Thursday 27 February 2014

New improved digi-pak


Above is were we have re-created our improved front and back cover for our CD digipak.
We decided to re-schedule a photo shoot in the photography studio of each of the band members and then turn the images in to black and white. We think after doing this shoot, we decided to go down this route, as we feel that it will attract a wider target audience to our campaign.

Changing the Digi-Pak and Website

Following up from our focus group from previous weeks ago. After much consideration of changing our Digi-pak and website we have decided to re-create both of these products, as we believe as a group they could be much stronger than they actually are.


Liv and I sat down and redesigned of what possible CD package we could have. We looked at many other bands and artists with the same genre to get a feel what design they have. We decided to have that monochrome feel in which is simply to the eye. We then would add the title and band name, in which again are simply graphics.

We created a mock up of what we would want the cover to be like, we wanted it to be simple with a geometric pattern feel. This mock piece was really useful for me to then take pictures in the studio of each of the band members, as I had a design to help me.

 

Task 4: Director's Commentary

 
Below is our director's commentary in which we recorded giving all the details of media technologies in which we had used in our coursework.


Task 4: Director's Commentary Script

Below is were we have written our director's commentary script. After we have recorded the director's script we will upload the footage on to YouTube, in which then we will layer it over the top of our music video, in which will be placed in a little box in the corner.
 
Hello I’m Liv
I’m Charlie
I’m Sophia
And I’m Mariella
And this is our music video

Liv: At the very beginning we were interested in creating an indie/rock style music video.
This lead us to looking up similar types of bands to Bombay Bicycle club and The Kooks on YouTube. This is where we gathered the inspiration for our main theme and narrative of the music video. We found the song ‘Naïve’ by The Kooks from one of the videos we stumbled across. 

Charlie: Every stage of production for our music video involved many different  types media technologies. We filmed with a Sony FS100 during the production of our video, which is a professional level camera that creates a crisp, bright image to give a very professional quality to our product. We used Zeiss 18 mm prime lenses for wide shots, 35mm and 50 mm for medium and 85 mm for close-up and extreme close up shots. We shot at full HD quality which is similar professional video. 

Sophia: At the beginning of the video we have a girl standing in a room looking confused to attract our audience from an early stage. This adds to part of our overall narrative which reflects on the lyrics in the song. We then used a variety of shots, such as close ups of all the band members to introduce them and to attract a female audience.

Mariella: In the post-production process we used a software called Final Cut Pro on the Apple Mac system, which we edited our shots on. This is a professional editing facility, which enabled us to create a unique and professional looking video. This professional editing facility is accurate to one twenty-fifths of a second giving us complete control in shaping the finished product. Thus creating a unique and professional looking video.

Liv: We used tools such as label logging to navigate through our footage in a much more organised and efficient way, and the blade tool to manipulate the shots and make them the exact length that we needed. Once we had fine cut the footage, we then used professional software called AFTER AFFECTS in order to make the transitions into the scenes more subtle and easy on the eye, these transitions were when we went through the walls of the rooms. Because we had kept the camera at the same height during the shooting, there was no need to further manipulate the image digitally in order to keep the girl on the same plain.

Charlie: A key aspect to the post production included lip syncing the visual footage to and matching this to the audio music track behind it. Through doing this we create a fluid and coherent media text where the actors actually appear to be performing the song which is essential for the band’s credibility. This was achieved by using a digital clapperboard when shooting.

Sophia: The overall feel of the video is generally quite intense in the narrative but very bright in the performance side. We created this by colour grading the different shots using a program called ‘color’ in the post production process.

Mariella: The idea which we wanted to communicate to the audience through our video is the life and the story of the naïve girl. This has been interpreted differently by members of the audience, which suggests that our product is polesymic. We collected feedback though a variety of online platforms like YouTube, Survey Monkey, online questionnaires and a digitally recorded focus groups. 

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Evaulation Task 4: Explain how we used digital technolgies in construction and research.

The construction of our A2 media project has been built up by and shown through not only media products, but a range of different online media such as social networking sites.

Throughout the last two years of our media coursework, our blogs in which show a clear example of how media technologies have enabled us to create our coursework to show the process throughout each of the different stages of production. Blogger has enabled us to upload documents such as PowerPoints, slideshare, large PDF files and links to our website.


The internet has also been a major contributor to the mass us of media technologies. We realised on this technology throughout the entire production of our music video, both before pre-production) and after (post-production).

Before the research and planning of our music video, we used YouTube as a digital technology to get inspiration of song choices, and narrative ideas. It was a great tool that we relied on to access inspiration and discover new visual video idea's. In the post production stage we also used 'Sound cloud' to look at some of 'The Kooks' music. It is were both amateurs and professional can upload their own music.


 In the post-production stage we used YouTube in a number of ways and stages. While editing the music video. The finished product of our music vide. We also used it for our focus group. We could then simply embed the videos to our blogs.


The pre-production of our music video, was centred around the internet, with the research and planning of costumes, props and location in which we want to use, or buy. In this process we also got inspiration from many other artists, there was of course we wanted to base our music video around a imaged look.


However in our post-production work the internet was of course still a huge part in our coursework. We used the online software called 'Wix' to create our band's website. This software was simple and easy to use, in which enabled us to create a professional looking website for free.

 
All of these programs, sites and software's in which were available for us to use, has enabled us to create a professional looking piece of coursework in which was all free to use.
 

By using digital media technologies I have used technological convergence to ensure that I have produced three products as a part of a successful campaign.  My use of YouTube, Wix and Blogger has enabled me to become a prosumer, a creator of media products to a near professional standard. The use of Final cut pro as a piece of editing software has taught me how to select and organise a music video to a very high standard using semi-professional  media equipment. I have also been able to share ideas and research global and industry standard products.  Digital technology has made available to me opportunities to upload, share and distribute my products using You tube as a free online broadcast platform.  It is also interactive – audiences have been able to feedback, like and comment on my products using features such as, and other online tools.  These new skills learned on this course have enabled to gain experience not only as a user of digital technology, but also to also become a producer – important to an understanding of the media in an online age.
Henry Jenkins is very interested in examining this ‘participatory culture’ and most specifically how the Internet has brought it to the forefront through offering opportunities for regular audience members to produce and upload their own products – something that I have achieved by uploading my work to YouTube. 

Tuesday 28 January 2014

YouTube Statistics








What are focus groups?

A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members.

We asked them questions like:

 Did you get the narrative?
 What did you think about the lighting, specially in the studio did it work with the different scenes?


 What did you think Harry the lead singer and the lip syncing?


 What did you think of the website?


This information in which we received from the focus group was a great chance to have good advice in were we can improve on the campaign. There were of course the same age group but in our focus group there were all different personalities.

Below is an example of an focus group in which I found on YouTube.

Thursday 23 January 2014

Preparation for task Three

In today's lesson as a group we started preparing for task 3. We used 'Survey Monkey' to create three different survey's in which then we sent out to a selection group of people to complete.
This process will help us with our audience feedback on our campaign.
We have sent the survey to about 100 people to then view and answer. We have mostly targeted our target audience, but we do believe that only a few of that audience will respond to the survey.