TV News Production - Scripts

 Promo Script

Ryan wrote the script for the promo piece, however, when shooting, we edited it as a group so that it flowed better. With our target audience being 16-40-year-olds, we went for a more informal approach, whilst still maintaining a sense of professionalism and a news-style format. We wanted to create a more friendly and interactive news platform. 

Live OB Item Script

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1890VEhgehhoKRx2En8AW0zPNPJF2cOUjd8b2QWuSfLc/edit

Ryan and I collaborated when writing the live OB item working script. I created the basic outline of it, entering statistics, dialogue and the key information and Ryan then added in his anchor pieces. I felt that it was better that Ryan wrote his own dialogue so that he would appear more natural and less robotic/scripted when carrying out his role as news anchor. When writing the scripts for this unit, I looked back at the layout and format of the documentary script I helped to write for the documentary unit and based the news scripts on that (Potter 2021)

When writing the script for the live OB item, we had to take into account the sensitivity of the topic at hand, spikings, and think carefully about how our script would be worded. 

With Jade Rogers’ segment in the live OB, we wanted it to be led by her as the story that we were telling was hers, so we used more open-ended questions. When filming, we adapted the questions that were asked as we were responding to what Jade was saying and allowing her to be the one to lead the interview. With Jade leading the story and what was being said, it allowed for a “complex issue” to be personalised (Kobré, 2012), creating a greater emotional connection with the audience. 

News Package Script

TV News Production - Sustainable Fashion Working Script

Ryan and I collaborated again with the News Package Script. I created a basic script that Ryan then inputted his news anchor pieces into. When filming, we had to adapt the scripts so that they had more of a flow to them, sounded less robotic, and fitted in more with our vision. We also had to adapt them to what the contributors were saying so that the structure of the story made sense. 

We used more open-ended questions to allow the audience to gain a greater insight of the story and the contributors’ views on the importance of sustainable fashion. 

In order for our news item to remain impartial, we got statements from retailers to get their side of the story as to what they’re doing with regards to sustainable fashion. 

Bibliography:

Kobré, K. (2012) Videojournalism: Multimedia Storytelling. Oxford: Focal Press. At: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=xb9y5pvumaYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ViewAPI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false (Accessed 04/11/2021).

Potter, E. (2021) Television Production Blog: Documentary Script and Interview Questions. At: https://elsiepottertvpblog.blogspot.com/ (Accessed 04/11/2021).

TV News Production - Pre-Production Paperwork

 Pre-Production Paperwork

Due to us shooting at multiple locations, there were a lot of risk assessments to complete therefore, I helped the producer (Heather White) out by completing two of them for two of our potential locations. The locations that I completed risk assessments for were back up locations for if we couldn't get the location we wanted for our live OB report. When completing the risk assessments, I had to ensure that covid protocols were taken into account. Once I had filled out the risk assessments, I sent the off to Production Coordinator, Laura Coull. 

In order to use the footage with external contributors in, we had to fill out release forms and get the talent to sign them. 

With regards to contributors, I reached out to sustainable fashion designer, Trent Porter, who agreed to be interviewed for our sustainable fashion news item. As one of our other contributors (a fashion student) cancelled last minute, we had to come up with an alternative. I contacted some fashion design students I know and got two of them to agree to being filmed and helping us film the B-roll for our sustainable fashion news item. When setting up to film in one of the fashion rooms at UCA, there were some fashion students already working in there, so we asked them if we could film them instead. When finding contributors for our live news OB, it was harder as it is such a sensitive topic. We used social media to put a message out and ask anyone if they'd be willing to take part. It took us a couple of weeks to find anyone willing to be on camera, but Heather found a contributor who was willing to help. I emailed the contributors/talent and got them to complete and sign a release form, which was then sent back to me. 

TV News Production - Analysis of News Package

 Analysis of News Package

With Channel 4 News being one of the news platforms to have the highest number of viewers within our target age range of 16-35-year-olds (25%) (Broadcasters Audience Research Board, 2020), I chose to conduct an analysis on a news packaged produced and broadcast by ITN and Channel 4 News. The content of the news package looked at Poland's rule-of-law row with the EU (Channel 4 News, 2021) and the fact that it was Angela Merkel’s last EU summit. 

The news package uses multiple shots. The main shots used within the item are medium shots, medium long shots, shots of the video link and wide shots. Whilst filming our the content for our news platform, we will consider these common shots used within news and potentially input them into our work. 

Within the news item, a direct question is posed to the audience, "But what can the EU actually do?" (Channel 4 News, 2021). The question itself is short and is answered immediately, without a pause in between. With an immediate answer being provided, it leaves little time for the audience to pause and think. When it comes to our news package and live news item, we will try to include a brief pause before an answer is given to a question and will aim to break up the speech of the anchor so that the audience isn’t bombarded. 

