Monday, 11 June 2018
LO2: Task 1 - Job Roles & Skills (P3)
I am going to investigate the audio-visual industry as I wish to pursue a career in this sector as an editor for films and TV shows or possibly in the advertising sector.
Monday, 25 September 2017
LO2: Professional Etiquette (D2)
Etiquette
Professional Etiquette is the way you behave in a workplace environment
Professional Etiquette is the way you behave in a workplace environment
My role is arguably the most important part of the production process as without a camera operator, nothing would get filmed and no product would be created. My role would have the most impact on the assistant operator role as they are below me in the hierarchy and therefore must follow my commands. My role would also impact that of the director of photography as I would be expected to have some creative input when creating shots.
Monday, 18 September 2017
LO2: Career Pathways (M2)
Camera Operator - Career Pathways
Independent
Your practical and technical skills, as well as your specific industry knowledge, are extremely important for this particular career pathway as you would be working independently, meaning that there may not be people to assist you if you get stuck. In terms of practical skills you would need to be fully capable of using a camera of your choice, as you are essentially working for yourself you would be using your own equipment so you only need to be comfortable using that equipment, unlike a full-time employment role where you would need to be capable of using a wide range of camera equipment. In terms of technical skills, you need to have a wide knowledge of camera terminology (e.g. angles, photographic techniques etc.) and know how to use various equipment (e.g. lenses, filters, remote shutter switches etc.) Creativity is also important for this career pathway, again because you are working independently you wouldn't be able to brainstorm ideas with other people; you have to be creative enough to come up with all your own ideas. Problem-solving skills would also be crucial for this career pathway for the same reason. Communication skills wouldn't be as important for this specific pathway as it would for a further education role for example, again because you would be working primarily on your own for this career pathway, there will be little communication taking place.Voluntary
As a volunteer, you would likely to be working for a smaller company (as they cannot afford to pay you) which could mean that they are less experienced in the audio-visual industry. Because of this, you would need a good amount of specific industry knowledge, such as the types of lenses and shots to use for a specific project, as the people running the project may not have the knowledge to successfully complete the project. Although you are only a camera operator you must know about health and safety legislation and procedures. On a modern film/TV set, there are countless risks that people need to be aware of as the consequences could be costly. Communication skills (e.g. working well as a team, being able to express your point of view) are important for this career pathway as in a voluntary role you will be working alongside other people and you may need to get your point across if you are to have any creative input. Leading on from this, creativity is also important in this career pathway as it is a voluntary role, the people you are working with who have been tasked with the creative aspects of production may not be of the highest quality so you may need to have a considerable input in a creative sense.
Employment
In full-time employment, you would likely take on a more junior role if you are working for a large company. As this is a professional role you're relevant skills and industry knowledge (e.g. how to follow set instructions, how to correctly operate a professional studio camera etc.) will need to be up to scratch as this pathway doesn't really feature any type of mentor role like higher education for example; although there would be an element of learning on the job. Because you will be somewhat independent when in full-time employment, creativity is arguably the most valuable skill to have. One of the main aspects of the camera operators job is to work with the Director of the film and Director of Photography to achieve the visual style of the production. This is where they can suggest their own ideas to help improve the look of the final product so creativity is more important than you think for this career pathway. Communication skills (e.g. working well as a team, being able to express your point of view) are also crucial in this career pathway. In a full-time employment role as a camera operator there is little room for error and as you will be working with a large group of professionals you must be able to communicate well with them in order to create a successful product.
Work Based Training
In a work based training career pathway, the practical and technical skills you already have may not be crucial as this is the type of career pathway where you will learn a lot of skills on your way. The same goes for your specific industry knowledge as this is what you will be gaining as part of this career pathway. Good communication skills (e.g. working well as a team, being able to express your point of view) are essential as you will need to ask questions to help gain the previously mentioned specific industry knowledge. Like all the other career pathways, creativity is a must for this role as a camera operator can still have creative input as they communicate with directors and other members of the production team.
Further Education
As part of a further education pathway, you will be learning the majority of skills needed for a career as a camera operator as part of the course you take; so the practical and technical skills you have prior to taking the course aren't that important. The same applies to specific industry knowledge. Good communication skills (e.g. working well as a team, being able to express your point of view) would be helpful as you will need to communicate with your fellow students as lots of projects you create at this level would require you to work in a group. Being organised is also important as you are likely to be working on multiple projects at once. Like all the other career pathways, creativity is a must for this role as a camera operator can still have creative input as they communicate with others, in this case, other students.
