Question 4 - Media

1. How did you use new media
technologies in the construction
and research, planning and
evaluation stages?
QUESTION 4 – BY OLIVIA THORPE

2. Introduction
Within my A2 portfolio I used several different media technologies in order to gather
research and planning on all three products, construct and then evaluate the success.
As this is media studies it was very important to me that we used a range of different
technologies in order to gain more depth and understanding of the different
platforms which media can be consumed to the audience. Whether these be the
different way I found information, presented them or actually made them I used
several different media technologies throughout the process. I am going to inform
which technologies were used in each stage and also explaining how and why I used
them.

3. Research and planning
I AM NOW GOING TO DISCUSS THE DIFFERENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES I USED
WITHIN RESEARCHING FOR MY DOCUMENTARY, MAGAZINE AND RADIO ADVERT.

4. Research - You tube
Youtube was a very important source on the internet whilst researching as it allowed
me to look at existing documentaries such as “Underage and over the limit”, and
“Super-size me” this then enabled me to look closely at which codes and conventions
worked well within existing documentaries and then implement them into our own.

5. Prezi
I chose to present my findings of the research which I had conducted on the software Prezi. This is a
free software which can be accessible via the internet. I chose to use this software for tasks which
expanded into a lot of detail due to the way that prezi allows different brackets to constantly be added
to the template and therefore allows more information to be presented and therefore allows a lot of
depth to the topic. Prezi also has the tool of zooming in and expanding meaning that instead of note
form it is presented in a clear way but also allows the information to be in depth.
An example of this from my blog is the 6 different modes of documentaries which Bill Nichols
developed. I used the software prezi as it allowed to be go into depth and develop ideas in a clear
format.

6. Slide share
I used the software slide share which takes power point presentations and allows
them to be put onto the internet which I then took the embedded code and placed
this onto the blog. I used this when creating several posts for example “shot types”. I
used this as it allows me to use power point which I am very familiar with and
therefore easily and clearly present my information.

7. Internet browsers
I used google and the media centre which is found on our Solihull Sixth Forms
“Moodle” to find information which is relevant to all three productions. I used this to
research different theories, for example Bill Nichols 6 modes of documentaries as
these increased my knowledge and are reliable sources to use. I could then apply this
knowledge and gain a wider understanding of how I want my documentary to be and
why and also the effect that this will have upon the audience.
I also used books which were given to us in class was then able to gain a wider
knowledge and therefore increase my understanding of documentaries and how I
want mine to be.

8. Planning - Prezi
I also used prezi whilst planning my documentary as this allowed me to develop what
I was planning to carry out. I used prezi within the proposal post as this allowed me to
cinsist all the information which I had found and put together what we intended and
wanted to do with our media products. I believe that this was a useful media
techonology to use within my planning as it allowed me to go into depth about what
we intended and planned to do as you can add brackets to the templete, images and
it is still presented in a clear format.

9. Slide share
I used Microsoft PowerPoint for several planning posts as this is a media technology
which I am familiar with and can easily present the information. I used this for the
post of explaining the questions that we are going to ask within our documentary as
we stated the reason behind this and the reliability that this will add to our
documentary. I then exported these to slide share and got the embed code and then
put this onto blogger.

10. Video phone
We also used our phone to record me and Jade setting up a tripod in order to show
how we are planning to record our documentary and get the best shots at the most
effective angle. This was then plugged in through a lead and the video was saved to
the computer off the phone and exported onto YouTube so that we could take the
embed code and then effectively put this onto blogger.

11. Construction
I USED SEVERAL DIFFERENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES WHILST CREATING ALL THREE
DIFFERENT MEDIA PRODUCTS AND USED A DIFFERENT SOFTWARE ON THE APPLE
MAC COMPUTERS TO MAKE ALL THREE.

12. Premiere pro
Premiere pro is the software which we chose to create our documentary on. We chose
this software as not only was it recommended to us but it allowed us to put all of our
recorded footage together in a sequence and then edit this. It also allowed us to add
our inserts and cutaways and actuality footage which then strengthen our
documentary. It had a suitable timeline for our sequence and allowed us to put name
titles for the professionals within the documentary. I believe that this was a very
successful media technology which we used as it allowed us to construct our
documentary and also was not too complicated or stressful for us all to use.

