I have used many different media technologies in the various stages of this media coursework. One of the main ones is this blog which I used to to document my progress. With this blog I was able to easily upload various different formats of media, pictures, video and text, to display my coursework. Also, being an internet technology, it is available 24/7 from anywhere with internet access.
To acquire audience feedback I used the social networking site Facebook to ask a lot of people I know all at once to evaluate my work and provide feedback. With Facebook I could upload images of my poster and feature, and even upload the finished radio drama for anyone to see and comment.
I also used sophisticated software to create and edit the radio drama, the poster and the double page feature. Soundtrack Pro is a very good piece of audio editing software which was used to directly record the dialogue for our radio drama and to edit it like adding sound effects and organising the different segments of audio.
I used Adobe Photoshop, a high quality image editor, to create the poster of our radio drama. First I took some photographs which I would later edit to create the poster. I used my skills to create a spray painted, graffiti-style poster that looks authentic.
I used both Photoshop and InDesign to create the double page feature. InDesign is some software specifically designed to create things like double page spreads. I used it to compile text and images and structure them properly to make an authentic feature page.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Friday, 4 March 2011
Evaluation - What have you learned from your audience feedback?
Our audience feedback told us that overall the radio drama was quite good, scoring an average of about 7/10. The main issue with the actual drama was that the Nick's Scottish accent wasn't believable and that it was an unintended comical element, despite our aims for a serious radio drama.
The feedback for my poster was quite good as well. People said that instead of it coming across as a science-fiction thriller, it came across more in the horror genre. I think this is because I didn't include as many science-fiction imagery, like a mushroom cloud to get the point across that it is set in a nuclear apocalypse. The only other issue was that some of the text was perhaps too small.
My double page spread was also received quite well. This came across more to the audience as being a more science-fiction, post-apocalyptic genre. People agreed that the large pictures and text would serve as a good attention grabbing device, and that the large character Polaroids with short biographies gave the audience a better feel for the radio drama. One small issue was that there wasn't enough text to take up space, but from the research that I did I found out that a lot of features don't use a lot of text.
The feedback for my poster was quite good as well. People said that instead of it coming across as a science-fiction thriller, it came across more in the horror genre. I think this is because I didn't include as many science-fiction imagery, like a mushroom cloud to get the point across that it is set in a nuclear apocalypse. The only other issue was that some of the text was perhaps too small.
My double page spread was also received quite well. This came across more to the audience as being a more science-fiction, post-apocalyptic genre. People agreed that the large pictures and text would serve as a good attention grabbing device, and that the large character Polaroids with short biographies gave the audience a better feel for the radio drama. One small issue was that there wasn't enough text to take up space, but from the research that I did I found out that a lot of features don't use a lot of text.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Evaluation - How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The aim with the ancillary texts is to create awareness and attract and audience for the main product. To do this it is necessary to make the texts appealing but also work well together and conform to the main product also.
The poster advertisement of our radio drama is used as something to inform people about the radio drama as well as persuade them to listen to it. It is mainly used as "eye-candy", in that it is just meant to look good as a persuader for people to investigate further, and in this I feel it succeeds. The poster conforms to the genre and feel of the radio drama and compliments it well.
The double page feature is similar to the poster in that it provides information as well as aiming to persuade the reader to listen to the radio drama, but it goes into more detail about what the radio drama is about and it draws in more of the target audience. The poster itself would act as a persuader for the audience to gain more information, which is where the double page feature comes in. The feature will then act as an enforcer to entice people to listen to the radio drama. Again, I attempted to have the feature conform to the genre and mood of the radio drama, just like with my poster.
So overall I think that my main product and ancillary pieces are effective together. I think that the advertisement, the double page spread and the radio drama itself work very well together and are very effective in that it would draw a large target audience.
The poster advertisement of our radio drama is used as something to inform people about the radio drama as well as persuade them to listen to it. It is mainly used as "eye-candy", in that it is just meant to look good as a persuader for people to investigate further, and in this I feel it succeeds. The poster conforms to the genre and feel of the radio drama and compliments it well.
The double page feature is similar to the poster in that it provides information as well as aiming to persuade the reader to listen to the radio drama, but it goes into more detail about what the radio drama is about and it draws in more of the target audience. The poster itself would act as a persuader for the audience to gain more information, which is where the double page feature comes in. The feature will then act as an enforcer to entice people to listen to the radio drama. Again, I attempted to have the feature conform to the genre and mood of the radio drama, just like with my poster.
