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

From the very beginning of the project technology has been essential at every stage and at every point. When we were first collecting our thoughts and ideas, trying to form the basis of the project, the computers at college were extremely useful. After deciding on the genre of our video, we spent some time looking through hip-hop/grime songs on youtube.com after finally choosing 'Goodnight'. After this decision was made we then used the search engine google.com to explore different locations using the map service provided by google as well as street view which allows you to see a 360 degree angle of any street in Manchester. This was extremely useful as it allowed us to plan out the most economical routes for filming saving us cruciall time before the sun set. Not only this, due to street view we could sit in class and seemingly walk the streets on Manchester discovering new locations without physically moving. Because of this software we managed to discover some locations especially around the northern quarter that maybe without it, would have gone a miss. Additionally, when we looked further into digi packs and magazine advertisements, google images in particular was incredibly useful as it has a huge database holding thousands of images to look at and gain some ideas. This is also where we accessed the images with which we completed several analysis'.

Youtube.com also became very useful when we completed our research into other music videos of the same genre. We were able to look at various videos to see how they achieved the hip-hop/grime feel that we wanted for our video. Songs such as Kozzie's 'Destruction' (URL - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75nkUensTUU) have inspired us greatly as it's shown us how to utilize the urban environment we live in effectively without spending as much as some of the larger hip-hop artists spend on their videos.

However, two of the most crucial pieces of technology we've used in this project has to be the Legria FS306 camcorder and the Megax MX-475 tripod. Without these the video could have never been produced at such a high standard as it was. The Legria FS306 camcorder which uses an SD memory card, happens to be Canon's smallest digital camcorder ever with video snapshot, 41x advanced zoom, dual shot and image stabilizer. This camcorder also offers users intelligent battery life & quick charge. We chose to use this camera as provided by Loreto College as we believed we could produce an excellent quality of video with it. The camera definitely lived up to those expectations and we were able to film some great shots. As for the tripod it managed to keep the shots steady, straight and worked perfectly in complimenting the camera.

However, this camera maybe isn't the best of quality when compared to the high definition, professional filming cameras that are located in the college studio. Our filming session in the studio in October is where we feel we filmed our crispest, most professional shots with help from the studio cameras. Having said that, the reason those shots looked so great wasn't just down to the quality of the cameras, the time we spent positioning the lighting must be given huge credit as these shots were all about the way Kwame's body was lit or not lit. Pictured left is an example of one of the great shots we managed to get by using the studio lighting effectively. Unlike many groups before us we decided not to use the green screen for some very important reasons. Seeing attempts made by other groups to use it seemed not to work very effectively. Instead of adding some nice shots to their videos, the shots looked surreal and inauthentic actually gaining their videos nothing. For our video we wanted to make it as realistic looking as possible and we thought the green screen wouldn't be able to achieve this look for us.

Once we finished filming we began the editing process using Final Cut Pro. We had over an hour of clips to sift through, choosing only the best ones to put onto the time line and include in the video. One of the hardest tasks when editing a music video, as we have come to realise, is making sure that the lip syncing is in time. As our video is entirely performance based this was absolutely essential and was a constant struggle throughout the process as the clips would tend to 'jump' out of position in a frustrating manor. Another of the obstacles we had to overcome was actually learning how to use the software. Unfortunately no member of our group had been involved with editing last year when we had had to produce the opening of a film. This meant that we were thrown in at the deep end but fortunately Owen was prepared to jump in with both feet, eventually getting the hang of it and managing to produce a really good piece of work. Effects such as fades and dissolves were added once the time line was complete to give the video a smoother feel. Some clips have been given other effects aswell such as glass distortion (pictured right) which just gives the video a more interesting, more attractive look.

With 40% of the project mark been given for the blog we knew that we'd have to work hard on it and produce a substancial piece of work. We posted regularly throughout the project but since we've stopped editing we've really knuckled down and tried to post everyday. Through blogger we've been able to post pictures, screen shots, and videos. It's been a very useful tool as it's a space where all our posts can be held in an easy to read format. We've been able to provide a detailed account of what we've done outside and inside college, posting evidence to go with it.

