Message to moderator

Dear Moderator,

Welcome to my A2 Media Studies blog! I hope you have enjoyed looking through my blog where I have documented all of the stages through the creation of my Film Poster, Film Magazine and Film Trailer.

Thanks,
Amy Jenkinson

Completed Film Magazine Cover

Completed Film Poster

Completed Trailer

Evaluation: Question 4

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

Research and Planning


Construction


Evaluation

Technology I have used during the research and planning, construction and evaluation:

I used the internet during all the stages of production. I used the internet for such sites as Google, YouTube, Blogger, Facebook and Google images. The internet helped me with such things as research, audience feedback and presenting my work.

I used Blogger to document my research, planning, construction and evaluation progress during my A2 work and a media technology that without it I wouldn't have been able to record or present any of my work.

Prezi is a media technology which I used to present my ideas and information on one specific subject such as a 'publication plan' or 'target audience plan'.

Word It Out is a media technology which helped our group decide on a name for our trailer. It presents you with a online colourful mind map of the words which I most associate with zombie films.

Voicethread is a media technology which I used during my question 1 for my evaluation. It helped me present my answer clearly.

Easy polls is a media technology which I used to gather feedback from my target audience, during research and planning.

Slide share is a media technology which helps share the presentations that I had made. I made presentations on PowerPoint and uploaded them to slide share, then embedded them to my blog. 

Survey Monkey is a media technology that I used to gather audience feedback during the construction of all three products. This technology helped shape my trailer and ancillary tasks.

I used MakeaGif.com to create a Gif for my question 3 for my evaluation, this Gif was of a typical member of my target audience.

 

I used Microsoft products such as PowerPoint, Word and Excel. I used this during my research and planning for documents such as location recces, shot type, production schedule, ect. Also I used PowerPoint to present my ideas.

 I used iShowu during my research and planning, also during my evaluation.

Another media technology I used was Photoshop, which I have previously used last year so it was easier for me to use whilst constructing poster and magazine for my zombie film trailer. As Photoshop was one of the main media technologies I used, I have created a video using iShowu to demonstrate some of the features I have used while constructing my poster and magazine.

iMovie is a media technology I used to create and edit our film trailer. I used iMovie to change the colour, brightness, length, ect, of the clip. In the video below I am demonstrating how I used iMovie to edit my film trailer.

I used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit the videos for my evaluation. I had never used this media technology before, however I quickly got use to using it as I believe my skills in iMovie helped me pick it up quicker.

Garageband is another media technology I used during the construction of our film trailer. I used Garageband to create sounds and scores for our trailer. Below is a video of me using Garageband, and demonstrating some of the features I used to create to score for our trailer.

I have used Glogster during my evaluation for question 2. This was the first time I had used Glogster before. It was helpful in presenting my answer and video to question 2.

 I used a DSLR to record footage for my trailer, also to take images for my poster and magazine. I also used the DSLR during my evaluation to record ourselves and audience reactions. I used a camcorder during the research and planning, to gather audience interviews.

Evaluation: Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

To answer this question I have looked back over all the audience feedback I have received and discussed what I have learned from it all and how it has impacted upon the creation of my zombie horror trailer, film poster and film magazine.

Questionnaires: I created a questionnaire which allowed me to collect feedback which helped shape all three of my products and helped me understand what is suitable to attract my target audience. Questions included; what colours, locations, music, ect, do they associate with the zombie horror. The questionnaires helped us when making decisions on cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene and sound.

Audience interviews:  At the beginning of research and planning our group carried out audience interviews, these interviews allowed me to gain a greater understanding of what my target audience would like to see in a zombie horror film, therefore I learnt what characteristics I should include in all three of my products which suited my target audience.

Social networking feedback: I uploaded my three products to Facebook at different stages to college audience feedback and I learnt what elements I should improve. The majority of my friends on Facebook are part of the target audience; therefore their feedback was relevant and helped shape my work so it appealed to them. As well as uploading my work I also shared surveys so I could get a larger response from my target audience.

Polls: I created a number of polls to gather audience feedback throughout; I posted these polls to Facebook. I did this this to find out what elements I should include in our trailer and my other products, also to gather audience’s opinion on what they think I should improve. The poll also helped me with such decisions as what traits the protagonists should have.

Class feedback: I also gathered feedback from my peers as they are also part of the target audience. They were also all creating similar work as me and they understood the codes and conventions which should be included in trailers, posters and magazines so their feedback was informative. 

Below is an example of a typical member of our target audience and who we attempted to gain audience feedback from;

make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

Evaluation: Question 2

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?





Here is the video which appears in the Glog above:

Evaluation: Question 1

In what ways does your media products use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Film Magazine



Film Poster


Film Trailer

Research and Planning: Evaluation ideas

Here is a list of software that I am considering using for my evaluation;

• Voicethread
• Podcast
• Prezi
• Camera (Filming - Presentation/ Interview/ News Report)
• iMovie
• iShowU

Research and Planning: Social network trailer feedback

I posted a link on Facebook to the Youtube video of our film trailer. I hope to get feedback from the target audience.

Research and Planning: Trailer so far

Research and Planning: Changes made to magazine

Before

After

After feedback I have changed the colour of my magazine to a darker colour green. I believe the darker green is more suitable for the zombie genre and helps the text stand out more.

Research and Planning: Responses for survey so far

Here are the responses so far for the survey I made and posted on Facebook.

Click here to take survey

Research and Planning: Target Audience Research

I used Survey Monkey to create a survey asking my target audience for their opinions of my poster and magazine cover.

Click here to take survey

I have posted the link on Facebook so the survey will reach my target audience.

Research and Planning: Trailer so far

Research and Planning: Trailer so far

Research and Planning: Trailer sound research

In our group we looked at I Am Legend for inspiration and to help us with coming up with ideas for the sound for our trailer. The trailer is of a similar genre to ours and also features a voice over, this is why we chose this trailer for our inspiration.

We listened to the sound at 0.51 and tried to recreate a sound similar to this for the 'wall' scene in our trailer. We also used a sound bridge which was included in this trailer, a sound bridge is a common convention used in trailers.

We also liked the idea of using title cards, our tutor suggested we could include a title with the earths population, we decided to use this idea however developed it by including a population countdown near the beginning of the trailer during the chaos.

Research and Planning: What I have done today

Today I have been editing my trailer and also creating music on garageband for my trailer. I need to create music which would be suitable for the ending.

Research and Planning: Film Magazine

Research and Planning: Changes made

Today I have made the suggested changes to my magazine and poster.

On the poster I have made the image darker by changing the brightness and contrast. I think that this has made the poster more suitable for the genre.

On the magazine I have change the colour of the mast head as it the colour green was used too much. I think this has made the mast head stand out more.

Research and Planning: Trailer

Research and Planning: Film poster

Research and Planning: Film magazine cover

Research and Planning: 'Infection' trailer outtakes

Research and Planning: Magazine so far

Research and Planning: Edited pictures (Magazine)

Unedited

Unedited

Edited

Research and Planning: Poster and Magazine so far

Research and Planning: Production company logo

Here is our production logo.

We have also created a restricted sign for the poster on photoshop.

Research and Planning: Poster so far

Research and Planning: Social Network Feedback (Poster)