So overall I think that my main product and ancillary pieces are effective together. I think that the advertisement, the double page spread and the radio drama itself work very well together and are very effective in that it would draw a large target audience.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Evaluation - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
In the radio drama we used several conventions, such as sound effects, the use of music and silence. Giving the character Nick a Scottish accent was a convention we used to have him come across as a bit more loud and aggressive to the audience to reflect his personality. We took on popular conventions of other radio dramas, like War of the World's realistic radio news broadcasts. Our radio drama takes on the narrative convention of Todorov's equilibrium theory, but deviates from it slightly by not instating at the end a new kind of equilibrium.
My poster uses several conventions to attempt to get across to the audience the idea of the genre of our radio drama. I took inspiration from posters of a similar genre like War of the Worlds and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I used a desaturated, grey image of a wall to reflect the serious tone of the drama, along with the red text as a connotation of danger which is the thriller, survival aspect of the drama. I also used several structuring conventions observed on War of the Worlds and Hitchhiker's Guide posters, making the title the largest, central focus of the poster, along with smaller wording for other text.
I utilized several conventions for my double page feature. I looked at feature pages for Doctor Who for influence in the creation of my double page feature. I made sure to include attention capturing devices like large text, pictures and quotes all to entice the reader, seen in real science fiction features, like Doctor Who. Also, again to reflect the genre and tone of the drama I used the colour red and pictures of slightly grungy walls. I kept the text fairly minimal like with other double page features to make sure that readers were not put off by the amount of text there was.
Overall, my poster, double page feature and radio drama mainly use and develop conventions rather than challenging them, but utilize them well enough for a good outcome.
My poster uses several conventions to attempt to get across to the audience the idea of the genre of our radio drama. I took inspiration from posters of a similar genre like War of the Worlds and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I used a desaturated, grey image of a wall to reflect the serious tone of the drama, along with the red text as a connotation of danger which is the thriller, survival aspect of the drama. I also used several structuring conventions observed on War of the Worlds and Hitchhiker's Guide posters, making the title the largest, central focus of the poster, along with smaller wording for other text.
I utilized several conventions for my double page feature. I looked at feature pages for Doctor Who for influence in the creation of my double page feature. I made sure to include attention capturing devices like large text, pictures and quotes all to entice the reader, seen in real science fiction features, like Doctor Who. Also, again to reflect the genre and tone of the drama I used the colour red and pictures of slightly grungy walls. I kept the text fairly minimal like with other double page features to make sure that readers were not put off by the amount of text there was.
Overall, my poster, double page feature and radio drama mainly use and develop conventions rather than challenging them, but utilize them well enough for a good outcome.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Running Date and Details
The first episode of our radio drama will be broadcast on Saturday 6th August 2011 at 9pm, and will run for six weeks. One episode will be broadcast every Saturday night. Our target audience will stay in on Saturday nights so placing it at this date and time is ideal. Being a Saturday also is appealing as it is at a time where listeners are less likely to be working. I think this is the best time to broadcast our radio drama to bring in the largest amount of our target audience.
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Double Page Spread: Final Version
This is the first page of my double page spread:
This is the second page:
I wanted to keep the same feel that I wanted to keep in the poster for the feature. I used bold, red-coloured text all in capitals with a small tag-line underneath as an attention grabbing device for readers. I also used large quotes dotted on the page as another attention grabbing device. The large Polaroid pictures are also there to get the attention of the reader. I made sure to have them strewn on the page to reflect the messy feel of the drama. I made sure to include several pictures of graffitied walls, again reflecting the mood.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Double Page Spread Development
I used one of the effects in Adobe InDesign to create a shadow on the Polaroid picture:
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Double Page Spread Rough Design
My double page spread, like my poster, attempts to reflect the overall feel, theme and genre of the radio drama.
In keeping with the theme of the drama, I would have large, bold, red coloured text. In the background would be cracked, dilapidated walls. I thought that I should include Polaroid pictures of the characters with a small biography next to them, laying skewed across the page.
Monday, 21 February 2011
Analysis of Double Page Spreads
Saturday, 19 February 2011
Details of Advert Placement
My poster advertisement for our drama should be in The Times newspaper. This newspaper as a younger age target audience which is similar to the target audience of our radio drama. Our audience would be more middle class which links in more with that of The Times. I think The Times would be the best place for my advertisement as that's where we would find the audience that fits our target audience.
