Hardware and Software

Hardware

To shoot all the video footage we will be using a canon MD235 Digital video camera that the college has supplied for us. The video camera has 45x advanced zoom which captures more detail than previous other cameras and helps to eliminate camera shake making the overall production run smoother. The true wide high resolution is ideal for playback on a widescreen tv, it also has the option to shoot using wide colour EVF to conserve the battery this will be useful when the camera is running on low battery and there is that little snippet of footage we have to shoot. Quick start will also be useful as we will be able to film the spare of the moment events that may occur that we decide will be effective within our product. LCD video light will be helpful when shooting close up as it illuminates the object even when in poor lighting conditions. All of these features will allow us to make a more professional looking music video.

For both the music video and the ancillary tasks we will take pictures of the locations being used and also of the artist herself and to do this we shall be using a Panasonic lumix digital stills camera, which has also been provided by the college. It is 12 megapixel camera with a 5x optical zoom and a USB connection which allows us to upload the images onto the computer. The advantage of having a 5x optical zoom is the fact that when you zoom in on certain objects the resolution of the camera stays the same so there is no compromise in the quality of the picture. This will become extremely useful whilst performing the ancillary tasks as we can shoot pictures of the artist without making them feeling uncomfortable. Last but definitely not least is the Apple Mac, this will be needed in order to import, edit, store and distribute the footage that has been shot. The computer is fast, large memory and also the graphics on it are better so we can see our project in good quality.

Software

Final cut express is one of the most famous video editing software that Mac has created and because of its success it has gone on to evolve and regenerate. Final cut express allows the user to make professional looking video at ease. It is compatible with the most famous formats used in camcorders, DV, HDV or AVCHD. It has the essential editing for both the video footage and the audio but not only that it has advanced so you can add in titles and graphics, mix your audio tracks and adjust audio and video filters. Apple has also adding in more transitions, filters and effects to give projects a professional touch. For all of these reasons we will be using it to edit our music video. For the ancillary tasks, as it is more physical merchandise we will need to use Photoshop cs3. It is a quick way to make professional photo products such as magazine covers. Some of the main features include:

· Colour correction

· Cloning and healing tools

· Blending layers

· Quick selection

· effects

These features help make the image look pristine and flawless. The errors in the colouring can be altered and corrected.

By Hannah Tabor