Aim: Maintaining a positive workspace in the group
Constructive criticism is allowed
Receiving and giving feedback in a positive manner
Involve everyone
Contribute to ideas
Understand group members feelings
Treat with respect
Ask questions and thoughts before making a decision
Motivate members
Assign work that is possible
Know members strength and weaknesses
Success Criteria: Working efficiently and quickly as we had a positive workspace and easily talked to one another, creating ideas.
Strengths: I believe I did well in performing this aim and objective as I already wanted to get to know my group members so we could easily maintain a positive workspace throughout the whole group. Each of us pitched in ideas to the outcome and creating the video which made the workspace have a positive and flowing vibe. We all treated each other equally and with respect, none of us badmouthed anyone else and just encouraged others to keep working when we're all tired and trying our best.
I was very proud of how we all contributed as we worked really quick thinking about outcomes and ideas for our topic. In the first few weeks our blog post was behind then we immediately had a motivation to do blogs ahead which helped with our group plan.
Weaknesses: Throughout the tasks and planning for the video we had times where some of us got lazy and stopped pitching in leaving the group behind but after a talk, all of us managed to get back on track and work efficiently again. Sometimes some of the members don't do the work that's assigned but with a few days of explaining and help they managed to understand the task they needed to do.
Actions for the future: To improve I think I should be giving more constructive criticism to everyone instead of being too nice and agreeing with everything. I also think I should be a bit more strict towards my group members, just to give them a push of motivation when they start to slack off and make them understand it's very important to get things done.
Aim: Being a good role model and demonstrate leadership suitably
Manage resources and time
Check up on everyone if they're on task
Motivate group members
Make them committed
Listen to their ideas
See what they have to say
Thoughts on making a decision
Using members strengths and weaknesses for assigning work
Produce a high-quality outcome
Make every group member have a good understanding
Of what to do
Theme of issue
Purpose of issue
Purpose of explorations and IEA
Ensure group members are caught up
Have a plan
Time-frame
Check their blogs
Success Criteria: Everyone managed to do things on time and contributed equally
Strengths: I tried to perform guidance for my group by managing the resources and times for the things that needed to be done. I've done time frames and homework check-ups and blog check-ups on everyone to ensure they're on time and done everything before it's due. For the first few weeks, in explorations, we would have a brief talk of what our topic is and what we want to do for it and the purpose for it to remember why we wanted to do this and keep it stuck in our head. Doing this also helps every group member have a good understanding of the topic and what we needed to do. I think I listened to everyone's ideas pretty well as we all had positive mindsets and friendship which made me pay extra attention to their ideas and they would listen to my constructive criticism and take it in really well. Weaknesses: In the beginning, everyone contributed with ideas but as the course progressed the progress slowed down as motivation dropped and I didn’t respond strictly enough.I was more relaxing and tried to be calm as a leader as I wanted to build a strong and positive group and friendship between one and another. I think if I was a more bit strict it wouldn't have ruined the positivity between our group but just make the group process go quicker and smoother. Actions for the future: Try to be a bit stricter to encourage everyone to continue doing their work and not get them to lazy off.
Aim: Efficient collaboration
Social Media to communicate
Clear communication
Giving proper information
Providing things on time
Using social media to communicate
Listen to group members
What they have to say
Active listening
Success Criteria: Everyone replied to the chats helping the communication efficiently flow and ideas get around very quickly.
Strengths: I believe that I have established good collaboration with our group. We often used social media platforms such as whatsapp, snapchat and gmail to communicate about the course. Within the media platforms, we were able to give project specifics and information regarding events and such. In and outside class we as a group were able to actively listen to one another and provide constructive criticism. Weaknesses: Though we were able to communicate effectively, there were occasions when a group member didn’t have access to the media platforms and had been absent during class time, this resulted in a large delay in the production of the outcome as he wasn’t able to obtain the specifics that we talked about in the group chats.
Actions for the future: Even though we had a few meetings, I think we should have had more meetings so communication and planning would be easier.
