Final Edit

DISCLAIMER

** NO REAL ILLEGAL SUBSTENCES WERE USED IN THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO. IT WAS STRICKLY TO SHOW THE NEGITIVES OF DRUGS AND WHAT THEY DO TO PEOPLE. IT WAS PERCIEVED AS REAL BUT NONE WERE ACTUALLY USED. ENTERTAINMENT AND MORAL VALUES ONLY**

Evaluation Question 4 - How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

During my research I used a lot of media technologies to research exsiting products, theories and techniques for my own product. I used a lot of the internet as it is so interactive, so quick and so versitile. I could go on a search engine such as google and find more than I was looking for. This was really helpful in terms of gathering multipul theories, audience feedback on exsisting products to find out what is popular and why, and also a wide range of exsiting products allowing me to evaluate them with ease. This was a massive benifit in my research stages as I was wasting no time finding sources and therefore giving me enough time to research every aspect I needed to produce my own product with success. I used 'Blogger' to plog my research and planning in order to not lose/forget anything I learnt. It was an efficient way to keep everything together, making it easy to interwine between all my findings quickly. The use of social media really helped me. It allowed me to get honest opinions on products quicker than youtube. I could type in an album name and get thousands of results in seconds, these were honest opinions which people speak freely of. Another powerful use of social media was getting in touch with the band I used. As nowadays everybody is on their phones 24/7 it was a quick communication source to talk and get personal with the band. Not only did I get permission very quick but it enabled me to speak to them personally to get a real understanding of the track so my music video could work with it. It allowed them to send over demos and the final song quickly without any problems. This technology was a massive benifit. For planning my video I used Youtube and Vimeo regularly to gather Youtube tutorials. This was a huge help in order for me to collect techniques to do with camera movement, camera settings, editing techniques etc. I used blogger again to keep these tutorials on record so I didn't lose them. During my planning stages I experimented a lot with my DLSR Canon 600D camera in order to perfect the right shot I wanted. These meant I wasn't faffing around on the day, working out settings or the right movement. This gave me alot more time for actual shooting and development of new ideas on shoot. As you can see on my blog I experimented with smoke etc. I also used the satnav and google maps to find locations. I didn't want to stick to places where everyone knew, I believed the more I location scouting for perfect locations, the more realistic my story would be, so this technology helped me massively whilst planning my shoot.

During the construction of my music video I used my Canon 600D to capture my shots. Through my research I knew I needed lenses in order to capture the perfect shots. So I used a prime 50mm lense to get a really deep depth of field type shot, I found that this lense gave me a really cinematic feel to the video which is exactly what I wanted. I used a wide angled lense for moving shots. This was because this type of lense captures a lot in the view, and has a shallow depth of field, so when moving you can concentrate more on the smoothness of the movement and not have troubles with the focus. I used a 25-105mm zoom lense for shots where I couldn't get close to myself. This lense was very versitile so if we were struggling for time, this lense did it's job with no hassel. These technologies helped massively toward the cinematic look I wanted. Whilst planning my video I knew an essential aspect to a quality video was camera movement. I used a Flycam Nano as a steadicam whilst doing movement shots. This gave the shot a really smooth shot whilst running, walking etc. This benifitted massively whilst shooting the happy scenes as it gave it a happy relaxed feel to the video which I wanted. Whilst planning the video, I knew it was going to be a story and I had to make it as realistic as possible. So I decided I needed handheld 'documentary' styled shots to make it look realistic. From experimenting before my video I found that handheld shots were overly shakey and didn't look proffessional what so ever. After my research I decided on getting a shoulder cam, which gives these types of shots but maintaining a proffessional look. This helped for when the video got intense and wasn't so 'relaxed' anymore. Created suspence and tension through the movement of the camera. I also got a Kanova K2 60cm slider. This helps with establishing relaxed shots. It establishes locations excellent with a really proffessional cinematic feel. Which benniftted my video massively. This technology/equipment really helped me out in terms of getting the shots I planned. I also used the Canon camera to get the right shots I wanted. I found out that higher the ISO on the camera the more quality lost. So in order to keep a low ISO I knew the shots had to be nicely lit, why I shot in the daytime. Without knowing this setting, I would have lost alot of quality. Also I learnt about depth of field and used the camera to select the depth of field setting I wanted. This gave me a really cinematic look and a variety of shots which callbourated well together to create a successful product.

In pre production I learnt a lot about 'Sony Vegas' through the internet. I used Sony Vegas Pro 12 in my post production. I used all its features to get the best image I could. Involving me exploring the colour correction and colour grading methods. This really helped to manipulate the viewers mood by the colour of the image. I also used this technology to create a certain mood by cuts and length of shots. I would speed up the cuts to build tension and suspence. But then slow down the tension by having longer length shots. This was essential in making a good edit. I also used this technology to create the effect in the second to last scene. It is a delay of a shot which makes it blurry. This is so it manipulates the viewers mind to believe the character is under the influence of something. This worked very well, and was achieved through Sony Vegas. All the edit worked very well and the way I used the technology, I believe, was at the best of my ability.

