Question 3: – How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

 

Here is my MP3 recording of the letter:

 

 

Transcript:

 

Hey, I am Katie Fellows, and I am taking Media Studies as one of my A levels. This letter is for you to get a better understanding of the course- what you will learn in it. You will be expected to learn the basic properties of a camera, and how to use a range of software programs (like Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Edublogs). Production skills are made up of 3 main skills, which are called technical, creative, and transferable skills. These skills are used to portray specific genres, conventions, star images, fonts, and brandings.

Within this subject, you will develop many technical production skills. You will have to keep a record of your work via your own media blog- which will involve making posts, embedding items, and linking documents. Then you will learn how to create filters, edit photos, add backgrounds/ effects, and use a range of fonts through Adobe Indesign and Photoshop. Technical production skills also cover how the camera and lighting work (the shutter speeds and apertures). These particular skills will impact the target audience based on how the star image is represented (how it fits the genre).

For example, I decided to change my main cover stars image in photoshop, so that it was in greyscale (black and white), instead of colour. I think that by doing this, my model stands out from the text more. It also helped me control the number of colours on the front cover so that there are no clashes. I feel that the colours being more grungy creates a stronger link to the punk genre. Although I liked this effect, I did have to be careful (and make it weaker) because otherwise, it would look over the top and cringe.

The creative production skills help you learn about your magazine’s branding, graphic design, composition, and MES choices. Basically, it covers masthead designs, font choices, colour schemes, page layouts, depth of fields, and rules of thirds. All of these are important for me to produce an effective and well-thought-out product that suits my target audience. In particular, the make-up, hair, props, setting, face/ body expressions, and lighting are what impact my models’ looks the most. They have the biggest impression on my genre of punk. Furthermore, making my cover stars’ representation of punk stronger for the audience to see.

When I did my own photoshoot, I gave my model accessories to use as a prop. For example, I added sunglasses, a guitar, and some lollipops, so that they would feel more relaxed. It also helped my models feel (and look) less awkward. We managed to achieve different poses, like turning to the side, or facing and looking straight into the camera. By doing this, they became confident and portrayed the confidence of punk artists display. For the outside photoshoot, the wind and background textures helped give the photos an edgy vibe. 

The transferable production skills are things that I have used, learned or improved during this course, that I can now use elsewhere in life. A few examples of these key skills are; organization, time management, research, listening, software skills, and self/ peer feedback. For my research, I used different platforms for different things (like Pinterest for mood boards, and social media for communication, advert choices, and finding the right target audience). Using a range of software and apps helps to get a wider spread of information and research- which will ultimately only improve my designs.

I created a production meeting agenda to organize my main photo shoot before I had to do it. This ensured that I knew the correct timings, settings, lighting, camera set-up, props, and costumes beforehand. This also helped my models prepare what they needed to bring, ahead of time- therefore making the preparation stage a lot easier and more efficient. Having all the conventions that my magazine needs will improve my main cover star’s image and the final outcome of the product.

Overall, I think that Media Studies is a great subject for anyone who’s creative, or wants to work in the design industry. This course would not only develop your skills, but it would also give you an insight into how/ what software the professions use. So, if any of the topics above intrigue you, I would recommend taking Media Studies A level.