A Level Media Studies Component 3 : Final Project

Comp 3 : Critical Self Reflection

Screen Test : Audience Feedback

This blog post explains how we showed a rough draft of our music video, album cover, and social media page to some members of our target audience in order to receive helpful feedback. My teacher provided the template for this blog post.

The purpose of this screen test is to gain audience feedback about our work and see if there are any improvements that can be made. We decided to use Google Forms to create a survey to share with our audience because we find it convenient and easy to use. We divided the Google Forms into two. The first form is for our music video, while the second form is for our social media and digipak.

Here is the link to the Google Form incase of any technical difficulties → Music Video , Social Media & Digipak

Here are our questions : 

Music Video 

Social Media

Digipak

For the music video, we chose these questions because we want to make sure that our music video effectively resonates with our target audience (teenagers and young adults), and accurately represents the theme of graduating from high school. We also want to assess how well the artist’s persona come across in the music video. For the social media, we want to determine the level of engagement that our target audience prefer, such as whether "fans" want direct interactions or a more curated presence of the star. As for the digipak, we want to make sure that the album cover appeals visually to our target audience and aligns with their aesthetic preferences. Hence, we included images of the digipak's sketch. Overall, we want to make sure that our social media strategy and digipak design align with our target audience’s preferences.

We included members of our target demographic in the screen test to ensure that the feedback we receive is appropriate. Finding people for the screen test was a little difficult because we were told to ask for feedbacks from people who are not taking media studies, which made it quite difficult to find some people who were willingly to respond and able to provide meaningful feedback, as we wanted to ensure that the responses were collected in an appropriate and constructive manner.

Here are the drafts that we showed audiences for the screen test:

MV Draft Link (Music Video Draft)

(Digipak Sketch)

Here are the results from the audience feedback:

Music Video

Social Media 

Digipak 

From the feedback we learned that while most aspects were well-received, there are still areas that need improvement, particularly in the music video. According to Steve Neale's genre theory, a media text must conform to the conventions enough to be recognizable, yet subvert enough to be different and interesting. However, after reviewing the feedback, we realized that our music video largely adheres to conventions without challenging them, which made it feel monotonous or less engaging for our target audience. Despite this, the responses suggest that we were successful in representing the star’s persona, as the 3 words used to describe them aligned with our intended portrayal. Furthermore, we gained insights into how to refine the social media and digipak to better appeal to our target audience, and what elements we need to include in it.

We are going to change….

While we can't really try to add some parts of the suggested scenes from the response, we can 

This screen test was a useful part of our process because….

Reflection : This screen test 

How did this screen test help your overall project? How will you improve this next time?

Post Production : Editing

Music Video Production & Development Process (Behind The Scenes)

This blog post, written by me (Beatrice), outlines the filming process for our Component 3 Music Video. It includes behind-the-scenes images accompanied by detailed descriptions of the challenges we faced each day, the solutions we implemented to address them, and the steps we took to make improvements throughout the filming process.

Group Roles

Me (Beatrice) : Cameraman, Director

Jasmine : Actress, Cameraman 

Rachelle : Actress

Additional Roles

Jocy : Cameraman

Day 1 - 14 January 2025

This marked the first day of our filming process. One this day, we filmed the scenes at Rachelle's house after school. Initially, we planned to film at two locations—Sanur Beach and Rachelle's house. However, due to the rain, we couldn’t proceed with filming at the beach. Additionally, we started filming later than expected because traffic caused delays, which prevented us from arriving on time.

As Rachelle and Jasmine prepared and did their touch-ups, I (Beatrice) took behind-the-scene pictures.

Filming Setup

As Jasmine filmed Rachelle's scene, I helped by managing the timing of the music to ensure that it started and ended as needed. I also observed the filming process to gain a better understanding on how to operate the camera, so I can contribute to filming in future scenes.

I then took over filming for Jasmine's scene.

Towards the end of filming, we decided to re-take Rachelle's scene from a different angle to compare and determine which angle looked better.

Fortunately, the scenes were short in duration, allowing us to complete the filming at Rachelle's house without many issues, aside from the delays and rainy weather.

Day 2 - 22 January 2025

Initially, since this was a school scene, our plan was to film right after school. However, because our last subjects were different, it took some time for us to find each other and gather for filming. We also needed to find an empty classroom with a suitable layout to make filming easier. Once we found the right classroom, our friend, Jocy, lent us her gimbal for the shoot. Since I had never used a gimbal before, Jocy had to demonstrate how to operate it.

Jasmine and Jocy worked on setting up the camera and adjusting the gimbal.

While Jasmine was drawing Rachelle, Rachelle and I tested the camera to determine which angle worked best for the scene.

