A2 Media Blog : October 2017

Research and Planning the Moving Image Work

Research: What research did you carry out into similar products? In your answer you need to refer to aspects of your case studies that were useful as research for your own production (similar products). How have your skills in researching real media products improved since the AS course? Give specific examples from your case study music magazines and music videos / short films.

During my research I developed three different case studies that helped me discover aspects that I could then put into my own product. For example, when making my case studies I chose three music videos that suited and also resembled my choice of music genre,.I then analysed these music videos and described what the video music video was about and whether it was narrative or performance based, I also described the different themes that were presented in these music videos, I also discussed the camerawork, special effects, mise en scene and editing techniques and lastly I discussed who the target audience would be for this music video. Analysing these different aspects of the music video were useful because, it helped to create a picture in my head of what I wanted to do for my music video, and how I could use a selection of ideas from each video and put it into my own work. And I felt that this helped because when it came to picking my locations, picking what type of music video I wanted it to be (performance or narrative based) and what song I was going to choose for my music video, my case studies and research helped massively with these decisions.

My skills in researching real media products have improved since the AS course because, this time I noticed that the research that I did enabled me to start making my product much earlier than I did during my AS course, because the research that I did was much more in depth so it meant I was able to plan out what I wanted to do and start making my product, whereas my AS course research was lacking the quality needed for me to fully know what I needed to do in order to make a good product for the task that I was given. For example my case studies last year had very little detail and I didn't cover all areas when I was researching magazines so when I was in the process of actually making my magazine I struggled quite a lot. However this time my research and pre production was much better which meant I was able to start making my product earlier and I understood what I needed to be doing.