Evaluation

Helen Skipworth A2 Media Coursework Evaluation

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Final cut! (compressed)

DVD cover final

This is my final DVD cover, overall I am happy with the way it looks and have more or less followed the conventions and typical style of a DVD cover. In contrast to my magazine, i thought it would be more suitable to have a picture of the whole group on the cover. I decided i would add a little more colour to the title and have paint splats in the background, which I experimented with and changed the colours off. I thinks its effective to have them behind the title as it gives the cover a more professional look. I noticed most DVD covers have screen grabs on the back, in the case of TV series they often have episode guides. I had tried to have a short description of what happens in each episode each episode but there wasn't enough room and it looked to cluttered. I also thought another feature that would make it more realistic would be 'bonus features', particularly for children this would be an attractive feature such as the interactive game. I also added Universal certificates to give a more realistic look and added finishing touches to the images and text such as shadowing to make the text stand out. The review was something i felt would add to the way the magazine and DVD cover worked together, as 'CITV' could definitely promote the show and would be something children would recognise and get access to my show.

Magazine final

This is my final magazine cover, I decided to include my DVD on my cover to further advertise it. I have also moved some of the teasers around and added some other effects to the text including shadowing and outer glow. The free give away's such as posters feature a lot in children's magazines and also notices they use words such as 'plus!' and 'win' to draw your attention to certain aspects of the cover which I incorporated.

Other additions such as the bar code and the price were added to make it more realistic and professional. During the process I played around a lot with the different effects on the text but tried to keep the font more or less the same and not to use too many different colours so it wasn't too busy or messy.

Magazine cover 2

Have updated the title, added a price and bar code as well as teasers etc.

As it stands i am happy with the way it looks, it's colourful and suitable for the age range but may need more images. In order to better combine my DVD cover with my magazine I may also include that on the cover, for example 'your chance to win series one!'

Ancilary progress

I have taken the photo for my front cover, and added a background and title however the title will need some editing. I plan to cut out the letters used to spell out 'drama club' at the end of my title sequence and use these as the heading. I will also add some more teasers and various 'free give aways' and try to make it as colourfull as possible. I decided to use just one charcater on the cover as magazines based on a TV series would normally feature just one character on the front as the main image for the cover with an interview ect. I may also include another smaller image of another character, perhaps someone poking out from the corner.

Progress (final cut almost complete)

Final cut is more or less complete! (just needs finishing touches) I have edited all footage and today added the titles including 'created by' and 'drama club'. I have also added some more sound effects such as camera sounds and applause for performers and have further edited the music so it ends in time with the sequence. In terms of transitions i have added a dissolve effect to the transition between the stop frame and the footage of that particular character as well as a zoom. I have also begun work on my ancillary task and have taken my main photo for my magazine front cover, it is a working progress but so far i have cut the image and pasted it to a background and added the masthead. I have decided to have some paint splats behind the main title for the magazine and show (drama club) so i have been getting images of the Internet to cut out and play around with and maybe add to my cover. In regards to my DVD cover i am fairly confident i will have all the characters on the front of the DVD cover, with maybe some of the items associated with them. On the back will be shots from various 'episodes' along with a list of the episode names and paragraph about the show.

(will compress/export final cut and upload)

Update: final cut

I have now started to piece together my final cut, the footage i have taken is now uploaded and the additional shots of sehb have been completed. Feedback has shown that i need some more close ups of the characters to establish them as most shows will have a few long shots of them in various environments and then a mid/close up of them. I have taken this into account and now have some more close ups of various characters which i have added and begun to edit. The stop frama has been included withe the timmings set, i found some of the sequences. In particular andy's sequence with the camera needed to be lenghtened so i duplicated some of the photos to make it linger longer in certain positions so you can clearly see the photo come out of the camera. The music has also been added, in regards to diagetic sound i am going to include some of the speach from the shots and during andy's phototaking there will be camera clicking sounds.

