While I was constructing my products I came across many different technologies that I needed to learn to use to help me construct my final products.
The first use of new technology I had to use in order to construct my media product was the mac. This was the first time I got an opportunity to use the mac and at first I found it very difficult, but I slowly got use to it. This hardware system provided me with many software's that I used through out my journey. These included Photoshop and final-cut pro.
I used photo-shop to help me edit photos for my music video advert and my digipak photos. I used the effects to help me edit the contrast & lighting of my photos to make them look better. It also allowed me to add text to my photos e.g. the track list on my back cover. This software has really helped me produce good quality final products.
Final-Cut pro allowed me to put my videos together. I edited my video clips by putting frames together, adding special effects and making edits where needed. I used this software in most of my tasks and came very handy to me. It also allowed me to export my photos allowing me to upload them to You-Tube which was later uploaded onto my blog.
Adobe Premier was also used for video editing but I only used this software for my music video. It provided very similar services to Final Cut Pro allowing me to edit my videos, add special effects and play with the colour. This came to good use for my final product as it allowed me to construct a very professional looking music video.
I used my mobile phone throughout my journey as I needed to use it to take photos of evidence for my blog. I also used it for social networking websites while gathering feedback. I emailed many people showing them my music video via Facebook and gathered a decent amount of feedback. I also used it to promote my music video on other social networking websites such as Twitter.
A tripod was used to help me keep the camera as still as possible in specific shots. It was very annoying to carry around but I feel it was a very important gadget to use. It stopped the camera from shaking in shots, without it some shots would have been very shaky. I used the tripod for my final product on my music video and for a lot of my past tasks.
The camera I used was a Canon 550-D. This camera allowed me to take very high quality footage. This camera let me attach a prime lens to it enhancing the quality even more. It had a 32 gig memory card allowing me to record for a very long time. The camera had two options, 720P and 1080P, 1080P was used to provide even better quality footage.
Last of all I used an online facility which provided the service of an online blog. I have used this facility to upload all of my coursework on, I can label my posts to make the work more organized. I have used blogger to my advantage by uploading my tasks onto it and extra research.
YouTube was used in order for me to upload my work. I also was able to use the service they provide to watch music videos, helping me plan my own. I analysed many music videos help me gain a deeper understanding on the conventions. I managed to used this knowledge and apply it to my very own music video, which was later uploaded on YouTube.
I used social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to research on my audience. I managed to find out my set target audience by asking questions on a simple status update regarding the type of genre people are into. I gained many responses, helping me aim for a set target audience.
Power point / Prezi were both used throughout my coursework from pitches to answering evaluation questions. The software was very handy as it allowed me to design presentations to the way I like, enabling me to change background colours, fonts, text styles and even add photos. I feel this software was very efficient and enabled me to make professional presentations.
To answer evaluation questions I found my webcam very useful. I recorded my self talking directly about the question asked from evaluation question 3 and 2. When i was happy with the recording take I then uploaded it on YouTube which was later up uploaded onto my blog.
Screen grab 1 (Facebook)
Screen grab 2 (Prezi)
Screen grab 3 (YouTube)
Main feedback received:
Miss O'Shea: The video is good but at times it seems boring especially on the second verse. I recommend you look into the pace of the edits and find ways to engage your audience.
Solution: Applied fast edits on the second verse to make it more exciting to watch.
Justicia: I like the video but i feel some bits look like they're shot in different times of days even though you can tell they have been shot at the same time. I feel you need to make some shots lighter and some a bit darker just to make them look more matching.
Solution: Made specific shots a bit darker and some shots lighter just to balance out the lighting within different shots taken.
Social networking sites used:
Youtube
Twitter
Facebook
I feel feedback is very important as it highlights places that you are going wrong. While constructing a music video in your eyes things may look good but in the audiences eyes they may look at it different. Audience feedback has helped me and my partner Aruran produce a product that looks better in our eyes and our audiences eyes.
Me and my partner Aruran went around the sixth-form to gather feedback on our final product. We put together a questionnaire and handed out twenty. The questionnaire went as follows:
What did you like about the music video?
What was your favorite part?
Did you understand the narrative?
Do you feel the editing was done well? (if not what could have been improved)
Do you feel the video went well with the audio?
Over all the feedback received was very positive, everybody enjoyed the music video and felt it fitted in with the audio well. Most manage to understand the narrative at first time watching but some had to see it a second time. They felt the editing was on beat and was done professionally but others felt it could have been better.
