How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?
Research (Rasheda Miah)
Throughout our entire media project, media technologies played a vital role when it came to researching our production. In our project we had to produce a teaser trailer, poster, and front page magazine cover, so as a group we decided that every member within the group has to research and write a textual analysis on a range of existing horror teaser trailers, posters and front page magazine covers.
In the analysis we studied how Mis en scene, editing, sound was followed and performed, as well as studying the conventions in the teaser trailers, poster and magazine front cover. We was able to research and find examples of various horror teaser trailers by using the internet to go on websites such as YouTube, as well as going on to cinema websites such as ‘Odeon’ in which the trailers for new releases of horror films can be viewed. It was easy to find a variety of horror genre trailers on the Odeon cinema website as it allows audiences to find film by genre; below is a screenshot to illustrate this and a screenshot of how the YouTube website was used:
An early example of our researching update, where we discussed some of the media technologies that we used is shown on the website link below:
During our research we all looked at a number of horror film posters and film magazine front page by using Google images as well as buying existing magazines from the shop. During the research as a group we used the internet to differentiate between a teaser trailer and a trailer so that we understood the whole aspect of a teaser trailer before we went any further on to the planning our production.
YouTube is a useful and constructive streaming website used worldwide and is very popular. It consists of so many videos that relates to anything you search for, for example, in our group we used YouTube a lot to find out how to create special make up effect by looking at tutorials, we also looked at many horror teaser trailers and used YouTube to share our final teaser trailer video, behind the scenes in which we was able to load on to our blog. As followed on the link below:
Special effect make up was a crucial part in developing our character, shown on the poster, front cover film magazine as well as in our teaser trailer. Therefore make up tutorials shown on earlier post (Make-up Research) enabled us to create a realistic bruise to our character’s eye and wound effect.
As a group we were extremely pleased with the bleeding wound affect illustrated on the right hand side, considering it was a first attempt. However, the bruising on the left hand side was our weakness as the bruise came out too harsh, this is because a brush was used instead of a sponge.
Our group decided that it was impotant to practice using the equipment before we use it for real. We practiced all different types of shots including; panning, tracking, long shots, close ups and extreme close ups. We already had our storyboard drawn up so we knew what shots we were going to use and what ones we needed to practice.
It was extremely helpful practicing because when it came to doing the real thing we didn’t need to ask our teacher or Adam for much help. When going over the test shots as a group we were able to see what worked well and also what didn’t. We found that the panning working really well and we wer confident in using that for our trailer but we didn’t really like the turn out of the tilt because it didnt look smooth and you could see the camera shaking slightly.
We didn’t feel as though practicing was a waste of time, although many others thought this because we was using twice the time practicing and filming for real. The advantages of filming test shots was that when it came to filming for real we could get straight on to it and know how to set up the white balance and exposure. We were all taught in class how to change the exposure of the camera and the white balance but if you did not practice at it is was very easy to forget. In order to change these settings you need to go into the menu part of the camera and select the appropriate settings and change it to your preference. We found it to easy to set up the camera and tripod with the aid of Adam or our teacher but we did find setting up lighting a challenge because the equipment is so expensive and fragile, we were scared to damage it, but as we continued to film more we got a lot more confident with setting up all the equipment without any assistance from the staff.
We found that we filmed quicker without the help of our teacher but setting up took longer as we felt quite new to the equipment even after practice. While planning our video we never really used any other media technologies while planning other than the search engines for research.
In the process of planning we watched a large amount of trailers and also studied a lot of magazines and posters. This was why our textual analysis's was so important. We looked at four trailer in depth, four posters in depth and also four magazine front covers in depth. An example of the one that was studied on the left: Empire is a very famous film magazine so we all analysed this magazine brand because it is success for a reason and we wanted our magazine to be like this in order to make it looks professional.
A trailer that also inspired us because all the trailers for the previous movies have been very good is SAW 3D. We liked the soundtrack because it was slow and added a creepy effect so we decided that we wanted something like this too.
Production: (Fergie Nzita)When we go to the production stages of our media product, the filming process was a spectacular experience for all of us in the group. We had started filming different shots from our storyboard and from this structure, piecing everything together seemed more facile. Our filming process was made even simpler as we were filming inside. If we had decided to do outside shots, the weather would have complicated a little of the process as it is a very big factor and not only that, English weather is very unpredictable so changes might have had to be made quite frequently as that was not a risk worth taking.
When the filming arrangements were made, due to conflicting schedules, we had to analyse our filming times accurately and we decided that production would take place mainly in the production room during lunchtimes and free periods.
