Evaluation: Use of Technology

Question 6)

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

For our reseatch into the teen romance-drama genre, we mainly used websites such as YouTube and IMDb to gain knowledge on the different films as well as looking at trailers and clips from the films themselves.

In the planning stage of pre-production, we used the software 'Celtx' to produce a script, storyboard, production schedule and character profiles.

Script:

 Production Schedule:

Character Profiles:

Storyboard:

During the filming process, we used a Nikon D5100, which is a standard DSLR camera. This gave our opening a more professional appearance and enabled us to work with focusing and zooming more accurately, developing our camera skills. We worked with a standard lens that enabled us to do this effectively. Working with a DSLR camera was much more helpful when attempting to capture the best quality in our digital filming, which would have been harder to achieve with a video recorder or flip camera. 

We also used a tripod to help us to keep the camera straight and enable us to steady the camera movement when using pans and tilts. This kept the camera on an accurate axis so that the shot was near-perfect. What was helpful as well was that the legs of the tripod extended very far so that the camera can be held at a higher angle and still stay straight.

The main software we used in the post-production stage was iMovie on the apple macs. Throughout the editing process, we put all the clips together, cutting out clips that disrupted the continuity and eliminating the inaccurate shots. 

We added music and credits. To get our music, we bought 'What If' by Emily Hazell from bandcamp.com using PayPal, and for the other songs in our soundtrack, we converted them to mp3 from YouTube.

When we added our voiceover, we found that the recording on the mac was fuzzy and it picked up the background noise very easily. In order to make the sound sound more professional, we used an audio editing software called 'Audacity' to eliminate the background noise.

 Throughout our entire prodution process, we used Google's 'Blogger' to document our research,planning and filming processes. We also altered the template and settings in order to make our blogs more appealing and link them to our chosen genre through images and fonts.

Evaluation: Comparison to Preliminary Task

Question 5)

 Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

In our preliminary task, we focused on the 180 degree rule and getting the sequence as continuous as possible whilst including a variety of camera shots and movement throughout. For example, we used a close up on the door handle as the girl opens the door, as well as a pan movement to follow her across the room.

This task enabled us to practice our technical skills and camera work before attempting to film our final opening.

We then transferred our newly developed skills into the filming of our opening, making sure there was continuity and accuracy, and that shots were clear and neat. For instance, in the sequence where we see Emma on her way to the train station, we managed to display a range of camera shots and movement whilst portraying continuity through her journey:

Continuity was really important in our opening so that it was easy to follow and did not seem like there were any gaps or jumps in the story. I think we worked best with continuity in the journey to the train station scene, as even though we did not show every single step of the way, the audience can still easily follow the journey, and it all links together.

Throughout our opening, we used a range of camera shots and movement, like in our preliminary task:

Evaluation: Reflecting on Our Opening

Question 2)

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Question 3)

Who would be the audience for the media product? 

Question 4)

How does your media product represent particular social groups?