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

http://prezi.com/batfz3phwbr1/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

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

http://07callooa.edu.glogster.com/how-effective-is-the-combination-of-your-main-product-and-ancill/

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

We used a huge variety of technology in order to create our music video and digipak. In the research and planning stage of our music video we relied heavily on software and the internet as it is a huge database of information which helped us create complete our research on music videos, other students work, record labels, special effects and more. We also used software such as Photoshop in order to create our storyboard, I used a Wacom Intuos Graphics tablet to draw out our scenes for our story board. We also used Photoshop to edit the photos of our band used for our photo shoot this involved taking pictures using a Canon camera and editing them. We then used the website Blogger to publish it all.

In the Construction stage we used technology to create and refine our music video and digipak. We used a variety of filming equipment to ensure the best possible footage. This included a Cannon camera and lighting equipment to bring focus to certain shots. We again used Photoshop to create all of the digipak including the CD case itself, the poster and the website art. We used Weebly to create the website where we posted our news and information. The editing for the music video was done in Sony Vegas Pro as can be seen in our Behind the scenes video where we edit and made the music video.

For our Evaluation we used Survey Monkey to create our audience feedback questionnaire and used a variety of social networks to spread awareness to the video. As well as this a variety of technology was used to host the screening for the music video including a projector and projector screen as well as a laptop in order to view it.

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

We created a survey so that the audience could respond and give feedback to the music video. The survey was not very successful with only a few people replying but stating that they liked the car crash scene claiming it was very powerful and sudden. Due to the sudden cut of the shot and the music so that the only sounds being heard were the sounds of the car crash. Another person stated that they thought our use of camera angles were very powerful especially the scenes in the house showing the couple separated by a literal and metaphorical wall. This was elaborated on by another person who answered the survey saying the emotion between the two main characters was very compelling. 

However little constructive criticism was given and so we set up a group screening and interview of the music video where we asked five questions;

Question One: Is the genre of this music video clear? Does it fit the genre?

All of the interviewees identified the music video's genre as Metal/Rock and saying this was mainly sue to the tone of the video with its dark storyline and slow cinematography as well as he band playing.

Question Two: What do you think the narrative of the video is?

Again all the interviewees correctly identified that the storyline of the music video followed the story of a couple that meet and how their relationship slowly degrades until they argue and fight constantly until the girlfriend is in an accident and dies and the message that the girl is always there no matter what when the boyfriend is filled with the regret of her death.

Question Three: What would be the target audience for this music video?
                           Would it appeal to them? 

The interviewees stated that the audience would be mainly male between their teenage year and 40's which is representative of the music genre's audience. They also identified that anyone in a relationship would be able to relate to it and that the content of the music video was not genre specific as it involved a relationship.

Question Four: What do you think is the most successful part of the music video?

The interviewees identified a variety of specific parts they thought were successful with no one answer being the same to another's. One interviewee said that the use of the black and white filter was very good to convey emotion and that the storyline was very clear. Another interviewee said that the camera was effective to convey her perspective when the first person view was used just before her death. Another interviewee stated that the closeups of the instruments as well as the sound effect of the crash were very effective and helped show the suddenness of death. They also stated that the lyrics linked very well with the tone and story of the video. With other candidates identifying the cyclical structure in the video linking the beginning and the end of the video.

and finally...

Question Five: What do you think could have been improved?

The interviewees said that the singing was out of sync as well as the facial expressions of the actors which weren't convincing enough and didn't show enough emotion. Another saying there should be more storyline, however the majority said the storyline was very clear.

The criticism they gave is completely true and if we had the chance to do it again would certainly make sure they were improved upon



Below is a video of some of our audience feedback.

Final Finished Video - Always

This is our finished product of our music video

Understanding editing software

The editing software i used for the video was sony vegas pro 13, i believe that sony vegas is far easier to use and has more editing options than final cut pro. Furthermore i have experience in using sony vegas pro thus i used it as my editing software. The video below is a beginners guide on how to use sony vegas 13.

This is my own how to basic guide on how to use Sony vegas.

To ensure the video is of the highest caliber possible i also considered using advanced editing to the video, effects such as change in velocity, fading and transitions 

Another advanced edit we consider using in the video is the positioning of 2 video files in the same shot. This will be done via Pan/Crop as well as enveloping. 

This video has helped me gain more of an understating on how to do this. 

How to make the video

Through my research on how to make a music video i had found that there is a lot of planing and schedule behind all of it. I found that first and foremost  there must be an idea on what the video is going to be about, it can be a story or simply a choreography display. The choice of video is entirely up to the director. Once the idea has been cemented further planning such as locations, actors, times and camera angles must then be decided. We decided to have a tragedy as the basis of our video, the song chosen will be "Always" by Killswitch engage. We looked through numerous story music videos to get an idea on what angles to use, lighting swell the typical type of location to use. We also had to get an actor and actress swell as a band for the video itself. We had the idea of making a hybrid video in the sense that half of it would be a band playing and the other half would be a story of a relationship. Another thing we noticed in our research was the use of editing. Though we had the physical part of the video established, eg Acting, Lighting, Camera angles etc we still needed to add effects and transitions. A lot of music videos use colour filters, saturation filters, Video FX as well as transitions. This would help our video run more smoothly to help portray the story and meaning behind the video. Below is a video i created showing the different editing techniques that could be used in the video, this is done through Sony Vegas pro 13.