Update: filming

Currently i have shot almost all the footage I need for my titles, all that remains is a bit more footage of Sehb wearing the drama mask etc. as i didn't have that prop at the time of the filming. I also got a few more shots of Gemma over the weekend as i wasn't completely happy with what I had, this included a shot of her practising her singing in the mirror. There have been some problems uloading my footage, i tried to upload the main bulk of my shots i took last Tuesday but there were issues so currently most of it is on a mac but i havn't added it into premier pro or begun to edit it. I also need to upload the current stop frame so i can sort out timming to the music ect. All in all the main focus is getting the footage sorted out, im confident i have more than enough with a variety of different shots in different locations, i just need to sort through what im going to use and start piecing eveything together.

DVD cover research

This is an example of a cover most like what I will be aiming for as it has a similar audience to 'drama club'.

The font used on this DVD cover is very distinctive and childlike. It is also used during the credit's to the show meaning the title will be recognisable.

The images surrounding the main image of Tracy show her interests and add colour-they are also things that the target audience would be interested in.

The cover is overtly feminine with pink background and images of rainbows and hearts etc. the addition of the football contradicts this and suggests there may be something it it that appeals to boys too. It also shows how her character may be a tom-boy. I could consider doing something similar for my cover and have the items I used in the title sequence that linked with the characters such as microphone, camera etc. around the main image.

The title/logo of the show is placed at the top, very recognisable. This is also on the spine of the dvd and the same font in the title is used for the rest of the text on the cover.

The main image is of the main charcter (Doctor) and his companion, there is usually a medley of images as can be see here with the heroes and the villains together.

On the back is a list of the episodes on the DVD, as well as images from various episodes. A positive review is placed at the top, presumable as it is the first thing people will look at as they turn over. The white font against the purple background also draws the eye to it.

The certification is at the bottom and on the spine, as well as the institution (in this case the bbc).

Codes and conventions of mag covers

usefull website: Magforum

From looking at various magazine covers, i have picked up on some codes and conventions which i will need to consider when designing my own. The masthead is always bold, with a distinctive font that acts as a logo or symbol just as much as a title. I will need to create a logo or something similar for my TV show 'drama club' to include on the cover. The covers seem to follow the same outline, but vary in style. Children's magazines seem to be more cluttered and colourful however there is always a main image with text bleeding onto or around it. There is nearly always some kind of give away or 'exclusive' to entice readers, and the font aside from the masthead is very simple and consistent to keep it from being to confusing. A popular colour for this is white, red is also used a lot but a simple colour scheme is something i will use for my cover.

Ancillary task research: Magazine front cover

The most striking thing about the cover is the masthead, as it is a logo for the show as well as the magazine title. It is big, bold and stands out at the top of the page and is instantly recognisable.

The image of the two leading characters takes up most of the space and bleeds onto the title further emphasisng the image and the well known logo.

There is also a prize give away, key words such as 'win' 'plus' and 'exclusive' are made bolder or bigger making them stand out and drawing the readers to the tasters of whats inside.

The bold white font of used on the tagline 'Never forget' makes it stand out from the page as it differs to the colour scheme on the rest of the cover. Its positioning over the main image makes it the first thing you look at.




Again, the masthead jumps out the page with recognisable font and bold red colour. This time it over laps the image, increasing its importance.

The main image itself is clearly from the 'Harry Potter' movie the magazine is premoting. Its dark, sinsiter look adds a more dramatic feel and draws the reader to the cover.

The headline 'massive preview..' is big and white making it stand out against the dark background, the use of wording again very inticing.The tagline beneath the masthead, although smaller may aslo intice readers as it boasts the magazines importance calling it the 'worlds biggest' of its type.




This cover would be more similar to the type of cover i would be making as it is clearly aimed at younger readers. Its bright pastel colours again highlight a more female audience as well as the pink and feminine text on the masthead.

