How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Blogger was the main resource I used as I tried to research other videos, techniques and artists in order to gain inspiration for our own video and an idea of what conventions were found in the indie/alternative genre. Blogger was also very useful when it came to the evaluation stage as all of the material we needed was kept on our blog. We always tried to use posts to give us more ideas and to keep in contact with each other as we all had different tasks but wanted to make sure we were all going in the same direction. Final cut was useful as our prior use of the resource allowed us to create a better media product. Its vast number of features meant we could create whatever theme or style we wanted with the shots we took. Photoshop was useful as it allowed us to create our ancillary product to a reasonably high standard. We often found the program to be hard to use as it had many features and completing a simple cover took a long time. Despite our problems with the software it was very useful as it allowed us to use similar colours and styles to our music video which meant we could show a relationship between the products which would mean they promote each other to the audience.
Showing posts with label joe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joe. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Evaulative commentary script-Paragraph 1
In what ways does your media product use, break or develop conventions found in real media products?
We needed to conform to some of the conventions so we could establish a genre within our music video. Since the genre of the music we chose was indie/alternative, we used a similar dress code to products found in the same genre and also found in our audience, since our audience is younger people we felt it would be beneficial to dress in a similar way as it would be aesthetically pleasing to the audience. We also tried to keep a cut rate that matched the tempo so we could cut on the beat. This meant the final product would look sharper which would mean it would be closer to a real media product. Since we had a theme of romance in our song, we tried to forward this impression on our video through the colour scheme. In the video, Both Finn and Amy are wearing red tops which means the audience can link the characters together due to their correlating dress sense. We developed conventions were me felt necessary as it is part of the indie genre. Most products within the genre try to have an individual theme to make it stand out. I felt setting our video apart from the rest of the market was essential as it is a very competitive industry, so we needed to have a theme or concept that would make the audience go out and buy our record as opposed to a similar one. We decided after our peer feedback that we would make our entire video split-screen as it would put across our narrative of love/breaking up well as it would provide a barrier between the two characters. It would also make out video fairly niche as it was one of a few videos in the industry to use this type of edit the whole way through. We tried not to break conventions in our video because it would mean that we would take our video outside of the genre which would mean it wouldn't look like a real media product and therefore would defeat the point of the task.
We needed to conform to some of the conventions so we could establish a genre within our music video. Since the genre of the music we chose was indie/alternative, we used a similar dress code to products found in the same genre and also found in our audience, since our audience is younger people we felt it would be beneficial to dress in a similar way as it would be aesthetically pleasing to the audience. We also tried to keep a cut rate that matched the tempo so we could cut on the beat. This meant the final product would look sharper which would mean it would be closer to a real media product. Since we had a theme of romance in our song, we tried to forward this impression on our video through the colour scheme. In the video, Both Finn and Amy are wearing red tops which means the audience can link the characters together due to their correlating dress sense. We developed conventions were me felt necessary as it is part of the indie genre. Most products within the genre try to have an individual theme to make it stand out. I felt setting our video apart from the rest of the market was essential as it is a very competitive industry, so we needed to have a theme or concept that would make the audience go out and buy our record as opposed to a similar one. We decided after our peer feedback that we would make our entire video split-screen as it would put across our narrative of love/breaking up well as it would provide a barrier between the two characters. It would also make out video fairly niche as it was one of a few videos in the industry to use this type of edit the whole way through. We tried not to break conventions in our video because it would mean that we would take our video outside of the genre which would mean it wouldn't look like a real media product and therefore would defeat the point of the task.
Friday, 9 December 2011
Ananlysis of previous video
http://47longroadmusicvideo10.blogspot.com/
The commentary breaks conventions of documentaries as the speakers are both in the middle of the screen when it is conventional to have the speakers off-center. There is also a lack of on screen titles so you don't know who the speaker is in relation to the video. This takes away some of the authority that the speaker has, if there were on screen titles saying 'director' you would have a tendency to believe what the speaker is saying. The video has some strong features, as the speakers attempt to use standard English which improves the points they are trying to make.
The commentary breaks conventions of documentaries as the speakers are both in the middle of the screen when it is conventional to have the speakers off-center. There is also a lack of on screen titles so you don't know who the speaker is in relation to the video. This takes away some of the authority that the speaker has, if there were on screen titles saying 'director' you would have a tendency to believe what the speaker is saying. The video has some strong features, as the speakers attempt to use standard English which improves the points they are trying to make.
Evaluative commentary script-Paragraph 3
What have you learnt from your audience feedback?
