Q4. HOW DID YOU USE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES IN THE

CONSTRUCTION, RESEARCH, PLANNING AND EVALUATION STAGES?

Soffia

For our different products and our research and planning, I relied on different technologies in order to put things on our blog, edit our products and generally do research. Therefore we used different types of software and hardware to help us complete these tasks. We used a range of software including Adobe Premiere Pro, PhotoShop, Indesign and more. We also used a range of hardware including cameras, tripods, and iMacs.

Research and Planning To begin our research and planning, we came up with ideas on

a PowerPoint presentation, so even from the start of our process we were using technology and it was a key part when we were discussing our documentary ideas.

For our research and planning, we used products such as Blogger. Blogger allowed us to embed codes onto our blog and upload presentations. It was the blog website that we used to upload research, images, our final radio trailer and magazine product. We all had access to this and could upload at any time, which was good as we could do work at home also. We could clearly order our work and create titles so we know what is included in every post. It was a good website to use because it was easy to use and we could do everything that we wanted to. The only difficulty with this was that a Blogger account is a Google account and therefore everything is done on one account, so to access my personal Google account, I had to keep logging back in and out, but this was not something that prevented work from being completed.

In order to upload presentations, word documents and more, we used SlideShare. It was a simple way to put our presentations on our blog. This is a website that we used to upload our work and then it created an embed code that I could put into a blog post. If we wanted to upload multiple slides of a word or powerpoint documents, it created arrows to navigate to different pages and had a full screen button to view it larger. This was the only way we could do this and therefore it was successful.

PowerPoint and Word were used frequently during our research and planning, as they were relatively simple to use. We created different themes to make our work look more attractive. Our PowerPoints could then be uploaded to our blog via SlideShare. I already knew how to use PowerPoint previously and so this was not a challenge.

The main web browser that I used was Google Chrome, as some websites that I wanted to access did not work with the Safari browser on the iMacs. Therefore this is the main one that I used. I also used this do all my research and access websites that I needed to use. To do my topic research, I could type in my topic or add quotation marks to find something specific, this meant the research could be done more effectively. One issue I encountered when doing the research at college, was that some websites such as blogs were blocked and did not allow me to access them so I had to view them from home.

Additionally, I used Prezi which is an online presentation software that had different themes and it is also interactive when we embed it into our blog. I combined this with PowerPoint and Word to have different effects. With Prezi, it features a path that the different slides take and that is the interactive section. It allowed us to provide information in a more creative way. The fact that we could embed this into our blog made it a good website to use. There were no downfalls to this website that we noticed so we used this.

The audio website that we used to upload audio clips to was Sound Cloud, I had used this website before in AS Media. We recorded our audio clips either on a phone or voice recorder and then we uploaded them to SoundCloud, if we had more than one clip, it would automatically become a playlist. We could then embed this on our blog, and we enjoyed to do this was different to written work. There was a simple play button that would come up on the blog post we embedded the code to, this means it was simple to listen to it.

We used text messages and Facebook messenger to stay in contact to arrange when we were going to come into college to do extra work or finish things that needed a group opinion such as the documentary.

Movie Maker and YouTube YouTube allowed us to do research on existing products,

to find inspiration. We also uploaded videos for our audience feedback. To upload, we used chrome and uploaded the files from the camera format. We could then title it what we wanted and then publish it. Once it was published we could then embed it into the blog. This added a different type of media in the format of a video which looked good on our blog as we used a different technology. It was simple to understand how to do this. I used Windows Movie Maker to illustrate the questions I wanted to ask my target audience for our audience feedback. I decided to do this because I wanted to add more detail to the points I was trying to make, so this seemed like an effective way to do this. I added the image for the background and then narrated over it using the script that I had made in Word. Then, I uploaded it to YouTube and then embedded on the blog. It would have been easier if Blogger had a feature that allowed files and videos to be uploaded easier however, we have YouTube and SlideShare to help us with this.

Focus group YouTube video

Movie Maker video

Construction: The hardware that we used for research and planning was the iMac

computer at college, this took a while to get used to using because it was different to what I had used previously at AS. I was quick to learn how to use this efficiently.

Sometimes however, we did not use technologies during all the planning stages of our documentary. Such as our storyboard, plans and first drafts were written and drawn. We then used technology to scan the papers by using the printer which emailed us the scanned copy, and then uploaded to SlideShare and embedded into the blog. The scanner was fairly simple to use and I liked the effect of having hand written plans on an online blog. We also used the scanner to scan the evaluation of the documentary ‘Supersize Me’ by Morgan Spurlock that we watched in lesson.

