what did you learn from your audience feedback ? 

From my audience feedback which was created via a questionnaire which I then put to a small group, I learnt that in my music video there were a number of items I could improve on, these items consisted of my editing. It was identified by a number of feedback answers that my editing wasn't smooth enough a couple of suggestions to improve this was to create more frames this would then make it slicker. When I was creating my video I didn't do as many frames as I liked because of the timing issue, therefore i've learnt if i were to create a professional music video I would spend more time and take more frames to override this issue. I also learnt another issue of song choice, although many said this wasn't a huge problem they said it was a personal choice and if it was up to them they would of done a different song. However, they said what I did with the song worked well and therefore this wasn't a huge problem. Consequently, I have learnt if I were to rectify this then choosing a song that fit everybody's taste would be impossible therefore I did the best I could with the material I had and know next time to consider people's song choice. From my music video another issue that cropped up was the editing of the song as I couldn't edit the song properly to fit the editing of the video it became hard to match and bits of the song were cut off. I learnt that this confused a couple of people as they didn't know what happend but there was nothing I could change to rectify this as it could take days I found out I would probably need more time to complete this and that putting the whole song in meant people would understand the narrative properly. As well as my music video I also got feedback from my Cd cover and advert, a couple of people said that there was a problem with the image not being big enough filling the space with just white making it not as professional looking as it could be, therefore I learnt that to change this I would have to edit the image to a bigger size to make others happy and fulfil the criteria in a cd cover. The advert was said to be improved by having more emphasis all over as it was a bit confusing where to look. However I learnt that the image i used meant you could link the three products I created together. 

On the other hand I also learnt some positive things from my audience feedback, there were a number of compliments with my idea of Lego stop motion saying that my idea was really good and very imaginative. As a result I've learnt I am capable of coming up with ideas and able to create a successful product. Other compliments came from some scenes that I created specifically such as the snow scene where I created realism with the snow scene they said this was very effective and from this I have learned I am capable of creating a decent stop motion. In my music video audience feedback also showed me my aim of matching the editing to the lyrics this then showed me that I have fulfilled my aim and been able to produce a half successful video by selling the artist with his lyrics. As well in my Advert and music cd i people found a link and connection between the products and could relate them together meaning people were able to understand the concept from this I have learnt that showing cultural links and connections are important to convey a message and understanding the audience. People said that the whole concept was overall sweet and they enjoyed watching video which in my opinion is successful and therefore overall I have learnt my product needs a few changes but was successful if I were to re-do this product with a longer time length I could hugely improve this product.  

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

 For my planning and research of my music video, digipak and advert I used google and google images to find images and shots of past music video's and so on. I used this to compare past videos and shots and how ideas will help mine. I learn from using this new media technology a huge variety of images and things I never knew before which I was then able to use to plan and adapt into my product an example of this would be finding Ed Sheeran's past cd cover. This helped me to compare and make sure I didn't have any copyright involved in my products but also I could see connections between his genre with other artists meaning I was able to establish my chosen artist. 

As well as google, I was able to use technology such as youtube, where I could research past music video's look at directors commentary and compare and initiate ideas for my music video. This is how I created my first idead by using new media technologies to research and plan. I learnt from using this technology how easy it was but also a=how developed technology is and able to help prepare for my music video.

After planning and researching it was essential that I started my filming, this was created by using a video camera at first which was a sony camera especially used for stop motion pictures. However, I found it hard to use this as I was in cramped conditions and the moving around and taking of frames took time and wasted precious space therefore I then was able to use my own digital camera meaning I could take continuos frames this was easier as it was cheaper with filming but easier also to do. While filming i used my Iphone to have as a video as a tv for them to watch showing intertextual references in my video this was a massive help from my phone, meaning i could increase peoples perceptions of my video.

I also used Windows movie maker for my filming instead of Final Cut express as this for me was long and fiddly as I had over 4000 photos to put into a video therefore knowing the ins and outs of Windows movie maker I was able to create a finished successful product. 

