A2 advanced portfolio production diary

A2 Media StudiesAdvanced PortfolioProduction Diary

PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK(Including Possible Contingency Plans If Problems Anticipated)

September 2012(Detailed Monthly Summary)

Once we had our introduction to the course of the year, we then had to decide which brief we were going to do. I chose to do the music video brief; therefore I had to get into a group with others that wished to do the same brief. Once we had chosen our groups, I then set up my blog, using blogger, to later upload my coursework onto, using slide share. We then researched three different digipacks, and I analysed the front and back cover and the disk label according to colour, technical codes, imagery and conventions. After analysing three digipacks, I began to create my own CD cover, back cover and disk label using adobe Photoshop.

I aim to finish the construction of my first ancillary task, and begin to research magazine advertisements according to technical codes, similar to how I have analysed the digipacks. I will then construct my second ancillary task, which is a magazine advertisement for my CD. I will create this using Photoshop and I will construct it in a way where it will have synergy with my first ancillary task and my soon to be main piece.

October 2012(Detailed Monthly Summary)

I began researching three different magazine advertisements, which ended up including; Gwen Stefani, Madonna, and Florence and the Machine. I analysed these advertisements using technical codes and conventions; such as colour and style of text. Once I had annotated and written about these three magazine advertisements, I began editing my own advertisement in Photoshop. My first ancillary task influenced my advertisement a lot, as I chose to use the same font style, colours and imagery.

As it took slightly longer for me to construct and finish my second ancillary task, I plan to begin researching and analysing three different music videos, similar to my main product, at the beginning of next month. I will finish analysing three music videos and I will then begin to plan my main piece which will include storyboards and the music video script.

November 2012(Detailed Monthly Summary)

I began by researching three music videos: Ed Sheeran’s ‘Give Me Love’, Taylor Swift’s ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ and Demi Lovato’s ‘Give Your Heart a Break’. I analysed these music video’s using Chandlers list of genre conventions and Steve Neale’s mental machinery, using screenshots from each video to illustrate my analysis. After uploading this document onto slideshare, and onto my blog, I began to plan my own music video. My group and I started to create our ideas generation mind map on ‘MindGenius’ in which we logged different ideas for our music video, including lyrical meaning, props, costumes and characters.

I found that it took me quite a while to analyse the three music videos, as I tried to go into as much detail as possible, including referring to the theorists in my analysis. So, therefore my group and I will finish the ideas generation mind map, and thenwill begin writing the script and drawing the storyboards next month in preparation for our filming.

December 2012(Detailed Monthly Summary)

I finished generating my initial ideas on ‘MindGenius’ and then my group and I worked together to write a report explaining which

As I have not finished typing up the script, I will begin next week by continuing this, ready for my group and I’s


features we would be including in our final music video.; including cinematography, editing, characters and props. I then began writing the script in preparation for the filming of the music video. I had to research for the lyrics of the song, and then I split the lyrics and audio into approximately 30 second segments in order to type the camera shots, movements, angles and editing techniques alongside each section. Whilst I and another member of my group were editing the script, the other two members drew the storyboards, including the camera shots, movements, angles, and also the scene numbers and shot numbers.

filming of our music video. I intend to complete the script by the end of this week which will include camera shots, angles and movements, as well as editing techniques; however I found the layout of the script slightly confusing, therefore it took me more time to full understand the layout design of the script.

Mon W/B 07/01/13(Detailed Weekly Summary)

I continued to write the script up, and I used our existing storyboards to do this. I found this task particularly difficult; therefore I did not manage to finish it this week.

My intentions were to finish the script this week, however, I do still have a 30 second segment that I need to type up in preparation for our filming. Therefore, I will use a couple of lessons next week to complete this to the best of my ability.


This week, I completed the script for our music video, writing about camera shots; such as close ups, movements; such as pans, angles; such as low angle, and editing techniques; such as cross dissolves and fades.

The script took me longer that I first expected, as I found it difficult to split the script into segments of 30 seconds. Therefore, my group and I need to complete the last few shots of our storyboards and then plan to go out and film our footage to then edit later on.


My group and I completed our storyboards based on what was written in the script. We ensured that all our initial shots were drawn, and that the shot description and shot number were completed. We also made sure that the script matched the storyboards, which will make it easier for my group and I when we film our video footage.

I found it quite easy making sure that the script reflected the storyboards, and vice versa. Next week, my group and I will book equipment e.g.; a tripod, in preparation for our filming.


Once my group and I had ensured that we were prepared to actually film our footage; including the storyboards, lyric sheets, audio track and script, we booked a tripod to take to our chosen location for filming, in order to film steady footage, rather than shaky footage. We decided that we would use our own Panasonic camera, therefore we did not need to book any camera equipment

My group and I plan to go out next week and film our video footage on ainsdale beach. We will take out storyboards, lyric sheets and audio track with us in order to shoot the best footage we can.


out. Mon W/B 04/02/13(Detailed Weekly Summary)

This week we began filming our video at ainsdale beach. We took the camera and tripod in order to keep the camera work steady and still. We shot a variety of shots; such as close ups, long shots, panning shots, tracking shots and extreme close ups. We used the audio track so that the miming would be in time with the song when it comes to editing our video.

