A2 Media - EvaluationOllie Clements

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

• Through the whole course I have always started out finding, researching and look at existing media products and gathered the convention they give off. All of this therefore influences me in how to create my final piece. I looked in many places for example: the internet, magazines, posters, flyers, gigs and real local bands (asking them questions.) all of this helped me understand which route to go down and which genre too choose.

• The convention which I observed in my research which I used in my production was of course the symbolic side of things which includes things such as: clothing and colours. This helped me keep a consistent style throughout my production. Another thing was the technical side which was camera techniques & shots. By observing and researching these areas, it gave me a upper hand in how too create a well made project. As you can see these screen shots on the right show that the colour scheme follows the codes and conventions of a house style.

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

• I think my production is an effective piece because the style of the project was different compared too original music videos. We made it not follow the normal routine of a music video because we thought it we changed it about it would have more of a impact on the audience. You can see how we have tried too make it different by the way in which that we have incorporated different angles, shots and tried to follow a general different way of shooting a music video.

• Some of these shots that I have cropped out from my music video show just how we have tried too make our piece different. This shot shows a frantic, exciting elements of the music video as it has been filmed with a handheld camera and sees the ‘stalker’ running at the camera. You don’t normally see this type of thing in a music video, so it was a good choice too use it.

• However, we have used a variety of traditional shots such as: low angel, close up, POV shot and establishing shots too keep in touch with the original codes and conventions of a music video.

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

• The combination of my main product and ancillary texts are I think are extremely effective. I think this because of the consistency throughout each one of them. They all keep a set style that follows all the way through each one. As you can see, they are generally following the colour scheme of red, white and black which obviously is shown but the clown mask. I wanted too make sure that I kept a good consistent style all the way through so when people would look at it, it didn’t just look like three random texts stuck together. I also think that them being all the same style, the effect they give off is much more powerful, as the ancillary texts really backs the main production. Also, the combination of the three texts make it really easy for the audience to understand what is being shown too them. I wanted too keep this idea all the way through and it was also shown in my music video which was a really good element in backing up the house style.

• These are a couple of shots of my ancillary texts too just show you how my consistent scheme all the way though has been really effective for the combination of my main product.

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

• The ancillary texts reinforce the message of the main task by the way not just the video is frantic and crazy so I made the Digipak and advertisement also carries on this feeling. It does this by the layout, the writing on each one and the images which it shows. They are bold, stand out and hit the consumer straight away.

• The three texts would work well together as a marketing strategy because before you release the music video, you could post round the advertisement poster everywhere so people get a heads up and start to be intrigued by the band. After, a release of the album would then be a huge lift in the marketing of the band as everyone would start too hear the songs. Then finally, the band would release a music video to one of the hit songs on the album (in my case, Stalker) which of course would be the best time too release it due to already having a audience by the first two texts being published.

• As you can see, these are a couple of snap shots of my writing on a few of my ancillary texts. This proves that I stuck too the consistent style on red, black and white. And it also represents the hard hitting, bold writing which captures the audience straight away. This was the main reason which I kept a consistent house style so the audience were more attracted too the pieces.

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

• The main product really did stand out to be the main platform of what the ancillary texts were going too be about. We planned out what we were going too film, what props too use and where we were going to shoot it. This all led to the idea of a stalker, in a park, even in the daylight which is rather different because typically a stalker may be related too a dark night, however we wanted too go against the normal codes and conventions and do something different.

• Due to completing the filming rather early, I was able to then adjust my ancillary texts to really reflect the main product. I done this by choosing to take the photos for my advertisement and Digipak in the same place as where I filmed as you can see.

• Choosing too shoot the video and take photos in the same place really does support the whole concept of it all being one big production. It could be suggested that in doing so, if it was too be marketed, it would be easy too publish due to it all being a consistent and following media product.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

• I have learned a lot from my audience feedback such as the way people interpret what the music video was trying too portray. The idea of the music video was too be creepy, fast pace, scary, edgy and different. So when my audience watched the music video, I hoped that is what they got from it which from most of them they did. Also from getting audience feedback, I was able too learn how to give audience feedback to other peoples work as well. This really helped me because if I learn how to break down other peoples work, it makes it easier for myself too understand my own work.

• One comment was: ‘Creepy, funny and fast pace, a very fitting video for the song.’ This therefore shoes that the ideas, values and beliefs which I was trying too capture at the start of my pieces have been completed. The full comment from the audience is this:

• Another was: ‘I really like the pace of this music video’ The full comment from the audience is just above this writing. This shows along with the other comment that the ideas have definitely been reflected in the production and so the final piece was able to portray what I wanted. As well, the feedback went on too speak about the technical side of things, so it was nice too see that the audience appreciated and like the making of the production.

• The feedback also goes on too talk about the genre that I had chosen. From all the research that I had obtained, it was clear that I was going down the punk/rock genre, and too see that people have easily seen what genre the music video is, really encourages me that I have made a successful production.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

• Lastly, a comment said, ‘It is effective how you haven’t used the typical convention's of a music video.’ the full comment of this was this:

• All these comments show that my first idea of what I want my music video to be has been presented well. From all of this I have learned that if you set out with a direction of what you want you’re production to be then in this case, it will work.

