notes for exam questions

1a. 

i. To what extent have digital technologies helped develop your research and planning skills during your Media 'A' Level?

 

digital technologies that have helped:

• Apple Mac
• Internet
• Still Camera

The internet is vital because it makes everthing we have done so much faster and easier. research was easy because when looking for similar projects to ours for inspiration we could find just what we want within minutes. for our music video we wanted to look at similar songs, using the internet this was easy and we have a wide variety of songs to choose from. when actually planning this we also needed the internet to find things such as location. for the location tho we also used the still camera because once we had found the spots we wanted we could take test shots to see how it would look and also refer back to them later.

without these things, everything would be a lot more difficult and complicated. If we didn't have these resources then without a doubt we would not have done as well as we have. For me personally i think i have benefited from digital technology because i find it easier to learn if i have a visual aid rather than just words on a page.

1b. 

ii. What decisions did you make during the creation of representation in your production work?

 

Gender representation for us was fairly simple and we went for the more conventional look. we realised our song was a love song and so the best thing to go with this is a love story. we didn't want to change the stereotypes or challenge them in any way because it might take too much away from the song and this could turn viewers away from our production. 

Emile Cole - Practice Questions for Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production

1a. 

i. To what extent have digital technologies helped develop your research and planning skills during your Media 'A' Level?

ii. Has using conventions from real media texts in your work enhanced or impeded your ability to be creative?

i. Over two years and numerous practical projects of our Media A-level, the use of digital technologies have been very important. The most obvious example would be internet websites such as 'youtube.com', which enabled us to see real-world examples of any media type we wanted to see.

When making our thriller opening, we looked at real world examples such as Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo', comparing it with other real-world thrillers such as D.J. Caruso's 'Taking Lives'. The juxtaposition between the two showed us that different thriller openings employ vastly different editing, cinematic and audio techniques. "Vertigo's" opening was almost entirely animated, and the only live-action was extreme close-ups of different parts of the female protagonist's face. The animation was in the form of a spiral, which had obvious connotations of hypnotism. This technique, although one we didn't utilise for our final thriller piece,  This tool allowed

For example, 

Post Production (Editing)

continuity editing?
montage?
filters?
speed?
transition?
sound levels?
additional sound effects?
credits? titles?
lip syncing?

Thriller: so in our thriller it was a mixture of continuity editing and some montage mix in to create disorientation for the audience. with filters in the thriller most people when for black and white but we decided to desaturate out some of the colours to give the effect of old gloomy film.

post production (editing)

List all of the types of decisions you need to make during the editing process. For each state what the benefits of this can be.

Editing:
Final cut express
Cut down or add new clips
Lip synced music video
Simple juxtaposition
Made the music sync with the video
Feedback from people made us change pieces of the video

Post Production (editing)

The sequence structure -
What footage goes where. This benefits the continuity of the footage and make the production look more effective.
Continuity. -
This is so the footage links together and links to sequence structure.
Sound -
diegetic and non-diegetic. To add more effect to the production. Linking the sound with the Media  conventions such as explositions for action films.
Photoshop- Editing and creating digipaks and also an advertisment and also the production label on the Thriller opening
Final Cut Express - The program used for the editing of the footage.
Effect used -
Transitions, blends, desolved etc. to make the sequence and the footage flow and make it seem more effective.


The Music Video project we had to make many decisions on the post-production. We thought alot about the Media conventions typical of a music video but also took into account the genre of the music video which was R+B so we wanted to make sure we attracted the targeted audience. So we thought alot about the effects that we were going to use, as the effects made the footage more noticable by the audience as some of the effects we used brighten specific things within the footage adding the bling effect to the production linking this to the media conventions and stereotypical conventions. We also had to decide on the sequence structure, we wanted to link with the footage with the sound, so we had to decide and plan where each piece of footage went so that the footage went with the sound. We also used Photoshop with this project which we used to create the digipak and also the advertisment, so we had to consider the colour and layout of both of these products to make sure it links in with the music video so the audience can link both the music video and the other two products together.

The Thriller project we had to make decision as we wanted to create a dream type feel so we had to make sure that this was understandable through out the opening. So in this case we didnt really think about the continuity of piece so much because we wanted to create the feeling for the audience that it was a dream so we used jump cuts which had footage flickering inbetween footage, but on the other hand we had to think about the sequence of the footage as we wanted to make sure the opening closed with the girl waking up from the dream, which left the audience with questions and make them want to watch more to find out the answers.

The skills I have gained is to think about the audience when set a project such as the Thriller and Music Video and take into account the stereotypical conventions. I have gained skills in the post production such as being able to use different and varied cuts such as jump cuts, rather than just sticking with simple cuts. Also gained skills in the sound editing and creating certain atmospheres within the pieces by using diegetic and non diegetic sound, such as the gasp at the end of the Thriller opening and also the use of the heart beat sound by using this added effect to the typical conventions of the Thriller opening to create a distorted atmosphere and unfamiliarity. I have also gained skills in a range of programmes such as final cut express and also photoshop and expanded my knowledge on both of these by varying the different effects I was using.

Post-Production

LIST:

Whether to use effects / what effects?

