Evaluation: Question 4

Question 4:

"How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

I used a variety of different media technologies in each stage of my work. In the research stages I started off by using youtube in order to watch music videos online. I then learnt to embed them into my blog posts, so that could could be viewed easily. I then used "bloom.fm" in order to research carefully into niche genres. Bloom.fm is a smart phone app where you can listen to a personal radio station for a niche genre. I screen shot the list of songs playing and posted it on to my blog. I then used microsoft office powerpoint in order to create a presentation to show to my focus group. To insert this on to my blog I had to use a screen capture software to film the presentation playing. I then uploaded this screen capture as a video on my blog. I developed by presentation methods into a more advanced technology method by using "Prezi". Prezi is an online presentation website, and allows for a much more varied approach when compared to a powerpoint presentation. I really like the ability to work through ideas in an almost mind map style presentation, allowing you to think and present freely. I created a series of prezi's, which I uploaded onto my blog using HTML coding methods on blogger. I used the social networking site, Facebook for two different research methods. The first was using facebook messenger on my personal facebook account to speak to my friends, and gain quick feedback on things. This was great for gain other viewers. I also used facebook to create a record label page, where I could communicate with my target audience in a more professional manner. Facebook allowed me to share photos, videos and status uploads which could reach a large audience. When I was brainstorming ideas I used "MindMeister", online storyboarding software. This was better than using a pen and paper as points could be moved and edited freely. Allowing me to organise my ideas well on the mind map. I used an online questionnaire, hosted by "Survey Monkey". This allowed me to create a questionnaire, share easily using a weblink and present the results automatically on bar charts and tables. For my mood boarding I used "Pinterest", an online research mood boarding site. This works in a similar way to google images, allow you to search for pictures. You then group them onto "boards" where all the ideas are presented together. This worked brilliantly when I was researching examples of digipack covers that appealed to me. 

During my planning stage I also managed to find a lot of media technologies to use. The best was "TeamUp", an online calendar which allowed me to create a timetable for different users which plan my focus group involved room hire and loads of people. I also used email and text messaging in order to communicate to gain access to the church and send reminders to my actor. I used EverNote to create online lists, much better than paper lists as it could be shared online easier and not lost. I used "GetPocket" to keep track the websites that I reference too throughout my blog. This was a google chrome app, with a button in browser to add to the source list. Really quick and effective to use. I also experimented with online storyboarding, but found it less effective than hand drawing.  

In the construction stage I used a Canon E0S DSLR 60D with an 18-135mm lens. Brilliant as it allowed me to use manual focus, aperture, ISO and other modes to produce a professional standard of HD footage. I allowed me to use macro modes, for filming the ring scene, and a remote shutter, for filming myself. I used Serif MoviePlus x6 to edit my software. This was a good product, and gave me the ability of a large range of effects and footage. I used Adobe photoshop elements 11 and 12, in order to create a logo and edit my digipack and magazine advertisement. I worked with a music producer who used FL studio to produce the track for my music video. Although I did not use this software myself, I worked closely with the produce and got to see how it worked. I then uploaded the track on "Audiour", an online sound sharing website, in order to share it online. I also used "Flickr" in order to upload my photographs that I took for my digipack and poster. 

For the evaluation stage, I used the record label facebook page that I created earlier in my blog to gain feedback from my target audience. This was an effective way of getting feedback from people who had liked my facebook page.