Documentary

Evaluation

Question One: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My products did not challenge or develop the codes and conventions of a documentary, my product only follows the codes and conventions of documentaries, this can be shown by comparing my documentary to professional documentaries.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C1uW-v4_O4&feature=fvw







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ_7UICPvTo









http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C1uW-v4_O4&feature=fvw






Question Two: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

I feel that the content is followed through all three products well, they all link and are consistent with tag lines, and the way they catch the audience’s attention. Our title is simply what the documentary is about, as it is a seven part series, one for each of the deadly sins we chose to call it ‘Seven Deadly Sins: Pride’ changing each week for each different sin.
Our slogan ‘What’s your poison?’ is carried through both our print and radio trailer lining the two advertisements. The seven deadly sins are also listed in all three productions.





In our opening title sequence we chose to fade in the seven deadly sins one at a time, listing them to the audience.


This is also shown in our Print advert, as we have photoshoped the seven deadly sins into drops of poison which link with our slogan ‘What’s your poison?’










Our main image in our print advert links with our slogan, and asks the audience a question making them interested to find the answer and therefore watch our documentary.
Our print advert would be shown in newspapers such as News of the world, Daily telegraph, Daily mail, Daily mirror, Metro and the Sunday mirror, below are some example of how my print advert would feature in newspapers.
This is also in our radio trailor as the seven deadly sins are whispered by our voiceover at the very start of the trailer, ‘What’s Your Poison’ is also said to link the three products. (whispers) greed, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth, lust … pride
We’re all guilty of carrying out at least one sin everyday, a lot of the time without even realising it. This upcoming month, a new series of documentaries dives deep into the depths of each sin and explores just how deadly they are. Starting with the sin from which all others arise. Pride is the excessive belief in one's own abilities.
What’s your poison?
Seven Deadly Sins: Pride, starting May 10th on 4
The last thing the audience will hear is the channel that the documentary will be shown on.






Our radio trailer would be played on a variety of radio stations to advertise our documentary, for example, Virgin radio, Heart FM, Galaxy FM (south/south west eng) Capital FM (London and links to our target audience) Radio city.


Question Three: What have you learned from your audience feedback?

1. How do you think the camerawork and editing compares to a professional documentary?
Why?
Interesting content / topic
Editing looks professional because it flows and can tell it has been ‘thought through’

2. Do the first 5 minutes make you want to watch the rest of the documentary?
Why?
Cutaways, the cutaways are mixed; videos of bands are used as well as still images make it interesting to watch.
Interviews are natural
Good reaction (makeup off manda)

3. What do you think is the strongest point of this documentary?
Why?
Editing is ‘done well’, images being brought into interview ‘reinforces our argument’ (cutaways)


4. What do you think is the weakest point of this documentary?
Why?
“‘Robbie Williams’ is too loud during 1st interview
Cutaway of pictures in Amanda’s interview does not link to questions or topic
Cutaways on Luke’s interview could be longer
Archive footage in beginning does not come into focous”
Wind in voxpop makes it hard for the audience to hear the answers given, not as professional

5. If you saw our print advert and listened to our radio trailer would it make you interested in watching the series?
Why?
Print – interesting to look at
It is a striking image
Style of how the words are on screen (in the poison drops)
Yes it would make you want to watch the series as it catches the interest of the public


Alex Whyte 18: ‘Yes it would make me want to watch the documentary because I would want to know which sin best describes me’ this can be linked to our slogan.









Radio – interesting to hear a boy talk about this topic
The beginning is scary and makes the audience ask ‘what is this about’
Attention grabbing.
Whispering is good and interesting

6. Do you think this documentary is appropriate for channel 4 and the chosen target audience of 16-25?
Why?
Yes it appeals well to target audience
Appeals well to audience because they will be experimenting with makeup.
Yes, it will appeal to your target audience because of the content.

Question Four: How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Video Camera






Digital Camera

Editing

This section will show the editing process of my documentary. To edit our documentary we used Adobe Premiere Pro, also for our radio advert, and Photoshop for the editing of images and our Print advert.