Evaluation Q.3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

To gauge what the audience thought about our video we ran some simple questionnaires and some online surveys. Firstly we ran an online survey using SurveyMonkey.com which has allowed us to see what people think about our digipack and music video. The way we did this was by making an online account on this website, then creating a small survey (as if it was to long people may be put off completing it) and then emailing the link of the survey to a number of people. In total thirteen people replied to the email and completed the survey and these are the results:

1) How professional do you think our video was?

This question received very positive feedback with every responce voting the video either 'very professional' or 'quite professional'. However, in terms of trying to find out how we could have improved the video so we would have received a vote of 100% 'very professional', this question was quite limiting. So, we also asked a few people about their specific thoughts after watching the video. The results are shown below:

What do you really like about our video?

• Person 1) I liked the variety of locations used and the switching between the studio shots and the outside shots.
• Person 2) The lip syncing is good and the singer wheres a variety of different clothing which makes it more realistic.
• Person 3) I think the video really fits well with the song, that's what i like most.

What do you think could have been improved?

• Person 1) To fit the grime genre it should have less transitions between shots.
• Person 2) It needs more close-ups.
• Person 3) I also think there should be more close-ups

2) How attractive do you find the CD cover?
The response to this question was still positive but less so than question one. Only seven people deemed it to look 'very attractive' where as nine people had given the top response in the previous question. Some people may have been misled by this question though as it fails to state that a response is wanted for the whole four panel CD case. Instead it just asks for a response for the the 'CD Cover' which is why we've carried out a more detailed questionnaire with the results given below.

Does this four panel CD case work as one whole product? Give reasons

• Person 1) It looks good but I think there needs to be more consistency with the colouring of each panel.
• Person 2) I like the theme of it, and the pictures on each of the panels work well seperately but as a whole i think the product would work better if they had similar colours.
• Person 3) I really like the design and i think the fact all the sides are coloured differently makes it look original which is really cool.

3) How effective is the magazine advert in making you want to buy the record?


Of the three questions this one was least well received and the magazine advert was actually given a negative vote. Because of this we had to try and find out in more detail why people didn't favour it.




What do you think needs to be improved about the magazine advert?

• Person 1) Well personally i really like the advert, i think it looks convincing and it could definately persuade me into buying the CD.
• Person 2) I would switch where it says the dates its out and Professor Green's name
• Person 3) I don't know i think it looks good already.

So what we have learned from our audience feed back is that the product as a whole has been really well received. In particular, the video was given great praise but it seems one thing that needs to be changed is the amount of transitions between shots. The audience obviously think that in order to agree with the genre of grime this video needs more cuts rather than dissolves. Apart from that though we were pleased with the feed back for the video itself.

As for the CD we were a little bit more disappointed with the results of the questionnaire and the survey. One thing that has been raised through our questions is the fact that the colour theme doesn't seem to fit with most people. They think a CD case should have the same colour theme throughout. However, we believe the theme still works as we were not attempting to created a four panels that had the same theme. Instead, the front and inside left panel are both back and white and the inside right and back panel of the CD case have a similar effect which had turned them both orange. This was a deliberate plan from the beginning of production and we've decided to stick with it despite the results we have received.

As for the magazine advert we made a few changes after this questionnaire but we really quite fond of the design and we're confident it can still reach a good grade.

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

When we had finally finished all filming outside of college it became time to divide our four man team, with two members (Owen and Ciaran) tackling editing on final cut pro and the other two members (Kwame and Ruben) working on the CD case and magazine advert. Although it was left primarily to Kwame and Ruben to compose the ancillary texts, we feel all aspects of this section of the project have been undertaken as a group.

An example of this was when choosing what images to use for the magazine and CD case, it was a group decision on the images but then Kwame and Ruben were left to create the spectacular products that are today finished. When we were out filming earlier on in the academic year, it was always our first thought if we saw any interesting locations to try and shoot them for use on our CD case and magazine advert. Especially around the northern quarter in Manchester city centre, which is where we found a lot of interesting locations. One of the main aims with the front cover of the CD case and the magazine advert was continuing with the 'urban' theme of our video. This has most certainly been achieved through both the ancillary texts as both use pictures depicting Kwame (our Professor Green) in 'urban' locations with graffiti in the background. Using graffiti seems to be the most effective way to attain the 'urban' style and look we aspired to achieve all throughout our media product. In particular, the front cover of the CD case shows Kwame stood in front of a piece of street graffiti designed to look like and represent the high rise buildings of a city. We were fortunate to come across such a perfect piece of graffiti as it was exactly what we were searching for to fit on our front panel.