Higher Education
As part of a higher education pathway, you will be learning the majority of skills needed for a career as a camera operator as part of the course you take; although you should carry some skills across from any further education qualifications if they are relevant to the course you are taking at higher education. The same applies to specific industry knowledge. Being organised is crucial as the majority of the work you do in higher education will be independent so you need to keep on track of your time. Like all the other career pathways, creativity is a must for this role as a camera operator can still have creative input as they communicate with others, in this case, other students. Communication skills (e.g. working well as a team, being able to express your point of view) are important as you will need to communicate with your lecturers and other students during your seminars and when you are working on projects together. As a camera operator, you are likely to be working with film students from other courses so communication skills could arguably be one of the more important attributes.
Monday, 17 July 2017
LO2: Job Role in a Chosen Sector (P4)
Camera Operator
Practical & Technical Skills
In terms of practical skills, a camera operator must be able to operate a camera expertly, as this is the primary element of the job role. They must also have good working knowledge of all camera systems, lenses, support equipment and accessories as these are all vital elements of the job role.
Specific Industry Knowledge
To complete their role properly, a camera operator must know about health and safety legislations and procedures. On a modern film/TV set, there are countless risks that people need to be aware of as the consequences could be costly. If the camera operator is aware of the risks they can take action to prevent accidents (e.g. taping down the wires from their camera so people don't trip).
Communication Skills
Communication skills are very important for a camera operator as they need to be able to collaborate and work as part of a team. There is never just one camera operator on any professional project so as a camera operator you will always have to work ith someone else. Camera operators will also have to work closely with people in other roles of film production; therefore they will have to be diplomatic and sensitive when working with artists and crew.
Organisation
Being organised is extremely important for camera operators due to the amount of equipment they use. As a camera operator, you must be able to keep your cameras, lenses and other equipment organised and on hand at all times.
Creativity
A camera operator has a surprising amount of creative input; they do not just point the camera at what they are told to. One of the main aspects of the camera operators job is to work with the Director and Director of Photography to achieve the visual style of the production. This is where they can suggest their own ideas to help improve the look of the final product.
Problem Solving
As a camera operator, problem-solving can be a lot more physical than in other media based jobs. One of the main roles of a camera operator is to have good working knowledge of all camera systems, lenses, support equipment and accessories. If some of this equipment breaks it is their responsibility to fix it.
Practical & Technical Skills
In terms of practical skills, a camera operator must be able to operate a camera expertly, as this is the primary element of the job role. They must also have good working knowledge of all camera systems, lenses, support equipment and accessories as these are all vital elements of the job role.
Specific Industry Knowledge
To complete their role properly, a camera operator must know about health and safety legislations and procedures. On a modern film/TV set, there are countless risks that people need to be aware of as the consequences could be costly. If the camera operator is aware of the risks they can take action to prevent accidents (e.g. taping down the wires from their camera so people don't trip).
Communication Skills
Communication skills are very important for a camera operator as they need to be able to collaborate and work as part of a team. There is never just one camera operator on any professional project so as a camera operator you will always have to work ith someone else. Camera operators will also have to work closely with people in other roles of film production; therefore they will have to be diplomatic and sensitive when working with artists and crew.
Organisation
Being organised is extremely important for camera operators due to the amount of equipment they use. As a camera operator, you must be able to keep your cameras, lenses and other equipment organised and on hand at all times.
Creativity
A camera operator has a surprising amount of creative input; they do not just point the camera at what they are told to. One of the main aspects of the camera operators job is to work with the Director and Director of Photography to achieve the visual style of the production. This is where they can suggest their own ideas to help improve the look of the final product.
Problem Solving
As a camera operator, problem-solving can be a lot more physical than in other media based jobs. One of the main roles of a camera operator is to have good working knowledge of all camera systems, lenses, support equipment and accessories. If some of this equipment breaks it is their responsibility to fix it.
Friday, 14 July 2017
LO1: Cross Media Product Case Study (D1)
Alien is a very successful 1979 science-fiction horror film that has been turned into multiple games, such as Alien Isolation (2014).
As the latest instalment of the game is released over 3 decades after the original film, there is no real promotion of the game in the film itself, however, the game does promote the film in more subtle ways. Instead of directly advertising the original film, Alien: Isolation promotes the 70's classic by using a similar artistic style. Like the original Alien film, Alien: Isolation features a lo-fi, '70s vision of what the future would look like. This is done in the hopes that people will become attracted enough to the visuals to want to go back and watch the original film. Another way the game promotes the original film is, surprisingly, through how the game actually plays. Unlike previous video game adaptations of the Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation places a strong emphasis on stealth and survival horror gameplay, requiring the player to avoid and outsmart a single alien creature over the course of the game with the help of gadgets like a motion tracker and a flamethrower. This aligns itself perfectly with the mood of the original Ridley Scott Alien.
