1. A2 Media studies evaluation
Music promotional package
Ruth Heffernan

2. How did you use new media technologies in the
construction and research, planning and evaluation
stages?
Apple Macs
Throughout our whole project we used the Apple Macs. We chose to use
these, as they not only have a lot more programmes on but they allow us
to use software that can’t be used on a normal Microsoft computer.
The program that we mainly used was called iMovie. This allowed us to
upload of our videos directly from our camera straight onto the computer.
Once our footage had been uploaded, we were able to edit and cut our
clips to help us to develop a music video.

3. iMovie allowed us to change the colouring of clips for e.g. we chose of music
video to be in black and white which was achievable on this program, by either
reducing the saturation to 0% or pressing the black and white button under clip
adjustments. We were also able to get rid of the sound on our clips as this
sound wasn’t at the same tempo as our song. To do this we hovered over the
clip we wanted to edit, and then clicked the blue arrow that appeared and
clicked on video adjustments. We were then able to reduce the sound to 0%
and put the ducking up to 17%. We chose 17% as this meant that our
soundtrack wasn’t too loud but at the same time it wasn’t too quiet.

4. For our music video, we decided during our planning that we wanted to have
a split screen within our video. For this to be successful we need the use of
the programme Final cut express. This software allowed to import our clips
from iMovie. However to do this we had to first save them as a new project
and export them from iMovie to allow them to be exported and then imported
onto final cut express. From the image below your can see that import is
under file and this is also an example of what final cut express looks like.

5. Below is an example of where the imported clips can be placed and ordered
into a sequence.
The screen below is where we could see the changes that we had made.
This is the screen that allowed us to see our split screen in action. This
screen is one if two and was shown on the right of our screen.

6. This is the second screen, where we were able to make the alterations to
our clip for e.g. changing the length. We were able to see our clip playing
here but not the whole clip as a whole. We could only see the clip we were
editing.
Below is an example of our split screen.

7. Blogger
Throughout this whole project I have updated my blog at regular intervals to
show my progress. This was mainly used to show my planning as this was a
big bulk of the coursework. However, it also allowed me to post up our music
video , digipak and poster. This allowed me to view my own progress and see
any mistakes that I had made so I could correct them.
Internet
The internet contributed in my planning a lot, as it allowed me to view
existing indie videos, CD covers (digipaks) and band posters, which
helped to develop my knowledge on the generic conventions on the indie
genre as this was our chosen genre. The main sites that I used were
google, slideshare, blogger, facebook and youtube. I used google to help
me research existing digipaks and posters to help me in not only making
my own but developing my knowledge within the genre.

8. I used slide share mainly when transferring PowerPoint's onto my blog such
as the PowerPoint I made on the generic conventions of the indie genre.
Below is an example from my blog of my use of slide share.
I used facebook to help me to receive audience feedback on my video by
sending my video out in a message to friends and family.

9. I used youtube a lot when doing my planning, as not only did we need
to analyse three music videos, but I needed it to help me learn the
generic conventions of a typical indie genre, which helped in the
planning and making of my own. Below is a link to an example of one
of the many videos that I watched within the indie genre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkaMiaRLgvY&ob=av2e
Filming, Digipak and poster equipment
-Video camera – Used for filming The footage needed for my music video
-Tripod – Needed to help keep the video camera steady and straight whilst
filming
-Camera – Used to take photos of the band for use on the digipak and the
poster
-IPod and IPod speakers – Used when in rural location to allow the band to
listen to the soundtrack whilst filming
-Lighting – Needed when taking photos for the digipak and the poster to
ensure that the photos were the best that they could be.

10. Photoshop
The was used mainly when editing the photos we had taken for our digipak
and poster to make them look better. We Removed the saturation to make
the photos black and white to match the video and made only the
pictures/logos on their tops in colour and we thought that this looked
effective and went with the style and genre of the music. Below is the
photo that we used on out digipak and poster.

11. In what ways do your media products use, develop
or challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?
In the first phase of our planning and research we worked on the textual
analysis of 5 music videos in the genre that we were planning to use, which
in our case was the indie genre. This was in order to help us to develop of
knowledge of the generic codes and conventions of the genre we were
interested in using for our own music video. From watching and writing
textual analysis’ of these music videos, we were able to take note of parts of
the videos that we liked, so that we could incorporate what we liked into our
questionnaire to find out whether our target audience would also like it. We
also did this so we could incorporate some of the same shots, edits and
lighting into our own music video.

12. Throughout our video we used a lot of mid shots, which from our research
are generic to the indie rock genre. This uses the codes and conventions
from real media products as we thought that this looked the best.
Our production The Kooks - Naive

13. We also used a lot of mid/long shots throughout the video as this enabled
the viewer to see not only the character but their surroundings also.
Our production The Kooks - Naive

14. Below is examples of the uses of long shots in Indie music videos, which as
you can are frequent and generic to this genre. These clips show that are
video uses the codes and conventions of real media products
Our production Arctic monkeys – when the sun goes down
The Foals – Spanish Sahara Kings of Leon – Sex on fire

15. Split Screens
Oasis - Wonderwall Our production

16. Mise en scene and location – outside places such as streets and parks and generic to
the Indie genre, due to their simplicity. As you can see that we have chosen to use the
codes and conventions of real media products.
Our production Arctic Monkeys – When the sun goes down
Oasis - Wonderwall

17. Performance – We have chosen to challenge the codes and conventions of real media
products when it came to performance, because not only did we feel this looked
better, but it was more convenient and we didn’t have the correct equipment for the
performance part of our video to follow the codes and conventions of real media
products.
Oasis – Don’t look back in anger Our production
The kooks – She moves in her own way

18. Props –The three main props that we used were guitar, drums and microphone, which
from our research are generic to the Indie genre. We chose to the follow the codes and
conventions of real media products as we thought that not only the appearance of the
band was important but we thought that it would help to promote and improve their
popularity.

19. Ancillary Texts
We also did a similar thing for our ancillary task. We did 5 textual analysis’
of a CD front cover/back cover and the inside inlay left and right. This again
helped to develop our knowledge of the generic codes and conventions of a
digipak, which helped us in developing our own in the same genre. Below
are a few examples of the CD’s we chose to analyse.

21. How effective is the combination of your main
product and ancillary texts?
CD digipak Our Poster

22. What have your learned from your audience
feedback?