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

PRE-PRODUCTION & PLANNING:

Internet based technologies

Blogger: to record all of my stages of research and planning I have used www.blogger.com to keep track of this work and to store and publish this when completed. I also used this website to post
examples and inspiration taken from other websites/sources (for example: music videos via YouTube).

YouTube: I used YouTube to conduct the majority of existing music video research, I am very familiar with this website and use it regularly, also I found the accessibility of it meant i could research almost anywhere and find more obscure/less known example videos. 

For the majority of the planning and research I used Google as the main search engine particularly with image based inspiration.
Some of the photos I have published I have displayed in a collage format, I used PowerPoint to create these images in the layout I wished then saved the preview as a PNG file to maintain the maximum amount of quality.

Also I used a website to help create the GIF files throughout the planning and evaluation: http://gifmaker.me/

PRODUCTION:

Camera used:

NIKON D5100

For all of the filming and photography throughout this project I used my own camera to capture these; I have had the Nikon D5100 for almost a year and feel very comfortable using this as I have a lot of practice with it at home.

I found it very beneficial using my own camera, as I didn't have to worry about booking times and availability with school camera, also I was able to capture a lot of trial filming with similar set ups in my own time to prepare for the real shooting day without effecting anyone else.

Tripod and Dolly:

 For some of the shot I have used a Dolly to create a smooth tracking shot around the character, this is most apparent within the performance scenes.

One of the most clear examples of this would probably be 2:27- 2:30, this clip is a clear and smooth example use of the Dolly around Josh - backing member #1 guitarist. (also see GIF)



 

 

 

POST-PRODUCTION:



Editing software

Music Video

Adobe premiere elements 3.0:
this was my first time using this software, I had very little experience with any video editing software other than very limited use of windows movie makers a couple of years ago. However I managed to get used to this program very quickly and found it very simple and user friendly.

Ancillary Texts

Adobe Photoshop CS: I started using Photoshop only recently for photography editing in art and for portfolio pieces, very quickly managed to find techniques and tricks which made this software I once saw very daunting in fact very simple and enjoyable. Using the assistance from online Photoshop tutorial websites I taught myself new editing skills (for example the broken glass text effect created for the band name).

Also for the CD design I created the initial boarded lines within InDesign, after this was finished I used Photoshop to create more depth by using different shades and variations of blue.

Adobe InDesign CS: I have used InDesign last year in media so felt very comfortable I knew the basics and various techniques within the program

NEW SKILLS

Over the course of this product I have learn a lot with mainly Photoshop, and Premiere Elements. I have never used a professional editing styled editor so this was a completely new experience and I gained a lot of knowledge throughout the process, for example I used Premiere to editing the contrast, brightness and saturation of each of the clips to enhance them and give them a better high quality finish.
In terms of Photoshop I have used a lot more use of the other tools, typically I stick to layers and masks; however I used the cloning tool, and pen tool to create sections and stroke paths.

Problems faced

I only faced limited problems in the pre and post-production stages of the project. It was the production of the product which was the hardest due to external factors which I had a lack of control over whereas the pre and post stages only involved myself and I was able to do this work whenever I was free without the need of others. However with production I had a lot of issues with weather, lighting due to the time of year, having all of the characters available to film, permission to use performance location and props.
Although I during the editing process of the music video I found that I had to variate from the original plans. I started editing with the Neverland shots and put all of these into place, after filming and reviewing the footage from the performance setup I noted which clips were the best from these scenes, however I found that I didn't have some of the footage I had planned, not to a good enough quality anyway. For example the count in with the drums didn't film well enough to use, also when watching the footage I found the end scene that I have used where Peter sings "Neverland" facing away then looks up and directly into the camera as the music cuts, after editing this through time stretching to match the audio timing I found this to be a really effective ending clip, in place for what I originally planned- to end on the two reunited.
These were all only minor problems faced which simply required a bit of re-editing and most just a rearrange of clips throughout the video.

what have you learnt from your audience feedback?

