1. EVALUATION QUESTION 4: HOW DID
YOU USE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES IN
THE CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH,
PLANNING AND EVALUATION STAGES?
By
Alexander Masha

2. What is new media technology
New media technology allows for a new way for
consumers to receive and interact with
information and for producers to create more
innovative products. New media technology as
become established in modern day life with the
general public’s ownership of computers smart
phones and other devices which allow
connectivity to the web.This as allowed for new
ways in which people can share and interact with
information. It also allows producers be able to
produce more advanced products, than ever
thought possible with ever growing range of
software available.

3. Sony HD Video Camera
The camera was used to film the entire production.
We chose to use the camera because it was
allowed for a greater video quality in comparison
to the smaller camera used when filming the AS
production.With everything learnt from the AS
production we felt confident when using the
camera’s different settings and features for a
more professional looking production. Aside
from using the camera to film the production,
the camera was important when transferring the
the video onto the computer.The process in
which was log and capturing the footage on the
tape into the editing software Final Cut Pro.

4. USB 2.0
The USB was used to save our work on a
portable device, that could be accessed from
any computer and that could be taking
anywhere.The USB also meant that we had a
back-up of are own individual work but also
group members work, this meant that we
were less likely lose the work if it got deleted
or corrupted.

5. Sound Recorder
The sound recorder was used to record ambient
sound in the different areas in which the
production was filmed.The sound recorder
allowed the film to have more natural sounds in
which the audience could relate to and associate
to the different locations in the film.The sound
recorder became gradually easier to use as we
became more adept in using the device.The
sound recorder also had an easy interface, which
allowed for transferring the sound through a
USB port.

6. Final Cut Pro
As the editor final cut pro was the program I used
to put together the raw footage filmed into a
coherent narrative. Final Cut pro was first used to
log and capture the footage we had previously
filmed. After the footage had been captured it
was left for me to put the footage together in the
timeline. I would have to choose from the wide
range of shots we had filmed. As this wasn’t my
first time using final cut pro I did not find it
challenging to use the program but I felt this to
be advantageous because I was able to put the
footage together in the timeline quickly and
efficiently.

7. Microsoft Office
MicrosoftWord:Word was used to create word
documents which we could upload onto websites
Scribd and Issu which made it simpler to embed the
documents onto the blog. MicrosoftWord also
meant that we could check for spelling mistakes and
grammatical errors within the word document.
Microsoft PowerPoint: PowerPoint was used to create
presentations in which, likeWord documents could
be uploaded onto websites like Slideshare and Prezzi
to be embedded onto the blog. PowerPoint allowed
for creative presentations with options to add
different themes and animations to the slide.

8. Adobe After Effects CC
I used adobe after effects to create the intro to
our short film. After Effects was a program we
were encouraged to use as it enabled us to use
an advanced editing program unlike final cut pro
after effects is used after post production adding
elements that can not be found in final cut pro. I
found it difficult at first to use adobe after effects
as it was my first time using the program, but
using tutorials found on the website
videocopilot.net I was able to adapt to use adobe
after effects.

9. Adobe Photoshop CS6
Adobe Photoshop cs6 was used in the making of the
both ancillary task. Photoshop is an image editing
program. I had used Photoshop before so I did not
find it difficult to use because I knew the very basics
of the software but to create both my ancillary
tasks. I also used Photoshop to create the group
logo.This was done by combining the world created
on after effects and bringing it into Photoshop. I
had to learn how to use some of the more advanced
features of the software this I learnt from trial and
error using the different features in new ways Also
by usingYouTube tutorials this made it possible to
make further advancements in my own Photoshop
skills.

10. YouTube
I usedYouTube in pre and post production.YouTube
allowed me to view other pieces of media to gain
inspiration from some of the other short films on
offer on the website.YouTube also allowed me to
advance my own skills in using some of the other
software previously mentioned.YouTube was used
during post production after the final stages of
editing the video was uploaded toYouTube to be
viewed by audiences.YouTube was incredibly helpful
in the making of our video because it allowed us to
check on previous works and learn from the mistakes
they made but also to improve our own video.

11. Presentation
Blogger: Blogger is an essential platform in which we presented our
work to be viewed. Blogger allowed us to create our own blog pages
which allowed other presentation tools like Scribd, Slideshare, Prezi
to be integrated into the blog. Blogger allowed for an accurate
account of the progress of our group it also made it possible that
group members could easily access the work of other group
members.
Scribd: Scribd was used to upload word documents. It allowed for easy
access because the work could easily embedded on Blogger. Scribd
also allowed for the documents to be downloaded as a pdf which
could then be the later edited by other group members to make any
improvements if necessary.
Prezi and Slideshare: Like Scribd, Prezi and Slideshare allowed
PowerPoint documents to be uploaded then embedded to the blog.
Prezi was used for more animated PowerPoint presentations while
Slideshare was used for more basic presentation. Both allowed for a
different way to present the work other than the simple word
document.

12. Social Network
Facebook: Facebook is a social network in which we used to gain
audience feedback it also allowed us to expand our target
audience.This was useful because Facebook is a free service so
we were able to only create a group in which our audiences could
interact with our group members.
Twitter:Twitter is another social network in which we created a
twitter account for. Audiences could follow the group twitter and
could contact us directly with the group also able to respond in
kind.
Using two of these social networks we are able to directly interact
with our audiences.The features on the Facebook website like
sharing and the like button allows fans of the film to share the
video amongst their group of friends and the like button is a
visual aid which allows the group to see how many people like
the film they can also comment on the video.Twitter allows for
the video and any of our own posts to be “retweeted” and this
allows for wide spread advertising for our video.

13. MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro was essential in throughout pre
and post production stage.The Mac was used when
doing planning and research it allowed me to access
the internet while I was creating various other
documents. I used the Mac when creating the
ancillary task because the adobe Photoshop runs
much faster and as a more user friendly interface on
the Mac than that of windows. I also used the Mac
when I was creating the intro of the film on adobe
after effects like Photoshop after effects is a
smoother program to run on Mac devices as I was
able to create the intro much faster and with a better
resolution than the previous intro I made which I
created on a windows computer.

14. Summary
Web 2.0 during the creation of the short film as been very useful
its allowed me to engage in a range of new media.This range of
new media allowed me to be more creative in my work and as
been more than useful. It as also allowed me to understand how
new media works as both a producer and a consumer. As a
consumer media needs to be interactive as it is the best way to
engage audiences so using this I need to create my own range of
interactive products.Without the use of web 2.0 which made the
project easy and fun to do. It would have been the complete
opposite it would have been a time consuming occupation and it
might not be as interesting as first thought.This was also a
learning curve as I had to learn how to use new media technology
because I wasn’t familiar with some of them. In conclusion new
media technology has been very useful in making pre and post
production a lot easier because of the range of new technologies
we were introduced to.