Apply Narrative

Apply narrative to one of your coursework productions from SianLynes

Applying Narrative to my Music Video

Narrative Theory: Applying the Concept

Consider the following:
- How the narrative is organised and structured
- How the conflict is established and how it is resolved
- The construction of the characters in the text and how we are led to relate to them
- The importance of sound, music, iconography, mise-en-scene, editing and other technical features in telling the story
- How the themes and ideas are put forward in the story
- Is your narrative open or closed?

Your chosen text:

- Summarise the lyrics/dialogue in your text
The lyrics are "Living Dead" with the central chorus line being "I'm living dead only alive when I pretend that I have died".

- Are there key lines that you chose to give visual dominance to?
I gave visual dominance to the chorus by using quick straight cuts in a short space of time. A new frame was represented for each word repeated in the chorus e.g. "Dead dead dead" and "Alive -live -live". Also in the bridge I decided to differentiate using post-editing by applying a black and white overlay effect to provide connotations of sophistication and safety. The bridge was much slower than the chorus so the straight cuts were reduced to fit with the reflexive mood and make it contrast with the abrupt frame changes of the chorus.

Importance of the mise-en-scene in your narrative

Does your mise-en-scene Add authenticity to your singer?
The 1950s intertextuality through the costume of an A-line red polka dot dress and props such as the rotary telephone emphasised this. It made the singer's identity appear unique in comparison to other artists.

Is it key to establishing setting and relationships?
The location is key for establishing a relationship as there is obviously a visual contrast between indoors versus outdoors. The indoors establishes a safe and inviting relationship of the artist; the outdoor scene, during the night, provides connotations of loneliness and fear. The mise-en-scene reinforces this with opposing costumes. The artist on the rotary telephone whilst lip syncing suggests that she is directly addressing a recipient on the other line.

Is it part of the voyeuristic context? e.g. By suggesting a setting associated with the sexual allure?
The costume is definitely part of the voyeuristic context as the bedroom setting reinforces the sexual allure and the private life of the artist.

Is it to emphasise and aspirational lifestyle for the audience - John Stewart?
The mise-en-scene emphasises an aspiration lifestyle for the audience. This can be seen in the costume, for example the artist changes dresses, of which are very stylish, which the audience may want to desire to dress like. Additionally, in the outdoor sequence the artist wears a fur scarf and smokes a cigarette which has connotations of an upper class and fashionable lifestyle that the audience may desire. In terms of location, the bedroom reinforces this lifestyle as the furniture is clearly extravagant and suggests an expensive and luxurious style of living. In terms of make-up the heavy make-up with red lipstick and especially the artist's hair in rollers suggests that the artist is high maintenance and takes pride in her appearance, which reinforces her high style of living.

THEORIES to my text:

Roland Barthes
Suggested 5 different codes by which a narrative engages the attention of the audience:

The ENIGMA code:
The audience is intriguied by the need to solve a problem.
This could apply to my music video as the mannerisms of my artist on the rotary telephone whilst lip syncing, suggesting that she is directly addressing the meaning of the lyrics to them, clearly suggests she has a problem. The dominant reading of this could be that she is going through a turbulant relationship that needs to be resolved. The enigma code is arguably resolved as the closed ending of the narrative when a mid-shot reveals that she hangs up the telephone whilst smiling followed by a fade out, suggesting that she has finished the problem with whoever was on the phone.

The ACTION code:
The audience is excited by the need to resolve a problem.
This is not so much applicable to my music video.

The SEMANTIC code:
The audience is directed towards an additional meaning by way of connotation.
This can be applied through the contrasting opposites of the outdoors versus indoors scenes. The outdoor scenes of nightime suggest that she is in a state of equilibrium. This is reinforced by unbalanced framing, with my artist positioned on the far right of the frame in a long shot as she sits on the garden bench, suggesting her state of loneliness. Whereas the indoor shots are much more balanced.