Frame 1
My media product uses current conventions of the UK Rap genre by making sure I was dressed in a specific way for my music video. I wore clothing such as a jean jacket, a snap-back (cap), jeans and trainers to try present my self as a rap figure to my audience. I feel i managed to dress well for the music video as i don't seem too street yet I do look like a rapper. I also feel that my target audience will view this video and be presented a professional feel just through the way I am dressed within the video. When watching other real media products within UK rap genre i noticed all the artists presented are dressed similarly to the way I am dressed, especially with the baseball cap over the eyes.
Frame 2
I have selected this second frame as I feel it does both, challenge yet use conventions of real media products. The location of the music video is all taken out doors. While doing my research i discovered that a lot of real media products within the UK are done indoors, yet a lot of them are also done outdoors. This frame supports the conventions of taking a music video out doors. I feel this was a good thing to do as the natural lighting came to good use while editing and it made my music video seem a lot more natural. It also saved a lot of time while recording and gave me and my partner a lot of different opportunities to take different types of shots. The only downfall is we did not have control on specific things such as the weather, people walking past the frame etc. It also goes with the conventions of having a lot of close ups of the artist within a music video.
Frame 3
While editing the music video I involved slow paced editing on my verse as the tempo of the lyrics are slow. An example of a music video that does this is French Montana - Devil wants my soul. Further into the song Prof.Hit gets involved and his rap tempo is a lot faster. I made sure that fast pace editing occurs while he is rapping. This made the video look more in one piece with the audio and the visuals. It also brought out the change in rap styles allowing the audience to relate to the artists more as they deliver their rap.
Frame 4
I used different transitions within my music video, i included different fades and cuts throughout my music video to try make it as smooth as possible. I used straight cuts during the rapping but used transitions during the chorus for the narrative. This gives my audience a variety of edits while watching the music video stopping them from getting bored. It was also a good way for me to present my skills within adobe premier.
Frame 5
I used specific special effects to make certain frames stand out slightly, for example I used the lens flare effect on the shot with Moonz Outkast leaning on the colourful wall. It made the left side of the frame lighten up more leaving the other side dark. I felt this made the shot look more unique from the others as it was the only one that had this special effect. I noticed in professional music videos they use special effects on specific frames to make them stand out. This convention was kept in mind while I was editing this shot.
Frame 6
While editing the colour and contrast in my video i kept in mind many previous UK rap videos. I noticed they always saturated the video, taking out some of the colour. I did this in my video and I felt it made it look really good and a lot more professional. It also fitted in with the song and the lyrics as it is a deep and emotional song and by taking out the colour can represent this.
Frame 7
Within our music video me and my partner felt we should involve a narrative. Many professional music videos do this to help keep viewers engaged with the video. Our narrative is in only some parts of the music video, we felt this would be better as we wanted to fill the video up mainly with shots of the artists rapping, helping the audience to gain a bond with our artist.
Frame 8
The final frame that I have chosen is of a the second artist. A nice transition fade is used but is kept on the same shot, showing two of him. This was done to make this frame unique as it wasn't done with any other frame. This has been done in many music videos that I have seen in the past, giving me a idea to do this. It is easy to do and looks very effective on screen.
Shots from professional music videos under the same music genre that have the same conventions
I have selected this frame from the music video 'Good Intentions' by Dappy as it shows the transition made in frame 8. This was the video that gave me and my partner Aruran inspiration to use the effect and apply it within our own music video.
This second frame I have selected from a professional music video is from the song 'Turn Back' performed by K Koke. The reason I have selected it is because of the costume K Koke has on. He simply has a snap-back cap over his eyes which is a main form of cap that is currently in fashion similar to frame 1.
The last frame I have selected is from the music video 'Latin Moon' by Massari. I have selected it because of the narrative within the music video. It doesn't carryout through the entire music video but only at some parts, keeping the audience engaged. This matches to frame 7.
Goodwin's theory analysis
- The audio lyrics relate to the visuals.
- Narrative based music video.
- Demands from the label is met on representation of artist.
The camera I used was a Canon 550-D. This camera allowed me to take very high quality footage. This camera let me attach a prime lens to it enhancing the quality even more. It had a 32 gig memory card allowing me to record for a very long time. The camera had two options, 720P and 1080P, 1080P was used to provide even better quality footage. 
Power point / Prezi were both used throughout my coursework from pitches to answering evaluation questions. The software was very handy as it allowed me to design presentations to the way I like, enabling me to change background colours, fonts, text styles and even add photos. I feel this software was very efficient and enabled me to make professional presentations.