My digipak and magazine advert used the same technologies and techniques as my video and I researched in the same way as my video. This consistant method I carried out worked very well. I used 'Photoshop' in these texts to edit the photos. I used the setting in that technology to create the feel I was going for. I lowered the saturation. Boosted the contrast and also added 'film grain' and 'scratches' on to the edit. This was very successfull and manipulated my images beautifully, exactly how I planned.

I used directors commentary in my evaluation, so the viewers could get a sense of personal meaning instead of text. I used prezi and slide share to present other questions, for a fun way to read so the viewer wouldn't get bored, yet still read/heard why I did what I did and what I learnt from it. 

All the technologies I used were very helpful in order for me to create the best products I could. I used the technologies to the best of my ability and I believe they were a massive aspect in my final products.

Evaluation Question 3 - What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Evaluation Question 2 - How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Evaluation Question 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The main conventions of a music video have been defined by many of people, including theorists. People believe sticking to conventions will create a successful music video, but I do not think so, I believe it is the safe way to gain popularity, but if you want to stand out I think conventions some time have to be challenged. There is a difference between challenging & developing conventions and going against them completely. This misunderstanding can be the make or break of a video. Conventions are made up of main points of  music videos such as, making the video cut to the beat of the music with a physiological process called synaesthesia where you visualise an image in your 'minds eye' once hearing something. A process defined by Steve Archer. Also there is the convention of narrative and performance and what is seemed acceptable, the relation of the lyrics and the visuals, the star shown through the visuals known as 'star image'. All these conventions are defined by theorists like Steve Archer and Pete Fraser. 

Earlier on in my research I explored how conventions were used within my specific genre. Backed up by open questions in my audience research to see opinions on the conventions. The conventions in the 'Indie Rock' genre consisted of things like..

'The image of their band, including their individual style in comparison to other artists as that what creates popularity in the genre.' 

'A lot of videos are performance based as instrumental bands like to show off their musician skills and showmen ship as a band, so performance shots of them playing are significant to this genre.'

'If narrative, the storyline have more of a meaning a purpose as indie bands thrive of expression, therefore having deeper messages within their narrative videos'

These conventions are all heavily linked with my genre and are generally followed by producers in the music industry. 

When I compare these conventions to my product I identify points where I have used conventions, developed the conventions and definitely challenged the conventions. I will explore ways in which I have done this and evaluate the extent they worked..

Here is my evaluation of my music video in comparison to real life media conventions..

 

Here is the evaluation of my digipak and magazine advert in comparison to real life media forms and conventions..

Final Digipak Layout

This is my final digipak layout, All in order with the sleeves and dimensions included...

Front Cover (Bottom Right)
Back Cover (Bottle Centre)
Inside Middle Slide Infront of CD Slide (Bottom Left)
Middle Left Slide (Top Right)
Middle CD Slide (Top Centre)
Middle Right Slide (Top Left)

Digipak - Slides With Text

These are the slides with text, as the digipak dimensions were really small on the computer screen, I kept a copy of the original size with full HD quality to show the design of the text and the content. Here are the slides with text..

Front Cover ..

Back Cover ..

Sleeve..

 

Digipak Edits

I have manipulated my digipak raw images into a way that I was happy with. I have added appropriate blur, film grain and black and white effects in the style of my digipak research and inspirations to create a mysterious creative theme to it. I matched all the slides up so the edits fit together. I am very happy with the edits and just need to now add the text to them..

Magazine Advert - Final Edit

This is the Final Edit of the Magazine advert. Consisting of the bands name, the album name, release date and company logo's. The logo of the album and band with remain consistent throughout the artwork to gain brand recognition. Here is the final edit..

Magazine Edit

I manipulated my favourite composed image in a way where the main subject is really sharp in comparison to the background. I made it black and white to provide consistency within the bands theme. I also added smoke to the photo to create an interesting linear force, this worked very well. I believe this photo is really creative and artistic, also sticking to the theme of the band instead of selling commercial and generic products. This aspect of the band will hopefully create popularity through originality. Here is the edit without the text..

Magazine Raw Images

I knew what I wanted with the magazine advert and the photography I wanted. It was just the matter of getting the composition and framing right on the photo. I concentrated on these aspects, also the depth of field and sharpness on the subject matter to get the photo perfect. Here are a few of the raw images I took showing the range of compositions I tried..