I asked 6 people within my targeted age group to watch my music video and analyse this as well as the ancillary text and magazine advert.

I gained positive and negative comments from each person about these products initially then asked each 3 set questions about select areas of the product to gain a range of open ended answer and more direct answers I knew would be relevant for analysing.

The 6 people I asked consisted of:

Letitia - aged 17

Florence - aged 17

Becky - ages 18

Ollie - aged 16

James - aged 19

Oli - aged 18

This gave a range of opinion from different ages within the target group and gave the opinions from both genders so I could see how effective it was to each group.

From the results of this feedback I found that as a whole the results I got were very positive. Overall everyone I asked had lots of positive things to say about each individual product.

Result summary:

• all of the 6 I asked agreed that the music video matched the genre
• 5/6 agreed the ancillary text and magazine advert matched the genre
• 4/6 captured the main concepts of the music video storyline (the 2 who didn't were both male who are not the primary targeted gender anyway)
• All 6 agreed there weren't many visual links between the ancillary text and video however agreed they still really liked them, plus 2 of these 6 found links between the two on very diverse subtle levels.

What I did find most interesting about the result were the misinterpretation of the music video, I know this is very common, everyone has a unique opinion on things. Personally I found the outcome represented the story rather well however after the pre, post and production stages i understand that i have a very bias view on the products. Although i was reassuring that each of the female target audience i received feedback from picked up on at least some of the key themes and storyline behind the video.

Audience feedback: Magazine Advert

Letitia:

·       There is a clear link between the advert and the digipak, as the image is used. Relevant information (such as release date and songs featuring on the album) is included in a suitable sized font.

·       Similar to the digpak, an image of the artist could have been used. Furthermore, the logo for itunes would look good and would have been recognised by the audience.

Florence:

·      Clearly matches the digipak and so it is easy to draw a link between the two.

·       The 15^th January date of release could have been separated more from ‘album release’ just to make it stand out more.

Becky:

·       i really like the contract between the colours, the artist name is really clear and the detail stands out well. gives a great overall look

·        the image is really good and it's reasonably simple to keep the attention focused on the text and information rather than the image.

·      maybe some terms and conditions would have given an extra professional element to the advert.

Ollie:

·      The advert links well with the album, it’s very clear it is an advert for that album. The white text really stand out on the background and highlights the key information well – band and album name and release date.

·      There example song titles could have been a lighter coloured font, in particular the focus “Somewhere in Neverland” track. 

James:

·           You have made great use of the space you have, the positioning of the image and text looks great.

·           The contrast of colours really works well, I like that you have chosen one focus colour and stuck to various shades and black and white, it doesn't over complicate the page.

·           Maybe the release date could have been in a different place, while it looks good there the line where the floor and walls meet does intercept the top of "January".

Oli:

·      The advert is very eye catching but still very simple, there are no heavy amounts of texts, and the strong background colour would help it to stand out within a magazine while flipping through it.

·      the shadow and shoes seems to be a lower quality than the background.

How do the links between the ancillary text and advert affect the overview view?

Letitia: the use of the same photography and front make them very recognisable, this in turn makes it easier for people trying to locate the album online or in store.

Florence: by using the same elements and layouts it is clear they are both related and are part of the same advertising campaign, it gives a very logical connection between the products.

Becky: there are very obvious links between the two - photography, fonts, colours etc. 

Ollie: they clearly link with each other, you can tell looking at each piece they are for the same album.

James: the links between the two help to give the artist a memorable element to the piece, having a strong consistent advertising campaign would strength the recognisability of the band and their work.

Oli: it just creates a very strong match between them, they look like they go together and are for the same product and portray the same effect onto the viewer.

Do you think it matches the Alternative rock genre and how so?

Letitia: yes, the blue themed design really matches the genre and looks great, by having only one focus colour it doesn't over complicate the design.

