Media Journey: 2011

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Final Trailer

As I made the video using mac software 'iDVD', to be able to publish this onto my blog, I had to convert it into a 'quicktime player' , unfortunatley this has lowered the quality siginificantly.

Monday, 9 May 2011

Evaluation

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

For my advanced portfolio I created a music video, for which I also produced a magazine 'Album Single' advert and a Digi-Pak. I would not say that my music video particuarly challenges or goes against the normal conventions of a real music video. My storyline is a 'typicla' boy meets girl music video, following it's narrative to a T with a little added humour. However, the only thing I would specifically say to be deviating from the conventions would be that instead of a single boy and girl, I used four boys to symbolise 'the band' in my case 'The Mystery Jets'. I thought this would be less 'cheesey' that just a boy and a girl, and adds the humour. I also did not show them singing, (miming) along to the lyrics of the song, as in previous A level students videos, I thought this made the video look more low standard. Instead I just had them act out as naturally as I could, catching on film as much fun as I could. I did direct parts, however, mostly I they did their own thing with all of us throwing in ideas to how to follow the storyline in a 'fun' looking way. I like to think that this is portrayed well in the video on a whole. It's natural and has a really cheeky feel about it which I think is helped massivley by the 'home video' approach. The effect could potentially be viewed as going against the conventions of a real music video, as I usually percieve a music video to be fresh and crisp, where as mine, I wanted to be deemed professional, however for the fun elemtent I wanted I decided on it looking like a friend filming a day out. With the crackly vintage effect I think this has work well, and is deviating ever so slightly away from the expected. I used the lyrics to completely conform to the conventions of a real music video, as after questioning peers, it became apparent that this is what they want to see within a music video.

The ancillary tasks I have completed along to go with the video I think also use the conventions of a real product rather than go against them. However In my own way. The magazine advert shows two doors side by side, with a vintage grainy effect put through it. However after the image to begin with only being a portrait photo of one door, after changing it in to two using Photoshop. It feels like I created my own convention slightly rather than conforming. My Digi-Pak also is personal as they are people I know and are very special to me which is more than just a pop band on the front of any other Digi-Pak. However that is ovbiously not why it doesn't keep to the conventions. I feel it deviates because, aswell as taking just a 'band' photo with lyrics written and scanned over the top, I have used the girl within my video, within the photoshoot. I feel this is making it more than just a band phoitoshoot and more of 'the video' photoshoot. The single was for that song, so i wanted the pictures to signify this, so in many ways promoting it. The photos are very staged, however they play along with the conventions and narrrative within my video.

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

The ancillary texts for the coursework, were too create a magazine advertisement promoting the single featuring in the music video, and a digi-pak album in which the 'single' would be.

When creating the magazine advert, i wanted it to stay in connection to the song I was using in my music video and the 'theme' it was going to be. I knew from the beginning I wanted the video to look somewhat old and worn (vintage), so i chose this style to run throughout the ancillarys. The magazine advert consists of two doors and the song is called 'TWO DOORS DOWN' I thought this was in perfect keeping, rather than using the actors in my video for a third time. An advertisement is almost like a teaser, so using the actors would have been like giving away the unveil of a new song and video. For the digi-pak, is this is something that is normally released and seen after the video is viewed, I thought I would use the actors as models and have it in keeping with the words and the way they have acted within the video. The way it is all in clear connection with eachother, I feel brings it toegether really well as a whole, and gives me a great sense of achievment. It is effective because it then feels like a whole package, rather than a makeshift of differnt images and then a random video with nothing to connect it's meaning.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

I have learned a great deal from recieving audience feedback. Wther it be within research, or after they had watched my own video. It gives you a great insite to what you have done really successfully, and parts where maybe more thjought could have been put it. This was really helpful in parts such as my ancillarys, after asking audience feedback, after making notes and following them up, I found it was helping me to constantly improve to make it the best it could be, such as; including a barcode into my digi-pak and adding the rating stars onto my magazine advert. It was also heart warming to recieve audience feedback on all the finished products. However without audience feedback throughout, I would probably never have learned that; indie music is preferred within a music video, it is more enjoyable to watch a storyline unfold than to see the song live or just sang in a room, that photos and dance routines are not massively pleasing etc. I have learned that I would most likely not feel so proud of my own video and it's proudcts and it's own conventions without the help of audience feedback throughout.

