Thursday, 30 April 2020

Revision of Pitch

Originally my pitch was going to solely be about anorexia in the performing arts industry. From my research I believe that my topic is a little too niche and also wanted to include the aspects of social media, making the storyline very complex. So, therefore, I have decided to still have my main character suffer from mild forms anorexia but I will focus more on the more general subject of mental health and how social media can influence this within the performing arts industry.
In my documentary, I will use the main talent who is a boy suffering from mental health issues and a female who is homosexual to represent two different social groups.
To incorporate digital convergence within my piece, I will use the social media platform Instagram and Snapchat - as these were the 'most interacted with' from my focus group.


Audience Research Summation

To discover the leisure and media consumption habits of my target audience, I set up a focus group consisting of four people: Hannah, James, and Max acting as my primary audience and Catherine as my secondary.
I asked them five different questions whilst also asking them to list their interests.
For my focus group, I tried to pick people within the demographic who didn't really have similar backgrounds/interests.

Interests

I have realized that if I heavily focus my documentary on the topic of theatre and performing, this could limit my audience - as I would be attracting a niche audience. Because of this, I will balance this out with the topic of mental health so I can attract a wider audience.

Questions from Focus Group

Question 1 - How often do you watch documentaries?
From the data, it was shown that the average from my primary audience would be once a week, with the exception of James, who doesn't often watch documentaries because "after about 20 minutes they tend to get a bit repetitive and boring." This suggests that I will need a way to engage my audience. 

Question 2 -  If you would watch one what platform would you watch it on? (TV, Phone, Computer)

The results were split down the middle with two people saying TV and the others, Netflix/BBC iPlayer.

Question 3 - What social media platform do you use the most?
It was shown that Instagram was the most used platform. So, therefore, I will try and incorporate Instagram as a way of digital convergence. 

Question 4 - What is your favourite genre of a documentary?
Most of my group said nature or something that has various locations.

Question 5 - What makes a documentary more appealing to you? What attracts you?
For this question, people said that they enjoy personal accounts but mostly depends on the subject matter. I believe social media and mental health, is a relevant and on-going issue that society is trying to tackle. Setting it in the performing arts industry will be a new and interesting perspective that hasn't been researched before. 

Generic Research Summation


Generic Research 3: John Grierson + Bill Nichols


JOHN GRIERSON



John Grierson was a Scottish documentary maker. He was considered as a pioneer within the film industry and often considered to be the “father of British and Canadian documentary film”
As a director he was very much influenced by the Soviet cinema and Robert Flaherty’s poetical style.
In a 1926 review of one of Flaherty's films he coined the term "documentary" to describe the dramatization of the everyday life of ordinary people.
Grierson used non-professional actors instead of actors in order to create a more 'authentic' reality and also made use of extensive location shooting. He was always keen to make a film with distinctively 'British' characteristics, which he saw as moderation and a sense of human importance, which is seen in his pioneering documentary Drifters.
Grierson did not believe that documentary film was just a public report of the activities of daily life but as “something more magical.” “It is a visual art which can convey a sense of beauty about the ordinary world."

BILL NICHOLS


Bill Nichols is an American film critic who was best known for his pioneering work as founder of the contemporary study of documentary film.
-        Poetic mode
-        Expository mode
-        Observational mode
-        Participatory mode
-        Reflexive mode
-        Performative mode


Structure of a documentary
A documentary structure usually depends on the subject matter of the film, but in general, a documentary is made up of the "three-act structure." 
Act One
The beginning of the documentary needs to capture and engage the audience. In the first act you establish and set the tone for the whole movie and create curiosity in the viewer's mind to make them want to keep watching. Within this section, you want to set up some kind of problem or unusual situation that keeps the audience intrigued. The beginning is more or less a teaser for the whole documentary. It sets up the questions that the rest of the movie will answer.
Act Two
Act 2 is divided into numerous scenes that build on each other to reveal your story. These segments do not necessarily go in chronological order.
Act Three
The last act brings some kind of resolution to the questions and conflict established at the beginning of the film.

Generic Research: Textual Analysis 3


GENERIC RESEARCH: TEXTUAL ANALYSIS 3

NUDES4SALE

Summary – This documentary follows the new phenomenon of selling indecent pictures and videos for cash, in particular looking at the site OnlyFans. A reporter, Ellie Flynn, investigates how thousands of young people are making a living by selling nudes online. One of the girls interviewed is called Sasha, who has a history of mental health issues and tries to turn to the local council to help her find suitable accommodation but becomes homeless.

