Question 6 - What have I learnt about technologies from the process of constructing our product?

Throughout the production of the sequence, I have used a variety of technologies. These include:


Hardware
Apple Macintosh
DSLR Camera
Tripod
4gb SD Card
X-Grip Cam-Caddy (Camera steadier)

Software
Adobe Premiere Pro CS6
Adobe After Effects CS6
Sony Vegas: Movie Studio 7
Cubase: Studio 7
Blogger
Picasion
YouTube
TubeChop
Prezi
SoundCloud

Prior to this academic year, I did not have any experience with using the DSLR Camera Camera steadier, Premiere Pro, Blogger, Picasion, TubeCope, SoundCloud or Prezi.

I have developed my skills in all the technologies used. I now feel confident using Adobe Premiere independently to edit footage at an adept level. My abilities to frame and edit shots in a creative way or to create meaning has also vastly improved. This is due to production practice in a vast locations and a lot of time editing. As well as this, I have also gained an understand of the websites Blogger, Picasion, TubeChop and Prezi.

The access to Adobe After Effects CS6 has allowed us to excell in the creativity of our work. We used this software to create an original production company logo, which we dubbed 'Polygon Productions'. This was done by keyframing the animation so that the shapes would move simultaneously - a concept which would be near impossible without the specific software.

Within Adobe Premiere Pro, we utilised a number of functions to help improve the quality and creativity of our piece. For example, key-framed the appearance of specific letters in the titles. Shown below is the 'E' from the cast name 'Charlie Kealy' which does not appear until a few seconds have past.

We also added the title of our production company to appear underneath the logo at an appropriate time and using an animation.

The software Cubase Studio 7 allowed us to take our original, simpler score and add an originally composed piano track to make it more complex.











The technologies avaliable to us were also successfully used to create meaning. The ability to manually focus the DLSR Camera allowed us to film a focus pull between the alcohol and drugs. This created meaning by implying to the audience that the character is experience a rough time of his life and feel dependent on these means to attempt to numb the pain.

 

Similarly, The 3-way Colour Correction tool on CS6 Premiere Pro allowed us to implement a blue tint over the footage of the dream sequence. This created the meaning that this was a dream. As well as this, it portrayed the idea of depression and coldness due to the connotations of the colour blue.

 
The DSLR Camera required special attention when using it in order to protect it as it is a fragile piece of equipment. When using the camera, we used care and therefore avoided any problems.

If we did not have the technological resources avaliable to use, the production of our sequence would prove to be very difficult. Editing footage using premiere is simply and mistakes can be undone easily. Manually having to edit Polaroid footage would contrastingly be very difficult.