The game, Alien Isolation, was heavily advertised through youtube. Famous YouTubers like PewDiePie and Markiplier were paid by Creative assembly (the games developers) to play through the story of the game. This was a very affective form of above the line advertising as the two previously mentioned YouTubers have a combined total of around 74 million subscribers meaning that the game would probably seen by the majority of people who watch youtube videos and also play video games. I would also add that this form of advertising allowed the developers to show more actual gameplay than a standard TV advertisement as they are usually limited to around 30 seconds; this is likely to be better at persuading people to buy the game as there are many people who don't want to 'waste' their money on a game because they don't know what it will play like. The game was sold as a hard copy in all known video game retailers. It was also available as a digital download from the online stores of all current and 'next gen' consoles (Xbox 360/One & PS3/4).
The target audience for Alien: Isolation is men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 who are from the ABC1 categories of the NRS social scale and enjoy high intensity, horror games. I would say the game is aimed at both genders as although video games are played mostly by men, the main protagonist and only playable character is female, which might make more women want to play the game. I have suggested this age range for the target audience as the game is rated 18 by PEGI, so no on younger than 18 can play it, and it is uncommon for someone over the age of 30 to be interested in horror or more specifically, video games.
The adaptation of the original alien film into the 2014 game Alien: Isolation was a massive success. It won numerous awards including the PC Gamer 2014 Game of the Year and Game Radar's Best Horror Game of 2014. It was also given a 9/10 rating by Steam, The most popular digital distribution platform for PC games. It is renowned for being one of the scariest horror games of this decade and many would say it belongs on a 'best of' video games list.
As the latest instalment of the game is released over 3 decades after the original film, there is no real promotion of the game in the film itself, however, the game does promote the film in more subtle ways. Instead of directly advertising the original film, Alien: Isolation promotes the 70's classic by using a similar artistic style. Like the original Alien film, Alien: Isolation features a lo-fi, '70s vision of what the future would look like. This is done in the hopes that people will become attracted enough to the visuals to want to go back and watch the original film. Another way the game promotes the original film is, surprisingly, through how the game actually plays. Unlike previous video game adaptations of the Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation places a strong emphasis on stealth and survival horror gameplay, requiring the player to avoid and outsmart a single alien creature over the course of the game with the help of gadgets like a motion tracker and a flamethrower. This aligns itself perfectly with the mood of the original Ridley Scott Alien.
The game, Alien Isolation, was heavily advertised through youtube. Famous YouTubers like PewDiePie and Markiplier were paid by Creative assembly (the games developers) to play through the story of the game. This was a very affective form of above the line advertising as the two previously mentioned YouTubers have a combined total of around 74 million subscribers meaning that the game would probably seen by the majority of people who watch youtube videos and also play video games. I would also add that this form of advertising allowed the developers to show more actual gameplay than a standard TV advertisement as they are usually limited to around 30 seconds; this is likely to be better at persuading people to buy the game as there are many people who don't want to 'waste' their money on a game because they don't know what it will play like. The game was sold as a hard copy in all known video game retailers. It was also available as a digital download from the online stores of all current and 'next gen' consoles (Xbox 360/One & PS3/4).
The target audience for Alien: Isolation is men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 who are from the ABC1 categories of the NRS social scale and enjoy high intensity, horror games. I would say the game is aimed at both genders as although video games are played mostly by men, the main protagonist and only playable character is female, which might make more women want to play the game. I have suggested this age range for the target audience as the game is rated 18 by PEGI, so no on younger than 18 can play it, and it is uncommon for someone over the age of 30 to be interested in horror or more specifically, video games.
The adaptation of the original alien film into the 2014 game Alien: Isolation was a massive success. It won numerous awards including the PC Gamer 2014 Game of the Year and Game Radar's Best Horror Game of 2014. It was also given a 9/10 rating by Steam, The most popular digital distribution platform for PC games. It is renowned for being one of the scariest horror games of this decade and many would say it belongs on a 'best of' video games list.
Sunday, 9 July 2017
LO1: Technological Convergence, Advertising & Distribution (M1)
Technological convergence is when different technological systems evolve towards performing similar tasks. The biggest example of technological convergence is the world wide web; which is arguably the main effect that technological convergence has had on advertising and distribution.
