EVALUATION - question 4, How did you use media technologies in the construction and reseach, planning and evaluation stages?

Pitch

I used prezi to make the presentation for my pitch. I thought this was good as it was easy to present as it was all on there. I included links, mood boards, videos and pictures. 

However, I didn't like how jumpy it seemed, zooming in and out all the time. If I use prezi in the future, I will find out how to stop it zooming in and out so fast so that it is easier to watch.

Finding the track

I used Myspace to find a song that would be suitable to use. Firstly, I searched for unsigned artists. However I decided that I would use one of my cousins songs. So instead, I used Myspace to listen to her songs and decide which would be useful and have the most potential for a good video.

 I then contacted her through email to get official permission to use the video.

I did all of the editing of my digipack and advert on Photoshop. This program is incredibly useful and I developed lots of skills through using it. I learnt how to use different effects on pictures, and played around with it for a while until I found which one would work the best. I also played around with lots of different fonts and background colours, which I then used for both the digipack and advert.

Youtube and Blogger as both sites I used to post on. I blogged throughout my research and planning, and I posted my finished music video on YouTube, as well as using the comments option for the evaluation question one, to add little boxes on the video.
 http://emilywaldrona2media.blogspot.com/2012/02/evaluation-question-1-in-what-ways-does.html
These were both very useful.

Creativity and technology?


The technology that I used throughout the planning and making of my digipack, advert and music video helped my creativity, not hinder it. I was able to trial and error lots of different setting on Photoshop and Premiere Pro, so that I could find which would work the best for the genre.

Media 2.0


The making of my video would not have happened without media 2.0. I contacted the artist of the song through email and Myspace. I used Youtube to upload my video to the internet, and I used Facebook to get comments and audience feedback about it. Media 2.0 was very useful as it helped me to get in touch with my target audience, which in turn made my video much more effective.

EVALUATION - question 3, What have you learned from your audience feedback?

I showed my music video to some friends on Facebook. They left me the following comments:

scenery suited the genre stereotypes


lip syncing good, sometimes slightly off


slow paced editing matches the speed of the song


got a little repetitive


needed more locations

This tells me that my target audience were positively affected by the video, they agreed and understood the conventions of the genre that I used. It is also quite pleasurable for them, they enjoyed the shots that I used, for example one person said 'like the use of props and the tree shots'. They are taking a preferred reading.

However, if I were to remake or edit the video, I would take more varied shots in different locations, as my target audience suggested. I think that it is important to use suggestions from your target audience as they are the ones who will share your text and get it seen by more people.  I would also spend more time on the lip synching, so that it can be a good match all of the time, not just some of it.

EVALUATION - question 2, How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

The combination of my digipack, advert and music video was effective. One reason for this is the use of natural lighting whilst filming and taking photographs. This made the pictures look similar, as well as typical of the folk genre.

Coherency was also shown through the use of props. I had taken pictures of a wooden box for the digipack and advert. I then had the box in the video. This was useful, as it illustrated the song name; 'Heart in a box' and it helped make the video and print tasks look similar.

 The print work and the video didn't match completely, as the performer was not featured in the print work, but in the video only. However, I did shoot the clips of the performer in similar ways throughout the video, specifically a mid close up, which is a convention of the genre.

I used the same colours and font in the digipack and advert, however I did not use either in the video. Therefore my print production work is coherent, but does not match the video. However, I did use plain, natural colours, so the theme has been somewhat carried into the video as it was shot in a natural environment.

EVALUATION - question 1, In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

I slowed down my final music video, and using Youtube's annotation tool, I added comments about ways in which I have used, developed or challenged the conventions of the folk genre in the video.

Final Music Video

Costumes and props

Props
I am only using two props in my video. These are a guitar and a box. This are going to be easy to organise, as I already have both, therefore I am not relying on anyone else. The box I am going to use was also used in my digipack, therefore I am keeping details the same.


Costumes
I am going to get my performers to wear plain clothes, which has been influenced from my research into artists such as Laura Marling.

Location and Health and Safety

I am going to film at Burlish Top, which are woods in Stourport. This idea was influenced by my research into other folk artists, as they tend to use woods as their background, for example Bon Iver's video for Michicant:


This was also where I took the photographs for my digipack.


Health and Safety

Hazard	Potential Outcome	Actions to avoid outcomes
Tripping over power cables	Serious injury, cuts and bruises, electrocution	Make sure any loose wires are taped down for duration of shoot, do not bring equipment that is not needed, keep equipment out of the way of performers
Tripping over branches/ tree roots/debris (stones etc)	Serious injury: cuts, bruises, broken bones	Plan out route for performers to stick to, ensure that there are no hazards along the route, avoid any potential hazards, move any stones etc that could  become a hazard
Walking into low hanging branches	Serious injury, cuts, bruises	Plan out route for performers to follow before hand, ensure that there are not any low tress, or broken trees along route
Falling down rabbit holes, down uneven banks	Sprains, broken bones, cuts, bruises	Plan out safe route for performers to follow before shoot, check again before shooting. Stop shoot if you notice anything hazardous, e.g. damp soil can be more uneven
Getting too hot/cold	Illness	Wear suitable clothing, bring a coat just in case, keep hydrated and fed if shooting is going to take a long time