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

Throughout the production of my music video I have had to learn and use to a range of different technologies.

Firstly, I began with creating a schedule for which I plan to have different sections of the coursework complete. To do this I chose to use Microsoft Excel. I had the entire task which needed to be completed along one side, and all the weeks I had to complete the tasks running across the top, and then I used different colours in blocks to demonstrate the time period I anticipate each task to take.

I also used Microsoft PowerPoint for a range of different tasks, but mainly to present research work I had done. The first task I completed on powerpoint was the research task. I research into the purpose of music videos, how music videos have developed over time, new technologies and the direction that music video are going, as a result of the new technologies becoming available, key convention music video tend to follow, famous music videos which might not have followed the conventions and what has made them famous and lastly different theoretical approaches toward music videos. It is key to research into these different topics as they all have the potential to influence how we create our own music video. I chose to use powerepoint for this because it enables me to break down the research into section and present each topic on a new slide.
I also researched into polarising lenses, which I discovered from audience feedback I would need to use when filming as I would be filming through glass, and generally when filming through glass naturally there is a glare which comes off the glass. Therefore I needed to find a solution to this, which I discovered to be polarising lenses. I thought it would be a good idea to research into what it was I would be using before going off and using it, to ensure I knew how to use it more effectively. This required me to use both the internet and also PowerPoint. I used the internet to research into the equipment and then PowerPoint to present what I had found. Again, I thought powerpoint would be most effective in doing this because I can break down the different aspects of the lenses and present in, and also allows me to use images to demonstrate what I am saying.
I researched into my target audience, which is again important because you needed to know who the product is for, and what it is they like in order to please them. I researched this by hosting polls on my blog, and asked as many people are possible to vote in the polls. I then analysed these results, with graphs, which I out together using both Microsoft excel and also word. I then copied the graphs onto PowerPoint to analyse exactly what it was the graphs where telling me about my audience. PowerPoint worked well for this task because I used a new slide for each question.

I also used Microsoft word for similar purposes, such as presenting work. Pieces of work I used it for are Iconic Music video still, which is research I did into iconic moments is famous music which are remembered. I too a screen shot off YouTube of the video and then wrote about why the shot was iconic. Word was good for this because it allows basic picture editing, such as ‘crop’ which meant I was able to cut out the rest of the screen which wasn’t needed in the picture. I was then also able to add text under the picture.
Once I had chosen the song I was going to produce a music video for, I needed to do a lyric analysis for the song so I can develop a greater understanding of what the song was about, so I was able to get across the right message in the video. I presented this on word also because I could include text boxes and colour code the boxes.
There are also a number of documents which needed to be filled out before filming such as Call Sheet, Risk assessment, Actor release form, model release form, shot list and location release form. These were all primarily created on word, however because they needed to be signed by the actors and actress in my video, as well as the person who owned the house I filmed at, I printed them off, go them signed and then scanned then back onto the computer so I could put them on my blog. Similarly, I used word to create the audience feedback form, which my target audience filed out about each product I produced. Word is a good programme to use because it allows you to add text, as well as text boxes to organise work into sections.
The first stage of making this evaluation documentary was writing out what I waned to say onto Microsoft word. This was I could use spell check to make sure there was no grammatical errors for example. I then used a Dictaphone to record what I wanted to say, and my webcam to film it to camera.

I also discovered ‘Prezi’, which is an online cloud-based presentation software. I wanted to experiment with new way of presented work, so I used this to create my design inspirations work. I found it was useful for this task because it aloud me to mind map out all the different aspects of the project. However, I found it difficult to use, and unfortunately didn’t use again.