An example of an audio-visual product that was marketed on social media is Deadpool. Social media played an important role in the marketing of Deadpool as it allowed the production company to create hype for the film through the use of behind the scenes footage and 360 videos.
Video-on-demand services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are advantageous to the consumer for a number of reasons. Before VOD services came about, if the consumer wanted more the standard 'free' channels, they would've had to pay for a cable/satellite service like Sky. When compared to services like Sky, most VOD services have a lot more quality programming for a fraction of the price (a basic Netflix package is £5.99 per month, a basic Sky package costs £22 per month). This has lead to the "death of the schedule" (Sonia Livingstone - 1999) as viewers can watch whatever programme they want, whenever they want as opposed to waiting for the show they want to watch to be broadcast through the regular television schedule.
Technological convergence has had a big impact on how audiences access products nowadays. The creation of 'black box' products (multiple technologies on one device) has changed the way people access content. Most modern TV's now come equipped with wi-fi capabilities so people can connect their TV's to the internet and stream movies and TV shows through video-on-demand services. Gaming consoles like the Xbox One perform more tasks than simply playing video games. Technological convergence means that you can now stream videos, browse the internet and so much more on just one device.
Technological convergence has also affected the way companies can distribute products to their audience. Before the creation of Web 2.0, companies would have to pay broadcasting companies to have their products reach their target audience. Now that the Internet is interactive, anyone with an Internet connection, a computer and a camera can produce their own content and share it online. The creation of Web 2.0 also introduced low-cost distribution for conglomerates like 20th Century Fox and Sony who could now sell products on digital platforms like Itunes and Amazon Prime rather than producing physical copies which would cost considerably more. Websites like Netflix also came to fruition after the creation of Web 2.0. Netflix and similar companies like Love Film and Amazon Prime would exclusively allow production companies to make their films and TV shows avaliable for streaming in return for a percentage of the subscription fee paid by users of the service, allowing both parties to make a profit. In more recent years, companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime have begun to create their own content and, due to the current size of their companies, have been very successful at doing so. An example of this is "The Grand Tour", which features all three of the original Top Gear presenters. This new programme is widely regarded as being more popular than the new version of Top Gear that doesn't feature Richard Hammond, James May, or Jeremy Clarkson.
An example of an audio-visual product that was marketed on social media is Deadpool. Social media played an important role in the marketing of Deadpool as it allowed the production company to create hype for the film through the use of behind the scenes footage and 360 videos.
Video-on-demand services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are advantageous to the consumer for a number of reasons. Before VOD services came about, if the consumer wanted more the standard 'free' channels, they would've had to pay for a cable/satellite service like Sky. When compared to services like Sky, most VOD services have a lot more quality programming for a fraction of the price (a basic Netflix package is £5.99 per month, a basic Sky package costs £22 per month). This has lead to the "death of the schedule" (Sonia Livingstone - 1999) as viewers can watch whatever programme they want, whenever they want as opposed to waiting for the show they want to watch to be broadcast through the regular television schedule.
Technological convergence has had a big impact on how audiences access products nowadays. The creation of 'black box' products (multiple technologies on one device) has changed the way people access content. Most modern TV's now come equipped with wi-fi capabilities so people can connect their TV's to the internet and stream movies and TV shows through video-on-demand services. Gaming consoles like the Xbox One perform more tasks than simply playing video games. Technological convergence means that you can now stream videos, browse the internet and so much more on just one device.
Technological convergence has also affected the way companies can distribute products to their audience. Before the creation of Web 2.0, companies would have to pay broadcasting companies to have their products reach their target audience. Now that the Internet is interactive, anyone with an Internet connection, a computer and a camera can produce their own content and share it online. The creation of Web 2.0 also introduced low-cost distribution for conglomerates like 20th Century Fox and Sony who could now sell products on digital platforms like Itunes and Amazon Prime rather than producing physical copies which would cost considerably more. Websites like Netflix also came to fruition after the creation of Web 2.0. Netflix and similar companies like Love Film and Amazon Prime would exclusively allow production companies to make their films and TV shows avaliable for streaming in return for a percentage of the subscription fee paid by users of the service, allowing both parties to make a profit. In more recent years, companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime have begun to create their own content and, due to the current size of their companies, have been very successful at doing so. An example of this is "The Grand Tour", which features all three of the original Top Gear presenters. This new programme is widely regarded as being more popular than the new version of Top Gear that doesn't feature Richard Hammond, James May, or Jeremy Clarkson.
