Media: Advanced Portfolio: 6184

Name : Jess Leach
Candidate : 6184
Centre Number : 16607

Link to SHSG Central Hub

http://centralhubsouthendhigh.blogspot.co.uk/

Link to my AS Foundation Portfolio

http://6184-jessleach.blogspot.co.uk/

Introduction

My chosen brief for this portfolio is a promotion package for a new feature-length documentary, to include a 2 minute trailer, together with two ancillary options:

• a film magazine front cover, featuring the film
• a poster for the film

PRODUCT: My Final Documentary Magazine Cover

PRODUCT: My Final Documentary Poster

EVALUATION: 1) In which ways does your media product use, develop or challenge the codes and conventions of real media products?

EVALUATION: 2) How effective is the combination of my main product and ancillary texts?

EVALUATION: 3) Media Technologies

EVALUATION: 4) What have I learned from my audience feedback?

LOG: Evaluation Questions

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real

media products?

2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Analysis of my products

LOG: Screenshots of Progress

Using different blending options to create the best effect for my titles

Use of a quote to grab the attention of my target audience

LOG: Screenshots of Progress

RESEARCH: Audience Feedback for my Trailer

RESEARCH: Time Warp questionnaire

RESEARCH: Textual Analysis of a Documentary Poster

This is a documentary poster, advertising 'Man On Wire. It was created in 2008, directed by james Marsh and won an Oscar for best British Documentary Film.  The use of a whole image as a background for the poster is effective, as it has an impact on the audience- they are instantly intrigued by what the poster is about. The image itself is a narrative image; the content of the documentary is clear by looking at the image, it is obviously about a man's crazy mission to cross a very high tightrope. The use of colour in the image is good, as it changes the further down the audience looks, making the image more interesting as the audience reads. The text and subtitles are interesting as they are very simple, with a mainstream font and simple black colouring. This has the effect of contrasting the plot of the documentary, which is about an amazing feat, the poster is subtle and intriguing, causing the audience to wander what the documentary is about. The use of the quote as a sub-title under the main text is effective in highlighting the epicness of the documentary and what it is about, as the single word 'Exhilarating,' is a powerful indirect form of address to the audience- it does not directly relay the storyline to the viewer, but it gives an indication. 

The main text uses a simple, easily read font and capital letters. This makes an impact; the viewer is persuaded that this is an important documentary. 

LOG: Screenshots of Progress

This image shows my Documentary Magazine in progress ^^

I have experimented with various layer styles for my text, including shadows, glows and overlays ^^

LOG: Screenshots of Progress

PLANNING: Weekend Filming

This weekend:
- Interview with 'the people of Southend' about how they perceive their history
- ECU of hand and map of Southend
- CU's of old images/maps

PLANNING: Voiceover Script

Voiceover Script:

What can the history of a town do for its community?

With so much to explore, this is a town rich in historical value, providing us with the perfect opportunity to explore just how much the people of Southend feel their history contributes to society and on what level?

This investigation will take us into the very heart of Southend and its locality and discover what its magnificent, centuries-old buildings have to offer.

LOG: Screenshots of Progress

RESEARCH: Textual Analysis of a Trailer

This documentary trailer is similar to the kind of product I want to create, especially as it is of a similar genre. It is slightly shorter than the two minute trailer I will create, but it has several conventions which I could use in my own work:

The use of still images, in particular, historically related images, will reinforce the genre of the trailer as historical. This image also fits in with what the voiceover is saying; introducing the theme of the trailer to be King Arthur. The use of a zoom shot on this still image also had the effect of unravelling the mystery of King Arthur, as the title of the documentary is 'King Arthur's Round Table Revealed'. The zoom out reveals more of the image, thereby creating the effect of making it clearer to the audience the relevance of the documentary itself.