Florence: not really, I find it shares more conventions of other genres such as EDM, it looks too urban to be an alternative sub genre.

Becky: yeah the imagery is very alternative, the use of not having an artist photo ties in this secondary genre.

Ollie: yes I really like the blue colour scheme as well, it creates a very simplistic view to the products.

James: it doesn't have a very strong rock element to the design but due to the second sub genre of alternative this doesn't matter, it fits in to the softer rock conventions. So yes I think it matches.

Oli: yes, i really link the design and the colour scheme they link into this genre and other existing work within this genre well, i could really see it as a professional industry piece.

Is there anything you would change about the magazine advert? (Please state)

Letitia: maybe you could have used and artist/band image to make it more recognisable.

Florence: change the layout of the text of the release date to make it clearer 

Becky: maybe added a few small details- terms and conditions, recording companies etc.

Ollie: change the colour of the song titles to a lighter shade to make them easier to read

James: place the release date slightly differently to avoid the line where the wall and floor meet.

Oli: maybe had a higher quality of the shoes and shadows.

Audience feedback: Digipak

Letitia:

·      The digipak looks very professional. All of the relevant information is included. I also like how the same pattern is used throughout the album.

·      The terms and conditions on the back of the digipak is in white and is hard to see against the background. Also, a picture of the artist could have been included on the front.

Florence:

·      It looks very professional and works well with the advert, a lot of consistency

·      However I wouldn't necessarily say it’s reflective of the genre and fits more of an electro-dance genre. So it could be more linked to your video.

Becky:

·      I felt the digipak was very good and helped to reflect the genre very well with its use of colour and font type. I particularly felt drawn to the title graphics which I felt made the album stand out which would attract the target audience.

·      all three components of the text work well with each other and help to reinforce the targeted genre, as a slights addition I felt the delusion text could have had more components integrated into it yet its simplicity can be an advantage

·       The colours on the cd disc design could be a deeper blue to match better with the other products.

Ollie:

·      The level of detail is great, it makes the pieces look a lot more professional. Also the use of colour really compliments the photo and give it a better finished look.

·      The only negative I found was the inside booklet, while it did link well with the other pieces, it was very plain in comparison  

James:

·            I really like the shattered glass titles, it is very detailed and looks very professional.

·           The links between the song and the album cover are really good, subtle hints between them give them elements they relate to each other through but no too focused that the other songs feel out of place.

·           Maybe the CD disc could have been a different shade or colour, it seems quite dark in comparison to the cover and booklet.

Oli:

·      I really like this design it is very unique and eye catching, this would also essentially be very recognisable with the band because it is so memorable and original.

·      they really link well between each other, especially through the use of colour and patterns.

·      the layout of the track list maybe be better if it was to the left not central.

What links can you see between the music video and ancillary texts and how does this affect the overall view?

Letitia: I don’t know if this is right but I found the music video to be focus around the whole concept of dreams and reality and the links and confusion between them, the cover links to this through the element of the shadow without the body, it is a very non reality image. I think this is really cleaver.

Florence: I don’t really see many links to be honest, the video is very much natural settings whereas the cd is a very urban based. I still really like the case and I don’t find that it needs to be strongly linked to the one song as there are 14 songs it has to represent.

Becky: the cover clearly has a very unrealistic element to it, this links to the Neverland setting and make belief world/elements.

Ollie: personally i could really find any real links between the two, however i still really like the design just as much and feel this doesn't matter.

James: there aren't many links between them i have noticed, the setting is different, the artist isn't present, these texts have one focus colour whereas the video is very colourful. However this doesn't effect the amount of which i like it, i think the design is great and matches the genre and work well for the artist- plus there are many other songs with themes of their own on the album anyway.

Oli: Honestly i couldn't really find any visual links between the two through like settings and characters but i do really like the cover anyway i think it looks great.

Do you think it matches the Alternative rock genre and how so?