As part of our planning stage, we formed groups and went on and did some filming to learn about the different equipment we could potentially be using to create our music video, for example the camera. This also gave us the chance to get used to using some of the programmes we would need to use to edit the footage, such as Premiere pro, as once we had uploaded the footage we editing it on here to make a video. We individually was able to play around with the different effects you could do on premiere, for example, reverse slow motion which plays the clip back backwards, which you might use in a flashback scene for example, extreme slow motion, which plays clips back in slow motion, and you can change the speed at which it plays back. Multiple exposures means you can have the same person on the screen at the same time, but maybe doing different activities. Playing the clip back in reverse was another technique we learnt, which might be useful is for example you wanted to see someone un do an action, like after pulling the petals off a flower, with this technique you’d be able to see the person put the petals back on the flower. In the video we made, you see someone drawing a flower, however this is done in reverse, so looks like they are rubbing out the picture with a pen.
From learning the basics with the programme, when it came to making my music video I had a better understand, despite using it briefly in AS work.
For the shoots I did on location I used a digital camera, and therefore to upload the footage it was as simple as plugging the SD card into the computer and copping the footage across to the computer. To edit it, I then had to drop the footage on to the time line on premiere and ‘cut’ t up accordingly, disregarding the shots I didn’t need and placing the shot I anted in the appropriate place with regards to the song.
After I had placed all my footage on the time line in a chronological order that I wanted and I was happy with the way it played, I had to export it the project out of premiere and upload it onto After Effects, which allows you to add special effects to the video. For my video, I used to programme to remove the green background from the shots I had done in a green screen studio and replace the background with a picture I had created using Photoshop. I also added the animated flourishes using after effects. The two programmes work similarly and use the idea of working on a timeline, and therefore because I was already familiar with how premiere worked; it wasn’t hard for me to learn how the new programme worked. With things that was wasn’t sure about, I could use the internet to look up how it was done, and find tutorials on website such as videocopiolet, which I found very useful.
I also used premier to create my evaluation documentary. This was much easier than the complex processes I had to go through to create my music video. To create my evaluation all I had to do is drop my voice over onto the timeline, and cut it where appropriate. The same with the webcam video I had created. Once this was done, I just needed to think of appropriate images and pictures I could use to go with what I was saying.

Also during the planning stages I used to internet for research purposes. Before going ahead to make a music video, I felt it was vital to have a background understanding of what music video were about. I researched into the key purposes of music videos, how music videos have developed over time, new technologies which have been incorporated into creating music videos, the key conventions of what makes a good music video, music video which have become well know because of the controversy, for example Madonna Like a virgin.  Lastly, I looked into the different theoretical approaches there are towards music videos, like Andrew Goodwin.
For some extra research, I also used to internet to find out more information about polarising lenses. For some audience feedback I learn t that I was going to need to use one while filming on location to avoid the glare you get when filming through glass. Because I had never heard of this equipment before and therefore didn’t know anything about I thought it would be a good idea to conduct some reach to find out what they are used for, how to use them to get the best results and the possible hazards of using them.
YouTube played a very key part in the production of my music video. I often used YouTube to look at current music videos to gain inspirations for my own. In particular, I used YouTube to pick three videos and analyse them to give me an understanding of what the director had done to create the video. For example, the camera angles they’d used, editing styles, props and costumes
I also had to use YouTube to host the different draft of my music video onto my blog. I needed to put the video on to YouTube first and then embed the video onto blogger. This was the only way of getting the video onto blogger, and therefore extremely important.

Before I could even start filming, there was several documents which needed to be completed by there actor and actress I was going to be using in my video, and also on location the person that own the property had to sign an agreement. I printed the standard blank document off the computer and then used a scanner to create picture of the documents which I would be able to put on my blog. I also used the scanner to put my draft of my digipack on my blog.

The other key programme I need to use to complete the package was Photoshop. I used this programme to create both my digipack and also my magazine advert. I was very familiar with this programme as it’s the same programme I had used to do my AS work, and therefore could only develop on these skills, for example I learnt new was t remover the back ground from an image, which I found useful because for the picture I wanted to used for the back of my digipack, it would have been impossible to cut around the models hair on the side where she was messy hair, and therefore I used to ‘remove background eraser’ tool, which like the rubber tool, rubs out the colour of the background you don’t want while leaving the colours which for example are on the model. Other new things I learn include the vanishing point tool which I used for the inside of my digipack, I learnt how to merge to images together for both the front and the back of y digipack and lastly the gradient tool, which I used on my magazine advert to fade the bottom of the picture out.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Audience feedback is an important stage of the production process, as previously discussed, the audience entertainment is one of the main reasons for music videos, and the audience should also be at the centre of both the ancillary tasks. It is for this reason I at a very early stage researched into who my audience was, and what it was they wanted, so I knew before I started any production what I needed to do.  In order to do this I hosted polls on my blog and got a range of different people to answer the questions, I then analysed the results.

From this I was able to establish my audience was between the age of 16 and 18 and therefore fairly young. I also fall within this age bracket and this made it easier for me to understand what to include, because I have a strong connection with this age group.

