Media technologies has developed and changed over the years, and this has greatly benefited they way we work and communicate. For example how are target audience is teenagers and the majority of them own a laptop, tablet, phone or have access to the internet via other ways, this has therefore meant that we can communicate with our target audience more easily by sending out links to our trailer on social media as well as distributing out surveys for people to fill out. Digital technology has developed over time and we have been able to have been able to create a lot more than we would have a number of years ago as well as using editing software's that have aided our products effectiveness.
RESEARCH AND PLANNING
By Niamh Crowley/Cameron Elliott
Blogger
In essence, Blogger is a piece of software allowing a user to make various blog posts and publicise them in order for other people to see them. Blogger was the first real piece of software we were introduced to during this project. On Blogger, we were able to make various blog posts, answering various questions we had been set about the project, including essays about Research and Planning, Digital Technology, and Audience theories, though this list is not exhaustive. In addition to this, The teacher was able to review what we had done and offer improvements and moderations by commenting such alterations on our work. Helpfully, this software allowed us to embed pictures, hyperlinks, and videos to give a different and more aesthetically pleasing way of presenting our work, as well as giving us a way of showing some Real Media Texts and allowing us to compare our own products with them. On the whole, Blogger allowed the group to be much more organised and efficient as nearly all of our research was stored neatly on the site.
Weebly
Our blog is posted on: http://eerieproductions.weebly.com/
Weebly was arguably the most important software used in the Research & Planning stage of our project. Weebly allowed us to create our own visual blog to place all work upon. On Weebly, we were able to post all stages of our work in great depth with multiple examples of what we were doing. Also on our site, there is evidence of the entire group's work, including entire sections written by each of the three members, as well as a 'Team Log' wherein we could update the site with the work we had done on certain days, updating our progress in a 'journal style', dating all of our entries. Without this, the group wouldn't have been anywhere near as organised and well-coordinated on the task, as we wouldn't have a permanent log on what everyone else was doing and would perhaps be confused as to the progress of Eerie Productions. A high level of organisation was something that Weebly allowed for, as we could store all of our work into the appropriate sections for ease of access. These sections also included sub-categories for an even greater level of organisation throughout the blog and the group. Conveniently, Weebly is accessible from any internet-capable device, including smartphones, laptops, tablets and desktop computers meaning that we could access and edit the blog from anywhere, as well as receiving feedback from anywhere.
Weebly was arguably the most important software used in the Research & Planning stage of our project. Weebly allowed us to create our own visual blog to place all work upon. On Weebly, we were able to post all stages of our work in great depth with multiple examples of what we were doing. Also on our site, there is evidence of the entire group's work, including entire sections written by each of the three members, as well as a 'Team Log' wherein we could update the site with the work we had done on certain days, updating our progress in a 'journal style', dating all of our entries. Without this, the group wouldn't have been anywhere near as organised and well-coordinated on the task, as we wouldn't have a permanent log on what everyone else was doing and would perhaps be confused as to the progress of Eerie Productions. A high level of organisation was something that Weebly allowed for, as we could store all of our work into the appropriate sections for ease of access. These sections also included sub-categories for an even greater level of organisation throughout the blog and the group. Conveniently, Weebly is accessible from any internet-capable device, including smartphones, laptops, tablets and desktop computers meaning that we could access and edit the blog from anywhere, as well as receiving feedback from anywhere.
FINAL CUT PRO
For Post-Production, Final Cut Pro was perhaps the most important software altogether. In the Research and Planning stage, it was also very important to the group, allowing us to create the Animatic which served as the bare-bones plan for the eventual final trailer that we would create. Though not being as convenient in terms of access as other mentioned software as it's a mac-exclusive program, Final Cut Pro was very easy to use, possessing a simplistic, open layout and clear list of effects and options.
Not only does Final Cut Pro allow for pasting of clips together to create a video, but it has a whole host of customisation and editing options to achieve the desired effect also. Contrasting and Balancing of hues and saturations are possible on Final Cut Pro, allowing for maximum authenticity, as all Real Media Texts utilise manipulation of colour and light balance to create an aura on the screen. Not only does Final Cut Pro allow for manipulation of hues and light, it also lets you adjust the timings and length of certain shots. This was incredibly helpful to us as it meant we were able to again ensure the authenticity and effectiveness of our product, as well as making it much easier to match the video up with the sound so the trailer flowed and was coherent for any potential audience.
Not only does Final Cut Pro allow for pasting of clips together to create a video, but it has a whole host of customisation and editing options to achieve the desired effect also. Contrasting and Balancing of hues and saturations are possible on Final Cut Pro, allowing for maximum authenticity, as all Real Media Texts utilise manipulation of colour and light balance to create an aura on the screen. Not only does Final Cut Pro allow for manipulation of hues and light, it also lets you adjust the timings and length of certain shots. This was incredibly helpful to us as it meant we were able to again ensure the authenticity and effectiveness of our product, as well as making it much easier to match the video up with the sound so the trailer flowed and was coherent for any potential audience.
DAFONT
DaFont is a website/online database containing various unique, user-created fonts that can be exported as .PNG files and utilised in other programs, such as Photoshop, InDesign, and Final Cut Pro. DaFont was incredible useful to our work as it allowed for a much higher degree of originality and authenticity throughout our work. Using DaFont, we were able to give our film trailer (and respective magazine/poster) a unique, marketable title, similar to the ones used by famous horror films such as 'Friday the 13th', 'SAW', and 'Blair Witch Project'.
Presentation Softwares Used Within Research and Planning
When doing are research we had to use multiple forms of ways to research and present are work. We wanted to make them interesting to look at and read, we used Thinglink, Prezi and Emaze.
