Austen's A2 Media Studies Blog: February 2013

Question 4: How Did You Use Media Technologies in the Construction and Research, Planning and Evaluation Stages?

(Draft)

Notes:

Remember to Mention:
Construction:
- Tech: general use on blog  = ✓
- Film tech: how it has been used = need to do.
- Editing tech: challengers etc  = ✓
- Converting footage: from MOV to MP4  = ✓
- Photoshop/GIMP: panels and what-not = kinda/need to finish.
Planning/Research:
- Blog = ✓
- Youtube = not yet, need to do.
- Camera = ✓
Extra:
- Equal out each section.
- End of notes -

I have divided this question into 4 sections: Research, Planning, Construction and lastly Elevation. However, there will be exceptions and I've also added extras such as Previous Experiences and an introduction to begin this question.

Click image to view a larger size.

To begin with, the technology which I have used the most during my planning, research, construction and even elevation has been the use of the Internet. It is ever changing how we conduct planning and researching media texts, as well as how media is distributed and marketed, I will refer to these points later during my response

The Internet has helped a great deal as a source of information, which previously could be unavailable but now has been made easy to access to a vast amount of unlimited information.

One way which I have achieved this was through the use of Google's Advance Search. The advance search allows you to use specific words to get to information on a webpage which you are specifically look for.

For example, if I type "Media" "Studies" "Example" into the "exact word or phrase" box, Google will only load websites which include these words. This has helped me gather specific information when researching artists such as Sinéad O'Connor and Andrew Goodwin's music video analysis when I need something specific related to the topic either, how to explain, describe or even give examples of the text.

Along with Google search I recently got a new Ipod with Internet capabilities; it has allowed me to check any new E-mails and comments posted onto my blog at anytime where I have access to the Internet. As well as having the ability to post from my device. Although, this feature I haven't used often as I haven't had access as unknown devices are not allowed to connect to the sixth form wi-fi, or so I have experienced. However, it has helped me to keep notes and reminders while at home and during class as it's simple to use without any problems.

Previous Experiences:

Previous Experiences - "Spoiler Bars"

One of the technologies which has continued into my research and planning from my previous blog is the use of "spoiler bars". A spoiler bar is a piece of HTML text which allows the web-user to hide text or images on a, or their website until a user clicks on the "spoiler bar" to show the content. This has continued to be useful when I've needed to hide large sized images to allow the blog to load quicker, or even to minimize the amount needed to view a post, such as optional readings or viewings of images.

An example of the code can be seen below, enjoy many hours of clicking fun!
(Displays an image with the HTML code).

Click Me! :

Research:

Research - Social Media:

On the subject of devices and access to work, Facebook has helped with my research in finding and choosing our song - "Information", by Brian Korteling. The social media website had allowed Myself, Sam Wright, James Kent and Jack Monahan to keep in contact during the selection process while we where together as a group.

Click image to view larger size.

To enable the MP3 of "Information" on my blog, I needed to find a piece of HTML code to allow users to play the song on my blog, as blogspot/blogger doesn't allow uploads of MP3s or other sound files. Luckily, I found "Amazing Tunes" where Brian's song had been uploaded. I used their embed tool to customize the code to fit with my blogs template and design, then I shared the code to my fellow group members so they could use it also.

http://briankorteling.amazingtunes.com/tunes/28990

Planning:

Planing - Social Media

Click image to view larger size.

Facebook also placed a part in my planning, I used the site as a questionnaire so my friends would be able to fill it out. This helped as Facebook would notify me when someone would leave a response allowing me to quickly gather the data to put onto my blog.

Construction: Filming, Editing and Photoshop:

Construction - Filming

When filming my group's music video we used my Canon 600D digital camera, I've previously used this camera for my A.S. Media, Thriller Opening. The reason behind using my camera again was due to the fact it can record in full HD electro-optical system (eos), I asked Sam many times if we could use his home camcorder also, or for him to rent one from the school so when he's 'out and about' without me and my camera so he would be able to capture anything passing by unexpectedly or of interest, but he didn't.

My Canon 600D can only record in (dot) .MOV files, allowing a crisp outcome. However, due to software limitations in Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, the .MOV plug-in isn't allowed to be installed. Meaning we needed to convert our footage from .MOV to (dot) .MP4.

I learnt that technology can be forgiving, yet harsh at the same time if it doesn't work. I spend many hours and late nights trying to convert our footage to a correct file format. I tried many different programs, such as Zamzar, MOV to MP4 and even Windows Movie Maker to save as a different file type.

This process involved me converting the stock footage into a file format which Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 could read. This involved me coming into school, test if a converted file would work and if not, start the process all over again. I could of done this from home in Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, however I was unsure if the school version would be limited in what I could access or not.

The only disadvantage of converting the stock footage was that the quality would dramatically decrease. I was happy with this, as then we would have something to edit in Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 and more importantly at least show arrangement of mise-en-scene, but I am unsure how Sam felt about this. It is safe to say though, If it wasn't for me, my group wouldn't of been able to edit anything at all.

From this experience, I have learnt that you should double check before you start what the technology can do and can not do, in terms of formatting and compatibilities with the school software editions. This is something which I am sure I will continue to do so from now on while at sixth form.

Construction - Editing

I learnt new ways to edit video files while using Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, one was adjusting the lighting effects by using Omni lights and Spotlights. Adjusting the contrast and levels of the clips as well as saving in the correct file format so the problem would be able to load the save the files.

Although I've had experience with Sony Vegas Pro 12 before, Premiere is very different. The layout appears the same but I found it hard to begin. and find effects, menus, filters and other special effects until I had more experience.

However, on the bright side after gaining experience from experiments such as overlaying clips and editing the lighting and contrast, I became more confident with editing to produce a professional outcome.

ABOVE = Everything currently re-done so far. (Need to add extra points too).

BELOW: Need to reword and add anything extra too.

Construction - Photoshop and GIMP

The editing programs I used to create my digi-pack and magazine advert where Photoshop and GIMP. I've had previous experience with both these programs: Photoshop and GIMP. I've used these when editing my photography photographs.

However, it felt like learning all over again when creating my panels and magazine poster.

I used a mixture of tools: such as the Section, Merge and Create New Layer from Viable to help create my outcomes. The two most recognizable tools both used in my digi pack and poster are the Artistic Effects and Fill tools. The Fill tool allowed me to fill in blocks of color quickly, whereas the Artistic Effects allowed me to change the appearance of a layer in a mixture of different ways. I choose the Palette Knife effect on my artist to give the impression of a pop-art appearance and feel.

Before: After:

Why Pop Art Effect?

Pop Art is an art movement which started in the mid 1950's Britain and in the late 1950's for the U.S. which used many popular culture imagery such as advertising and news, unlike traditional fine art.

Campbell's Soup Can labels, by Andy Warhol took imagery from product labeling and logos to create a new form of art. The strong connection of 3 bold colours; red, black and white makes a bold statement of hope, yin and yang and vigor, as mentioned in question 2. This was an aspect which I wanted to use in my album artwork.