13. InDesign
We used the software InDesign to make our magazine. This was because it allowed us to
insert imagines which we have already taken and also insert the article of the magazine
which we had already written and then put the magazine together. It allowed us format
the pages so that they were in a double page spread not meaning that we had to work on
one page at a time and could therefore constantly see what the end magazine would look
like as a whole. We used this to edit the text so that it would overlap off the page and also
into a column of three with drop capitals as this conformed to codes and conventions.
Also, we inserted the main image in the centre with the text not overlapping and another
image of vox pops in the right top corner of the page. I believe that this was a useful
software as it meant that we could conform to codes and conventions of a magazine and
also ensure that there would be no implications as it is all condensed onto the double
page which was clearly visible to use.

14. Cameras
We used cameras throughout constructing our media products. We used both video
and still cameras. We used video cameras to record the footage for our documentary
for example, vox pops, presenter, interviews with experts and also used pre recorded
footage from our phones which was also recorded with a video camera. We then
exported the footage from the camera and edited this in Premiere Pro. We used still
cameras to take photos with our phones, which were then exported onto our
documentary and used as overlays when the voice over is played. We took photos of
the different prices of alcohol and the range of alcohol with was available to buy in
the store Sainsbury's. We also used still cameras on our phone to take a photo of the
main image which we then edited in Photoshop and then carried it over to our
magazine.

15. Photoshop
Photoshop was used to edit the main image and cut out the bottles as we did not
want the background. It allowed us to crop the image and then smooth out the
edges. This was useful as it allowed the image to look more presentable and more
professional for our magazine. This also did not mean that we had to have to
background of the image included and allowed the image to blend well with being
next to the article on the magazine.

16. Microphones
We used microphones whilst constructing our documentary and radio advert. We
used a voice recorder, clip-on mic and shotgun. We used the clip on mics during the
interviews with the experts as this allowed the sound to be clear as there was no
background noise which would voice over them this meant that it was the most
effective way to get even sound levels. We then used a shot gun with our vox pops
for our primary and secondary audience as it was the public. This was the most
effective as it meant that there would be background noise and also we were asking
more than one person meaning that the clip on mic would not have worked and
taken more time. We also used a voice recorder to record the radio advert and then
exported this onto the computer and edited this in garage band.

17. Garage band
After recording the radio script we then edited this in garage band. This allowed us to
edit with the timing and also edit the clip and insert other clips. We added sound
effects at the beginning with the bottle opening which was done through this
software and also inserted sound from our documentary in order to give the listeners
insight as to what our documentary includes. We also inserted the music that we used
within our documentary as background music from the radio advert. I believe that this
software was very useful as it allowed us to edit successfully and cross media our
productions and was simple to use.

18. Sound cloud
From editing and constructing our radio advert on garage band we then exported this
onto sound cloud. This meant that it could be put onto our blog as it gave us an
embed code. It also meant that we could listen to it freely.

19. Evaluating
I ALSO USED DIFFERENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY'S WHEN EVALUATING MY MEDIA
PRODUCTIONS.

20. Video cameras
I used a video camera in order to record my audience research where I recorded 6
people watching my media productions and then giving feedback on them. I also
used my phone in order to record my secondary audience of my father to see his
opinion of the media productions. As we all done this this meant that we had 3
different secondary audience all recorded through a video camera. I then used a
camera to record my findings from both of these which is used to answer question 3
as it is done all through the use of video cameras.

21. Prezi
Once again I used prezi in the evaluation process. I used this as it enabled me provide
detail as to what I had learnt from my media productions and go into depth about
this. It also allowed me to illustrate my point as it enabled me to add images which
were relevant. I used this to answer question 1 as I believe showing the detail of how
we conformed to codes and conventions with images to portray was important and
this software allowed me add several different brackets in order to make a long list of
points with explanations.

22. Slide share
I also used slide share as I created a PowerPoint and then exported this file onto the
software slide share. This was useful as it allowed me to get the power point which I
had explained and evaluate the different media technologies which I had used
throughout my coursework and then put this onto blogger as it provided an embed
code.

23. Youtube
 I gathered clips of my secondary and primary audience watching our media
productions. I then recorded me explaining what I had learnt from this and edited
the clip together. I think exported this onto YouTube and took the embed code
and put this onto blogger.

24. Conclusion
 To conclude, I believe that all the new media technologies which I used
throughout the process of my coursework A2 advanced media portfolio, research
and planning, construction and evaluation was all successful as they allowed me to
gather the depth and understanding of what was expected, creating them and
assessing their success with detail. Also, they were all mainly straight forward and
easy to use which saved time as it did not take a great deal of time how to grasp
which would have had a negative impact especially on constructing them.