What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Throughout the course of making the Omitted final opening sequence, I was able to gain new skills and knowledge about using technologies in relation to media products. When it came to brand new technology it became a learning process in terms of learning its uses and know how and when to use them. It is important to recognize the useful features of technologies and what their strengths are but also there limitations in order to justify why they are a popular choice for filmmakers and/or people in general.

Digital CamerasThe cameras were an essential part of production as they were used to record all of our footage for the final sequence. We began using a traditional camcorder and appriciated its lightweight and easily portable feature. Furthermore, it was extremely easy to learn to use which helped in terms of allowing us to spend less time attepmting to figure out how to use it. Despite its admireable qualities, we found it difficult to use when it came to zooming into shots. We found that camera shots which involved zooming in/out turned out jumpy and unprofessional looking. Furthermore, the quality of shots depended a lot on lighting and the majority of scenes which we had wanted to shoot were to be done in dimly lit settings. This left our shots blurry and uncleary.

Due to the issues we had with the camcorder we decided to switch to a digital SLR camera. It had been suggested to us by our teacher when we brought up the issue of having difficulty keeping the shot steady when zooming in. The DSLR camera was relatively heavier compared to the camcorder where tracking shots were easier to film due to its light weight, however, the DSLR was still easily portable and gave a much clearer image in a wider scale of lighting environments. In addition, having the DSLR allowed us to change the lenses which we were using. This meant that we were able to zoom in from longer or shorter distances and have the image stay clear.

Final Cut ExpressFinul Cut Express was the software used to edit all of our footage together and create the final opening sequence. The software was extremely useful as it allowed us to cut, trim and overall edit all of our clips whether they were short or long. Features of Final Cut allows users to add effects, adjust timings, edit audio and so much more. Although its appearance may seem very confusing, once you have practiced using Final Cut, you get used to its layout. Admittedly, it was hard to begin with when learning how to use the software and about where all the tools and hidden features are, however, once you have learnt the basics it becomes a fun process of trying out editing different clips in order to explore the program more. It is easy to understand why Final Cut Express is a popular choice for filmmakers and other people as its editting features allow them to create a professional looking product from something which may have not been seen as so to start with.

BloggingBeing familiar with blogger made the process of starting the blog a lot easier for me. Id preciously started a blog using the same website, however, the layout and settings had been updated and were different compared to the ones which I had used the first time round. And so, although some features were familiar, others I still had to learn. Blogger was not particularly challenging when it came to learning its uses. It became apparent after a few posts that images were hard to place in a post and were much more easily done when a document was embeded through scribd or slideshare.

Blogger has many useful features which make it a respectable choice for people when making blogs. Creating posts is not challenging and bloggers features allows different settings such as a variety of fonts, the ability to change sizing, allignment options, the ability to add images and other media, typography editing and so much more.

Scribd/SlideShare/PreziThese websites were extremely useful in allowing me to share my research and evaluations. They are easy and quick to use and eliminate having to copy and paste or screenshot my work to put onto my blog. Learning to embed my work from these websites to my blog was an easy process to pick up. Scribd and Slideshare allowed me to share my powerpoints and word documents which I had chosen to do work on. Prezi was the more dificult to get used to out fo the three. It allows users to make professional looking presentations which I found really useful when presenting work for evaluations.

Youtube/Social MediaYoutube is a video-sharing website which has grown vastly throughout the years. The platform allows for umlimitedly timed videos to be uploaded for viewers around the world to see. It is an obvious popular choice for people to upload their films and work onto due to its wide audience variety that allows them to comment feedback s well as give likes or dislikes. Furthermore, Youtube is also a popular choice for advertising new film products through the sharing of trailers or teaser clips. Advertising this way is effective as audiences are easily able to access it and also give immediate feedback. In addition, Social Media programs are lso a popular source for film advertising. Websites such as Twitter and Facebook appeal to those who market the film as they are able to reach a wide audience range throught he different platforms. The more active advertisement is on a variety of social media, the more likely it will be noticed and reach its target audience.