Essay Plan
Introduction - Thesis Statement
1.What do we mean by Digital Media Technology?
2.What is the relationship between Creativity and Digital Media Technology?
3.Apply 3 of the following words to how your Production work has developed over 2 years:
(i) Experimentation,
(ii) Hyper-reality,
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media
Paragraph 1:
Point - AS Preliminary - the impact your use of digital technology had ineither
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)
Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie layers, filters, cutting out)
Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work:
(i) Experimentation,
(ii) Hyper-reality,
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media
Paragraph 2:
Point - AS Magazine - HOW your skills developed from Preliminary & the impact your use of digital technology had in either
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)
Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie layers, filters, cutting out)
Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work:
(i) Experimentation,
(ii) Hyper-reality,
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media
Paragraph 3:
Point - A2 Trailer - HOW your skills developed from AS Magazine & the impact your use of digital technology had in either
i. Research (Influences)
ii. Production (shooting) iii. Post-Production (editing - experimentation)
Example - what skills you actually used/what you did (ie cuts, effects, transitions, sequecning clips)
Analysis - the impact of these skills on the creative success of your practical work (Pros and Cons)
(i) Experimentation,
(ii) Hyper-reality,
(iii) Access to Social Networks
(vi) Creation of Media
Conclusion - how your u
Homework 2: Carry out 2-3 hours of shooting to produce your trailer. Ensure you have costumes and props and have refined your shooting plan (sequence of shots to film on the day) if you are at The Old Police Station on Tuesday
Prep 1: Read over the resources and answer these questions
1. What do you we mean by Post Production?
1. What do you we mean by Post Production?
Question 1a Post Production from Mr Smith
Prep 2: Read over the 3 extracts & identify key points for Post Production
Extract from Candidate Script 1
In AS and A2 I developed a whole range of new skills. In AS I completed a magazine cover, contents page and double page spread. My skills developed in A2 as I created a digital video on a trailer. In AS I had to create a magazine on photoshop, I had to ensure I used to the correct digital technology as well as putting my creativity skills to the rest. As my magazine was based on dance and house music I had to ensure I was challenging existing products. In 1997 Bentley had quoted “the making of the new and rearranging of the old”. My magazine relates to this as we had to ensure we used all the correct conventions needed. These included pen tool, blemish effect, shadow tool etc. By using my creativity I had to make sure all the micro-elements were perfect. As I developed my skills in photoshop I was able to use a shadow tool to create the lights in the background look like strobe lights. This was developed through my skills as I made them all over my magazine so people knew the genre. In A2 I created a digital video trailer on a young girl who gets kidnapped. My growth is digital technology changed as the tasks changed. In 2002 Mark Towse had quoted that digital video is the most important advancement since TV. I agree with this quote as a lot of production had to go into my creativity. I had to develop and show progress whilst working on my trailer as it was something new. To make sure it looked like a thriller I used different conventions these were transitions, music, effects, split clip etc. For my music I used a digital technology program ‘garage band’. This allowed me to create music and sound effects to follow up on my trailer. By using web blogs in both years this was so we could communicate with our audiences. David Gaunlett quotes about communication this is web 2.0. I used this in both years so my audiences and peers could leave me feedback. From this I was able to use growth in my creativity. As it enabled me on what I need to improve on also what I could do next. From this essay you will clearly be able to state that I had a lot of creativity whilst using different hardwares, and I was able to create something proffessional.
Marks awarded and rationale: 11/25
The answer offers a basic list of examples of the use of technology with lack of detail about creative outcomes. There is little account of progression from AS to A2. The attempts to utilise academic and industry perspectives are expressed hastily and with limited coherence.