Aim: Good understanding of every group member
Talk to group members
Relate to them
Befriend them
Find out things in common
Eg. Sports, Gaming, Art
Ask them what they think they're strengths and weaknesses are
Success Criteria: We all had things in common, i.e Gaming and Sports which helped develop a strong friendship in our group. When we have some free time we would talk to each other about things in common instead of school. Strengths: Before working and coming up with a topic we talked about our strengths and weaknesses. Based on the results we assigned the roles to our strengths. Doing this helped with the process of the video and coming up with our ideas. Our frequent communication on media helped me establish a good understanding of every group member and befriended them very easily. Weaknesses: I think that as we had a better understanding of each other and we started to talk to each other more as friends instead of a group and I was the leader. Sometimes, doing this could easily affect the way we communicate as I wasn't taken seriously at times. Actions for the future: In the future, I think I should do the same method by befriending them and getting to know them but also being a bit strict so they would listen.
VIDEO
Aim: Produce a high video that gives a message and meets the criteria
Retouch with advanced editing techniques
Use a microphone for good audio
Use a tripod for stability of video
Have lots of b-roll
Follow the criteria
Success Criteria: Re-editing the b-roll to make it stable. Attracting younger age kids with music relatable.
Strengths: We edited the video using music that was common but instrumental and matched the mood to the video. We used infographics to show the primary research we got from our surveys. We double checked if the information was all necessary and helped prove our point. We added subtitles to most of the video so the audience can have a clear understanding of what we were trying to get the message across. I used a lot of b-roll of people doing sports to link to our topic.
Weaknesses: We had a lack of time management. I received the video a bit late having to re-edit and add subtitles for touch up for the video really late night, time restricted me from clearly checking what needed to be improved. The interviews were very hard to listen to at times. Actions for the future: Add more interviews and get more cross-cultural research for the video. I will make sure I frequently get my work peer assessed in case there are any errors or improvements that can be made.
Aim: Effectively plan and follow it
Set time frames
Set a homework doc
Remind group members on WhatsApp to do their blog
Success Criteria: The whole group managed to follow the homework document and get things done on time. We managed to present our ideas to students in Beacon Hill School.
Strengths: I believe we have effectively planned and followed it as most of the work was done and presented to me every due date. As we had good communication between one another the process of following the plan was efficient and easy. We followed on of the plans we made which was going to Beacon Hill School and presenting to them our ideas and what introduction of technology has done. I would remind my group members 3 days before the due date just to check up on them if they have done it, if not they had 3 more days to do it.
Weaknesses: Sometimes when a reminder was forgotten or I didn't set homework but we already talked about it in a meeting or in class time, the job wouldn't have been done so it was hard to keep everyone on track at times. They would only keep on track if they were reminded. Action for the future: Everytime I get home I should set a reminder on setting their homework so I don't miss out on one day which can easily make them off track.
Aim: Have a broad range of research
Secondary research
Internal
External
Newspapers, magazines
Internet
Primary research
Questionnaire
Interviews
Focus Group
Observation
Success Criteria: Everyone managed to use multiple methods to get information for the video using both secondary and primary research. We all had information ranging from questionnaires to online surveys.
Strengths: I believe that we have obtained a broad range of research for the video. I have gathered research through multiple methods, through sending out surveys, gaining them during interviews, or through online research. The presence of 3 varieties of research empowers the information that is presented in the video as it ensures reliability. The use of information from a government website also ensures the validity of the information.
Weaknesses: Sometimes when sending out surveys or asking for interviews, it was hard to get responses, and multiple would have to be sent. Half of the people we asked for interviews declined so it was very hard to get evidence and information on our topic. Action for the future: Next time, I would interview coaches and sports trainers that I am close to so there's a less chance of rejection and more interviews which easily gains more information for our topic.
00:00 - Music - I chose instrumental because it helps set the mood for the audience as it gives a calming mood and since it's a calming and sad song it helps emphasize the sadness and importance for the social issue we are presenting.
