How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, online - in this project?
HARDWARE
SONY A58
I have used the camera not just for filming but also for photography for my other products use the Golden Camera function.
TRIPOD:
Realised I work best with the Amazon Pistolstick Tripod compared to the Manfroto, even though it's the heaviest and therefore harder to carry around:
...
DOLLY
I wanted to put in some tracking shots
I learned however you need to plan in the ground you're going, it needs to be flat and not uneven, even a pavement that isn't properly smooth, you are going to end up with shaky footage. The result was I could only use a couple of shots, and had to intersperse them with other still.
GOPRO4:
When combined with the Monopod, I found easier to close in on close-ups of guitars and drums being played
GOPRO5:
This has better recording quality compared with both the Sony and GoPro4, and again the close-ups of my protagonist. Unfortunately I wasn't able to use that footage as the last scenes had to be cut. However, I screenshot one of the close-ups of the footage and used it as my album cover, so the high quality came in very useful there when editing the image in Photoshop:
...
SD CARD:
I made a mistake of breaking one of the SD cards, through the hatch coming off.
MICRO SD CARD:
You need to be more careful and delicate when putting in the Micro SD card without risk of breaking it, I had a hard time sliding it into the GoPros at first.
MONOPOD
Is used as a tripod for the GoPro, making it easier to shoot close-ups and extreme close-ups, came in useful for the close-ups of the drums and also some performance shots (i.e. the backing vocals)where as with the Sony A58 and Amazon/Manfroto Tripods it was more shaky footage.
SELFIE STICK
I used it when the monopod wasn't available, slightly smaller and so has less range and so had to get closer, for a shot where I wanted to film an ECU of the eye of the protagonist it was somewhat awkward for my actor.
MAC
Encountered severe difficulties with slowness of my computer. Learned that was due to my Mac being 8GB instead of 16GB.
I soon cleared all the files I could off my computer, and learned it is best to always import all your video files to your portable hard-drive.
Using tagging, very quick and easier than creating a lot of folders
PORTABLE HARD-DRIVE
Also needed to make sure that even though it has a large amount of space of 2TB.
Also if I ever need to buy another hard-drive I will buy one with 4TB space.
iPHONE
I used the Blogger app much more.
Also to post and update on the activities of my band on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). While I would often filter on Instagram, I could also already filter through
EARPHONES
As ever a simple but utterly vital instrument in order to work and listen to the audio of texts I analysed and also my own work.
ONLINE
BLOGGER:
I used the top links function for my blog.
Also, I uploaded GIFs next to screenshots which is really useful when you want to describe and connote a short segment of action from a video.
WIX:
Wix was at first a huge challenge, as it was the first online programme I used. However, more and more, I learned to work with it very quickly and it also became fun.
TEMPLATE
There are multiple templates for Wix, I chose the *...*. Then when I created an extra site for my store, I chose a Cinematographer Template.
STRIPS:
Had to create extra strips to write more content, as there wasn't enough space in those provided in the template
UPLOADING PRODUCTS
Was able to upload several images for my Shop that I had edited in Photoshop.
FONTS
I did not encounter problems with uploading the fonts like I did with on my Mac. I always able to have a good degree of font variety.
Here's a parody of a Wix Advert I created to outline the functions I used:
I was influenced by this real humorous Wix Advert by British comedian James Veitch:
...
GIF.com:
When I wanted to denote something, it was useful to be able to visualize through GIFs.
DISCMAKERS:
Could put all of my digipak images into one layout:
1001FONTS:
....
SOCIAL MEDIA
I named all three social media pages/accounts "SuedeLands"
FACEBOOK:
I created a page as is common, while artists do have their own public profiles on Facebook it is more common for them to engage with audiences on specifically created pages, as they can employ someone to do it for them.
I also used it just like last year to gather audience feedback, both through messaging people personally and writing on my timeline.
TWITTER:
Had to create an account. Here you can delete tweets but you can not edit them like in Facebook.