While editing our opening title sequence we decided to change our idea from still shots to an image of a fire.
















After editing Our interviews and cutaways we then added our audio, we found our audio from youtube and Itunes, we chose Robbie williams - 'Bodies' to play over our opening and first interview, we chose this as the lyrics link to our content, for example 'all we want to do is look good naked'.

Filming

Filming that we done to complete our coursework involved, three interviews, one with Amanda, who filled out our questionnaire and informed us that she spends two hours in the morning getting ready for school, we also interview Luke who wears makeup and styles his hair, and also a hairdresser on how they think their pride has effected them.

While filming our third interview we also shot cutaways to be used and linked with questions during editing.

We went to a Hairdressers in New Brighton to interview a Hairdresser on pride.

Audience Research

Questionnaire

Are you male or female? (please tick correct box)

Male Female

Please circle your age group

12-16 16-20 20-25 25-30 30+

What is your occupation?


What is your favourite colour? (please state)


What is your favourite type of music? (Please tick the correct box)

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 box)

Yes No

How often do you wear make up? (Please tick correct box)

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 box)

Oxfam Primark George New Look

Topshop/Topman River Island Cult

Saints and Sinners

B

What football team do you support?


Do you own? (Please tick as many correct boxes as possible)

A football shirt Football Kit Season Ticket

Do you have any football related tattoos? (Please tick the correct box)

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’?


C

Do you enjoy your job? (Please tick correct box)

Yes No

Would you like to progress further in your job? (Please tick correct box)

Yes No

How long have you had your current job? (Please tick correct box)

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 box)

British English Welsh Scottish Irish

Other, please state


Would you consider yourself to be proud of your culture? (Please tick correct box)

Yes No


Questionnaire Results

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 my 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 my 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 I 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 I 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
I 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.

I 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.



I can see that the majority of the people I 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
I can see that almost all of the people I 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.


I 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 I 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.



I 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
I can see that almost all of the people I have interviewed are proud of their culture.

Planning of Documentary

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.


Running Order


Title: Seven Deadly Sins: Pride
Channel and Scheduling: Channel 4, Monday 9pm
Target Audience: 16-25
First 5 Minutes:

Montage of public trying to guess seven deadly sins - 20 seconds

Opening Titles - 20 seconds

Montage of memorabilia: people wearing makeup, football shirts, magazines while voice over introduces topic, pride - 20 seconds

Low angle panning up, establishing shot of Debenhams - 10 seconds

Fast motion P.O.V in Boots of make up aisles 10 - seconds

Interview with Debenhams worker – 60 seconds

Camera follows shopper around clothes shop whilst she is talking – 30 seconds

Cutaway of fast motion of someone putting make up on and taking it off again – 5 seconds

Collage of low angle of public walking in town (blurred out) statistics over this – 20 seconds

Low angle of Manda’s house panning upwards while Manda starts talking – 5 seconds

Over the shoulder shot of recording Manda putting make up on in mirror – 10 seconds

Slow pan across walls of photos – 5 seconds

Ask her to take make up off. Reaction – 5 seconds

Cutaway to punk video while narrator introduces how different genres of music has challenged the public view of make up on men – 10 seconds

Close up of Luke putting fingers in gel – 2 seconds

Close up of him placing gel in hair for Mohican –
3 seconds

Interview with Luke –
Camera pans around face, extreme close up of eyeliner while he talks over 60 seconds

Slow pan up body with markings while voiceover introduces plastic surgery 10 seconds
Low angle shot of plastic Surgeon in desk (cutaway of someone before and after photos) 90 - seconds

Interview with patient in bed recovering and speaking about her decision – happy? Cost? 60 - seconds

Cut away to archive material of football fans at a match showing the positive side of football with a voiceover put title ‘Football’ over this 30 - seconds
Cut to archive material of news clips and riots showing the negative side of football with a voiceover 30 - seconds

Interview starts over archive material 5 - seconds

Cut to interview with as ‘football fanatic’. Mise-en-scene: at home in front room making it look homely and feminism creating juxtopotion of image to environment 60 - seconds