The SYMBOLIC code:
The audience assumres that a character dressed in black is evil or menacing and forms expectations of his/her behaviour on this basis.
This can definitely be applied to my music video as a black dress was used during the night time sequences. This was combined with her smoking and looking away from the camera, reinforcing her rebellious and careless behaviour.

The CULTURAL code:
The audience derives meaning in a text from shared cultural knowledge about the way the world works.
This can be applied to my music video with the suggestion of a turbulant relationship ended over the phone etc. Cultural knowledge of the 1950s is needed to decode the significance of the mise-en-scene and that her style is completely unique to any other artist.

Levi-Strauss
Levi-Strauss' theory dictacted that in every media text there are binary oppositions, or a conflict between two opposites. The audience subsequently are aware of who they should side with, and this technique can also help create a political theme within a text.

E.g.
Good and Bad
This can be applied to my video as this is evident through the warming behaviour of her whilsts indoors in comparison to the careless behaviour of outdoors, for example by smoking.

E.g.
Happy and Sad
The connotations of the night time sequences and camerawork has connotations of her being lonely and unsatisfied with her life. Whereas the smiling, off guard amateur kind of shots in the indoor scenes contradict this. Again, this reinforces the lyrics of 'Living Dead'. The living being a state of happiness and death being a state of sadness.

Todorov
Todorov's theory states tat in a media text there are five stages:
Original Equilibrium
Disruption
Recognition
Attempt to restore
New Equilibrium

Original equilibruim can be applied to the first few shots of the music video, where the artist does not pick up the phone. The disruption occurs when shots of my artist show her answering the phone which follows with attempt to restore to disequilibruim (the apparent deterioration of relations with whoever is on the phone).

Analyse Genre

Analyse genre from SianLynes

Worst essay evur

Applying Genre to my Music Video

An introduction to GENRE

' Genre' is a critical tool that helps us study texts and audience responses to texts by dividing them into categories based on common elements.

David Chanler (2001) - the word genre comes from the French (and originally Latin) word for 'type'

The term is widely used in literary theory, media theory to refer to a distinctive type of 'text'

Steve Neale (1980) declares that "genres are instances of repetition and difference" it is essential for genre to deviate occasionally in order to attract and engage audiences

Andrew Goodwin - Genre Category Amplification
It is closely related to disjuncture, but amplification is just an enhancement of a concept while still retaining a link to it, this technique works brilliantly in marketing and a band in question.

What genre is your music?
Pop

Which generic conventions have you applied?
E.g.
- Extreme close-up of artist's lips whilst lip syncing
- Repetition of chorus shots to enhance 'repeatability'
- Unusual camera shots and angles
- First person mode of address directly engaging the viewer through the camera
- Star Image
- Mise-en-scene e.g. 1950s props and costume/inspired by pop artists such as Christina Aguilera and pin-up
- Locations -> inside and outside
-  Camera angles and shot-types e.g. prolific use of mid-shots to make artist more recognisable and lip-syncing distinguishable
- Post-editing e.g. black and white/increased saturation and decreased brightness/fade out/speed up/fast cuts in the chorus and slow cuts in the verses
- Lighting e.g. Halo effect/key lighting

Genres are recognisable through the repeated use of generic codes and conventions

Tom Ryall suggests that the types of conventions found in genres might be group within the following categories

Iconographies (symbolic forms associated with the genre)

Symbolic use of bright colours is an ocnography that is dominanted by the pop genre. For example I replicated this in my music video through the dominant form of red, in the mise-en-scene and subtly in the locations e.g. the sofas. This gave a bright red hue that was enhanced by the saturation in post-editing.

The mise-en-scene of an unusual costume, in this case the 1950s style that is non-conformist to modern day trends, presents the artist in an unusual and recognisable way. This is also a technique to enable her to gain attention for the audience. With the pop music being dominanted by a majority of female audiences it is important not to off put the audience but instead draw them in.