INSTAGRAM:
Mainly focussed on spreading photos. This I could mainly only use on my phone, I could however turn on a function to use it on my Mac as well
I also used the story function, similar to the one in Snapchat
TUMBLR:
Created extra accounts for my competition theory.
...
SOFTWARE
PHOTOSHOP:
FINAL CUT PRO
EFFECTS:
Quick Flashes: When I found I was lacking in drum footage, I added this effect to make the drums still be able to cut to the beat.
Keying: I used a dark filter.
TRANSITIONS:
Used flash-in transitions, inspired by the Depeche Mode's music video I Feel You , though I found they weren't quite as visually sophisticated as in that video.
LAYERING:
This is something I did not use in my AS coursework at all. Also in terms of transitions my layering got more sophisticated, particular when I watched a video from Suede, So Young, having the layered image fade in and out over the other.
FILES LOST:
A number of times, files went missing and I had to use the Relink function.
I learned this was happening due to having an over-filled hard-drive, and it having a speed of 8GB instead of 16GB.
KEY SYSTEM
Much better for organising your clips and being able to return back to them, even more effective if you created folders with all the clips ordered in before.
CONVERGENCE
The impact of Web 2.0 is a huge one, as all the technologies are quite easily accesible for independent and unsigned acts.
HARDWARE
SONY A58
I have used the camera not just for filming but also for photography for my other products use the Golden Camera function.
TRIPOD:
Realised I work best with the Amazon Pistolstick Tripod compared to the Manfroto, even though it's the heaviest and therefore harder to carry around:
...
DOLLY
I wanted to put in some tracking shots
I learned however you need to plan in the ground you're going, it needs to be flat and not uneven, even a pavement that isn't properly smooth, you are going to end up with shaky footage. The result was I could only use a couple of shots, and had to intersperse them with other still.
GOPRO4:
When combined with the Monopod, I found easier to close in on close-ups of guitars and drums being played
GOPRO5:
This has better recording quality compared with both the Sony and GoPro4, and again the close-ups of my protagonist. Unfortunately I wasn't able to use that footage as the last scenes had to be cut. However, I screenshot one of the close-ups of the footage and used it as my album cover, so the high quality came in very useful there when editing the image in Photoshop:
...
SD CARD:
I made a mistake of breaking one of the SD cards, through the hatch coming off.
MICRO SD CARD:
You need to be more careful and delicate when putting in the Micro SD card without risk of breaking it, I had a hard time sliding it into the GoPros at first.
MONOPOD
Is used as a tripod for the GoPro, making it easier to shoot close-ups and extreme close-ups, came in useful for the close-ups of the drums and also some performance shots (i.e. the backing vocals)where as with the Sony A58 and Amazon/Manfroto Tripods it was more shaky footage.
SELFIE STICK
I used it when the monopod wasn't available, slightly smaller and so has less range and so had to get closer, for a shot where I wanted to film an ECU of the eye of the protagonist it was somewhat awkward for my actor.
MAC
Encountered severe difficulties with slowness of my computer. Learned that was due to my Mac being 8GB instead of 16GB.
I soon cleared all the files I could off my computer, and learned it is best to always import all your video files to your portable hard-drive.
Using tagging, very quick and easier than creating a lot of folders
PORTABLE HARD-DRIVE
Also needed to make sure that even though it has a large amount of space of 2TB.
Also if I ever need to buy another hard-drive I will buy one with 4TB space.
iPHONE
I used the Blogger app much more.
Also to post and update on the activities of my band on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). While I would often filter on Instagram, I could also already filter through
EARPHONES
As ever a simple but utterly vital instrument in order to work and listen to the audio of texts I analysed and also my own work.
ONLINE
BLOGGER:
I used the top links function for my blog.
Also, I uploaded GIFs next to screenshots which is really useful when you want to describe and connote a short segment of action from a video.
