brandonvirtuefilmandtv16.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web viewCanterbury College. Brandon Virtue....

CONTENTS

1

Canterbury College

Figure 1 Career Ladder (Acgov.org, 2016)

Why I want to do this project!This Project is personal to me. I want my grandad’s memories and

stories of his time in Dover during the war to not be forgotten so that in years to come his experiences and stories will still be told to the

younger generations.

Brandon VirtueYear 2- Film & Television

Unit 13- Extended Project

Academic Year 2017-2018

GO TO CONTENTS

CONTENTS

CONTENTS...................................................................................................................................................................2

LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................................................................5

LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................................................................6

DEFINITION OF TERMS.............................................................................................................................................6

Project Action Plan and Timetable.................................................................................................................................9

.........................................................................................................................................................9

CHAPTER 1....................................................................................................................................................................11

Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................11

..................................................................................................................................11

The Background of my Project.................................................................................................................................11

Who am I...............................................................................................................................................................11

What did I learn on my course?............................................................................................................................12

What is my project about?.......................................................................................................................................17

Why my project is important?..................................................................................................................................17

My Research Plan.....................................................................................................................................................18

...........................................................................................................................................18

CHAPTER 2....................................................................................................................................................................20

Literature/Resources Review.......................................................................................................................................20

...................................................................................................................20

Introduction..............................................................................................................................................................20

Practioners Report....................................................................................................................................................20

Literature Review.....................................................................................................................................................22

Media Product Review.............................................................................................................................................26

Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................................27

CHAPTER 3....................................................................................................................................................................28

Research Design............................................................................................................................................................28

.............................................................................................28

Introduction..............................................................................................................................................................282

LO 4.1

LO 1.1 1.2 4.1

LO 4.1

LO 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2

LO 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 5.1 7.2

GO TO CONTENTS

Research Questions..................................................................................................................................................28

Research Design........................................................................................................................................................29

Target Audience Research........................................................................................................................................30

Skills and Techniques Research................................................................................................................................30

Production Research.................................................................................................................................................31

Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................................31

CHAPTER 4....................................................................................................................................................................32

Research Findings.........................................................................................................................................................32

............................................................................................................................32

Findings/Data analysis..............................................................................................................................................32

Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................................35

CHAPTER 5....................................................................................................................................................................36

My Project....................................................................................................................................................................36

...........................................................................................................36

Introduction..............................................................................................................................................................36

Pre-Production..........................................................................................................................................................36

Materials.....................................................................................................................................................................36

Production................................................................................................................................................................43

Post-production........................................................................................................................................................45

Presentation.............................................................................................................................................................47

CHAPTER 6....................................................................................................................................................................51

MY EXTENDED PROJECT – FINAL PRODUCT.................................................................................................................51

........................................................................................................................................51

CHAPTER 7....................................................................................................................................................................52

Project Evaluation.........................................................................................................................................................52

...................................................................................................................................52

APPENDICES..................................................................................................................................................................55

Extended project in creative media production Learning Outcomes and Assessment...........................................55

1. Be able to initiate and develop a creative media production project proposal.................................................55

2. Be able to use research, analysis and evaluation to develop solutions for creative media production project.55

3. Be able to solve practical, theoretical and technical problems in a creative media production project............55

4. Be able to plan, organise and produce a creative media production project....................................................55

5. Be able to use practical methods and skills in a creative media production project.........................................55

6. Be able to use evaluative and reflective skills in the production of a creative media product..........................55

3

LO 5.1 6.1 6.2 7.2

LO 3.1 4.1 5.1 7.1 7.2

LO 4.1 7.2

LO 6.1 6.2

GO TO CONTENTS

7. Be able to present a creative media production project...................................................................................55

REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................................................56