Voxpop asking which football team people support 30 - seconds

Archive material of ‘soccer AM’ (Skills school) people showing off their football skills 30 - seconds

Cut to interview with young children on football pitch talking about why they love football ans showing their football skills - 90 seconds

Interview with a pro-footballer about their experience of being a footballer 90 - seconds

Follow bin man action shot while talking to camera 60 - seconds

Extreme close up of someone grabbing’ rubbish 5 - seconds

High class office interview ‘posh’ worker (cutaway of car coming out of huge house while he is talking) - 70 seconds

Cut to establishing shot of ‘shabby’ house with toys and things in garden - 5 seconds

Interview with someone who claims benefits at their home - 60 seconds

Pan across queue of homeless people lining up to go in shelter while voiceover introduces volunteer - 10 seconds

Interview with person who does voluntary work at homes shelter
Follows them at work - 120 seconds

Interview with the people the person helps - 30 seconds

Montage of British flags, cup etc while archive material of of voiceover from Little Britain talks over “Britain Britain Britain” then title appears - 10 seconds

Archive material of Little Britain - 10 seconds

An establishing high angle shot circling around the Queens palace - 20 seconds

Cutaway of people taking photos of palace - 5 seconds

Interview with a proud Brit in their home with all there British memorabilia, stuff like plates with the Queens head, British flag etc, explaining why they are so proud to be British - 90 seconds

Cutaway of archive material of ‘Pride of Britain’ awards - 10 seconds

Interview with Olympic medallists. Why they are so proud to present Britain in the Olympics - 60 seconds
Slow motion of Andy Murray hitting a tennis ball while he starts to speak - 5 seconds

Interview with Andy Murray in tennis court, cut to commentator in commentating box - 120 seconds

Closing credits - 30 seconds

Documentary Research

We talked about our coursework which will take place throughout the year and started to make notes on the main types of documentarys found on TV.

• Fully narrated – A non-diegetic voice over is used to make sense of visuals and anchor their meaning.
  
• Fly on the wall – The camera is observing real life as it happens. Participants are ‘unaware’ of cameras presents.
  
• Mixed – using a combination of interview, observation and narration to advance narrative.
  
• Self reflective – When the subjects of the documentary acknowledge the presence of the camera and often speaks straight to the film maker.
  
• Docudrama - a re-enactment of events as they are supposed to of actually happened.
  
• Docusoap – usually occupation based e.g. airline.
  

Types of Narrative structures documentaries can follow;

• An open narrative is were there are unanswered questions
• A closed narrative is were all questions are answered and there is no loose ends.
• A open narrative in a documentary is were a question is asked but does not get answered.
• Single strand narrative, one narrative thread
• Multi-strand narrative, more than one narrative thread
• Linear, documentary narrative is structured to follow chronological order
• Non-linear, documentary narrative does not follow in chronological order for example, flashback.
• Circular narrative, the start and end point of the narrative

Documentary Analysis: 'The devil made me do it'

Type of documentary;

• Mixed documentary, actuality footage is used.

Themes;

• Religion (contrast of religions)
• Binary oppositions (Good vs. evil)
• Murder
• Power of the media

Narrative structure;

• Single strand
• Open narrative
• Non-linear (crime is followed in chronological order however the program is not)

Camerawork;

• Handheld camerawork - camera needs to react quickly
• Close up, Medium close ups during interviews, framed to left or right of screen
• Manson filmed in low angle. Lighting focused on half the face, half the face is dark - representing good vs. evil
• Slow pans across the town in day and night
• Lots of shots showing religious iconography matching interview with Manson
• Camerawork in press conference shows cameramen and through their camera's showing the documentary as impartial

Mise-En-Scene;

• Shows poor surroundings
• Teens filmed in cafe and smoking in relaxed settings
• Adults filmed in office or place of work
• Interviews - shows persons personality. Police in office and behind a desk, in full view is police mans hat showing authority
• Contrast in Manson's personality, he seems to be shown to be against the government however he is shown eating from McDonald's, showing him conforming within society.

