Media Evaluation Question 4How did you use media technologies in the

construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Throughout my coursework, I have incorporated and used numerous technologies in the construction, planning, research and evaluation stages.

My media products I produced using different media technologies are shown below:

• For my coursework, I began by researching information about my target audience. I di this by creating a question using Survey monkey. I used this technology because it meant that I was able to easily email the questionnaire to a range of people across all year groups which enabled to collect a wide range of results. Also, this technology displayed the results in graphs for me which meant that I could evaluate my results which could help me collect information on my target audience much more quickly. I used PowerPoint to save the graphs as images so that I could publish these onto my blog.

Print screen showing that I uploaded the graphs created on Survey monkey onto my blog.

• I then used the presentation software, Prezi, which enabled me to present the information about my target audience as a mind map. This information helped us to decide the subgenre of horror pour target audience wanted for the film (Paranormal.) Furthermore, using Prezi meant that I was able to refer to the results as they were displayed clearly.

Print screen of target audience mind map I created using Prezi.

• Another technology I used during the research and planning stages of my coursework was YouTube. YouTube allowed me to research existing horror film trailers so that I could begin researching the generic conventions. I researched The Conjuring, Devil’s Due and Ouija trailers to help me identify the conventions. Once I had identified these conventions I then had analyse them using different forms of technology.

• Our next stage of our coursework involved analysing the Mise- en-scene, Editing, Sound and Camerawork within horror trailers and how each one impacted the audience. For each analysis I tried to use a different form of technology. For example, I used Windows Movie Maker to analyse Sound and Editing within horror film trailers. For the Editing Analysis, this technology allowed me to show parts of the trailer which had been edited and incorporate text as well to help describe the editing that had been used. Whereas, for the sound analysis I was able to take the audio from the trailer and place it into Movie Maker.

• Then I placed captions over the top of the audio to help me reason the use of these sound effects. Once I had finished these analysis I then published the videos and posted then onto my blog.

Print screen of how I published my movie to YouTube so that I could put it on my blog.

• Also, I used Prezi for my Camerawork analysis, I was able to present and explain different shot types used and the impact they had on the audience.

• As well as Prezi, I used PowerPoint and SlideShare to create my Mise-en-scene analysis. I started by creating a presentation on PowerPoint using various images and text. I then uploaded the presentation to SlideShare. SlideShare allowed me to copy the link onto my blog easily so that anyone who visits my blog can view the SlideShare.

• We then decided on our plots for our horror film trailers taking into account the results we collected from our questionnaire and designed our storyboards, we drew them by hand. We then scanned these documents onto the computer so that I was able to import them onto movie maker for my animatic and upload them onto my blog. We then used Movie Maker to create an animatic for our trailer. By using Movie Maker it meant we were able to use our storyboards as visuals for the animatic and then add audio (e.g. sound effects) which we would use in our trailer. From doing this, we were able to see how our trailer would flow and whether the plot made sense to the audience.

• We used a Canon EOS camera to film our trailer and I used it too take some of my images. However, I had to take more photos at school. These pictures were for my website homepage and poster, I used my IPhone 6s as it meant that I could upload the images to the computer quickly so that I could finish my products at school.

Pictures taken using this device

Pictures taken using this device

• To edit the film trailer, we used Adobe Premiere Pro. This is a film editing programme, it allowed us to crop/trim our footage, so that we could include the footage which was most important and effective to have in our trailer without giving too much of the plot away, cropping the footage meant that we used short clips to make the trailer, overall this meant the trailer was more intense to watch which is likely to have made it scarier for the audience.

• Also, we would add transitions between videos to make the trailer flow. For our trailer we used fade in and outs which made all the footage run smoothly. As well as add transitions this technology enabled us to speed up and slow down our footage; this meant that we were able to increase the pace of our trailer to hep build tension.

This is a print screen of the video effects available on Premiere Pro. We used this to change the brightness of some shots in our footage. For example, during the possession scene we had to darken it to show that it was taken place at night time as the darkness made the scene seem more intense and scary.

• We could also mute audio on our footage so that we could add music and sound effects to it. On Premiere Pro we were able to layer two sound effects and add key frames to the audio so that we were able to gradually bring the audio up in volume during the clip e.g. when the car pulled up to the house we had natural sound but also added music.

• When creating my poster and website I used my own images, I edited my images using Adobe Fireworks. Adobe Fireworks allowed remove the background from my images using the magic wand tool, I was able to change the tolerance so that I could remove the background more easily, I the used the blur tool to blur the edges so that the images so that it decreased the focus from these outline of my image, this meant that the image blended into my black background of both my website and poster better. As well as this Fireworks allowed me to edit out the eyes of my images so that I could then replace them with red devil eyes to emphasis the genre of the film being advertised.

Website image with eye edited out using rubber tool in Adobe Fireworks so that I could insert a devil’s eye into the picture in Publisher.

• I used Publisher to resize my images before placing them into Adobe Fireworks to edit. I then edited my photos before placing them back into publisher so that I could adjust the brightness and colour of the image. For my image on my poster ad website I made the images black and white and made the brightness of then image darker so that it kept with the colour theme of Black, White and Red.

• Microsoft Office Publisher was also the software I used to create my poster in as I was able to add text and images, and layer and resize them easily. The texts I used on my poster were from the website, 1001fonts.com, which is a website which provided me with lots of different fonts in different colours to use on my poster, it allowed me to copy and paste them onto my poster without having to edit them.

Website Image effected on Publisher from colour to Black and White

• I created a website homepage using website called ‘WIX.com.’ • I used WIX to create my website homepage because it allowed me to add

fonts and images, these fonts were the same as used on my poster and in my trailer to keep the same theme and ensures the audience know that it is the same film being advertised throughout my products. I also was able to add a videos to the website, I chose to have my trailer on both my homepage and the ‘Videos’ page of my website.

• I could also add audio to the website which was a generic convention used for horror film websites. In addition to this, it allowed me to have hyperlinks between each page on my website , this also meant I was able to hyperlink my film title to the homepage.

You can add audio and choose the track you would like. I used a track which I converted form YouTube to MP3 on www.Youtubeconvwerter.com

Hyperlink of film title to the homepage of my website. This hyperlink will is linked to the homepage despite the page that you are on.

• Throughout the evaluation stages of my coursework I used a range of technology. For my evaluation questions, I ensured I varied the technology I used to present my answers. For example, question 3 of my evaluation I used Movie Maker. Windows Movie Maker meant I could add audio which I had recorded as well as import videos which I had recorded as evidence for my audience feedback. This software also meant I could publish the movie and upload it to my blog easily.

Button used to add photos and videos from files.

• Once the trailer was complete we then published it and uploaded it onto YouTube. YouTube is a global website which allows you to share videos which you have created, you can choose to share your videos privately and publicly.

• All the work I have completed for my coursework I have uploaded on my blog. To create my blog I used a website called ‘Blogger.’ It is an online blog website which allows me to upload text, images and videos.

• Blogger can be viewed by members of the public as well as members of my class which means they are able to watch my horror movie film trailer and provide me with feedback via comments. Also, having an online blog meant that my teacher could view my blog throughout my coursework to mark it and make sure I had competed everything. It is also a good way to present my coursework so that the examiner can mark it.

Overall, from answering this evaluation question I feel that I have used a range of media technologies throughout the

construction, research, planning and evaluation of my coursework and I have learnt how to effectively use these

technologies to help me create a horror film trailer, poster and website homepage.