4

GO TO CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Career Ladder (Acgov.org, 2016).......................................................................................................................1Figure 2 Who Am I mind map, produced by Brandon V................................................................................................12Figure 3 Skills Timeline created by Brandon V...............................................................................................................16Figure 4 IMDB Louis Theroux (2018).............................................................................................................................20Figure 5 Photo by Den of Geek of Guy Hamilton (2016)...............................................................................................21Figure 6 Inside The Ambulance (YouTube, 2016)..........................................................................................................22Figure 7 Framing in Documentaries by James Keating (2013).......................................................................................23Figure 8 How to write a documentary, video by Expertvillage......................................................................................24Figure 9 Photo by Floss Manuals, 3 Act Structure.........................................................................................................24Figure 10 Dover in WW2, video by John Latter.............................................................................................................25Figure 11 Dover during the war, photo by Wordpress..................................................................................................25Figure 12 WW2 Documentary, video by History of Wars..............................................................................................26Figure 13 Framing Photo by Brandon. V........................................................................................................................29Figure 14 Framing Photo by Brandon. V........................................................................................................................29Figure 15 Framing in Documentaries photo by Pinterest..............................................................................................32Figure 16 John Lennon Line Art Photo by Pinterest.......................................................................................................34Figure 17 Production Diary photo by Brandon V...........................................................................................................43Figure 18 Production Diary photo by Brandon V...........................................................................................................43Figure 19 Production Diary photo by Brandon V...........................................................................................................43Figure 20 Production Day Timeline...............................................................................................................................44Figure 21 Editing Process, Post Production...................................................................................................................45Figure 22 Editing Post Production.................................................................................................................................45Figure 23 Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 1.....................................................................................................................47Figure 24 Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 2.....................................................................................................................48Figure 25 Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 3.....................................................................................................................48Figure 26 Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 4.....................................................................................................................49Figure 27 Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 5.....................................................................................................................49Figure 28 Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 6.....................................................................................................................50Figure 29 Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 7.....................................................................................................................50Figure 30 WW2 - I Was There........................................................................................................................................51Figure 31 Strengths and Weaknesses Chart for my Documentary................................................................................52

5

GO TO CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 – Project Proposal...............................................................................................................................................8Table 2 - Project Action Plan and Timetable..................................................................................................................10Table 3- My Research Plan............................................................................................................................................18Table 4 Pre-Production Budget.....................................................................................................................................36Table 5 Risk Assessment................................................................................................................................................37Table 6 Location Recee Sheet........................................................................................................................................38Table 7 Production Diary...............................................................................................................................................40Table 8 Call Sheet..........................................................................................................................................................41

DEFINITION OF TERMS

EP – Extended Projectv UAL – University of the Arts London

6

GO TO CONTENTS

Table 1 – Project Proposal

7

Candidate Name

Brandon Virtue

Candidate Number

118428

Pathway Film and Television

Project Title Unit 13

Section 1: Rationale (approx. 150 words) I am creating a documentary of my grandad’s experiences in World War 2, whilst a young boy living in Dover. My main concern is to tell his story and to make sure that his unique memories are not forgotten. My reasoning for doing a documentary is that ever since I was a young boy I have always been interested in the war, it’s the same with documentaries also. I believe a documentary is a much more personal form of media which if it’s done in the right way can be very relatable. It’s very personal as I will be talking to someone who lived through the war, it will capture the audiences interest by listening to what he went through and the constant threat of being killed. I have learnt many new skills and techniques and one of the skills I want to show off in my documentary is framing and composition.

Section 2: Project Concept (approx. 200 words) The media format of my project is a documentary. The main aim of my project is to tell my Grandad’s story so that people appreciate his experience. One major factor that influenced me to do this documentary on the War was history. I’ve always been intrigued about the war and likewise history, and always enjoyed Grandad talking about his experiences. By doing this subject it allows me to do a lot of research into the war but more importantly into Dover during the war which will allow me to get an idea of what my Grandad and Dover went through during this period. The target audience for my documentary are people who love documentaries, intrigued in history and more specifically the war but also people who like personal stories about a major event like the war and people living in Dover. During the production of my project I will be doing everything from editing to directing to filming. Personally I think this is good so it allows me to do exactly what I want and the way I want it to look also.

Section 3: Evaluation (approx. 150 words)

When it comes to evaluating my work I will use progress trackers to look back at what and how I produced it. Progress trackers are a good way of looking back at project changes. It also allows me to reflect on what I done when it comes to evaluating my project. I will use a production diary throughout the production stage of my project to help with evaluating what and how I made my documentary. The production Diary will include pictures and notes of what I done on what day. When I have completed my documentary I will ask for feedback from my peers and also from my lectures to help with getting ideas on how to make my work better.

Proposed Research Sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format)

Below are a few examples of sources that I believe would help me with my project, I want to use a range of sources not only the normal websites and YouTube clips. I will look for films and books also that could give me any information.

Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom. 2016. Dover in the Second World War - Bombing and Shelling. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dover-kent.co.uk/ww2_bombing.htm. [Accessed 26 February 2018].

John Latter. 2011. Dover in World War II - 1942 - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpXoQ7dAD0. [Accessed 26 February 2018].

The Dover Society. 2018. World War 2. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.doversociety.org.uk/history-scrapbook/world-war-ii. [Accessed 26 February 2018].