B-Roll of Angela Merkle is used frequently within the item. The reason behind this most likely being the fact that it was Angela Merkle’s last EU summit (The Guardian, 2021). Footage is shown of her entering the summit and exiting it as well as footage from her first EU summit. It is a full-circle moment. Angela Merkel has been a present figure and played a central role within European politics throughout her term as Chancellor of Germany (Kampmark, 2021), therefore it is an important topic to be covered within the item. 

Throughout the news item, an explicit opinion on the matter of whether the presenter sides with the EU or Poland, is not given in order for impartiality. However, through the questions asked throughout the interview with Radek Sikorski (former Polish Foreign Minister and current member of the European Parliament), the ratio of coverage shown of the European Union, it is implied that the anchor and potentially the broadcaster are more in favour of the European Union than the Polish governments. 

In addition to this, the tone towards Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish Prime Minister, appears to be more negative than that of the tone towards the European Union. This implicitly highlights Channel 4's stance on this human rights issue. 

A clip of EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, addressing the EU saying “It is my commission's duty to protect the rights of EU citizens wherever they live in our world” was selected for the item. This statement is a one-liner and appears to have been selected carefully. It provides the EU’s view on the Polish Government’s actions and ideology. It could also be suggested that it implies Channel 4’s view on the Polish government, being more in favour of the EU than the Polish government.  

With regards to this, we will take into account the issue of bias and impartiality, which was also mentioned in the talk with Will Rayner. 

Throughout the interview with Radek Sikorski, the camera shots switch between a medium close-up shot/the video link of Radek Sikorski and a wide shot of the news anchor facing away from the audience, looking at the screen behind him, displaying the video link of Radek Sikorski.  When filming the content for our news platform, we will take this into consideration about how to go about shooting the anchor and cutting  the item together in the edit. 

The story reflects upon and relates to the fact that there is often little change when it comes to world issues. The war in Iraq, unrest, and climate change are referred to within the item. 

To add light to the heaviness of the story, there is B-roll of those at the EU summit appearing to be friendly and civil towards each other. This could possibly provide some sense of hope to the audience that despite such terrible issues going on within the world, there is some sense of harmony. As the content of our platform is rather heavy, particularly the spiking story, we will take into account how we can go about bringing a sense of hope to the audience. 

Bibliography:

Boffey, D. (2021) ‘You are a monument’:EU Leaders hail Angela Merkel at ‘final’ summit’ In: The Guardian 22/10/2021. At: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/22/monument-eu-leaders-hail-angela-merkel-final-summit (Accessed 01/11/2021)

Broadcasters Audience Research Board. (2020) What People Watch: Age Profile of news viewing. At: https://www.barb.co.uk/trendspotting/what-people-watch/what-people-watch-edition-4/ (Accessed 06/10/2021)

Channel 4 News (2021) [Television Programme] Channel 4 21/10/2021. (Accessed 22/10/2021)

Kampmark, B (2021) Auf wiedersehen, ‘Mutti’: How Angela Merkel’s centrist politics shaped Germany and Europe. At: https://theconversation.com/auf-wiedersehen-mutti-how-angela-merkels-centrist-politics-shaped-germany-and-europe-153447 (Accessed 01/11/2021)

TV News Production - Talk With Will Rayner (12/10/2021)

 Talk with Will Rayner

ITN editor Will Rayner gave a talk over zoom, with regards to TV news and his career. 

When it comes to thinking about how the angle that you're taking is new, Will explained that it is hard to come up with a new angle, but the way in which he often works around it is bringing in new people relevant to the story, rewording the news and using new locations. The content remains similar, but the story has a new take on it. When making our news package and live OB, we will think about how the angle that we take is new and different. With regards to our sustainable fashion news package, we will aim to focus on how sustainable fashion is moving forward. 

Will emphasised the importance of thinking about what the viewer wants to see. Throughout the pre-production, production, and post-production phases, we will we try to keep in mind what the viewer would want to see. Through doing this, it will hopefully help maintain the viewers' attention and allow for them to properly engage with our content and platform. 

Bias was an important topic within the talk. Ensuring that you remain balanced l is of great importance as it helps to avoid legal action and the deliverance of a one-sided narrative. Whilst creating the news packages and news brand, we will aim to follow the news agenda whilst also remaining fair and balanced throughout. In order to help us with this, we will word our script carefully and edit with caution, in a fair manner. 