ANALYSIS




Generic Research: Textual Analysis 2


GENERIC RESEARCH – TEXTUAL ANALYSIS 2

‘ABUSED BY MY GIRLFRIEND’

Summary – Tells the story of Alex Skeel, a 23-year-old man from Bedford, who was severely abused by his girlfriend, Jordan Worth. This documentary consists of observational filming with various police accounts, providing a raw and personal view of Alex’s life and how a teenager romance became violent and abusive.

“By sharing his story, Alex hopes to challenge assumptions about violence and masculinity in relationships, and to empower victims of domestic violence to come forward”

ANALYSIS


Monday, 27 April 2020

Audience Research: Focus group questions

Audience Research: Focus group questions

1. How often do you watch documentaries?

Hannah (P) - I watch a documentary probably either once a week if there is like a short series of them or once every two weeks because I enjoy watching and learning about what they are about! I definitely watch a documentary in the space of two weeks.

James (P) - I don't often watch documentaries because after about 20 minutes they tend to get a bit repetitive and boring.


Max (P) - About once a week


Catherine (S) - 3-4 times a week


2. If you would watch one what platform would you watch it on? (TV, Phone, Computer)

Hannah (P) - I would watch some on tv if it was appealing to me, I quite like history documentaries on tv. However, I watch most of the documentaries on my phone on Netflix.

James (P) - If I was to participle in the sport of watching a documentary I would watch it on my television because the adverts would offer me a break to take in and digest the information in the documentary.


Max (P) - Streaming platform iPlayer or Netflix



Catherine (S) - TV 

3. What social media platform do you use the most?
Hannah (P) - Snapchat

James (P) - Instagram

Max (P) - Instagram

Catherine (S) - Facebook/Instagram

4. What's your favourite genre of a documentary?
Hannah (P) - My favourite genre of documentaries is either history-related about wars and the history of where we live and what’s happened, or documentaries about the world and the planet, for example our planet on Netflix was a very enjoyable watch for me! I love learning about the environment and how we can help it.

James (P) -  I love a good travel documentary. the reason for this is that I love seeing new places and there environments and culture.


Max (P) - Wildlife/Nature



Catherine (S) - History/astrobiology


5. What makes a documentary more appealing to you? What attracts you? 
Hannah (P) -  In a documentary, anything to do with the world and our planet I usually watch and really enjoy as it something I love to learn more about and explore! David Attenborough is my favourite person to watch on documentaries! They appeal to me more if they have lots of footage of what they are talking about so I really get a sense of what is happening.

James (P) -  The best kind of documentary is one that has a meaning and a purpose behind it. otherwise, it feels like an hour and a half worth of blab.


Max (P) - Often it's either the subject matter or sometimes the narrator on the series. Such as David Attenborough narrated wildlife doc. 


Catherine (S) - Photographic evidence/personal accounts

Friday, 24 April 2020

Audience Research

Audience Research: Focus group


Audience Research: Focus group questions

1. How often do you watch documentaries?

Hannah (P) - I watch a documentary probably either once a week if there is a short series of them or once every two weeks because I enjoy watching and learning about what they are about! I definitely watch a documentary in the space of two weeks.

James (P) - I don't often watch documentaries because after about 20 minutes they tend to get a bit repetitive and boring.


Max (P) - About once a week


Catherine (S) - 3-4 times a week


2. If you would watch one what platform would you watch it on? (TV, Phone, Computer)

Hannah (P) - I would watch some on tv if it was appealing to me, I quite like history documentaries on tv. However, I watch most of the documentaries on my phone on Netflix.

James (P) - If I was to participle in the sport of watching a documentary I would watch it on my television because the adverts would offer me a break to take in and digest the information in the documentary.


Max (P) - Streaming platform iPlayer or Netflix



Catherine (S) - TV 

3. What social media platform do you use the most?

Hannah (P) - Snapchat

James (P) - Instagram

Max (P) - Instagram

Catherine (S) - Facebook/Instagram

4. What's your favourite genre of a documentary?

Hannah (P) - My favourite genre of documentaries is either history-related about wars and the history of where we live and what’s happened, or documentaries about the world and the planet, for example our planet on Netflix was a very enjoyable watch for me! I love learning about the environment and how we can help it.

James (P) -  I love a good travel documentary. the reason for this is that I love seeing new places and there environments and culture.


Max (P) - Wildlife/Nature



Catherine (S) - History/astrobiology


5. What makes a documentary more appealing to you? What attracts you? 

Hannah (P) -  In a documentary, anything to do with the world and our planet I usually watch and really enjoy as it something I love to learn more about and explore! David Attenborough is my favourite person to watch on documentaries! They appeal to me more if they have lots of footage of what they are talking about so I really get a sense of what is happening.