Letitia: yes it has a very simple design and isn't too crowded and doesn't use too many colours this is very conventional of alternative styled genres.

Florence: not really I feel it would be better in a more electro dance music genre, especially because of the blue colours used. 

Becky: yeah, I really like the colour scheme. Also text is often seen to be very dark, typically black whereas the titles is in white and very focused on using very light text, adds to the alternative feel.

Ollie: yes, the simplistic view matches the alternative elements well and the colours look great, the focus of having one key colours adds to the simplistic element too.

James: the non human focused photography is typical of the alternative and indie genres this creates links with this sub genre.

Oli: yes, the colour scheme really helps with this and matches the genre well.

Is there anything you would change about the ancillary texts? (Please state)

Letitia: change the colour of the terms  and conditions on the back cover as it's hard to read.

Florence: link the visuals to at least one of the settings of the music video so it clearly links.

Becky: you could have used an image of the band/artist to help make the product more recognisable with the band.

Ollie: you could of made the inside booklet more complicated, it seems very plain.

James: maybe you could change the colour of the disc as it is very dark in comparison to the other elements

Oli: i would have had the track lists down the left hand side of the cover rather than having the text central.

Audience feedback: Music Video

Letitia:

 

·       I like how the shots are edited together. There is one part of the video when they’re in the elephant grass and two shots of the girl character are superimposed onto each other so that it looks like one shot. I thought it was very well edited.

·        The narrative part of the video is really good. I really like the story behind it and it links well with the lyrics. The way that you think that she’s dreaming until she finds the necklace in her pocket I think is really clever.

·        The performance side of the video looks very professional – the way that the band is set up looks very good. Furthermore, the shots are conventional of the soft-rock genre.

·        There are a couple of shots within the video that are a little bit dark – mostly in the performance. This makes it hard to see what is in the shot, and identify whether it is the narrative or performance.

Florence:

 

·        Good, I like the way you have a lot of different settings in your video: the paint, balloons, band etc…

·         it’s very colourful and fits the pop like genre

·       There are parts where the characters in the narrative mouth the words, this works really well and links it together nicely.

·        The only criticism I can think of would be that some of the things the couple does together aren’t necessarily things a normal couple would do. However it does link to Neverland and the idea of being young.

Becky:

Good editing between the performance and narrative scenes they flow well.

·      You have used a good range of camera shots and techniques.

·       Could of had more of the other backing members throughout the performance shots.

 

Ollie:
 

·        I like the shots you have used they’re very creative and different. This gives a more unique element to the video.

·        Good use of setting, particularly the elephant grass, it’s really different and looks great in scene.

·        The lighting in some of the shots could be better – the park scenes it is hard to make out part of her face in the sunlight.

James:

·        I find the video fits the lyrics really well, the narrative based scenes really tell the story behind the song.

·        There is a good level of detail hidden in the music video, the links between the film Peter Pan give it a nice twist.

·       You have used the scenes and settings well, it could have been just disjointed with so many settings but they all seem to work and fit each other. Gives a good variation of shots.

·        However some of the shots did slightly feel disjointed and random within the Neverland scenes.

Oli:

 

·     The actors used are a good age they suit the song and can relate to the themes within the lyrics, the performance shots do actually look like it could be him singing.

·           I really like the end shot where it shows him singing and gives direct look at the camera, I’m not sure why I like it so much just this it is very effective.

·      the only part I can think I didn’t like was when the girl sings part of the lyrics about half way through, she doesn't’t sing before or after this only the one time which didn’t really make sense. Also this scene was a lot brighter than the previous shots and looks slightly out of place

From watching the music video in your opinion what is the basic storyline and themes behind the video?

Letitia: I think the storyline behind the video is based around the idea of wanting to run away from the responsibilities; however there is a moment which shows Wendy alone and creates the dream like unreal sense to the previous settings until she finds the necklace and realised it was real and reunites with Peter.