As we all had roles in the production stages for example, Olympia was an actress in our media production as well as Kerry, Rasheda was the make up artist, and therefore our first focus was getting the make up ready on Kerry who played our victim. As Rasheda got on with this, outside of acting, Olympia was Producer and Fergine was the director, so this gave us the time to set up the camera and our setting. The camera that we used was a Sony HD Camera which was easy to use with very strong results. The different roles that we had assigned ourselves made the production stage much more effective as we all knew what was needed of us. These roles enabled us to work precisely as our roles covered all areas that were needed in the whole of the filming for our media product.
During our p
roduction stages, outside of filming,we had used a Zoom H2 Handy Recorder to record all of our voiceovers, from the crackling voices at the beginning of the trailer to the scary voice at the end saying coming soon which is a typical horror film convention.
During our p
roduction stages, outside of filming,we had used a Zoom H2 Handy Recorder to record all of our voiceovers, from the crackling voices at the beginning of the trailer to the scary voice at the end saying coming soon which is a typical horror film convention.When all necessary and needed research was complete we started to produce our own teaser trailer. To film our footage
we used a Sony HD camera this was then needed to be equipped with a tri-pod. The tripod was an important piece of equipment that we needed in the process of filming our teaser trailer. The purpose of the tripod was to help sustain and compose a variation of filming and photographic shots. We also used high tech artificial lights for the production of our teaser trailer. Due to the location of our film set it was only most appropriate that we used artificial lighting to enable us to conventionally connote the horror genre teaser trailer through the use of lighting. In correspondence to our filming footage we used a range of composition angles and techniques which would continue the purp
ose of connoting what we visually wanted to represent in our teaser trailer. We as a group had to use a variety of close up shots which were only appropriate to use due to the fact that we needed to include close up shots of props which had an important purpose to the meaning behind our teaser.Post-Production (Kerry Treacy):
In accordance to post production it was an important factor that we did some in depth research into the different mediums that would have been required for us to produce our media products. Through the process of creating our media products we explored many types of different mediums and technologies, the purpose of creating our media package was to produce a teaser trailer, movie magazine front cover and a film poster all of which would connotation ally work together and promotionally advertise an upcoming film production. It was compulsory that our media package featured a teaser trailer as one of our main products, we as a group all agreed and thought it was most appropriate that we should spend some time exploring the conventions of a pre existing teaser trailers and visually see what filming and editing techniques we needed to apply to our own teaser trailer production. In addition to this and to broaden our knowledge and understanding of horror genre teaser trailers each individual member of our group produced a textual analysis on a different teaser trailer. This in effect allowed each member of our group to gain more of an understanding by producing an in depth analysis.
In correspondence to the post production of our teaser trailer we use a mixture of technological software’s to create our final product. The most important software we used for the completion of our product was the use of final cut pro. This specific software was designed by Apple inc, this specific software has been produced for the use of professional editors and designers. The programme is more complex and features a variety of high standard editing techniques. This specific software is used within the media industry as a professional software to create a range of film and editing material for production purposes.
At first the use of the software was difficult, we had to adjust a fairly fast pace to enable us to create and produce our teaser trailer to a high standard. With the help of our subject teachers we were giver the guidelines and the help needed for us to fully understand and adjust to the software. The production of our teaser was also benefited by the fact that we had constant and appropriate feedback from our class members and subject teachers on how we as a group could professionally improve and edit our teaser production. When all of the filming and editing process was complete which included the editation of cuts, transitions, sound and video filters we then needed to covert our footage into a full video which we then placed and publicized on you tube.
In the correspondence to our other two promotional products of our film poster and our film magazine we as a group w
ere more familiar and aware with what we needed to apply to professionally produce our products. This was due to the fact that each individual member of our group had to produce a music magazine, contents page and a double page spread for our AS media studies coursework. We as a group where all familiar with what photographic and technological skills we needed to apply to our products.The main product that we used to create the promotional material was the use of the computer software Adobe Photoshop. This software enabled us to digitally apply graphical manipulated techniques and editing to our photographic images and graphical elements.
Again we used a Sony HD camera to take professional photographs for our media products, the next stage of the process was to apply manipulated techniques to our images and conventionally apply the effect of a professional magazine front cover and film poster. We used techniques such as the burn tool to darken and remove any unwanted blemish or unfocused material in our photos. This was then giver an contrast appliance to darken the images even further. We then used Photoshop to apply the typographic elements of our products, this was an importa
nt convention to follow to use the same design conventions as professional products to conventionally distinguish to audience members that the products they were being presented with was for the purposes for a promotional film package.Due to our experience and familiarity with the Photoshop software we were successfully enabled to produce our media promotional products with confidence and have a professional visual idea to apply through the in-
depth use of the software. This again was also benefited by the fact that we had done some in depth research before production had started. We as a group individually produced a increasing amount of time continuously analysing film promotional content. We then produced two separate textual analysis’s on both film movie posters and film magazine covers to visually see how we as a group could conventionally apply design techniques to connote the sense of what we wanted to achieve.
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