Evaluation question 4

How did you use new media technologies in the construction , research, planning and evaluation stages. ?

In order for our group to create a successful media product a number of new media technologies had to be used to construct a successful documentary also this was the case in the research planning and evaluation stages. The new media technologies ranged from software like final cut pro to hit tech filming equipment like the Sony pd60 high definition camera.

In constructing a successful media product, research and planning is crucial in putting together the right elements of a documentary. Whilst in the stages of research and planning it was important to incorporate new technologies in order to have optimum research data and in the planning stages new technologies helped structure group roles, responsibilities and in general what work needed to be completed. We made a group blog on the popular blog site www.blogger.com in order to upload and keep all of the research together. Also it helped us to plan as a group what needed to be done and when, we uploaded weekly updates so people could keep track of what stage our production was at.

In the early research process, we needed a way collate all of the ideas for our documentary. Creating a digital mind map was one of the first ways we incorporated new media technologies into our research and planning. The software can be found on www.bubbl.us, through this site I created a brainstorm with all of the ideas and plans e.g possible interviewees, cutaways, codes, conventions & voiceover etc. The use of this new technology allowed the brainstorm to be accessible to anyone and also was fully interactive which is more efficient then older methods of brainstorming.

In the process of production of our main and ancillary task certain audio file needed to be uploaded to the web. We used sound cloud, an online software which enable user to upload audio files in sound cloud format. This was important for me to use new the media technologies of sound cloud as without It I would have been unable to create my radio trailer and also upload the sound for our documentary to the blog for the audience to see. This software is found on www.soundcloud.com.

In the main production we used various new media technologies in order to create it. Filming equipment allowed us to capture the footage and sound of the interviews and cutaways. In filming the footage we used the high tech Sony pd170 high def camera. We used this video camera to film all of the footage of our documentary. The footage was captured on a DV tape which was then subsequently uploaded onto the editing timeline. This was also used in the evaluation stage as the audience feedback of our finished product was filmed on the pd170. This technology allowed us to capture footage easily and efficiently whilst filming outside its lightweight and small frame made filming practical.

Another key part of the filming equipment was the use of the clip on microphone. The microphone found on the pd170 was not able to pick up the voice of the interviews in clear and efficient manner so we used the clip on tie to capture the high quality sound form the interviews. This equipment connected to the pd170 and without the use of the clip on microphone we would be penalised heavily as the quality of sound would be significantly reduced.

Once all of the footage was filmed the tape was then handed to the editor, who would edit the footage. To get maximum marks for our production it was essential that a high quality editing software was used. This is were the final cut pro software was used in the construction process. This software allowed the editor to edit the footage with the use of advanced tools found on final cut to create a high quality edited documentary.

We then used you tube to upload the finished product. You tube is an online site that allows users to upload videos which can be accessible users around the globe. This allowed our media product through the use of new technologies to be able to be accessed by our target audience.

In creating my ancillary tasks I used new media technologies ii the form of photo shot. This software allowed me to edit my photo to create a newspaper advertisement that was clear to the audience. Certain tools like crop, contrast etc allowed me to incorporate new technologies to produce a successful newspaper advertisement.

Evaluation Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

For our audience feedback we showed our finished product to various people of different age, gender, class and ethnicity. We then filmed their answers to specific question based on the documentary we had constructed. All answers were honest and of their own views and opinions of the media product.

The question we asked first was, ‘How similar is our documentary to other mainstream documentaries?’. We realised that by asking the audience this question we can gauge from the response weather or not the documentary we have created is similar if not identical to other media products seen by them previously. It is crucial that our documentary incorporates many of the codes and conventions of other more recognizable documentaries. This will allow viewers to recognize the genre of the documentary. Also whilst trying to follow some of the codes and convention of established documentary it is important we create a documentary that is not identical to others, otherwise it will seem to familiar with audience and consequently less interesting.
The response from the question enabled us to establish what format style of documentary ours fitted in to. As you can see in the video footage, people replied by saying our documentary reminded them of material seen on channel four and also the bbc 2 news night series of documentaries. It was apparent for most, that conventions like cutaways, the choice of voice over and logo were said to be similar to bbc/channel 4 documentary style. These are all well established informational channels.
The feedback gathered from this question is defiantly positive, the aims of creating a documentary where to create one similar or in the style of a BBC news night documentary. The feedback on this question shows how our documentary would fit into the mainstream television viewing and could feature on information channels such as channel 4 and the bbc. We can know see as a group we was successful in following codes and conventions of other credible documentary styles.

