Evaluation question 4 - How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Callum Garnett

Research -

I utilised the internet to obtain answers to questionnaires in regards to several areas of documentary in general, and the specific topic matter. These websites made it easier to obtain results and then put them in various graphs and tables, without the need for any time to be taken.

Research -

The use of certain websites allow me to show PowerPoint publications and word documents easily on my blog, with the ability for the slides to progress such as SlideShare and Google Docs. These were particularly useful in the interactivity of my blog, whilst improving the digital quality of the various documents.

Construction

The Construction of my film depended greatly on the use of programmes involving media manipulation: Final cut, Audacity, Live Type, Garage Band, Pro Tools etc. These programmes were important in the construction process due to their individual abilities in the manipulation of various media files: Video, Sound and animation. I developed my skills in these particular programmes extensively, in comparison to my AS piece, and this was necessary to provide a more professional style for my documentary. For example, I learnt within Final Cut how to superimpose images into my footage, and this was useful in the repeated use of iconography and within Garage band and audacity, I used more relevant music which helped reflect the mood of the footage.

Construction

My construction of my advertisement posters depended on PhotoShop, a programme which enables easy manipulation of pictures. This was essential for the creation of particular effects and meanings within all pictorial elements of my coursework. I improved my skills with PhotoShop, mostly by trial and error, to produce a professional-looking advertisement with all relevant information.

Evaluation

The evaluation of my piece revolved around several media forms: Presentation, Film and sound. These were all vital in the inclusion of digital elements within my blog, whilst also allowing close inspection of the different elements of my documentary. The main limitation of doing various forms of evaluation would be the amount of time it can take.

Evaluation

I used final cut once again for the creation of my evaluation. This was particularly important in the question revolving around codes and conventions. I recorded my answer to the desired question, and then edited in various pieces of footage from my recordings and my documentary.

Planning

Within the planning stages of my coursework I used the program ‘Celtex’. This program allows me to create the various scripts I required for the different elements of my piece (Radio scrip, rough scripts, final script). This program was easy to use and provided quick and professional appearing scripts and thus was particularly useful throughout this course. I hadn’t used this program previously, and thus at first was hard to use, but through assistance from my peers and trial and error I was able to use the program efficiently.