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

Using different forms of media technology was a large aspect of our design brief for this coursework. As such it was vital for me to use a variety of different medias in order to present my research.

From the very beginning technology has helped me with this coursework, enabling me to watch videos, search images, discover more about the artist I was focusing on and the artists that were my inspiration whilst also watching examples of existing media texts. Not only was I starting to rely on technology for research but also recording and embedding my work on websites (blogger.com) and to film and edit my music video.

Below is an example of some of the different media technologies that I used;

 

The internet, particularly search engines like google, have been incredibly useful throughout my coursework. Not only has it allowed me to search for the important information but by using the email and video aspects google has allowed me to watch videos and send information from my college system to my home without the need of a memory stick.

Youtube also played an important role in this coursework. For researching purposes it aided me in finding examples of music videos that matched my chosen genre, for finding photoshop tutorials and for embedding our pitch and final music video.

Myspace was also imperative as it allowed our group to research unsigned artists and their music for our coursework. After we choose Rox as our artist it also allowed us to message her and ask for her permission to use the song ‘I Don’t Believe.’

I used Panasonic DV cameras to record my target audience for both feedback and research. Originally I was going to use HD camera but the file sizes would become too big for my memory stick and therefore take longer to load. To combat this I used the ordinary DV cameras for my research.

After recording my target audience for my research I had to run the movie files through Adobe OnLocation. This program allowed me to capture footage from any camera directly to disk and start editing sooner and eliminating the tedious capturing process.

After capturing in Adobe OnLocation I had to edit the files through Adobe Premiere Pro. This allows me to create video that are optimized for online viewing. The program allowed me to make transitions and editing easier to add in production and deliver your work almost anywhere — for broadcast, disc, film, device, and mobile distribution. Without this program the video (both research and final piece) would not have happened.

At home I do not have Adobe Premier Pro so to edit video I used Windows Movie Maker. Windows Movie Maker is a video creating/editing software application and contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track and timeline narration. Throughout my coursework I used fades and other transitions in my timeline to create a fluent and original video. I also benefitted from the trim tools and over video narration.

An alternative to creating a movie was to use Prezi, the online presentation and storytelling tool that uses a single canvas instead of traditional slides. Text, images, videos and other presentation objects are placed on the infinite canvas and grouped together in frames. This unique program allowed me to create non-linear presentations, where users can zoom in and out of a visual map. I even created a path through different pictures and texts in order to give a fun and original appeal. The presentation can be download so that I do not have to use the internet to view it.

To show my research I also used Powerpoint. Through this program I was able to make and design professional presentations with timings and transitions between slides and as it is a well used program I was able to convert the presentations for viewing on my laptop at home. This program was vital in detailing my research and evaluation.

After completing Powerpoints I had to then upload them online. For this Slideshare came in useful. This program, ‘the youtube of powerpoints’, allowed me to upload my powerpoints online and embed them to blogger to share them with others.

A vital part of our coursework is using Blogger to keep updates on our progress. This blog is interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and for bloggers to send messages to each other via widgets, making them more active. It is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites. This helps provide me to distribute the media on a global scale.

Without a camera there would not be a final music video. As a group we were lucky to have access to one of the few Panasonic HD DV cameras. This gave us a better resolution resulting in clearer pictures even though it used more space on the computer harddrive. It’s touch screen allowed us to view our footage easier whilst the SD card allowed us to transfer the footage to Adobe Premier Pro easier and without the use of OnLocation.

By using my iPod touch I was able to make updates to my blog, check e-mails with cast and members of my group and conduct research without the use of a computer. This provided me with quick and easy internet access on the go. It was vital when discussing locations and timings with my group on route through my hands free car device.

For my print productions I used Adobe Photoshop CS5. I benefitted from this program as it contained such features as smart layers (which helped me organise my print production and display the filter without altering the original image), cut, copy and paste tools (that helped me move around different images from different pallets quickly and easily), easy to use streamlined interface, better control over print options, the brightness and contrast adjustment tools alongside the refine edge and HDR toning tools to help smooth out the skin and refine colour saturations.

To allow me a coherent house style through the ancillary tasks I also made good use of colour models HTML and CMYK to provide me with the exact shade of colour on both pieces.

Photoshop also has the ability to save the images as JPEG which allow me to easily upload them to blogger.

 'Technological development determines social change. It changes the way people think and how they interact with others.’ Bruce Bimber

This quote is a good example of technological determinism.

Technological determinism is the theory that a society's technology drives the development of its social structure and cultural values.

However some people argue that technology as neutral (neither good or bad) and what matters are the ways in which we use the technology.

An example of a neutral viewpoint is, "guns are neutral and its up to how we use them whether it would be 'good or bad'" (Green, 2001).

I believe that throughout this coursework there has been some level of technological determinism and that technology had some input in my production work. Some times it was hard to get access to a media computer and because I didn’t have photoshop at home I had to wait until one was free before I could do anything to my print tasks.

Luckily we were able to use the HD camera through our final video but for the others who couldn’t then the quality of the videos could have been better if they were on a higher resolution.

For the research and planning work I had to rely greatly on technology, especially the internet and blogger. Without books or necessary information in our library all of my research, planning, development and evaluation originated on the internet.

Although some problems can arise when using technology like the system crashing etc, the technology available has definitely been the greatest asset to producing my work. This proves that there was a level of technological determinism within my work as I couldn’t have completed my coursework without it.

Likewise the range of available technology has a casual relationship with creativity. With each year more, new exciting technology is developed and as such the level of creativity increases. For example around thirty, forty years ago music producers would not be able to make split screens, SFX or use HD cameras for better picture quality. This is shown in the difference between the 1986 song ‘Crush On You’ by The Jets and Eminem’s Love The Way You Lie (2010).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm_QilrHkh8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm_QilrHkh8&feature=related

The level of technology available has also had an effect on my production work. A few years ago I wouldn’t have been able to alter the hues and saturations within my print tasks, now with Photoshop I can do all that and more, creating a professional image. Likewise we would have been forced to use the older cameras with less resolution, causing our video to look more amateurish.

This relationship between creativity and new technology has a knock on effect with the amount of people stepping into the new media 2.0 era.

Media 2.0 was first introduced in 2004 and has since became a worldwide phenomenon. It is defined as the way technology enables people to push their work in new directions and engage with their audience. A good example of this is Youtube which closes the gap between professional and amateur videos and allows unknown artists to promote themselves and their creativity to the audience on a global scale and without the help of big record labels. Justin Bieber is a prime example of this who was signed after being spotted on Youtube, and is now a multimillionaire.

I have used media 2.0 within my own coursework. I uploaded our video onto Youtube and by embedding this video into Blogger I have been able to promote my video globally whilst also allowing the audience to be active in their viewing by being able to leave comments and suggestions. Also we contacted our artist through Myspace, another recent media 2.0 development. Without Media 2.0 I would not have been able to gain research, ask permission to use the artists song, upload to the internet for viewings or complete evaluations.