Evaluation Question 4: How did you use new media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

For this section of the evaluation we have, once again, collaborated to present an answer in the form of a video.

Evaluation Question 3: What have you learned from your audience feedback?

After we had completed the main product (music video), we thought it would be necessary to receive audience feedback to ensure that the text would be a success amongst its target audience. In order to do this, we posted the video on the the evolving social networking website, Facebook. This allowed our target audience to comment on the video, and express their personal opinion of it.

Here are some quotations demonstrating the feedback that we have received:

> "A really good music video. You can really see the emotion of the character through the imagery of the video and the lyrics in the song."
> "The video shows an excellent visual presentation to accompany the theme of the song."
> "I love the underlying thematic representation of rebelliousness reflected by the grittiness and quick cuts of the shots which impairs the clarity to the audience. The playful interchanging colour saturations kept me visually stimulated and satisfied my needs as the audience."
> "Really well made! Love the band shots, but if you changed the main singer for a professional actor it would be even better!"
> "Overall, I really liked the music video, I think the story really followed the lyrics of the song and they both fitted really well together, I particularly liked the band shots. The use of costumes and setting were appropriate for the song. The transitions between the band and the rest of the video worked really well, and kept you interested during the video. The content of the video was appropriate for my age group and was thought provoking."

When receiving this feedback, I thought that it sounded on the whole very positive, which was therefore very encouraging as it suggests that our text would be successful when presented to its target audience. The comments imply that the micro aspects such as cinematography, editing, miss en scene and sound have been effective towards creating a video of satisfactory quality. It would appear that the audience have responded to and liked the combination of the band shots and narrative, which I think proves that we made the correct decision to use this particular convention of rock and roll music videos. I am pleased that the audience have commented on the emotion of the character that has been signified in the narrative section of the video, because it shows that the video has effectively captured the themes represented in the lyrics in a visual media. Overall, I have learnt from the audience feedback that using conventions of the song's genre has ensured that the product meets the audience's needs.

Evaluation Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?

When creating a promotion package it is necessary to conform to the institutions needs as well as leaving an impression on the audience whilst the products are being marketed. We thought that the most effective way to do this would be to establish a clear link between all three texts.

We began the research and planning stage of the project by analysing the lyrics of the song '18 and Life' in order to establish the themes we should connote in the music video. Through researching videos of the rock and roll genre, we learnt that the most effective concept to connect with our target audience would be to use the conventional combination of band shots and narrative. The target audience admire the band, therefore making band shots very important towards the success of the text.

As for the narrative, we reflected the songs themes of youth, rebellion, isolation and aggression within the actions of a male teenage protagonist. The target audience can identify with him, due to the way he is represented by micro aspects such as mise-en-scene and cinematography.

The themes represented and the conventional combination of narrative and band shots were the biggest successes of the music video. It was therefore a good idea to use these successes to link together the video and the two ancillary tasks (CD package and poster). The rebellious nature of the boy is evident throughout the narrative, but is explicitly represented in the Costcutter scene, where he is denoted stealing food.

The theme of crime/ rebelliousness is also represented in the ancillary tasks through the visual signifier of the spray can, which the teenage protagonist from the narrative uses to graffiti band information onto a brick wall.

The target audience relate with this theme, which I think makes for an effective link between the three texts. As previously mentioned, the audience admires the band. This audience need is addressed through the inclusion of a screen grab of the lead singer on the inside cover of the CD package, demonstrating a clear link between the CD cover and band shots.

In terms of colour, we have maintained a saturated, dark and high contrast aesthetic throughout all three texts. This presents another clear link between the texts, leaving the target audience with a solid impression of the band and their song. Both of the Ancillary tasks include the logo of our chosen institution. This institution is called 'Roadrunner Records' who sign artists and bands who fall into similar Rock genres, which the audience would no doubt be familiar with, this makes for an effective combination between the two ancillary tasks.

Evaluation Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop, or challenge forms and conventions of real media products.

For this section of the evaluation we have collaborated to present an answer in the form of a video.