In terms of how our CD cover and more importantly, the magazine advertisement, help to sell our product are through several different means. On the front cover of the CD case for example (pictured left), we wanted a bold image that would include Kwame as Professor Green to give some face recognition. However, as the image is quite dark his face wouldn't necesarily catch the eye of a shopper, instead the stark black and white contrast between the street art and actual wording of 'Professor Green, Goodnight' is what we've gone for to try and draw attention to the product.

For the magazine advert (pictured below) we definitely wanted an image that kept to the urban theme, but which put no doubt in viewers minds to who the star is. This is why we've chosen a picture, taken in the centre of town, that has a huge image of Kwame stood on a stairwell on a back drop of Graffiti street art. By using the stairwell Kwame is instantly given a higher status as the viewer is seemingly looking up at him. This is consistent with a lot of 'star' images as their social status is often sought to be advanced through the use of photography, and this is certainly one way of achieving it. The top and bottom of the advert are headed and footed in block capitals with the artist's name 'Professor Green' and the release date of the single 'Goodnight'. The song name itself is highlighted in green to accentuate the artist, as his name contains the word 'green', and is located mid way up the page in big bold type. Professor Green's official website is given as a domain where interested viewers can go and purchase the single as well as find out more about the artist and his current works. Also, HMV have endorsed the single so their logo has been added to the advert as another place where the single can be bought from.


Overall i believe the links and themes that run throughout the ancillary texts and the main video itself are strong enough and obvious enough that customers will be able clearly able to identify the record in a shop or browsing online. I think overall the products we have produced are very strong and could be passed as professional work.

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

For our production of Professor Green’s, ‘Goodnight’, we knew the style we wanted to achieve immediately upon forming as a group. We wanted to produce a performance based piece including only one actor to play Professor Green. As we knew it would be the locations and shots that would earn us the top grades we then moved out in pursuit of these winning locations. How this differs from any real media product, honestly, it doesn’t. We needed that gritty urban feel to our video like many UK hip-hop/grime songs need. Where we knew we could really bring some of these shots to life was in the studio back at college using final cut pro. We we're aware of the wide range of effects that final cut pro offered from our AS year. So it was a matter of sifting through the final cut database until we found ones that made our shots look really fantastic. That isn't to say we used effects on all our shots though, just on ones that required slightly enhancing to make them more effective. In particular, we have two shots in our video that have been sped up using final cut pro. In both of these shots we applied effects to intensify the shot and make them more absorbing. Although we had seen this being used before in UK hip-hop videos, we had not seen any videos that had placed effects on shots that were sped up. This is where we feel we've challenged conventional media products and brought a bit of originality to the piece to make it our own.




(Our A2 Media Production of Professor Green's, "Goodnight", posted on youtube.com)

Using Goodwin's theory of the six major conventions of a music video we've been able to assess our own video to see if it follows these conventions. One of Goodwin's theories is that the lyrics make continuous links to the visuals on screen. An example of this is in Kanye West's music video for 'Touch the Sky" ( URL- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwhkArCziq8) when at 0.18secs he links the lyrics "doors were closed" with a car door slamming shut. In our music video we weren't particularly attempting to link the lyrics and the video, we did always want the protagonist to be lip syncing the lyrics but as for visual links to the lyrics there is only a couple of times when this happens. For example at 1min.29secs we do link the lyrics "an' I picked the wrong path, I went the wrong way" to our actor, Kwame, walking away when in a previous scene he had been sat. Quite a simple Visual link but it looks quite effective in our video.