Directors Commentary

Below is our directors commentary, we explain the reason and meaning behind each shot, camera angle, location etc

Lip syncing of Kieran

Initially we considered using Robert as our lead vocalist, however due to the fact that his lip syncing is not up to standard we looked for other options. Furthermore we thought that if Rob was the drummer rather than the vocalist it would add more meaning and leave room for interpretation of the video 

Kieran we believe had more emotion and gave more meaning to the song. furthermore his lip syncing was identical to the original track, and so kieran was the clear choice to use.

Videos showing progression/alterations

Our first releases of the music video were, we believe, below standard. There was a lack of emotion in the band playing as well as accurate instrument playing. Furthermore there was a lack of editing in the video. We released the video early  in the process of things, this gave us the opportunity to act upon the construction criticism from peers as well as the internet. Below is the initial video.

As you can see there was a lack of camera shots and transitions

The problem with this video is that the band did not look as if they were playing the song, lip syncing and instrument syncing was poor. Furthermore there was a lack of advanced editing as well as credits or a record label. This video is the closest video we had to perfection, there are only a few minor things to be altered

Photoshoot planning and timescale schedule

Similar for our music video filming we followed this timetable for a schedule as to when we can do the photo shoot. Again we used wednesday as it was the most available day, as a result the photo shoot was on the 20th of February to the 25th February. 

Facebook/Twitter

For our Twitter and Facebook page we have followed a consistent house style, this promotes the professionalism of the band. The album and band name is easily visible and recognizable. Furthermore it follows the same style other bands/artists use for their own social network sites. It makes a statement that the band is not a one hit wonder but in fact a band that hopes to make an impact in the music industry

Editing schedule : -

As i already have editing software on my own computer ( Sony Vegas 13 ) i could edit the video whenever i wanted. I didn't need to come into school and edit the video, which made the whole process a lot easier.

Filming schedule

As wednesdays was my least busy day i decided to base the filming around that day, everyone else's timetable was also similar to mine therefore filming on wednesdays was the most efficient. We separated the band playing and the acting into separate filming sessions in order to not over work ourselves with filming. This strategy also helped us provide the best film footage possible. There was no particular time orientation that affected each shot, so the time of day the filming was taking place didn't matter.

Prop List :-

Below are a series of pictures of the props used in the music video, this includes a microphone, Bass guitar, Electric Guitar and a set of drums. The props used are ones that are typically used in a metal music video, we have followed this to ensure that our video meets the expectations of a metal music video

We also used a variety of filming equipment to ensure the best possible footage .

This included a Cannon camera, a tripod to ensure some shots are stable and lighting equipment to bring focus to certain shots. 

REECE - Risk Assessment

Filming Risk Assessment Form 

Event:

Filming Always

Date:

02/02/15

Venue:

Drama studio stage/ Epsom Park

(1) Activity / Area of Concern i.e.: what is taking place as part of the event?	(2) Hazards Identified i.e.: what can cause harm?	(3) Persons at Risk i.e.: who could be harmed by the hazard?	(4) Current Risk Factor (high, medium or low) i.e.: determine the level of risk	(5) Actions to be Taken to Minimize each Risk i.e.: what action can you take to lower the level of risk	(6) New Risk Factor (high, medium or low) i.e.: risk factor after action taken to minimize the risk
Cables from lights and speakers are not tied down	Can easily be a tripping hazard causing injury, behind the stage is not vey well lit up making visibility limited.	Everyone involved in the filming	High	By moving the wires out of any walking path as well as making everyone aware of the fact there are loose cables will reduce the risk of injury. Furthermore the cables can be tied down to reduce any further risk.	Low
Various props causing obstruction	Walking into, tripping over and breaking any already existing props, as the place used is a drama stage.	Everyone involved in filming	Medium	By moving all props out of the walking paths as well as making everyone aware that there is a prop hazard will reduce the risk of an accident.	Low
Uneven Path way	The uneven path may cause sprains to ankles or cause falling injuries	The actor and actress	Low	By briefing the members before filming the risk of falling has been reduced	Low
Filming on the road	The road used is frequently used, the risk of a collision is high	Everyone	High	By ensuring the road is clear before filming, the risk of collision I severely reduced. However traffic may emerge unexpectedly	Medium

Audience Feedback

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N9QYKJY

The link above takes you to a survey created for the purpose of feedback from the video.
Below are a few results from the survey.

