Task Four Notes: Compare how new digital technologies have enabled us to be creative in our two media productions

AS Foundation Production
In my first year we researched and planned as part of a group the opening sequence to a thriller. We went through a series of phases of production, from research and planning, to construction through to past productions and marketing and promotion.

RESEARCH AND PLANNING

Internet/youtube/computers
Our initial research was heavily internet driven. The internet was a key tool. The netocracy of the web and the user generated content gave us free access to a wide range of creative stimuli

• Consider: Quality and Relevance
  
• Consider: Information Cloud
  
• Consider: On Demand Feature of YouTube

Blog

• Example of free software application made possible by HTML code.
  
• Example of Netocracy but empowering audiences with the publishing and promotional capabilities of dominant media institutions.
  
• Also creatively very useful to organise images and ideas to make discerning choices (the Blog acts as a creative filter)
  
• Our Blog was used as an online diary in which we would record and date our pre-production, construction and evaluation of our sequential development towards the Horror film opening sequence.
  

Photoshop
A piece of industry standard software- not cheap, not free to the wide public but available at school

• Example of convergence technology, used to create our Thriller Posters (helped to expand our knowledge of generic codes and conventions of film genres)

CONSTRUCTION
Camera:
Used the digital camera to gather images that would inspire and gather pre-production ideas

• To create the storyboard, we used a digital camera to frame the shot as we wanted and then turned them into silhouettes using Photoshop.
  
• Sony PD170’s – used in preliminary task to learn the basic rules of camera shots and movements: reverse shots, P.O.V, low, high used for a conversation.
  
• AS final product using tracking, panning and canted angles
  
• The Sony PD170 is a lower defined camera.
  

Final Cut Pro
Learned how to use the software from scratch, and therefore took some time getting to grips with how the software works. We were taught specific knowledge of editing techniques (fades, dissolves and super imposes).

• We were taught the traditional forms of film: continuity cuts, cut away, cross cutting- to make narrative sense, slow-motion and time lapse

Soundtrack Pro
Used sound FX, Synchronised sounds, ambient sounds

• Mic Boom was used to pick up sound and vocal dialogue to create the suspense of the thriller.
  
• As the music was composed after our final edited version, the music complimented the tense and unnerving atmosphere of the opening sequence.

A2 Advanced Production

RESEARCH AND PLANNING

Internet/youtube/computers
To browse the web searching for inspiration, music video ideas, successful advertising campaigns, album art, band websites, myspace etc.

• Explored anti-institutional material (independent, low-budget)
  By research we were able to create a video that conformed and rejected typical music video conventions.

Blog

• Example of free software application made possible by HTML code.
  Example of Netocracy but empowering audiences with the publishing and promotional capabilities of dominant media institutions.
  Also creatively very useful to organise images and ideas to make discerning choices (the Blog acts as a creative filter)
• Our Blog was used as an online diary in which we would record and date our pre-production, construction and evaluation of our sequential development
  Photoshop
  Was used to create a poster for the artist and using inspiration and logos from other artists to create an authentic music poster

CONSTRUCTION

Camera:
Used the digital camera to gather images that would inspire and gather pre-production ideas

• JVC: giving our pop video a finer resolution and a greater depth of field. Gives the product a high quality, professional standard
  Used the camera in a more creative way; explored a variety of shots and each shot had a greater purpose to convey the story

Final Cut Pro
As we had used Final Cut Pro last year we were able to make our own creative decisions on cuts and timings.

• Used Marker Points whilst editing to help with rhythm and pace
  We had to synchronise the lyrics and lip sink the music using a timeline
  

After Effects

We used logging shots from final cut to after effects to make sure the shots were exact after putting the effects on to give our production a finished and polished story that would be clear for the demographic to follow

• Use of blue screen