CCR Blog

 Name: _Michael Smith_____________________

 

Creative Critical Reflection

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

Our product and commercial challenges conventions because it takes how masks are usually represented in media, especially commercials, and flips it on its head. Other mask commercials often use a heavy-bearing and sullen way of advertising masks. They often take the situations of those less fortunate, for example, those more susceptible to contracting and suffering health damages from illnesses, and using it as a means of ethos against the viewer. Our commercial represent the current coronavirus issue and makes wearing a mask more fun, lighthearted, and fashionable. Portraying wearing masks this way gives people two reasons to wear a mask during this pandemic; it saves lives, and it can be a new fashion accessory.
2. How does your product engage with audiences AND how would it be distributed as a real media text?

My product engages the audience with a fun and modern vibe and portrayal that everyone can get behind. Many are turned away from masks commercials because they are so emotionally intense and draining. In addition, masks are rarely advertised as a fashion accessory but rather as something that everyone should wear to prevent the spread of disease. While that is true, having another reason to wear masks would only bolster the number of people who would wear them. This new reason is why my commercial is engaging to the audience. In terms of media text distribution, magazines would be the most fitting medium. This is because magazines, more specifically fashion ones, are known for spreading the news about the most recent trends, our product could be one of them.

 

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

                             Beforehand, I had never tried my hand at production before,

so, my production skills got their first real test throughout this project. A valuable production skill I picked up on was to plan everything that you need to do throughout the day; this was the only reason why my commercial got done on time. Having a plan will result in less room for error, and rushing, so the overall product will come out better. I also gained confidence as I knew everything that I needed to do that day. In addition, I was able to get used to the editing process. Communication was also an essential skill throughout this production. Planning everything out is one thing, but communicating those details is what’s vital. This applies to plans, storyboarding, setting, the type of shot, and what is occurring in the shot.

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

First, I started with a simple laptop and search engine. I used this search engine to research mask commercials and their common themes and trends. After that, I looked into different types of camera angles, movements, and the mis en scenes that could be used throughout our commercial. When it came to filming the commercial, an iPhone 11 was used for every scene. When filming was said and done, I decided that I would use iMovie to edit the commercial, iMovie has several functions and features that were used throughout the commercial, most notably transitions and the slow/speed feature. Transitions, such as fade in and jump cut, were used between every clip, and on the clips that were too slow or fast, the slow/speed feature was used to get it to the right timing.