This is a picture of me working with the camera and gimbal. It took place midway through our filming process. (Picture taken by Jocy)

We ended up finishing later than expected. While we initially planned to wrap up by 16:00, we finished at 16:20. This was partly because Jasmine had to draw Viola (Rachelle) for the scene, and we also decided to reshoot from multiple angles to capture the best shot and facial expressions. Additionally, I found Jocy's gimbal quite sensitive (it followed even my slightest movements), making it difficult to maintain a consistent camera angle, which further delayed the process. Despite these challenges, we filmed all the scenes we had planned for the day, which was a positive outcome.

Day 3 - 28 January 2025

On this day, we initially planned to film at a beach in Canggu and capture the sunset scenes. However, since all three of us unexpectedly had plans in the evening for Chinese New Year's Eve, we decided to shoot some scenes in the morning as a backup and save the sunset shots for another day. We also opted to change the location to Sanur Beach, as it was more accessible and closer to our homes. Filming in Canggu would have required an additional two hours of travel time due to ongoing heavy traffic, which could have disrupted our schedule. We aimed to arrive by 10.00 but ended up reaching the location around 10.20 due to traffic delays.

At the filming location

Since we arrived later than planned, the weather was already quite hot as it was nearing midday. Additionally, we forgot to bring a beach mat, so Rachelle decided to order a drink, which allows us to place our bags and equipment on a table owned by a restaurant.

Jasmine adjusting the camera

After setting up the camera on the tripod, we revisited our storyboard and lyric sheet, discussed which parts of the music video we wanted to film at this location, as well as how we wanted the scenes to be framed and composed. We decided to film the laughing scene at this exact spot to make it look as if the characters (Jasmine and Viola) had just arrived at the beach.

Rachelle trying to find some shells as a prop for the scene.

To enhance audience engagement and strengthen the narrative, we experimented filming with various camera angles and movements at different part of the beach. This allowed us to explore more dynamic visuals and ensure the mise-en-scène effectively conveyed the intended mood and narrative.

Unfortunately, we faced several challenges during filming. Firstly, as the afternoon progressed, the weather became extremely hot, and we had forgotten to bring a mini fan. As a result, the camera repeatedly overheated and shut down, forcing us to pause and cool it down before resuming filming. This caused additional delays and disrupted our production schedule. The intense brightness also made it difficult to review our the result on the camera screen, as the glare of the sun prevented us from properly assessing the visuals. Additionally, the prolonged exposure to the sun led to sunburns, which I (Beatrice) experienced for over a week, which is something that should have been accounted for in our risk assessment. Furthermore, we also planned to film at a nearby field within the same location to minimize travel. However, due to the extreme heat, we ultimately decided to postpone that scene for another day, to prioritize the well-being of the crew.

Production : File Organization

This blog post, written by me (Beatrice), details how I organize my files to keep them structured and easy to access, ensuring everything remains neat and manageable.

Google Document

At the start of this project, Rachelle suggested creating a shared Google Document so we could compile all our work in one place, keeping everything organized and easy to find. This also made it more convenient to transfer each other's work into our own blogs. Additionally, it allowed us to make updates or revisions in real-time, ensuring immediate access to the latest versions. As the project progressed, we relied on the Google Doc more frequently. Therefore, to improve usability, I (Beatrice) decided to use Google Docs' new tab and sub-tab feature to organize our work into sections. This made it easier to locate specific content without having to scroll through a single, lengthy document. Furthermore, it allows us to monitor our progress and workflow, making it easier to provide feedback to each other when we identify areas that need improvement.

WhatsApp

One of the most important aspects of a group project is communication. To facilitate this, we created a group chat on WhatsApp, which allows us to discuss and share ideas about our project, remind each other of deadlines and filming details, and coordinate other project-related matters efficiently.

Google Drive

Since searching for project materials can be difficult without a structured system, I decided to create a main folder in Google Drive and organize it into multiple subfolders (as shown in the image below). This method is both practical and time-efficient, as it allows me to quickly locate specific files and focus more on the work itself rather than wasting time searching for it. Additionally, similar to the Google Document, it helps me categorize different aspects of the project, avoiding the need to scroll through one long, cluttered folder.

Gallery

In my phone gallery, I created a dedicated photo album for my projects, which I have been using since AS Level. Instead of creating a separate album for A Level, I chose to combine both, as it primarily contains project-related screenshots, notes, progress updates, and classwork. Therefore, I don’t find it necessary to create a new album since the key aspects of the project are already stored in my Google Drive. However, it remains useful for quickly referring back to notes or references whenever needed.

Reflection : I find these organizational methods extremely useful, as they have significantly helped me locate files quickly throughout the project. Initially, I didn’t notice any disadvantages, but one potential disadvantage is that if the Google Drive folder or Google Document were to be deleted, all the stored work would be lost, making it time-consuming to recover or recreate everything. However, I believe the advantages far outweigh this risk. Moving forward, I will continue using these organization strategies for future projects, both within media studies and in other areas of my work.

