to carry footage and jpgsfrom home to school and vice versa. This allowed quick and easy file transfer.

I also emailed myself any digital files from my print productions, as I would have a digital backup copy if my memory stick became corrupted.

Editing: Adobe Premiere Pro CS4

Adobe Premiere Pro CS4

To edit my music video, I used Adobe Premiere Pro CS4. I’ve used Sony Vegas before, but not Premiere. With the selection of tools given, I was able to adjust brightness and contrast, adding filters, overlaying, cropping, volume of the media bar, toggle track output and editing of ambient lighting by applying effects such as an Omni-Directional Light as well as other transitions and effects.

An Omni-Directional Light is a non ambient light source, with an effect that adjusts how much light is within an area. Anything outside of the selection, is dimmed. There are other types of effects for lighting, for example a Spotlight. However, the Omni-Directional Light was used as it gives off a false impression that the artist was recorded professionally in a studio.

Without the vast number of effects available from Premiere, I feel that my music video wouldn’t be a professional production. The high contrast black and white, fade in and outs and also lighting effects have strengthen the overall outcome of my music video production to an industry standard.

Other tools used such as the Razor and Copy Selection enabled me to efficiently copy and cut parts of the music video together.

Editing: Photoshop

Print Productions

To create my digipak and magazine advert I used two programs: Photoshop and GIMP. I used Photoshop while at school and GIMP at home. By using two programs, I was able to make the most of their best features, such as the Section, Merge and Create New Layer from Viable as well as the overall interface and photo effects.

By using a mixture of tools: such as the Section, Merge and Create New Layer from Viable, they’ve helped to create my final outcomes.

The two most recognizable tools used in my productions is an Artistic Effect and the use of the Fill tool. The Fill tool allowed me to fill in blocks of colour quickly, whereas the selection of Artistic Effects allowed me to change the appearance of a layer in a mixture of different ways.

I choose the Palette Knife effect which gives the impression of a pop-art appearance and feel. A before and after comparison is on the next slide.

Palette Knife Effect

Before: After:

Evaluation

• I will complete this section after I have done the evaluation questions 1 – 4 as then it will be easier to complete.