00:00 - Island School Intro to show we're students making a documentary and we're from Island School.
00:03 - Title Sequence with images of people doing sports, doing this shows the audience what our topic is actually related to which is sports. The title sequence also introduces us telling what role everyone played.
00:16 - Our social issue question "How has the introduction of technology cause a decline in exercise and health?"
00:20 - Voice over talking about how the introduction of technology causing a decline in exercise is crucial - Explaining to the audience why we chose this topic and how it's important
00:38 - When bringing up the topic a clip of people swimming is shown as it's related to sports and exercise
00:45 - Clip of kids in Beacon Hill School (Year 1-6) playing around with the voice over talks about the younger generation getting affected
00:58 - Talking about the Atari Game consol which was one of the first very successful games in the 1980's. Links to technology and it's successful introduction. A clip of the Atari game space invaders to give an example why it was successful and what the game is.
01:10 - Technology addiction and how it's caused and what it is - A clip of someone using a laptop is put in as it's one of the points and causes.
01:37 - Overuse of laptops and phones causes health problems - Photos of what health problems it causes
01:50 - Interviews - giving brief explanations of what they think of technology and it's introduction. B-roll of people doing sports.
04:52 - Talking about one of our outcomes, presenting to Beacon Hill School kids about the introduction of technology and asking people's opinion on no technology day. B-roll of kids and Beacon Hill School for evidence.
05:28 - Statistics of Island School - Survey we conducted. B-roll of Island School student's doing sports
06:03 - Final solution towards our topic, what we can do to help and make awareness and a small impact on Island School.
Using the last two clips I tried to reduce the background noise and increase the volume of his voice. It didn't clear out the whole background noise so next time I think we should ask for another interview again in a more private area where there aren't a lot of background noise to distrup the interview and prepare with a microphone that can reach and a full battery phone to have a back up audio.
During this interview the background noise was very bad and rough. Which made the sound quality very poor. This problem could have been prevented if we had an iphone with battery on hand to record the audio. We also could have prevented this if we had a microphone that could reach from the camera to the interviewee.
Current situation of lack of health due to technology in society
Interviews
Statistics
Actions
Technology plays a crucial role in today’s society. It has proven beneficial in many ways, such as helping humans become a more advanced species. Despite this, our generation, from little kids to young adults, own a personal device, with many of us being addicted to it. In this documentary, we will look at how has the introduction of technology affected our exercise and health.
Prior the introduction of technology, children of the younger generation were forced to leave the comfort of their homes in search of entertainment, where they would often go outside with friends to indulge in physical activities such as sports and other games. As an easier alternative to fun was introduced in 1980, when the Atari was made by Nolan Bushnell, children were able to find entertainment from the comfort of their homes, encouraging laziness and causing a decline in exercise.
Technology addiction is characterized by “excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges or behaviors regarding computer use and internet access that lead to impairment or distress.” This can be due to the overuse of smartphones and laptops, which is the case with many students and young adults. Being addicted to these devices takes away time for sports and physical activity and could lead to health problems. Using too much technology can lead to bad eyesight, back and neck pain, sleeping problems, hear loss, etc. To get a real perspective of the reasons, we went to talk to a fitness coach.
*insert clips from interview*
We also went to Beacon Hill to educate and gather some opinion from Year 4 students. Everyone agreed with the idea of no technology day. One of the reasons why some year 4 wanted a day with no technology is because their older siblings ignore them and just want to go on their gadgets. The students remarkably do sports 3 times a week. They also don’t have their own personal smartphone, so they go on their parents' phone. The parents do tell students not to look on the phone as often due to eye injuries.
According to the survey we conducted, a shocking 78.6% of Island School students spend over 3 hours of their day using technology. With 35.7% of them spending over 4 hours using a technology device. Although a large proportion of students also plays at least 3 hours of sports a week, the interquartile is much wider, meaning there are more students also not doing as much as sports as others.