Narrative: (structure - closed)

My music video narrative is closed as the ending is resolved throught the use of a fade out to signify it has finished. There would be no sequels to the video so therefore it is closed.

Representations: (characters/stereotypes)

The artist conforms to stereotypes such as that women are objectified by the dominant male perspective, as theorised by Laura Mulvey.

Ideologies: (beliefs and ideas of the 'ideal' concept, themes)

The lyrics 'Living Dead' is illustrated through the use of two contrasting themes. The first theme is "Living" where the artist is indoors and the bright red hues suggest that she is in a state of equlibrium (as theorised by Barthes). Whereas the second theme of "Death" is represented through the use of a black dress, in contrast to 'Living's red dress, and the darkness of the night time when she is sat outside. The use of a cigarette in the "Death" sequence connotes this ideology that smoking is a cause of death which is only done when alive. The negotiated reading can argued that these two parallels therefore indicate that materialistic things, such as her costume etc which indicate her glamorous lifestyle, do not substitute for a happy life.

By extension the use of the cigarette also reinforces the dominant ideology that smoking is glamorous or fashionable.

Which of the above codes/conventions does your coursework use and how?

Genres and Audiences
If we recognise the genre of a text it enables the audience to feel at home and gain  enjoyment from "spotting the conventions and repetition" and making comparison with other texts of the same genre.

However if a text deviates from the conventions it can confuse the audience. At the same tiem we enjoy seeing the rules broken, providing the producer encoding the text does not go 'too far'.

We are more advanced than audiences of the past simply because we've seen more films than anyone in the history of media, so we expect genres to be played with.

What conventions would your audience enjoy spotting in the text?

Use of mise-en-scene/cuts/lip-syncing - these are the most dominant and easily recognisabe

Genre offers audiences a structure or framework enabling us to feel secure in our knowledge.

Media Representation: Theory Application

Media Audience Essay redone

Media texts will never be successful unless they are carefully constructed to target pre from SianLynes

Media Audience Essay

Media audience essay from SianLynes

Applying Audience to your Media product

Applying Audience to your Media

Audiences

Julian McDougall (2009) suggests that in the online age it is getting harder to conceive a media audience as a stable, identifiable group.

However –audiences still clearly make sense and give meaning to cultural products.

An audience can be described as a “temporary collective” (McQuail, 1972).

- Changing niche

Key terms: Mass / Niche & Mainstream / Alternative

- Difficult to define specific audiences but not impossible

Is your text popular for a mass audience?

The text I produced I believe is popular for a mass audience as the main focal point, the song, falls within the pop genre which has a mass appeal. Additionally, the female artist can appeal to both male and females so do not eliminate a specific gender group.

Does this relate to your coursework?:

“This leads into a further consideration, which is the definition of 'popular culture as 'low' culture, something not for the elite, but for the 'common' people. Cultural value ('high' culture) has been traditionally associated with dominant or powerful groups - those who have appreciation of classical music, art, ballet, and opera and so on. 'Low' or popular culture is everything not approved of as 'high'. It is vulgar, common, or 'easy‘. It is postmodern”

I believe this relates to my coursework as my text does not feature traditional features associated with ‘high culture’. My media products are predominantly aimed at popular culture and would, in this case, be associated with a ‘low culture’.

Can this be applied to your coursework?:

Another definition of 'popular' is literally 'of the people', a kind of 'folk' culture and this is an interesting area, because it encompasses the idea of an 'alternative' culture which includes minority groups, perhaps with subversive values. The 'indie' music scene is an example of this. So 'popular' culture can and sometimes does, challenge the 'dominant' cultural power groups.

1. You must detail the target audience for your product:

The target audience are female young adults aged between 16-24 years of age.

