Planning

This is a list in which our class created for the possible topics for our subject:



As soon as we chose our subject which is Seven Deadly Sins: Pride we created a spider diagram of things we could include:

Another class activity we took part in was looking at TV scheduling. We used a page out of a TV magazine:

TV Schedule

The scedule for each day can be broken down into clear segments. These are the segments and their target audience:

Breakfast: young children and adults getting ready for work

pre-lunch/morning: babies and women

lunchtime: adults

early pm: adults mainly women

late pm: children and adults

tea time: adults

early evening: adults and young adults (teenagers)

pre watershed: adults and young adults (teenagers)

post watershed: adults

The most popular genres on television:

Breakfast, soaps, news and dramas

The target for each terrestrial channel is as follows:

BBC1: Everyone

BBC2: Specifically adults

ITV1: Specifically adults

Channel 4: Young adults

Channel 5: Everyone

This is roughly the percentage each channel's schedule is taken up with repeats:

BBC1: 5%

BBC2: 60%

ITV1: 2%

Channel 4: 60%

Channel 5: 50%

Formal Proposal
Title:
Seven Deadly Sins: Pride
Topic:
We will be creating a series of seven programmes on each ‘sin’; starting with Pride.
Type of Documentary:
Mixed Documentary
Style of Documentary:
Our style will be entertaining and informative, but informal on the different aspects of Pride.
Channel and scheduling:
Monday at 9pm, on Channel 4
Target Audience:
16 - 25
Primary Research needed:
Interviewees will be Plastic surgeon, Football fans, Debenhams workers at a makeup counter, Debenhams worker will be interviewed at a makeup counter. Other interviewees will be Amanda Hillis, who will be interviewed in her bedroom, at her mirror and Luke in his front room, which will show a contrast between his punk image and his ordinary home.
Secondary Research needed:
Websites on seven deadly sins. ‘Seven’, Books on seven deadly sin, plastic surgery
Narrative Structure:
Non-linear. Closed narrative, single strand
Outline of content:
Chapters showing different ways a person can be proud. Vanity, football fans, nationality, work. With interviews with people who could represent each part of the sin.
Resource Requirements:
Computer, Adobe premiere, Photoshop, Video camera, Tripod, Microphone.

This is the storyboard for our title sequence

1st box: this i a coal fire which will be edited to look much more darker and redder. The title 'Seven Deadly Sins' will fade in to the fire and then fade out. The title will be white and this shot will last 3 seconds.

The next six boxes will contain a black background and in each shot, the name of a 'sin' which will be white, will cross fade in and then cross fade out. Each shot will last one second.

The final shot will still have a black background however, there will be one second of darkness and then the word 'Pride' will cross fade in, however the colour of the word will be red with a slight glow. The size of the font will be much larger than the rest of the previous shots. This shot will last 3 seconds.
Running Order
(Please click to enlarge)





We were unable to interview the Debenhams worker as we were not able to gain permission, therefore we interviewed a salon worker instead. We also altered a few of the cutaways because the answers we received made the origional cutaways inappropriate for example "pan across wall of photos" has been changed to an extreme close up of someone putting lipstick on, simply because the interviewee is discussing makeup, however the majority of our documentary is similar to the running order.

Audience Research

Audience Profile
This is Sasha Jones, she is 21 years old and attends John Moores University studying Sociology and lives at home with her parents. Sasha's hobbies are going to the cinema with friends, bike riding, reading and generally socialising with friends. Sasha currently has a part time job waitressing in a small restaurant in Wallasey. Sasha loves partying, shoes, R&B music and chocolate. She hates spiders, cold weather, heights and being ill.

