How Did You Use Media Technologies In The Construction & Research, Planning & Evaluation Stages?

RESEARCH

Technology Used...

1. Blogger (Publish my work)
2. Google 
3. Netflix/Sky Demand/Youtube (Watch Movies)

Throughout my research, construction, planning and evaluation processes, I used the online blogging website called Blogger. This program allowed me to upload all work that I had completed in a blog format. This also was very helpful as my teachers could keep up to date with the progress that I was making throughout the 4 processes. The accessibility allowed my teachers to give me feedback by commenting on individual blog posts. I felt that this was a really efficient way of keeping my work up to date as well as being able to look over things that I have covered as it was so accessible. 

I used the search engine of Google - this is because it was automatically connected as I used Google Chrome to access the internet. It was a very reliable engine that sourced the correct information when looking at theories as well as the conventions on the horror film genre. I also used Google Images to find photos to use within my blog posts.

When watching different movies within the planning stage, Netflix & Sky (TV) was very good for a variety of sub-genres of horror films. The amount of options really helped me pick the sub-genre that I wanted to replicate within my own production of a short film. Without these two important media's, I would have had to purchase DVD's as well as cinema tickets to experience what the up to date and later films were like.

PLANNING

Technology Used...

1. Blogger (Publish work)
2. Google Images
3. Final Cut Pro
4. Sony Camera

When I started the process of planning for my short film, I was still updating any ideas that I potentially might use onto my blog - this was so then I had different options. I started getting used to using Final Cut Pro, this was because I had never really made a big project on this type of software. I videoed some potential scenes that may occur within my selected location for my film. I did this so then I could have some practice filming to use, so I could explore the effects of Final Cut Pro. I planned 2 visits to my selected locations at 2 different times of the day, this was so then I could practice filming with the lighting as within the property, no electricity was fitted. These visits were also a prime opportunity for me to plan out specific shots and angles that I could use when filming with my Sony camera. Without this camera, I would have had to use my own personal phone and create a handheld film. As I wanted to create a professional film, picking a media that could have been placed on a tripod like my Sony camera was a risk for quality but didn't make my short film amateuristic compared to the films realest.

 I used Google Images a lot when I was within the planning process, this was specifically used a lot when deconstructing professional film posters as well as double page spreads. This really helped me understand what type of design I was hoping to use as there was such a vast amount of different layouts as well as colour and design schemes. I felt that after seeing so many different posters and double page spreads, it allowed me to think out of the box instead of replicating from an original.

CONSTRUCTION

Technology Used...

1. Blogger
2. Final Cut Pro
3. Youtube
4. Sony Camera
5. Canva/Pixlr

Throughout my construction process, I was constantly uploading different parts of my work to Blogger. This was so then my blog was in order of processes. When filming and editing my short horror film, I used my Sony camera which was more specific for photography. It created quality shots when there was enough light, but when dark, due to the flash not activated when videoing, this meant that some of my scenes were a lot darker than originally planned. This didn't stop me, I had to improvise by using my camera torch as well as my emergency breakdown torch that was in the boot of my car. When all footage had been completed, I started to edit using Final Cut Pro. This type of footage was very advanced and really helped me abide by the conventions that I wanted to include. There was a variety of different filters that I could use on top of my film which would make the overall look much more scarier. I used 'Cool Steel' - this was a very dark filter that added some tints of dark blue. A variety of sound effects really encouraged me to carry on my idea of having a horror film with a lack of dialogue. When editing was complete, I uploaded my short film onto Youtube. This was a quick and easy way of sharing my production to the world as it is a video-sharing website used by everyone around the world.

When designing my film poster and film magazine double page spread, I used the 2 programs
Pixlr and Canva. This online software was so easy and reliable. They both allowed me to become creative, by taking conventional risks and going by them. I edited all my photos used in my poster and DPS on Pixlr 'Express' - this offered a variety of editing features (Adjustment, Effect, Overlay, Border, Sticker, Type). I mostly used the effect, overlay and border sections to creature the overall theme that best suited my film style. These added extras allowed me to darken my photo as well as add effects such as ink and smoke to create a horror feel to my products. Canva allowed me to create a very ideal and unique style of magazine. I chose a very basic layout which included simple shapes (Triangles) overlaying with each other as well as just a simple title. The program offers you different types of added extras (Layouts, Elements, Text & Background). I used a variety of elements which consisted of shapes and frames (upload own photos) - as the layouts were so basic, I used these extras to create the ideal look for my product by sticking with the colour scheme and overall feel of the horror genre. Without these two different programs, I wouldn't have been able to explore the editing process to the best of my ability and create my ideal products to advertise my films production. If I hadn't used these programs, my products would have been very basic, boring and I wouldn't have been able to create my professional final pieces.