We have learnt that the audience feedback is more important than our own opinions of the video, as ultimately they are the ones that will be watching the video and buying the album so we need to sell the product to them. After our rough cut we had peer feedback which was brilliant as the comments were good as well as constructive. The main points were that the video was well edited and the performance was fantastic, but it lacked direction as half of the video used split screen and the other half used straight cuts after full screen shots. This meant that some of the narrative was lost as we did not convey the theme in a strong enough way. Since the narrative was essential to appreciating the video, we needed to make a decision to use one form of edit throughout to improve the continuity, this would mean that the audience could follow the narrative and therefore appreciate the video as a whole. We decided to use the split-screen technique as it meant it would be fairly unique compared with other videos and it would represent the romantic theme well.
We have learnt that the audience feedback is more important than our own opinions of the video, as ultimately they are the ones that will be watching the video and buying the album so we need to sell the product to them. After our rough cut we had peer feedback which was brilliant as the comments were good as well as constructive. The main points were that the video was well edited and the performance was fantastic, but it lacked direction as half of the video used split screen and the other half used straight cuts after full screen shots. This meant that some of the narrative was lost as we did not convey the theme in a strong enough way. Since the narrative was essential to appreciating the video, we needed to make a decision to use one form of edit throughout to improve the continuity, this would mean that the audience could follow the narrative and therefore appreciate the video as a whole. We decided to use the split-screen technique as it meant it would be fairly unique compared with other videos and it would represent the romantic theme well.
Evaluative commentary script-Paragraph 2
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
We tried to make both products similar in style so if the audience saw the video and then the advert they would know they were both for the same band. We also tried to use a viral marketing strategy to go with the ancillary product as it would help us reach more of our target demographic. We chose to use viral marketing as it is very cheap (free in our case) which mean we could devote more of our budget to the production of our video. We used a QR code on our digipack which could be scanned with a smart phone, This would link the consumer to our music video, Facebook page and blogger. This gave them a chance to see some of the bands work in the music video, follow the progress of the band on Facebook and see the making of the video on blogger. We also tried to collaborate our products using similar colour schemes and fonts so the audience would associate the products with each other.
We tried to make both products similar in style so if the audience saw the video and then the advert they would know they were both for the same band. We also tried to use a viral marketing strategy to go with the ancillary product as it would help us reach more of our target demographic. We chose to use viral marketing as it is very cheap (free in our case) which mean we could devote more of our budget to the production of our video. We used a QR code on our digipack which could be scanned with a smart phone, This would link the consumer to our music video, Facebook page and blogger. This gave them a chance to see some of the bands work in the music video, follow the progress of the band on Facebook and see the making of the video on blogger. We also tried to collaborate our products using similar colour schemes and fonts so the audience would associate the products with each other.
Thursday, 8 December 2011
The Importance of a QR code
Youtube was brilliant as it would allow you to watch the music video in a matter of seconds after scanning the code. This is very useful as it gives us more views on Youtube which would mean more income through Youtube advertising and it would spread the word for our band which would promote the digi-pack. Youtube is useful as it is one of the biggest websites in the world and pretty much every music video can be found on it. This obviously means that this is big business for the music industry as it promotes the artist as well as making money from the views. Many other music videos are some of the most watched clips on the site, with Justin Bieber's 'Baby' being watched an astonishing 671 million times.
Facebook is brilliant as it is a site that is primarily used by young people 16-25 which is also the main demographic of indie/alternative music. It is a free resource and it is a good way to promote the video as if a friend on Facebook likes our fan page, there is a good chance it will appear on the news feed which will mean it will inevitably come in to contact with the group most likely to be a fan of the artist and the video. It is a good resource for bands to keep in contact with their fans which means they are aware of popular opinion on themselves as artists and the music they produce, which will allow them to have a deeper understanding of the ever-changing tastes in the music industry.
Blogger was liked via the QR code because it gave fans an insight into the making of the music video. This will allow them to see the thought processes behind the product and also understand the narrative and theme in a deeper way. Blogger is generally used by artistic or creative minded people as they use the site to upload images and other work they do for an online community that has similar interests. Since they are generally creative minded they may be more inclined to take an interest in the production of the video and the planning behind it so it reaches a sub-market within the younger age bracket.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Codes and Conventions of Documentaries
http://www.slideshare.net/crosswaysfederation/the-five-modes-of-documentary-typical-conventions
These conventions provide guidelines for any documentary maker. The conventions are particular features often associated with documentaries, and using and perhaps developing them will allow us to make a convincing product. The main purpose of a documentary is to inform the viewer, so many of conventions are used to make the viewer believe the speaker and what he/she is saying. This is done by making the speaker appear to be an authority to make the dialogue seem more convincing. On screen titles show who the speaker is in a professional sense e.g. Director. Giving the speaker his/her title makes them have more power when they are talking about a subject in their particular field. Another way this is done is by putting them in a professional environment such as a library or office to make the speaker seem educated which will increase his/her authority. The final way this is done is buy dressing the speaker in professional clothing such as a suit so they seem educated which will improve the likelihood of the audience taking what the speaker is saying seriously. By giving the speaker a more authoritative persona, it gives the dialogue more weight which allows it to convey information more convincingly.