 

Digipak Final - Raw Images

To be more creative I decided to start on a new arty theme. I came up with the idea of an escaped hospital patient. As the album is called 'The Wild' I decided to set the location in a forest. To add a nice mysterious effect I put a balaclava on the model and some black gloves. This will ad that mysterious factor, along with the nice aesthetics it should pull off like the digipaks I researched that had the same elements and pulled off.

These are a few of the raw images to show the range of photos I took..

After this shoot I knew that these shots would work. They're artistic and mysterious, exactly with the theme I wanted. With the right editing this will pull off. I will add some film grain, maybe some blur, put it in black and white and play with the levels.

Digipak Initial Photo's

The initial plan was to take photo's at the studio to get a really natural feel to the photo's from the bands perspective. These are the images I captured.

This is a gif of the photo's I took. Because the gif was created through the internet the photo's were compressed. In result of this the images lost quality so here were some of the best ones I took in HD..

These images were shot really nicely and I liked the aesthetics of them. I know they could have a lot of potential for the digipak as they all link in the same theme, with a range of composition, framing and angles that would look really nice. 

I have chosen not to use these photos. I believe they are too typical for a band and not really original. What I learnt through my research the photo's that worked best were very original, mysterious and had a really off the wall theme. For example the 'The 1975''s artwork. This made them look really arty and creative. As my video comes under that category, I wanted the digipak to be just as good to follow the main 'creative' theme I have portrayed for the band.

By doing this extra shoot I have allowed myself a variety of options if the new shoot doesn't pay off.

Video Thumbnail

I have decided to create a YouTube video thumbnail for my video. When people have not clicked on the video, or when they see the video in the suggested video lines on the right of the screen they will see this thumbnail. This includes the 'faded line' and the bands text in this thumbnail. This is a repeatability factor created by the logo, that will be seen on the advert, the digipak and now the video thumbnail. By drilling in peoples heads the logo this will create recognition for the band so that people will remember the logo, therefore encourage album sales.

Here is the video thumbnail, including the logo, and a nice still from the video..

Editing - Cinematic Bars

To get that further cinematic look I decided to add black bars at the top and bottom of the music video. This is done in creative/arty video's to put a cinema impression on the video. It gives 'widescreen' cinema feel so it looks like a movie on the big screen even though it is on a computer. It changes the aspect ratio, but without distorting the image.

I had to go through the cuts and pan some of them so the black bars did not cover significant parts of the shot..

This is before and after the cinematic bars. The difference it has made is dramatic and really achieves that look I wanted.

Before.. 

After..

Editing - Sound Effects

For the intro, I planned to have beach waves at the start to correspond with the visuals. I wanted the intro shots to be seperate with the main track as it is a completely different time frame, as this was a shot from the future with past memories. So without this seperation I believe it would have been complicated. The way the shots came in with the opening guitar, to me, was perfect, with an effective seperation. I added in the beach waves to match the shots and give a calming effect to allow the viewers to really concetrate on the shots and the meaning. This will instantly get the viewers questioning the video, wanting them to carry on watching to find out why she was on her own on the beach.

I faded the beach sfx in and out, matching the clips fading..

Editing - Slow Motion & Fast Motion

Within the Joyride scene to create the 'trippy' effect along with the delayed effect I wanted to play around with motion speed. This will be an addition to making the viewer feel what the charactor in the music video is feeling. Also to represent his mind set, building up the tension throughout the scene, perfect to lead up to the final scene.

With the short, quick clips in this scene I decided to slow the motion, and also speed some clips up.

To speed up I created a 'volocity' bar on the clip and raised it to a point where it was fast enough.

To slow the motion down, in pre production I planned the camera shots in slow motion to be shot in a certain way. I double the frame rate, so when slowed down it is really slow, smooth and not jolty. To recognise the slow motion shots I could see the video interlace in the video. To slow it down to the perfect frame rate to avoid interlaced footage and jolty footage I selected the playback rate to 0.5. This matched the frame and worked exactly as planned..

Editing - Visual Effects

Visual Effects wise I wanted to keep the video minimalistic as this keeps a sense of realism. So I kept the vfx to the minimum. Otherwise over the top effects could draw from the idea of realism and the video would start to not give the impression it was real.

The only vfx I added were slight delays on very short clips in the joyride scene. These are very quick clips and with this fx, it is meant to show the audience an idea of what the actor is feeling. It portrays that his mind is a mess, unclear and generally intoxicated to a point where his vision is very impaired. It is a way to make the viewer feel how the character is feeling. This worked very well as I used it subtly and not over the top, and was a good addition to the visual effects.

How I did it was pretty simple. I duplicated the clip and put it on a layer above the original clip. I dropped the opacity down to 50% and placed the duplicated clip a couple of frames to the right to create this effect. The more frames to the right the more intense the effect is. This is how it was created and what it produced..

End Result..