Evaluation Question 3

3) What have you learned from your audience feedback?

In order to advance in the development of my product I used asked people for feedback on a draft version of my video. I also showed them my ancillary texts and asked for feedback on these as I feel they are an integral part of my product.  In order to get some useful feedback I came up with a series of questions that I felt covered appropriate areas of my product that I felt I could develop.

1). How effective do you think the use of the three mise-en-scenes is?

2). How effective do you think the combination of the ancillary texts and the main product is and do you think the link between the two is obvious.

3). Do you think the visual effects are effective in displaying generic psychedelic conventions

4). Did you understand the basic narrative structure?

5). Did you think the theme of the video suited the song?  

For question one I received only positive feedback in relation to my mise-en-scene. The general consensus was that the location of the busy street was effective in displaying the actor’s performance, especially in the fast reverse scene where the performer stands still whilst the public walk by. The feedback also taught me that the location of the bedroom was very effective for showing the lip syncing performance side of the video and that the wood mise-en-scene helped to reflect the lyrics of the song. One of my interviewees also mentioned that the constant use of the same costume throughout the text was good for the continuity of the product, inferring that this use of a music video convention made the product seem more professional. This positive feedback helped me learn that my use of mise-en-scene was as effective as I thought, so I continued using the same 3 locations in the construction of my product.

In relation to question two, I received mixed feedback about my ancillary texts. Whilst all my interviewees understood the links between the ancillary products and the main video such as the way the image of the clock ties in with the theme of time going backwards and the use of stills from the video for images on the ancillary product promotes continuity and synergy, however one of my interviewees felt that the main image of the digipak was not as effective as it could be; suggesting an image of my actor with the public walking around him in the street may have been more effective. I can understand this suggestion as the standing shot from my video where the public walk past my actor in fast reverse is probably the most striking and standout shot of the video, however I felt this drawing helped fit in with the psychedelic convention of the hand drawn art aesthetic.   

I received all positive feedback in relation to question three of my feedback. All the interviewees agreed that the product was effective in its use of effects in displaying generic psychedelic conventions. The feedback told me that the swirl effects and bright colour washes were the particularly effective edits in conveying these cliche conventions. I therefore used this feedback to make sure I continued using these particular effects throughout my editing process. This feedback was particularly influential on the collage of colour washes I used on the second to last shot in my final video.

I received mixed feedback in relation to question four about the narrative structure. Two of my interviewees said that the narrative structure was easily understandable whereas one said it was not and that there was no clear story. I think this is probably because there isn’t much narrative within the video which is mostly abstract in nature.  However when I showed my audience this draft, the end part of my video was not finished which helps to tie what narrative structure there is together. This feedback therefor helped me as I used the fact someone hadn't understood the narrative elements to make sure they were made obvious in the end part of the video with the re-introduction of the girl character.

For my final question I received quite simple positive feedback from all my interviewees in relation to the theme of the video suiting the song. . The only particular comment I got was that the theme of the video especially fits the lyrics. This feedback helped me continue with the production of my product as it let me know that my main idea was as effective as I thought it would be.

In conclusion I felt that this use of audience feedback did help me in some ways as I had not fully finished the editing process of my video when I showed this audience my product. It therefore helped me with the final stages of my video, especially in making sure the girl character had a bigger role in the last part of the video to make sure the narrative elements of the video were made clear. However much of the feedback was positive and simply agreed with what I was already doing so this, while not particularly constructive, encouraged me to finish the video the way I had planned and not make any big changes. My audience feedback was therefore fairly helpful in the construction of my final product, but only particularly effected how I used more shots of the girl in the ending sequence.