GO TO CONTENTS

Project Action Plan and Timetable

8

LO 4.1

GO TO CONTENTS

9

Project Action Plan and Timetable

Week Date WeekBeginning

Activity / What you are intending to do - including independent study

Resources / What you will need to do it - including access to workshops

126/02/18

To begin I will note down the three ideas for my unit 13 in preparation for presenting my ideas. I will then begin my presentation PowerPoint for my three ideas in detail stating my reasoning for the ideas. Once the above is done I will finish off the presentation ready to present in the afternoon. Once I have presented my ideas presentation I will begin work on my project proposal completing as much of it as possible so I can get feedback on how to make it better.

ComputerAccess to the internet. Microsoft Office Word

25/03/18

This week I am intending to complete my project proposal and my presentation. If I manage to complete them successfully then will start on my Who am I. I will attempt to finish chapter 1 by the end of the week so that I am ready to start a fresh week on Chapter 2. I will spend the final hour of the week making sure that I have got lecture feedback and also peer feedback.

ComputerMicrosoft Office Word

3 12/03/18 This week I am intending to begin chapter 2. I will research for my literature review attempting to complete all the work by the end of next week.

ComputerMicrosoft Office WordResources from the internet.

4 19/03/18 I will continue my work on the literature review. As it’s quite long I’m allowing more time to completing it. I am also intending on completing the similar media product along with all of chapter 2 before the end of the week so I can move onto chapter 3.

ComputerMicrosoft Office WordResources from the internet as well as YouTube.

5 16/04/18 When all of the above is completed move onto chapter 3. I am intending on completing all the experiments in order to get the information I need for my project. This week I am specifically focussing on my experimentation. To do this I will carry out a framing task and also produce a survey which will inform what goes into my presentation. I intend to work on this both in class and as an independent study.

ComputerMicrosoft Office WordResources from the internet.Zoom microphone to carry out my recording task.Camera to film my experiment.

6 23/04/18 For this week Im intending on carrying out my research for my

ComputerMicrosoft Office Word

GO TO CONTENTS

Table 2 - Project Action Plan and Timetable

10

GO TO CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

This project portfolio is a report of my Extended Project for my second-year UAL Extended Diploma in Creative Media Games Film and TV pathway. My project is a short documentary based on my grandad and his experiences whilst living in Dover throughout World War 2 as a young boy. Chapter 1 is all about who I am, what I have learned and also starting to get into the pre-production stage of my project. In this chapter I will finish my research plan.

The Background of my Project

Ever since I was a young boy I have always been very interested in the War but more specifically in history in general. I thought it would be an interesting project to put two of my most interesting things to learn about and create a documentary. However my documentary is based on my grandad which makes it super personal to me and he continuously is telling me stories about when he was a young boy in Dover during the War and some of the stories have really influenced me in making this documentary so I can tell some of his stories in this documentary. Ever since I was a young boy I have been going on trips to France and seeing different monuments and main parts which witnessed mass conflict but also I believe doing this documentary will give me the opportunity to gain a lot more knowledge about a subject I love. Dover is very special to me and my family as they all grew up there so it would be very special for me to learn about Dover history in more detail. By doing this I want to create a well detailed and very personal documentary. But most importantly I want it to be a well-researched and factual documentary. My project will be very relatable to my target audience as it will be for interesting for the people who love the war and also documentaries likewise. I have always preferred to watch documentaries rather than films as documentaries are far more personal especially if it is about something you have an interest in. It allows you to get a better understanding on that subject or person so that was another reason for me wanting to create a documentary. Who am I

The Who Am I task is really good on being able to reflect on what you have learnt since starting the course. When asked at the start of the course last year to create a mind map of who I am below is what I created. Very much orientated on the things I love and what do academically like come to college however since doing this course for the past two years the mind map below would look completely different now as I have learnt so many new things, so many new skills and created so many good projects.

11

LO 1.1 1.2 4.1

GO TO CONTENTS

This task has given me the opportunity to really think about who I have become since I started this course. Above I have mentioned how I really have a love and passion for history which influenced me hugely in making a documentary for my Unit 13 but also I am a very practical person. Looking back from my first project when I started this course which was the Hello Project you can clearly see how I’ve progressed whether that be my editing, camera work or sound work. Again a huge part of my documentary is framing. I want that emotion to be there, I want my audience to be entertained and intrigued so I want this documentary to be emotional as I am a very emotional person. This all come together to give a huge indication about who I really am.

What did I learn on my course?