Extract from Candidate Script 2
For my AS coursework we were given the task of designing a music magazine which introduced me to a number of digital technologies which we used creatively. We decided to create a music magazine within the pop genre, thus we tried to make it appeal to a target audience of young teenagers, as this is the group the pop genre aims to appeal to. For our A2 coursework we used digital technologies to a more advanced level as we had to create a music video, again in the pop genre. We tried to make it appeal to the same target audience by following various codes and conventions, such as using quick cuts to create a fast pace. For our AS coursework we were introduced to ‘Photoshop’ in order to edit images for our pop music magazine. I was introduced to simple tools, such as the ‘spot healer’ tool in order to edit a close-up of my main front cover artist and give the image a conventional, airbrushed look so our target audience would be able to easily identify the magazine. In A2 I had the opportunity to use ‘Photoshop’ to a more advanced level as I had to create an anallary digi-face alongside a music video. Here, I used tools to a more professional level. For example, for the rear album cover I took individual images of monetary notes and cropped them out using the ‘Magic wand’ tool on ‘Photoshop’. Here, I superimposed the money images onto the mid long-shot of my main artist in order to create the illusion of money falling. This is conventional as it is iconography from our music video, thus audiences would be able to identify it easily. I was also introduced to the video editing software, ‘IMovie’ during our AS research and planning. We filmed interviews for our audience research and uploaded them to ‘IMovie’ in order to edit the clips. Here, we learnt basic functions, such as ‘trimming’ to make clips shorter in length. For A2, ‘IMovie’ became more prominent as we used it to an advanced level in order to edit our pop music video. We used the ‘trim’ tool to edit clips to as short a length as possible as it is conventional for pop videos to be fast-paced through quick-cuts. We also used various filters to create escapism for our audience eg We edited outside shots with a high saturation filter in order to create a bright and colourful atmosphere. This is a further convention of the pop genre, thus appeals to our target audience. We had to create good lightning to a basic effect for our AS music magazine. When taking medium close-up image of an artist for my contents page, I used a white sheet in the background to create bright lighting and a conventional studio feel. For our A2 music video lighting was even more of a problem as we had to shoot flashback sequences in the dark, with colourful disco lighting to create a party atmosphere. We conducted a lighting test and decided to use the video camera’s light in order to see the artist more broadly. This created a good effect and the flashing disco lights created a party atmosphere, which is a further pop convention. We also used editing tools to an advanced level for our A2 music video, which we were unable to do in AS as we created a still image product. For our music video we sped up clips on ‘IMovie’ to create under-cranking in certain areas. This made the video move at an even faster pace and also conveyed a sense of panic, which we aimed to create. In contrast, we used over-cranking in party sequences, such as when money is thrown in order to highlight how it is lost. This makes the video more recognisable to audience as it matches the visuals with the song title of ‘When The Money’s Gone’. In conclusion, we were able to use new digital technologies to a more professional standard in A2, as we were able to progress and work upon skills that were taught to us in AS. We were able to use the technologies creatively, to create a conventional product, which our target audience would accept and recognise.
Marks awarded and rationale: 18/25
A detailed account of relevant examples of the use of technology is provided, with a sense of progression over time. In places, creative outcomes are described, whereas in others the value of technological application is taken for granted. This prevents it accessing level 4.
Extract from Candidate Script 3
My AS media production group produced an opening sequence to a supernatural horror/thriller hybrid entitled ‘Through The Window’. It focused on 3 male protagonists who go to a dentist house to see if its worthly for a potential location they where they want to create their horror video. However little to their knowledge 2 possessed Victorian girls will haunt anyone who dares enter their domain. Whereas our A2 media production focused on a music video for the artist ‘Childish Gambino’ and his song ‘heartbeat’ in this case we wanted to be more creative and therefore came up with a distinct storyline of a couples relationship breakdown after a crazy party in a manor house. In both years digital technology was a key process in learning new skills and developing our creativity. During the preliminary stage at the start of the course the groups knowledge of post-production and editing software was at the very best rudimentary as our only requirement was to edit the footage using final cut pro X, a software I was unfamiliar with, therefore I paid no attention to transitions and pace and music selection and simply focused on the required shots. For example match cuts, that reverse that and following the 180° rule. During year 12 our software skills had improved and upon having looked at other thrillers and researching the real conventions of a film we were able to establish what would look best in an edit. For example from looking at the film ‘The Woman In Black’ we focused on cross-cuts between the leading protagonist Daniel Radcliffe and the woman as she becomes closer to him. By focusing on how these shots were actually cut we were able to see how they were so, so they were subservient to the flow of the narrative, ‘thus enabling them to closely follow the narrative and storyline. When it came round to producing our music video in year 13 (Y13) we had already gained a standardised knowledge in editing skills, thus enabling us to work quicker and more efficiently. However working with a new medium, music video’s meant that the continuity rules learned in the first year were broken as most music video’s followed the rules of disjuncture therefore enabling us to be more creative in terms of shot types. For example likewise to Example’s music video ‘natural disaster’, we too were able to use cuts and transitions between two parallel stories. For example, we focused on one at a manor house, whereby a party