A2 evaluation: The Apple Takeover

A2 Evaluation
The Apple Takeover

By Iram Idrees

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge codes and
conventions of real media products?

As part of our A2 media coursework project, we were told to work in groups in order to produce a five minute
opening of a documentary, a double-page spread for a magazine article and a radio trailer. This enabled each
member of the team to combine their skills and allowed us to use our knowledge to follow the codes and
conventions of a real documentary. In order to carry out this task, we were given a Canon HD video camera, a
tripod, a set of headphones and a microphone.

This equipment is also used to produce real documentaries. We used it sensibly in order to mirror the codes
and conventions of a real media product and to make our documentary as professional as possible.

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge codes
and conventions of real media products?

Our task was to produce the opening five minutes of a documentary. After deciding on the topic of Apple, we
split up amongst ourselves within the group, organising interviews, doing our research and updating the
blog. As part of our research, we watched existing documentaries in order to pick up appropriate
conventions we could use in our documentary. Here is an example of the mise-en-scene we used during an
interview which follows the codes and conventions of a real media product:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHKCb0_2oD0
Head room

Medium close up

The frame is occupied
with relevant props

Costume shows
profession

Appropriate/formal mise-en-scene

The mise-en-scene used in both our interview and this real interview elevates the position of the person being
interviewed and shows significant personal connotations. However, compared to this real interview, our interview
challenges the codes and conventions as we have included only the expert in the frame where as this documentary
also has an on screen narrator. On the other hand, a similarity between the two media products are that we have
both used the rule of thirds in order to create a professional element to the interview.


Throughout the documentary, we used a range of camera shots that would also be used in a real media
product. These included:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6m0KwBzOpU

Pan


Medium close up


Rule of thirds

Mise-en-scene of vox
pops


During the editing process of the documentary, we used the following transitions:

We used the fade tool to indicate the ending of
a particular section (ipods) in our
documentary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQj2u4ap5bo

In Supersize Me, similar to our documentary, the
dissolve transition was used in order to indicate a
different setting and to move on to another
section of the documentary.


After filming the footage for our documentary we went
through the process of log and transfer. While doing
this, we cut all the irrelevant footage and kept the clips
we thought would be appropriate to use in our
documentary. We renamed the clips so that they
would be easier to find when making the documentary
in order to make it coherent.

This is how we placed the
title for the interviews for
our documentary by clicking
on ‘Lower 3rd’ and then
typing in our text.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQj2u4ap5bo

Titles are written in white,
sans serif font and are
placed on the lower left of
the frame to show the
formality of the people
being interviewed.


Move/click tool
During the editing process of The Apple Takeover, we
used this toolbar in order to cut any part of the clip that
was not needed to be included in the documentary.

Erase tool

We used the erase tool to indicate Then using the arrow, we clicked and deleted
where we decided we didn’t need when section that was unnecessary
anymore footage


In The Apple Takeover, we used diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound. An example of where we used diegetic
sound is during an interview and an example of non-diegetic sound is the voice over and background music as the
people speaking in the documentary are unaware of it.

Diegetic

Non-diegetic

This is how we modified our sound levels and sound mix in
order to increase/decrease the tempo and pace of the
background music.

We also modified the sound levels on selected vox pops to raise the
volume in their speech and make our documentary sound more
realistic. The same applied to the voice over and radio trailer.


