How Did You Use New Media Technologies In The Construction, Research, Planning And Evaluation Stages

Throughout the whole of the production process for Love me, I used various media technologies in order to help me research, plan and execute Love Me as a thriller film that would captivate the audience.

Camera- The Canon EOS 600D

I have never been one to buy into good quality cameras, so before experimenting with this camera, I did not have much of an idea as to how to use one. However, after somebody showing us the basics of how to use it we were well on our way for the construction of our trailer. The first task was to get hold of this camera, it was simple to get as I went to the photography department for the school, and was able to rent one out for the weekend. After the first weekend of filming, we realised it was going to take a few more days to finish of the rest of the filming. This was due to the fact as we were filming new ideas came to mind which means we did not get all of the shots we needed in order to make the trailer. But, this was no issue as the school was very supportive of our production, so we managed to rent the camera for a few extra days by signing a sheet. A plus side for going through the school to get this camera, was the fact that it was free of charge which meant the cost of production was very low. This piece of technology was very good at picking up images in low-key lighting which was essential for our trailer as it follows the conventions of the thriller genre. The HD camera also allowed us to make smooth and high quality footage that could be used in our trailer. The camera was arguable the most important element for our production. This is because we were able to get various shot types with this camera in order to show different representations. The camera itself came in a case, with a spare battery and all of the pieces that were needed. Moreover, it was light and easy to carry around whilst filming. As a result, we saved time as we did not have to worry about the transportation of the camera, it could be taken anywhere due to its small size. The camera had a few features that we found interesting, for example we discovered that the camera could zoom without losing the high definition. Therefore, using this feature meant that we could film more diverse shots which appeal to the audience. The camera also came with a tripod which further allowed us to make great use of it. This way the shots were more steady and we were able to do different shot angles such as low angle shots which could be done by alternating the tripod as it was adjustable. In conclusion, this made our trailer more effective as low angle shots showed the antagonist as more powerful to the audience. However, we did use hand held shots in order to allow for unsteady shots, which we found added an uneasy and imbalanced feel that is often found in thriller films.
Here are the features that I found on the internet for this camera:

iMovie- 

This was the editing software that was used to construct our trailer. I had previous experience with the program having using it in our AS production of Stella Fellas, however after looking into the software more in depth it meant that I could use more features that I was unaware of. I used iMovie on a Apple Mac computer. It was easy to understand and it offered various effects that could contribute to making our trailer fit the thriller genre. For example. it offered a variety of filters for shots, resulting in a more diverse trailer. For example, we used a black and white filter in order to show a flash back to the audience, which is a common convention in films. After looking through iMovie I discovered that it offered a "scary" template that we could fill with the appropriate footage. Moreover, this meant that we could have access to titles that were very eery and distorted. We chose to include this in the trailer because we believed it perfectly conformed to the conventions of the thriller genre. It is very engaging and it adds to the overall quality of our trailer as it makes it look more professional. This is one of the problems we tried to tackle, we wanted to make sure we made a trailer that did not look like it was made on a small budget. After transferring the template into the timeline, the software allowed us to crop shots, to cancel out any unnecessary backdrop. We were also able to sound layer in order to make sure we had fitting sound for our trailer. Bangs, lightening strikes and more sounds were used that were all on offer on iMovie. This made it much easier to access different sounds, as we would not have any issues with copyright. As a result, it saved us from having to get free music on the internet, instead we had all the sounds needed in this software alone. iMovie also had a variety of transitions that we could use, ranging from fade to black, fade to white, cross cut, ripple effect and cross dissolve. Moreover, these effects allowed us to make a smooth trailer, and each transition had a meaning and purpose in the trailer. For example, the fade to black was used to connote that something dark and dangerous was going to happen, which increased the thrill of the trailer. It was a pre-warning to the audience that something is going to happen for the worst.

Photoshop

I used Photoshop to make both my magazine cover and poster for Love Me. At first, I found it difficult to use the software, as I wasn't sure how to make my ideal final product. However, after asking other people and watching Youtube videos I had a better understanding on how to use the different tools to make it look how I wanted. For the poster and magazine cover, it was important to make sure when the audience look at it they immediately associate the poster with a thriller film. One problem with our production, is the fact that if not represented in the right way, it could come across as a romantic film, which is not the case. With the many features photoshop has to offer, it made it easier to create what I envisioned that had the potential to create synergy. One way I did this, was by having our antagonist as the main image in both covers so the audience could associate both the poster and magazine cover with our film. This was something I found when researching other films, they usually had the main characters shown in both covers. I used various effects of photoshop, such as altering the colour and contrast of the image, to conform to the convention of the thriller genre by having dark colours and lighting such as black and grey to annotate an eerie ambiance to the audience. Furthermore, by having the ability to layer on photoshop, I could successfully build my poster and magazine cover around he main image, including the masthead, coverlines and the head line. As a result, I could create covers that gave the audience a chilling effect, which could also lead to the audience feeling a certain level of anxiety. This means that I conformed to some of the conventions of thriller posters and magazine covers, because this is the effect it gave me. 