• This was good too see because yes I did look into the codes and conventions of a music video, but I thought that it would be a lot different and more effective if I done something different, and it is good too see that I was able too do that by the audience feedback saying that they noticed me not using the typical conventions. This is what I really aimed for.

• Another comment that I really liked on my audience feedback was one that went into a lot of detail. Me and my group chose very carefully what will be the most effective shots too use at the right points for example the POV shot at 0.59 which was really nice too see that someone else noticed it.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

• I also had a couple of onlookers who saw the music video and backed up what the audience feedback said so it was clear that people did like the final piece. These were people who would casually come across my work either on a new media technology platform or pass by while I was working on it. Then would then give me some feedback on the work for example, what they like, what works well and even given me some constructive criticism too improve my work.

• In my audience feedback, I had a comment which spoke about my ancillary texts which really encouraged the idea that I was trying too imply which was a consistent style all the way through my work, the comment said:

• Here are the two ancillary texts that I completed and as you can see they have kept the consistent colour scheme. I really did like that comment in the audience feedback which said that these colours could be related to the conventions of a stalker. Of course, the song that I chose to make was about a stalker so hearing a comment that says that the representations of my choices reflect the ideas then it seems to me that the production was a success.

• As you can see, the person who gave me the audience feedback, reiterated what I was trying too do.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

• Not only did people comment on my music video which obviously helped me understand and get feedback too what they think of my production, but I also got some feedback on my ancillary tasks. One of them reading: ‘Good combination of colour and clack and white.’ this was a good comment because again, it is supporting the style of work through (black, white and red) so it really does show that the consistent style was a stand out figure in the making of my work.

• I think the house style has been a real hit because the idea of having a consistent colour all the way through makes it look much more appealing and standing out due to all the areas of the production being the same.

• This was the comment that some said about my ancillary task and this is a screen shot of what the commented on.

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

• I used new media technologies in the construction of my areas by researching existing music videos which have already been created by bands that are the same genre which I followed. Due to these new media technologies it helped me see what the construction of a music video looks like. Some of these include, The Clash, The Sex Pistols and The Ramones. These and many more bands gave me the influence and it was a lot easier too find information due too the platform of the new media technologies such as Google videos and YouTube. Also I found images all across the internet and on other areas such as Bloggers and Magazine websites. All these areas helped me gather information into what I wanted too produce. Even so, it helped with the release of my production as I was able too publish the music video on YouTube so I was able too get feedback from there and also see how many views I got.

• New media technologies have helped me with the research because I was able too find back ground information about the area I had chosen. Statistics and figures was a main thing I found on the internet and also I made a questionnaire that I passed round my local area to see if I can make sense of what people’s preferred genre was and how active they are within music. Here is a snapshot from my blog of the information I gathered too help me progress in making my final production.

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

• It helped with planning of my production by the way I was able too see how the new technologies created the product. For example, on the internet (Web 2.0) too see how existing advertisement poster had been made or Digipaks created. This therefore gave me an insight into how to use Photoshop and other elements which are used to create final pieces. Due to learning all this from new media technologies, I was then able to fine making my final pieces rather easy. Here is an example of the research I found using new media technologies:

• Along with this, they also helped me gather information into my evaluation. On Blogger, I was able to receive comments one my pieces which people had write about my products, this then helped me understand what other people thought about it. Also, page views of my Blogger helped me see how many people stopped too look at my product. The help of Blogger also boosted the way in which I was able to share my products round. As Blogger obviously uses the internet, if people type in key words such as A2 media, it will then come up with my Blog, meaning people from anywhere are able to see my products and even give feedback.

Outline which technologies you have used in each stage.

• Photoshop was a really big part of the production of my ancillary texts. After I took the photos to use for my final texts I then needed a platform for where I could edit, chop and change to adapt the photo to something the fits in with my genre which of course is punk/rock. Here are some example of me using photo shop to change the images that I took. • Blogger was also of course a massive elements in the

creating of my final piece. It was somewhere where I could place all my research and planning so therefore I could look back at what I had find out. This really helped with the production side because it was so easy for me too refer back to previous elements that I have found out instead of me trailing round the internet too find things.

• Along with that, it was somewhere where I could post everything that I had done, whether it was photos that I had took, drafts of work I had made or even my final pieces which I needed too post up. The whole concept of blogger had helped me a huge amount. These are some photos of my blog coming up in the next slide.

Outline which technologies you have used in each stage.

• As you can see I had a lot of research and planning that went in before I completed my final production. This really helped me keep all my information in one place so I could always go back too it and see what I research and if I was stuck, get a kick start to find another route to go down in completing my final production

Outline which technologies you have used in each stage.

• The use of YouTube really helped with the promotion and release of my production. I was able to publish it on a networking site which is one of the most viewed websites in the world. So for my production to be seen by people, it was a good way to understand and see how the marketing of pieces are shown.

• It was also a good way too see if people like the video as you can see view, comments and even likes/dislikes, and in this case, the video that I publish had a good rating of 8 likes and no dislikes which was a real boost in seeing how people reacted to the production.