Since starting this course I have been given the freedom to create whatever I want from a practical point of view. I have been able to experiment with sound, lighting and even cameras so that when it comes to producing documentaries and films which I have done I have the ability to do this as professionally as I can.

When I joined this course I didn’t know how to edit footage, I didn’t know how to use different camera settings such as shutter speed and white balance even, since starting this course I hadn’t worked much in teams but since then I have worked in team on near enough every task which will be very beneficial for the future as one thing employers really look for is how well can you work in teams. Since starting the course I bettered all my skills for example when I started I could not use Avid at all but now I can edit very easily. If I was to work in the industry teamwork would be one of the main attributes they would look for when it comes to employing you. Since starting this course it has all been about teamwork. I have managed to create far better work in a team rather than something I have done on my own.

In the last academic year I created a college timeline. This really helped me when reflecting on what I done previously on the college course. I was able to clearly see that I have learnt so many new skills and learnt so much since doing this college timeline.

12

Figure 3 Who Am I mind map, produced by Brandon V

GO TO CONTENTS

13

GO TO CONTENTS

14

GO TO CONTENTS

15

GO TO CONTENTS

I like to look back at this timeline and compare everything that I knew back when I done this timeline to everything that I have learnt since then. This timeline really sums me up as a person and that’s why it’s so personal to me.

What is my project about?

After almost 80 years on from WW2 the younger generations know what happened over seas in France where the main bulk of the war took place however they may not necessarily know so much about how the war effected closer to home in the Kent area or more precisely Dover. My documentary will give a first-hand interview from someone who witnessed the war in Dover. People who love to learn about the war and also people who love personal documentaries will get a first-hand account of one boy’s time in Dover during WW2.

My role in this project is Writer/Producer/Film Director and even editing. However I am really going to try to focus on the editing of the production as after all this is the stage of the production process where you bring it all together and this is where you get to make it look exactly the way you want it.

Why my project is important?

I want my documentary to educate the younger generation on what children the same age as them went through almost 80 years earlier. Personally I don’t believe children learn enough about the wars. It was an event that changed history completely and this is why this documentary is important. This documentary is important for its target audience as there are a lot of documentaries based around the soldier’s point of view and people who fought in the war but not so many stories about the people who grew up during the war. Personally this project is really important to me as it is my grandad that I will be documenting and I want his memories and stories about what happened in Dover at that time to not be forgotten and make the audience aware of what horrific time he went through during this bad period for not just Dover but the whole of England.

16

Figure 4 Skills Timeline created by Brandon V

GO TO CONTENTS

My Research Plan

Table 3- My Research Plan

EXTENDED PROJECT - RESEARCH PLAN No of Words

Interest/Topic/Theme 150I will watch documentaries on the war to get inspiration and whilst looking at documentaries on the war look at framing as this is a big part of what the documentary actually looks like. My documentary is about an event in history so it has to be very factual so I will use books to do some research on the war. To get inspiration on how I could structure my documentary and what is in it I am going to use sources from books to war documentaries and online website. I will also refer to previous work I have done to help me with getting ideas on what goes in the documentary and framing for example.

Why is it important? - Importance 100

This documentary is important because it will be personal, imformative and emotional. There arent many documentaries out there that are about the younger generation who didn’t get evacuated during the war so this documentary will be very relatable to the people who stayed put during the war rather than the evacuees. Personally I believe its important for the younger generations to learn about the wars as it was a major event in history that happened in history and if lost could have had a major effect on the way we live our lives today.

My research question(s) 100

Can framing effect the emotional response of a documentary?What is the best way to structure a documentary? What effect did the war have on Dover?

17

LO 4.1

GO TO CONTENTS

Research Design 100

I will use books, websites and documentaries to research the war. This will help with what information I want to put into the documentary. I will do some research into target audience, using surveys and interviews as a way of finding out what type of audience my documentary will appeal to. When doing a documentary you need to research into framing, sound and even where you are going to film. Framing is a huge part of a documentary. You need to be very precise with documentaries otherwise it won’t appeal to anyone.

Literature (Proposed Sources – Harvard Format)

Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom. 2016. Dover in the Second World War - Bombing and Shelling. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dover-kent.co.uk/ww2_bombing.htm. [Accessed 26 February 2018].

John Latter. 2011. Dover in World War II - 1942 - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpXoQ7dAD0. [Accessed 26 February 2018].

The Dover Society. 2018. World War 2. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.doversociety.org.uk/history-scrapbook/world-war-ii. [Accessed 26 February 2018].