We then asked the audience ‘What are the strengths of the documentary?’. By asking this question we can see as group what parts if not all of the documentary we had done well or to a high standard. The strengths that were mentioned were the uses of cutaways, their responses showed that the cutaways we used benefited the documentary greatly as they were appropriate to the topic and also the variety of shots were broad, thus making the documentary more interesting. As cameraman it was vital that I shot cutaways that were linked to the voiceover and topic. Also another strength noted was the speakers used, the feedback showed that the speakers we used were current and closely linked to the topic which is an important strength as it highlighted how the strengths of our documentary, ie the speakers helped make the topic of child internet safety more engaging to the audience.

The final question we asked our audience was ‘What are the weaknesses of the documentary?’. Although it was important to highlight the strengths of the documentary it was even more so to establish the weakness of the documentary. By asking this question, we can see what criticisms were made and in what way could the documentary be improved. This could help us in developing the media product further in the future. Its seems to be apparent, from the audience’s response to this question that a main weakness in our documentary is the fact that it is biased. The audience felt that we only explored the negatives of internet safety for children and that being biased felt that the documentary was on sided. This weakness showed that our documentary was in danger of not portraying the whole current situation of internet safety for children. This constructive criticism is important because as a group we can now create ideas of how our documentary could be changed to rectify this. Possible speakers form the other side of the argument could be included to make the documentary balanced and faire.
Secondly another weakness mentioned was the choice of music used in the documentary. It was described as ‘tedious and sleepy’, this criticism showed how the music used could possible ‘bore’ viewers, therefore making the documentary less engaging.

In conclusion to this the audience was vital in establishing the good and bad factors in the documentary. The constructive criticism is vital for any media product as it can bring to light any areas that could be improved and identify to us were we went wrong in the construction of the documentary. It could be said that overall the majority of the audience believed our documentary replicated a mainstream media product. Also we now know that we could improve our documentary by making the argument more balanced and change the music to a more engaging sound.

Evaluation Question 2

2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?The whole idea behind creating the ancillary task’s, was using a way of constructing cross media advertisement for our documentary. The ancillary tasks consisted of a radio trailer and a newspaper advertisement. We needed to ensure they were focused on the topic whilst also being engaging and fascinating overall creating an impulse to the audience to watch the documentary.
The original idea for my newspaper advertisement was to show the reader that children should be monitored more carefully and adults should see what there children are accessing. I planned to have a child on a computer with a parent behind covering her child
The mode of address is crucial within my poster. As you can see in the poster the man appearing out of the screen makes the girl seem vulnerable and unsafe which shows the relationship of the reader and the characters in the drawing. As our audience research showed primarily our target audience is parents usually between the ages of 25
My headline for the poster (fig 8) was the documentary name. Whilst basic, it created the right connotations to the reader as the word safety was highlighted in red meaning there was danger also with a question mark which shows the reader how the poster identifies uncertainties with child safety on the internet.
Cross media convergence is important for the promotion of any product in order for their target audience to be reached. A good example of this is Vivendi, they are a company with cross media subsidies enabling them to create promotion of their media products through many platforms. In this case the release of the popular video game call of duty released by Vivendi which shows cross media convergence can maximize the awareness of the media products release date or airing time. They advertise similarly through the main channels of media advertisement as our documentary has adopted like our ancillary task for the release of call of duty they advertised through radio trailers, posters and viral marketing groups.

My second ancillary task was to create a radio trailer for my documentary. I used music that had a euphoric and ominous tone which created a mystery surrounding the documentary topic through the radio trailer. Which has an impact on the listener.
Through our audience research we discovered that our target audience age was between 25 - 45 and predominantly parents. I used a voice over that would be suitable for the target audience of my radio trailer. I used a well spoken, upper class, older, individual who spoke in perfect English and pronunciation. This allows the listeners to be familiar with the speaker. There is a clear indication throughout the broadcasting industry that a well pronounced formal style of presenting gains more viewer interest and understanding than that of a less formal approach. I felt that this type of speaker would make the radio trailer seem concise and coherent therefore delivering the facts of the documentary whilst also being engaging to the audience.

To make sure my radio trailer was interesting and opinionated I used vox pops this made the radio trailer more creative. I included different phrases from members of public who were connected to the subject matter of child internet safety. This would display the different views and opinions related to the topic, thus creating different responses from the individuals. My radio trailer contains question and similarly to the newspaper advertisement making them think and question the issues raised therefore increasing there willingness to watch the documentary.

task

In conclusion to this, I feel the ancillary tasks aided my documentary as they created the promotion for our media product to our target audience. This being done through the cinematography and striking imagery of the newspaper advertisement and sound in the radio trailer both using different ways of engaging the audience and being informative of our documentary date and airing time.