WIX:
Wix was at first a huge challenge, as it was the first online programme I used. However, more and more, I learned to work with it very quickly and it also became fun.
TEMPLATE
There are multiple templates for Wix, I chose the *...*. Then when I created an extra site for my store, I chose a Cinematographer Template.
STRIPS:
Had to create extra strips to write more content, as there wasn't enough space in those provided in the template
UPLOADING PRODUCTS
Was able to upload several images for my Shop that I had edited in Photoshop.
FONTS
I did not encounter problems with uploading the fonts like I did with on my Mac. I always able to have a good degree of font variety.
Here's a parody of a Wix Advert I created to outline the functions I used:
I was influenced by this real humorous Wix Advert by British comedian James Veitch:
...
GIF.com:
When I wanted to denote something, it was useful to be able to visualize through GIFs.
DISCMAKERS:
Could put all of my digipak images into one layout:
FOR FONTS
However, I had an issue that I could only upload a number of fonts. This prevented me from having the same font variety on my digipak that I had on my website.
DAFONT:
However, I had an issue that I could only upload a number of fonts. This prevented me from having the same font variety on my digipak that I had on my website.
DAFONT:
Has a number of fonts, that's where I got the Decayed font from that I used for
FONTSQUIRREL:
I used it to identify fonts
1001FONTS:
....
SOCIAL MEDIA
I named all three social media pages/accounts "SuedeLands"
FACEBOOK:
I created a page as is common, while artists do have their own public profiles on Facebook it is more common for them to engage with audiences on specifically created pages, as they can employ someone to do it for them.
I also used it just like last year to gather audience feedback, both through messaging people personally and writing on my timeline.
TWITTER:
Had to create an account. Here you can delete tweets but you can not edit them like in Facebook.
INSTAGRAM:
Mainly focussed on spreading photos. This I could mainly only use on my phone, I could however turn on a function to use it on my Mac as well
I also used the story function, similar to the one in Snapchat
TUMBLR:
Created extra accounts for my competition theory.
...
SOFTWARE
PHOTOSHOP:
In school I used the expanded version of Photoshop, Photoshop C5, to start practising, however for the majority of my work I used a free trial of the less extended version, Photoshop CS.
Layering, just like with Final Cut Pro X you lower the opacity, always with the layer that's on top, the lower one being the background. In the inner panel above I wanted to emphasise the abandoned, as it symbolises how Suede care more about creating artwork through their music rather than simply pushing forward their image.
Layering, just like with Final Cut Pro X you lower the opacity, always with the layer that's on top, the lower one being the background. In the inner panel above I wanted to emphasise the abandoned, as it symbolises how Suede care more about creating artwork through their music rather than simply pushing forward their image.
FINAL CUT PRO
EFFECTS:
Quick Flashes: When I found I was lacking in drum footage, I added this effect to make the drums still be able to cut to the beat.
Keying: I used a dark filter.
TRANSITIONS:
Used flash-in transitions, inspired by the Depeche Mode's music video I Feel You , though I found they weren't quite as visually sophisticated as in that video.
LAYERING:
This is something I did not use in my AS coursework at all. Also in terms of transitions my layering got more sophisticated, particular when I watched a video from Suede, So Young, having the layered image fade in and out over the other.
FILES LOST:
A number of times, files went missing and I had to use the Relink function.
I learned this was happening due to having an over-filled hard-drive, and it having a speed of 8GB instead of 16GB.
KEY SYSTEM
Much better for organising your clips and being able to return back to them, even more effective if you created folders with all the clips ordered in before.
CONVERGENCE
The impact of Web 2.0 is a huge one, as all the technologies are quite easily accesible for independent and unsigned acts.
- The band members could all chip in and buy Final Cut Pro, or just use the free iMovie, either could be accessed through borrowing it from a friend
- Photoshop is on a Netflix/Spotify-like basis, easy
- Wix is completely free, anyone can use this
...