Our Questionnaire
Are you male or female? (please tick correct bracket)
Male ( ) Female ( )
Please circle your age group
12-16 16-20 20-25 25-30 30+
What is your occupation? (Please state)
_____________________________________________________________
What is your favourite colour? (please state)
_____________________________________________________________
What is your favourite type of music? (Please tick correct bracket)
RnB ( ) Pop ( ) Garage ( ) Hip-Hop ( ) Indie ( )
Other (please state)______________________________________________
What is your favourite song at the moment? (Please state)
_____________________________________________________________
Can you name the 7 Deadly Sins? (Please state)
1.____________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________
4.____________________________________________________________
5.____________________________________________________________
6.____________________________________________________________
7.____________________________________________________________
What Sin best describes you? (Please State)
_____________________________________________________________
Why do you think this? (Please state)
_______________________________________________________
A
Would you ever consider plastic surgery? (Please tick correct bracket)
Yes ( ) No ( )
How often do you wear make up? (Please tick correct bracket)
Never ( ) everyday ( ) weekends only ( ) 1-2 working days a week ( ) 3-5 working days a week ( )
How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? (Please state)
_____________________________________________________________
How much do you spend on beauty cosmetics? (Please specify monthly)
____________________________________________________________
Where would you choose to shop out of these shops? (Please tick correct bracket)
Oxfam ( ) Primark ( ) George ( ) New Look ( ) Topshop/Topman ( ) River Island ( ) Cult ( )
Saints and Sinners ( )
B
What football team do you support? (Please state)_____________________________________________________________
Do you own? (Please tick as many correct brackets as possible)
A football shirt ( ) Football Kit ( ) Season Ticket ( )
Do you have any football related tattoos? (Please tick the correct bracket)
Yes ( ) No ( )
If ‘Yes’ how many? (Please state) _____________________________________________________________
How long have you supported your football team? (Please state) _____________________________________________________________
Would you consider yourself a ‘Football Fanatic’? (Please tick correct Bracket)
Yes ( ) No ( )
C
Do you enjoy your job? (Please tick correct bracket)
Yes ( ) No ( )
Would you like to progress further in your job? (Please tick correct bracket)
Yes ( ) No ( )
How long have you had your current job? (Please tick correct bracket)
Less than a month ( ) 1-3 months ( ) 3-6 months Year ( ) More than a year ( )
If ‘More than a year’ please state how long: ____________________________
D
What do you consider yourself? (Please tick correct bracket)
British ( ) English ( ) Welsh ( ) Scottish Irish ( )
Other, please state: ______________________________________________
Would you consider yourself to be proud of your culture? (Please tick correct bracket)
Yes ( ) No ( )

Findings

What is your gender?
Female: 21 Male: 9
Looking at these results we can see that the vast majority of people we interviewed is female, this can influence the findings a lot and therefore be biased towards the female gender.



Looking at this graph we can see that the majority age group we interviewed was 17-20 this is the right age group for our target audience.

Looking at this graph we can see that ‘Student’ was the most popular occupation. This is to be expected because our target audience is 16-25 year olds and a lot of people within this age group are at college.

Looking at this graph we can see that blue was the most popular colour, we will therefore use this a lot for our backgrounds for interviews etc.



RnB is the most popular type of music, closely followed by rock. We will therefore use these genres for the background music in our documentary. This will give us a better chance of appealing to our target audience.

Most people could name the 7 deadly sins however, the vast majority were confused with the correct name for example they would say “jealousy” instead of envy. Also, most people thought gluttony and greed was the same thing. The most common sin people acknowledged was pride, this gives us an idea of the publics awareness of the seven deadly sins and seeing as though we are starting the series off with pride, a lot of the people already have an insight of what it is.

Looking at this graph we can see that ‘Sloth’ was the most popular 7 deadly sin. However, every sin has at least one person who relates themselves to it. This helps us to be in touch with the audience as at least one episode of the whole series will associate themselves with one sin.

Why does this sin best describe you?
Gluttony: “I love food”
Envy: “I get jealous of people far too easily” X2 , “I always want what other people have got”X2
Wrath: “I can’t control my temper sometimes”
Pride: “I like how I look”, “I take pride in my appearance”
Greed: “I always want new things”X2
Sloth: “I’m far too lazy” X3 “I can never be bothered when it comes round to it”
Lust: “because I’m sexy”

We can see that a lot of the people we interviewed admitted that they are ‘too lazy’.

Looking at this graph we can see that the most popular song at the moment is Jason Mraz – I’m Yours. This gives us an idea for music that will make the documentary current. We have discussed these results and have decided that we may use Katie Perry – Hot n Cold

Would you ever consider plastic surgery?
Yes:13 No: 17
We can see that the majority of people we asked would not consider plastic surgery and this therefore indicates that they are proud of how they look.

This graph shows that the majority of people wear make up everyday. However, the majority of the people we interviewed were female. Therefore this will undoubtedly influence the amount of times people wear make up. Looking closely at this graph, we can see that we asked 9 boys however only 7 people answered to not wearing make up every day. Therefore there must be at least 2 boys who do wear make up. This is something interesting to talk about in our interview.

Looking at this graph we can see that the majority of people we interviewed take half an hour to get ready in the morning. We can see that one person takes 2 hours everyday to get ready. This is very interesting and we are going to interview this person and ask why it takes them so long.



we can see that a lot of people would spend around £25 a month just on cosmetics. This may seem a lot to some people and therefore indicates that people care a lot about their appearance and are willing to spend a vast amount on cosmetics.