Friday, 18 February 2011
Rest of Group Posters
This is Joe Frost's poster for our drama Under the Mushroom Cloud:
This is Lucie Glennon's poster:
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Poster: Final Version
This is my final poster design:
Like with other advertisements for dramas, I tried to make sure that the poster reflected the mood and genre of the radio drama. Because it's a science fiction, post-apocalyptic narrative, I tried to maintain this mood with various conventions. I used a grungy, grey wall with blood-red graffiti text to keep the feel of our drama. I also included the logo of the station it would be broadcast on, BBC Radio 4 Extra, but I changed the logo from being purple to the same red as the text. BBC Radio 4 Extra used to be BBC Radio 7, which was a radio station that broadcast loads of radio dramas. The re-branding was done to provide more comedy and drama and to include more family friendly content for older children.
Monday, 14 February 2011
Poster Development
To achieve the desired feel to reflect the theme of our radio drama, I had to go through several steps to make it look right. The first thing I did was edit a picture of a wall using Adobe Photoshop to make it look more grey and reflect the mood of the drama.
I did this by desaturating the image to take out a lot of colour and by using the Levels Tool in Photoshop:
On this wall I wanted to have the name of the drama, Under the Mushroom Cloud, spray painted like graffiti. To do this, first I used Photoshop's Pen Tool to draw graffiti-looking words spelling the name of our drama.
Then, I skewed the words to the correct perspective of the wall:
Then, I changed the colour to red, blended it into the wall and added some drip marks to make it look more authentic, then repeated this for the other words on the poster.
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Poster Design: Rough Design
A poster for any media product should reflect the tone and genre of what it's advertising. That's why for my poster I want it to reflect the dark, post-apocalyptic nature of our radio drama.
For my poster I want to have the name of the drama, 'Under the Mushroom Cloud', to be sprayed in red paint onto a cracked, dilapidated wall. In the background behind some iron railings there would be a faded mushroom cloud in the sky.
For my poster I want to have the name of the drama, 'Under the Mushroom Cloud', to be sprayed in red paint onto a cracked, dilapidated wall. In the background behind some iron railings there would be a faded mushroom cloud in the sky.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Analysis of Posters
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Production Log: Editing
To edit our radio dramas we use a program called Soundtrack Pro.
Soundtrack Pro is a very sophisticated program for editing audio. In the segment I edited I cut up the audio into different pieces using the Blade tool. With this I can move and edit individual sound pieces. There are a lot of various sound effects which can be dropped in to create realism. I added several sounds of doors closing to and foot fall sounds to give a sense of action and movement. At the beginning of scene 3 a character experiences becoming concious after being knocked out. To achieve this effect I faded in the audio to give the impression of slowly becoming more aware, and I also added an echo to the other character's voice to give a sense of disorientation. Echo is also useful to give the an impression of space, particularly in radio drama where there is no visual representation of it. I also used the echo to do this to give the audience an impression of being in a large, hard-surfaced room.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Monday, 7 February 2011
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Friday, 4 February 2011
Details of Studio
With the studio we can record directly into Soundtrack Pro to create a raw recording. To record we must ensure that all plugs are on. Then move up all three sliders and turn them on. Then a location must be selected for the recordings to be saved. Before recording anything, it must be made sure that recordings are of the right volume by recording a small test sample and seeing what the peaks are like in Soundtrack Pro. After recordings are finished, they must be exported as an .MP3 at 192KPBS.
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Production Log: Final Script Draft
SCENE 1
RYAN: Have you got that radio working yet?
NICK: I’m trying! Bloody political war, breaking my equipment!
(RADIO TUNING IN, EMITTING STATIC)
NEWS BROADCASTER: (D) …The nuclear fallout has swept across the world leaving devastation in its wake. We have reports that America
NICK: I’ve got it!
RYAN: Shh! There might be something important!
NEWS BROADCASTER: (D) …Listeners are reminded to stay in groups for safety reasons. Do not go anywhere near irradiated zones. These areas are usually highlighted with signs surrounding the area...
NICK: Ahh, it’s the same as all ways.
NEWS BROADCASTER: ...We are happy to report that several fallout shelters have opened up all around Britain Norfolk
NICK: Ahh! They’re too far.
NEWS BROADCASTER: …Suffolk
NICK: Come on! (STATE OF PANIC
NEWS BROADCASTER: …Brentwood: Essex …
NICK: YES! Ryan, did you hear that? We’re gonna’ be ok, we’re
gonna’ be ok...
RYAN: I heard it. Come on, leave it, we can’t afford to take it with us.
…Jen, Daniel! Where are you guys?
JEN: What’s all the commotion? …What are we doing?
NICK: I’ll tell you what it is, Ms Jennifer! Bloody Salvation! Hah!
We are leaving this hell is what we’re doing!
DANIEL: We’ll be safe?
JEN: You’re kidding?
NICK: I am most certainly not. Ask Ryan if you don’t believe me.
JEN: Is it true Ryan? Well, I mean, where are we going? What are
we going to do?