We used our phones to take images of things that we wanted to upload to our blog. We used the camera app on our iPhones to take images and then email to then transfer it to the computer to then put it on the blog. We did this frequently as it was simple to do. We could take images of our location for the location recce on the blog and emailing was an effective way to do this. We found that emailing the images was a quicker way to get it on the computer rather an use a USB to lightening cable and connecting our phones.

We used our college’s online messaging and information website ‘Tyber’ to message teachers to arrange our interviews. We could access this from our phones or computer and it allowed us to message regarding the time and place of where our interviews were being held.

HardwareTo record our voice clips, we used a voice recorder and then used a USB cable to import the clips into the computer. For example, we used the voice recorder to record our script and our verbal meetings, we did this in a separate room to allow us to have the least amount of background noise as possible. When the cable was plugged into the mac, we could drag the clips into our folder and then they could either be put straight onto SoundCloud or edited on Garage Band. I edited our brand identity meeting discussion on this software as we made mistakes whilst recording our audio. In garage band, all I did was import the clips from the voice recorder we used, then cut clips and move them together. I did this using the cut tool which was Command and then ‘T’. I then exported the file and uploaded it to SoundCloud.

The camera that we used was a video recording camera. We either had a Canon or Panasonic camera each time we filmed. The cameras had mostly the same functions, and we used a tripod to set the camera up using the base plate that screwed into the bottom of the camera. We had to make sure that the spirit level on the tripod was level so that the camera was not wonky. Using the tripod, we could easily make smooth pan shots by using the handle for the base plate of the camera, which was very helpful. Furthermore, we used a direct (shotgun) microphone, we plugged this in via the microphone port on each of the cameras. We had to make sure that the microphone was pointing at the person who was speaking otherwise the audio would not be as loud or clear. We used headphones that we put in the headphone port of the camera. We could hear the audio through this and we could tell whether we needed to bring the microphone closer or not. After we were finished each time we filmed footage, we uploaded it to our computer via a USB cable and put it in our own folder which was dated to make the clip selection process easier.

Tripod

Microphone

Camera

Documentary Editing .

We imported our footage from the folder we saved our clips, and then they came up on the left side of screen in Premiere. We could then drag it into the timeline to start editing them. We could do it systematically because we had a log to see what clips would come first, so this helped.

We used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit our documentary, we imported our clips from the different folders that we made with the different dates on so we knew what we wanted to start with.

Time line Clips

Using the razor tool, we could cut our clips by clicking where we wanted it to be cut. We could also do this by dragging the pointer across the timeline. We changed between the select tool and the razor tool to get our clips where we wanted them. The timeline consists of our video files, our titles, audio and background audio which are all on different levels. This made it easier to add or change things.

Razor tool

Selection tool

Video filesTitles and effects

Music audio

Narration

Audio from clips

To add titles we went to the title menu at the top of the screen and clicked add title, and then default still. This allowed us to add text on top of our video, and we did this for our interviews, to add the name and title of the interviewee. Furthermore, we did this because wanted to have the questions we asked during interviews and vox pops on the screen.

We could change the different fonts and size by holding down the command key, we kept the same font for all our titles.

We blurred the screen by using the video effects tool, we changed the blurriness to suit our needs.

We decided to do this because then the audience could focus on the question. We liked this effect because the movement of the interviewee can still be seen behind. It also shows a change of question, we could adjust the percentage of the blur, if it was too blurry, it might have hurt the audience’s eyes and we did not want that.

We added different video transitions at the end of some of our video clips in the documentary. We did this because it would help our videos to flow better.We did this by clicking on video transitions and then dragging them on the relevant clip. We frequently used the ‘fade to black’ video transition to show the end of a scene or change of location. Sometimes we left it as a jump cut as that if the effect that we wanted. We could elongate the effect to make it the same length as the video clip if we wanted to.

This is the pen tool that we used to correct our sound levels, through this, we could use the bars on the sound clip to make it louder or quieter. Using this tool, we could move the bar up and down to adjust the audio. We did this frequently during the whole documentary because we wanted to make the music audio quieter when somebody was speaking so that they would be able to be heard. The diegetic sound is the audio of things we want to be heard in the clip. The non diegetic sound is the narration and the music beat underlying. After we had completed the documentary, we exported it to the best resolution so that it would be in the best quality.

