From constructing this project, Sophia has learned about various hardware, software, and online tools. She used an iMac to edit the film opening which helped develop her editing skills. A tripod and video camera were used to film steady shots and high quality footage. iMovie, Movie Maker, Photoshop, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint were tools used to edit, create logos, and present tasks. Online tools like YouTube, Blogger, Freesound, Google, and Art of the Title helped with uploading videos, organizing work, finding music, researching issues, and analyzing other film openings. Overall, the project expanded Sophia's technical knowledge and skills.

1. What have you learnt about
technologies from the process of
constructing this product?
Sophia Cucciniello

2. Hardware

3. • IMac:
We used an apple iMac as it was an advanced computer
technology that enabled us to edit our film opening with
the correct tools in which we required. After, and also
whilst working with the iMac, I developed confidence and
found that the hardware was beneficial and easy to use as
it had better tools to edit with that an ordinary computer.
The iMac contains software's such as safari which
enabled me to further my knowledge and understanding
of the different technologies involved in an apple iMac
system. Creating and editing our film opening on this
hardware was fun and easy to use/understand.

4. • Tripod:
We used the tripod whilst filming our film opening. The
main function of the tripod was to allow us to produce
steady shots that did not involve shaky camera
movements. Whilst using the camera, I learnt that it was
essential in supporting and maintaining the weight of the
camera- which contributed to the steadiness. Using the
tripod helped our project as the three legged frame
provided assistance in prohibiting lateral forces. We also
found that by using a tripod it was much steadier than
using your hands.

5. • USB cable:
We used the USB cable to transfer pictures and videos
from the video camera to the iMac. By doing this, we
found that it was an easier method than sending data to
ourselves via email as it was less time consuming and
extremely straight forward. Using a USB cable helped us a
lot for the duration of our project making as it was an
effective way of transferring data from one system to
another.

6. • Video Camera:
The video camera was used a substantial amount during
the process of our project. For example we used it for our
preliminary task, filming our opening and taking a picture
which was developed into a photograph to use in our
opening. I found using a video camera much better than
using my phone to film because it produced better quality
footage and enabled me to have a longer amount of
footage that I could then narrow down whilst editing.
From being fairly inexperienced with using video
cameras (as I usually use my phone/ipod) I have
developed more confidence with this technology and also
more knowledgeable of the different functions within the
video camera that are not available on my phone/ipod.

7. • SD Card:
We used an SD card to keep all of our filming data in
one place, so that it would be less likely to lose any
footage and have to re-film. I have learnt how to
back up any of the data which we used to ensure
even more safety of the footage. Using an SD card
was useful as it was easy to use and having a large
memory meant that I was able to get as much
footage as I needed without having to worry if I run
out of memory.

8. Software

9. • iMovie
The whole editing procedure of our film opening was done on
iMovie. We used this software because it was the best and
most advanced one available to us. Using iMovie educated
me immensely as I learnt lots of new things about how to
edit and add effects onto my film. Not only was it easy to
use, but the wide range of different tools to edit with
allowed us to create a much better film than we would
have on any other movie editing program. For example,
we used the ‘fading in’ transition between scenes and also
detached audio from certain sections that we then
replaced with music. We were also able to choose from a
wide rage of fonts to make our titles fit in with the thriller
genre.

10. • Microsoft
For the duration of this project, I used lots of Microsoft
software such as Word and PowerPoint because there
were lots of written tasks that I thought would be best
presented on these documents. Whilst using the
Microsoft programs I felt like it was a lot easier than
writing up the tasks by hand, taking a picture and
uploading them to my blog. I was also able to use spell
check to ensure that I didn’t make any silly mistakes in
my spelling and make my work look more presentable.

11. • Moviemaker
Although I did the actual film opening using iMovie, I
completed some of the tasks, such as the editing of
the preliminary task, on movie maker. The reason
for this was because I had to work from home and
did not have access to iMovie. I found that using
Movie Maker was both easy to use and worked
effectively. I learnt the simple procedures such as
how to cut selections of scenes quickly and without
difficulty. Movie Maker is a very straight forward
software which I found useful whilst doing my
preliminary task.

