Blog Task 4

A director’s commentary on how you used new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

To answer this question, I need to define the key term media technology. This type of technology underpins all media equipment with binary code, bringing speed, small size, high quality etc. Examples of media technologies are digital still/video cameras, Final Cut Pro editing, blue screen, ATM machines, and the Internet. I used media technologies extensively and at all stages of production from the construction and research stages to the planning and evaluation stages of my pop video.

Research and Development

Within the research and development stage of my project I used new media technologies to increase the depth of my research through the use of Internet and television. I was able to use these various technologies to increase my awareness of related aspects of the music industry that would help with the other stages in making my pop video, digipak and magazine advert. The Internet, as a method of gaining research is generally fast paced and means that I was able to research in depth into areas that were important to the development of ideas. Also within the research and development stage I used new media technologies when producing the storyboard. Instead of drawing it by hand and leaving it, we used a video camera to film each shot on the storyboard and cut it roughly to music. Therefore due to Final Cut Pro and cameras, which are both new media technologies, I was able to produce a more realistic storyboard that was more helpful to see what were effective shots and what weren’t in relation to the music. Consequently the use of these technologies contributed to the form of my pop video as they made it easier to be visually creative which increased the level of sophistication and professionalism with my A2 production.

Construction

Within to construction stage (shoot day), we used the JVC1500E video camera that is very involved and produces high quality footage. However, it does require skill to use it to its full potential but since AS I have increased my knowledge of compositions rules and now know of colour, shape, leading the eye and the X and Y axis which meant that when using this technology I was aware of what the final outcome would be like. Furthermore this increase in knowledge allowed me to become more creative to use new media technology to help portray these newly learnt different composition rules. In addition, another technology that we used was the blue-screen that immediately contributed to the overall function and meaning to my pop video as it permits you to create a scene without actually having to film the scene itself. Normal Films have shots which range between 7 to 20 seconds long, so if they have 21 shots of 10 seconds each to fill the length, then they have a ratio of 2:1. Whereas with a pop video the shots range from 1 to 5 seconds in length. Particularly in our pop video the maximum shot was only 4 seconds long. Therefore it has a ratio of 10:1, so you have to shoot much more shots to allow for this ratio.

Post-Production

Within the post-production stage the difference in new media technology is that editing has changed from the old analogue system (linear) to non-linear. Linear editing differs from non-linear due to the fact that scenes have to be cut in sequence from beginning to end. With non-linear editing, sequences can be moved from the same video piece into different locations within that same piece. On the other hand, with linear editing if you want to change the order of sequences you will have to re-edit the entire piece up until the point where you want to make the change. Therefore this change in technology has enabled me to increase the speed at which the editing can be done. It also has more effects and the quality of the overall piece is better. In the construction, post-production stage in order to edit I used a technologies called Final Cut Pro and After Effects. After Effects helped me to edit the image onto the blue screen at a more complex level that produced a better outcome that looked more professional whilst giving me experience in using both programmes. This technology also meant that I could produce the effect of turning our band into 2D people within my pop video.

Distribution and Exhibition

The Internet is being used to distribute our pop video to its demographic. Furthermore we are specifically using www.youtube.com to exhibit it to viewers. The Internet is specifically good at marketing our video because it can be accessed all over the world so a large demographic can view our video. However in order for people to know about it and therefore view it, we have to market it properly in order for people to watch it. This is done through the use of Email, Twitter, MySpace, Bebo, Facebook and virtual marketing. The expanding usage and availability of the internet has meant it has become easier for us to distribute and exhibit our video to a large audience because most people within our demographic have access to the internet constantly through mobile phones, laptops, computers etc.