Digital Technology

Explain how your skills in the creative use of digital technology developed over time. Refer to a range of examples from your media productions in your answer.
PLAN

INTRO- AS & A2: What was it? What was used? Compare.
PARA 1& 2- Prelim & AS Task
PARA 3- A2 Task (softwares, requirements)
PARA 4- MAIN TECHNOLOGY- Camera
PARA 4- INTERNET
CONCLUSION- Explain how skills have developed from the beginning.


ESSAY

Throughout our AS and A2 modules, advancements have been developed over time with the frequent use of multiple digital technologies. From AS to A2 the amount of progress made is quite large from the use of Photoshop to place an effect on an image, to using this program to thoroughly edit images regarding colour levels, pixel size and understanding all available tools.  Throughout both years we worked with video footage; during AS we developed a short film opening of which we chose the theme of sport of  focusing on two girls with opposite representations, one which one poor, and we showed the comparison of strength between the two, recognizing how you do not need a lot of money or wealth to be successful within the sport industry. Whereas in A2 we made a music video under the genre of country. Within the music video was a band consisting of three girls who showed their empowerment of women within varying country locations. Throughout both of the years, digital technology was an important element for the success of our products and encouraging the development of our ideas.

  We began with our preliminary stage before heading straight into our AS module where we made a short film using Premiere Pro to edit. Our skills were very limited and the process was temperamental with the minimal knowledge obtained by those within our group. There were little transitional effects within this production, purely straight cuts with the use of some text, however we did use a voice over. We had to stick to some filming requirements such as using a Match on action shot, close ups and sticking by the 180-degree rule.

  After our preliminary task, our digital technology skills began to develop over the period when we were producing our final AS task: A short film opening. Within this task we had now understood Premiere Pro and had gone on to using other software’s such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro and we also tried another editing software, Final Cut Pro. From this we had also been using the basic technologies such as Blogger, YouTube and varying presentation formats such as Emaze, Prezi and Slideshare.  

  Meanwhile, during our year 13 A2 module coursework we were assigned a task of creating a music video alongside other aspects; digipak, website and many more texts and products. To create these texts, we used WIX for our website, PowerPoint and Photoshop for our digipak, which allowed our skills to develop in all of these aspects.  As a group of four, we decided to develop a music video under the genre of country, which we then linked all of our other texts and products with this genre. We had all advanced our understanding of digital technologies by this time so this process was more known to us, however there were many times when we did not know how to do something or perfect it to the standard we hoped for. For example, within our music video we wanted all clips to match in colour therefore contrast and brightness was necessary, and we recognized the use of tools such as the Three-way color correction on premiere enabled us to change the colours. In addition, we had to use our editing skills precisely to allow our music video to be produced to a significant standard, such as when we used cloning and varied our camera angles to help us with smooth transitions.

  Another technology used was what we used to film these tasks on. To begin with in AS we used a video camera which was easy to use with and without a tripod, however the quality was not perfect. Whereas in A2 we decided to use an IPhone 7, which we had total control over as well as the footage being of a much better quality. For photoshoots we also used a Canon EOS, which we experimented with.

  The type of shots used in each of our tasks are similar, sometimes used for different reasons. For example, in the film opening this was to show what type of genre the film opening it would be, this was shown by the use of trainers and a running track; highlighting sport. In addition, in our music video we used a lot of mid shots at eye line level to show equality between all members of the band as there was no lead.

  By using the internet, this enabled all of our creativity for digital technologies to flourish. Whether this was by uploading all work onto our blogs via Blogger, or the use of YouTube to help understand the way around software’s such as premiere and Photoshop. Most of all, the internet ensured that we could do research on our particular tasks, which we did not seem to use as much in the beginning of AS. This platform also has access to YouTube where all videoed tasks and projects we would upload, similarly this helped us as well with our research. In comparison to year 12 when we only used youtube to upload, we finally discovered vimeo which allowed us to present the higher quality version of the final edit. From this we also used the GIF platform GIPHY to show snippets of our music video, whether this is in a presentation or presenting a particular location or shot. The internet was the platform used to access WIX and create our website, which we had links to other internet pages such as our music and youtube. On WIX shows our merchandise which was again made from another website on the internet, this helped in developing our knowledge as this again had not been used. From this we looked into music platforms such as ITunes and Spotify which we had not used in previous tasks before. This helped with the development of our band image.

  As a result, from the period of AS to A2 my skills in the creative use of digital technology were developed over this time for a variety of different reasons such as the consistent use of the same software’s and the use of the internet to develop knowledge on something particular.