With technology constantly evolving, there are new ways to acquire and use footage. The use of mobile phone footage within the news is an increasingly common occurrence. Will advised that if you yourself are not able to gain the footage needed, whether that be because it endangers your cast and crew or because you cannot travel, mobile phone footage is a great alternative. When using mobile phone footage, it is important to gain permission from the author and give them credit, by doing this, it avoids any legal action being taken. 

Will Rayner gave us an interesting insight into what it is like working in broadcast journalism, which I will be taking in to the future. With Will's advise, I will continue to challenge myself and think of different, creative ways of doing things. 

Bibliography:

Rayner, W. (2021) Talk with Will Rayner. [Online 12/10/2021]

TV News Production - Analysis of Relevant Live News Item

 Analysis of Relevant Live News Item

BBC News, Sky News, and Channel 4 News have the highest number of viewers within our target age range (16-35), with BBC News having a yearly average of 16% aged 16-44, Sky News 17%, and Channel 4 News 25% (Broadcasters Audience Research Board, 2020). With these statistics in mind, for the live news item analysis, I decided to analyse a live news item produced and broadcast by BBC News. 

At the outset of the BBC News live news item, the news anchor is shown on screen giving a brief summary of the story, with an image relevant to the story (of the sex trafficker and musician, R. Kelly) and graphics in the background. This allows for the audience to gain a visual of who the story is about (Turrell, 2021). When creating the content for our news package and live OB, we will aim to input images relevant to our news story in the background of the camera shots with the anchor on screen and/or as B-roll clips in order for the audience to have a visual understanding of the content the story entails. 

This news story allows for an emotional connection with the audience, serving its function (Turness, 2007:20 cited in Hudson and Rowlands, 2007:20). It causes them to be both shocked by the actions carried out by R. Kelly, whilst also holding onto a sense of hope and justice that he has been sentenced for his actions. 

Including a live outside broadcast (OB) within the news story provides a greater sense of involvement and audience engagement as the reporter is bringing the audience along with them into the action (Thompson, 2007:250), often fixing and maintaining their attention on the story at hand. As a result of this information, we will be including a live broadcast in one of our news packages. With our audience being of a younger generation (16-35-year-olds), they are consuming media at a faster pace, meaning that the media industry is having to work at a faster pace (Mulligan, 2017).

The news story seems to have been put sequentially, documenting the rise and fall of R Kelly. Towards the beginning of the item, the audience is shown archival footage of R Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" music video (Kelly, R. 1995, cited in BBC News 2021). This sequentiality allows for the audience to be taken on a journey, watching his career and life unfold as a result of his actions and the justice the victims managed to achieve. This allows the audience to feel involved and provides them with an insight as to who R Kelly really was and is. 

To help aid the audience into visually imagining the scenes inside the courtroom, cutaways of the courtroom sketches from the trial and conviction were used. Visual aids are incredibly vital when telling a story, as Lankow et al. said, "visualization allows us to immediately comprehend a message" and makes things, like media content, more "memorable". With this in mind, images and visual aids such as B-roll, will be included in both our live OB news item and our news package. 

Figure. 1 Courtroom Sketch of the Courtroom in R Kelly Trial (2021)

Figure. 2 Courtroom Sketch of R Kelly in Court During Trial (2021)

A medium, eye-level shot is the most commonly occurring shot throughout this news item, in both the OBs and in the studio. This allows for a sense of emotional connection and intimacy with the audience, creating a sense of empathy and shock. The audience feel as though they are a part of the story and involved in some way, allowing for audience engagement to be maintained. When shooting our news items, it is important that we try to put into practice the use of medium shots to engage the audience.

Rather than the news story being primarily voiced by the anchor and reporters, the story is guided and directed by the victims, focusing on their voices being heard. The emphasis on the story being voiced by the victims of R Kelly is confirmed at the end of the story, when Nada Tawkif (the reporter) says "for decades, these black women kept asking when they would be heard, when their voices would matter". It produces a sense of gratification and hope for the audience that the victims' voices were finally heard and that some justice was gained from their fight. In addition to this, Through having the story guided by the victims and their voices, it creates a sense of intimacy and allows for an emotional connection to be created with the audience. With the sense of hope created, it also allows for a lighter finish to a challenging news story. The live news item is then concluded with the anchor thanking the reporter and moving on to the next story. The anchor's role is to bring the news programme together, anchoring the programme (Turrell 2021). 

The content of this live news item is incredibly sensitive and looks to give a voice to R Kelly's victims. With our live news item story being about the sensitive topic of drinks spiking, it is important to keep this in mind. The interviews conducted will be led by the interviewee (a victim of spiking) so that they are given a voice and their experience isn't being taken away from. We will also include information about where viewers can go to if they have been affected by any of the issues raised/content covered.