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

Throughout and within the whole process of making my music video, I would not say I used a load of 'NEW' technology, however the amount of techonology that was new to me, then that is when I say I did. One of which being this very blog. Using blogspot was completely new to me, finiding everything from how to name it, to changing the layout difficult. However after becoming more familiar it was great to use a blog, and felt alot more personal, rather than having a million sheets all looking the same and being lost here and there. It made me have a great sense of individuality and also proved to make me more determined and focused. Within my research I found myself using a 'flip camera' when asking peers questions on music videos, the content and what is prefferred. Uploading videos onto this blog from youtube was also something new and after self teaching I sdoon found myself being able to do this too. The planning stage was also unfamiliar territory as I found myself using microsoft exel to make and organisation timetable, something that is also unfamiliar to me. This made me feel more responsible and also independent. I also began scanning my notes made on the plan for the video and posting the work onto here, also making me feel highly technical and adding another personal touch to my blog.
The ancillary tasks landed me using 'Adobe Photoshop' which to me was like visiting an old friend. After studyiong photography I was exciting to putting my knowledge towards my digi-pak images such as taking into consideration the lighting, composition and rule of thirds. Even though I was already confident in using photoshop, I still found myself learning new things such as; which tools did what, and I was more outgoing to just use different things I hadn't tried before. Such as my magazine advertisement, I used a 'clone tool' and made a clone of the door, and made a portrait image of one door into a landscape of two doors. This was a highlight of achievement for me.
The construction of my video, introduced me to using a video camera, which was totally new and a definite challenge. Challenge accepted and I came to do two overall days of filming, each with a different camera, and a different set of people, just a couple of the difficulties that proved to try and stand in my way. However the extra pratice of a day of filming already done, the second day I felt alot more at ease and confident, and ended up only using footage from that day. The actual making of my video came through the use of an 'APPLE MAC' it was created within 'iDVD' which at first was an incredibly daunting porspect to me. I opened it up, uploaded the files and instantly felt like a lost puppy. Calming down slightly I began to try and fimiliarise with the settings and played around with a few of my clips, not long before falling completely into it. I used an age effect, speeding up, a reverse and even slow motion. I have learnt numourous new things throughout all the aspets of making my music video, and the daunting prospect of new technology doesn't seem to frighten me as much as it did before this project.

Sunday, 24 April 2011

FeedBack Video

I did record feedback for my video by film, however unfortunately, I found I was unable to synchronize my footage with my computer or one that I was using within school. The software had not yet been installed for the 'flip' camera I was using, so I was not able to put this input onto this blog. I recieved really positive feedback with comments such as; the ancillary task match really well with the video, the storyline fits well, the storyline and characters within the video being easy to follow, and a good sense of editing. I was really pleased with the feedback I gathered for my video, ith the only negative commets being that it was not as sunny within the actual video as the ancillary task two digi-pak images. I also filmed audience question when researching what people like within a music video, this I am also unable to upload, which was disapointing. However within the research I was carrying out at the time, alot of the feedback I recieved on my questions were mostly for 'indie/poprock' videos, mostly with a storyline instead of a live performance being the more preferred option when asked. So all of which I recieved on research feedback that day somes up my own video. I took on board all of the comments about what music videos are the best, recieving answers such as; Blink 182 and The Drums etc. All of which are quite similar to the song I chose. The video was then based again on the answers I got, putting it to a storyline rather than just images or a live performance. This research was incredibly helpful in helping me see what people really want from a music video and I hope I achieved that with my own.

Thursday, 14 April 2011

Two Doors Down Lyrics

Lyrics to Two Doors Down :

I think I'm in love,
With the girl next door
It's driving me crazy
I can't take it anymore
I hear her playing the drums late at night
The neighbours complain but thats the kind of girl I like

And maybe I should call her up
And buy her a round
Maybe I should move to another town
But when I hear those drums late at night
I know I'm in love
With a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love

She and her friends sit at the back of the bus
But I'm always to shy to work the courage up
I hear that she likes to dance around the room
To a worn out 12" of Marquee Moon

And maybe I should say "What's up?"
And buy her a round
Or take her for a spin around the town
Cos when I hear those drums late at night
I know I'm in love
With a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives

And maybe I should call her up
And buy her a round
And one day we could move to another town
Cos when I hear those drums late at night
I know I'm in love
In love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love
Two Doors Down
I think I'm in love
I think I'm in love with a girl who lives
Two Doors Down

I think I'm in love with a girl who lives

I think I'm in love with a girl who lives

Monday, 14 March 2011

Magazine Advertisement Audience Feed Back

After i recieved feed back for this image, with the criticism of no ratings or stars etc; I made a start to a few little changes here and there, trying out new things, and giving myself a few different outcomes for the final image.
Firstly i knew stars was a great criticism and i knew they had to added, To begin with the stars were slightly larger, however then when looking back at i, they were almost overpowering to the small piece of font underneath. So continuing to tweak, I made the stars smaller, in keeping with the size of "NME" written underneath. I then took the colout from the small parts of red within the photo, and put it into one of the stars as shown in middle image. However, they did not look as clear, and just looked slightly tacky with a black outline. In the end I went for the small plain black stars for a more professional appearence. I then recieved further feed back after editing. The elements and the editing all recieved positive feed back, and the stars were said to "add so much more, in the sense of realism".
(Top image - Final Edit) - (Middle Image - Red Star) - (Bottom Image - Larger Stars)

Digi-Pak Lyrics Panel Feed Back

When I first recieved feed back for this image, it was the original version in the line up of images for my digi-pak, the feedback i recieved was from and older generation. Healthy criticism allowed me to hink more indepth about how the image looked slightly empty, and did not hold the pak well together as one. After then changing the image to this, I acquired yet more feedback, however this time from a younger generation. When asking for feed back i showed both versions for comparison. There was no particular criticism, whichwas very pleasing. I recieved feedback such as; "Looks cool", "Ticks more cirteria", "Vintage effect suits the genre and theme", "Hand written gives a different edge, along with the faded sun above them". I was more than happy with the feedback collected, it gave me a more positive feeling about the whole look o the digi-pak.