Evaluation Qustion 1

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

Our media product aimed to use similar conventions associated with a formal BBC news night type documentary. Whilst constructing a documentary in a particular informative public service type style documentary it is important that certain codes and convention are followed in order for the documentary to be concise. In looking at documentary codes to follow we thought it would be best to not plagiarize a newsnight documentary although it is important to follow some of the styles they adopt. If a documentary seems too familiar with the audience then often focus on the topic is lost and the audience may loose interest in the documentary and the avenues explored within it. So we knew that a change in some of the forms could keep the audience engaged.
Our task was to create an opening 5 minute sequence to a documentary which would be suitable for the BBC (British Broadcasting Centre). There aim is to be educate, entertain and engage viewers whilst being formative also. My product also needed to convey similar values and so we thought it would be best to use a similar logo style that would represent the same ideas as the BBC. Our documentary would to be broadcasted by Havering College
Television. We shortened this down in to a logo style similar to that of the BBC logo which is seen on every broadcast (see fig1), this lead us to create the following which would feature on our documentary.


In the research and planning stage we felt that the Phil Nichols per formative approach was a style we wanted to focus are documentary around. This is defined as “the mode of documentary which emphasizes the subjective nature of the documentarian as well as acknowledging the subjective reading of the audience - notions of objectivity are replaced by "evocation and affect".This mode emphasizes the emotional and social impact on the audience” By including this mode, it enabled us to engage the viewers and also allowing them to form there own opinion on child safety, in this growing age of technology. Our media product challenges real media product as interviews from Semar Jolly (police officer) and Toby Marshall (parent) aided the documentary as they gave diverse opinion on the topic matter.
　
　　
　
When filming, using the rule of thirds is essential in framing our interviews (see fig2 & 3) as this rule attracts focus from the audience to the interviewee without the possibility of being distracted by other objects in the frame. The subject should occupy two thirds of the frame, this Is apparent in all of our interviews as it shows continuity. With reference to Steve Neals theory of ‘repetition and variation’ as the rule of thirds adds this repetition to our media product. The documentary could lose focus or become less interesting if this style of framing was not adopted in our media product. The interviews needed to b framed well to allow the audience to engage with the interviewee and most importantly be able to focus on the views being put across. We tried to emphasise the mise en scene in the frame and if possible relate it to our documentary topic.





We tried to keep the continuity of our documentary constant throughout which is a key aspect of any documentary, this convention was important and remained a key part throughout our groups construction of the media product. Continuity as a convention displays reality to the audience. If the continuity was broken and the documentary didn’t flow, it could show that the documentary was over edited thus leaving the viewer unable to follow the documentary or explore the views opinions and facts it has to offer. This could also leave question over weather the documentary is fair and impartial. The use of accurate and well framed cutaways helped the continuity of our documentary. The narration (voice over) is another crucial convention of the documentary. The voice over aside from the interviews is the only other main source of questionable debate throughout the documentary shown to the audience. It was important for our narration like many others to remain unbiased as this could sway the opinion of viewers and also to act as the main anchor of the media product. Narration is an important convention as it delivers facts and information to the audience, thus supporting the issues being raised. It was important that our voice over followed similar codes and conventions of many documentaries. The narrator needed to speak clearly have received pronunciation and use formal English. We used Andy Poperwell, he’s speech matched the codes and conventions of a classic narrator as his dialect is easily understandable to the broad range of our audience.

Tommy Camden’s relaxed, comfortable and informal appearance is in keeping with the conventions of a child. Fig 3
Figure 3 Figure 4 However Burt Jones’s appears differently as his posture is upright and his clothing is more formal, highlighting the contrast in status and his importance in society. Also in the background you can see an office setting, giving a more formal approach and creates conventions of his intellectual capabilities. Fig 4
In conclusion to this I feel that our media product follows many of the codes and conventions of a documentary, however I d o feel there are some alteration of these convention in order to create some variety and add entertainment to documentary. In order for our documentary to be informative and concise many of the codes and conventions are similar to a BBC styled documentary although to keep the audience engaged in our topic I feel some dissimilarities have been made. 　
　
　
　　　
　
　
　　
　
　
　
　

Radio Trailer

 Radio Trailer Emmanuel Olobio by emmanuelolobio

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Cutaway List

As our documentary needs to be both engaging and informative various cutaways needed to be filmed. Importantly they need to show some correspondence with our topic of child internet safety, below is a list of the cutaways filmed.

Medium shot of Romford town centre.
High angle shot of Romford town centre.
High angle shot of a child on a social networking site.
Ardliegh green school sign - shot zooms out.
Medium shot of children leaving school.
Medium shot Metropolitan Police station.
Police lamppost/ signs.
Close up of fingers on a mouse pad.
Shot of a Facebook profile.
Panning shot of students in a computer suite.
Shot of computers in a shop (PC world)
Children on the street.
Over the shoulder shot of a child accessing the internet.