2. Detail what the audience might identify with in your product (could link to the construction of identity?)

They would identify with the artist mostly, who is aged 23 years and a female. Therefore by fitting into the same target market age gap they can build a rapport and feel as if they can relate to the artist more. They would also identify with the perhaps turbulent emotions that are conveyed in the video (i.e. the title of the song ‘Living Dead’, experiencing reality from fantasy). They may also find a connection with the use of mise-en-scene, such as the heavy make-up but also the desirable unique styling e.g. taking inspiration from the 1950s and demonstrating this in her costume.

3. What meanings/uses they might make from consuming/interacting with the product?

They may derive meanings that a lifestyle that takes inspiration from the past is ‘cool’ etc. In addition, as they may begin to build a rapport and idolise the artist, they may take ideas such as the make-up and overall styling to replicate it in their own lifestyle.

Ien Ang (1991)'audience hood is becoming an ever more multifaceted, fragmented and diversified repertoire of practices and experiences'.

- Diverse

- More Niches

- Audiences are more divided into more sub-categories

1. Do you agree with Ang?

I agree with Ang that audience hood is becoming more diverse as with the new age of technology, media products are more accessible and receivable by specific niche audiences. Although may not be applicable to my media product as a mass audience was targeted. But media product can be more ‘tailored’ to the needs of the audience.

2. You must detail the social demographic of this target audience (gender, age, ethnicity, social class)

Gender: Female

Age: 16-24 years

Ethnicity: White British

Social Class: Middle Class

John Hartley (1987) “institutions are obliged not only to speak about an audience, but crucially, for them –to talk to one as well; they need not only to represent audiences but to enter into relation with them”

To what extent do you agree with this?

I agree with this as audience’s build a rapport with the media they are interacting with; so to continue to gain their attention this must be built to draw them back in. For example, with my artist fitting into the same target market age and requirements of my audience it makes it easier for the audience to see them as a ‘real’ person and continue to interact with them. However, this does not necessarily have to be the case to ‘enter into a relation with them’, where they can still represent an audience without forming a bond with them.

Hartley (1987) also suggests that institutions must produce “invisible fictions of the audience which allow the institutions to get a sense of who they must enter into relations with” .e.g. they must know their audience so they can target them effectively.

How did you do this with your magazine/music video?

Gaining Feedback from your Audience

You attempted to gain feedback from your target market in order to get their opinions

You used the blogs, forums etc. in order to share ideas and images.

You also conducted polls to tailor the product better for your audience.

Write down how you did this.

-          I carried out an audience profile where I chose one individual that would fall into my target market and analysed her age, occupation, background and ambitions to get a feel of what would suit my artist best to appeal to the audience.

-          Carried out an artist profile of my artist ‘Lexi and the Spectrum’, detailing her background, real name and upcoming releases so that my target market could get a sense of who they may choose to interact and build relations with.

-          I created a pitch to my audience before creating my initial artist persona etc. to ensure that the idea would work effectively. I suggested a song and theme which my audience provided feedback on.

-          I carried out feedback processes from my audience after the first draft of my music video and ancillary tasks so that I could get my audience’s opinions and reapply them to my video. E.g. they rated the video out of ten so far and added comments for improvement that they would enjoy seeing more or less of in the video.

-          I used blogger to share concepts such as the initial representation of my artist as well as photos from real media texts that could be influential or use as intertextuality.

Audience Reception Theories:

Passive and Active Audiences

There are basically two different schools of thought concerning how audiences consume media texts, those that believe that audiences are “passive” and those who believe that audiences are “active”.

The Frankfurt School’s Hypodermic Theory (1930s) This Marxist theory, which was championed by theorists such as Theodore Adorno, assumes a direct stimulus-response relationship between audience reactions and the consumption of media texts.

Passive Audience Theory: The idea that the media ‘injects’ ideas and views directly into the brains of the audience like a hypodermic needle, therefore, controlling the way that people think and behave.

Passive’ audience/hypodermic theories are sometimes referred to overall as ‘Media Effects Theory’, i.e. the media has a direct and powerful effect on its audience. –for your coursework this can relate directly to music videos –debate at the moment concerned with rap/gangster videos, Marylin Manson etc, computer gaming.