Looking at this graph we can see that a lot of the people we interviewed prefer to shop in Primark. Also we can see that, most people prefer to shop in high street.

Looking at this graph we can see that a lot of people answered with Premier League football and that the majority of people support Liverpool. This is because of the region we asked in – North West.

We can see that the majority of the people we interviewed own a football shirt, and only 2 people own a season ticket this may be because football season tickets are very expensive at around £400. Also even though we asked 9 men at least 3 women own either a football shirt or football kit or both, this is breaking the tradition of the views of football and who it is supported by.

Do you have any football related tattoos?
Yes: 3 No: 25
We can see that almost all of the people we interviewed do not have a football related tattoo. This may be because a lot of the people we interviewed are under the age to have a legal tattoo.

we can see that the vast majority of people who have supported their football team were ‘forever’ this indicates that a lot of the people are very proud of their football team.

Do you consider yourself a football fanatic?
Yes: 5 No: 25
We can see that the vast majority of people would not consider themselves football fanatics this may be because a lot of the people we interviewed were female.

Do you enjoy your job?
Yes: 11 No: 8
We can see that the results are virtually 50/50

Would you like to progress further in your job?
Yes: 12 No: 7
Looking at this we can see a lot of people would rather progress further in their job. They may therefore not be proud of what they work as, and would rather become something better.

Looking at this graph we can see that people have been at their job for more than a year, this may indicate that they are proud of their job if they are willing to stay there for more than a year.

We can see that more people consider themselves British. However, some consider themselves English and this may indicate that they are proud of England and would prefer not to be associated with the rest of Britain i.e. Wales, Ireland and Scotland. The fact that some people prefer to be only associated with England and not Britain has underlying racist overtones. However we have decided not to make our documentary too focused on the issue of race.

Are you proud of your culture?
Yes: 20 No: 3
We can see that almost all of the people we have interviewed are proud of their culture.

This video is something we quickly put together to show our voice recordings of the questions we carried out for our questionnaire.

Genre Planning

Purpose of documentaries: to inform and entertain
To document i.e. to report with evidence something that has actually happened. It can show this by using actuality footage or using reconstructions. The facts are mediated (undergo the creative process). They use media to heighten emotion, for example dramatic reconstruction.

Six Main Types of Documentary
1. Fully Narrative: An off screen voice over is used to make sense of visuals and anchor their meaning. e.g. natural history documentaries.
2. Fly on the Wall: Origins in cinema verite (truth), the camera is observing real life as it happens and the participants are 'unaware' of the cameras presence.
3. Mixed: Using a combination of interview, observation and narration to advance the narrative (and actuality, reconstruction archive material)
4. Self Reflexive: When the subjects of the documentary acknowledge the presence of the camera and often speak directly to the film maker.
5. Docudrama: A reinacment of events as they are supposed to have actually happened. Elements of a fictional narrative.
6. Docusoap: Most recent founded in UK. Whole series about a number of characters, usually occupation based. E.g. Airline follows a storyline – multi strand narrative.

Construction of Reality
-edited
-camerawork (hand-held used because tripod stifles cameraman in event)

Gatekeeping
Controlling flow of information, selecting and rejecting information.

Narrative Structure
Open vs closed
Open - when there are loose ends or when unanswered questions remains e.g. soaps. Raises questions, presents evidence and then leaves audience to make up their own minds about the issue. Did Manson influence three girls to kill a nun?
Closed - When all questions are answered e.g. Finding Nemo – clear end.
Single Strand vs Multi strand
Single – one narrative
Multi – more than one narrative thread
Most documentaries are single strand as they don't want to confuse audience.
Linear vs Non Linear
Linear – follows chronological order
Non Linear – is when time is 'disrupted' and events do not follow order of time e.g. flash backs and flash forwards.
Circular Narrative
Goes with open. Exposition of argument goes back to question at beginning and leaves audience to answer it.

