Summary : Cold Play Video All students knew the song and approx.2/3rds of students had seen the video before. Experience if watching was one of fascination, amazed by picture quality, intimate, personal experience holding screen so close. General held everyone’s attention, but not throughout for everyone. Felt that subject/narrative of piece coupled with pace, panning shots, different angles of shot, special effects all contributed to it being a unique video and holding your attention. One group felt the video got lost within the wide shots - you lose the vastness of the space. The video held interest itself despite being task, which means you concentrate more on watching it. Constantly moving, but at a pace that was fairly slow and manageable on the eye. Design of the iPod, its flatness contributes to a positive viewing experience. Use of reverse, close ups, birds eye view, long/wide shots were really effect. Much of the time all were generally in agreement, where there wasn’t agreement was in relation to the long/wide shots

Summary : Vertigo Music Video Only a few didn’t know the song Approximately half had seen and half not seen the music video before. Overall not a positive experience of viewing on the iPod screen. Largely too much going on, dazzling, limited colours, harsh wanted to move it away from your face. For half the video held their attention although it wasn't easy to watch; quick change of Image meant you had to watch – blink and you would miss something, you were constantly searching for something to focus on. For the other half they felt there was too much going on, too much to see, close up with moving background was difficult, the screen was too small to cope with the content of the video and therefore it didn’t really hold their attention, Those who had seen it on a big screen felt the big screen did the film much greater justice. Some felt sand shots worked other felt it was too bright. Not an overall consensus, however despite the answers to some questions the overall feeling seems to imply that the film was too busy, editing too quick, lack of narrative, which made it difficult to watch on a small screen. Conclusion from one group to both videos was that a narrative kept attention, without that narrative one could look away at any point and not really miss anything.

Dance For Screen : Boy (iPod Video viewing first) Most people hadn’t seen the film before. Initial experiences were polar - that it was dull, plain, boring, or that it was easy to watch and lead you through a story. You could lose focus easily or wonder whether you were missing anything. Although most people said it didn’t hold their attention. For the few whose attention it did hold the change of speed and narrative were contributing factors. For those who weren't enthralled by it the colour palette – (pale) didn’t help, there wasn’t much ‘material’ to keep you watching, and the movement was too pedestrian – overpowered by the sound. Close ups, shots through grass, camera angled from underneath, slow motion and close up to long shots were all positive aspects of the film. Clothing section couldn’t be seen well and the long shots not clear. Overall the colour palette and dance content need careful attention/thought.

Dance for Screen : Boy (Big Screen Viewing 2 nd ) Overall feeling that the film worked better on big screen – more compelling, more background, narrative clearer, noticed more special effects. The majority felt the film held their attention and that being able to see things more clearly, the location, the transitions, the detail, helped this. Again the shots through the grass, perspective shots, the shots underneath when jumping, as well as close ups to see facial expressions all worked well on a bigger screen. Although the aeroplane shot and the boy jumping at the suit weren’t as compelling for some. It was easier to watch on the big screen for all but one group, the other appreciated it more. Felt you were more drawn in, the piece had more depth, meaning & impact on the larger screen. It does transfer well to the iPod and some bits work better on the iPod. Some effects seem washed out on the iPod perhaps due to the drab colour of the sand and overall colour palette. Didn’t seem like dance more like movement.

Dance for Screen : Horseplay (large screen viewing 1 st ) No one had seen the film, general feeling that the film wasn’t a great film although initially it was interesting. Generally it held the viewers attention. The narrative, the playful use of faces, random music and shots, introduction of people throughout kept you watching. Although the dance movement needed to be stronger. Shots that worked really well were those from above and underneath the dancers edited close ups and the interaction between performers. Normal shots didn’t work filming from front on with dance movement in unison and the colour was rather neutral.

Dance for Screen : Horseplay (large screen viewing 2 nd ) Generally it was felt that the film was better on the iPod and held attention more than on the larger screen. It seemed that the personal space of the iPod suited this film, it enabled the film to capture your attention more. However the cheesiness of some parts of the film and the full on front shots didn’t work on the iPod actually worked better on large screen. When the camera followed the dancers, the floor shots, angular shots looked more effective, more impact as the viewing experience was closer. Apart from not noticing the background so much on the iPod everyone thought this film worked better on the iPod. For large screen it needed more and better dance content, on the large screen you could turn away and feel you weren't missing anything, but on the iPod it felt important to keep watching, it was more intensive and capturing.

General observations about discussion that followed. Interesting that both time the version that was viewed second was preferred and I wondered whether this had anything to do with being able to see again and notice things a second time round. The response was that wasn't the case, it was the nature of the content of the films. Overall it seems that for the iPod: How the camera is used/moved is important to the success of the film. The colour palette must be considered. How you use the background is equally important – the film/shots need to have depth, even if you have close up shots, depth behind is effective. Close ups are not necessarily the main choice of shooting. Narrative is a very positive aspect of a compelling film. Dance content is important but doesn’t necessarily transfer well from different screen sizes, you need to look at what you have developed and reassess for different screen size. The personal nature of the iPod screen needs to feature when making decisions. Being drawn into the film to keep your attention, rather than the film moving outwards into the space, the viewer should feel they are moving into the iPod.