- Injects certain ideologies into the audience

Can your c/w in any way be linked to the Passive Audience theory?

This can be linked to my music video as the artist arguably has a direct and powerful effect on the audience. For example, the use of misé-en-scene of heavy make-up and low cut dresses may influence the audience into dressing the same way but passively. Therefore, this promotes the sexualisation of women, becoming the object of desire to the secondary male audience. It may also suggest that this is the only appropriate way of dressing so may reduplicate it. Audiences that are not within the target market but passively view the video may also adopt this point of view, such as younger teenage girls where society views this as inappropriate. In terms of behaviour, within the video my artist levitates from an angered emotion to a happy emotion. Therefore the angered emotion, adhering to the Passive Audience Theory, may input the idea that behaving this way is acceptable (therefore controlling the way people behave).

However, the star image of the artist may also allure the audience so much so that she becomes a role model to other girls, especially within the target market. Arguably, the media in this case may result in the audience wanting to take care of their appearance which may be seen as a positive influence.

Positive:

Artist – role model to girls

Negative:

May influence audience to behave in the same way as my artist – disregards social boundaries

Sexualises the woman – becoming an object of desire to the male audience and nothing more

Pluralist Model and the Active Audience Theory

This is the idea that the audience have an active role to play in the understanding of, and creation, of meaning within a media text.

Predictably enough, the pluralist idea is the exact opposite of a hegemonic one.

A pluralist model argues that there is diversity in society (everyone is different) and therefore there is also choice (we can choose what to believe and what not to believe.)

So in media terms, because the audience (society) is diverse, with different points of view, the media is influenced by society. Because the media need to please the audience they will try to reflect the values and beliefs that are predominant in society. In other words, they give us what we say we want rather than telling us what to think and believe, in order to make us stay ‘in our place’.

- Your own interpretation but hope they have the ‘correct’ aligned ideas portrayed in the video

How can your target audience be seen as active?

My audience can have an ‘active’ role to play in the understanding of my music video as they may interpret that she is going through a break up etc. Although because the audience is so diverse it may also be interpreted that she doesn’t care e.g. by shots of her throwing roses at the camera which connotes her breaking up her desire for love. The audience can reflect whichever belief is most applicable to them, therefore the video is providing them with what they want to believe rather than a direct command on which was is the ‘correct way’.

McQuail’s Uses and Gratifications Theory Dennis McQuail (1972)

1. Diversion/Escapism

2. Personal Relationship: A talking point

3. Personal Identity: identifying with the representations on display

4. Surveillance: Information

- Escapism/Relationship/Surveillance/Identity

How can McQuail’s theory be applied to your c/w?

- Music videos should be for entertainment/escapism – audience want to escape the real world and entire an entirely hyper real world

- Personal Relationship – a talking point within the video e.g. her disregard to social boundaries and denying who she loves

- Personal Identity – the audience can build a rapport with the artist because she fits into the same target market group

- May sometimes have talking point e.g. political etc.

Parkin’s/Hall’s Audience Readings Theory

Frank Parkin (1972) and later Stuart Hall (1980) analysed the readings within audiences as either:

1. Dominant or Preferred Reading: The meaning they want you to have is usually accepted.

2. Negotiated Reading: The dominant reading is only partially recognised or accepted and audiences might disagree with some of it or find their own meanings.

3. Oppositional Reading: The dominant reading is refused, rejected because the reader disagrees with it or is offended by it, especially for political, religious, feminist, reasons etc.

Can any of these readings be applied to your c/w?

Negotiated Reading – the audience recognise the distress in the artist’s behaviour and the equilibrium in some shots but there is not direct meaning as to why this is. For example, with her lip-syncing lyrics down the rotary telephone the audience may assume she is on the phone to her previous lover etc. but this can be debated.