An Analysis of “The Devil Made Me Do it”
Type of Documentary:
Mixed
Themes:
complex – religion, good vs evil (binary opposition)
Levi-Strauss – clear conflict, power of media and music (Manson) can influence the behaviour of young people?
Narrative Structure:
Single strand – number of themes explored
Open – question which is main theme is not answered
Non Linear 0 Manson is interviewed at beginning. Compilation of scenes from programmes however it does follow chronological order of crime but programme does not.
Camerawork:
Close up/medium close up of interviewees framed either to left or right apart from couple sat on couch. Conventional lighting reinforces Good vs Evil – careful attention – low angle signifies power. Lighting signifies two sides to artist. This strengthens the impact.
Slow pans across town – day and night – we saw nothing this is to give impression that was deserted. Shots of deserted streets.
Lots of shots of religious iconography (statues of angels and Christ) Christ shot in low angle matched Manson's low angle. Good vs Evil.
End of programme – busy streets, teens sat around drinking, cars speeding. Direct contrast of picturesque town at beginning.
Camera positions as an observer in a room – not part of press conference. Filming through viewfinder of another camera – neutral in argument. Puts distance between documentary person and other people filming Manson – motives are different.
Marilyn Manson gig – also observer
Camera almost spying on police scene looking through glass.
Hand-held actuality footage so cameraman can react quickly to action
Tracking backwards from solicitor.
Mise en Scene:
Interviews – reflecting something about life or occupation (police sat at desk. At the front of it was a police cap)
Two shot of couple in living room on couch – residents of girls
Contrast between quaint old fashioned town and noisy 'modern' town
Religious iconography
contrast between Manson and persona and scene in McDonalds
voiceover – narrator, male, young, standard English – no clear accent
voiceovers used to translate Italian into English
Translation with Italian accent to anchor that they are watching an Italian person. Age and gender matched visuals.
Music reflected subject matter/mood
religious music – choral
sound effects used e.g. heartbeat, whispering
Manson music
Editing:
cuts – most common edit in documentary, don't want to distract audience from information
cross cutting
montage – at the beginning from later on in the show, teaser of what is coming up
fade to black and fade from black used to signal end of scene or to take us from one location to another
creates pace – slow pans of deserted streets, at end, shots became shorter – cuts quicker frenetic pace
Archive Material:
Recordings from time of murder
news footage
Manson's music video
news report
Graphics:
Lyrics to words of Manson's songs
dates and day of week
Title of programme (gothic overtones)
what happened to girls after documentary was made

An Analysis of 'Marketing Meatloaf'
Type:
Mixed
Themes:
How audiences can be manipulated by the marketing.
Narrative Structure:
Single strand
linear
factual documentary
Binary opposition – ugly V pretty (beauty and the beast)
Camerawork:
low angle of radio city music hall – establishing shot
P.O.V shot into press conference – audience positioned as being part of process
Handheld effect
Still images – close up of pictures and pans across to keep the audience interested
Mise en Scene:
Meatloaf performing at a concert in background
CD as background
logo
Meatloaf in recording studio
costume – code of attire connotes authority
Sound:
Voice over narration – plain exposition direct address commentary/description – non diagetic
sinister, dramatic, orchestral soundtrack
sinister music talking about CD – non diagetic
diagetic/non diagetic Meatloaf music
Editing:
cuts
fades
montage – keeps focusing on name Meatloaf brand
jumps from marketing room to long take of production to show that it is being created
shot-reverse-shot – dissolves
Archive material:
Grammy Awards
Brit Awards
Press Conference
Behind the scenes on video
newspapers
Top of the Pops
The news
Graphics:
Magazine article template
Slow motion
An Analysis of 'That Thing' – Lara Croft
Type:
Mixed – variety of content
Themes:
Representation of gender
Feminism
Popular culture – how it has changed through documentaries
Narrative Structure:
Closed
Single strand
Non linear
Camerawork:
Interviews – middle close up, close ups, big close up tilted frame of interviewee
handheld of men playing computer game
P.O.V and tracking of someone walking into cyber cafe
zoom
panning – to make it interesting and sustain interest
Mise en Scene:
Chromakey
Backgrounds all the way through were of Tom Raider
Projection behind interviewees
projection over interviewees
inventor put in tilted frame on computer screen
Sound:
Music from game
Ray of light – Madonna
male, young voice over, standard English – elements of slang
Editing:
cuts most common
fast motion – P.O.V shot to make it more stimulating
montage of interviewees putting in with the same subject
Archive Material:
Footage of game
footage of film
websites
fan forum
interview of Angelina Jolie – filmic
Nike advert
Graphics:
Sans serif/white
lower case letters – modern
persons name and link to programme