How fast / slow the editing is, in general

Discussions about what shots work and which should be dropped

Deciding what to cut to make sure the video lasted no more than 2 minutes was the hardest thing to do, as there were shots that, say, I was attached to whilst there were shots that others preferred and would prefer to keep.

2. The two main pieces of work we have edited ('The Mind Plays Tricks' and 'Turn to Gold') both had a long editing process 

post-production (editing)

1) List all of the types of decision you need to make during the editing process. For each state what the benefits of this can be.
- How we are are going to cut scenes together
  Benefits the style trying to be captured if the scenes are cut correctly.

- If any effects are going to be put on to the film
 This can used to help give visual cues for a narrative 

- Is the film colors going to be enhanced (color satiation ect )
 This can help make an atmosphere

- Font and color of and titles that might apear on screen
  This will help show the genre of the film

- what shots will be used in the final edit

2) For 2 of your projects make notes on what editing decisions you made and why?
For my thriller a number of editing choices where made to help make it feel more atmospheric and build up the tension. One choice I made was to make the chase scenes that cut into the main sequence black and white to make the stand out and to make them feel darker in contrast to the peaceful nature of the main section.   

this is an official UKF video exclusive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r26y--evIw

This is modstep's Official UKF Video Exclusive of Feel Good. The lyrics link to the visuals as the lyrics want people to dance and feel good, this happens when the women bring the suitcase to the groups of people throughout the narrative. The characteristics of this genre (dubstep) is generally of people dancing and having fun.

Goodwins Theory ( music video) All Time Low - Weightless

1) Links between lyrics and music / (2) links between music and lyrics
In this video the lyrics and music link in that the sound of the music is upbeat and the lyrics of the song about how things might not be perfect at the moment but eventually things will work out for the best and its about making the best of what good things are happening over the bad things, the music is fast paced and the way it is performed reflects the optimism. 
3)Genre characteristics
The video uses live performance styling something which is often done in a rock video, but what is does differentiate from the standard conventions seen in such a production, is point out all the faults in its own characteristics of its genre and the people who are involved with it (bands, fans ect). 
4) Intertextual reference
This video refers to other bands specifically to get over a lot of the points about how opinions have changed with in the rock community.    

Use of Real Media Conventions

Goodwin theorised that music videos all conform to certain conventions. These conventions are the following:

• Links between lyrics and music
• Links between music and lyrics
• Genre characteristics
• Intertextual reference
• Notions of looking
• Performance, narrative and concept based music videos
• Demands of the record label

We looked at Foo Fighters' 'The Pretender' and analysed it within the confides of Goodwin's theory.

The premise of the video is the band members performing in front of an increasingly large army of riot policemen. It is an abstract video, with no attempt to make the video viable in the real world. Despite this, Goodwin's theory applies in certain ways.

During watching the music video we picked on one thing that links to Goodwin's first point in his theory - 'links between lyrics and music'. The thing we picked up on that the music video is very action packed and links with the song as it is loud and action packed as well. 

Being a rock song we expected it to have the conventions of a 'typical' rock song. These are:

Music Video Goodwin's Analysis - CYNE - Steady

This is the official video for CYNE's song 'Steady'. It follows a performance based structure utilising clips of live performances (number 6 of Goodwin's theory) and follows many of the conventions associated with hip-hop videos (number 3) such as grimy colour filters and loose baggy t-shirts. The locations chosen for filming are also typical of the genre - nasty looking clubs with enthusiastic members of the crowd. There are few notions of looking, with gaze and attention taking a backseat to the music itself.

Use of real media conventions

Goodwin's theory is a theory which is associated with music videos.

We think that some of Goodwins theory relates to Chase + Status' video time. As it contains a narrative structure as it tells a story from start to end. This is because it is very controversial video and is trying to raise awareness for domestic violence, so it follows a story which links in with Goodwin's theory. It also has evidence of intertextuality as they rely on this video to get the point of domestic violence across to its audience.

Where as the visuals do not necessarily link to the lyrics so this goes against Goodwin's Theory, so his theory is not necessarily true. Also it doesn't show any type of demand from the label although chase and status' videos are very controversial.

Use of real media conventions

 The black eyed peas - I gotta feeling, Goodwin's theory.

Links between music and lyrics - This video has a clear link between the lyrics and the visuals on the screen as the lyrics 'i gotta feeling, that tonight's going to be a good night' relate to the video as the artists are at a party showing to be having a good night.

Genre characteristics - hip hop: this particular video shows the hip hop genre as it contains lots of dancing and upbeat music.

Intertextual reference -not applicable

Notions of looking - This video contains lots of close ups and long shots of the female artist Fergie, in practically no clothes. Females are particularly objectified in this video as there costumes show them to be wearing much less clothes than the men.

Performance, narrative and concept based music video - the video has a linear narrative as it shows people walking the streets to a party at the beginning to them at the party then finishes with a scene that says 'the end'.

Demands of the record label - Will.i.am is one of the labels that have signed the band, and he is also the main singer for the black eyed peas. We think that the band produce there own music videos and create their own individual style, which makes their music videos versatile. 

evalutation

i got way better at dis lesson over a last too years