*insert infographic*
Finally, we have a solution to raise awareness of this issue. We propose a No Technology Day. Without our personal devices in school, it forces us to do something active or socialize and meet new friends. It also motivates us to go out and play sports, as even going on a walk counts as doing exercise.
On the 3rd of November, my group and I presented in Beacon Hill School to kids ranging from year 3 to year 4. We presented to them what it's like in high school having the freedom to use our personal technology devices and we asked that what do they think about it. Some students liked the idea of no technology day as they said if they did it at home too it would influence their siblings to actually talk and play with them.
Doing the presentation helped us get an understanding of what younger kids think about technology and their siblings using it too often.
Presentation:
Script:
Slide 3:
The very first successful video game console was made by a arcade game company, Atari in 1980. It was the Atari 2600 home console which had a golden hit game called space invaders. Many consumers bought an Atari console so they could play Space Invaders at home.
Slide 4:
Our eyes will thank you the most. Most eyes will start to become nearsighted due to blue light that comes off computer screens. This same blue light will also make you not eager to sleep or will make you not sleep well. Also, our muscles will hurt.
Slide 5:
Organize some sports over the weekends with friends
Get involved in extracurricular activities
Take the stairs instead of the lift so you can have more exercise
Set an alarm if you are on technology or tell somebody to remind you to go out and take a short break to rest your eyes, while in that break you can take a short walk or take a jog or do something active and not just sit there and close your eyes because that counts as being not active
Play with your pets (if you have a pet) because that might keep you distracted from using your mobile/ electronic device
Do chores, that can help distract you for a while of not using your electronic devices
Slide 6:
Without our personal devices in school it forces us to do something active or socialise and meet new friends
Motivates us to go out and play sports (Even going on a walk counts as doing exercise)
We should go outside and feel the nature. Research shows that by looking at trees, we can reduce our stress level. We will sleep well and therefore will grow taller
Exercising and feeling the nature also helps with your creativity and focus, so all of you will give your teachers the best creative work and focus
Genre is groups of films that use similar conventions
Documentary Convention = Styles of interviews, different narration and voice-over, different shooting techniques, achievable materials
Styles and Genre
Observations
Propaganda and Advocacy
Personal Journey
Using Archive
Using Drama
Social Issue
Using Comedy
Doco Essay
Observations
Fly on the wall
Location Shooting which uses hand-held camera
Direct sound recording
No voiceover - Using its original clip
No interviews
Director - Documentary maker = presence is hidden
Actors and subjects present they’re not being filmed
Example Documentary:
Saturday
Rats in the rank
0:09 - Set up the story with series of shots (places around the town inside the building)
0:40 - Text is used to show details of the story and background of the story
1:00 - Introducing the main characters by a phone call - Showing what happens inside
2:42 - Tension is built with two characters interrupting each other - arguing
Propaganda + Advocacy
Explicit purpose of influencing an audience to a particular point of view
Only shows one side of the story
Often commissioned by organizations to get their message across
Menace
0:01 - Talks about good things about the country or place - Using shots of the place and people
0:36 - Narrator using positive stereotypes - Lots of smiling people shots
2:00 - Stereotypical negative insults - helps make narrators point
Personal Journey
About individual or group of people
Biographical or autobiographical story
Often features a specific event or an aspect of their life
May use archival footage and interviews with those who knew the subject
Using Archive
Story is developed through use of still photos, documents and footage from television, newsreel, and fictional films
Most of the material already exists
Music and sound used to set the atmosphere
Use of interviews and voiceover narration
Using Drama
Actors, sets, and props to recreate historical events
Based on eyewitness accounts, historical evidence, transcripts, or even hearsay
Used when actual footage of the event is hard to find, expensive to use or simply doesn't exist
Critics debate the extent to which this blurs the boundaries of fact and fiction
Social Issue
Focuses on issues that are important within a local or global community
Filmmakers who are passionate about an issue believe their documentary could be a powerful tool to influence change
Using Comedy
Filmmaker makes their point using humor
They do this by using surprising characters, unusual locations, parodying other styles of documentary, or by using satire - often use humor to convey a serious message
Documentary Essay
Stylised film representing a filmmaker's strong point of view on an issue, problem, or argument
Presents a thesis, informs audience by putting forward developed arguments
Forms these arguments by research into a wide range of source material
Filmmaker may use narration or even be an active participant
Codes and Conventions
Voiceover
Voiceover usually must be clear, confident, and authoritative. Doing this will encourage the audience to listen and think about the video.