This news item gave voice to the victims or R Kelly. Through the use of visuals, as well as audio, it delivered an important story to the audience, keeping them engaged throughout the news item. 

Bibliography:

Bailey, K. (2017) 'Gen Z Meet the Young Millennials' In: Media Insights and Decisions In Action 06/2017. At:https://www.bpi.co.uk/media/2857/bpi-era-insight-session-gen-z-meet-the-young-millenials-jun-2017.pdf (Accessed 18/10/2021)

BBC News at Ten (2021) [Television Programme] BBC One 27/09/2021. At: https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/188E6503?bcast=135349241 (Accessed 11/10/2021)

BBC News at Ten - R Kelly Coverage (2021) [Television Programme] BBC One 27/09/2021 At:https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/188E6503?bcast=135349241 (Accessed 11/10/2021)

Broadcasters Audience Research Board. (2020) What People Watch: Age Profile of news viewing. At: https://www.barb.co.uk/trendspotting/what-people-watch/what-people-watch-edition-4/ (Accessed 06/10/2021)

Fig. 1 Courtroom Sketch of the Courtroom in R Kelly Trial (2021) [Television Still, Online] In: BBC News at Ten. London: BBC. At: https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/188E6503?bcast=135349241 (Accessed 11/10/2021)

Fig.2 Courtroom Sketch of R Kelly in Court During Trial (2021) [Television Still, Online] In: BBC News at Ten. London: BBC. At: https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/188E6503?bcast=135349241 (Accessed 11/10/2021)

Hudson and Rowlands. (2007) The Broadcast Journalism Handbook. (2nd edition.) London: Routledge. At:https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780429021404/broadcast-journalism-handbook-gary-hudson-sarah-rowlands (Accessed 06/10/2021)

Lankow, Ritchie and Crooks (2012) Infographics: The Power of Visual Storytelling. (1st ed.) New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Incorporated. At:https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ucreative-ebooks/detail.action?docID=882721&pq-origsite=summon (Accessed 18/10/2021)

Thompson, Hudson and Rowlands. (2007) The Broadcast Journalism Handbook. (2nd edition.) London: Routledge. At:https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780429021404/broadcast-journalism-handbook-gary-hudson-sarah-rowlands (Accessed 06/10/2021)

Turrell, B. (2021) TV News Production Lecture Series. [Kent: University for the Creative Arts 28/09/2021].

TV News Production - Second Ideas Lab (30th September 2021)

 Second Ideas Lab

Within the second ideas lab, the primary aim was to try and move forwards with our news package. 

Upon reflection, we came to the conclusion that we should change our initial live outside broadcast (OB) from the pressure on emergency services/the NHS to the subject of drink spikings. We decided to move away from our initial idea as we felt that it was less relevant to our target audience (16-35-year-olds). In a survey conducted in England from April 2017- March 2018, it was found that those aged 16-44 were more likely to visit a club, bar, and/or pub (Statista, 2018). In addition to this, between 2015-2019, 2,840 incidents of spiking were recorded by UK police forces, with roughly 2,419 being those aged under 40 (Robinson, 2019). These figures show that this is an issue that primarily affects our target audience, therefore making it relevant. We also consulted our peers, who fit within our target age bracket, with regards to their opinion and it was expressed that they'd be more likely to view and interact with the drinks spiking story. This allowed us to to make our firm decision and move away from our initial story idea. 

When feeding back to Beth with regards to the sustainable fashion story we were made to question what would enable us to present the story with a new angle. In response to this, we came up with the notion of what does sustainable fashion and the rise of it mean for sustainable fashion, in addition to the evolution of sustainable fashion. When thinking about the spiking story, it was decided upon looking at the fact that spiking continues to occur and hasn't changed much within 20 years. In addition to this, the considerable use of social media within todays society means that there are a substantial number of clips circulating and gaining large amounts of attention surrounding the topic of spiking. 

Within this ideas lab, we allocated roles to each individual in our group. As there are four of us within our group, we have had to double up on roles. I have taken on the roles of editor, script writer, graphics designer, and promo. Heather White is taking on the roles of editor and director, Ryan Perry news anchor, script writer, graphics designer, and promo, and Ethan Tombs producer and promo. 

With our stories/components decided upon, potential locations were thought about. The current potential locations are outside Tap n Tin nightclub (Chatham), the student bar at the Universities of Medway, outside a local pub, and UCA. We also considered the various clips/B-Roll that could be included within our packages, for instance, clips of glasses, footage from a primary source etc. 

Keeping in mind that our story about spiking is a sensitive topic, which could potentially effect both the audience/consumers and ourselves, we decided upon including information to direct the audience/consumers towards help and support they could get if effected by the issues raised within the news story. 