Magazine Article-Similarities

Our product Real media product

Sans serif font

Bold heading

One main image

Not too dominated
with words

Date, time and channel
logo are clear

Standfirst

Similar target audience

Black and white colour
scheme


Magazine Article-Differences

The banner is used to promote
the documentary to readers as
it suggests The Apple Takeover
Our product is pick of the day
Real media product
3 column layout rather
than using paragraphs as
the columns look more
relevant for our audience

The fact file informs the
readers of products Apple
have designed which should
interest them in watching the
documentary

A brief biography on Steve
Jobs who made the Apple
the brand it is today

Paragraph crossheads We used a question and The heading is across both pages of this
were used to separate answer format where as double page spread. However, we felt this
the questions from the this double-page spread would be inappropriate for our chosen
answers in our double- has written an article topic as it would make the article look less
page spread formal and contrast with the message we
want to give our readers


Radio Trailer

Similarities
Our radio trailer was produced for BBC Radio 1. It followed the codes and conventions of a real media
product as we mixed the sound levels appropriately. The tempo of the background music was upbeat as
the topic of our documentary was aimed at students and young people from the broad age range of 16-40
(ABC1). The purpose of using upbeat music was reference to technology as being new and improving. We
also used a clear, informative voice-over and included clips from the documentary as this is what a real
media product which promotes a TV show would do in order to attract the listeners attention.

Differences
In contrast, our radio trailer challenged the codes and conventions as the BBC would not normally
include clips of dialogue from the actual documentary.

Documentary
Overall, we are pleased with all three of our media
products as the topic of Apple was original. The
first few opening frames of the documentary were
of various ways in which Apple products are used.
We felt this would be an effective opening as it
gave viewers an insight of the aspects of Apple we
chose to discuss in our documentary.

In relation to real documentaries, we also
dubbed the background music while mixing
the sound levels when appropriate. This was
to ensure the interviews and vox pops were
loud and clear. The use of straight cuts and
relevant background footage throughout the
documentary was coherent as the jump from
one clip to another kept the viewers
interested.

However, if we could make any improvements to our documentary: The Apple Takeover, they would include...

•Some shots could have been better quality

•More background footage (as we only had 3 weeks to film the documentary during college hours, we had to make sure the
location(s) we chose were close to college)


Magazine Article
We decided the publisher for our magazine article
would be Radio Times as they are Britain's leading TV
listings magazine with a similar target audience ours.

Our documentary follows many codes and
conventions of a real media product. For example,
our text is placed in columns. Correspondingly,
although the Radio Times articles normally contain
more text, we have made it simpler by using one
main image and a page of text. The text is separated
into different sections: the article; the fact file
about Apple products; and a small biography about
Steve Jobs. We manipulated the Apple logo by
placing it in a canted angle on the edge of the
heading. We also manipulated the two banners, by
putting them in a certain angle. For the article, we
presented it in a question and answer format. To
make it clear for the reader, we decided to provide
colour identification to each member that produced
the documentary 'The Apple Takeover'.


Radio Trailer

Like actual radio trailers you would hear on the radio, our radio trailer was consistent and informative. We chose
BBC Radio 1 as our broadcaster in order to link the documentary and radio trailer as we came to the conclusion
the topic of Apple would interest the BBC and BBC would appeal to our target audience which is young students
and employees from the ages of 16-40. In media terms, this would be ABC1s because they are sociable, up to
date with the latest trends and are most likely to be able to afford Apple products.

In our radio trailer, we included short clips from the documentary such as vox pops. We used the same voice-
over from the documentary and made sure all the information mentioned in the radio trailer was persuasive
and necessary.

In contrast to real radio trailers on BBC, our radio trailer challenged the codes and conventions as the BBC
would not normally include clips of dialogue from the actual documentary. If we could improve our radio
trailer, I suggest we should use more interesting sound effects and snappier vox pops.

2. How effective is your combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

The purpose of our A2 media coursework was to produce a documentary along with a
double-page spread for a listings magazine and a radio trailer. The two ancillary texts
were produced in order to promote our documentary: The Apple Takeover. We linked all
three products in order to form a concise brand identity.

One of the main similarities between all three media products are the target audience. We
agreed that our target audience would be ABC1s (usually ages 18-25) as they are expected
to listen to BBC Radio 1 due to the variety of music it plays and watch BBC Three as the
shows they view range from documentaries, dramas, stand-up comedy and news. All this
would be aimed at our target audience as we chose an age group starting from young
adults who take great interest in the latest trends.

