Post 3 and 3A

Skills Table
As a group we had to create a table with the range of different skills we used when creating our main task and prelim. The video shows us identifying Digital Technology, Research and Planning, Post Production and Conventions within Cognitive Skills, Technical Skills and Interpersonal Skills. As we compared our results as a group we established that the majority of the points linked together successfully and identifying them individually was seen to be harder than we anticipated. As a group we created a table demonstrating the variety of skills we have and can reinforce through our project. After creating the table we recorded over the image with us speaking, emphasising on each point. This enabled us to give examples and reinforces the ways in which we applied them through A S Media Studies.


The video presented above shows us develop upon the points presented and apply to how we reinforced this knowledge within the projects completed during A S studies and previous lessons.

5 "SMART" Targets

Within the next approaching academic year I wish to develop my knowledge furthermore in order for me to create a project to the best of my ability. To do this I have created 5 SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time based) targets.

1. My first, most important target would be to improve my capability to know when there is a jump cut during the filming of our project. To do this I will need to pay specific attention when designing my Technical Reece, as well as this I will need to ensure I check the position of the camera constantly throughout the filming.

2. Post production work plays a vital part in the success of the final project. In order for me to achieve a project to meet the criteria for the task, specific well thought out detail in editing is needed. Within editing I would like to improve my ability to over lap our music to the footage. At the beginning of our Main Task last year I found this extremely difficult. To do this I will need to have more involvement within the technical editing than I did last year.

3. When organising the Pre production work I would like to improve my drawing skills when creating the story boards. To improve this I will need to practice drawing from a variety of shots to enable my storyboards this year to be the best of my capability.

4. During the Main task and Prelim task last year, there was an obvious problem within the interpersonal skills of the group. This year it would benefit us all on a whole if we were to have more structured group discussions with everyone comparing their research, this would be to the advantage of the group as a whole and will allow us to share the variety of skills we have.


5. My final target would be to organise the filming dates more efficiently. Last year we left this too late and didn’t necessarily get the specific dates we hoped for. This gave us the problem that the actors we did use couldn’t make all of the structured dates. Within the Task set this year I would like to organise the dates more successfully. This reinforce the interpersonal skills and ensure that everyone in the group can attend so filming will be completed sooner, giving us more time for the final stage of editing at the end.

20th October 2010
It appears that I am on track, but haven’t yet achieved in meeting my main targets for my main task and post production work. During my own independent study I have been refreshing my memory upon all the post-production work we done last year, as well as practicing my drawing capability of the various shots and shot angles. When it comes to post-production work and the initial filming, I haven’t as of yet been able to meet my targets as we haven’t been designated specific groups nor started our work. I believe that due to my organisation and pre-production work that I will be able to meet all of my targets and plan to complete more.

Post 2 - Creativity

Introduction to the idea of creativity

Throughout this post I will explore the various ideas of "creativity" and how we can adapt our knowledge. Within this post I have shown examples of creativity and how they have adapted my knowledge ..

Consequences
As a class we were given the chance to play the game consequences to reinforce our creative ideas. After creating a bizarre sentence “The lovely dog jumped over the rusty cat” we had to create a picture to demonstrate the sentence. Whilst using Photoshop to create this image we were given the opportunity to be as creative as we could as long as the Photo represented the sentence. This task was harder than anticipated as we had to avoid doing a Photo by stages. When creating this image we had to be imaginative and original.

“The Pen”

The video of the pen enabled me to be creative as we were given no specific task that we had to follow. The only instructions we were left with was to create a 1 minute piece of footage with the involvement of a pen. Within the film our creativity is demonstrated as the idea was original and wasn’t as simple as it easily could have been. After coming up with a specific idea using our interpersonal skills, we took the tine to film the footage and demonstrate our ideas. We were put under pressure to complete the task within a short amount of time, personally I believe if we were given more time we could have been more creative.

