2. Using new technologies
Throughout the process of designing and making my product, i was
able to use Apple iMacs and a range of software. I have been using
iMacs since i can remember so i was very familiar with using the MAC
OS X operating system.
I have always found that using a mac is the most simplistic yet most
useful way in creating many things especially when faced with a new
world of mac use: film making.
The school had chosen to buy Apple iMacs due to the huge range of
software available to be able to make such a product. It is evident that
this is the case as professional media institutions use a similar set-up
when in film-making. In the next pages i have explained all the new
technologies that i used in creating my final product.
3. Blogger
I used blogger as a way of
publishing all my work through
posts. The website allows users to
fully customize their blog site and
edit all of their posts. I had never
before used the method of blogging
prior to media studies and i felt it is
the optimum way to organise and
publish your personal posts to the
outside world.
4. Twitter and
Facebook
Twitter is an online social networking service and microblogging service that
enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters,
known as tweets. It has grown worldwide and now has over 300 million users
as of 2011. I embedded the twitter widget into my blogger website so that my
tweets are instantly shown as a news update. I have realised it is now very easy
to spread your ideas and views on the internet with just a few clicks as i did
not have a twitter account before.
Facebook is also a social networking service and allows users to create a personal
profile, add other users as friends and exchange messages. As i already had a Facebook
account prior to studying media, i realised all this was very much familiar to me.
However, media institutions such as distributors use websites such as Facebook to
advertise their films for promotional reasons.
5. Canon 550D
For the filming of my thriller, i used a canon 550d SLR which
is bale to take full 1080p HD movies- ideal for a realistic film
production. As i had never used a digital camera before, it was
interesting to see how different settings on the camera affected
the outcome of the picture. For example, i changed the
exposure on set due to the intense light that i didn’t want in
the morning scene. Modern technology is changing all the time
and the invention of digital filming has overtaken mini-DV
camcorders and i can now see why.
7. Adobe Photoshop
I used this application when i created my
‘website’ and film poster. Without previous
knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite i had
to learn the basics of editing a photo. For
example, adding different layers, colour
correction and the use of shapes and text
within a photo itself. As well as blogger etc., i
found that adobe has made a very powerful
modern way of creating movies, images and
sound.
8. Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is simply another way to edit raw footage than Final Cut Express. It comes with the
Adobe Creative Suit and it allowed me to capture, edit and export my media product. Adobe Premiere
Pro is a non-destructive editing technique in which if any problems the original footage is stored digitally
hen imported form the camera onto the computer. If i had used film reels i would have had to cut and
stick the footage in which I would destroy the film. Adobe Premiere Pro offers a wide range of effects,
transitions and superimposition. I first used Premiere Pro when i gathered all my raw footage together
and so i could start editing. Without Premiere Pro my media product would have turned out much worse
since iMovie is no real competition to the standards of Adobe.
9. Adobe After Effects
Although it looks similar to Premiere Pro, After Effects is effectively completely separate from
Premiere. The program is used when detail effects need to be applied as its primary role is being a
motion graphics and compositing program. After Effects allows users to animate, alter and composite
media in 2D and 3D space with various built-in tools and third party plug-ins. I used this particular
package when colour correcting all of my footage as i found using this particular programme slightly
easier to use rather than using the basics of Premiere Pro.
10. iMovie
Having a iMac made me think that I should use software already
built-in the computer instead of having to use Premiere Pro
which is only installed on the classroom computers. After all, i
had been using iMovie since I can remember and so using it for
small projects such as testing out the green screen was relatively
easier. I found that iMovie had advanced settings which allowed
users to use a green screen effect. Not knowing if i was going to
use in my thriller opening, I decided to try how easy it was to do.
New technology and the constant drive for ‘ease of use’ is
becoming more and more apparent.
I also used iMovie for visualizing the storyboard. By taking multiple
photos of post-it notes i was able to make a sequence with audio
description in the background describing what i intend to do. As this
is was a simple task to perform i decided iMovie was best for the job
as its been renowned for its user-friendliness.
11. Slideshare and Scoop-it!
Slideshare is a way of presenting your Word,
Powerpoint or Keynote in a ‘slide’ format. Upon hearing
of this programme, i decided it would be ideal for my
call sheet when i publish it on my blog website. It allows
readers to scroll down in slides to read documents in a
very easy way. This changed the old way in which
people would send a .doc document to someone else
but now it is visually presented instead.
A revolutionary website took my attention. Scoop.it! allows users to compose a 'magazine
topic' using suitable websites and images based on what your topic is about. Scoopit! enables
you to use keywords such as 'thriller' and 'film titles'. However there is a second way in which
you can publish websites onto your topic.
Users can enter URLs and websites can be directly imported onto the topic in seconds. This
allowed me to include important websites such as screenonline.org.uk and makingof.com.
Both are useful in determining the history and past conventions of the thriller genre and
insight into creating the thriller movies themselves. Users are also able to write about each
post in their topic and customize the post picture to whatever they desire.
12. Celtx
Celtx is a downloadable programme which allows
users to plan their pre-production for theatre
productions and film making. I used the
programme to design the sets that i would hope to
use. For example, in the image to the right, i
decided that I would have one close-up shot
placed at position 1. and a wide shot of the room
at position 2. The latter gave me a point of view
shot (the father observes the empty room). The set
was lit up naturally by the sunlight through the
window but to ensure there was a substantial
amount, i will had another source of light pointing
to the bed and across the room.
13. Prezi
Prezi is a website which enables users to
create a revolutionary new style
presentation. By having a massive clear
template, users can create their own
presentation by simply adding text, images,
videos and numerous shapes. The
presentations are then played in the order
that the creator chooses them to. Again this
is another website which i was unaware of
and , although relatively new, was very
simple and easy to use. I used this
technology to answer an evaluation
question and when i looked into the thriller
genre further. It is now very easy to make
your own work unique as most things are
now fully customizable including blogger.