We felt the combination of our main product and ancillary texts
was highly effective as they had an obvious brand identity.
Choosing Apple as our topic came to us at a great advantage as
the Apple logo intrinsically instantly has its own brand identity.
We proved this to a further extent as we included clips from the
documentary in the radio trailer and an image from the
documentary in the double-page spread.


Magazine Article
Article Documentary

We used this image from the
documentary on the first page of
our double-page spread as it is an
effective image. It shows the Apple
logo on top of the iMacs which links
both these pieces by giving them
brand identity. Also, the stacking of
the iMacs symbolises the way in
which Apple as a brand alone are
taking over other products, hence
our title: The Apple Takeover.

Another thing the double-page
spread has in common with the
documentary is the font. In
order to keep the brand identity
looking formal and professional,
we kept the font as sans serif.


Radio Trailer
We decided the BBC were the producers of both the
documentary and radio trailer as our target audience
appeals to the BBC. Because the majority of our audience is
16-25 (the broader range being 16-40), we concluded we
would launch our documentary on BBC Three as most young
people are likely to watch documentaries BBC Three as
opposed to channel 5.

Another thing the radio trailer
Both the radio had in common with the
trailer and documentary is that they both
documentary were included the same clear, male
produced in final voice-over and quotes from vox
cut express, the pops that we used in our
radio trailer being documentary. This was a major
sequence 1 and link between our main product
documentary and ancillary texts as it created
being sequence 2. definite brand identity.

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Target Audience

We agreed that demographics prove our target audience would be
ABC1s (normally ages 18-25) as they would be most interested in
the development in technology.

The reason we have such a broad target audience of 16-40 year olds
is because Apple is aimed at a variety of people depending on their
products. For example, an iPod is most likely to be aimed at an 18
year old as they would be more interested in music then a 38 year
old. However, an iPhone is more likely to attract someone who is
employed at the age of 30 and has a good profession. Their job
could be a businessman/woman, teacher, PA, architect, ICT
technician or even self employed.


In order to gain audience feedback, we produced 30 copies of a questionnaire. We asked or audience
(students) what their views were on our documentary, double-page spread and radio trailer.

In our questionnaires, we included both open and closed questions. An example of an open question we
used for our documentary questionnaire is ‘Name two facts you’ve taken from our documentary’. This
enabled to tell us whether or not the audience were concentrating when watching the documentary
and if they found it informative or not. Asking open questions was a good method of gaining audience
feedback as it gave us an insight of what the viewers gained from watching The Apple Takeover.

On the other hand, we also asked closed questions in our questionnaires as giving the audience a series of
options to circle/tick made it easier us to analyse and for our audience to fill in. An example of a closed
question we used for our documentary questionnaire is ‘Do you think the sound quality was of a
professional standard?’ We then gave the audience the following options: ‘Not very’, ‘Professional’ and
‘Very’.

Regarding our documentary, double-page spread and radio trailer, we were more interested in quantitative
answers rather than qualitative answers as the figures counted were the ones that mattered because we
used more closed questions in all three of our questionnaires rather than open questions. This was because
of our wide range of audience all three media products were produced for.

We also considered gathering a focus group in order to explore the opinions of our target audience.
However, we decided this approach would be time consuming and would not be much use to our media
products due to the quantitative nature of audience feedback we were interested in receiving. But if we
had another chance, we would try a focus group as it would help explore the audiences opinions of our
media products in greater detail.


Documentary

Closed question

Open question


1. How would you rate our documentary on a scale of 1-5? (5 being the best) 1
2
1 2 3 4 5
3
4
5

2. How effective and professional do you think our camera shots are?

Very poor Poor Okay Good Very good
1
2
3
4
5

3. For vox pops and professional interviews do you think the mise en scene is
appropriate?

Not very Professional Very
1
2
3


4. Do you think the sound quality was of a professional standard?

Not very Professional Very 1
2
3

5. We selected an upbeat, electronic choice of background music. Do you think this
was the right decision, and did it work well?