Independant Study

To adapt our knowledge we were set the task to create something imaginative using "creativity". Within this task we could produce what ever we wanted as long as we followed the appropriate conventions of being creative. Throughout my work I was significantly dedicated and enjoyed the task. By using a variety of resources this enabled me to be imaginative and original. I stuck each individual letter onto A4 card and then took a photograph of it to upload it onto my blogger.

Definitions of "creativity"
Web definition from Wikipedia
Creative thought is a mental process involving creative problem solving and the discovery of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the existing ideas of concepts, fueled by the process of either conscious of unconscious insight. From a scientific point of view, the products of creative thought are usually considered to have both originality and appropriateness.
Wikipedia Creativity

What is creativity? BY Linda Naiman
Linda Naiman said that she defines creativity as the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing. Innovation is the production or implementation of an idea. If you have ideas, but don't act on them, you are imaginative but not creative.
Linda Naiman

Pete's Media Blog
The word 'creative' has many meanings- the most democratic meaning would really suggest that any act of making something (even making an idea) might be seen as a creative act. In more elitist versions of the term, it is reserved for those who are seen as highly skilled or original (famous artists, musicians, film-makers etc). An interesting third alternative is to think about how creativity can be an unconscious, random or collaborative act that becomes more than the sum of its parts.
Petes Mediablog

After researching into a variety of online definitions of “creativity” I created my own to help encourage my understanding of the word and its meaning. Within the process of making my own definition I found I agreed with the majority of Linda Naiman’s studies. Within her work she emphasises on the fact that creativity originates from is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality.

My own definition of “creativity”
Part of my own definition of “creativity” is agreeing with Linda Naiman’s points reinforcing the ideas that creativity involves the two processes: both thinking and then producing. Arguably Pete’s Mediablog is also true as it encourages the idea that being creative suggests the act of making something. Wikipedia focuses more on the problem side of the work and that you are imaginative, but not creative. I also have comprehended through other independent research that creativity is formed when developing imaginative ideas and can be reinforced through different techniques within the Media. 

My final comments on "creativity" ..
After all of the knowledge and lessons focussing on different skills to support our creative ideas, it is clear that these ideas will be very important throughout my A2 Media Work. Within my awareness of creativity it has enabled me to be a lot more imaginative when posting various blogs for this specific course work. I have been noticeably more visual and "creative". Such examples include instead of just writing out my class notes I have made different mind maps with my ideas and photographed them and published them to blogger that way. This is shown in coming posts, with this in mind it has benefited my way of learning as well as being creative. Within completing the “creativity activity” there was noticeably a serious of restrictions that we had to deal with. Within our school lied various limits and boundaries, I didn’t necessarily have enough resources that I would have preferred and couldn’t be equipped for the most ideal of activities. Adding to this, I personally had a restriction within the fact I am not as creative in the way I think compared to other, more artistic, students. Preferably I would like to have performed a musical piece or take a series of photographs, but I was restricted by both time and my ability as a student. When doing this activity, different people’s abilities and creative minds were brought together and as a class we presented our ideas in a variety of ways. My new awareness of creativity has given me a broader imagination for determining the basic plot of my short film ideas and script. Due to watching a variety of short films, being creative in the sense that I strained my initial favourite genres, I have elaborated upon a point I never thought I would.

Post 1- Defining Skills

We need to define “skills” so we have an understanding of what skills we have and the skills we need to develop. We then need to apply this knowledge for the exams.

Web definitions of "skills" 
"A skill is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills." Wikipedia definition of "skills"

"The ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude. Etc, to do something well." Dictionary Reference of "skills"

"Proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed through training or experience." Answers definition of "skills"

My definition of "skills"
"Skills” is knowledge we have gained through experience and teachings. We are able to develop our “skills” through practice."

• Cognitive Skills: Mental skills in acquiring knowledge
• Technical Skills: Editing suite, using a camera
• Interpersonal Skills: How you talk with people, working with others