Task Number 4

A director’s commentary on how I used new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages.

Digital Technology is new media technology, where the technology is based on digital storage and communication of data, using 0 and 1 code to compress the data into tiny packets, which give greater speed, quality and huge amounts more of storage space for data. This is far better than the analogue system of communication and data storage that proceeded digital. Digital technology underpins computers, mobile phones, modern video and still cameras, editing, the Internet, MP3 and I Phones, modern radios, modern movie projectors and most technological equipment ranging from in hospitals to schools and transport.

As in Maltby’s five stages of production, we used extensively new media technologies extensively at all five stages of the production from: research and development; planning; construction (shoot); post production; distribution and evaluation

In research and development we used new media technology a great deal. The Internet is based on it. We researched other pop videos on You Tube, and found locations where we might film on various websites such as http://www.filmlocation.co.uk/ etc..

In pre production we used a digital stills camera to go to the location and take stills of locations. We also did a camera test using a digital camera to test various potential actors and see if they could do what we wanted them to. In pre production too we created a Call Sheet using digital technology, including maps and stills, and e mailed this to cast and everyone involved which made it easier than photocopying and delivering it.

On the shoot, we used small, light, easily moved digital cameras, including the Sony ZI, which did not need much lighting. It could be manipulated to give our shots a seedy gritty feel and we did this. The smallness meant we could do a high ratio of shots to those actually cut in the final version, and this meant we could be far more creative as we had lots more shots to use. We also used slow motion for effect, which is made possible by digital technology.


In the editing stage Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects meant we could colour grade all our shots to make them clash and fit together as we wanted, and we could do slow motion and mixes and fades because of our digital technology.

For distribution we used You Tube and Face Book to put our song up and get viewings and comments. These are based on digital and mean you can potentially reach tens of millions of people, something impossible with analogue.