Yes No 1
2

6. Were the changes in sound levels appropriate throughout the documentary?

Not very Appropriate Very

1
2
3


7. How informative and helpful did you think our vox pops and interviews were on a
scale on 1-5? (5 being the best) 1
2
1 2 3 4 5
3
4
5

8. Did you find our voice-over clear and easy to understand?

Not very Satisfactory Very
1
2
3

9. Do you think the editing and transitions of footage was appropriate?

Not very Appropriate Very

1
2
3


10. Name two facts you’ve taken from our documentary

............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................

“Easy to use”

“Superior quality”

“Apple is the best”

“Clear brand identity”
These were the top ten
most popular answers “Forefront of technology”

“Apple sales have boomed”

“Windows take ideas from Apple”

“iPod is the most successful product”

“Macs designed with visual programmes”

“Most think they would be lost without the product”


Magazine Article


1. What do you think of the colour scheme that we used on our double page spread?

Excellent Good Poor 1
2
3

2. Did the article persuade you to watch the documentary?

Yes No

1
2

3. Was the layout eye-catching?

Yes No (If not, why?)

.....................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................
1
2


4. Do you like the idea of one main image or would you prefer a number of images?

1 Main Image Number of Images 1

2

5. Did you find the fact file on Apple products and short biography about Steve Jobs
useful?

Yes No
1
2

6. Do you think the way we separated the questions from the answers was effective?

Yes No

1

2


7. On a scale of 1-5, how attractive would you say the double page spread looks?
1
1 2 3 4 5
2
3
4
5

8. To what extent would you say our double page spread follows the codes and
conventions of a real media product?

Excellent Good Poor
1

22
3

9. Do you feel the article was appropriate for the target audience?

Yes No

1

2


10. What would you change in order to improve our double page spread?

.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................

“More Images”

“More Colour”

“Bit Simplistic”
These were the most re-occurring
answers in our questionnaire
“Picture On The Left”

“More Font Variation”

“New Colour For The Fact File”


Radio Trailer

The advantages we received from our radio trailer audience feedback was that our audience were impressed
with how concise and informative the information on the radio trailer was. They were also impressed with the
sound levels and the fact that the voice over was clear.

An improvement we were given, however, was that our backing track could be changed as it did not impress
our listeners.

Overall, we are very pleased with the audience feedback we received regarding our radio trailer.


After we received our feedback on 'The Apple Takeover‘ from the
questionnaires we handed out, the feedback was predominately positive
as our audience rated the documentary either 4/5 or 5/5. A majority of
our sound, editing and camera was seen as being professional and
appropriate in comparison to real media conventions. We are very
pleased with the information we have received from the questionnaires.
However, the only major improvement we were given was to work on
mixing the sound levels at the beginning as a minority of our audience
thought the documentary started of quite loud. Overall, we are happy
with the feedback given on our documentary.

4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research,
planning and evaluation stages?

Throughout this project, we have used a huge range of media technologies and equipment to carry out his
task. These included:

•Apple Macs
•Microphone
•InDesign
•Microsoft word
•Final cut express
•Tripod
•Blogspot.com
•Internet/ Safari
•Canon HD video camera
•Headphones
•Log and Transfer


It took a lot of planning and research to produce our media products as we used a variety of
software, equipment and media technologies both in which we were familiar with from our AS year
and unfamiliar. For example, last year we used normal PCs in order to complete our preliminary task
and main task. However, this year we used Apple Macs in order to produce the documentary,
magazine article and radio trailer. The reason we used Apple Macs this year is because our project
was bigger than last year, therefore, caused fewer problems when saving work than PCs. Also, Macs
are creative. The main advantage of using an Apple Mac in A2 is that it is monopolising in the way in
which we could export something from Final cut express and place it into InDesign.