When finding contributors, we are going to put a message out on social media to try and get in contact with those who are relevant to our stories. 

Going forward, we need to work on promo and branding for our news package. I will have a go at designing a logo with similar colours to the colour palette that we have decided upon. 

Figure. 1 Cheerful Citrus Colour Palette (2019)

Bibliography:

Fig. 1 Stitch Palettes (2019) Cheerful Citrus Colour Palette. [Photograph] At: https://stitchpalettes.com/palette/cheerful-citrus-spa0155/ (Accessed 04/10/2021)

Robinson, B. (2019) 'I collapsed in the street after drink spiking' In: BBC News 27/11/2019. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50508559 (Accessed 01/10/2021)

 Statista. (2018) Share of  adult population going to pubs, bars or clubs as a free time activity in England in 2017/18 by age. At: https://www.statista.com/statistics/557584/going-to-pubs-bars-clubs-by-age-uk-england/ (Accessed 01/10/2021)

TV News Production - Ideas Lab (28th September 2021)

 Ideas Lab

The brief for this unit is 4-5 minute news package, within groups, for our "own branded digital online news channel" (Turrell, 2021:7). 

As a starting point, we looked at the 'age range we wanted to target' (Turrell, 2021) , which was 16-35 year-olds.  Within our group, we thought about 

News broadcasters and brands, such as BBC News, Sky News, ITV News, and Channel 5 News were looked at, particularly the different styles of delivering news each news brand had. For example, ITV news often dives straight into the news story with a collection of cutaways, B-Roll, and interviews (ITV News: Army help and HGV immigration waivers considered over fuel issues, 2021), whereas, the BBC often start the story deliverance with the news anchors and then go between cutaways, interviews, and B-Roll (BBC News: Petrol supply:Army gets ready to assist as Boris reassures drivers, 2021). 

The atmosphere regarding the deliverance of the news is also important, and differs depending on the time of day and/or the brand delivering it. 

The first story that we decided upon was the pressure on the emergency services and the impact that this is having. This idea came about through one of my peers mentioning a recent local news story regarding a man who died as a result of an ambulance being sent to the wrong address (McLennan, 2021). Through discussing this news story, it was discovered that our peer's, Ethan Tombs, father is a logistics manager at a local hospital. So, we had a potential contact who we could gain access to and interview. 

The second story that we decided upon was sustainable fashion and upcycling. This story was chosen as over recent years, sustainable fashion and upcycling have been gaining increasing popularity, particularly amongst the younger generation, with a surge in sales of second hand clothing being driven by younger shoppers (Butler, 2021), which makes it relevant to our target audience of 16-35-year olds. Another point of reasoning behind the sustainable fashion story was that we wanted a more light-hearted piece within our package, not just because a more light-hearted story is often seen to be included in most news programmes and brands, but also because more hard-hitting, negative news stories can often have a negative impact on our mental health. For example, de Hoog and Verboon found that when news is perceived as being more negative, it often tended to have a negative affect on an individuals' emotional well-being (de Hoog and Verboon, 2019). Thus, having a lighter subject would allow for a lighter atmosphere to be created. 

Bibliography:

BBC News: 'BBC Breakfast - Petrol supply: Army gets ready to assist as Boris reassures drivers'  [Television Programme] BBC One 29/09/2021. At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm9tIoPMPDQ&t=1s&ab_channel=BBC (Accessed 29/09/2021)

Butler, S. (2021) 'Pre-loved' 'fashion moves from niche to mainstream as retailers join the fray' In: The Guardian 01/05/2021. At: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/may/01/pre-loved-fashion-moves-from-niche-to-mainstream-as-retailers-join-the-fray (Accessed 01/10/2021)

de Hoog and Verboon. (2019) 'Is the news making us unhappy? The influence of daily news exposure on mental states In: British Journal of Psychology 111 (2) pp.157-173. At: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjop.12389

ITV News: 'ITV News : Army help and HGV immigration waivers considered over fuel issues, 2021) [Television Programme] ITV 24/09/2021. At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHQ118-IHpg&ab_channel=ITVNews (Accessed 29/09/2021)

McLennan, WW. (2021) 'Coronavirus: Man died of Covid after ambulance sent to wrong address' In: BBC News 28/09/2021. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-58713381 (Accessed 01/10/2021)

Turrell, B. (2021) TV News Intro. [Kent: University for the Creative Arts 28/09/2021]. 