I found that the technical side of shooting video footage was quite easy, as the camera was not difficult to use. However, the process of filming the footage was a lot longer than expected, as we had to shoot various shots more than once. Also, due to our filming being conducted in a public place, we had to wait for people to move past the camera, so that they were not in the background of the shot, which was quite time consuming. I plan to get all of our footage uploaded onto the computer next week.


This week, my group and I began uploading all of our video footage onto the computer in college. Once we had done this, we set up a adobe premiere project, changing the setting to widescreen. I then had to import the video footage into premiere in order to begin editing the video.

As we used our own camera, we had a few problems getting the footage onto the computer. We did not insert an SD card into the camera, and the USB lead we already had for the camera was slightly faulty. Therefore, uploading the footage took a lot longer than expected as we had to overcome these problems. However, with our teachers help, we were able to successfully upload our video footage onto the computer and set up the project in adobe premiere. My group and I will begin to edit our music video next week.


Once all of the video footage was imported into the project on premiere, we then began to edit our video. We began by importing the audio track to base our video on, which was Adele’s ‘turning tables’. Once we had dragged this onto our editing time line, we began going through our footage and selecting a start and end time on each shot we filmed, so that we didn’t have to select this every time we want to insert another shot. I then dragged the opening shot onto the timeline to begin editing the video.

This was quite time consuming, as we had a lot of footage to watch and select start and end points on. However, once we had done this we were able to begin editing out video footage, with our opening shot put into place. My group and I will continue to edit the video next week.


The rest of my group and I continued to edit our footage into the timeline, to go alongside the audio track. We places in a few shots, towards the beginning of the video, based on what our

The process of editing the shots was quite difficult to begin with, as neither my group nor I had fully used this software before. However, after a few lessons, I got


storyboards reflected. familiar with the editing process, and the editing got a lot easier. I will continue to edit the shots next week, and I also wish to begin adding in video effects and transitions.


I continued with editing the shots, cutting them so they fit with the lyrics and the rest of the shots that were already in place. I also began to add cross dissolves into the timeline, to help the video footage flow smoothly. This also helped the narrative of the video progress and flow. My group and I realised that we still needed to film our final shot of a burning photograph, therefore we used lesson time to video this one shot using the iPhone 5. We then uploaded this footage onto the computer and imported it into our project.

As I have become familiar with the editing process, I have become more confident with editing as I understand how to use the software now, and I know what tools I need to be using when editing the footage. Although, I have not incorporated any video effects yet, so I intend to do this next week when I continue editing the video with my group.


This week, I added black and white video effects onto some shots in order for the footage to reflect the mood of the audio track. My group and I also found that we needed to change the speed and duration of a few shots, to either slow them down or speed them up to fit with the audio track. My group and I have now completed a rough first draft of our music video, in which we have uploaded onto YouTube in order to begin our evaluations.

Even though my group and I had become familiar with the software, we still came across a few problems. We found that some of the miming was slightly off timing; therefore we had to edit these shots, which took quite a bit of time, as we had to cut the shot and decrease the speed of some sections also. I plan to begin to write my evaluation of my group and I’s music video next week.


I began writing my evaluation of my final product this week, answering four questions. My group and I had to set up a closed focus group on facebook to gain audience feedback for our video. We needed to do this in order to answer question three of the evaluation. I analysed my music video using technical codes and conventions of the pop genre. I also wrote about the technologies that I have used to create all of my coursework; such as Photoshop, premiere and Google blogger.

I found that analysing my music video was relatively easy, as I knew what I was writing about, therefore I had many point to discuss within my work. Also, when gathering audience feedback, I found it extremely useful and helpful, as I now understand what my group and I could have done to make the video better. After Easter break, I plan to finalise my final music video, and add the finishing touches to it.


I have now completed my written evaluation on my first draft of my music video. This week my group and I added the finished touches to the music video, making sure that every shot flowed smoothly, and that there were no shaky camera shots. We added a

I found that editing the video even more was beneficial, as the final draft has turned out a lot better than our first draft. I plan to begin presenting my evaluation questions in different ways next week, using different


few more black and white video effects to a few more shots, and we added a few more cross dissolves also.

technologies.


I created two prezi’s for question one and question four of my evaluation, to show that I can use a variety of technologies. I also created a PowerPoint to illustrate a voice recording of me discussing my ancillary tasks and how they relate to my final product of a music video

By using these different, new, software’s and presentation techniques, I have learned new skills. I now understand how to present my work using prezi, and not just PowerPoint alone. This was an interesting process as I learned something new. I plan to complete all of my coursework next week and upload my evaluation onto my blog.


I uploaded my evaluation questions onto my Google blogger account, where all my coursework is presented. I ensured that everything that I had completed for my coursework was on my blog, and under the correct tags.

I found this satisfying as I now know that all my work has been presented on my blog, which is quite rewarding.

PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK (Including Possible Contingency Plans)

A2 advanced portfolio production diary

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Transcript of A2 advanced portfolio production diary