When I was receiving feedback, I made sure to prioritise getting feedback from this age group. I would often ask fellow media studies students what they thought of my work, as they understood what I was looking for, as well as falling into the age bracket. At one point during the production, I held a test screening with my media class. They all watched the video and then all gave me feedback on what they thought.  I also showed my video to people who didn’t take media studies, and was potential real life people who could watch my video. This allowed to me to get a more broad opinion.

Whenever gaining feedback I always asked what they liked, what they thought I had done well and what they thought I could improve on. By asking these questions it tells me what I am doing right and maybe I should do this more often, and also things they didn’t like and there thing maybe I should removed and what they would rather see.

During the drafting stage, I asked for feedback on the storyboard, and it was at this point that the audience picked up on the fact that I would need to be careful when filming through glass because the glare that you get. I used this feedback to go off and research how I could over come this problem, and I found the answer was to use a polarising lens. This goes to show the importance of asking the audience for their opinion, because they can pick up on things that you might not have thought of yourself.

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

The task I was required to produce include the main task which was the music video and two ancillary tasks which was the Digipack and an advert.

When I first started this project, one of the first things I did was research into the purpose of music videos. Amongst many other reasons, the main purpose of a music video is for marketing and promotional purposes to increase the sales of the artists album they may have coming out, or just that single. Music videos can create controversy and therefore a talking point, which is another method of trying to increase the popularity of the artist, and therefore sales. The other main purpose of a music video is to give the audience entertainment, and it is for this reason when I was producing my music video I thought about who my target audience is and researched into what it is they would want to see.

I believe the video I have made does tick all the required boxes. The video is a story of love and therefore, the audience will want it to watch to find out what happens, like in a movie, the audience watch it to the end to find out what happens. Similarly, like the audience would go out and buy the film on DVD when it comes out to watch it again, the audience for my music video would look up my video on internet sites such as YouTube to watch it over and over again.

Similar to the music video, the main purpose of an advert is to promote sales. It needs to attract the audience attention, tell them something about what is being advertised and make them want to buy the product.

In order to fulfil this purpose I used an image that would take up the whole page and kept the background plain so the audience initial attention was on the artist. Underneath the image, I wrote the artist name in a large font, which initially I wasn’t going to include, apart from a single ‘R’ in the corner, as the artist is well know and therefore her name wouldn’t be necessary, however after looking back a it I decided the advert looked too plain. The only other information I put on the advert was one single sell line ‘The number 1 album’, the date the album was due to be released and then convention institutional information in small print at the bottom. It is common for advert for CD releases to include an image of the CD cover, reviews from magazines etc. but I deliberately chose to break these conventions, because I wanted to kept the advert looking plain, and I didn’t want to tell the audience too much because this might encourage the audience to find out more for their own benefit. I also thought because Rihanna is such as well know name, and she has such a huge fan following, the chances are fans are going to buy their album regardless, they don’t need a fancy advert to encourage them to buy it.        

A CD cover is the packaging for the CD to go in. it is what both the music video and the advert are promoting and therefore just as important. This is the product that the audience is buying and therefore they need to want to be proud of what they are buying. The audience, no matter how much they love the artist are going to want to buy something that looks shabby, so I needed to make sure my product looked professional.

I created 4 pages for the digipack, include the front page, two pages for the inside and the back page. I also produced a design for what the CD itself would look like. On my Digipack I attempted things that I haven’t seen done before, and therefore there was a lot of pressure to get it right. I merged two images of the artist together to make one. Neely has done this before, but over two CD covers, I was trying to do it all on the one page. I believe that I managed to pull this off successfully and I am happy with the way that it turned out. I also think this might intrigue audiences that might not necessarily be interested in Rihanna. They might see the CD cover, pick it up in the shop and want to know more, which might lead to a sale.

As all the tasks are as important as each other and are all connected, it is important it is easy for the audience to identify they come as a package. To do this I made sure I used the same colour scheme for all the products. In the video, I replace the green screen backgrounds like a pale pink/lime green back ground, which is the same colours I used for the text on the advert, and for the texts and backgrounds on the CD cover. I also used only thee colours on the CD. The block colour of the CD is lime green and the ‘R’ is pink. Although these colours may appeal more to a female audience, it is for this reason I included the green, as typically pink would appeal more to a female audience so to show that it was something for everyone I included the green, and also it is a nice colour that goes well with the pink, and therefore an appealing combination.