scene was used which focused on the relationships aspect of the video. And then we also had another location, the airfield hanger whereby our artist was shown singing. This therefore enabled us to engage our audience as the artist was shown in 2 different narrative styles therefore keeping it interesting for the audience. Another crucial aspect was the digital camera during our prelim we used a basic video camera however during year 12 and 13 we used a more technologically advanced camera the Canon EOS 600b. In terms of year 12, the thriller genre meant that we had to closely follow cinematic techniques and shots in order for intended audience to suspend their disbelief, otherwise if our shots strayed too far they may have became dissatisfied and bored, therefore we followed the genre’s expectations. Whereas at A2 music video’s followed the rules of disjuncture meaning that more creative shot types were accepted by the audience due to the music video style. Therefore we used a low angle shot where our artist visually dominated the screen therefore portraying him in a big and powerful way which was our intention. This also meant we could use a range of creative mid closeup’s of our artist which worked seemingly well. This lead to my existing media skills to be involved outside of the course as I embarked on the opportunity to work at the BFI talent campus in 2013, during this time my role consisted of being the cinematographer in which I worked with the arri alexa camera, therefore I was able to put my existing media skills into practice by working on a professional and real film set where I was able to come up with creative shots and depict which lense to use for the style, mood, and type of shots. Another crucial aspect of digital technology, was the use of the internet, having developed our the 2 years standardised research skills this meant we could use the internet wisely and to our advantage which were thereby reflected in our 2 successful pieces of media. Whereas at the prelim stage our internet knowledge was very undeveloped. So having these skills we were able to use different programmes and softwares to add our creative ability. For example in year 12 we used Photoshop to come up with poster ideas whereas during year 12 we moved onto a more technologically advanced software called Gimp, whereby we created our ancillary tasks/a digipack and a magazine advert. This showed our skills had developed over the 2 years. In addition we made a creative decision to create a ‘housestyle’ for our audience this consisted of colours to represent the artist as a brand and an iconic image, thereby in the mise en scene costume we had the artist in 3 distinct colours blue, white and black and also our editing colour grading consisted of an electric blue tint. In addition we were able to find new up to date software to show our digital skills in terms of our project thereby we used a programme called pre2 to show presentations. We also came across a t-shirt website on the internet whereby we created promotional merchandise for our artist consisting of representative colours which were previously stated. This was likewise to other artists such as Ed Sheeran and orange and Justin Bieber with purple. As previously stated our final cut pro skills were developed during A2 this meant that we could up with more creative ideas in terms of editing thereby in our video shots of 3 iphones are used whereby we see shots of both footage from the hanger and manor house, so by putting a green screen on each iphone we were able to chroma key each image so that footage would be visible on top of the screens therefore creating a new and creative take on the use of phones in a music video, something that had not previously been done. Therefore I believe digital technology was very helpful in producing to effective pieces of media over the 2 years. As my skills further improved and my creative decisions enabled the group to create 2 professional and successful looking media texts which were well regarded by their audiences.
Marks awarded and rationale: 25/25
Throughout the answer the focus is on the difference the use of technology made to creative outcomes, with detailed, reflective discussion and a clear sense of progression over time, from the use of green screen to more effective cross-cutting. The balance of examples, reflection, progression and address of the question justifies a top mark.
Prep 2: Read over the 3 extracts & identify key points for Post Production
Extract from Candidate Script 1
In AS and A2 I developed a whole range of new skills. In AS I completed a magazine cover, contents page and double page spread. My skills developed in A2 as I created a digital video on a trailer. In AS I had to create a magazine on photoshop, I had to ensure I used to the correct digital technology as well as putting my creativity skills to the rest. As my magazine was based on dance and house music I had to ensure I was challenging existing products. In 1997 Bentley had quoted “the making of the new and rearranging of the old”. My magazine relates to this as we had to ensure we used all the correct conventions needed. These included pen tool, blemish effect, shadow tool etc. By using my creativity I had to make sure all the micro-elements were perfect. As I developed my skills in photoshop I was able to use a shadow tool to create the lights in the background look like strobe lights. This was developed through my skills as I made them all over my magazine so people knew the genre. In A2 I created a digital video trailer on a young girl who gets kidnapped. My growth is digital technology changed as the tasks changed. In 2002 Mark Towse had quoted that digital video is the most important advancement since TV. I agree with this quote as a lot of production had to go into my creativity. I had to develop and show progress whilst working on my trailer as it was something new. To make sure it looked like a thriller I used different conventions these were transitions, music, effects, split clip etc. For my music I used a digital technology program ‘garage band’. This allowed me to create music and sound effects to follow up on my trailer. By using web blogs in both years this was so we could communicate with our audiences. David Gaunlett quotes about communication this is web 2.0. I used this in both years so my audiences and peers could leave me feedback. From this I was able to use growth in my creativity. As it enabled me on what I need to improve on also what I could do next. From this essay you will clearly be able to state that I had a lot of creativity whilst using different hardwares, and I was able to create something proffessional.
