New Media

• New media refers to on-demand access to content anytime, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, and creative participation. Another aspect of new media is the real-time generation of new, unregulated content.

New media technologies I used:

• Blogger• Slideshare• Prezi• Photoshop• Premier Pro• YouTube• Outlook• Google

Blogger

Blogger was one of the key media technologies which I had used for my media work. Throughout the process of both my AS and A2 work, I have used blogger to create a portfolio for all my media texts and productions. This software enable me to do various things such as use images from Google, upload videos via YouTube and embed the html code from the other different websites I used, so it can be easily viewed on my blog. This website has been very useful for my research, planning, productions and evaluations.

SlideshareSlideshare is a software, where I can upload my power point presentations online. I used this software often for my planning and research, as it was very quick and easy, and was very well presentable on my blog. To use the Slideshare software, I had to upload my chosen power point presentation, and the slides are automatically placed in the original order. Lastly, I has to embed the html code and copy it into my blogger. The functions of the Slideshare software, made it very easy to use with the ‘next’ and ‘previous’ arrow buttons, which can make it easier for the teacher or moderator who is viewing my work. Slideshare was very useful throughout my media work, as I had posted a lot of my power points on this software for my planning and research.

PreziAnother website I had used to post interactive presentations, was a website called Prezi. This website allowed me to produce creative presentations, where I had used different tools such as the layout themes, cool fonts, images, videos and music. Prezi was very useful for some of my tasks for planning and research, where I had to analyse videos or compare them with one another. Prezi made my work very effective, as it made it easy for a teacher or moderator to mark, for example, I was analysing and comparing different music videos, and embedded them on to my presentation. By doing this, it made it easy for the viewer as they can watch the videos on my slides rather than having to click on a different link or go directly to YouTube. Similarly to Slideshare, it was very easy to embed the html code and copy it on my blog, where it can be easily accessed.

PhotoshopI used the Photoshop software, mainly for ancillary tasks, which were to create a digipak and a magazine advert. This software was very useful for my ancillary tasks, as I had used various tools and got a better feel and understanding on how to use them efficiently. This is a software which professionals use for real life musicians and their album covers and promotions, so it gave me a real insight of the things which I can do with my images. I started off with a clear digipak template, where I had to apply my designs from which I had planned in the ‘digipak planning’ task. The different tools from the software allowed me to apply changes to my pictures and make them easy to place and recolor. The main image for the front of the album is of myself, and I had cropped around it using the ‘magnetic tool’. This tool made it simple for me to crop round a person or an object, as it sticks on the outer lining of the image which can be removed. Overall, this program was very useful for my ancillary production tasks, it helped me to design my digipak and make it look professional.

Adobe Premier ProAdobe Premier Pro, was one of the most useful programs which I had used for my A2 media work. For my music video, I had to edit many different things, such as cropping clips, lip syncing, transitions, music and special effects. Premier Pro allowed me to edit my music video using many different tools, which was very quick and easy to use. There were different functions, one of my favourites was the razor tool, which enables you to cut or put a split on a certain point which you would like to move, remove or add a clip in between. I didn’t have too many problems using the different tools for this program as it was really easy to use. I was pleased with my final product, and that the different tools which I had used went well, such as the ‘black and white effect’ which I had used for a flashback or a bad memory, it showed emphasis for my narrative. Overall, premier pro was a very easy and effective program to use, and it helped me produce my final product.

YouTubeI used YouTube for a lot of my tasks during planning and research. One of the main task where it was useful, was in Task 2, where I had to analyse a music video of my chosen genre. Through YouTube I found a suitable music video which I analysed. Also for other tasks such as ‘similar texts and videos’, I had used YouTube videos and embedded them to my work. YouTube is a easy website to use, and can find videos for all types of music genres. I had to upload my final music video to YouTube, then copy the html embed code and paste it on to my blogger, where it can be easily accessed.

Outlook

I used the outlook website for the task ‘Record labels and permissions’. I used the email to send it to the original record label of my song and ask for their permission for the use of the song. Outlook was a fast service and very easy to use.

Google

I used Google mainly to find pictures for most of the tasks. For the task “star image”, I had used Google and searched for different pictures which would fit my presentation. I used Justin Bieber as my celebrity and analysed his star image, and I found many pictures of him thorough using Google.