Simple fonts are use for the rest of the text, with white being the predominant colour. Its more cluttered than the others, with more going on and more tasters about whats inside.

The main image is fun and eye catching as the red clothing stands out against the light background with the text bleeding over the top.

Photoshop

In preperation for our secondary tasks, as a class we learnt the basis of photoshop during our wednesday lesson. This meant learning how to use google effectivley first, and how to find better quality pictures that were suitable for photoshop use. Our task involved finding an image of Tom Cruise and placing his head on the body of an animal. To do this we had to cut out his face from the original picture and place it onto the image of the animal. We learnt what tools to use, and which were more effective as well as how to use layers and build up layer upon layer adding more detail as you go. On reflection, this will definatley help me when it comes to designing the DVD front cover and magazine cover.

(PRINT SCREENS NEEDED)

Developments/Filming

Having gone through what I have done so far with my teacher, one issue with my stop frame is that i included 'Starring' in every title which would not normally happen in a title sequence as it would only appear once at the beginning. I have re-done the stop frame for a third time, and corrected this mistake. The overall quality of the lighting was good enough, and the use of the hand seemed effective and feedback from my class mates showed this would be good to keep in my final cut.

FILIMING: TUESDAY 26T JAN (PERIODS 4/5)
During this session, i need to complete filming all the characters in thier rols for around 8 seconds to include in my title sequence. The end shots will probably be only around 5 seconds.

> Gemma will be singing/bowing (need micophone)
> Sophie will be telling a joke (reading the joke book)
> Amber will be directing someone (clapper board?)
> Andy will be taking a photo of the whole group...this photo may feature on the 'created by' credit-plannign to use an over the shoulder shot of andy taking the photograph.
> Sehb will be wearing a drama mask-will take it off and (will then be bowing)

further stop frame/mini rough cut

I have completed some more stop frame of better quality having slighty re-arranged the layout of the letters and objects ect. I have imported these into a new premier pro project and have begun editing for my final cut. I will upload the shots i have taken as another rough cut to show how the design of the titles has changed, the main aim now is to complete the filming of each of the charcters which i have decided to include. This will be a short clip, 5-6 seconds in length showing them in their role for the drama club. For example the director will have a clapperboard and the singer will be performing with a microphone ect. These will be slotted in between each section of stop frame. The photos I took oringinally will be used at the end of the title sequence were a 'created by...' title will appear. I may create a quick mock up of this to see if it is effective. I plan for the filming to have been completed by the end of next week, it is relativley short filming task so this should be achievable. I am still happy with my choice of music, there wont be any dialog although i may have the actors speak but thier voices will not feature.

Character photos

These are some of the photos I took for the scrapbook, I will use them towards the end of the title sequence during the 'Created By..' credit. I will use three images, swap them around and using stop frame, make them flick between different characters and scenes.

Developments...

I had originally planned on adding the photo's of the characters into the scrap book and having panning shots, close ups, zooms on them etc. and although i will still add them for authenticity i think it would be effetctive to have a collage of the photos on the screen evey so often so you can clearly see the role the charcter has. This may also stop it from being repetitive, although i could still zoom in on certain photos i think a collage where pictures come in from the edged of the screen, and perhaps some other objects to do with thier role (singer, directer etc.)I'm happy with still including the hand turing each page, as it adds to the effect of someone lookign through it but it will cut away from that at times to make it a more convincing titles sequence.

Targets: get as much stop frame done by thurs as possible. Still need to collect some photos of sehb and eveyone together.

Further progress...