Music Directors

Name: Francis Lawrence 
Born: 26th March 1971 (age 44) 
Job Description: Music video, film and television director and producer.
Information: Francis was born in Austria and moved to Los Angeles when he was three. He gained a degree in film production at Loyola Marymount University Film School. He directed his first music video for Michael Blake, president of Atico Records. He is a Grammy award winner for best music video for lady GaGa's 'Bad romance' (2011) and is up for 4 nominations for 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.'
Artists: He has worked on over 100 music videos with well known artists such as: Rihanna, Nicole Sherzinger, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson. 

Name: David Andrew Leo Fincher
Born: 28th August 1962 (age 52)
Job Description: Director and Producer
Information: David was born in the United States and is an american director and producer. When he was two they moved to California where his neighbour was filmmaker George Lucas. During high school he liked to work on plays and design sets and lighting, and began making movies at the age of eight with an 8mm camera. As a music video director, he has won two Grammy Awards for Best Music Video, for his work in 'Love Is Strong' by The Rolling Stones and 'Suit And Tie' by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z. David also has three MTV Video Music Awards for Best Direction.
Artists: He has worked with many well known artists such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, George Michael, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. 

Name: Mark Romanek 
Born: 18th September 1959 (age 55)
Job Description: Film director, Screenwriter and Music video director
Information: Mark was born in Chicago and is an American filmmaker whose directing work includes feature films, music videos and television advertising. He attended New Trier High School in the 1970's where he experimented with Super 8 and 16mm film, it was there that he studied with Kevin Dole, a local filmmaker who was already creating a form of music video on his own.  After writing screenplays for a few years he decided to focus on music videos and signed with Satellite Films, a division of Propaganda Films. Mark received his first Grammy Award for Best Short Form Video in 1996 for 'Scream.' The video was a collaboration between superstar siblings Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson which cost $7million to make. Mark Romanek's music videos have won 20 MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Direction for '99 Problems' by Jay-Z. 
Artists: Mark has worked with many popular artists such as: Madonna, Michael Jackson, Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Jay-Z , Linkin Park, Coldplay and Taylor Swift. 

Facebook and Twitter Accounts Research

I have researched into various genres social network sites to gain an understanding on how to design our bands Facebook and twitter. Typical with these social sites, the band/artist displays their recent album, this provides easy marketing. Furthermore the use of font and colours helps identify what the page is an its purpose. They also typically have a link to their store website for further marketing purposes. Despite the variation in genres, each social network site follow the same style and consistency, thus making them well received amongst the audience

Analysis of Previous students work

In our research we did not limit ourselves to professional music videos made by real band/artists. We however enlarged our scope and looked at previous students work as well. This way would could gain an understanding as to what was required of us and how we could excel to surpass the bare minimum. We looked at low as well as high level student work. We found that students who had researched, planned and put in time and effort to polish the video to the minute detail had produced the best results. However there were some elements lacking such as the variety of camera angles. In researching both the high end and low end of requirements, we could set out to ensure our video was near enough professional as possible.
The video below is an example of previous students work, we chose this as it follows the same idea we hope to achieve. An example of a problem we noticed in this video was the lack of authentic instrument playing. This in our eyes hinders the whole concept of the video, if the band playing had been more authentic and believable, we think it would have overall been a more successful video. And so from this we are going to ensure that our actors used in the band have revised how the song should be played on their respective instruments.

After Filming and Construction - Digipak Poster Planning and Construction

I started out the same way as with my CD, I used a black background and added a faded weathered look to the edge so as to create a border and mean that the poster wasn't solid black.

I then went ahead and added the band logo and album artwork.

After I had done that I added in the details about the tour. I added the other bands that would be touring with them as often bands who share a common taste in music tour together as well as the dates and venues they were playing at. I also added the record label, some social networking links, the ticket master logo who you would buy the tickets through and the monster log as they are who sponsor the tour.

I then experimented with the poster design firstly inverting the colour scheme.

I then added the open CD image that I had created in photoshop so the poster worked as a tour poster but also advertised the Album.

I then changed the background completely and removed the album artwork, CD and re arranged the band logos

After Filming and Construction - Website Planning and Construction

This is the home page of my website, I have a website banner promoting the Band's new CD with the band's Name and Album Name in the same font style and colour scheme as the rest of the digipak so as to keep a consistent style. I also have a short bio of who the band is, a promotional photo and their latest music video.

On this page I have kept the website banner at the top and made a blog where the band can easily post updates of upcoming news and messages.

This page is the photos page is has a gallery of photos you can look through of the band. I again have kept the website banner.

This is their video page where they have posted, their music video as well as a bloopers reel and editing diary for the music video.

This is their tour page where they post news of their latest tours, I have created a gallery of their tour posters that scroll through automatically.

This is their store page where they can post any merchandise or products they want to sell I have put their latest CD there on the store.

This is their contact page, this is used for anyone wanting to make enquiries or leave feedback. I have posted an address, phone number, email address and comments box

thefallenofficial