 

Florence: i'm gathering it's based of the story of Peter Pan, the characters want to run away and live in neverland. the video shows the link between these ideals and reality and how possible/impossible this it, and to what levels these themes can be shared in the real world.

Becky: the story is about not wanting to grow up and have to make life decisions and responsibilities, the ideological idea of being about to stay a kid forever and not have to deal with these problems and decisions is key to the story. The two of them run away and are shown in this Neverland childhood environment, however Wendy appears to wake up and be dreaming the whole thing until she finds a necklace Peter gave her and she goes to find him realising they can have the Neverland elements and be happy but on the real world.

Ollie: while I did enjoy the video without listening to the lyrics I could have been seen that the story was a telling of a previous relationship. The start shows the girl looking back over her relationship and has like flashback memories of times with the guy, at the end it shows her finding a necklace he gave her and she realises she wants to be with him hence why they are together at the end.

James: I initially thought the video was about the couple spending their last few day with each other before going their separate ways to university/job. The girl is clearly very sad about this so they figuratively run away for there last days and take no care in the real world for a while. It ends with their final goodbye.

Oli: it clearly a love story between the male and female character, he is madly in love with her and wants to do all he can to make her happy.

Do you think it matches the Alternative rock genre and how so?

Letitia: overall I think it does, although rock video typically have a jump cut focus editing the alternative style of videos are often a lot softer. The performance scenes show the rock elements while the fade transitions link in the softer conventions.

Florence: yes the bright and colourful scenes help ling to the softer popish style of rock genre.

Becky: yeah the performace scenes are very typical of this genre.

Ollie: i think it could have more rock elements through darker scenes and less pop theme, however the sub genre of rock it is does still fit the video.

James: yeah it follows the conventions well, it has the performance parts to reflect the rock elements but has the more colourful shots to like to the softer alternative/pop elements of the genre.

Oli: Yes i reallylike the video the transitions are soft but the sharpness of the performance staged setting is this present.

Is there anything you would change about the video? (Please state)

Letitia: maybe the lighting could be better for some of the performance scene shots, it would be clearer and easier to see the characters.

Florence: maybe use some more everyday activity shots to help link in the connection with the real world.

Becky: the background behind the performance set up could have been better, the black back drop only cover directly behind the artists, it may have looked better around the side so this backdrop effect with visible in side angles as well.

Ollie: maybe have different lighting in some of the scenes to make all the shots clearer- park scene is very bright in some shots.

James: Some shots I found out of place, and I didn’t like the shot of her holding the yellow balloons to his face, it blocked him too much and didn’t feel like it gave much to the story.

Oli: maybe have a clearly link between the scene where the girl finds the necklace and runs to find the guy at the end, it felt a bit disjointed.

Representation

FEMALES

For all of the character in video I wanted to portray very positive representations however after analysing both the storyline and camera shot/angles, mise-en-scene etc. I have found that there are several negative stereotypical traits to particularly Wendy.

Firstly the opening scene shows her scrap booking (already a very stereotypical female activity) and getting very emotional over the pictures and memories behind these images. Although this does show her to be a very caring and kind person, this could also be seen as being very emotional, a trait very stereotypical to females in the media.
Also the whole idea that she is so unhappy with the life she is facing that she feels the need to run away (typically a very weak action), and the fact that she is unable to do this alone, it is only after a male character steps forward and takes the lead does she follow and is shown with more positive emotions.
In fact the character of Wendy is shown to be very focus and revolves around Peter. Only when she is with him is she truly happy; when in Neverland together she is shown laughing, having fun and most importantly happy, however all the shots alone is essentially the opposite, and the moment she find the necklace and goes to find Peter her whole face lights up and is filled with these emotions once again. Because obviously the only way someone can ever be happy is if they have a man to lead them and make everything okay... right?