I have now completed editing the rough cut, and have completed all the shot lengths and timings. I have also added the soundtrack, faded it in and out, and added other sound effects. Some of the clapping, cheering and camera noises i will use in the final cut but other sound effects will need to be recorded and some will need to be recorded again. As i hadn't filmed a shot for each time the page turned, i had to use the drawings from my animatic to show tis, but i am confident the way i stop framed the page turning during the first credit is an affective way to do it for the final cut. I have also considered doing more with the hand, and having them perhaps nock over some paint or glitter which would keep with the scrap book theme. I have used the hand (my hand) to wipe away the names of the characters and the book will be opened and closed by the hand but including more of this could be something to consider. If i make the final cut, and feel it needs more i can always take some more shots of this and include them.

Rough Cut-'Drama Club'

This is a rough cut of my titles, which is more or less what it will be like in the final cut. I will include more moving images such as the microphone ad the camera and other designs and patterns to make it more busy. I'm happy with the way it looks, as i wasn't sure if the letters moving would be effective and tries making them just appear but this didn't look as good as them moving in from the edges of the page. Towards the beginning at (0.12) i included the kind of shot i would use for the page turning. I feel its more effective if i stop frame the hand moving as well but i will have to film this each time i turn the page as i wipe a different name of each time. From watching it back i feel it can be a bit repetitive at times as each credit follows the same formula but this was a convention i noticed when watching other titles, as most of them have a sequence where something is repeated but i may change this and do something different than zooming into each name. I will also pan some of the pages and zoom in on certain photographs which i did show in my animatic, most of the photographs of the people Im using have been taken but i will need some more of them as a group.

On relfection, the size of the screen keeps changing as i adjusted it differently each time, i now know how to change the size and keep it the same throughout so it will remain steady. The lighting also changes during the 'Sophie' title so i will need to make sure this doesn't happen in the final cut. In addition, i could consider is having someone from another race included as most shows have at least one character from a different ethnicity, I could do with another male as the majority are female (will be adding the character 'Sehb').This will also even out the cast further as there will now be two males instead of one which is more realistic as a cast for a children's show. On further evaluation, the camera angle in some places meant you could see the edges of the scrapbook and the table, despite using the tripod. It was hard to keep the camera in the same position, and when i make the final cut i will put a black sheet or large piece of black paper down to stop you seeing the edges of the table which makes it look less professional.

Animatic

This is my animatic for my final idea 'Drama club', feedback from the class was on the whole very good as people seemed to like the idea of the page turning and thought this was communicated well through the animatic. I felt my use of sound was effective as i had a sound for every character in my title sequence which suggested something about their character. For example one character was a photographer so i included a sound-effect of a camera taking pictures. I had originally decided to zoom in on the photo's of the character on each page of the scrapbook, and although this may be effective for some of the characters, the continual use of a zoom became very repetitive. I have considered using some pans of the pages of the scrapbook at the beginning to establish what the show is about (drama club). it was also suggested i could link my main task with my Magazine advertisement and rather than a scrapbook, have the show based on a group of kids evolved in the production of a school magazine and the sound-effects can be altered to show the role of each charter in the magazine. As the last shot shows the complete scrapbook with the name of the show, i could change the name to that of the magazine with the last shot being very similar to what i would produce for the magazine advertisement.

Overall i feel my animatic was of a good standard, with a vast improvement from the animatic produced at AS. i improved my skills with premier pro by experimenting with zooms and pans as well as adding a sound track and ambient sound effectively. Having watched it back i am happy with the timings of shots and will experiment more with the use of zooms. I will also consider altering the idea to a magazine but am confident that the idea fits generically and is very similar to the opening of shows such as 'Saved By The Bell' where i got some of my inspiration from as well as 'Tracy beaker' and the credits of the film 'Wild Child.'

Deadline for ROUGH CUT: 4TH Nov

Will start to collect materials needed for the rough cut such as the black scrap book and begin cutting out letters and shapes. They will be very basic shapes but most of the letters can be used again for the final cut saving me time when i begin making this. I will also need to get a tripod for the camera, i will use my own camera to take the photographs of the objects moving. I will need to experiment with the shots of the page of the scrap book being turned, as im not sure whether to film this or even include the hand as it turns the page etc.