12. • Photoshop
We used Photoshop to create our ‘Silver Shadow
Productions’ production company logo. This was the
fist time I have ever used Photoshop so the whole
process was new to me. I did however, find it fairly
straight forward to use and was able to create the logo
with no troubles. I found that Photoshop was more
effective than using any other software to create this
logo as we were able to use specific tools such as the
‘slice tool’ to change the size, shape and layout of the
logo.

13. Online Tools

14. • Mindmeister
I used Mindmeister to create a mind map showing some
of the features that will show in my film opening.
These features involved the costumes, mise en scene,
the locations, props, characters and more. The reason I
used Mindmeister to portray this date was because it
was the best method that would show so much
information in a nice layout. I also wanted to try using
a different tool to present my work instead of just the
obvious Microsoft. I learnt that the presentation of
Mindmeister was eye-catching and neat. It was fairly
easy to use and was an effective way of presenting
data. I learnt how to include images alongside the text
in Mindmeister.

15. • Youtube
I created a Youtube account so that I could upload all of my videos
such as my actual film opening, the preliminary task, certificate
ratings etc.. I did this so that they would all be in one place and
then also would be easier to upload onto my blog. I have never
had a YouTube account before so learnt how to upload a video
and how to add annotations and other features.
I did not use YouTube just for my own videos, I also used it to
view other things that helped me understand my film genre. For
example I watched lots of thriller film openings that helped me
understand what I should include in my own film opening. Using
YouTube was very helpful and allowed me to get a clearer
understanding of the type of diegesis, costumes, mise en scene
and locations to use in my own film opening.

16. • Blogger:
I used blogger to keep the contents of my entire
project. This means that anyone can go onto
Google and onto my blogger to see the different
tasks I have completed, including my final film, for
this project. I feel like Blogger has been the most
useful online tool that we used because it was a
way to keep my tasks in a systematic order with
good presentation. I learnt lots of things about
blogger, such as how to personalise my own blog,
how to tag and label my tasks and also how to add
widgets onto my blog.

17. • Freesound:
Freesound was the website which I got most of my music/sound
from for my film opening. I found this website incredibly
helpful as I was able to find all of the different types of non
diegetic and diegetic sounds that I needed, such as the sound
of a lighter lighting and the door closing. Without these
sounds in my opening it would have been unrealistic and
bland. I learnt how easy it was to locate different music types
by cliking on the genre you wanted and typing in key words of
what you are trying to find. I also learnt how to download the
musi that I liked and wanted to include in my opening. This
website was also beneficial because we were not allowed to
use copy-right music and so finding such a good website, with
a variety of different tracks to use, was extremely helpful.

18. • Google:
Google was an extremely helpful online tool that we used
continuously throughout this project. Whenever I had
difficulties with any of the different software's or
hardwires or online tools I was able to Google these
issues and locate information which helped me to solve
these problems. This allowed me to learn new things
about the programs I had difficulties with and widened
my knowledge on them. I also used Google maps in
one of my tasks, to show where the locations for my
film will be.

19. • Slideshare:
After completing a powerpoint on Microsoft, I sometimes
decided to upload them onto Slideshare because ei felt
like it looked more engaging and was more interactive
than a normal slideshow from PowerPoint. By using
Slideshare I learn how to upload my PowerPoint onto
the website which were then easy to upload onto my
blog. It was beneficial because, instead of creating a
film with the PowerPoint which would be at a certain
speed, using Slideshare you can view the slides at your
own pace.

20. • Art Of The Title:
I used the Art of the Title website to view different film
openings that had the same thriller genre I made my
film opening. I did this to help me get an insight of the
types of things to include in my own film. This gave me
a better understanding of the types of loations,
characters, mise en scene, lighting and diegesis that I
needed to portray in my own opening. I also used Art
Of The Title so that I could complete my nine frame
analysis question which I needed to get screen shots
for. Using this website was very helpful as it was a sort
of guide as to what I should aim to achieve.