James (P) -  The best kind of documentary is one that has a meaning and a purpose behind it. otherwise, it feels like an hour and a half worth of blab.


Max (P) - Often it's either the subject matter or sometimes the narrator on the series. Such as David Attenborough narrated wildlife doc. 


Catherine (S) - Photographic evidence/personal accounts

Audience Research: Summation

To discover the leisure and media consumption habits of my target audience, I set up a focus group consisting of four people: Hannah, James, and Max acting as my primary audience and Catherine as my secondary.
I asked them five different questions whilst also asking them to list their interests.
For my focus group, I tried to pick people within the demographic who didn't really have similar backgrounds/interests.

Interests

I have realized that if I heavily focus my documentary on the topic of theatre and performing, this could limit my audience - as I would be attracting a niche audience. Because of this, I will balance this out with the topic of mental health so I can attract a wider audience.

Questions from Focus Group

Question 1 - How often do you watch documentaries?
From the data, it was shown that the average from my primary audience would be once a week, with the exception of James, who doesn't often watch documentaries because "after about 20 minutes they tend to get a bit repetitive and boring." This suggests that I will need a way to engage my audience. 

Question 2 -  If you would watch one what platform would you watch it on? (TV, Phone, Computer)

The results were split down the middle with two people saying TV and the others, Netflix/BBC iPlayer.

Question 3 - What social media platform do you use the most?
It was shown that Instagram was the most used platform. So, therefore, I will try and incorporate Instagram as a way of digital convergence. 

Question 4 - What is your favourite genre of a documentary?
Most of my group said nature or something that has various locations.

Question 5 - What makes a documentary more appealing to you? What attracts you?
For this question, people said that they enjoy personal accounts but mostly depends on the subject matter. I believe social media and mental health, is a relevant and on-going issue that society is trying to tackle. Setting it in the performing arts industry will be a new and interesting perspective that hasn't been researched before. 

Revision of Pitch


Originally my pitch was going to solely be about anorexia in the performing arts industry. From my research I believe that my topic is a little too niche and also wanted to include the aspects of social media, making the storyline very complex. So, therefore, I have decided to still have my main character suffer from mild forms of anorexia but I will focus more on the more general subject of mental health and how social media can influence this within the performing arts industry.
In my documentary, I will use the main talent who is a boy suffering from mental health issues and a female who is homosexual to represent two different social groups.
To incorporate digital convergence within my piece, I will use the social media platform Instagram and Snapchat - as these were the 'most interacted with' from my focus group.

Generic Research 2: Researching Articles



Generic Research 1: Researching Documentaries



Monday, 20 April 2020

Generic Research

Generic Research: Textual Analysis 1

JESY NELSON 'ODD ONE OUT' BBC 3 DOCUMENTARY

Summary of documentary
Jesy Nelson, a member of the famous girl-band Little Mix, opens up to what she had to deal when cyberbullying took a huge toll on her life. She reveals the impact online trolls had on her mental health as she goes on a journey of rehabilitation. During this documentary, she also meets other victims of cyber abuse.

ANALYSIS

Language



Industry
-        This documentary was produced and broadcasted by the BBC.
o   Broadcasted on BBC One
-        The BBC is a public service broadcaster, which is funded by the UK’s national TV licence.
-        Because of this, they have a remit to stick to in order to keep the wide appeal of the public satisfied, to ‘’inform, educate, and entertain.




Audience
Looking at this documentary, I would say that this is primarily aimed at 15-30-year olds because of its main topic about social media and cyber bullying and how this impacts one’s mental health. In today’s society, mental health is becoming less of a taboo subject and is widely spoken about.
I found this article on the BBC ‘Media Centre’ page which also states that their target demographic with “3.3 million viewers, a 55% uplift from overnight viewing with 964k 16-34s
For the set brief, the chosen demographic is 16-25-year olds and therefore the topic of social media is very relevant for middle to upmarket demographic.



Generic Research: Textual Analysis 2

‘ABUSED BY MY GIRLFRIEND’

Summary – Tells the story of Alex Skeel, a 23-year-old man from Bedford, who was severely abused by his girlfriend, Jordan Worth. This documentary consists of observational filming with various police accounts, providing a raw and personal view of Alex’s life and how a teenager romance became violent and abusive.

