Hello…and welcome back…or welcome to Distance Learning – Media Studies style…..
Task 1: Complete the Magazine Distribution task and submit to classroom. All resources on classroom – 1 hour. Submission by Wednesday 27th January.
Task 2:Magazine Distribution – articles and research – read and summarise. Find your allocated article in the Google presentation in classroom – 1 hour . Submission by Friday 29th January.
Task 3: Summary of Ideas – Screencastify summary by your teacher on Friday 29th January – listen in classsroom.
Task 4:Script Template – write your script for CCR2 using the template in classroom and submit for feedback – 2 hours. Submission by Tuesday 2nd February.
Task 5: Recording your response – Record the letter over the flipsnack of the final magazine. See classroom for details. Submission – if you can by Wednesday 3rd February. 0.30 mins. (we know some of you are not at this stage so don’t panic – just make sure the script is gorgeous and completed!) This is an example (done on youtube) but it shows how your response will refer to and highlight elements, aspects of your magazine that you mention in your response.
Distance learning starts again on Tuesday, when we will be rolling out new materials.
In the meantime, please ensure that your letter and presentation have been shown to your teacher before you record it on voicethread and your piktochart is just about done too. We will be marching on. We will not be beaten. We will be fine.
Describe the impact and if possible one possible moment, event, time, episode where that technology directly affected the product.
Use the key term INTEGRATE or synonyms: used, included, involved, incorporated, applied etc
RESEARCH AND PLANNING – HARDWARE
To do my research and planning, I used my iPhone and my laptop. For example, I used my iPhone to take images of my planning documents which I shared with my models and I uploaded on my blog on my laptop. This converged technology impacted my final magazine as my models knew exactly what they needed when they came to my shoots and they knew when and where shoots were taking place, which prevented any errors. As a result one of necessary props – a retro telephone was supplied on the day and therefore the vintage jazz narrative was enhanced of my cover photo.
PRODUCTION – SOFTWARE
During production, I used the software Bridge to create contact sheets of my photos taken from the photo shoots. Making the contact sheets enabled me to view all of the photos in one location and be able to pick my favourites. Bridge made this simple, easy and quick to do as the contact sheets were able to be made instantly. This software positively impacted my magazine in that I was able to chose the images effectively that work and fit in with the pop genre. This was necessary tomake sure my audience is attracted and liking what they see. I was able to choose a photo for my contents page that represented my artist as moody, removed and arrogant.
FEEDBACK/EVALUATION – ONLINE
Screen castify was an online piece of technology which I used to gain feedback. This technology allowed a recording to be made of all of the positives and negatives about my magazine. This benefited my magazine in giving me an additional opinion which I was then able to use to improve my magazine. I was able to listen to what was wrong and act on it. For example, on one screencastify, it was clear that my masthead was too small to make the necessary impact so I responded to that and enlarged it by adding stroke in Indesign. The technical conventions of magazine covers was therefore achieved.
Create an info-graphic using Picktochart using stills from your music magazine, and screen shots of the skill/technology being used.
You must comment on how the various examples of software, hardware and online technologies were integrated…used/applied/implemented in the production process and/or impacted on the final outcomes of the product or impacted on your SKILLS.
The most important aspect of the commentary is that you specifically say how the technology impacted on your development of the project in the following five stages:
Research & Planning
Production
Post Production
Evaluation & Feedback
Presentation
Choose 1 examples of each (hardware, software and online) for each of the 5 stages of production. Make sure you include all stages of the production process i.e. research/planning, production, post production and evaluation/feedback.
You should be specific about how you employed the technology. Describe what you were able to achieve creatively & organisationally with these various technologies, such as…
Researching conventions in professional media texts
Gathering inspiration & sharing ideas
Production planning / inspiration
Production organisation & group communication / collaboration
Production techniques (Framing, camera movement, backdrops, lighting…)
Using filters & image control for representing brand / star
Using brushes and filters for reflecting the genre of the music
Colour Correction
Layering images / using opacity / blending
Converting / compressing files for different use (DVD, Online, Print)
Uploading and embedding media
Audience feedback
Tracking & recording progress
Avoid throw away comments such as…
…the technology made it more professional!
…the technology made it more attractive!
….the technology helped make it more aesthetically pleasing!
Please do not simply use logos / generic images, rather use images of you actively using the technology from your coursework blog.
Example
Loading…
Buzz words for your infographic…
You could copy and paste and then delete as you use them. BOLD THEM EVERY TIME YOU USE THEM IN YOUR REFLECTION TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
You have reflected on your skills , just like Napoleon Dynamite
You have thought about and evidenced your production journey in Cambridge International A Level Media Studies and all of the reflection is in your blog .
Most of the work for this question has already been done! So…Hooray & Hoorah!
This CCR will require you to reflect on how far you have come this year. In particular it will require you to reflect on the production skills you have acquired and how they have helped you become a more skilled (both technically and creatively) media producer
Photographer
Photoshop(er),
Designer
Journalist
Moreover, you have also learnt some valuable production skills that are easily transferable to other parts of your life, education and ultimately career:
Time management
Directing and Management
Communication & Collaboration
Writing skills
Research and Planning
TASK 1
You will write a letter to a future A Level Media Studies student in order to prepare them for what lies ahead. You need to advise them to learn from your experience and perhaps also your mistakes. Your teacher will assist you in making a comprehensive list of what you might include.
Use the template in classroom to write your letter that you will later record.
Your points and observations should all be illustrated on the corresponding slide in the google slide presentation with images, screen shots etc of what you are talking about.
Each skill must specifically refer to the IMPACT it had on the product – with images of the skill and images and reflection of the impact on the product.
Always try and mention – how the skill impacted on genre, narrative, star image, audience etc. Focus on AIDA and B and K too.