18

GO TO CONTENTS

CHAPTER 2

Literature/Resources Review

Introduction

This chapter is all about informing my ideas for my documentary. I will do this by using certain research resources such as web pages, books and documentaries to provide a basis for my extended project and documentary. This chapter will also include a practitioner report and will conclude with ideas and key conclusions of all the resources used in the chapter.

Practioners Report

My Practitioner report will be on the documentary maker Louis Theroux. Born in Singapore in 1970 he is best known for his works such as Louis Theroux: Saville (2017) and My Scientology Movie (2015). Theroux now has three children and is married to Nancy Strang.

Theroux like to make documentaries based on controversial people and issues. He likes to document problems in society, however before he become famous he was a journalist and he was heavily influenced by the work of his father who was a fiction and travel write called Paul Theroux. His brother Marcel also had a career in writing.

Theroux’s documentary When Louis Met… (2001-2002) won a BAFTA award in 2002. Theroux also went on to win best presenter by the Royal Televisions Society, UK in 2010. Louis is still around making documentaries today with his latest documentary called My Scientology (2016).

Louis has a very different approach to other documentarians for example in his earliest documentaries the whole documentary is filmed free hand, this gives the documentary a certain pace and feels more natural. He also has a way of asking very awkward questions and incorporating a lot of very awkward silences throughout his documentaries.

I have decided to do research into Louis Theroux as he is one of the most well-known documentary makers and I believe his popularity comes down to the natural feel of his documentaries. It’s interesting to watch Louis work as it isn’t the stereotypical documentaries you would expect. His documentaries are very full on

19

LO 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2

Figure 5 IMDB Louis Theroux (2018)

GO TO CONTENTS

and hard hitting. I like how personal he makes his documentaries and I am going to continue to look at more of his work to get more ideas for my very own documentary.

My second Practitioner report is on the film director Guy Hamilton. Guy Hamilton was born in 1922 in Paris France. Hamilton is well known for his work on the James Bond franchise and other films such as Battle of Britain (1969). After he left the armed forces after WW2 he immediately entered the film industry. He quickly climbed to the top getting the opportunity to work with the top directors at the time such as Sir Carol Reed and John Huston.

Figure

Photo by Den of Geek of Guy Hamilton (2016)

Guy Hamilton directed some of the most memorable and popular films from the likes of Battle of Britain (1969) to Goldfinger (1964) and even Live and Let Die (1973). His films are very much ‘typically British’. He really likes the concept of actions and adventure which is very popular with most audiences.

I decided to research Guy Hamilton because I am a big fan of his films and also the amount of action and adventure he incorporated in all of his films but also his film Battle of Britain will help me with my research when it comes to getting a feel of what Dover was like during this period of the war as the film is mainly based in Dover and the skies above Dover.

20

GO TO CONTENTS

Literature Review

For my literature review I will look at different research resources gathering note during the process and bringing all my findings together to answer the questions above in my research plan. I will be looking at how documentaries are structured, framing in documentaries and the effect the war had on Dover.

The first question I am going to base my research on is can framing effect the emotional response of a documentary?

The first source I am going to use is a TV series called Inside the Ambulance, based around the life of a paramedic you get a first-hand view via a chest camera of everything the paramedics go through on a daily basis. When watching this documentary I am looking at the framing set up used for the intimate interviews used in the episode. This source is really helpful in gaining ideas and influences for ways I can set my camera up that it feels more intimate and personal. This documentary is quite fast and nonstop however amongst all the madness of the ambulance teams going out on call they can still manage to get that intimacy into their documentary which really connects with their audience. Personally I think this source is useful as it demonstrates a completely different way of documentary making rather than just two people talking, in this you are up-close and personal with everything.

For my second source I found a book written by Robin L. Nabi called Exploring the Framing Effects of Emotion. The source talks about emotions in advertisements and entertainment programmes. This source is very interesting to read as it gives an in-depth look into emotion however it does not really relate to what I am talking about with framing in documentaries this source is more just about emotion.

My third source is a short video based on framing in documentaries. He talks about each shot and how the meanings differentiate through each shot. Not only did he give a meaning for each shot but he gave visual representations of each camera shot. By watching this I have bettered my knowledge on camera shots and framing however most of it I already knew. Personally I do not believe this source helps with answering my

21

Figure 7 Inside The Ambulance (YouTube, 2016)

GO TO CONTENTS

question however it is really good with refreshing my knowledge on framing and how I can negotiate different camera shots within my documentary.