Turrell, B. (2021) TV News Production Handbook. Rochester: UCA Rochester. At: https://learn-eu-central-1-prod-fleet01-xythos.content.blackboardcdn.com/5d11c85256e5e/1465088?X-Blackboard-Expiration=1632927600000&X-Blackboard-Signature=NU3foMUui%2B1N2sMlFUahOs42q1ccy3S8L4RNnFvkqhc%3D&X-Blackboard-Client-Id=190919&response-cache-control=private%2C%20max-age%3D21600&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27NEWS%2520HANDBOOK%25202021-22.pdf&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20210929T090000Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=21600&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAZH6WM4PL5M5HI5WH%2F20210929%2Feu-central-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=fee1ca20af2befd31cd55b56ce37ac19352e0f3cd1020b1c0e0ac3450cc1a391 (Accessed 29/09/2021)

Documentary - Workshops

 Interview Workshop (14/04/2021)

This workshop introduced us to the basic interview technique, which included aspects such as the framing, camera shots and the use of graphics. 

We decided to use an orange backdrop as BBC 3 often use bold colours, making it more visually appealing to their demographic of "16-24 year-olds"(Campbell, 2021). 

We were shown various BBC interview clips, such as the "Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview" (BBC News, 2019). In watching these, I took note of common aspects of these interviews, such as the use of graphics, the framing and the different shots used. With interviews, the camera is usually framed at eye-level with the contributors, creating a more emotional connection to the person being interviewed. The rule-of-thirds is used when framing a subject, with them often framed to either the left or right of the frame, switching between the two, ensuring that the eye level angle is maintained. 

We received feedback from Ferg with regards to our framing, which he said was "perfect framing for an interview" (Moloney, 2021). In order to improve, I would increase the lighting upon the interviewees' faces. 

Lighting and Interview Workshop (21/04/2021)

In this workshop, we primarily looked at lighting and depth, as well as remaining focused on interview technique. The key components that we had to remember were lighting, exposure, composition and camera placement. 

The location is also incredibly important when filming. It is better to not be rushed into choosing the location as taking your time often usually ends in better results (Moloney, 2021). Ensuring that the environment is less cluttered is important as a busy environment can distract the viewer. 

There was also emphasis on making sure that the framing allowed for the subject to be to the right within the rule of thirds and also for the shot to be at eye-level as eye levels often allow for greater emotional connection and help with the telling of a story. 

When filming this, we used a mixture of natural lighting and source lighting (the LED panels). Ferg advised us that when using natural light in a room, ensure that you balance the colour panel with it so that the lighting is matched (Moloney, 2021). The panel lights also had to be within the 180 degree line. The lighting was placed on the same side as the interviewee (myself). 

With the Sony EX1 cameras, it is advised that, if possible, you are at least 12ft from the subject. We tried to achieve this with the space that we had, which was a bit of a struggle. We also e

Through blurring the background, along with lighting the set-up, adds more depth to the image and ensures that it doesn't appear too flat. 

In this workshop, we used clip mics as clip mics are often used when it comes to sit-down interviews (Moloney, 2021). 

Sync Assembly Edit Workshop (10/05/2021)

For the sync  workshop with Sam, we looked at transcribing footage from an interview provided. It was explained that by transcribing the footage gathered, the editing process is made a lot easier and helps to direct the narrative. It was said by Sam that the transcription process is often carried out by runners, assistant editors, and researchers. 

When editing, morality should be taken into consideration, especially when it comes to interviews (Creamer, 2021). 

During the editing process in this workshop, I found that it was easier to edit on two screens. I used the iMac to put the script on and my Macbook to edit the footage and audio on. I read each section of the script and matched it with the the correct bits of footage. The footage was time coded on the script, which made it easier to find the correct clip. Going forward, I will try and timecode the footage, so it's easier to edit. 

If I had more time, I would finish the edit and match it with the cutaways. For future factual footage, I will use transcription. 

Bibliography:

BBC. (2021) BBC iPlayer: BBC Three. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/bbcthree (Accessed 18/05/2021)

Campbell, F. (2021) BBC 3 Commissioning. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/bbc-three (Accessed 17/05/2021)

Creamer, S. (2021) Sync Assembly Workshop. [University for the Creative Arts 10/05/2021].

Moloney, F. (2021) Interview Workshop. [University for the Creative Arts 14/04/2021].

Moloney, F. (2021) Interview Workshop. [University for the Creative Arts 21/04/2021].

Prince Andrew and the Epstein Scandal: Newsnight Interview (2019) [Online Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtBS8COhhhM&ab_channel=BBCNews (Accessed 14/04/2021)

Documentary - Evaluation

 Documentary - Evaluation

The task for this unit, was to create a 10 minute documentary for BBC 3 with '2021 vision' in mind (Turrell, 2021). In addition to this, it had to align with the BBC 3 commissioning brief (Campbell, 2021) We were put into groups (myself, Heather, Joey, Derrin, and Harry) to create and complete the documentary. 