My Artist's Persona and Brand Identity

This blog post details what persona my team and I decided on for our star to be reflected in our products.

Here are some questions provided by my teacher to help us construct on identity for our star :

Here is what my group came up with :

Reflection : How was this task used ? Will it be easy to implement ? Do you need to research anything new ? What will your role be when implementing this ?

Digipak : Research & Development

This blog post, written by Rachelle, details the research and development process behind our music video’s digipak. It explores the main discussions my team and I had to ensure the final design aligns with our artist’s persona and the overall visual aesthetic of the music video.

Social Media : Research & Development

This blog post, written by me (Beatrice), outlines the process of developing our artist's social media presence. It includes research into the social media pages of several artists within the same genre as our artist, explanations of how this research shaped our decisions, and the development process for our artist's social media page.

RESEARCH

Laufey

Laufey’s Instagram includes promotional posts about her performances, new albums, world tours, and behind-the-scenes moments. Her pinned post highlights her Grammy Awards achievements, showcasing a key milestone. However, her account feels personal and informal due to its spontaneous nature. She often shares unpolished, casual images without a consistent theme, which creates a more authentic and relatable vibe. Unlike many artists, she doesn’t heavily emphasize promoting her merchandise or albums and rarely shares frequent performance updates. Moreover, her captions enhance this casual tone with conversational language, often using pronouns like “my,” “me,” or “I,” along with playful phrasing and cute emojis that reflects her natural speaking style.

Technological convergence allows Laufey to engage with her fans more effectively by integrating multimedia content within a single platform. She actively interacts with her fans by replying to comments on her posts, whether they're questions, compliments, or casual remarks. She mirrors the energy and enthusiasm of her fans to strengthen her connection with them. Interactive features like polls, Q&A sessions, and live streams further allow fans to connect with her in real time, creating a more personal and engaging experience. Fans also interact with one another in the comment sections, as they bond over their shared admiration for Laufey and her music. Additonally, dedicated fan accounts and hashtags like #Laufey also foster tight-knit communities, making it easier for fans to connect and share their appreciation for her artistry. This reflects Blumler & Katz's Uses and Gratification theory, as fans engage with her content to fulfill needs such as building social relationships and exploring aspects of personal identity.

Laufey promotes her music through Instagram by announcing upcoming releases and encouraging her fans to sign up for early access. For example, in October 2022, she posted images of her performance with the caption "i have new music coming 🤍 sign up at the link in my bio to get an early tease :)”. She does this with a lot of upcoming music. In addition, she acknowledges and shares fan-made contents to promote her music while creating a sense of community among her fans. She often shares behind-the-scenes moments, which provides fans an intimate look into the process of creating her music. These glimpses make her promotion feel more personal and engaging. Furthermore, she shares personal stories and insights related to her music, which helps to add depth to her promotional efforts, making them more appealing and meaningful for her fans. 

I like how she maintains interaction with her fans, even amidst the huge amount of comments she receives. Additionally, I like how she subtly establishes a unique brand identity by consistently using an aesthetic that authentically reflects her persona.

Beabadoobee

Beabadoobee’s Instagram is primarily promotional, with around 90% of her posts dedicated to content such as performance clips and images, world tour schedules, and awards. Despite this, her page maintains a personal feel, as she frequently shares personal photos, including selfies, moments with friends and her cat, and even screenshots of personal chats. These spontaneous and unpolished posts adds an authentic, raw layer to her image, giving the impression that she actively manages her account. Her captions style are also consistent, often informal and playful, featuring emojis, which builds a personal connection with her fans. While her promotional content showcases her professionalism, these more candid posts humanize her, making her more approachable.

Though Beabadoobee’s direct engagement with fans is limited due to the amount of interactions, she occasionally replies to or likes comments. This gesture helps to maintain a sense of appreciation and connection. She also hosts live streams from time to time, which provides fans with real-time opportunities to interact and ask questions, creating a more direct and personal connection. Fans further engage with one another in her comment sections, sharing interpretations of her music and bond over shared iterests, which helps to foster a strong community. Fan accounts play an important role in this, as they frequently repost her content, sharing fanarts, and using hashtags related to Beabadoobee to connect her fanbase. Fans use these tags to share their own creations, explore others' posts, and participate in broader conversations about her music and events. This strengthens the overall community and enhances fan experience.

Beabadoobee promotes her music effectively by sharing clips and announcements of performances, such as her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform one of her song, “Beaches.” She also celebrates milestones, like her album reaching number one in the UK or her recent nominations for two Brit Awards (Artist of the Year and Alternative/Rock act). These acknowledgments invite fans to share in her achievements, deepening their investment in her music. Sometimes, she interacts with her fans. By engaging with fan pages and allowing her fans to be part of her journey, she strengthens her community while promoting her music. 