Another of Goodwin's theories refers to the genre conventions of a video. There are many traits in a music video that are specific to the genre of the song. For example in Kozzie's music video for "Destruction" (URL - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75nkUensTUU) he's filming in a clearly urban location as the walls are covered in graffiti and there are high rise building blocks in the surrounding area. The way he's dressed in a t-shirt with 'grime' sprawled' across it and a cap suggests that the genre of the song has be grime/hip-hop. This video is very similar to what we wanted to achieve in our production. However we wanted a wider variety of locations rather than just one or two, we also didnt want our video to look as raw as "Destruction" looks as we're dealing with the genre of hip-hop rather than grime. As for the clothing Kwame used to become 'Professor Green' luckily he resides in an urban area and was already dressed for the part before we had even decided who was to become our actor. However, we did add some items to Kwame's closet so he fit the role more appropriately like a purple cap he can been seen wearing at certain points in our video.

To add to, another of Goodwin's theories is the representation of the musician or artist that is portrayed in the video. Record labels have huge power over the way their clients are presented which in the pop culture world is usually to target a specific audience because they are deemed most likely to buy the artists record. In hip-hop however, artists are deemed as 'sell-outs' if they belong to a label that forces them to dress or act in a certain way. And even though many people would say that Professor Green has 'sold out' in recent years with the style of music he's begun to produce, when this song was produced he was still very creditable in the urban scene. Through our video we wanted to produce a product that was never intended for the main stream. We wanted a gritty urban feel to suit the style of the song. This genre is never going to have a huge following compared to mainstream pop and that's the way most people inside hip-hop want to keep it.

Goodwin also suggested that music videos must include the 'notion of looking'. This is the idea that we're seeing the action through the camera not looking through the actor's eyes. Throughout music videos you will generally be looking at the actor or artists, instead of from their viewpoint. An example of when this happens in our music video can be seen pictured left. Kwame is not performing here, he's simply walking down the street. It's not a shot from his perspective instead the audience are watching him through the lens.


Additionally, Goodwin also indicates that throughout music videos there is intertexual reference to television, films, other music videos etc. This can be seen in the red hot chilli pepper's song, "Dani California" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb5aq5HcS1A). Throughout this song there are references to famous artists and bands from the past such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles. The chili pepper's actually dress up and perform as these artists in a 'tongue in cheek' manner throughout this video. However, throughout our video, apart from obviously using another artists song, there arn't really any intertexual references. From the beginning of production we didn't intend to use any and are happy with the result without these references.

Goodwin's last theory on music videos is that each one demonstrates genre characteristics. This means he thinks all videos of the same genre share similar themes or situations running through them, for example many rock videos have the band performing on stage or in a studio. In Nirvana's, "Smells like teen spirit" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg&ob=av2e) for example, the video revolves around the band performing in a high school gymnasium. Playing in a school gym was obviously meant to be very ironic as it was a place where none of the band members flourished similar to their general academic career which was sidetracked in order to make music instead. My point is that this rock group followed convention and made a video which shot them performing as a band. For our music video we most certainly intended to follow the conventions of UK hip-hop/grime videos. We wanted to film in an urban environment (Manchester) specifically shooting scenes that could be identified as fitting into this genre like filming shots that back-dropped onto graffiti. This style of street art emerged in the 1970's along with hip-hop and break dancing. This is why it gives our video that hip-hop/grime identity because most people would be able to relate the two separate art forms.

All Four panels of the Official CD: Professor Green: GoodNight

What style is the video?

In terms of the style of our video it's most certainly performance based with very little narrative. We never intended to have much of story running through it and are happy with the result without this aspect. However, there are some structural elements to the piece for example, it's obvious that we're depicting the life of an MC who's grown up in an urban environment, which has heavily influenced his work as an artist. Our piece does not contain a coventional story but there is definitely strong themes and a strong structure which are maintained throughout.

Survey on our Digipack and Video by SurveyMonkey.com (Results)

Out of thirteen responces nine people voted our video as very professional which has greatly encouraged us. However, with four people voting it only 'quite professional' this survey has shown us that the video does need some improving.







This answer was more mixed but still extremely positive with six people voting the CD cover as 'quite attractive' whilst seven other people gave it the top result of 'very attractive'.




Out of our three products the magazine advert was received least positively with one person even deciding that it's 'quite ineffective'. However, we still received a positive response from 46.2% of the voters who kept our impressive record up by voting the advert as 'very effective'.



We've realised that this question was to limited and should have allowed people to say whether their musical preferences were such that no matter how good an advert was for a Professor Green product, it wouldn't persuade them into visiting a shop and buying it.