The titles on the screen to reveal the name and profession of the interviewee help to establish authority within the topic. This provides more information for the audience and makes the trailer more educationally based. This shot, being a head and shoulders shot, has also been framed with a bookshelf behind, which creates the impression of this being an educated and well-informed documentary. The head and shoulders shot provides a close enough image to see any emotion on the interviewee's face, but also provides the audience with a background image to look at.


  The use of close-ups and cutaways are also something which I will use n my trailer, as they provide background information, and they provide the audience with an insight into what is going on while the narration is going on. I particularly like this shot as it shows the interviewee using a map to pinpoint locations for the documentary, and I hope to replicate this shot using a map of Southend and the local vicinity to establish the location of my product.



The audio over the trailer is very dramatic and intense to make the audience interested. When there is narration or a voiceover from the interviewee, the soundtrack is reduced, but still evident to back up the words spoken.                  

RESEARCH: Analysis of a Documentary Poster

RESEARCH: Moodboard

RESEARCH: Institutional Context

PLANNING: Shot List

PLANNING: RE: Examiner's Report

Having read the examiner's report from last year, I can now conclude that there are several things I must do:

• Update my blog after every lesson, and in between lessons for homework
• Upload more evidence of planning for my final product (i.e. storyboards/screenshots)
• Involve more people in my trailer
• Do some more filming
• Ensure precise information/detail when researching ancillary tasks
• Research target audiences in more depth
• Ensure the pacing of my trailer to be right for the genre

PLANNING: Time Warp: Mock-up Trailer

PLANNING: Focus Group Survey

Below is the Focus Group Survey I have created to gather information about my group.

Name:

___________________

Age:

____

Education/Career:

_____________________________________

Favourite Documentary/ies:

_____________________________________

How often do you watch documentaries? Please indicate your answer below

At least once a week      Once a week      Twice a month  Once a month   Less       Never

What are the most common channels you watch when watching a documentary?

BBC1      BBC3      Channel 4            Five        Sky Channel (or similar)                 Other: (please specify) ________________________________________________________________

What is/are your favourite genre/s of TV?

Comedy               Crime                    Soap                      Drama                   Documentary                    Other: (please specify) ________________________________________________________________

               

What is your favourite documentary genre?

__________________________________________

Have you ever bought a documentary on DVD/Online?

___________________________________________

What do you like about documentaries?

_____________________________________________________________________________

What do you not like about documentaries?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thank-you for taking part in this questionnaire and focus group.       

PLANNING: 25 word treatment

Mystifying. Compelling. Significant? Three words to describe some of the most interesting historical sites in the county. What does it mean to you?

PLANNING/RESEARCH: Codes and Conventions of Expository Documentary

• Voiceover
• Real footage
• Realism (sound and lighting)
• Archive stills/footage
• Interviews with the public/experts
• Non-diegetic sound
• Text/Titles (i.e. the name of an expert appearing in front of them)

PLANNING: Focus Group Profiles

Name: Nikki Acquah
Age: 17
Education: SHSG, SHSG Sixth Form
Favourite Documentary: Bowling for Columbine
How often watches documentaries: Twice a month
Most common channels for watching documentaries: BBC3
Favourite genres of TV: Crime
Favourite genres of documentaries: Crime
Ever bought/downloaded a documentary online: No
What do you like about documentaries: They are very informative
What do you dislike about documentaries: When they are long and boring and about topics I don't like. Also when the camera work is limited




Name: Harriet Delahoy
Age: 17
Education: SHSG, SHSB Sixth Form
Favourite Documentary: Our War
How often watches documentaries:Twice a month
Most common channels for watching documentaries: BBC3
Favourite genres of TV:Comedy/ Crime
Favourite genres of documentaries:Medical
Ever bought/downloaded a documentary online: Yes
What do you like about documentaries: Provide new and interesting information
What do you dislike about documentaries:Can be dull, or too much information

Name: Ben Leach
Age: 20
Education: SHSB, SHSB Sixth Form, Oxford University
Favourite Documentary: Human Planet/ Heart and Soul
How often watches documentaries:Twice a month
Most common channels for watching documentaries: BBC1
Favourite genres of TV: Comedy
Favourite genres of documentaries: Nature/Science
Ever bought/downloaded a documentary online: No
What do you like about documentaries: Educational Value
What do you dislike about documentaries: That no documentary is free of bias - they're all written with an opinion in mind.