Music Voice over

Sound from documentary

Radio Trailer

The radio trailer was also done on Adobe Premiere Pro, we did it on this software because we had become familiar with it. We got the same effects and could use the same functions in Premiere Pro as another audio editing software such as ‘Garage band’ so it made sense to do the documentary in this programme. This meant we could drag the audio clips from the documentary that we were using in the radio trailer directly across, likewise with the voice over audio from the voice recorder. It did not take too long to do this, but adjusting sound levels was a key part to ensure we made a successful radio trailer. We had a timeline like our documentary that we could scroll along to certain parts of the trailer.

The pen tool is what is mainly used as it enabled us to move the sound levels up and down to make it louder and quieter. We had different vox pops in the radio trailer, along with the music beat audio we used in the documentary. Then we had the narration of the presenter giving facts and therefore it was important to change it according to the loudness of the clip. The interview/vox pop audios were generally quieter so they needed adjusting.

The radio trailer also has different levels, and the bottom level is the music beat, and then the top two are the narration and additional interview clips.

The razor tool was also essential for the radio trailer because it meant that the clips could be cut.

As we did our radio trailer on the same software, Adobe Premiere Pro, we added a new sequence which allowed us to create the radio trailer on the same file.

These different waves show the audio clip volume, when selecting the pen tool, it allowed us to move the volume up and down. The different black lines are where the clips have been cut. It is the same for our documentary.

Documentary

Radio trailer

Blur tool (PhotoShop)

We did our magazine in the software InDesign, but to add the background that we wanted we had to use PhotoShop. We edited the image on PhotoShop to make it brighter and blur the writing, as if we did not blur the writing, the text would not have been easy to read. To do this we could adjust the hardness of the blur by dragging the bar with the mouse which would increase the percentage. Then, to get the image across the software to Indesign, it had to be exported and imported into InDesign.

Magazine

To adjust the brightness of the image, we used the brightness/contrast tool. It was essential to do this to our background image because it was dull and would not have been appealing as the background of our magazine double page spread. This meant that we could then put black text over the top of it and it would be more prominent.

Before adjusting the brightness

After adjusting the brightness

Magazine For our magazine double page spread, we used InDesign. This was a software that we used in AS. To start off with, we made the page size that we wanted, as we wanted a double page spread. Then I made a rectangle covering the entire box to cover both pages. For this I went on the square icon and then held it down to get the additional screen to come up. The rectangle tool allowed me to draw out where I wanted the box to go. This created a background to work on. I also used this tool to create the background of the images and then added short lines to give a ‘stitched’ effect.

Rectangle tool (InDesign)

To change the colour of text or images, this tool was useful as it was a way to choose colours and it would apply them instantly.

This tool allowed us to make the text go around the images or boxes made. This was useful when we put our pull quotes and other images in the middle of text as the text would form and shape around the image. I wanted to make sure that the pull quotes stood out so I made them in bold and italics. I also made the actual wording of the quote fairly ambiguous by not saying who said the quote, so that the reader would be tempted to read the article.

To select text or images, the top black tool was useful as it enabled me to do this. The bottom tool was used for selecting parts inside an image as it was a direct tool.

The text tool was used frequently in order to create text boxes, we used this to put the main text in, which I wrote in Word and then copied and pasted into the text box in InDesign, I did this because then I could use the spell check to make sure that all the spelling and grammar was correct. This text tool was also used for smaller text boxes such as the page numbers and bylines.

If there was a colour that we wanted to make but was not on the standard colours that were standard. We could use this tool to select a colour and then make it darker or lighter or have parts of another colour in it.

To put images on our double page spread, for example our interview images, we clicked file, place and then chose the image. Through doing this, the images could be saved on to InDesign, when they were copied and pasted, the files may be missing once we closed down the software.

I researched what font Channel 4 used and applied the same font to our byline.

Documentary font

Channel 4 font Documentary font

Text/font

The tool was to make the drop cap for the beginning of the article. This is something that is a code and convention for all articles and it marks the beginning. To make the first letter bigger the increase button was used.

Evaluation For my evaluation I have decided

to do the Q1 on ‘emaze’ then I put my work into iMovie which will allow me to add images and create a short video. I had not used iMovie before, but it was fairly simple to use by importing images and then dragging them on the timeline, much like Adobe Premiere Pro. My question 2 is on a simple word document. Questions 3 and 4 will be a PowerPoint presentation as this gives me the best layout to use images, text and arrows. To upload them to the blog, I will have to use SlideShare and then embed them into a blog post marked with my name.

iMovie