Marks awarded and rationale: 11/25
The answer offers a basic list of examples of the use of technology with lack of detail about creative outcomes. There is little account of progression from AS to A2. The attempts to utilise academic and industry perspectives are expressed hastily and with limited coherence.
Extract from Candidate Script 2
For my AS coursework we were given the task of designing a music magazine which introduced me to a number of digital technologies which we used creatively. We decided to create a music magazine within the pop genre, thus we tried to make it appeal to a target audience of young teenagers, as this is the group the pop genre aims to appeal to. For our A2 coursework we used digital technologies to a more advanced level as we had to create a music video, again in the pop genre. We tried to make it appeal to the same target audience by following various codes and conventions, such as using quick cuts to create a fast pace. For our AS coursework we were introduced to ‘Photoshop’ in order to edit images for our pop music magazine. I was introduced to simple tools, such as the ‘spot healer’ tool in order to edit a close-up of my main front cover artist and give the image a conventional, airbrushed look so our target audience would be able to easily identify the magazine. In A2 I had the opportunity to use ‘Photoshop’ to a more advanced level as I had to create an anallary digi-face alongside a music video. Here, I used tools to a more professional level. For example, for the rear album cover I took individual images of monetary notes and cropped them out using the ‘Magic wand’ tool on ‘Photoshop’. Here, I superimposed the money images onto the mid long-shot of my main artist in order to create the illusion of money falling. This is conventional as it is iconography from our music video, thus audiences would be able to identify it easily. I was also introduced to the video editing software, ‘IMovie’ during our AS research and planning. We filmed interviews for our audience research and uploaded them to ‘IMovie’ in order to edit the clips. Here, we learnt basic functions, such as ‘trimming’ to make clips shorter in length. For A2, ‘IMovie’ became more prominent as we used it to an advanced level in order to edit our pop music video. We used the ‘trim’ tool to edit clips to as short a length as possible as it is conventional for pop videos to be fast-paced through quick-cuts. We also used various filters to create escapism for our audience eg We edited outside shots with a high saturation filter in order to create a bright and colourful atmosphere. This is a further convention of the pop genre, thus appeals to our target audience. We had to create good lightning to a basic effect for our AS music magazine. When taking medium close-up image of an artist for my contents page, I used a white sheet in the background to create bright lighting and a conventional studio feel. For our A2 music video lighting was even more of a problem as we had to shoot flashback sequences in the dark, with colourful disco lighting to create a party atmosphere. We conducted a lighting test and decided to use the video camera’s light in order to see the artist more broadly. This created a good effect and the flashing disco lights created a party atmosphere, which is a further pop convention. We also used editing tools to an advanced level for our A2 music video, which we were unable to do in AS as we created a still image product. For our music video we sped up clips on ‘IMovie’ to create under-cranking in certain areas. This made the video move at an even faster pace and also conveyed a sense of panic, which we aimed to create. In contrast, we used over-cranking in party sequences, such as when money is thrown in order to highlight how it is lost. This makes the video more recognisable to audience as it matches the visuals with the song title of ‘When The Money’s Gone’. In conclusion, we were able to use new digital technologies to a more professional standard in A2, as we were able to progress and work upon skills that were taught to us in AS. We were able to use the technologies creatively, to create a conventional product, which our target audience would accept and recognise.
Marks awarded and rationale: 18/25
A detailed account of relevant examples of the use of technology is provided, with a sense of progression over time. In places, creative outcomes are described, whereas in others the value of technological application is taken for granted. This prevents it accessing level 4.