In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use Develop or Challenge Forms and Conventions of Real Media Products?

Codes and conventions are the elements that the audience expect to see when they watch music video’s. They are the elements that make a music video. Different Genres of music will have different conventions for their videos. Different conventions include:
- Music
– The Artist
– Different Settings
– Cut to the beat 
– Lip synching
Conventions that depend on the genre of the music are:
- Story or narrative
– Animation
– Artist storyline (XFactor winning video)
– Choreography (Cheryl Cole – fight for this love)

While producing my video I had to continually think about these in order to make the video authentic.

The music video I have created is about a relationship which has fallen apart because the artist of the song as found out her partner has been cheating her. The way I have produced my video represents both the male and the female in the relationship differently. The representation of the female feel she is in the right and is standing by strong in what she believes in. She has decided the best option is to kick her partner out of their shared home, which represents the male negatively at the same time, as it highlights the fact that he has done wrong. However, at the same time, although the females actions makes the male appear negatively and as though he is the villain, he comes across as apologetic and he is fighting to get his relationship make,  which shows that he is passionate about what he believes in, which is a good thing. By her making this decision, she is represented to be a strong independent woman who doesn’t rely on anyone, and this could potential send out a message to other women watching the video, that they don’t need to rely on anyone in their life. The audience is expected to use their common sense to interpret this representation, but at the same time it is also meant to appear natural, and they shouldn’t need to use much thought process in order to understand what is going on. The video is most likely to appeal to a female target audience because they will be able to relate to the situation more, especially as the song is written from the point of view of the female. The female audience might be in a similar situation and therefore use the video as advice from a best friend. This is how a person would interpret the text using the hypodermic needle theory. I was creating the video I always had in mind I wanted to target it at young females who are in a similar situation and may not know what to do or how to deal with it, therefore by watching the video they gain advice and help them realise that being a strong independent women isn’t a bad thing, just means you’re standing by what you believe in. an alternate representation that  could have been made, for example, if the story was the other way round and it was the female who had cheated and subsequently was being kicked out of the house. This way the video would more likely appeal to the male audience, as they would gain advice.
Similarly, for the digipack I have created the representation is of two different, opposite emotions, to communicate how she puts on a brave front and smiles, but on the inside she is actually sad and hurt by what’s happened. To do this, I have combined two different pictures to make one face in total, one side is happy with perfect hair, make up and smiling, and the other half is sad with make up running down her face and her hair is all messy. This has been continued on to the back with one half with messy hair and the other half with perfect hair. On the inside of the digipack I have created Polaroid picture to demonstrate memories. Like with the music video the female target audience might be able to relate to the representation and might take something from it. Roland Barthes would suggest the representation is made through ‘The Hermeneutic Code’ (Suspense Code), which refers to questions are asked throughout the narrative. A narrative may asks questions which are not automatically answered. The audience may make assumptions. This is the case with the digipak because the audience may not automatically understand the meaning or sense being addressed.
Like the digipack, I have created a poster which can communicate emotions to the audience. the poster shows the artist hiding behind her hand whish is a visual representation connoting that she is hiding her true feelings and emotions, as though to look at you would assume she is happy, she is in fact emotional on the inside an not showing this to anyone. I have made the background plain to draw the audience attention to the only image on the page, so all concentration is put on the artist. I have not included any reviews, which is a key convention of advert; however I consciously made this decision as I believe it will encourage the audience to find out more for them selves.

