Creative Critical Reflection

 1. How does your product use or challenge conventions AND how does it represent social groups or issues? 

    When reminiscing on the research I conducted prior to beginning production it is evident the product I created traditionally uses usual conventions. I used conventions by including a low angle shot and a close-up shot of the product similar to the Bath and Body works commercials I conducted my research on. I did this to highlight the product and allow for better visibility. Regarding editing, I used split screens to maximize visual stimulation and keep the audience engaged. I also followed conventions by using a fast-editing style to create a montage. Lastly, similar to my already existing idea, the commercial I found in my research had a beachy theme corresponding to the scent of the products, just like my commercial. My project is expected to attract teenage girls and boys. Bath and Body Works products are popular within this age group. This age group is further attracted by Jack and I, two teenagers including both genders, promoting the product.  

2. How does your product engage with audiences AND how would it be distributed as a real media text? 

    The product I created is very engaging after the initial scene. In the second scene, my product retains attention by being fast paced, including vibrant lights, and having upbeat music. These factors leave the viewer constantly stimulated and in turn engaged. However, I now realize that I should have included more captivating aspects at the beginning of the commercial. The beginning of my commercial was meant to be purely monotonous to contrast with the next scene. However, now I realized that this concept would result in less viewers watching my commercial further as they are not initially engaged. This commercial would be distributed on streaming services that include commercials. It would play on the most popular ad-supporting streaming services such as Hulu, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video. My commercial would also play during ad-breaks on YouTube, where many teenagers would see it. Lastly, my product could be dispersed across social media apps where numerous individuals, especially teenagers who are our target audience, are logged on to. 

3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project? 

    I further grew my film-making skills throughout the duration of this project by learning how to manipulate attributes of color perception and extract audio from a clip, however, this proved to be boring to me. Some skills I grew that don't pertain to editing is filming from different angles and movements. The actual act of attempting to highlight the product in the most seamless way proved to be extremely enjoyable for me. Regarding collaboration, I learned that I enjoy taking the lead. After considering these newly obtained skills and my preference for a portion of them I am considering a career in film making. I am considering the position of camera operator or director due to my enjoyment during the filming process and taking a leadership role. I am unlikely to ever consider a career in editing as I did not really enjoy this process. This film-making journey caused me to see how much work and effort goes into the film-making process. As I watch media now, I will subconsciously point out the editing aspects and considering how much time it takes to apply them. For the next project, I plan to work with more individuals so we can better organize the necessary tasks. 

4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project? 

    For the filming portion of this production, I used an I-Phone. Specifically, we used my I-Phone as I have the newest version, the I-Phone 15, and in turn the best camera. For the editing portion of production, I used an APP by the name of “CapCut”. This app allowed us to complete all our editing tasks from split screens to extracting audio. I chose this app due to the creditable reviews and the fact that I have used this application before. However, this time I used the app, I discovered all the editing features. I had to learn how to add these features to my product. I had to learn how to extract audio, manipulate clip duration, edit visual aspects like saturation, apply filters, add stickers, add frames, create a split screen, overlay clips and audio, and lastly add text. Although this process was tedious, it taught me important editing techniques that I will continue to use.