What have you learnt about technologies from the process of

constructing this product?

Rosie Ram

Hardware

Apple IMACI used an advanced hardware called apple IMAC to edit my film opening and

create most of my research and planning. Apple IMAC was really important part of my production process as it enabled me to access a software called imovie.

This was very vital part of the production process of making my final film a I used the software imovie to edit all of my film opening, imovie enabled me to edit scenes, cut, add transitions and apply final touches to edit the film opening. I also used imovie to create my production company logo, and also upload and complete blog posts. I developed confidence in IMAC which made it easier for me to use and understand. ITunes on the apple IMAC was also a software I used whilst editing my film opening as it allowed me to add diegetic sound effects and a suspense soundtrack easily and quickly without a problem. Throughout the whole process I developed my knowledge on how to use the IMAC hardware as I had never have experience on one before this was very beneficial for me, as it helped me gain a inner understanding on how to use it and provided me with a effective software I could use to edit my film, I learnt a lot through this process as the IMAC was very useful and was one of the vital elements in my production process.

TripodTo ensure that all my shots were steady I used a tripod.

The tripod maintained steadiness through out the scenes, which made the flow more effectively avoiding the barrier of it looking shaky, this created a more professional look. Not only this but the tripod enabled me move the camera around whilst maintaining the steady speed.

The tripod maintained the weight of the camera, which was essential as it provided support and assistance ensuring that the camera remained stationary. The tripod was useful as it was more steadier then using your hands and it also created a variation of shots. The tripod was very beneficial as it gave me the option and ability to ensure that all my footage was steady.

Video Camera The video camera was essential in my

project as I used it to record many tasks in the process of my project such as the preliminary tasks and the film opening. I gained a lot of understanding whilst using the camera as this was the first time I had used the specific camera, as I was working on my own I was reliant on producing the whole film, the camera enabled me to produce footage, which I could then edit.

The video camera was better to use for my film opening then a phone as it gave my film a more professional look as it produced higher quality footage. The video camera was also easy to use. During this process I gained more confidence with using a video camera as was able to use it to the best of its ability. I also acknowledged that it had better qualities and functions the phones as video cameras are specifically designed for filming.

SD Card I used an SD card to store all of my film on, the SD card

provided me with storage so that I could save all my film footage onto it without loosing it and having to re-do scenes again. Using a SD card was useful and reliable as it provided me with a sufficient amount of memory, which enabled me to film the amount of footage I wanted without worrying about it getting lost or running out of storage memory ensuring there would be no problem with recording more scenes if I wanted. I also used the SD card to transfer my footage onto the IMAC, this enabled me to easily import/upload my footage by inserting it into a USB, I also learnt how to save my footage onto the computer by backing it up to an external hard drive so that I was less likely to loose it and had a backup of it.

Software

Imovie Imovie was the software I used to edit my entire film opening on. I used this

software as it provided me with the correct tools to edit, cut, and add effects to my movie to create a professional finish. I learnt hugely from imovie as it the software made me more confident with editing which allowed me to use it to the best of its ability. In my film opening I used imovie for a variety of things such as adding diegetic sounds and suspense soundtracks, adding fading transitions and slow mode. Imovie also held a wide variety of fonts which enabled me to choose a font which best suited my horror genre.

Furthermore I chose to use imovie to edit my film opening as I felt that it was reliable and one of the most advanced software to use. Imovie was also very beneficial for me as it provided me with a programme to edit on, it also produced my film opening with a very clear and professional appearance which I was very impressed by. Imovie was very useful for the production process of my film, as although I had not used the programme before I learnt easily and quickly on how to use it as it was very straight-forward and simple to use, providing me with very professional features to edit with. Not only this but I learn all about the features on imovie and how to use them effectively and confidently.

As I had not used imovie before I had no experience or knowledge on how to use it. Due to this, at first I found it extremely difficult to use therefore I chose to watch go onto YouTube and watch tutorials on how to how to use imovie, and to gain understanding on the basic effects if has and the features I could use for my film opening, to create a professional finishing look. I also watched some students use imovie and explain the different functions. After this, I felt that I had a more in depth understanding of the software programme, this made it easier for me to use as I felt more confident whilst using it as I knew what all the functions did, where to find them and how to use them effectively. I learnt how to add transitions such as fades and how to accustom the length/seconds on how long I wanted them. As I had not used imovie before, I learnt everything I now have knowledge on, such as adding transitions, cutting scenes, adding and muting diegetic/non diegetic sounds etc. I also learnt how to use imovie to effectively edit the entire of my film opening, to give my movie a professional realistic looking touch with a high definition quality.

Movie MakerFor some of my tasks I used the software movie maker to edit some

of my tasks such as the preliminary task, and audience expectations. I used movie maker as it aided me with access to programme I could edit my tasks on whilst at home due the reason I did not have enough time to finish editing everything in school.

Although I had not used movie maker before I came across different features I could use for editing it was very useful and simple to use, as the programme was pretty straight forward as I learnt how to edit and cut selection, of scenes easily. It provided me with features such as fade transitions I could when editing my tasks, I learnt how to add and mute sounds. Movie maker enabled me to edit easily with no difficulties.

PhotoshopI used the software Photoshop to create my production company logo

“Preternatural Pictures” which I chose to use at the start of the film. Photoshop was easy to use and understand which meant I was able to create my company logo without any difficulties arising. Photoshop was more effective than any other software to create my company logo, as it provided me with a variety of tools. However although I had used Photoshop, I did not have much knowledge or understanding on how to use it, and use the features effectively, however by researching on how to use it on YouTube by watching tutorials I gained a more in depth knowledge and was able to use tools such as the smudge and cut tool effectively for an example the “smudge tool” enabled me to add a bloody effect on my text by smudging the edges of the text to create a vision that the title is made out of blood to show that my production was on horrors and the “slice tool” which allowed me to change the size and shape of the logo.