Although many of the theories I use are dated, they can still be applied to modern day texts. As mentioned before, using the hypodermic needle theory, the female target audience would watch the video and react in the same by, for example if they were in this situation they would use their authority to stand by what they believe in and simply kick the male out without listening to explanation. Again if the audience were to relate to the situation, as the video is about a person relationship, they can substitute the relationship they are in for the one they are watching, and although they might think they are in a bad relationship, they may realise its not as bad as they think. It gives them the chance to escape from the worries in their lives. This would be analyzing it using a Uses & gratifications theory approach.
When speaking about the digipack I have created, the two step flow theory can be applied as if one person tells another person about the digipack they saw, for example ‘Its got two faces on it!’, word will get around and more and more people will know about the new CD. From a Marxist point of view this would be known as sales promotion and a good thing, as more sales & money can be made.
This is like with the advert. The lack of text implies that the audience have become an active audience, apposed to a passive audience, because they are forced to look at the picture of the artist, and the only details they are made aware of is the name of the album and release date. If they want to know more they will have to go and look it up themselves, and this is will entice them to want to buy it once they have spent time looking it up. This is known as the reception theory.
The genre of the video fits into two categories, both narrative and conceptual.  The video tells a story of a break up and that, however it’s not just a simply story being told, the video also has meaning. Schwichtenberg (1192) said 'action in the story is dominated by males who do things and females who passively react or wait for something to do’. In this case, it is the male who has cheated and the female is reaction to this action. Andrew Goodwins theory can also be applied, as he identifies 6 key features within music videos, once of which being ‘There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals’ anther being ‘there is a relationship between music and visuals’ The lyrics tell a story and explains what is happening, while the editing of the video and the pace at which it has been cut demonstrates the mood of the video. Also, there is a melody in the music made from a piano and there are a number of shots in the video I have incorporated this.
The digipack is also conceptual because there is deliberate meaning behind the image, which is that although she appears to be strong, she is in fact falling apart in side and has been affected by what is going on. Goodwins theory can also be applied to my music video as ‘There is a relationship between music and visuals’.
Good win can also be applied to the advert, as another key element he identifies is ‘the demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artists’ and the image is a close up.
The video has a linear narrative as the events which take place are revealed in chronological order, from beginning to end. This is also known as ‘Cause and Effect’ narrative because the consequences of one ever have a knock on effect on something else, and this helps the story to move on. The male in the video has cheated and as a result the female has made the decision to kick him out the house and the video shows these events as they happen. I used a standard use of camera and continuity editing to ensure the audience entered the diegesis world of the music video, and are consumed by the narrative. The audience have a restricted narrative view point because they only get to know as much as the characters do, this way they feel apart of the narrative. The female obviously knows what she is doing and what is going to happen, by like the male who goes to the house to try to resolve the situation, the audience are unaware of what the female has in mind, and therefore find out he same way the male does. Todorov’s theory about narrative can also be applied to the video, as he identifies an equilibrium, disruption, Recognition, Attempt to Repair the Disruption, New Equilibrium in every narrative. Although not in the video the equilibrium would be when the couple where happy together, the disruption is when she finds out her partner has been cheating on her, the recognition is what happens throughout the video – the male gets kicked out of  the house they share for what he has done, the attempt to repair, is him going to the house to try to find some solution, however this fails, and therefore the new equilibrium is them both going there separate ways and moving on from the relationship. Levi-Straus theory about narratives states that that all narratives are based on conflicts and they work through binary opposites.  In my music video the opposites which can be applied include ‘Good & Evil’ and ‘Past & Present’. The female is seen to be doing the right thing by kicking him out and sticking which this decision despite his plea’s, the opposite being him being evil for what he has done to her. The relationship is now part of their past and present they are arguing. In the past they were happy and now they’re not.
During the video I used semiotics to get communicate messages with the audience. For example, at the end of the video there is a shot of the female looking through pictures, representing memories and then wiping her eyes, representing crying. Overall, the audience will interpret this as her being upset about what’s happened. This can be described as an iconic sign. Also, there are binary opposites, such as the fact there that there are males and females in the video. They are also fighting in the video, as they have opposite view points. She believes in what is right and staying faithful in a relationship, where although he is now trying to make things right, he has already done wrong.
On the Digipack, half of her face is crying, which would signify someone who is upset. The audience is only able to see half of her face, but will still be able to understand the massage being communicated. This is another iconic signifier. The mascara running down her face is an indexical signifier; because the only way to get mascara running down your face is if you cry, and the audience are expect to pick up on this. Synecdone signifiers are uses because although there is only half of her face representing each emotion, the audience is still able to understand what is meant. And the key signifier used is Binary opposites, as half her face is happy and half is sad, which is the main message being communicated, as it links to the idea of her hiding her true emotions.
Lastly, on the magazine advert, polysemic signifiers could be identified as the body language of the artist suggests playfulness, but in this case is intended to represent her hiding her emotions.

W/C 2nd April

I have now completed all the products for the package, including a music video, magazine advert and 4 page digipack. I am happy with the work i have produced, and believe all the criteria has been met.

Audeince Feeback

Music Video

This is the final version of my music video. I have received feedback on previsous versions and i have made appropiate changes, for example, i have editied the green screen scenes by adding in animated flousies. I have also recieved feedback on this version and my target audeince are also happy.