My fourth source is from the source a website called Videomaker. The author Brian Pogue talks about framing techniques in which can better the overall look of your documentary. I am looking at this source to try and find the right research in order to answer my question. The source gives me good information on framing however does not give me the right information to answer my question however this source is still very helpful and it will help me in the future with my work.

In conclusion the research that I carried out helped me in certain ways. Although the research I have carried out has really helped with being able to compile enough knowledge to answer my question. Finally using the research I have done the answer to my question is yes framing can change the emotional response of the reader. It hugely comes down to the positioning of the camera and also the subject. If the subject is personal to the interviewee you ideally want the camera straight on and quite close so the audience can really feel the connection with the interviewee. Personally I believe it is also about the interviewee’s posture and where also they are looking. Framing is a huge part of documentary making but one thing I have noticed with my research the interviewees on Inside the Ambulance all look directly at the camera making it far more personal and you feel much more of a connection with that person.

My second question I am going to carry out research for is what is the best way to structure a documentary?

My first source is a short video demonstrating how to write a documentary. I watched it because I thought it would be beneficial on getting ideas on how I could lay my information out and fundamentally how I can bring it all together to get a well informative documentary. He talks a lot about narration and with a documentary about my grandad and also about the war I need a strong narrative to keep my audience interested. Personally I think this source is the best source from which I have I have done research on as it talks about everything within the documentary, structure and so on.

22

Figure 8 Framing in Documentaries by James Keating (2013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcfpHq6XfwM

GO TO CONTENTS

My second source is from a website called Desktop Documentaries. Within the source it discussed The Three-Act Documentary which is all about how to structure your documentary so that at the beginning you capture the audience’s attention and then in the middle is where the main bulk of your story is and then the end is where you bring it all together to get your resolution. When it comes to producing my work or at the pre-production stage of my documentary I will refer to this source to refresh my memory on the three-act structure so that I can try and base my documentary on this. This source is really useful and it clearly demonstrates how to structure your documentary in the best way so that your documentary is as informative and interesting as possible.

Figure 10 Photo by Floss Manuals, 3 Act Structure

My third source is from the same website, Desktop Documentaries however instead of just focusing on the three-act structure it goes in to more detail on aspects you have to think about when it comes to making your documentary for example you have to research your documentary subject making sure you know everything about in my case Dover during the war also I will have to make a plan and think about how I am going to outline my project and also what videos and pictures I am going to include other than the interview with my grandad. This source is I think the best source out of the three as it goes into much more detail on ways of preparing myself to make this documentary however it does not necessarily focus

23

Figure 9 How to write a documentary, video by Expertvillage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4TswJ84cyE

GO TO CONTENTS

on structure only a small part of the source is focused on the structure of documentaries the rest is on what I have to do to accomplish making a very good documentary.

Based on the research I have done from the three sources I personally believe it is personal opinion on what’s the best way to structure a documentary, fundamentally it comes down to watching other documentaries and taking notes and try to emulate and take inspiration from them but try to make it personal to you.

My third and final question is what effect did the war have on Dover?

To get a better understanding of what Dover went through in the war so that I can get a better understanding of what my grandad went through I have decided to do research into Dover during the Second World War. My first source is from a website called Dover: Lock and Key. It talks about the heavy bombing Dover went through during the war period showing devastating pictures of how the bombs decimated the town. This source is very good as it gives me a good visual of what the people of Dover went through during World War 2 however I want to find more out so I will look for a source that gives a lot more information.

My second source a YouTube video about Dover in 1942 gives a great view about Dover and also Dover during the war but with this documentary I am looking more at how they structure it as this is exactly what my documentary will be on also. For me this source is the best I have found throughout the whole literature review as not only is it giving me great information about Dover and wartime it is showing me how to structure a good detailed documentary. This documentary will have a huge influence on me and how I structure my documentary.

24

Figure 12 Dover during the war, photo by Wordpress

Figure 11 Dover in WW2, video by John Latter

GO TO CONTENTS

My final source is a website published by the BBC; it isn’t just focused only on Dover during the war but also Kent. The source talks about everything from the evacuation of Dunkirk to the bombings in the surrounding area but also the Battle of Britain which took place over the Channel which really help the Allies to win. By reading this BBC source I have taken a lot of good information from it which I will try and fit in my documentary when it comes to giving the context of my documentary however it hasn’t really helped me to answer my question as it isn’t primarily based in Dover, it briefly mentions Dover but not enough to gain any sufficient knowledge about what Dover went through.