Microsoft

For a vast majority of my tasks I used Microsoft software for most of them such as word and PowerPoint such as my research and planning tasks. Using Microsoft was beneficial as it made my written word tasks look professional and it saved me time as it was faster then writing it by hand, and uploading it onto my blogger

. Using Microsoft was beneficial ask I could personalise my documents making them look more engaging by changing fonts, colours and adding images. I was also able to use spell checker to ensure that I had made no spelling mistakes. it enabled me to change and personalise each of my posts, so I could make the more interesting and different from the others, however if I chose to used a different software I would not be able to do this. In the process of using PowerPoint and word I learnt how to develop my skills on how to use the programmes more effectively however I did not learn anything new as I have used these programmes before.

Online tools

BloggerBlogger has been a vital part of my project as I have been using

blogger to upload all of my completed tasks in order. For me blogger has been very beneficial as it enabled me to keep all of my posts organised on one blog, it also provided me with a site to keep all of my work backed up. However as I had not used blogger before, I was unfamiliar with how to use it. I found it quite simple to use however I did experience some difficulties as at first I did not know how to set certain specific settings such as adding labels and tags to keep all of my work in order. However as I was using blogger frequently, I leant how to use it and what certain settings meant, I learnt of range of techniques such as how to personalise a blog, upload tasks, and labels and tags, change the font/text, colours, templates and how to add widgets onto my blog tasks. Lastly I found out how to embed other things I created on other programmes onto my blog posts, which was very beneficial as I was able to upload other previous tasks, instead of doing the whole task again.

Slide share enabled me to upload power points on my blogger simply by taking the embed code and place it onto my blog. Not only this but slide share made the power points look more appealing and interactive then a plain PowerPoint. Slide share taught me various things such as uploading my power points easily onto my blogger by embedding the PowerPoint. I think that slide share was more effective then making a video as it enabled individuals to go through the slides at their own suitable pace.

Slide share

Art Of The Titles Art of the titles is the website I used to view and complete

some of my tasks such as the “Nine frame analysis”, where I analysed each of the nine frames in “Evil Dead” the website was very useful as it provided me with a set of nine frame that I could analyse rather then choosing nine, this saved time.

The website focuses and explores films openings through different genres. As I was doing the horror genre I decided to watch many horror film opening to gather ideas. The website helped me to gain a insight of what shot I should include in my own film opening. This website was useful as it have me a depth understanding of what locations, Mise en scene, characters, diegetic sounds and lighting to use in a horror movie and what shots are included to create a suspense, mysterious and scary sense.

YouTubeI created a YouTube account to upload all of my videos onto my blog, as I had

not had a YouTube account before I did not have much knowledge on how to use it, as I did not know how to upload videos and embed them onto other programmes. However YouTube was very beneficial for me as I used it for many of my tasks such as my preliminary task, target audience film task and lastly the final video I had created. I also used YouTube to gather research for my own knowledge and understanding on certain programmes such as watching tutorials on how to use imovie and Photoshop, YouTube provided me better understanding which enabled me to go on and use the programme effectively. I also used YouTube to watch horror film openings to give me ideas and a clearer insight of what to include in my own film opening such as costumes, diegesis, locations and lastly Mise en scene., and how to use other specific programmes effectively. This was useful as all of my video tasks would be on my account, so when I chose to upload them it would be easier and simple to find. By creating a YouTube account I learnt quickly how to upload a video, and find the embed code, to embed it on other posts, add features and mainly add annotations on my final film opening.

Royalty free music is the website I got most of my music and sound from. This website was helpful as it provided me with sound I could use in my horror movie, it also helped me find different types of non-diegetic and diegetic sounds such as a heartbeat, wind rustling and screams. I also used “Evening of Chaos” for most of my film as this soundtrack built onto suspense. These sounds all made my film opening look realistic whilst adding suspense to the movie. I also learnt how to use the website easily as it was straight forward as it provided you with different genres of music which you could choose and download. Free royalty music does not allow you to use copyright music this was useful as it provided me with a variety of sounds and music that were free to use.

Free Royalty Music

MindmeisterI used the tool mindmeister to create an online

mind map including some of the ideas that would be featured in my film for one of my blog posts. This included elements that I had to include in my film such as the props, characters, plot, location, conventions, cinematography, and editing etc. I used mindmeister to represent this as it allowed me to personalise it in the colour, font and layout that I preferred it was also different and looked like a more interesting and different way I could present my work, as I had not used the programme before. Also as my task was focused on creating a mind map, brainstorming and gathering ideas for the film mindmiester enabled me to create a mind map easily and quickly it and provided me with a variety of templates I could use it allowed me to add images to the mind map. I chose to use mindmeister as it was engaging and eye-catching and easy to use. I learnt how to use mindmiester easily as it was simple, effective and straightforward. I learnt many useful things on how to use mindmiester, such as adding images to the mind map, and adding different texts and arrows leading from one to another.

GoogleGoogle search engine was extremely useful when I was

planning, researching and creating my project. Google provided me with support and knowledge when I was facing difficulties with some of the tools and programmes such as imovie and Photoshop, as I searched them up on Google and I was provided with masses information that I could choose from to help me with. Google gave me a more in depth knowledge on some of the online tools which widened my understandings on them. I also used Google maps on my task on “locations” to show the locations where my film would be set, it quickly enabled me to find my location and embed the map, to complete my task and upload it onto blogger.