However just because some of these traits are very stereotypical and unrepresentative of women in general, that is not to say all the traits are negative. Nurturing, caring, loving even creativity are all pretty good traits, the only thing which bothers me is the way in which it conveys to the stereotype of women as the weaker sex. However scenes such as the blanket fort begins to break these conventions showing a role reverse of "traditional" relationship.

MALES

The representation of males within my music video is mainly only shown through the character of Peter, he is the only character you really learn enough about to give a representation. Overall the perceptions around Peter portray a very positive effect, he is shown to be very thoughtful and looks out for Wendy, he can see she is upset and looks for an answer to solve her problem. This also shows him as a very strong, independent person to make these decision, all of which are all very positive reflection towards this gender. he also is shown as a relatable character to the audience, rather than shown in fancy clothes, low angle shots and high position role to intimidate the audience he is shown more as an individual the viewer can relate to. This is emphasised within the shot of the pair in Neverland showing Peter relaxing and having fun, being able to let go and make a fool of himself without a care, this laid back attitude gives him a very "nice-guy" appeal and is seen as a very positive character.

However there are a couple of elements which show Peter in a more negative light, not many but the main element i can find is the scene in which Wendy wakes up alone. Peter is shown in a dark light and more of a figure who left Wendy and abandoned her making her upset again. Although other than this element i couldn't find any other elements which portrays him in a negative way.

How effective is the combination of your media product and ancillarytexts?

I am actually really pleased with my final resulting products, particularly the album artwork however this didn't follow the planning in any form. I began to create the designed plans with an image of the main artist Peter, however I couldn't find a good combination and layout, each edit didn't give the professional look I wanted. So I stepped back and started brainstorming about other ideas and plans for album work. I used the theme of the illusion and delusion of the make believe setting of Neverland and thought about creating a similar effect, an image which challenges the scientific, real life perceptions. 

Also within the story of Peter Pan there is a scene in which Peter looses his shadow and it becomes detached from him. From these themes created this CD design of the shadow with the lack of the human figure.

I'm really pleased with the final result and have used elements between the ancillary texts to create better synergy- the lined effect on the disc design I have created on the spine of the outer case, this pattern I then copied and rotated to create a frame for the inside booklet. Also I have kept the same text and colour schemes to help make each text relatible to the other through several elements. 

Links and differences between ancillary texts a video

However I do find there is a lack of similarity and synergy between the music video and the digipak and advert. Although I noticed that many other artists do this, typically the CD won't reflect images and strong relations with one song, unless it is a single and not an album. Seen as I have created this CD as an album I didn't want to have a very heavy Neverland theme through setting, however as I have analysed there are subtle themes shared with the story (shadow) also the performance scene have several shot which have very focused blue lighting which helps to link to these design without being too overpowering. 

Links and differences between magazine advert and ancillary text 

As planned I have used the same image for the magazine advert as the CD front cover, this clearly shows the representation the advert is for the album. Also to emphasise this I have used the same font throughout all the text on both. There aren't really any differences between the two other than obvious elements suitable for an advert- release date, featured songs etc. However this is to how I planned and personally don't see this as a negative.

Links and differences between magazine advert and video

Likewise with the CD cover the links between the magazine advert and the music video stems around the themes of reality, well in this case the concept of what is reality and showcasing the more fake and artificial themes. The "figureless" shadow is a seemingly impossible element, this links to the impossibly idea of wanting to stay young forever and the world of Neverland.

On the other hand there are elements of these products which show differences between the two. The setting and location for example, the music video is very much focused in natural settings and show a lot of outdoor settings in feilds, woods, parks etc; while the image on the advert and ancillary texts is taken outside it is in a very urban location contrasting the Neverland scenes and bring the album to a more realistic setting. 

Developing this theme, the idea of a very realistic background of the concrete, urban background with the seemingly unrealistic artificial component of the shadow creates a very contrasting image and takes this two elements ago form together and create a piece which challenges the perception of what is reality. Also this gives a very everyday setting of the urban environment a very alienated view.