Track Side Feed Back

For the back of the digi-pak I also recieved good feed back. The natural light proved to be a good factor, looking summery and fun, in keeping with the song. The layout was also praised for the positioning of the people and the use of the natural settings etc. I did however recieve criticism on how much space is left under the tracks, and the loss of a barcode being visible. It was brilliant to contract criticism, as a barcode is key, and this should also even out the look of how much space is left underneath the track list.

Edit After Feedback

Here is the newly edited back cover of the digi-pak after recieving and taking in the feedback from peers and specific target audience. The barcode makes it appear so much more professional. Gathering the feedback was brilliant, as little things missed out ike this make such a big impact to the 'look' of the product. I am disappointed I did not even think to do this before the audience opinions, however so greatful for all of the honmest feesback i recieved in order to improve it in the ways it needed.

Album Cover Feed Back

The feed back I recieved for the front cover was incredibly positive. I obtained the feedback from peers from within my own age range, as that was who I was originally aiming the video and the song at. Included amongst the feed back were comments on how the image is well centred and symmetrical, with the terms of people, also the title, it's placing and the lighting. So all good feedback for those points. I recieved comments also for the effectiveness in the edinting of the photograph, with it being in keeping with the rest of the album. Lastly, good peer assement was also gathered for the font, being told that the theme of it matching all the way through and keeping it in the genre of the Mysery Jets themselves, keeps it looking professional and as one.

Audience Feed Back

I got audience feedback for the magazine advertisment ancillary task one, and three of the panels within my digipak; the front cover, the back, and the band photograph including lyrics. Follow the above.

Thursday, 3 March 2011

Re-Edit

After looking over the panels for my digi-pak again and proceeding with further research, I came to the conclusion that they were slightly plain. After reseraching through albums, I came across
"Green Day - American Idiot", although it may not be a digi-pak album, their front cover panel opens up into a booklet of all of the lyrics to which are hand written. I personally thought this added slightly more to the album and it seemed to make it feel quite authentic. It was in scribbly handwriting with mistakes and errors to see also. So for one of the plain band photos along the middle of the digipak, I wrote out the lyrics to the used song "TWO DOORS DOWN" in my own handwriting, to make it look slightly messy as if hours had been spent writing it with my own purposly added mistakes. I wrote the lyrics on to tracing paper and then scanned them into the computer. I then opened up both images into Adobe Photoshop, and placed the panel of lyrics over the top of the image and lowered the opacity significantly, until the writing was only faint and not overpowering the photograph. I like the outcome, and feel it just brings an added element to the image and digi-pak as a whole, rather than seperate photographs.

Saturday, 26 February 2011

Digi-Pak - The Panels

Tuesday, 25 January 2011

After

Before

Ancillary Task One

For the first ancillary task, in all honesty, I was not prepared. We were to have only an hour, with the routine of this being the "mock exam". However the pressure actually worked out better for me. I thought of exactly what I had been thinking about doing and just had to run with it, as I had none of the images I thought I originally would have already taken and would be able to use.

I used an old photo I randomly took for photography coursework a few months before, that u had been considering using, that was not impressive photography wise, however I had an idea in my head of how I could use it. I knew it would be quite a big construction, but I looked forward to challenging myself, and I was happy with the outcome I managed to achieve.

Friday, 7 January 2011

Not Going as Well as Planned?

After all the pre-preparing, the progression of the video, is not coming along as fast and as smoothly as I had hoped. I took my actors to London as planned, after changing one of my actors already and having to cut down to four boys instead of five, I was hoping this was the only glitch I was going to experience. However, after watching the filming that I did do, I was not entirely sure on what I had got, I also then realised towards the end of the filming I was accidentally double clicking the record button, hence only filming my feet and no actual shots, however I was thinking of it positiviley as watching it back and realising my mistakes, this time around i knew exactly what i wanted. This also did not go according to plan. Struggling to get all my actors together, I have still been unable to film again, or even take the photos for the tasks. However for the mock exam I was able to complete my magazine advertisment which I am very happy with. My new plan, is to get different people, who I know will be able to make a certain time and film exactly what I want, it is not ideal, although I cannot keep waiting for an opportunity to arise where I can get my originals together, because I do not know when that will be. So hopefully in this upcoming week I will get the rest of my filming done, the photoshoot completed and can crack on.