“By sharing his story, Alex hopes to challenge assumptions about violence and masculinity in relationships, and to empower victims of domestic violence to come forward”

ANALYSIS





Generic Research: Textual Analysis 3

NUDES4SALE

Summary – This documentary follows the new phenomenon of selling indecent pictures and videos for cash, in particular looking at the site OnlyFans. A reporter, Ellie Flynn, investigates how thousands of young people are making a living by selling nudes online. One of the girls interviewed is called Sasha, who has a history of mental health issues and tries to turn to the local council to help her find suitable accommodation but becomes homeless.


ANALYSIS





Generic Research: Researching Documentaries



Generic Research: Researching Articles



Generic Research: Researching Practitioners


JOHN GRIERSON



John Grierson was a Scottish documentary maker. He was considered a pioneer within the film industry and often considered to be the “father of British and Canadian documentary film”
As a director, he was very much influenced by the Soviet cinema and Robert Flaherty’s poetical style.
In a 1926 review of one of Flaherty's films, he coined the term "documentary" to describe the dramatization of the everyday life of ordinary people.
Grierson used non-professional actors instead of actors in order to create a more 'authentic' reality and also made use of extensive location shooting. He was always keen to make a film with distinctively 'British' characteristics, which he saw as moderation and a sense of human importance, which is seen in his pioneering documentary Drifters.
Grierson did not believe that documentary film was just a public report of the activities of daily life but as “something more magical.” “It is a visual art which can convey a sense of beauty about the ordinary world."

BILL NICHOLS


Bill Nichols is an American film critic who was best known for his pioneering work as founder of the contemporary study of documentary film.
-        Poetic mode
-        Expository mode
-        Observational mode
-        Participatory mode
-        Reflexive mode
-        Performative mode


Structure of a documentary
A documentary structure usually depends on the subject matter of the film, but in general, a documentary is made up of the "three-act structure." 

Act One
The beginning of the documentary needs to capture and engage the audience. In the first act you establish and set the tone for the whole movie and create curiosity in the viewer's mind to make them want to keep watching. Within this section, you want to set up some kind of problem or unusual situation that keeps the audience intrigued. The beginning is more or less a teaser for the whole documentary. It sets up the questions that the rest of the movie will answer.
Act Two

Act 2 is divided into numerous scenes that build on each other to reveal your story. These segments do not necessarily go in chronological order.

Act Three
The last act brings some kind of resolution to the questions and conflict established at the beginning of the film.


Generic Research: Websites 1




Generic Research: Websites 2


Generic Research: Websites 3



Generic Research: Language and Digital Convergence


How do media producers use language to communicate meaning?

Mise-en-scene 

- Location
The setting is an extremely vital aspect that media producers use in order to communicate meaning. This can establish a specific overall atmosphere of the documentary itself.
For example - In the documentary "Odd One Out", the first location is set in Jesy's home - creating a very personal and intimate atmosphere as she reveals what her life was like.

- Costume
Costume can help represent a character or establish a situation for the audience without the use of commentary. In criminal documentaries, the audience understand who the prisoners are from their clothing, e.g orange jumpsuits.
In "Abused by My Girlfriend" the lack of clothing worn by Alex at the start, suggests he is vulnerable and damaged - making the audience feel sympathetic towards him.

- Lighting
Lighting can also create a certain ambience, setting the tone for that specific scene. Warmer lighting is used to enhance the scenes positivity and joyful atmosphere, where darker more cooler hue is used to convey sadness or seriousness.

- Camera angles/shots
Camera shots are probably the main technique used to communicate meaning.
Low camera angled shot = shows authority and dominance
High angled shot = inferior, suppressed
Wide shot = actor's expression and surroundings can be seen
Close up shot = focuses on the actor's emotion and expression
Long shot = establishes setting and surrounding
POV shot = making the audience feel included, that they are a part of the film
Over the shoulder shot = personal, inclusivity
Tilted shot = uneasy, uncomfortable situation


Music/Speech

Non-diegetic music can evoke dramatic feelings from the audience. It heavily sets the tone for films and is used in documentaries frequently to heighten the atmosphere.

How do media producers use digital convergence to link their products?

Digital convergence is primarily seen through websites. Easter eggs are the most commonly used, which is shown in the Jesy Nelson website on BBC 3. On their website, the BBC 3 logo has an easter egg which links back to the main website. This could encourage audiences to explore the main website and their other documentaries.
Other links are presented on the website such as social media platforms: Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and their other apps such as BBC iPlayer. This promotes an active audience where the audience is able to speak back to the producers (Jenkins). 
Brand identity is maintained through the use of colour, which can be seen through every website. Netflix uses the colours red and black, and BBC 3 pink and white, which is maintained throughout their websites. 

Generic Research: Summation