Sound;

• Music played while build up to what happened, building suspense
• Drums played over confession representing heartbeats
• Religious/Symbolic music played reflecting subject
• Narrator - standard English, no clear accent
• Voice overs have accents, to anchor the person talking, their age and gender

Editing;

• Cut aways to religious symbols
• Original speaking is left on with voice over as well
• Cut aways used
• Montage of shots
• Fade to/from black to signal end of scene or to take audience from one place to another
• Juxtaposition with image and sound (good vs evil)

Archive Material;

• Marylin Manson concert
• New footage Italian and American
• interview with Manson
• headlines from newspapers shown
• Marylon Manson's music video's

Graphics;

• White over black writing
• Subtitles on Manson's concerts to re-enforce his lyrics
• Provide information on murders but not narrative of the story
• During interviews - name of person and relevance to topics
• Anchors period of time
• Celtic cross on 'devil made me do it'. Gothic overtones

Documentary Analysis: Marketing Meatloaf

Clip from Documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8drBafBphXg

Type of Documentary;

• Factual Documentary

Themes;

• Behind the scene of meatloaf and music industry

Narrative Structure;

• Non-linear

Camerawork;

• Handheld camerawork
• Panning over archive footage
• Fast cuts matching the music
• Single Interview filmed side of head and also looking at camera

Mise-En-Scene;

• Meatloaf posters used as background in interviews
• Recording studios anchors music

Sound;

• Meatloaf's music played under narrator
• Familiar music played

Editing;

• Music Magazines such as 'Q' and 'Kerang'

Documentary Analysis: That Thing

Type of Documentary;

• Mixed

Themes;

• Virtual games
• Popular Culture
• Representation of gender/feminism

Narrative structure;

• Closed narrative
• Single strand
• Non-linear

Camerawork;

• Handheld camerawork
• Interviews - Medium close ups, big close ups of inventor of character also in tilted frame to gain interest
• Point of view shots into cafe and tracking

Mise-En-Scene;

• Chromakey used (blue/green screen)
• Backgrounds were extracts from the game, anchors what interview is about
• Projection over and behind the interview
• Inventor of game tilted frame and put in a computer giving the effect he has been 'put into the game'

Sound;

• Music played from game
• Dance music-pop culture
• Voice over is male, young, using standard English

Editing;

• Interviews filmed through computer
• Moving backgrounds on interviews
• Cut most common edit, speed ups

Archive Material;

• Footage of game
• Fan forums
• Interview of Angelina Jolie
• Nike advert

Graphics;

• All white and sans cerif
• No caps which makes the text modern
• Graphics link ot interview

Codes and Conventions of the documentary genre;

Camerawork;

• Varied shot types and movement to keep the audience interested.
• Handheld camera work is used for actuality footage were necessary.
• Interviews have conventionally close ups or medium close up shots, big close ups or extreme close ups can be used, a tripod is always used, and the eye line of the person being interviewed is always 1/3 down the screen, they are always framed to either the left or right of the shot.
• Establishing shots are used.
• Pan and Zooms are used when shooting a still image, to keep the audience interested.
• Point of view shots are sometimes used to position audience in the action.

Mise-en-scene;

• Behind interviewee's the mise-en-scene is either relevant to the subject, for example if it anchors their job or relation to subject.
• Archive material from a variety of sources for example; films, Tv, websites, newspapers, magazines, still photo's.
• Graphics used to translate were necessary.
• Title must be unique and creative.
• Graphics used to name and put relevance to subject, anchors who they are.
• Credits - scrolling, all achieve material is credited.

Narrative Structure;

• Open / Closed / Circular.
• Single Strand.
• Most documentaries are non-linear.

Sound;

• Voice over to tell a story; Standard English is used, age and gender should relate to either audience or subject. Voice over must be emotionless on the topic.
• All questions are edited out.
• Music is used which is relevant to the topic.
• Interviews; there must be no background noise.

Editing;

• Interviews; all questions are edited out
• Editing creates the pace of the documentary
• Cuts; Most common edit, no editing effects are used unless it is relevant, sometime a dissolve may be used.
• Cut aways are used frequently and are always relevant
• Fade to and from black are sometimes used to convey a passing of time or end of a chapter.