These conventions provide guidelines for any documentary maker. The conventions are particular features often associated with documentaries, and using and perhaps developing them will allow us to make a convincing product. The main purpose of a documentary is to inform the viewer, so many of conventions are used to make the viewer believe the speaker and what he/she is saying. This is done by making the speaker appear to be an authority to make the dialogue seem more convincing. On screen titles show who the speaker is in a professional sense e.g. Director. Giving the speaker his/her title makes them have more power when they are talking about a subject in their particular field. Another way this is done is by putting them in a professional environment such as a library or office to make the speaker seem educated which will increase his/her authority. The final way this is done is buy dressing the speaker in professional clothing such as a suit so they seem educated which will improve the likelihood of the audience taking what the speaker is saying seriously. By giving the speaker a more authoritative persona, it gives the dialogue more weight which allows it to convey information more convincingly.
Thursday, 3 November 2011
I can't win- unversity music video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSz7TiebUyI&feature=related
This video is by a university group and they also use the split screen edit to base there video and it draws many comparisons to what we want to achieve as it develops a narrative of love using the split screen. The male and female protagonists each occupy a side of the screen with a black split down the middle, and they follow a separate narrative although they both add to a wider narrative of the video. Both the male and female have similar experiences which lets the audience know that there is a connection between them which makes it clear, this is good as in a video you need to give present information in a certain way so the audience knows what is going on. The ending is very clever as it brings the two characters together and when they finally meet they enter the other half's split screen in a crossover type scene, the video then ends with the absence of the split screen.
This video is by a university group and they also use the split screen edit to base there video and it draws many comparisons to what we want to achieve as it develops a narrative of love using the split screen. The male and female protagonists each occupy a side of the screen with a black split down the middle, and they follow a separate narrative although they both add to a wider narrative of the video. Both the male and female have similar experiences which lets the audience know that there is a connection between them which makes it clear, this is good as in a video you need to give present information in a certain way so the audience knows what is going on. The ending is very clever as it brings the two characters together and when they finally meet they enter the other half's split screen in a crossover type scene, the video then ends with the absence of the split screen.
Frances-Cold water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKYmhq0K-Z8
The link above is for the music video cold water from the band 'Frances'. They use a spit screen shot for the whole video and utilise it by walking in and out of different shots and creating visual effects by standing close to the split. This is effective because it has a quick cut rate which is essential to sustaining interest. As a group we liked the video and thought the use of the split screen was good as it was deployed in a different way every time so you didn't get bored with the concept, which allowed them to get away with using the same effect for the whole of the video. The lyrics of the song aren't really used in the video and there is no obvious connection, but they do use the tempo of the music to set the speed for the cuts which made the video fit the song really nicely.
The link above is for the music video cold water from the band 'Frances'. They use a spit screen shot for the whole video and utilise it by walking in and out of different shots and creating visual effects by standing close to the split. This is effective because it has a quick cut rate which is essential to sustaining interest. As a group we liked the video and thought the use of the split screen was good as it was deployed in a different way every time so you didn't get bored with the concept, which allowed them to get away with using the same effect for the whole of the video. The lyrics of the song aren't really used in the video and there is no obvious connection, but they do use the tempo of the music to set the speed for the cuts which made the video fit the song really nicely.
How we are going to use the feedback?
