Research and planning

Refers to all research that i did before i created my media products, and to all the planning involved that helped me and my group create the media products.

Typical question:
Explain how your skills in the creative use of research and planning developed over time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer (25 marks)

Research: 

Year 12 - used titles, genres, mise en scene and camera work.
Year 13- used genre, mise en scene, camera work, editing and synergy.

In year 12 i had little knowledge of film genres so before creating a film opening, i did a bit of research into what made a film fit the category of a certain genre for example horror. But in year 13 i developed greater knowledge by researching in more depth of what the conventions of a music video are in a certain genre and as a whole. Different skills were needed in each production in year 12 (film opening) and year 13 (music video), in year 13 synergy was vital for our three media products ; music video, website and digipak. As well as our editing requiring different things, such as many locations and a vast amount of shots. Whereas in year 12 the film opening required a narrative, that didn't involve as many locations and shots as the music video did. Mise en scene was vital in both year 12 and year 13, and editing made a vast impact on our media product in year 13 in comparison to year 12.

Audience: year 12- wasn't really researched. Year 13- researched in great depth.

In year 12 i learnt new skills from older students and my teachers, but in year 13 i self-taught myself a lot through trial and error and youtube clips.

Planning:

• Story board- In year 12 my groups storyboard was in depth to help us get an idea of what we needed to do in order to create our film opening and pre-lim. But in year 13 our story board was more basic so that we could play around with ideas, and be creative and imaginative. Having a basic (non-strict) storyboard helped us to change our video and learn what we want it to look like. The year 12 film opening that required narrative really benefited from the story board, but the year 13 music video had multiple shots and effects that could not possibly have all be planned for.
• Shot list/shooting schedule- In year 12 these were both basic but in year 13 they were very helpful and drove the music video. 
• Risk assessment- In year 12 was quite simple and small, not encountering for the many risks that could cause problems. Whereas in year 13 we knew more about the possible risks so the risk assessment was more in depth.

Digital technology

Refers to hardware, software and online technology, so the digital cameras, the computers, the packages you used and the programs online that you have worked with.
Eg- Imac, Ipads etc.

Typical question:
Explain how your skills in the creative use of digital technology developed over time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer (25 marks)

4 key areas to talk about when discussing digital technology:

Presentation:

• Emaze
• Powtoon
• Prezi
• Photobucket
• Blogger

Post- production:

• Adobe premeire 
• After effects
• Photoshop

Communication:

• Facebook
• Whatsapp
• Email

Digital hardware(what we filmed on):

• Imac
• Iphone
• Ipad
• Drone
• Steady cam 

5 areas of digital technology to write about in the essay:

• Adobe Premiere - In year 12 (I knew nothing), eventually i managed to create a film opening with ordered shots. In year 13 i learnt how to adapt our editing style to a music video (multiple cuts).

• Blogger- In year 12 (i knew nothing), by the end of year 12 i managed to learn the basics of how to use blogger (eg adding labels, creating a template, adding different backgrounds). In year 13 blogger was more important (had to have double the posts, the blog was were i organised my notes and presented my research into music videos). Managed to learn how to embed videos, emazes, prezis.

• Prezi - In year 12 (i didn't know what it was), eventually i learnt the basics of the program. In year 13 i used to prezi to create presentations in more depth exploring the many different things you can create using prezi for example the production diary. 

• Instagram- In year 12 when my group created a film opening we was looking for a large, unspecific audience, where as in year 13 we was looking for a specific target audience and creating social media accounts such as instagram to increase the popularity and of our artist. It was crucial for us to have these social media accounts as many artists do, it is clear that in year 13 we did a lot more research prior to creating our cross-media products. 

• Camera and Tripod- My experience of using a camera was limited in year 12, as i only learnt the basics such as how to record a long basic video. Whereas in year 13, the camera i used was used in many different ways, for example at times for the music video a steady shot was needed, so me and my group used a tripod. This shows the development from media in year 12 to media in year 13 as the demands were different and it was harder.

Post-production

Refers to what i did after filming and how my productions developed.

Typical question:
Explain how your skills in the creative use of post-production developed over time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer (25 marks)

Year 12:

• Editing- Adobe premiere (narrative, small number of shots).

Year 13:

• Website- Wix
• Digipak- Photoshop
• Editing- Adobe premiere 

Examples- Juno, Dancing bears, banana phone task, stealomatic, prelims - practising editing for the final products. 

Use the term - cross media promotional package for artist when referring to the music video.

Prints - text, image, layout and font. 

Section A: Theoretical evaluation Q1a

Worth 25/100
Have 30 mins to complete.

Could be about the following:

• Post- production
• Research and planning
• Digital technology 
• Forms and conventions
• Creativity 

Requires description and evaluation of your skills development over the two years. Should include examples and be reflective/evaluative of previous products, into how you developed for your final production.

It is about:

• What 
• How 
• Effect
• Development 

1a) Explain how your skills in the creative use of digital technology developed over time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer (25 marks)

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