Media Language Essay

Analyse media language june 2012 from SianLynes

Media Language: Theorists and Application

Media Language Theory:

Read the list of relevant theorists. Choose 2 which you either agree or disagree with and explain how your chosen c/w piece supports or challenges the ideas.

Charles Sanders Pierce (1931) – details that ‘we only think in signs’. Signs only represent anything when society attributes meaning to them. Anything can be a sign as long as someone interprets it as 'signifying' something - referring to or standing for something other than itself. We interpret things as signs largely unconsciously by relating them to familiar systems of conventions. It is this meaningful use of signs which is at the heart of the concerns of semiotics.

AGREE - MUSIC VIDEO

Society has attributed meaning to the connotations of colour to represent emotion, social and cultural ideas. For example, in my music video red was adopted as the primary hue, visible in the location and used predominantly in the subject's costume. The lipstick of my female artist was dark red, as well as her 1950s A-line red polka dot dress. Therefore the red has enhances the sexuality of the subject, making her appear more aesthetically pleasing to a mass audience. Similarly, this can be applied to the use of black and white effect within the video during the bridge. This, in combination with longer shots and non-verbal communication of the subject smiling, had connotations of sophistication as well as security; going against the abrupt 'cool' attitude of shots with full colourant. 

Another 'sign' can be applied to the use of props, especially in the adoption of a black retro cigarette holder which was used by the subject to inhale and exhale a cigarette. In modern day terms, it is unconventional and now has connotations of individuality and enhances the 'attitude' of the subject smoking it, in this case the artist. It has connotations of carelessness and non-conformity to expectations of society - becoming more of sign of style than functionality. 

Charles Sanders Pierce (1931) – there are three types of sign that we use every day to create

meaning; iconic, indexical and symbolic signs.

 Icon/iconic: a mode in which the signifier is perceived as resembling or imitating the signified (recognizably looking, sounding, feeling, tasting or smelling like it) - being similar in possessing some of its qualities: e.g. a portrait, a cartoon, a scale-model, onomatopoeia, metaphors, 'realistic' sounds in 'programme music', sound effects in radio drama, a dubbed film soundtrack, imitative gestures.

Index/indexical: a mode in which the signifier is directly connected in some way (physically or causally) to the signified - this link can be observed or inferred: e.g. 'natural signs' (smoke, thunder, footprints, echoes, non-synthetic odours and flavours), medical symptoms (pain, a rash, pulse-rate), measuring instruments (weathercock, thermometer, clock, spirit-level).

AGREE - MUSIC VIDEO

The use of the garden location which was set at night-time can arguably be directly connected to the 'signified', in this case, the artist. The natural signs of the night-time scenery, with dark sky and unnatural lighting, can be inferred as a reference to the subject - providing mysterious and lonely connotations that the artist may be feeling. The autumn leaves around the subject, and wilting foliage, may also be inferred as the subject's own state of mind, again reinforcing the loneliness and 'dieing' state she may be experiencing (again tieing in with the song).

Symbol/symbolic: a mode in which the signifier does not resemble the signified but which is fundamentally arbitrary or purely conventional - so that the relationship must be learnt: e.g. language in general (plus specific languages, alphabetical letters, punctuation marks, words, phrases and sentences), numbers, morse code, traffic lights, national flags.

Did your work contain any signs?

Roland Barthes (1967) – signifier/signified – to discuss connotations that can be attributed to denotations (signs).

John Fiske (1982) - “denotation is what is photographed, connotation is how it is photographed”.

Stuart Hall (1980) – texts can be encoded by producers and meaning is decoded by audiences.

Media Language: Notes

Media language notes from SianLynes

Post-Production Essay

Post production essay from SianLynes

Why are some media products described as 'Postmodern'?