Extract from Candidate Script 3
My AS media production group produced an opening sequence to a supernatural horror/thriller hybrid entitled ‘Through The Window’. It focused on 3 male protagonists who go to a dentist house to see if its worthly for a potential location they where they want to create their horror video. However little to their knowledge 2 possessed Victorian girls will haunt anyone who dares enter their domain. Whereas our A2 media production focused on a music video for the artist ‘Childish Gambino’ and his song ‘heartbeat’ in this case we wanted to be more creative and therefore came up with a distinct storyline of a couples relationship breakdown after a crazy party in a manor house. In both years digital technology was a key process in learning new skills and developing our creativity. During the preliminary stage at the start of the course the groups knowledge of post-production and editing software was at the very best rudimentary as our only requirement was to edit the footage using final cut pro X, a software I was unfamiliar with, therefore I paid no attention to transitions and pace and music selection and simply focused on the required shots. For example match cuts, that reverse that and following the 180° rule. During year 12 our software skills had improved and upon having looked at other thrillers and researching the real conventions of a film we were able to establish what would look best in an edit. For example from looking at the film ‘The Woman In Black’ we focused on cross-cuts between the leading protagonist Daniel Radcliffe and the woman as she becomes closer to him. By focusing on how these shots were actually cut we were able to see how they were so, so they were subservient to the flow of the narrative, ‘thus enabling them to closely follow the narrative and storyline. When it came round to producing our music video in year 13 (Y13) we had already gained a standardised knowledge in editing skills, thus enabling us to work quicker and more efficiently. However working with a new medium, music video’s meant that the continuity rules learned in the first year were broken as most music video’s followed the rules of disjuncture therefore enabling us to be more creative in terms of shot types. For example likewise to Example’s music video ‘natural disaster’, we too were able to use cuts and transitions between two parallel stories. For example, we focused on one at a manor house, whereby a party scene was used which focused on the relationships aspect of the video. And then we also had another location, the airfield hanger whereby our artist was shown singing. This therefore enabled us to engage our audience as the artist was shown in 2 different narrative styles therefore keeping it interesting for the audience. Another crucial aspect was the digital camera during our prelim we used a basic video camera however during year 12 and 13 we used a more technologically advanced camera the Canon EOS 600b. In terms of year 12, the thriller genre meant that we had to closely follow cinematic techniques and shots in order for intended audience to suspend their disbelief, otherwise if our shots strayed too far they may have became dissatisfied and bored, therefore we followed the genre’s expectations. Whereas at A2 music video’s followed the rules of disjuncture meaning that more creative shot types were accepted by the audience due to the music video style. Therefore we used a low angle shot where our artist visually dominated the screen therefore portraying him in a big and powerful way which was our intention. This also meant we could use a range of creative mid closeup’s of our artist which worked seemingly well. This lead to my existing media skills to be involved outside of the course as I embarked on the opportunity to work at the BFI talent campus in 2013, during this time my role consisted of being the cinematographer in which I worked with the arri alexa camera, therefore I was able to put my existing media skills into practice by working on a professional and real film set where I was able to come up with creative shots and depict which lense to use for the style, mood, and type of shots. Another crucial aspect of digital technology, was the use of the internet, having developed our the 2 years standardised research skills this meant we could use the internet wisely and to our advantage which were thereby reflected in our 2 successful pieces of media. Whereas at the prelim stage our internet knowledge was very undeveloped. So having these skills we were able to use different programmes and softwares to add our creative ability. For example in year 12 we used Photoshop to come up with poster ideas whereas during year 12 we moved onto a more technologically advanced software called Gimp, whereby we created our ancillary tasks/a digipack and a magazine advert. This showed our skills had developed over the 2 years. In addition we made a creative decision to create a ‘housestyle’ for our audience this consisted of colours to represent the artist as a brand and an iconic image, thereby in the mise en scene costume we had the artist in 3 distinct colours blue, white and black and also our editing colour grading consisted of an electric blue tint. In addition we were able to find new up to date software to show our digital skills in terms of our project thereby we used a programme called pre2 to show presentations. We also came across a t-shirt website on the internet whereby we created promotional merchandise for our artist consisting of representative colours which were previously stated. This was likewise to other artists such as Ed Sheeran and orange and Justin Bieber with purple. As previously stated our final cut pro skills were developed during A2 this meant that we could up with more creative ideas in terms of editing thereby in our video shots of 3 iphones are used whereby we see shots of both footage from the hanger and manor house, so by putting a green screen on each iphone we were able to chroma key each image so that footage would be visible on top of the screens therefore creating a new and creative take on the use of phones in a music video, something that had not previously been done. Therefore I believe digital technology was very helpful in producing to effective pieces of media over the 2 years. As my skills further improved and my creative decisions enabled the group to create 2 professional and successful looking media texts which were well regarded by their audiences.
Marks awarded and rationale: 25/25
Throughout the answer the focus is on the difference the use of technology made to creative outcomes, with detailed, reflective discussion and a clear sense of progression over time, from the use of green screen to more effective cross-cutting. The balance of examples, reflection, progression and address of the question justifies a top mark.
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