Name: Pat/Don Burt
Age: 68
Career: Retired (previously Primary School Teacher/ Civil Servant)
Favourite Documentary:
How often watches documentaries:
Most common channels for watching documentaries:
Favourite genres of TV:
Favourite genres of documentaries:

RESEARCH: A useful documentary

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00jlzrx

Her is a link to a clip from a documentary about the history of Pembrokeshire

RESEARCH: Some very key points to remember:

'Listen carefully to first criticisms of your work. Note just what it is about your work the critics don't like, then cultivate it. Thats the part of your work thats individual and worth keeping' Jean Cocteau

Jacques Thelamaque has said that all filmmakers have passion, focus, commitment and resiliency. and talent. 

Vogler's theory about storytelling:
1. Introduce main character, set the scene 

2. Give them a problem, obstacle, obsession or addiction. 

3. Let the character work out a plan to overcome the problem. 

4. Have a moment of doubt before they set out, they may have encouragement from a mentor figure. 

5. With a new resolve (and sometimes a magical gift e.g., Ruby Slippers or James Bond's gadgets) they set off 

6. Next comes extreme opposition, a battle. 

7. They appear to be failing but with a superhuman effort, recover themselves. 

8. They win the final battle, they return to their natural self, wiser, stronger, cured and with a renewed self awareness.

RESEARCH: Some documentary trailers which I find inspiring

PLANNING: Evaluation Questions to consider

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge
 forms and conventions of real

media products?

2. How effective is the combination of your main product
 and ancillary texts?

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

4. How did you use media technologies in the construction
 and research, planning and evaluation stages?

RESEARCH: Textual Analysis of King Arthur Documentary

This shot of a still image of King Arthur highlights to the viewer the genre of the documentary, as it is only in a historical documentary that old-fashioned still images are used. A slight zoom is used on this shot with moving coloured shapes in the background which is meant to be fire, which highlights the character of the historical figure in question. This technique creates a subliminal effect on the viewer, which collaborates with the narration that King Arthur was a powerful figure.

The use of the 'fade' editing technique is also typical of historical documentaries, as it is quite slow paced which suggests the slow progression through history. This fade effect also collaborates with the narration which reaches a climax, as the words 'King Arthur' are said in a slow, meaningful way and the shot fades to a battle scene which highlights Arthur's importance as a historic war leader.

This head-and-shoulder shot is classic for interviews. It is a close enough shot for the viewer to see the emotion of the interviewee, and is far back enough for the audience to get some idea about who the interviewee is. In this case for instance, the man is very interested and passionate about King Arthur, but the shot shows his white robes and headdress, showing he is more of a fanatic than an intellectual. I intend to do a wider shot than this for my interview as I want to show the background of the interviewee, which is a historic roundhouse, which will enhance the topic of the interview and make it more relatable to the viewers.

This shot shows captions which inform the viewer of the identity of the interviewee, in this case a professional with a history of learning about King Arthur. This both assures the audience and informs them of the people within the world of researching King arthur. The captions are typically at the bottom of the shot which allows a mid shot of the interviewee to show the person and the surroundings.

 This is an establishing shot which is used in documentaries to set the scene. I will use them frequently in my documentary as I move to different historical locations throughout Southend. This shot precedes an insert shot which further informs the viewer of the situation. This shot, in particular,shows a selection of landscape and people, and the mise-en-scene is also used to create a historical ambience, such as the period dress and instruments.