I like how she shares both her public and personal personas, as it makes her more relatable and approachable to her fans. I also admire how she uses her posts to create a 'narrative' around her life and career, as it allows her fans to feel connected to her journey. Additionally, I think it's a great touch that she uses Instagram highlights, as they give fans easy access to important updates.

Clairo

Clairo's Instagram offers a balance between personal and promotional contents, which offers a glimpse into her life. While much of her feed includes promotional posts, such as merchandise and tour dates, her casual and conversational captions create a sense of authenticity and approachability. Alongside these, she shares personal moments, including selfies, polaroid photos, sunsets, and videos of her playing instruments or spending time with her dog. She even includes images of her fans, which fosters a sense of community and appreciation. Captions like “tour starts next week” keep her audience informed while adding a personal, friendly tone that strengthens her connection with fans.

Although Clairo doesn’t frequently engage directly in comment sections, she uses Instagram stories to share updates and personal moments, allowing fans to interact by reacting to these stories or participating in polls and Q&A sessions when she includes them. This provides an alternative way for her fans to feel connected to her. Fans also engage with one another in her comment sections, while fan accounts and hashtags dedicated to her allow for further interaction. These platforms provide spaces for fans to repost content and share updates related to Clairo, strengthening the sense of community within her fans.

Clairo’s promotional strategy includes creating excitement and anticipation. For example, on 11 January 2024, she teased her upcoming album with a post captioned “maybe this year,” which sparks speculation among her fans. She also announces music releases, such as lead singles, through her page, which provides fans with immediate access to her new music. Furthermore, her album 'Charm' received a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, which further highlights her achievements on multiple platforms.

I like how she balances promotional and personal content, as it keeps her feed dynamic and engaging for her audience.

DEVELOPMENT

Branding Research

 This blog post, written by Jasmine, details ..

Classwork : Multi-cam Editing

This blogpost details the work I did on how to edit with multiple cameras. My group and I filmed the footage from different camera angles but, I edited the clips alone. My teacher provided a template for the blog post.

What is Multicam Editing?
Multicam editing is the process of editing footage of a single scene or subject recorded from different cameras and angles. Showing the same scene or subject from different angles helps make the video more dynamic and visually captivating for your audience.

Shooting
Our subject , a classmate, stood in the centre of the room and did a short performance. My group stood around the subject to record the performance from different angles. You can also see members from other groups because we did this lesson as a class. To make it easier to synchronise our cameras, the teacher clapped at the start of the scene. This allowed us to line up the video in the editing process and ensure that the transitions would be smooth. Without this simple action it would have taken a lot longer to sync the videos.

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGES  ↓

Here are the different camera angles from me and my group members :

1. My POV

2. Rachelle's POV

3. Jasmine's POV

EDITING PROCESS :

Firstly, we (my team and I) decided to compile all our video clips and upload them to Google Drive to preserve their quality.

I then uploaded the clips into an editing app called CapCut and layered the videos together. To synchronize the clips, I find the 'clap' marker on the audioas a reference point and aligned the video files accordingly. Once everything was lined up, I trimmed the clips where I want the edit to happen. I then lowered the opacity of the clips that I don't want to use to keep them accessible for future adjustments if needed.

After that, I muted all the clips except for the one I intended to use. In this case, I kept the audio from the clip I had recorded.

Lastly, to enhance the overall mood of the video, I chose to use the song 'QXThr' by Aphex Twin as the background music. I adjusted the volume of the original clip to ensure it didn’t overpower the background track. This technique helps to create a balanced and cohesive final edit.

Here is my final edited video :

Reflection : Although for fun, I've edited multiple videos before. As a result, I didn't find this project particularly challenging, aside from feeling rushed during the process due to the slow internet connection. Uploading the videos to the shared Google Drive folder took longer than expected, and downloading the clips added to the delay. One new technique I learned during this process was the 'opacity technique,' which my teacher introduced. Previously, I would simply delete unused clips, but lowering their opacity allowed me to revisit and reuse portions of those clips for the final edit. This method proved extremely helpful and is something I plan to incorporate into the final project. The thing I find most challenging in this project was the time limit. I usually like to curate my work meticulously to ensure it looks as presentable as possible. Hence, the first thing that came to my mind was to make it perfect (e.g., adjusting lighting to match across clips or enhance the video quality after exporting). Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to make these adjustments since we were required to upload the video during the lesson. Additionally, while the opacity technique was useful, the sheer number of cuts and clips became overwhelming at times. It was difficult to keep track of which clips were fully visible and which had their opacity lowered, as this wasn’t immediately apparent in CapCut unless I clicked on the opacity settings. If we were given more time, I would've explored alternative techniques to simplify this process. Therefore, moving forward, I’ll try to research more efficient editing methods.