Key terms you should be trying to include:: audience, information, entertainment, social interaction, personal identity, star image, genre, conventions, narrative, attract, interest, desire, action
as well as: font, copy, coverlines, masthead, pugs, plugs, standfirst, drop capital, cover star etc – all the terms you have already used in your reflection.
TASK 2
Create a slideshow and create the following slides. Use the template one in classroom but make it your own!
An Introduction – Dear Future A Level Media Student etc
Technical Production Skills – include screen shots of specific key skills you have learnt in Indesign and Photoshop
Creative Production Skills – include key skills you have learnt about design, costume, photography, MES etc
Transferable Skills – include key skills you have used and improved that you can use elsewhere in life – communication, time management, organisation, collaboration, confidence, literacy, computer skills etc.
A sign off and good luck.
There should only be images on the slide as the description, explanation and detail will be in your actual letter.
TASK 3
Develop each slide with screen shots, logos, photos and captions that add visually to your letter by illustrating your points.
Use your OWN images as opposed to google ones. Save it as a pdf.
Let your teacher see your letter before you record it. Submit it to classroom for feedback.
Record your letter over the slides so that the commentary coincides with the visuals.
Save and embed on your blog.
THIS IS AN EXEMPLAR
Advice.
Be sure not to make it a list – instead ensure each skill has an example attached to it and how that skill specifically impacted on the product– how it affected star image, or genre, or narrative, or the audience. We need specific scenes, shots, frames, angles, fonts, colours etc and how that particular production skill impacted on them.
Remember, making the result ‘more professional’ is not enough – what do you mean by that? ALWAYS ADD IN A STORY, A FOR EXAMPLE, AN ANECDOTE.
Make it chatty, exciting and personal. Submit to classroom for feedback before recording.
Once your teacher has given you feedback on screen castify on all 3 Draft 3’s, you will then tweak them.
This will have to be done in your own time, as lesson time will be spent mostly on preparing the Creative Critical Reflection questions.
2. Then these Draft 4’s will form your final submissions for the Home Page.
3. Embed x 3 Draft 4 on the Home page below Component 1.
4. Save all the Draft 4’s with the adverts as a PDF on a 6 page document in indesign. Export this as a pdf and put into Flipsnack to create an online magazine.
In order to make the presentation of your pages aesthetically pleasing with the programme Flipsnack, you need another page.
Whilst, you won’t be assessed or moderated for this page, it will fit well with evidencing how well you understand your target audience – an advertiser will not advertise in a magazine if the target audience would not be the kind of consumers for their product.
Have a look for an appropriate advert (make sure the resolution is good so that it doesn’t come out pixelated) that might appear on your inside cover of your magazine. Look for other products, other than music related products (albums, tours, concerts etc). You can also find a music album, tour or music related advert that fits with your genre for the back page so that your Flipsnack presentation is a completely mini magazine.
Here is a slideshow with a couple of ideas but make sure you go out and find your own ideas from some online searches. Remember, it needs to be A4 and a high resolution.
You should then make sure in the post on the blog that outlines your choice of advert that ‘you appreciate this isn’t going to be marked but for the purposes of presentation, having an extra page in the magazine helped make the Flipsnack platform work better. However, it was an interesting exercise in reaffirming that you knew who exactly your target audience were i.e. young teens and you can then outline briefly their demographics and psychographics (remember yougov research) and explain why the advert would fit in your magazine.
We have 3 past students who are currently studying Media/Film/Marketing at Uni.
They will be here in Room 70 from 12.45 on Friday 8th January. You should make every attempt to come and speak to them about their courses if you are considering any type of career in the creative industries, either at Uni or as employment.
It will be an informal chat and Mrs C and Miss H will be there to help with questions etc.
Please make every attempt to support these sessions – last time, those who attended found it really useful for when it came to them choosing their post-18 pathways.
We hope you had a good Christmas and New Year but now we are back, it’s time to get that Media wagon rolling again.
This week, your aim is:
Get that article into your DPS – now! Droopy Christmas tree!
To complete 2nd drafts of Front Page, Contents Page, DPS and get feedback from teacher and note what’s new and what’s next.
To present new Draft 3, having been tweaked after Draft 2 feedback from your teacher, on one post for your teacher to give you some final feedback via screen castify.
To complete the Advert task and find the adverts you want to include.
Next week, we will be marching on to the Creative Critical Reflection questions which are involved, detailed and time consuming.
Ideally, you need all your pages completely finished but as long as the 3rd draft pf all 3 pages are there, then you should have enough evidence to complete the questions.
Revisit the presentation on double page spread layouts and do some research of your own. Here are two slides of some that we found.
Find your photo – lay it out with columns for the article (2-3)
Remember you can use place holder text i’psum lorem’ to act as the text until the article is fully signed off. Should be in text/type section.
You should have the following asap:
2 x A4 pages side by side in indesign.
Photo (if does not have to be one from the location shoot so can be from the front cover shoot – your choice)
Consider where the staples will be i.e. line your photo/headline and article up carefully so that it isn’t lost in the staple fold.
Space for the Headline – grabs the attention – alliteration – hyperbole – superlatives to make the reader stop and read on
Space for the Standfirst – a short paragraph that expands on the headline and further tempts the reader to read on.
Columns/space for the article in paragraphs.
Then you can focus on :
Turn off hyphenate – type/tables/paragraph – untick hyphenate
Drop capital – indicates where the article starts (on the tab at the top there is an icon)
By line – who wrote the article
Caption on the photo to anchor it
2 x page numbers bottom left and bottom right
Serif text for the copy of the article – easier to read – with ticks and flicks
If the whole article does not fit on the 2 pages – don’t worry as you can add…continued on Page XXX…just so long as the whole article is in the blog so that the examiner can read it all in one place.