To constantly update and keep track of my information I used the website www.blogger.com  as I kept a diary for every movement and development I made. I liked using this as I was able to keep progress of my products online and able to promote them to others.

Finally in my Evaluation pages I used the voice over of a talk text to writer a directors commentary over my video this was used with narrate on windows movie maker meaning I didn't have to use my own voice or do a boring written feedback evaluation therefore showing the new technology giving new and interesting ways to present my evaluation I enjoyed this as I learnt more about the programme. 

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

The combination of my main product and ancillary texts has come from a number of elements. Firstly, via the aspect of colour we constantly see a link between the three products, this is from my research and planning I concluded with the theme of orange and black and showing less colour has more of an effect on appealing to the audience. I then used this research to develop my product in to making it effectively enjoyable by the audience. I set out a couple of designs to enhance this as seen below showing that orange as background and outlines was better as the black was bold and recognizable to any person. The colour orange is seen as being someone who has enthusiasm, warmth; whose vibrant, expansive, and also flamboyant. Where as the contrast of black brings the idea of power,  formality, elegance, wealth and mystery. This then disempowers the flamboyance of the orange and blends the two colours in, with the feelings of wealth and mystery the black also is a statement of selling the artist. The colours provide a message as if to say buy tickets for the tour, buy the cd and you can learn more about the artists music. I feel this then effectively promoted the artist and meant that the combination of the three products appealed to most people via the link and its recognizable of the products sold by that artist. 

As well as colour we also see the theme of typography being consistently shown throughout the products which sells the artist and people are able to identify him. The use of Courier New was used by myself on all three of the products and no other font meaning there was a link that could be easily identified. The use of courier new was one that could distinguish the artist between others, this was also identified in my research of other artists providing the same font throughout their products. There were seen in different shapes and sizes such as something as important as enhancing sales and selling the artist having his name Ed Sheeran in this font was important to make the key features come across to the audience, other things such as dates from the tour were in small fonts Cardiff June 12th so people could catch on what I was aiming to sell (tickets) . I feel I accomplished this successfully via the finished product and had an effect on appealing to the right audiences as even though it is I who created the product, it would appeal to me. Next the layout of my products worked well as a package as there was minimal design meaning there wasn't too much going on in your face, this was done by having two set colour themes laying out all headers and footers above and below; small titles being put to the side but still identifiable; making images the central focus to sell the artist. I feel I did this effectively via the combination of the three products using layout to have a theme set out of less is more and making the colour and images more of low key factor. These then are combined to communicate a specific selling point of the artist and thats his one of a kind look, he's something new, fresh and different in this world showing this through the layout was done to publish the main different ideas before the predictable ones of an artist. 

Finally the mise en scene which was a big part of my three products. Was seen with the images on the Cd cover, video and advert all having the lego which in its self is fully mise en scene. The Cd cover was able to illustrate a representation of the artist with the scenes I produced in my video meaning people could relate the two together. The advert showed mise en scene with an indication of what is to come with his music with the lego character being a central focus. The video its self meant I could focus on selling the artists lyrics and his music.  I feel the effect that using mise en scene in my three products and using it the way I did, it meant that the person could relate to the three products in being of the same bandwidth.

My final Evaluation-writing form

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

In a music video there are certain codes and conventions involved, there are a number of guidelines seen in order to produce a successful product. To take this further people use these conventions in unique ways to make their product as successful as possible. For example when I began to create my music video in accordance to my chosen genre of singer/songwriter I decided I had to make the lyrics an important feature in my video. My idea came from analysing loads of music videos from different genres as well as my chosen genre. Other genres such as rock had a tendency to highlight the band and their performance, a video where this is seen as such would be the calling ‘wherever you will go’ .  

