Evaluating the effectiveness of methods and tools that I used:
Primary Methods:
Survey: The survey proved very effective in determining specific locations to film. It also proved a large help in gaining necessary information on the events people like to attend or what they like to do in the city of Sheffield. Surveys were very quick and easy to complete, leading to a sufficient amount of information gained in preparation for our promotional video. I believe the choice to use surveys was an appropriate one as it provided for relevant and increased information during the preparation stage of the video.
Weather Forecast: The weather forecast determined the perfect place to film at the perfect time. This not only aided the original aesthetics of the shot, but it also helped during post production. For example, the shots of the white sky behind the building provided for a great pan up dip to white transition that led to another clip. This provided for a smooth transition and flow within the video. Another way the forecast helped is how we could avoid the worst weather, therefore helping take care of the equipment.
Success of Research:
What Went Well: I believe that both of the primary and secondary research methods were very successful as they gained the necessary information for research. Obtaining a graph of results after the survey made it easier to gain the general opinions of the people who took the survey. This saved time and made the information very clear.
What Didn’t Go Well: Some of the research was unreliable. The weather forecast was slightly incorrect as we had to avoid a small period of rain. I do also believe that the survey was not open to a sufficient amount of people and the results could not be reliable due to the lack of opinions gained.
Secondary Research:
Existing Videos: Analyzing existing videos proved a large help in post production as it gave me ideas on what to include, i.e. transitions, music, video effects. Learning new ways to add diversity and how to generally improve the video made it easier to create the ideal promotional video. To gain the sufficient amount of information required me to research a range of promotional videos to create a mashup of my favourite edits and transitions to include. I believe that deciding to research existing videos was a good idea as it made it possible to physically see a vision of how i would like my promotional video to come out. Conduction research and gaining ideas from other videos was more practical than reading either a book or a newspaper as I could witness and listen to the video itself, creating thoughts on my own project. Existing videos also show what not to put in. Knowing what and what not to film made it easier and quicker to film.
The point of conducting all this research… was to gain information on everything about my own video, from what to include, tips on post production, choices of music, choices of locations to film and what the public would like to see.
What was the point of:
Surveys – To gain quantitative data to see the statistical side of the public view
Weather Forecast – Gain information on location and time of recording
Existing Films – Physically witness ideas to mix and match.
What ideas did the methods give me:
Surveys – What people want to see and what they prefer
Weather Forecast – How to use the weather in our advantage for a better looking video
Existing Films – A large range of shot, transition and effect ideas
Would I use the same methods again next time?
I would definitely use the same methods as it was extremely quick and easy to gain the information needed. I believe however that other research methods would be useful if the situation differs (a different style of video may require different research methods)
Corey Barnsley - Film and TV 
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