The initial title that we had was 'Kill the Bill: Where Would We Be Without Protest?", but was changed after a discussion within our group. We felt that the new title of "Protests: Where Would We Be Without It?" was more fitting as it maintained a more balanced view and ensured that our content was focused on other aspects of protesting. 

When helping to create the script, I acquired the knowledge that a factual/documentary script differs from a fictional script. The difference in layout of script made it much easier to understand what was being said (commentary)/the audio and what was visible on screen. With regards to the autocue when filming the commentary, we had to break it up into smaller pieces as Heather struggled to read the big chunks that it was previously in. I was live editing the script as we went along to ensure that it reflecteed the changes that we had made. The autocue was also scrolling at a pace that was too slow for Heather to read aloud, so Joey ended up manually scrolling it, whilst trying to ensure that his hand didn't get in shot of the camera. Through doing this, Heather's confidence in her reading improved significantly. For the autocue, we used an iPad. 

As Producer, I found and booked the locations for the shoot dates, collaboratively found contributors with Heather, completed risk assessments (which included Covid 19 Safety Measures) and got them signed off, found footage relating to protests, and ensured that everyone knew what they were doing. As Covid 19 Supervisor, I had to ensure that equipment and high touch points were cleaned regularly, all crew wore masks, hand gel was on hand and crew and members of the public remained 2 meters apart where possible. In addition to these roles, I also took charge of sound and helped Joey with the editing process. From the sound workshop and using clip mics on the second year production (Trending, 2021), I set up the clip mics for the interviews and the vox pops. I also set up the boom mic for the vox pops, with the help of Ferg. With regards to the editing, as Joey was struggling on completing the edit in time for the deadline, I ended up cutting some of the footage for him for the edit, such as that of Doris Allimadi, Ryan Perry, and Derrin Elliott, and also helped him decide where to put footage within the documentary. If we had more time, we would've made some of the cuts a bit smoother

On the first day of filming, there was a bit of an issue with getting crew to stick to timings. In order to combat this, I ensured that we had a schedule and kept reiterating throughout the day what needed to be done and by when. The schedule helped ensure that crew knew what they were doing and when they were doing it, making our shoot dates much more efficient. 

There were communication issues with the director (Harry) throughout the whole project. As a group, we struggled to see his vision. We weren't provided with storyboards and were given shot lists too late into the process (either an hour before filming or after we had filmed). As a group we had to explain to him why shots such as shooting from both in front and behind of the presenter wouldn't work when we have one camera. We had to change the shots that he said that he wanted as we needed to be able to cut the footage and to ensure that there was depth within the frame/footage. He agreed to this and allowed for us to shoot by a corner of the production room, ensuring depth within the footage. We also had to keep reminding him to remain out of frame when he was standing next to Director of Photography, Derrin, whilst looking at the camera, which proved to not be taken as he is in frame within most of the shots. We will keep this in mind for future reference and ensure that it is reiterated. Furthermore, the crew were often confused as to when we were actually rolling as the director often just started recording without telling any of us. Luckily, none of the footage was compromised. Next time, we will make sure that the director clearly communicates with cast and crew when we are going to start filming. 

It was decided to conduct the interviews on Skype as it meant that the time period was not restricted unlike Zoom. After the interview conducted with Ryan Perry, Heather and I decided that another LED light panel was needed to light up Heather's face as her face was not well-lit. It was placed in front of her face to ensure that there was sufficient light. With regards to the lighting for the other production room interviews, Joey had the idea of putting different coloured lights directed through the frosted glass to make the set-up look more interesting. To achieve this, we placed blue and purple gels over the tungsten lights that had been positioned in the other room, overlooking the production room through the frosted glass. We also had LED light panels positioned around the interview set up to ensure that it and Heather were well-lit. 

When filming the vox pops, we encountered the issue of the boom sound not working. Thinking on my feet, I rung Ferg, who then walked us through how to get the sound to work and at the appropriate levels. It was nerve-wracking getting members of the public to be interviewed for the vox pops, but was a great way to deal with rejection and built our confidence up as we went along. The reasoning behind the vox pops were to gain differing opinions on protesting and the current political climate. As we were time constrained with our documentary being 10 minutes long, we decided that we couldn't fit the vox pops in the final cut. In addition to this, after looking at the footage from the vox pops, we decided that it wasn't up to scratch as the framing was off. When filming, we had explained this to the director (Harry), who carried on, which meant that the footage was not good enough to use. As director, he should've been keeping an eye on the camera things such as the framing. However, we can use this as something to work on and look out for when conducting vox pops in the future. 