This is two-shot showing two Roman soldiers outside a door. This shot is useful for a historical documentary as it displays authentic costume of the Roman era, and so sets the scene for the viewer, which in turn, assists the narration in educating the viewer about the period. The shot is well-framed, as the rule of thirds has been used to align the soldiers, and therefore has a more intimate effect on the audience.

LOG: Rayleigh Roundhouse

The majority of my filming so far has been of Rayleigh Roundhouse, and although originally my documentary was going to be about a selection of historic buildings, I am hoping to mainly focus on the roundhouse, with just a few other locations at the beginning as part of the introduction. I have also decided to use a separately recorded voiceover, with little if any actual appearance form the narrator, as I want this documentary to be educational and informative, and therefore I want as little human/emotional reaction as possible from the audience.

LOG: My documentary

I have decided to create a 5 minute extract from an expository documentary, as having seen several historical documentaries, I have come to the conclusion that this is the best form for my documentary to take. This is because my documentary will be made to inform the viewer of the historical buildings and locations in the local area, and to emphasise their importance in our culture. By using expository, I will also be able to use a technique used in historical documentaries which is to have a voiceover narrate over a still image from the past. This has the effect of educating the audience by showing them an actual image from the past while explaining it or describing it in the voiceover. This technique has been very successful in other documentaries, such as the one shown in a previous post on this blog.

RESEARCH: Moodboard

Historic Southend: Moodboard on Prezi

This moodboard shows some of the possible filming locations I could use for my documentary

RESEARCH: Documentary Research

 This is the sort of documentary I wish to create, as the genre of history is the same as what I want for my documentary on the historical buildings in Southend.

This screenshot shows the use of filming a still image with a voiceover, with a fade/dissolve into the next shot.

LOG: An expansion

USP: Unique Selling Point

RESEARCH: Genres of Documentary

Modes of Documentary:
Nichols (critic 1991) identified 5 modes of documentary
1) Expository

• Voiceover
• Aim to inform
• Develops argument
• used in TV

2) Observational

• Fly on the wall
• Shows the world as it is
• Long takes, hand-held camera
• Filmaker- invisible

3) Participatory

• Filmmaker is foregrounded
• Made from filmmakers POV
• FM is central character
• Handheld camera, informal interviews

4) Reflexive

• Representational and manipulative

5) Performative

• Challenges idea of documentary truth
• Some scenes set up
• e.g. TOWIE

Ethics: 

• Intrusive?
• Voyeuristic?
• The aftermath?
• Privacy?
• Rights?

My documentary will be Expository, as I will be informing my viewers of the historical sites in Southend and how they show the history of the area. I will be using a voiceover as my narrator walks through the sites, to explain where the audience is.

RESEARCH: Documentary: Places of Historical Interest in Castlepoint

• Southend Museum
• Prittlewell Priory
• Southchurch Hall
• Hadleigh Castle
• Rayleigh Windmill
• Rayleigh Roundhouse

LOG/PLANNING: Proposal for Practical Work

Choice of brief: Documentary extract
Genre and brief outline of narrative ideas: 

• Mockumentary, depicting a fictious murder and the process of finding the killer through fake interview process of family members etc
• Documentary of the building process of the new buildings at my mum's school (Prince Avenue)
• Mockumentary of the life of an Oxford student going back to a normal life back home (focused on my brother)

Locations: Southend/Rochford- local, e.g. my house, Mum's workplace, parks, seafront for dramatic/emotional shots

Talent: Friends/Family, e.g. Nikki/Emily/Ben/Harriet

Props:??

LOG: Pirates of the Caribbean Clip: Diverting

RESEARCH: Film Quote

'Film offers experiences that viewers find worthwhile- diverting, provocative, puzzling or rapturous.

But how do films do that?'

Bordwell and Thompson in their book 'Film Art'

PLANNING: Advanced Portfolio

Choice of 3 projects for Advanced Portfolio:

- Film Trailer

- Short Film

- Short Documentary