Thinglink
Thinglink lets you create a interaction between an image and text. You can create a mood board of images. With the use of the buttons that can be placed anywhere you want, you can give descriptions of the images.
this was very useful as it allows people to see a layout of all the images at once and they can pick and choose what button they want to click on to read about, it is very easy to look at and follow.
Thinglink lets you create a interaction between an image and text. You can create a mood board of images. With the use of the buttons that can be placed anywhere you want, you can give descriptions of the images.
this was very useful as it allows people to see a layout of all the images at once and they can pick and choose what button they want to click on to read about, it is very easy to look at and follow.
Prezi
Prezi is a way of presenting work that is similar to microsoft powerpoint. However it's more creative and appealing. It allows the audience to see everything at first look and then they can either go through the whole presentation or pick specific slides. This was useful as it let us embed videos as well as include images.
Prezi is a way of presenting work that is similar to microsoft powerpoint. However it's more creative and appealing. It allows the audience to see everything at first look and then they can either go through the whole presentation or pick specific slides. This was useful as it let us embed videos as well as include images.
Emaze
Another mode of presentation is Emaze again online. This was good to use as you have full control of how it looks, where you can change backgrounds and layout. This allowed us to be creative with out presentation and can make it relate to the work we are doing, like the example with the blood splatter relating to horror and slashers.
Another mode of presentation is Emaze again online. This was good to use as you have full control of how it looks, where you can change backgrounds and layout. This allowed us to be creative with out presentation and can make it relate to the work we are doing, like the example with the blood splatter relating to horror and slashers.
Questionnaires and surveys
Survey Monkey was very helpful when we did our audience research. It is an online questionnaire website, where we were able to construct our own questions to ask about audience views on the Trailer, Poster and Magazine. We sent it to them over Facebook Messenger, Whats app and Instagram. The use of Survey Monkey meant that when the audience finished the questions all the data was collected and put into bar charts that were east to read and analyse. The strength of this analysis is that it was very easy to use and read and simply showed what are audience were responding to, and how we can use there response to develop are products.
Survey Monkey was very helpful when we did our audience research. It is an online questionnaire website, where we were able to construct our own questions to ask about audience views on the Trailer, Poster and Magazine. We sent it to them over Facebook Messenger, Whats app and Instagram. The use of Survey Monkey meant that when the audience finished the questions all the data was collected and put into bar charts that were east to read and analyse. The strength of this analysis is that it was very easy to use and read and simply showed what are audience were responding to, and how we can use there response to develop are products.
EVALUATION
By Blesson Bangula-Zola
Photoshop
Photoshop was very useful in the production stage especially for our final magazine and final poster; photos can now be enhanced and be brought out with our creative thoughts. At this point, we already knew how to use Photoshop effectively. For example, for our magazine front cover, we cropped the antagonist out of the background using the pen tool because we didn't need the background for our magazine. Also, for instance, for our poster, instead of cropping out the background like the magazine; I actually used the background; first of all, I played with the raw footage options such as the brightness, contrast, hue and many more to make it black and white but also make the antagonist appear as a silhouette. Also, I used the blur tool and smudge tool to distort the background and make the antagonist the centre of attention. Also, I added a graphic layer on the dominant image on Photoshop to make the poster appear more sinister by using red graphic layer on top of the image. The red connotes blood, evilness and violence which is very present in the film concept since it is based on a slasher film. Also, I took images of blood splatter on a white background from Google Images and placed it in on the image in Photoshop.
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro was very useful during the production stage as well; this was done using the Apple iMac's because that's best device in terms of editing. We was able to combine the raw footage that was shot from each shoot that took place into one format. We used the blade tool to trim down certain scenes to make it not too short not too long. Also, I was able to create my final sound design to go along with the trailer. I used certain sound effects and soundtracks to create an overall suspenseful yet intense soundtrack which was a plus because now we was able to work on the trailer as well as the sound design in one place instead of separate applications.
Youtube
I used Youtube to upload the video so that I hit a wider audience online. This allows viewers to adjust the quality of the video. I exported it from Final Cut Pro by sharing the video after finishing the editing so that viewers can view this video in 1080p. In addition to that, we also used Youtube to upload the makeup video as well and both was embedded in the weebly. The picture below shows us the creator studio which shows us the stasticis.
In Evaluation question three we had to obtain audience feedback for are media products, one of the ways we did this was by using different social media like Whatsapp. With Watsapp we were able to distribut the questions easily but also to send links and images as well, it was a useful way of getting feedback as a lot of people have it.
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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we used a lot of platforms so that everything is in place for our trailer, poster and magazine front cover in the stage of the post-production. We used Photshop because we have already used in terms of previous experience so it is familiar and we didn't have to learn anything before we used it because we already learned it.
We also used SurveyMonkey in the evaluation stage which is referenced in Q3 and we got a lot of feedback on the trailer, poster and trailer which shows how important and effective the post-production stage is in terms of the positive feedback we got.
In addition, we used Weebly to present our work as a company in a way that anyone can read how the work was constructed. On the Weebly we put in categories for people to find what they want to find which makes Weebly makes effective and simple; we also have previous experience with Weebly from the first year.
We also used SurveyMonkey in the evaluation stage which is referenced in Q3 and we got a lot of feedback on the trailer, poster and trailer which shows how important and effective the post-production stage is in terms of the positive feedback we got.
In addition, we used Weebly to present our work as a company in a way that anyone can read how the work was constructed. On the Weebly we put in categories for people to find what they want to find which makes Weebly makes effective and simple; we also have previous experience with Weebly from the first year.