The feedback was generally positive and many of the criticisms highlighted problems we already knew we had with the product. One of the main talking points with the video was our use of split-screen, as a class the idea was popular and they thought that some of the shots could have lasted longer. Another area for consideration was what theme should be used in our video as there was a conflict in styles between our smoother, fluid shots and the edgy cuts such as the split-screen. One of the main pointers was that it would be a more effective product if we went with one idea or another as it would improve continuity and make it look more like an industry level music video. After the feedback, we decided as a group that we would go with sharper edits opposed to the smoother shots as we believe it fitted better with the tempo of the song and would be a more unique video as there was always the chance with the smooth flowing shots that it would turn the love theme into a cheesy video and it would lose its impact.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Shots required for final music video
- Mid shot of lip sync
- Close up of lip sync
- More flashbacks of relationship between male & female
- Closing shot
- Close-ups of female actress
- tracking shot of male actor
Friday, 21 October 2011
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Things to do before shoot
- Print out copy of lyrics]
- Collect camera, tripod and dolly
- Have prompt cards so actors know the lyrics to the shot
- charge up camera
- Have bags to keep equipment dry
- Prepare costumes
- Have shot list
- Bring maps to get locations or have web app installed
- Bring/charge speakers
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Renewed shooting date
We have decided as a group to rearrange our filming day to Sunday 14/10/11 as it would give us more time to plan for the shoot and it gives us a full day to film rather than one evening where the light may not be good enough to film for too long. We will aim to get to Cambridge train station for 11:00am on the day as our train leaves for Cambridge at 11:07. This will get us into Cambridge for about 11:25 and since we have a few shots to film at the station, we can start pretty much straight away. For our trip we will not be needing the 'dolly' we used in our test shots as we discovered it was too shaky and the wheels were hard to keep straight. This means that we will be using the trip for most shots and for tracking shots we will use our hands as it gives a much cleaner shot and continuity for the edit which is essential for the effect we want to achieve.
http://www.thetrainline.com/buytickets/combinedmatrix.aspx?Command=TimeTable
This is a link to the timetable for the trains that run on our shooting day.
http://uk.weather.com/weather/dailyDetails-Cambridge-UKXX0028?dayNum=5
This is a link to the weather on Sunday.
http://www.thetrainline.com/buytickets/combinedmatrix.aspx?Command=TimeTable
This is a link to the timetable for the trains that run on our shooting day.
http://uk.weather.com/weather/dailyDetails-Cambridge-UKXX0028?dayNum=5
This is a link to the weather on Sunday.
Friday, 7 October 2011
Conventions of Album covers
Here we found a slide show highlighting the common features found in industry level album covers. This will provide guidelines for when we produce a digipack so we can create a product that is as similar to the real thing as possible, taking into account our lack of experience using software such as photo shop and our limited budget.
Checklist for Shoot
- Camera
- Dolly
- Tripod
- Copy of Lyrics
- Ipod speakers
- Ipod
- Costume for male actor
- Costume for female actress
- Phones (get in contact with other members of the team)
- Members of the team
- Time-keeping device
- Shot list
- Location list
- Map of Locations
- green card (for green screen)
- Bags to carry equipment e.g camera bad
Weather Forecast
http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Cambridge-UKXX0028
Date of Shoot: 12th of October
Weather Forecast:Partly Cloudy
Temperature range:8-16 degrees Celsius
Date of Shoot: 12th of October
Weather Forecast:Partly Cloudy
Temperature range:8-16 degrees Celsius
List of costume items
Male perfromer:
Dark trousers/jeans
Dark smart/casual shoes
Hat (optional)
Grey/white top
Waistcoat (optional)
This images shows the singer from 'The Script'. They are a band of the same genre/style as Orson so in order to conform to the conventions of rock/indie music we will need to replicate the dress code in our own video. The colours we have chosen also fit in with the mood if the song as the male in the song is in a 'grey area' as his relationship between him and the girl is faltering and he is unclear about his future. Having the right costume is essential to convincing the audience that the video fits in with the genre of the song and so the importance of 'dressing up' cannot be underestimated.
Dark trousers/jeans
Dark smart/casual shoes
Hat (optional)
Grey/white top
Waistcoat (optional)
This images shows the singer from 'The Script'. They are a band of the same genre/style as Orson so in order to conform to the conventions of rock/indie music we will need to replicate the dress code in our own video. The colours we have chosen also fit in with the mood if the song as the male in the song is in a 'grey area' as his relationship between him and the girl is faltering and he is unclear about his future. Having the right costume is essential to convincing the audience that the video fits in with the genre of the song and so the importance of 'dressing up' cannot be underestimated.
Risk assessment
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCkQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reelfilmlocations.co.uk%2Ffiles%2FRisk%2520Assessment%2520Form.pdf&rct=j&q=things%20to%20include%20on%20a%20risk%20assessment%20on%20a%20film%20shoot&ei=HwWPTtOnAoei8QPS-fwF&usg=AFQjCNGP9WpDqirRJa7AEs-fsQW8R-TdDw&sig2=4fPnZkAQwNBStvvImHNz4Q&cad=rja
This link gives an insight into what things are considered risks or hazards and how to create a formal risk assessment.
This link gives an insight into what things are considered risks or hazards and how to create a formal risk assessment.
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