Blogger is the software that I used to keep a record of my research, planning and evaluations. As a whole, it is very easy and straight forward to use which made it a more simple task to make sure I kept on track with updating my blog. I found myself using blogger not only on my computer, but also on my mobile phone. Moreover, this allowed me to use my phone to update or create any posts at any given time giving the opportunity for fantastic accessibility. As a result, Blogger made it much easier to note down anything that would have helped me in the different stages of the production. The most important aspect that was beneficial, was the fact that the software allowed for my teachers to view what progress I have made and make any comments that could be of beneficial to me. Overall, I much preferred Blogger to the Blogspot that I used last year for my AS production of Stella Fellas. This is because the layout is easy to work around, and through technological convergence I managed to download the Blogger app on my mobile phone which came to great use when uploading posts wherever I was. Overall, the software was clearly laid out which enabled me to manoeuvre around the site with ease, and it also allows you to change the date on blog posts. Moreover, I could make my blog in a order which is chronological, creating a better read and portrayal of the production of Love Me. 

As a group, we used PowerPoint to present our initial idea for Instinct. As a result, we were able to pitch the plan, and receive feedback from the class. In addition, it is a straight forward software that allowed us to use images and text to help portray what our idea was. However, this did not come to good use as we completely changed our first idea. Nevertheless, this decision was changed due to the feedback we received. It seemed the plot did not quite add up as the black outs could not be explained as even we did not know where we were heading with it. All of the group had experience in using PowerPoint which enabled us to make it how we imagined. However, looking back at the presentation now, I believe we could have including slides that explained the plot, mise en scene, sound, editing and camera shots in more detail. This would have given the viewers a better idea of what the film was about. 

Social networking sites:

Facebook and Facebook messenger messenger 
The majority of the communication throughout the group and with the actresses, as through the use of Facebook Messenger. By creating a group, we were allowed to communicate together, which allowed us to plan and organise the planning process and the execution of our trailer. As a result, we were more organised, for example when the day came to film everybody knew when and what time we had to meet. We also created a Facebook page to advertise our film, this made people aware of our trailer and by posting on the page, it meant that people could give any feedback they wished to give. This could range from people saying what they liked about it, and what they may thought could be improved.

Snapchat
This app was used at some point in the planning process. We used snapchat to keep in touch with the actresses Shania and Isa. Furthermore, Snapchat has became a huge success and more and more people are getting involved in using it so we used this as an opportunity to further inform the girls as to what is happening. 

Twitter

This media technology was the software that was used to promote our film. Henry sent out a tweet in search for anyone who is interested in volunteering with our project. Shania then replied soon after saying her and Isa would get involved. This is something that made us realise how media technology effects us in life, because none of us knew them well. In addition, this is something that really helped us to connect with people who we wouldn't really expect to communicate with. 

YouTube was used during both the planning, and final stages of the production of Love Me. As a group we decided to make as many drafts as we could, which could enable us to receive feedback to make improvements. As a result, the final product represents the thriller genre best, as we made sure each time we revisited filming and editing, we would challenge and conform to thriller conventions. Youtube also made it easy to upload videos, as I had previous experience using it from my AS production. In addition, this meant that teachers and students could watch it from school, allowing us to receive any feedback. This was something that before February 2005, people were not able to do because this was when the business was founded. With this in mind, it is a reminder that new media technologies such as Youtube, are allowing easier access for film companies to promote their films.

Prezi

Founded in 2009, Prezi has grown massively in popularity with over 75 million people being part of the community. This is a visual storytelling software which is typically used as an alternative to PowerPoint presentations. I used this to show a slight plan as to what costumes was to be used in the trailer. As a result, I could use this software to create a map-like, schematic overview that showed what different character were going to wear. By planning out what each character was to wear, we were able to make sure that we stayed to typical conventions of thriller films, for example we avoided using any bright coloured clothing such as yellow as it does not contribute to connoting danger in the trailer.

Bubbl.us

During the planning of our trailer, I used bubble.us to plan and map out our initial ideas. As a result. we were able to consider different components that make up a trailer. Their common tag line is "brainstorming made simple", which is something that this media technology offered us. Furthermore, this allowed us to create something in quick timing which therefore meant we could make sure we got everything down that the group discussed. 

iPhone
Throughout the whole of the production from research to now evaluating what we have done, the iPhone was the most commonly used piece of hardware that was used by all members of the group. This is down to the fact that the iPhone has everything you need, from the access to social media apps through to opportunity to search anything on the internet in less than 20 seconds. Every member of the group has an iPhone which enabled us to keep in contact by using iMessage when necessary. In addition, we used our phones to use all of the social media apps, so this piece of media technology was essential in making sure we kept in communication with each other otherwise it would have made it a lot more difficult to plan and execute. Even down to the fact that when the Shania and Isa came off the train, by calling them it made it easier to meet them at the right time and place. As we used a Apple Mac computer, we were able to transfer various items from my iPhone to the computer which helped us save time. 

Voice Memos
This is an app that is supplied by Apple that is accessible on an iPhone. We used this app in order to record the voiceovers in our trailer. After we were happy with the dialogue, it was then transferred to iMovie where it could  be put into place. By using this software, we also used to record the match strike in the trailer. As a result, we were able to add a diegetic sound that connotes heat and danger, but also love as candles are stereotypically seen to represent love. This is something that I found in researching into the film "the perfect guy" where they use he concept of love in a thriller film.

Soundcloud

I used sound cloud whilst researching different sound that could have been used in our trailer. By watching other thriller trailers and then looking at various sounds that I found, it gave me a basic understanding as to what sound was used in order to conform to the conventions of the genre. Soundcloud offers a vast range of songs and sound effects which came to great benefit when I was trying to look for various sounds such as thunder and lightning. As a result, after making a subscription I had access to many sounds that I could listen to on my phone or computer.