RYAN: Don’t worry I’ve got it all worked out.
JEN: But…it’s way too dangerous out there! There’s irradiated areas, and who knows what else!
RYAN: Just calm down, it’s going to be fine, like I said, I have a plan.
SCENE 2
JEN: Oh my god! I can’t believe it! Everything’s been destroyed!
DANIEL: I remember a park was once there.
RYAN: Come on, we need to keep moving.
JEN: How far do we have to go?
RYAN: We need to get out of the city, I’d say at least 2 hours of
walking. Come on, let’s get moving.
JEN: 2 hours?! Is there no transportation?
RYAN: No! Look around Jen, everything’s blown to hell
DANIEL: I’m not too keen on walking.
RYAN: Well we need to get out of here now!
NICK: Yeah so get bloody movin’!
Ambience
NICK: Watch that gap Jen.
JEN: How long are we gonna’ keep going like this?
RYAN: Stop. Did you hear that?
NICK: What is it Ryan?
Falling debris between them
RYAN: That building is going to collapse! We need to go, move!
Footsteps, running and heavy breathing
NICK: Where’s Jen?!
RYAN: She’s fallen! She’s over there!
NICK: C’mon let’s get her.
Footsteps, running, sound of dragging body.
Building collapses.
NICK: (Heavy Breathing) Why didn’t you help us Daniel?!
DANIEL: Oh, I, um…
RYAN: We’re supposed to be a team!
SCENE 3
RYAN: (D) JEN! CAN YOU HEAR US? JEN! JEN!
NICK: You coward Daniel!
DANIEL: I already said I’m sorry, I didn’t know the building was
gonna’ collapse…
NICK: She could have died!
DANIEL: But she didn’t, did she?
NICK: You’re towing a fine line. I’d be careful what you do.
JEN: Euurgh, what’s going on? Why are you shouting?
NICK: This coward just left you underneath the building as it was
collapsing.
DANIEL: ...It’s…It’s not like that…
NICK: Oh! So how is it Daniel? Because to me, you just left her to
die!
DANIEL: I’m sorry…
JEN: Where are we anyway?
RYAN: It’s an old library; we thought we could rest here for a while.
NICK: That’ll be a challenge. This is falling apart.
JEN: Have we got any water?
RYAN: Yeah sure. (RUSTLING OF BACKPACK)
JEN: Thanks (GULPING OF WATER)
NICK: Let’s just try and get some rest.
DANIEL: Err, sure.
SCENE 4
NICK: Jen, are you sure you’re ok to carry on? We’re nearly in
JEN: (BREATHLESS) …Just a few more steps.
RYAN: I see it!
(SOUND OF RUNNING)
NICK: C’mon let’s get inside. Quick Jen, Hurry up Ryan.
(DOOR SLAMS BEHIND THEM, ONCE ALL INSIDE)
RYAN: So this is our salvation eh? No food, no water, nothing!
DANIEL: No, the shelter’s underground! See that hatch there? We need
to go down there… But I’m not so good with heights, you
guys go first. I’ll be right behind you.
RYAN: C’mon then, we need to go down here. Watch out, it’s pretty
dark…
(SOUNDS OF CHARACTERS DESCENDING LADDER)
(DANIEL REMAINS)
…You coming Daniel?
DANIEL: Not today, Ryan!
RYAN: What?!
JEN: (SHOUTING) Ryan! We’re at the bottom, but theres nothing
here! It’s a trap!
RYAN: NO! DANIEL, WAIT!
(SOUND OF HATCH BEING LOCKED FROM OUTSIDE, TRAPPING THEM IN THE SHELTER)
SCENE 5
Sound of mobile phone beginning to record and Daniel Filming himself.
DANIEL: They don’t understand, this is hell. No, this is worse than hell.
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide when things get rough. We’re
all just better off dead. I just don’t know who I am anymore.
They were naïve. They thought everything would be fine, yet
most of the world is DEAD! This isn’t a movie, it’s real life!
We may as well just give-in now. After all, it’s only a matter of
time before we get poisoned by radiation anyway... Do you like
my gun? Found it in that drawer over there. Hah, shall we listen
to the news? I think we should...
(DANIEL TUNES A TRANSISTOR RADIO IN)
NEWS BROADCASTER: (D) ‘…With the face of the earth in ruins, only wastelands
remain. Be vigilant, be alert, and most importantly, be safe…’
(SFX OF RADIO DYING)
DANIEL: (*SIGH*) …Goodbye.
(SFX OF GUN BEING COCKED, WITH A SINGLE GUNSHOT, FOLLOWED BY SILENCE)
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