Communication & Organizations

This blog post shows the communication and organisation process of our group’s project (Component 3) This blog post was made by Kimora

During the pre-production and production process of our music video project, we required a significant amount of planning, communication and organisation to ensure the filming and post-production process ran smoothly. Below I (Kimora) will discuss the methods of communication and organisation we used as a team and evaluate how they helped us during the whole project.  

• WhatsApp

We used WhatsApp as our main method of communication throughout the whole project and it played a crucial role in ensuring the project ran smoothly, without it, it would have been difficult to manage many other parts of the project. Below shows the different ways WhatsApp was used during our music video project along with evidence.

Firstly, WhatsApp was a key tool for brainstorming and sharing ideas during the production process. Through our groupchat, we shared our ideas, suggested improvements and built on each other’s ideas, which helped build a developed vision for our music video. We often used polls to gather opinions efficiently and make decisions as a group.

WhatsApp was also used to share important files and resources we needed during the production process, such as links to documents, Google Drive folders and PDFs. This allowed all of us to have access to the materials such as the storyboard, classwork or photo and video folders. Adding these links and files into the group also reduced the chances of us losing them as everyone has access to the same materials in one place, making it easier to stay organised and refer back to any important information when needed. 

 

Lastly, WhatsApp was used to coordinate the filming process such as by organising locations, dates and times. This helped us ensure that all members were informed and are available to film during that time. This helped filming become more efficient and reduce confusions or misunderstandings during the filming day. It also allowed for quick communication of any last minute changes. As a result, it helped us made the filming process structured and run smoothly.

From our experience of using WhatsApp as our main method of communication, there were several advantages and disadvantages: 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Allowed quick and instant communication between all group members	Messages could be missed or ignored if not checked regularly
Made it easy to organise filming	Miscommunication could happen
Helped keep everything in one place, reducing the risks of losing materials

Overall, WhatsApp played a crucial role in communication and organisation throughout our project. It allowed ideas to be shared, filming to be planned efficiently, and important files to be easily accessed, making the overall process more structured and collaborative. While there were some minor limitations, such as delayed responses or overlooked messages, the advantages outweighed the disadvantages.

• Google Docs

Google Docs was used as a key tool for writing and organising blog posts, such as the statement of intent, filming schedule and research blog posts. Through Google Docs, we were able to collaborate as all group members could access and edit the document at the same time, making the process more efficient. This allowed us to share and improve our ideas together and work could be completed quicker.

During the post-production process, we had to work on a few extra blog posts, therefore we created a shared document compiling these extra blog posts. The document included different tabs consisting of the different tasks we had to make. This made it easier for all of us to access each file. This helped keep our work organised and reduced confusion.

From our experience of using Google Docs, there were several advantages and disadvantages: 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Allowed real time collaboration between group members	Requires internet connection
Allowed sharing of ideas and feedback easily	Changes could be made without others noticing immediately
Helped keep work organised in one place

• Google Drive

Google Drive was used to compile all the photos and videos taken during the filming process, which would later be used for the music video as well as the Instagram page and the Digipak. All members had access to the folder, allowing us to be able to view and upload photos and videos taken from each device. The folder is sectioned based on the different locations we filmed in, which made it easier to find specific photos or videos when needed. This helped save time and reduce confusion, as all the files organised and sorted out.

From our experience of using Google Docs, there were several advantages and disadvantages: 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Easy access for all group members	Uploading large files could take time
Allowed all photos and video to be stored in one place	Files could be accidentally deleted or misplaced
Made it easier to organise files by location

• Pinterest

We also used Pinterest, which is a platform used to collect and organise visual ideas, to create a shared board where we collected photo inspirations for our music video and moodboard. This shared board allowed all group members to access the board individually and add ideas to the board. This made it easier to visualise the overall aesthetic of the music video and ensure that we all are on the same page and have the same idea. As a result, it helped us keep the vibe consistent as we can always look back at our Pinterest inspiration board.

We organised the board into four sections; scenes, locations and fashion for both the male and female actors, while also including a general section below it to represent the overall vibe and mood of the music video. We created sections to organise our ideas clearly and make it easier for us to find specific inspirations when needed.

From our experience of using Pinterest, there were several advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages	Disadvantages
Helped visualise the overall aesthetic of the music video	Too many ideas could make decision making harder
Collaboration made it easier as everyone could add their own ideas	Risk of copying ideas instead of being original
Sections helped organise ideas clearly

• Notes App

We also used the Notes app to brainstorm and organise ideas. It was used to create to-do lists or checklists, which helped us keep track of the tasks that were needed to be completed throughout the production process. Other than that, it was useful for planning our Instagram content, such as brainstorming post ideas and layouts. Overall, this helped us stay organised and ensured that nothing was forgotten, making the overall production process more efficient.

From our experience of using the Notes app, there were several advantages and disadvantages: 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Accessible anytime on our personal device	Is not the most efficient for collaboration as we cannot edit at the same time as others
Easy and quick for brainstorming ideas	Limited features compared to other apps
Helpful for creating to-do lists and checklists

• Instagram 

I (Kimora) also used the saved feature on Instagram to collect inspiration from existing artists’ posts. I saved relevant posts into a folder to help develop ideas for our artist’s Instagram feed. I then further organised these into a more structured mock-up by creating another saved folder, which made it easier to visualise how our own Instagram page would look like. This helped us develop a clearer and more consistent style and it ensured that our artist’s branding was well planned and suitable for their target audience.

From my (Kimora) experience of using the Instagram Saved feature, there were several advantages and disadvantages: 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Easy to save and collect inspiration from real existing artists	Some artists have taken down their posts leading to some saved posts disappearing in the saved folder
Allows visual planning of Instagram content
Helps develop the artist’s image / branding ideas

• Physical Organisation

Lastly, we used physical organisation methods such as paper-based brainstorming, which was usually done in class. This allowed us to quickly write down ideas or initial plans for our music video. This helped us develop our concepts more clearly and contributed to the early planning stages of the production process.

From our experience of using the Physical organisation, there were several advantages and disadvantages: 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Quick and easy way to brainstorm ideas	Can be easily lost or damaged
	Can become messy or unorganised

Reflection: I found that strong communication and effective organisation were critical in ensuring that our production ran smoothly and efficiently. Through clear communication using WhatsApp, we were able to coordinate effectively as a team. We used it to share updates and ensure that decisions were made collaboratively with everyone’s input. As a result, we were able to complete all scenes on time.

Additionally, we organised our photos and videos in a shared Google Drive, which allowed us to manage multiple scenes simultaneously. This made it easier to locate specific clips and significantly improved the efficiency of the editing process.

To organise our footage more effectively, I purchased a clapperboard. This method allowed me to quickly identify the correct clips without having to review every piece of footage, making the editing process more efficient and less time-consuming. However, I bought it late and it only arrived towards the end of the shoot, limiting its use. Furthermore, I was unsure whether it could be written on, so we attempted to use a whiteboard marker, which did not work as expected. Hence, we had to improvise by using hand signals to indicate which take it was. This made me realise the importance of preparing and testing equipment in advance to avoid disruptions during production which can greatly reduce our time.

 Even though Kimora was responsible for creating the blog, I actively participated in group discussions and listed all our ideas on paper. This helped to organise our ideas more clearly, making communication more effective and ensuring that team discussions were more structured and easier for everyone to understand. This ensured that everyone had a shared understanding of the footage and how it would be used, which improved our overall teamwork. 

Through this experience, I learned that working together as a team and brainstorming ideas were important, but being able to organise those ideas was equally essential in developing the overall concept of the project.