However, focusing on my genre I focused on selling the artist’s music and lyrics, this idea came from me choosing my song ‘Lego House’ as drawing up ideas came up with me concluding to use a Lego stop motion as by using this idea, I constantly related the audio to the visuals therefore making the lyrics ones of the key features. By doing this I aimed to produce a video to a target audience which meant I had limited my codes and conventions so I could get this right. This meant I couldn’t for example show the artist or this could fall into a rock genre. I feel this was successful as the artist in my video was shown in a different way therefore developing conventions of real media products, the Lego character of Ed Sheeran meant people could follow the lyrics like an artist whose in the singer/songwriter genre normally does. To help show ways in which my media product develops and challenges forms, the theory of Andrew Goodwin can be looked at. He has recognised a number of key features from which we can identify the music video as a form: A relationship between the lyrics and the visuals; A relationship between the music and the visuals; Genres characteristics; There are likely to be inter-textual references; Selling the artist and the The notion of looking. In response to Goodwin's theory I am able to provide examples of challenging and developing forms and conventions in my media product. We see in my music video the relationship to lyrics and the visuals where such lyrics as 'Build a Lego house' occurs at the beginning of the video, and I used stop motion for the Lego character to build a Lego house. This meant the audience would be able to focus on the lyrics as they could follow the movements and scenes in relation to the lyrics. This in my opinion is what made the video successful as people were able to identify a narrative of some sort as well as being able to fulfil the criteria of being a real media product. The second criteria in Goodwin's theory is linking the audio to the visuals, I did this by the use of editing this meant I could time the two different forms together to create a successful product, I feel I made this successful via such as in a scene where the music has a long note and I did this with the use of the Lego character opening the door fitting in with the movement. Another one of his Dimensions in developing a media product comes from selling the artist; I did this through although not showing the artist himself but a replica and fitting all movements, visuals about Ed Sheeran. I also showed videos at the beginning and end of the artist himself introducing his video therefore people being able to relate to him. I felt this was important as its a theme he uses in a majority of his videos and I wanted to continue this but without copying it. I feel I achieved this through the character of Lego Sheeran and making him a main feature throughout.

In relation to last year and my media coursework in the task of having to create a music magazine the conventions were different in which I challenged and developed them to create a successful product. Last time there had to be a set criteria of choosing a specific genre relating it to the magazine and as well as this making the colour,font and layout follow this. In hindsight of creating both task's one being of AS music magazine and another my A2 music video, I can recognize the huge importants of establishing the genre to then follow the other forms set up by Goodwin. With the genre being identified you are then able to set out what you set out to do in making a successful product via another one of Goodwin's dimensions being the link between the music and the visuals. This dimension helped me to improve my product from last year in developing those conventions as we see in the other products involved in my a2 coursework.  As well as this I also used Goodwin's theory to set conventions in my advert and digipak. This was seen where the main feature was to sell the artist and his music. This was done through many different routes, firstly via taking a shot of the video with the most favorite scene by many and making it my Cd cover. People were then able to link the two products together, showing a running theme and abiding to the forms and conventions. As well as that I sold the artist my continuing his running theme of the colour orange and black and making it a main statement in my products.

My feedback Evaluation Answers for my cd and advert

By a peer here is an Evaluation of my cd cover and advert, these answer the questions below
1) Very clear and well Matched
2) Putting your own take on it enhanced your advert/cd cover considerably
3) strong points- images, colour its well contrasted
4) too much white showing on front cover, image should be larger
5) Yes, I noticed this more after looking at his work
6)The album art works well with his album as it is a good close up on his face.

My feedback Evaluation questions for My Cd cover and advert

My feedback Evaluation answers for music video

A Selection of Written responses ...

1)   Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes – Good relationship works well

2)   Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

3)   All strong points- good effort, imagination, use of stop motion

4)   Filming a bit jaunty

5)   Use of editing make it smoother and lighting

My full response as a Video...

My Feedback Evaluation For my Music Video

Further part of Evaluation consisted of me getting feedback from an audience therefore in front of my class peers I am going to show my music video and Digi pack and get them to fill in this made question. This will help me to conclude my music package.

My Evaluation Commentary

As Part of my evaluation I have looked back on my music video and analysed it with commentary on points in what went right what went wrong why I did why I did and and how I could improve my Video.

My Final Advert

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