An Analysis Baby Beauty Queens
Type:
mixed
Themes:
Money
Narrative Structure:
Binary opposition rich vs poor
Camerawork:
extreme close up of face
pans across make up
pans from sky to field – establishing shot of countryside
extreme close up of painted fingernails
extreme close up of lip surgery
close up of mum interviewed
hand-held to catch information almost instantaneously
slow camerawork signifies pace
reflection in camera
close up of mum and daughter, Tyler doing make up
hand held of computer screen
tracking backwards
Tyler takes up half of left screen, mum comes into focus on right
pans up from legs to face
pans across computer screen
mid shot in seatbelt in back of car “and so far Madison's been a bit of a passenger”
mum driving in car P.O.V shot
close up of “The Royal School of Music” badge
low angle of church
low angle of Pam
close up of till £257
pans up trophy, wand and tiara
Mise-en-Scene:
pink bedroom when 'Madison' is interviewed, teddy bears and ducks – childish toys
Madison's mum interviewed in workplace – beauty salon action shot. In uniform to anchor she is at work
picture of girl and mum
smashed up windows, block of flats
school
Sound:
Woman, middle aged narration standard English
innocent 'baby' music, slow almost 'mobile' like
choral music when houses in countryside are shown
mum and girl both narrate over slow panning extreme close up of face
could hear question “would you ever have anything else done?” because girl gave a simple answer “probably not” kept in, as vital to documentary
rock n roll choir
tense music when in changing room
Editing:
Cuts most popular – not too distracting, keeps focus on subject of documentary
dissolve in
fast cuts creates frenetic pace when in changing room before show
dissolves from trophy to wand to crown
Archive Material:
Graphics:
white, no capital letters, small
what has happened since pageant.

This link will take you to part 1 of Baby Beauty Queens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVHgXgRPVis

An anlysis of 'America's Toughest Prisons'
Type:
Mixed
Themes:
sexuality
Narrative Structure:
Camerawork:
establishing shot of prison in low angle
tracking forwards along prison cells
quick hand-held zoom onto tattoo
close up of tattoo
pans across railings P.O.V shot of prisoners
hand-held a lot of the time
tracking hand-held forwards following guards P.O.V
pans up windows – dirty, black
slow zoom in onto pictures
long shot of man in window. Black from the shadow of the sun – looks powerful
pans up from someone holding identity card picture to cell mate P.O.V shot
close up of drawings
prisoner holding identity card, comes into focus when camera zooms in
low angle of 'Crowder' a prisoner who never leaves cell because he is scared of becoming a victim low angle of father
tracking backwards downstairs
P.O.V through window
Close up of sign “sit down when shots are fired”
close up of messed up 'shot-box'
low angle shot of clock
Mise-en-Scene:
prison guards in uniform, background of prison cells “the Round House”
prisoners interviewed in cell – bars in way
prisoner's girlfriend interviewed in living room
Sound:
British middle aged man - documentary
American accent anchors location
low, tense music
“nearly half of the buildings have been closed down or condemned”
quiet piano music when visiting family
Editing:
blurring out people's faces
dissolve anchors how long prisoner has to wait
cuts
Archive Material:
black and white photos of prison guards and brown photo of prison – signifies history of prison
Graphics:
Barbed wire for title
subtitles – speech unclear. Shifts from different sides of the screen when different person speaks.
Text at the end informs audience of what has happened to the prison after the documentary was made.



Codes and Conventions of the Documentary Genre
Narrative Structure:
single strand theme running through – central to topic
binary opposition can be used
Camerawork:
varied shot types and movement to keep the audience interested
handheld camerawork is used for actuality footage where necessary
Interviews: close up or medium close up is conventional. Big close up or extreme close up can be used
stationary camera (tripod)
eyeline roughly 1/3 way down screen
framed to left or right of screen
establishing shots used
pan and zoom are used when filming still images – slow zoom
P.O.V shot sometimes used to position the audience in the action
Mise en scene:
Behind interviewees is either relevant to subject e.g. chromakey or anchors their job or relevance to subject
Archive material:
From variety of sources e.g. films, t.v. Programmes, newspapers, magazines, websites, music videos from other media and still photographs
handheld camerawork
Graphics:
used to translate were necessary
title and credits. Title is unique (like a magazine) and creative
name and relevance to subject or role of interviewees – usually two lines. Second line may be in italics – anchors who they are
credits – usually scrolling off screen and all archive material is credited
Sound:
voice over used to link everything together – there to hold structure together, standard English. Age and gender are relative to either audience or subject. Should not create sides – neutral. Emotionless voice-over – statement of fact voice – impartiality
do not hear questions bring asked – edited out
music used relevant to subject
interviews – no background noise
audience most clearly hear what is being said
Editing:
questions are edited out
editing creates pace
cuts most common edit – dissolve is used
no editing effects used unless relevant so it does not distract the viewer
cutaways are used frequently – relevant to what is being talked about
fade to and from black sometimes used to convey passage of time or end of chapter.

Running Order
Inheritance – scheduling of programmes immediately after a popular programme – ot inherit audiences
Pre-echo – scheduling before a popular programme
hammocking – placing programme between to popular programmes.