Why are some media products considered postmodern from SianLynes

Digital Technology and Creativity Essay

Digital technology and creativity from SianLynes

Production and Post-Production

Post production from hammonda

AS Post-Production:

Software used to create magazine:

Adobe Photoshop CS5

Tools used:

Gradient map tool – to insert American flag into title

Paint bucket tool - fill out the backgrounds to make them all the same colour

Lasso tool - to select the artist in my image and remove the background

Refine edge tool – made the edge smoother and softened the look of the edge so it looked natural against my background

Selective colour tool – Made the red and blue tones more prominent

Levels tool – create more defined shadows

Brightness & Contrast tool – enhance my image and make it stand out

Saturation tool – Increased the look of the colours

Burn tool – Around make-up areas such as eyes to darken them

Eraser tool – erase loose hairs around my artist

Red eye tool – To remove red eye to give a natural look

Line tool – inserted lines on all pages e.g. dividers between coverlines, dividers on the contents and for a striped effect on the DPS

Shadow  and outer glow effect – applied to different parts of my text to add variety and stop it from appearing too 2Dimensional

Software Pros/Cons:

·         I did not know the functions over every tool and effect so had to experiment a lot and figure out which would suit best

·         The software was fast and worked effectively and could handle a lot of data from the images etc.

·         I could undo mistakes easily and redo things I had deleted without having to start all over again

·         Best software available on the market used by industry so it was the best option to create my magazine

·         I could create a variety of effects and make my product look really individual

My strengths and weaknesses:

·         I had previous experience in Adobe Photoshop so I could use my previous knowledge to my advantage

·         Had not cut out an artist professionally from a background before so I research tutorials to enable me to gain experience

·         I did not know the function of every tool so it proved difficult trying to select the appropriate one for a specific purpose

A2 Post-Production

Software used to create ancillary tasks:

Adobe Photoshop CS6

Software used to create music video:

Adobe Premiere Elements 8.0

Tools Used

Photoshop:

· (Most of the same at AS)
·  Darken layer tool - applied to my sketches I inserted from scanner to remove white areas
·  Circular text tool - allowed me to shape text around the CD holder area
·  Magic Eraser tool - deleted the white area of my sketches on the outside to keep the solid fill on the inside
·  Scale tool - decrease inserted images in proportion

Adobe Premiere Elements
·  Fade out tool
·  Straight cut tool
·  Brightness and Contrast overlay
·  Saturation decreased overlay
·  Black and white overlay

Software Pros/Cons:

·  I was more knowledgeable in Photoshop so it was quicker for me to use

·  I could save them as a PSD and return to it later

·  Premiere Elements I had not used before so I was quite slow to get into the hang of using the tools and where they were placed

·  Premiere Elements allowed me to cut to the beat of the music

·  I could replay my clips in slower time to get my lip syncing on the spot

·  Software took a while to load and slowed down with the more HD footage I inserted

·  I could upload my music video direct to Youtube

My strengths and weaknesses:

·  I did not use Premiere Elements before so was quite slow in editing footage at first

·  My preliminary task allowed me to get an idea of where the controls were for basic use

·  I already had knowledge of Photoshop from my foundation portfolio

Progression from AS to A2:

·  I used the option of multi-media to my advantage by scanning in my sketches to my text at A2 and could manipulate the image whereas at AS I was reliant on my photography for the outcome of my magazine predominantly

·  My magazine draft at AS was extremely basic and not as much time spent

·  My preliminary for my music video and ancillary tasks was to a higher standard than my AS as I utilised my skills in the software more effectively and worked quicker

·  Did not use Premiere Elements at all before my A2 production work and now I feel confident to work to a professional standard

·  Became more confident with the experimentation of colours, at AS I stuck to a strict three key colour code whereas at A2 in both tasks I contrasted colour in my ancillary task and then used black and white also in my music video - I would not have been able to achieve this at AS without it looking disjunctive

·  In terms of Photoshop I was more detailed in the use of these tools, for example using the burn tool to accentuate bold lines of my sketches.

