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

Evaluation - Question 2 - How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Evaluation - Question 3 - What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

Evaluation - Question 4 - What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

For the process of constructing this product, I had to use many different tools.

RESEARCH -

For my research, I used search engines such as -


In order to gain a better understanding of both the mind of the internet predator and the victim. Since I was making a film, I thought it was important to include looking into organization websites such as CEOP to obtain access to documentaries about the same topic. Google was a helpful tool in gaining my secondary research, enabling me to cross-reference different statistics and present them on my blog. I also used google to research for my ancillary tasks, looking at the codes and conventions for typical film magazines and posters. All the time when researching I kept in mind that my main and ancillary products were a whole product in themselves, so my research needed to work around this. I also used google to research my audiences age and what I could do to help appeal to them.


CONSTRUCTION -

I have been introduced to software for editing such as Pixlr from Open Source Software, which has many of the same functions as photoshop. Pixlr enabled me to edit my images for my poster and my magazine front cover. I was able to warp my images using bulge tools, the magic lasso tool and
 others. Once I got the hang of pixlr, it was a very easy application to use.

I was also introduced to a D.T.P or desktop publishing programme called Scribus from Open Source Software. From my AS Coursework, I was familiar with desktop publishing programmes however I was new to scribus. It is a complicated programme, because of it's many functions and it's need for you to find it's toolbars etc. However, once you aqquaint yourself with the basics it proves to be an effective and professional programme. This programme helped me to create the products I envisaged and was effective in helping me to create my work professionally and work with layers.

I also used a new editing software - Movie Studio Platinum by SONY - to edit my shots into my social realist trailer. This software made it easy for me to create transitions, cuts, to trim shots and many other useful tools. I found this software very easy to use and it was similar to Windows Movie Maker, just with more tools to use. I was also able to create colour edits on shots in edit, which you are unable to do with some editing programmes. In terms of over-coming obstacles, I had to learn how to be patient about my shots while leaning how to string them together to create a flowing product.




I have also learnt how to effectively use a DSLR camera. The camera I used was the Canon EOS 550D. Following a camera workshop with my school technician and my teacher, I became more comfortable with using the camers and I was taught how to set the camera onto the tri-pod etc. The manual features of the camera such as the exposure, focus and zoom made it easier to compose shots and create more interesting shots for my trailer. The manual focus enabled me to create the effect of seeing through teary eyes in my trailer, as when Annie was crying the camera un-focus's but focus's back in, creating a ''blinking'' effect.



PRESENTATION -

To present my work, I used a website called Blogger. Blogger enabled me to keep all of my work in one place. Blogger also enabled me to use images and text to better explain my work - for example - the use of screen-shots when explaining the construction of my poster helped me to do this more effectively.


For some of my evaluation posts I have used a zooming presentation editor called 'Prezzi' in order to more creatively produce answers to questions. Prezzi enables you to choose different layouts for presentations of questions or answers. It enables you to get creative with the way in which you examine your questions.

To obtain audience feedback, I decided to upload my finished trailer to my personal YouTube account. When the trailer had uploaded, I was able to post the URL into several social networking sites, gaining feedback from many people. YouTube also has a thumbs up and thumbs down rating system which helped me to gain a better understanding of whether people liked or disliked the trailer.

My Finished Film Trailer.

My Magazine Front Cover.

This is the Magazine Front Cover I have constructed to feature my social realist film ''Bound''.

I opted to feature my film in a magazine which combined film and technology.  As a reference for my layout and style, I looked at the aesthetics of Film, Technology and even Music magazines such as Total Film, Q, Android Magazine and Empire. However, my inspiration to take on a more ''vintage'' aesthetic came from my desire to use Film Noir style for my trailer. I wanted to bring this theme into my other media products and so I felt that a minimalist approach to my magazine would be more pleasing to the eye.

Because I decided to combine technology in my magazine, although ''Rush'' is first and foremost a film magazine, in the form of articles about the latest in xbox and playstation, I had more variety for my choice of feature articles which worked in my favour as my image left a lot of space for me to work with. I combined all the usual forms and conventions of a magazine cover, including a; masthead, strap line, selling line and features. These are essential to create a realistic magazine cover.

I chose to compose this image in this way as I felt that it created a silhouette of my male model, keeping the idea I wanted that this could be anyone. I chose for Jodie to be in the fore-ground as it clearly shows her emotion and innocence which I thought looked effective with my trailer themes. I chose to use the image as the background as I felt that it would be easier to construct text around the image with the monochromatic colour-scheme. 

To produce my magazine, I used a publishing software called ''Scribus''. This software enabled me to create shapes, runners and shadows to create an authentic front cover. 

 

 

I began constructing my magazine front cover by adding the mast-head, selling and strap lines. This gave me something to work around when it came to adding my image and feature articles.

 

I wasn't able to obtain more screen-shots, however after adding my image as my background I added the feature articles in a way in which they looked cohesive with this image. By this I mean I posititoned and spaces the articles around the silhouette of Annie, the main woman in the photograph.

Aware of typical forms and conventions, I constructed a barcode with an online generator named  - http://www.barcode-generator.org/.

 

Casting.

Annie Forrest -

For the role of Annie, I needed an actor that brought both innocence and strength to the role in aesthetics and build. I wanted Annie to be ''cute'' and have similarity in terms of looks to other teenage girls.

 I chose Jodie for this role as she has a very round face and round eyes which adds to the younger and innocent look I wanted to go for. Jodie also has a background in naturalistic theatre, so I felt as if she was a good choice for the role as she was experienced.

Jenna Croft -

For the role of Jenna, I needed somebody who would be believable as a friend next to the actor playing Annie.

I chose Alex for this role as Jodie and Alex are friends in real life and so already possess the naturalistic chemistry I needed to portray the friendship between Annie and Jenna. I also felt that Alex's dress sense (as to maintain a realistic effect, I let her wear her own clothes) was fashionable, and thus was a modern and accurate representation of the fashion sense of teenage girls.

Chris Gromes (16 year old) -

For the role of Chris, I wanted a handsome young man with a fashionable dress sense. Chris's percieved character is caring and it is known that he has a background in athletics so his build is particular - tall, thin but muscular.

I chose Sam for this role as I feel that he pulls off being 16 very well, as he is well shaven and youthful. His build matches the criteria for Chris perfectly - tall and slender. And when I trial-ran shots, his smiles during the typing scenes were very natural.

Chris Gromes (36 year old) -

For this role, for the trailer atleast, it did not entirely matter who I used for the role. All I felt that I needed to get spot on was build and height. I wanted Chris to remain faceless in the trailer to keep the idea in the audience's head that this could be anyone.