To answer the question above Dover suffered hugely throughout the war with horrific bombing however in context to my project the research that I completed will be hugely beneficial for me when it comes to gaining a better understanding of what my grandad went through.

Media Product Review

For my work on my existing media product I chose a documentary made by the History of Wars talking about the use of the submarines during the war. I chose this documentary for three reasons. I could take tips on the structure of their documentary, their documentary is on the same topic as mine and finally they have incorporated interviews in their documentary which is exactly what I am going to do so it is good to take inspiration from this documentary.

I have always liked watching documentaries on the war as it is history which is something I have a huge passion for and I know a lot about but I also just like watching documentaries in general especially if it is about something I like or enjoy. I like how personal documentaries can be if done in the right way and how informative they can be. Understandably it has been this passion and love for documentaries and history which has influenced me to do this documentary on my grandad and the world war and I just hope I can produce a well-structured and interesting documentary myself.

25

Figure 13 WW2 Documentary, video by History of Wars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8s1zRdylo

GO TO CONTENTS

Whenever I watch a documentary I always look at how they structure their documentary and also how they film it. Personally I believe if a documentary is well structured and about a subject where you can include a lot of interesting information then that documentary will be far more appealing to the audience. There is no doubt that all the documentaries I watched when I was a young boy shaped my planning and thought process on how I am going to make this documentary. Every documentary is different and that is what I love so much about them.

By doing this task on similar media products to mine I especially when they are on the World War I am able to compare what I want my documentary to look like to other documentaries and by doing this offers me the chance to get new ideas on how I can film it or the structure of the documentary. Content is the key to documentaries if what you include is fascinating to your audience far more people are going to want to watch it.

Conclusion

My overall inspiration for this project is both my passion for history and also my grandad. Without my grandads stories about what he went through during the war whilst living in Dover at the time it would just be another documentary on the war whereas mine is different as it is based on personal experiences that only my grandad had meaning nobody else experienced what he did his stories are unique. My main motivation for my project is to make sure that my grandads stories are told for years to come and that they are not forgotten as they are interesting and I want my audiences to hear what he went through at such a young age like so many others at this time.

26

GO TO CONTENTS

CHAPTER 3

Research Design

Introduction

In this chapter it’s all about experimentation, the chapter also explains research design for my Extended Project. It starts off with a description of the research design and research methods used in my project.

Research Questions

For my extended project I really want to create a well informative and interesting documentary however I really want my documentary to appeal to others especially the younger generation and this is what I want to achieve. I want this documentary to give a good representation of my grandad through the stories that he is going to be telling me. The key characteristics of my project is that it is a documentary on the war which makes it instantly appealing to people who are interested in the war and also documentary lovers however the most important charecteristic of my project is that it is a documentary based on a first hand story of a young boy at the time living in Dover.

My overall research aim is looking at how to structure and frame my documentary. Both these elements are so important as they do not only determine what my documentary will look like but also what is in it, its content. I want to find out the best way to frame my documentary. After looking at so many documentaries the framing used varies, some of the interviewees look at the camera other don’t personally for my documentary I want my grandad to look down the camera as it is personal to him so the audiace will feel more as if he is talking to them making it far more personal rather than just me and him having a conversation. For the structure of my documentary I want to do a survey on what is the best content to put in my documentary. Other than the interview itself I can add found footage and pictures but I want to ask fellow peers to get their oppinion on this.

The questions I am going to base my experiments and research on are what is the best way to frame a documentary? I chose this question as it allows me to take images of different framing techniques and so I can see which one I think will best suit my documentary. The second question is what shall I include in my documentary other than my interview with my grandad? I chose this question as it will give me the opportunity to ask my peers their opinions on what I should incluse whether it be found footage or pictures even voiceovers.

27

LO 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 5.1 7.2

GO TO CONTENTS

Research Design

For my research I am going to carry out both a small framing experiment and a questionnaire on what to include in my documentary. I will also do a short task on sound so that when it comes to recording my interview I am more comfortable with being able to get good sound. I have chosen to do these three experiments as I believe by doing this is will benefit me in getting vital knowledge on how my documentary will look and also what my documentary will have in it.

For my first experiment I will take a couple of pictures using different angles to see which one best fits the framing for my documentary. I want to find out which is the best frame to use for my documentary? For my documentary I intend on using a medium shot so the camera will focus more on my grandad so it will not allow the audience to get distracted with anything in the background although with this shot it should expel that issue. Another dilemma when it comes to framing is where will the interviewee be looking? I have decided to have him look straight down the camera as this will make the documentary far more personal and it will feel as if my grandad is personally talking to the audience. The first frame that I am thinking about using is a medium shot looking straight down the camera...