The extent to which I have improved drafts/took on board advice:

At AS I took on board advice but probably did not use it to my advantage. For example, in my draft of my magazine advice was given about aligning columns and photos etc. more professionally. I then used grids and automatic grid reference tools to ensure that each component of my magazine was lined up. Although I did not change it much in terms of appearance.

At A2 I certainly took advice on board more seriously. For example, from my preliminary music video it was made evident that the lip syncing was not as accurate as it could have been. Therefore when I was constructing my final music video I ensured that my lip syncing was as accurate as possible, slowing down the video rather than guessing whereabouts the introduction of words would come in.

When I produced my first draft on my music video I received feedback such as that certain shots were not effective. This was evident in a shot of my artist not lip syncing well enough. Therefore I replaced it in post-production with a cutaway to a shot of the telephone to ensure that the quality of my music video was not compromised. This progression of working on advice and improving draft has lead me to be more considerate to my production work and ensuring the best quality outcome.

For my ancillary tasks at A2 I also was more detailed in improving my products. For example, for my draft I used the term "Sophomore album" but it was evident from my feedback that this was not relevant to my UK target market and caused confusion. Therefore I removed it but this left me with an area of negative space on my album advert. From this I improvised and inserted a banner line with my album title across it to fill the space but also draw attention to this area. Therefore from improving my product here I also improved finer details such as the banner that I did not previously consider. I also changed my sketch to a refined version as I felt my draft version was lacking in realistic features. I also improved my version by tweaking positions of my placed images into more central areas. I felt in post-production and in terms of improving my product I was also more aware of my audience and what the most effective choices would be.

KEY MEDIA CONCEPTS

AS MAGAZINE

• At the stage of post-production for my AS production work I developed basic skills in effects and techniques. For example, I increased the saturation of my photographs to enhance the star image of my artist and make her stand out from the page. This brightened look produced a connotation of 'pop' and beauty to my audience; attracting them to the cover of my magazine.
• I applied a gradient map beneath my heading on my double page spread with an image of an American flag. I did this so that my audience will be able to have previous cognitive knowledge of Americanisms etc. and apply this context to my artist. This was also applied to attract my audience as it is a fashionable culture.
• During post-production I also used the burn tool and applied this to the photograph of my artist, especially on the front cover, around key make-up areas such as mascara. This enhanced her look and made her appear more aesthetically pleasing which would appeal to my audience as it complies with Laura Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' theory and would hopefully draw in a wider audience.

A2 DIGIPAK AND ALBUM ADVERT

• At A2 my skills in Photoshop were more advanced in the post-production stages than at AS level. For example, I was able to the darken layer application on my in-scanned image of my drawing. This removed any negative white areas from the paper and leave the outline of my sketch. By using additional scanning technology I was able to represent my artist using a hyperreal perception and communicate a 'doll like' look of my artist. Therefore this would appeal to my audience as it would represent my artist in a fun but aesthetically pleasing way.
• At A2 I think my skills in post-production allowed me to communicate information in a more interesting and vibrant way that I don't think was as prominant in my AS level work. For example, I was able to use the invert effect on my text of my album title on my album advert so that my text appeared light on my dark pink banner. Therefore simple text was communicated on a larger area, especially with the use of the banner, so it drew the attention of my audience more.

A2 MUSIC VIDEO

• At post-production for my music video my skills were certainly more developed than AS as it was the first time I put my skills in Adobe Premiere Elements into action. I decided to use effects such as a black fade out at the end of my music video to connote to my audience that the text they were viewing has finished. This also concluded this amplification narrative I had incorporated, which had no specific ending as I did not use a conventional narrative.
• In post-production I also experimented with a wider variety of cuts to communicate information to my audience. For example, I used a cut away of a close-up of my artist dialling the telephone at the beginning of my video. This indicated to my audience that it would be a significant feature of mise-en-scene throughout the video. This is a generic convention to cut away to objects that are relevant to the narrative of the music video, other wise the audience may get confused with the random incorporation of a telephone if it was not continued throughout.