LO1: Technological Convergence & Production Techniques (P2)
Introduction
Convergent technologies have positively impacted the production stages of making an audio-visual product for the producer and the prosumer as it has allowed for multiple technologies to be present in one device. For example, almost all modern video cameras come with a built in microphone, meaning that an external microphone is not necessary to record an audio visual product. This will in turn reduce the overall equipment costs, which is a positive impact.
Pre-production
One example of a new technology that can be used in the pre-production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is Taiga.io. Taiga.io is a piece of open source project management software that allows up to four users to collaborate on one project. Without web 2.0 this would not be possible as web 1.0 was not interactive.
Another example of a new technology that can be used in the pre-production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is Google Docs. Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides are a word processor, a spreadsheet and a presentation program respectively, all part of a free, web-based software office suite offered by Google within its Google Drive service. The three apps are available as web applications, and as mobile apps for Android and iOS. Without web 2.0 this would not be possible as web 1.0 was not interactive.
Production
One example of a new technology that can be used in the production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is Garage Band. GarageBand is a line of digital audio workstations for macOS and iOS that allows users to create music or podcasts. GarageBand is developed and sold by Apple Inc. for macOS, and is part of the iLife software suite. Its music and podcast creation system enables users to create multiple tracks with pre-made MIDI keyboards, pre-made loops, an array of various instrumental effects, and voice recordings.
Another example of a new technology that can be used in the production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is SoundCloud. SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform based in Berlin, Germany, that enables its users to upload, record, promote, and share their originally-created sounds. SoundCloud's content is evenly split between music and other audio.
Post-production
One example of a new technology that can be used in the post-production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is Adobe Premiere Pro. Adobe Premiere Pro is a timeline-based video editing app developed by Adobe Systems and published as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud licensing program. First launched in 2003, Adobe Premiere Pro is a successor of Adobe Premiere (first launched in 1991). It is geared towards professional video editing, while its sibling, Adobe Premiere Elements, targets consumers market.
Example
An example of a film that has uses these new technologies is Lord of the Rings. The use of CGI has benefited Lord of the Rings greatly as it has allowed for the creation of an in-depth fantasy world. At the time the first LOTR films were released (2001) no other film had used CGI to the extent that it had. You could argue that The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a pioneer for the modern generation of CGI films. This created an extra sense of appeal for the audience as a medieval-style fantasy film of this magnitude had never been created before.
Convergent technologies have positively impacted the production stages of making an audio-visual product for the producer and the prosumer as it has allowed for multiple technologies to be present in one device. For example, almost all modern video cameras come with a built in microphone, meaning that an external microphone is not necessary to record an audio visual product. This will in turn reduce the overall equipment costs, which is a positive impact.
Pre-production
One example of a new technology that can be used in the pre-production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is Taiga.io. Taiga.io is a piece of open source project management software that allows up to four users to collaborate on one project. Without web 2.0 this would not be possible as web 1.0 was not interactive.
Another example of a new technology that can be used in the pre-production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is Google Docs. Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides are a word processor, a spreadsheet and a presentation program respectively, all part of a free, web-based software office suite offered by Google within its Google Drive service. The three apps are available as web applications, and as mobile apps for Android and iOS. Without web 2.0 this would not be possible as web 1.0 was not interactive.
Production
One example of a new technology that can be used in the production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is Garage Band. GarageBand is a line of digital audio workstations for macOS and iOS that allows users to create music or podcasts. GarageBand is developed and sold by Apple Inc. for macOS, and is part of the iLife software suite. Its music and podcast creation system enables users to create multiple tracks with pre-made MIDI keyboards, pre-made loops, an array of various instrumental effects, and voice recordings.
Another example of a new technology that can be used in the production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is SoundCloud. SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform based in Berlin, Germany, that enables its users to upload, record, promote, and share their originally-created sounds. SoundCloud's content is evenly split between music and other audio.
Post-production
One example of a new technology that can be used in the post-production stages of an audio-visual product due to web 2.0 is Adobe Premiere Pro. Adobe Premiere Pro is a timeline-based video editing app developed by Adobe Systems and published as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud licensing program. First launched in 2003, Adobe Premiere Pro is a successor of Adobe Premiere (first launched in 1991). It is geared towards professional video editing, while its sibling, Adobe Premiere Elements, targets consumers market.
Example
An example of a film that has uses these new technologies is Lord of the Rings. The use of CGI has benefited Lord of the Rings greatly as it has allowed for the creation of an in-depth fantasy world. At the time the first LOTR films were released (2001) no other film had used CGI to the extent that it had. You could argue that The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a pioneer for the modern generation of CGI films. This created an extra sense of appeal for the audience as a medieval-style fantasy film of this magnitude had never been created before.
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