Dear Moderator

Please find below links to students' portfolio blogs.

Ellie Collins - 4035

Lewis Loveridge - 4124

Shaban Mehmood (Hanham High School) -

Ben Pearce - 4153

Jessica Redman - 4173

Dalton Whittle - 4224

Steven Widger - 3180

Digipack template

Evaluation - questions and suggestions.

Evaluation questions are as follows:


 In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?

 How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

 What have you learned from your audience feedback? (this means you need to get some audience feedback!!)

 How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation
stages? (provide links to the technologies you used where appropriate.)

Here's a candidate who scored 19/20 marks for the evaluation. It is detailed, backed up with theoretical understanding (an absolute MUST) and also uses new media technology very well to present ideas in a variety of ways. The 'comparison between main and ancilliary tasks' style is the least I'd expect.

Sites that may be of use:

Voicethread.com - for DVD commentaries (or use iMovie - either speaking over your own film or film yourself watching it, pausing it where appropriate)
sliderserve.com - for uploading powerpoints - Scribd tends to crash slow computers so i'd avoid it.
prezi.com - of you fancy playing around with this, it can be impressive. It can also host video.

Let me know if you need any help with this.

All due before Easter Holidays remember!

CD covers & Magazine ads

Due by next THURSDAY - 3RD FEBRUARY

Produce mock-ups for your ancillary tasks. (that means basic sketches, including image, text and track listings (for album covers)) Two of the following

• A website homepage for your band
• A front cover for the release of the album on CD
• A magazine advert for the release of the CD

Make sure these are annotated to show your decisions regarding composition, and also linked to Goodwin's ideas about music videos and promotion.

Some example covers:




(Mumford and Sons)
The band are in what appears to be a shop window, possibly in an ironic take on the commercial elements of the music industry.
The street looks a little run down, and this is reflected in the dress and 'old fashioned' instruments which the band are seen with - the stand-up bass and accordion, for example. The location is more than likely West London, as the folk scene from which the band come is located here.
The need to have the band on the cover links to Goodwin's ideas about music promotion and the image of teh artist, and the visuals link to the style of music which the band play. The irony is also a feature of the 'counter culture' scene which the band's music appeals to.
The Island 50 logo advertsies 5 years of the record label, long known for championing independent and original artists of which long line Mumford and Sons are the latest example.




(Kanye – Graduation).
Kanye West's album shows a glossy, cartoon image feturing the bear character who has been used on Kanye's previous records. The high-gloss and complexity of the image, probably CG, shows the hip-hop scene, as do the bold but mature colours used. There seems to be a party going on on the planet featuring pretty, female bears; another link to the stereotypical Hip-hop lifestyle.
The bear is leaving the plant - he has 'graduated' from it. This link sto West's ideas of himself as a pioneer of the genre, always moving on the new things.
The parental advisory note is a necessary feature pertaining to censorship in the music industry. It may also be seen as a badge of honour amoung some younger listeners' CD collections.
Kanye West's pre-existing media image is exploited here, as are the conventoin of the Hip-hop genre, linking this album cover with Goodwin's ideas.

Magazine adverts.

This blog site has some really interesting magazine ads in a few different formats - but information is key here. The ad must advertise(!) the CD release, so needs to include dates, perhaps some reviews, and 'available through' info. Note also the production / record company logos at the bottom of each one.

Research & Planning criteria.

Below are the criteria for your research and planning part of this year's portfolio. Alongside each one is a suggestion of what you could include to ensure you're going to hit this element.

 There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience. - detailed analysis of at least one music video in your chosen genre using theoretical frameworks.
 There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. - shooting schedule including dates, props lists with details about where props are coming from, cast list, preliminary work on locations (recce photographs)
 There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding. - initial treatment, notes on development of ideas, animatic, shooting schedule for the shoot itself.
 Time management is excellent.
 There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research and planning. - includes use of ICT in this, so pollster/poll junkie, wordle etc all count. Make sure posts are neat, titles are clear and informative. You could use the 'label cloud' feature to aid quick referencing of all posts by 'research, planning' and later 'evaluation'.
 There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation. - include photos and embedded videos in posts, link to other websites you have used, lyric wordles, moodboards, animatics etc.
 There are excellent communication skills. - double double check spelling and punctuation. Embed links to documents which you have found useful in your research - wider reading on music videos in your genre, specific case studies etc.

Marking criteria - production.

Once your animatic is uploaded, use the following to asses whether or not you are on to a winner.

The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the following
technical skills:
 holding a shot steady, where appropriate;
 framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;
 using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;
 shooting material appropriate to the task set;
 selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;
 editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;
 using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and appropriately;
 using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task.

Storyboard Deadline

Storyboards to be completed by THURSDAY 17th NOVEMBER. You will then have a week of lessons to get your animatic completed before heading out and starting to film at the start of December.