The style my group and I used was Documentary Essay and Social Issue. We thought that this was the best style for us to use and follow as we were trying to inform the viewers the social issue which was How has the introduction of technology affected our exercise and health?. We wanted to also pitch in some outcomes so others, the viewers can join in too which was a no technology day.
Colour correction is changing and altering shades, hues, channels, the contrast and the amount of colours to improve the quality of the video and image.
Many editors use it to add contrast to the highlights and shadows and mid-tones. Doing this helps make the video and image more vibrant and richer in colour - saturated. It can also be used to correct white balance and match the videos while editing that are taken in different angles by different cameras.
Editing, selecting and piecing individual clips and shots together to create a fast paced continuous clip or to show the progression of time
Compresses time of clips
Shows large amount of information
Jump cut
An unexpected transition from one clip to another
Two visually similar shots editing together
Shows a jump from one to the next shot
Time lapse
Taking a sequence of clips at set intervals to record changes that take place slowly over time
At normal speed the action is way faster
Can be used to manipulate time - passing of time
Split screen
Division on the screen
2 Separate clips are displayed
Usually shows simultaneous action
Parallel editing
2 or more scenes happening at the same time
Shows different locations
Smash cut
Clips changing into a different scene with no warning
Sudden transitions
Speed ramping
Changing the speed of the scene regularly whether it's fast or slow
Superimposition
Image or video placed on top of an existing image or video
Could be used to convey the passing of time
Whip Pan
The camera moving or rotating very fast it creates a blurred picture
Quick transition from one place to another
Wipe by cut
One shot is replaced by another by travelling from one side of the frame to another (with a special shape)
Page being turned in a graphic novel
'
Visual Match
One shot changes to another shot by having the two shots relate by using an action, subject or it's subject matter
Good way to create a connection between two shots
Day in 60 seconds video
Timelapse 0:00 - Scene of the sky from night to day time Jump Cut 0:01 - Alarm Clock - shows what time it is (6am) 0:03 - Waking up 0:04 - Getting out of bed Montage 0:05 - 0:06 - Him getting ready for a run 0:07 - 0:12 - Running shot in different angels and places Stop Motion 0:14 - 0:15- Showing each ingredient Time-lapse 0:15 - 0:17 - Time-lapse of coffee making + adding toppings Jump Cut 0:18 - 0:19 - Empty bowl to a full bowl of cat food Time-lapse 0:20 - Getting ready for college - speeds up time Jump Cut 0:21 - 0:26 - Driving, getting to a destination Jump Cut 0:28 - Jump cuts of him walking to college - Keeps audience attention 0:30 - 0:32 - Working on desk Montage 0:33 - 0:34 - Getting the supplies he needs - short clips of everything Wipe by cut 0:35 - 0:36 - Heading to different destinations Jump Cut 0:38 - 0:41 - Break Wipe by cut 0:42 - Different destination again Jump Cuts + Zooms 0:45 - 0:46 - Shows the time how its passing by fast Montage 0:47 - 0:49 - Driving - Speeds up time Jump Cut 0:50 - 0:52 Match Cut 0:54 - Reading different books Jump Cut 0:56 Split Screen + Time-lapse 0:57 - Doing work, typing - Speeding up Jump Cut 0:59 Montage 1:01 - 1:02 - Getting ready for bed shows clips of what he does Time-lapse + Fade away 1:03 - Night time - shows how time passed by
Overall
All the cuts follow the beats of the music, where the accent of the beats are loud and fast the cuts and techniques used were mostly time-lapses or montages. He used jump cuts to speed up the time and show clips of what he does in a day.