Next time, I think that I should also do my own version of the edit to ensure that it is completed in sufficient time, hopefully with time to spare, so that we can go over it and make any final changes needed. I would also like to try my hand at operating the camera as I am still unsure of how to properly use it and feel as though I should branch out of my comfort zone. In order to try and gain confidence with the cameras, I will be going into the studios, after all of the work has been complete for the year, and learning how to use the equipment. Considering have been learning and working in the midst of a pandemic, we have tried our best and it is a learning process that we have to continue to trust.  

Bibliography:

Campbell, F. (2021) BBC 3 Commissioning. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/bbc-three (Accessed 18/05/2021)

Trending (2021) [Online Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4zOMgbu64w (Accessed 17/05/2021)

Turrell, B. (2021) Documentary Lecture Series. [Online 15/03/2021]. 

Documentary - Script and Interview Questions

 Script and Interview Questions

When it came to writing the script and the questions for the interviews, Heather and I worked collaboratively. We used the the example of a layout of a factual/documentary script that Kate Misrahi had shown us in the talk she gave to use as the outline of our script. We reflected upon conversations we had partaken in with Beth, research we had done, and also thought about other things that we would like to include in the documentary. Some of these ideas were footage from protests, graphics with quotes and facts and interviews. Throughout writing the script, we had to think about keeping the audience engaged and remembering to relate it to the target audience of "16-24 year-olds" (Campbell, 2021). To try and achieve this, we put the use of graphics, stock footage and simplified the language, which Curran Bernard (2010:47) argues "allows for complexity in the overall film". 

The feedback that we received concerning the script was minimal, with Beth saying that it was an "incredibly detailed and clear" (Turrell, 2021) script. The feedback that we received was concerning certain questions that we should think about: "what's your presence going to be? What role is the presenter going to be playing? Is the presenting style going to be more like people such as Louis Theroux or Roman Kemp? Do you need a presenter? What journey are you going to go on with these people?". When thinking about and writing the second draft of the script, we took this into account. In response to the feedback, we adjusted the script, which allowed for clarity for the crew with regards to the ideas in the script (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2015:86). 

When creating the questions for the interviews, we decided to make them individual to each contributor. They held some similarity for editing purposes, but by making them more individualised it meant that they were more applicable to the contributors as individuals. We used a variety of questions so that we had more options to choose from when cutting in the editing process. 

Link to First Draft of the Script

Link to Edited Script

Link to Vox Pop Questions

Link to Interview Questions

Bibliography:

Campbell, F. (2021) BBC 3 Commissioning. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/bbc-three (Accessed 17/05/2021)

Curran Bernard, S. (2010) Documentary Storytelling: Making Stronger and More Dramatic Nonfiction Films. (3rd ed.) Oxfordshire: Taylor & Francis Group. At: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ucreative-ebooks/detail.action?docID=629959 (Accessed 17/05/2021)

Rosenthal, A and Eckhardt, N. (2015) Writing, Directing and Producing Documentary Films and Digital Videos. Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press. At: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ucreative-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4414608 (Accessed 18/05/2021).

Turrell, B. (2021) Documentary Lecture Series. [Online 17/05/2021] 

Documentary - Pitch

 Documentary Pitch

On April 12th, as a group, we pitched our documentary to Beth Turrell and as a result, received feedback to help us move forward with our documentary. We worked collaboratively on the pitch and the presentation of it. When pitching, we had to think of it as a chance to sell our story.

The feedback we received is as followed (Turrell, 2021):

The concept and title of the documentary are good. 

Ensure that there is balance within the documentary. To achieve this, try to think about those who are not in favour of protesting and/or those who are indifferent/don't mind the Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill (Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill:Second Reading, 2021). By gaining differing views, it enables people to understand the other side of the argument. 

Ask contributors and find out why protesting matters to differing organisations.

Look at news articles. In response to this, we also thought that we could look at social media posts that people have made, using their statements within the documentary. 

Remember that emotional connection is important, so maybe decrease the amount of contributors. 

Gain permission for footage you're going to be using and write thanks to in the credits. For the footage gathered that isn't ours, we will ensure that we ask for permission. 

Simpler language needs to be used for a pitch and there needs to be more on contributor profiles. 

Think about how it can relate to younger people (e.g. camera phone footage, immersiveness etc.). 

When moving forward, we will take this feedback into account and will try our best to respond to it. 

Link to the Pitch

Bibliography:

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (2021) Elizabeth II. At:https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2839 (Accessed 17/05/2021). 

Turrell, B. (2021) Documentary Lecture Series. [Online 12/04/2021]