AS A2


Documentary

When we started filming our documentary, we We included these shots because during our
were given a Canon HD video camera as the research and planning, we watched and analysed
quality of the camera was brilliant and the existing documentaries on YouTube, BBC, Channel 4
camera was easy to use. We used a range of and ITV. We also did the same for our magazine
camera shots when filming the documentary. article and radio trailer.
These included zoom, pan and tilt.


Tripod

Setting up the tripod was a new skill I learnt this year as it was vital we got the height of the tripod right in
order to gain a good shot/camera angle. We also had to ensure the camera was well balanced on to the
tripod as if the balance of the camera was askew, the camera was in danger of falling off the tripod and
breaking.

The handle of the tripod was significant because in order to
achieve a variety of shots such as a tilt, crab or pan, we has to
move the handle.


Microphone (sound)

It was very important we had the right balance when it came
to sound levels and placing the right leads into the
appropriate part of the camera.

Throughout the process, the microphone and headphones we
used worked well. However, a problem we had with the
microphone was that it was picking up background sound
when filming vox pops.

Overall, we were pleased with the sound levels we achieved after our three weeks of filming.


http://www.blogger.com/
Internet/Blog

Using the internet was a great
advantage to us as it was easy to From the start of this whole task, blogger was a
access and played a great part in significant part of our research and planning as
our research and planning. We we put every detail of our ideas, research and
gained a huge advantage as we tasks we carried out during lessons. It was a
watched documentaries, looked at great advantage as it kept our planning
examples of magazine articles and organised and we didn’t lose papers unlike AS
radio trailers via the internet. We media studies. It was also very easy to use and
also decided the publishers for our easy to access. However, when we tried to place
media products using research we images onto the blog, we had to change the
did through the internet. image to JPEG which was time consuming. Also,
print screens didn’t work on the blog which was
a problem at times as we lack a few images to
support what we did in some lessons.


Construction
When I first started using Final Cut Express, personally, I found
it challenging. However, as the days went on, the more I used
We produced our documentary and radio it, the easier it became. Also, once we understood the tools
trailer in Final Cut Express as it consisted of and features of Final Cut Express, it was simple to use.
a range of features which enabled us to edit
our footage sufficiently throughout the An example of how using Final Cut Express was useful in
editing process. producing a professional documentary is that we used a fade
transition from Final Cut Express in order to end a certain
section of our documentary (iPods). This enabled the
documentary to be coherent in the way that it told our target
audience we were going to move on.

Mixing, editing and modifying sound levels in Final Cut Express
was a simple procedure as we could see the sequence was
organised. Adding and deleting clips was also simple as once we
understood the toolbar, everything became efficient and easy to
use.


Magazine Article
Our magazine article was produced in InDesign. The two main
features we used when making our double-page spread was
InDesign and Microsoft word. We used Microsoft word in order to
write our script for the documentary voice-over, radio trailer and
magazine article (Q and A). This was because we could then upload
the final pieces onto the blog.

We also used a number of different tools in InDesign in
order to change the colour of the pages, font and text
boxes. The function of InDesign participated in the
overall quality of our final product as each tool had a
different affect on the product.

For example, we decided to have a banner across
the first page saying ‘pick of the day’ as this
promoted our main product to a higher extent.
To enable this, we used the rotation tool at 7
degrees to the high-right of the top of the page.
This is a convention that would also be seen in a
real magazine article.


Radio Trailer

Similarly to the documentary, we produced our radio trailer in Final Cut Express as we were already used to the
tools and efficiency of Final Cut Express. Because it was more or less the same as what we did for our documentary,
mixing, cutting and editing the sound was very straightforward.

Overall, we were very impressed with Final Cut Express as it is a highly professional production programme and
gives anyone the potential to produce a documentary, radio trailer and possibly other media products once you
get used to the tools.

In conclusion, compared to last year, our A2 task was much more enjoyable and helped us develop a variety of
new skills regarding Apple Macs and Final Cut Express.

A2 evaluation: The Apple Takeover

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