Media A2 Evaluation, Question 4.

1. Question 4
How did you use media technologies in the construction and
research, planning and evaluation stages?
Mia Pavey

2. To document our
progress through
planning and production,
we used blogger.com.
We were all contributors
towards the blog and
meant we could work
collaboratively. This was
a very useful way to plan
as we could all see each
other’s research and
ideas and suggest other
ideas to each other. We
also utilised the
comment facility, where
we could comment on
each other’s research
and ideas.
I have used the comment facility to
communicate with the people on my
team.
Media Technologies

3. The use of Facebook messenger was very useful for when we were
organising shoots. It enabled us to create a separate group chats for
each of the shoots and include the actors so they were aware. They
were also able to ask us questions if they were unsure on anything.
Media Technologies

4. We also used Facebook messenger to
connect as a group. This meant we could
have longer discussions about our work.
This was very useful as many of us check
Facebook everyday meaning it was an
efficient way to contact one another
when we were not together.
Group name
This also allowed us to take a more
informal approach when discussing plans. If
we did not see each other at school, we
always were able to connect efficiently.

5. In order to carry out audience research, we. used survey monkey This
was useful as we were able to ask questions and send them to people
who would answer. We were able to ask the questions that would help
us move our project forward and see if any problems arise.
Media Technologies

6. When shooting for the video and digipack, we used a Sony nex-3 camera. We
are pleased with the various shots we were able to shoot and the different
locations we were able to film at.
Top: Low angle still shot
Bottom: 360 pan
Hamish filming a shot
Photo of Fred and I
discussing a shot and
directing our actress

7. We encountered a problem
with the front cover of our
digipack and used Adobe
Photoshop to correct the
problem. The background in
the original photo was too
bright, meaning the title of
the album was difficult to
read. Therefore the magic
wand tool was used to select
the background and then
turned down the brightness.
The overall brightness was
also turned down.
Challenges
Original image – the
background was too bright
due to the sunlight, meaning
the writing was difficult to
read
The final front
cover, the
brightness has
been turned
down.

8. The programme we used to edit
the music video was Premiere
Elements 9.0 and After Effects. We
used Premiere to edit the whole
video in its entirety and then
added the effects on after effects.
We produced a storyboard then
made an animatic on Premiere.
We organised out
footage on the timeline
for the 4 lines of
narrative that are
happening. This meant
we were able to know
where each shot was
and it was easier to
locate if we needed to
edit it.
Editing

9. To progress our skills in
editing in Premiere, we
reduced the frame size by
dragging the corners to a
particular size. This
created the memory effect
we wanted. We also
applied the old film effect
and noise to the memory
scenes.
Editing
We also put in an inter-fade between two
shots. We did this by overlapping the
proceeding shot with the previous one, then
set the opacity was low until the previous
shot ends.

10. To further our skills
from AS to A2, we
wanted to put more
impressive visual
effects in our video. I
was in charge of the
After Effects on our
video. In After Effects,
I had to create the
time lapse sequence
and the photo frame
sequence (where the
image in the frame
becomes a video).

11. First we inserted the separate footage. We selected what section
of the footage we wanted to use. On the footage of Anna sitting
alone, we selected the part we wanted to use, which was the
middle section where Anna was sitting. We then layered this on
top of the footage of me and Hamish. After this, we had to use
the colour correction curve to make sure the wall behind Anna
was the same colour as the wall in the footage of me and
Hamish. We also had to look at the table as it was also a
different colour.
These two screenshots are
the footage that were
taken separately, inserted
into after effects.
Time Lapse effect
In order to do the time-lapse, Mr Fiveash showed me how to achieve the effect. I first had to change the aspect ratio of our
original footage. Our original footage was 14.40 x 1080 at an aspect ratio of 1.33. However, to put it into After Effects we
had to stretch the footage to 1920 x 1080 with an aspect ratio of 1.

12. Time Lapse effect
The two pieces of footage
over layered on each other
As you can see, the arm arm is cut off. I had to use a difference
matt to use as a reference. However, it did not pick up
everything, therefore, with the drawing tool, I had to paint the
sections in such as the missing arm and then advance the
frame to see what was missing, using the black and white
(mask and reveal).
After that process, it
looked like this

13. We used the blur effect
to create soft edges on
the arms. We used 100%
chatter. In order to get
Hamish and I moving very
fast in the time lapse
effect, we used the Time
Warp effect which was
560% of normal time and
applied some artificial
motion blur.
To achieve the effect of
the time-lapse, we made
2 compositions of the
same footage. We
changed the input and
output of the different
compositions.
In our timelapse, the camera pans
inwards towards our main character,
before it does, she is blurred and
Hamish and I are in focus, as it pans
inwards, this changes and she is in
focus. In order to achieve this I put an
inside circle and outside circle on the
final composition with the feather tool
between the two. This
de-focuses the middle section and
leaves the outside area sharp, then it
switches between the circles.
Beginning of time-lapse, ,main actress
blurred
End of time – lapse, panned inwards and
main actress is in focus Time Lapse effect

14. Once I had this selected, I had to to use a
track back and forward control, which
would slowly process the footage, frame
by frame, ensuring that the areas I
selected would stay in place even when
movement was involved.
I first inserted the footage I wanted. I selected the footage of her
looking at the frame and the footage inside the frame which was
the sparkler one. I then had to select the length of each footage
that I wanted to use. In order to get the sparkler footage in the
frame, and ensure it stays in position the whole time, I had to
open a programme called Mocha ( as shown above in the
screenshot).
I then had to use a selection tool
and select the area inside the
frame, where the photo would
go. You can see this on the
screenshot (the red line around
the frame). Using another section
tool, (blue line around the
frame), I had move it into the
corners which is exactly where
my footage would go.
Photo frame effect

15. The next step was to put the
footage inside. I already had the
part of the footage I wanted
inside. For the effect we
wanted, we wanted there to be
a still photo at first, and then it
moves. In order to do this, I had
to pick a point in the footage
that could be a still photo (e.g.
not blurry). I then had to use the
option, still frame and select
how long I wanted it to be still
for by dragging the bar across.
For this part, I had to refer back
to our music video on premier,
to make sure I get the correct
timing, as we want the footage
so start playing after a certain
beat in the song.
Photo frame effect

16. After this, I rendered the footage and then put it in our
music video. It had worked well and the timing is correct.
Once this was done, the last thing I
had to do was change the opacity
on the footage inside the frame.
This was because, it was too clear
before. It did not look realistic.
Therefore, I wanted to brighten the
black. I therefore changed the
opacity from 100% to 35%. This
made the footage look more life-
like, as the colours were less exact,
and there is some reflection in the
photo to emulate what it would
look like, if it was real.
Photo frame effect