Figure 14 Framing Photo by Brandon. V

The second frame is also a medium shot however I will be looking in another direction...

Figure 15 Framing Photo by Brandon. V

28

GO TO CONTENTS

I decided to do my primary research on framing as framing is so key to how the interview/documentary will look and fundamentally it can have an effect on the emotional response of the documentary.

For my second primary research experiment I conducted a questionnaire based on the question what should be included in my documentary? I know I’m having the interview but do I include found footage? Pictures? Voiceovers? This research question will help me answer that. I asked my peers, family and my friends to gain my data. Before creating this questionnaire I had to watch a few documentaries myself to see what other people have incorporated into their own. I simply gathered 4 questions together and asked if they could give me their opinions so I could record my data.

My third experiment is based around the question what environment is best to record sound in? I decided to gather some recordings of sound in different environments for example outside however I know I will be doing my interview indoors so I will attempt to record sound in the type of environment where I know I will be doing my interview.

Target Audience Research

My documentary is not aimed at any age specific person it is simply aimed at everyone. Ever since I started planning for this documentary it was obvious to me that my target audience is clearly people who love documentaries but also people who like documentaries on the war, history lovers is the best term to use. Personally I believe the older generations will take more of a liking to my documentary rather than the younger generation as it is more relevant and effected the older generations more as some of them may have lived through it like my grandad or had a family member hurt in the war or even just fought in the war. The younger audience would possibly be more interested in documentaries about things that are more modern to them rather than an event that happened years and years ago.

For my target audience research I will look at different sites documenting what audiences watch what? This will help me with seeing what people like to see on their TV screen and I will also conduct a short interview with my dad talking about why he would be interested in watching my documentary.

Skills and Techniques Research

In order to make sure that my project is original and effective I will research different skills and techniques in order to help me achieve this goal. By doing this it will help me to either refresh my knowledge on something such as framing or sound or benefit me when it comes to putting it all together through editing and learning new things. For my secondary research I will watch videos on how to edit found footage, voiceovers and pictures together in the best way possible. For my primary research I will incorporate what I have learnt through the framing task and better my knowledge by doing more on framing.

Production Research

29

GO TO CONTENTS

For my production I will obviously need the interviewee who in this case is my and I will also need a camera man. I have spoken to my grandad to ask him if he would like to be a part of my project likewise with my cameraman who I messaged over Facebook. I will be the Director for my project so in order to carry out this role to the best of my ability I have watched some short videos on Directors of documentaries talking about how they Direct documentaries. I will also be responsible for the final edit of my documentary so I will look at some media books that explain clearly how to get the best out of Avid so that the final edit is as good as possible.

To make sure I know what I am doing and when I am doing it I will create a production schedule this will help with knowing what to do and when to do it. I will create this myself. The budget for my project is very much opinion as it is a student project I will not need funding to create it however I will do some research online to see how much a production such as mine would cost. As my documentary is mainly an interview with found footage and pictures I will not need to do location research.

Health and safety is key to any film set so before the production starts I will carry out checks to make sure everything is safe and when I start filming all the cables will be safely put down so there is no risk of anybody getting hurt.

I have already started taking notes from other documentaries such as Inside the Ambulance and Louis Theroux to take inspiration and try to emulate what they have done. Now I have taken inspiration from their work I can try to use certain aspects such as the way they structure their documentaries in my work. I have already started to take some notes on the order of which I want my documentary to unfold.

For my production research I will continue to look into sound. It is a technique that you have to get right otherwise the final project will not work if the sound isn’t good enough to hear what my grandad is saying. Sound is vital to any project but for my project it’s vital. For my post production I will look into some professional editors talking about how they edit their final cut and how it brings it all together hopefully getting inspiration in order to help me with my final edit as my edit will be more complex as ill have to add pictures, found footage and the interview all together and merge them so they all fit and it all works smoothly.

Conclusion

- Framing Activity - Interview- Experiments- Surveys- Experimentation - Online research-

From doing the research above I collected very interesting data which will certainly help me with my project. The production research really helped me to refresh my knowledge on certain areas of editing and sound work that I will need in order to make my project as good as possible.

30

GO TO CONTENTS

CHAPTER 4

Research Findings

In this chapter I will explain the research and the data that I collected. The topic of my documentary is fundamentally the war and what life was like during the war. I chose every question because I knew I would learn something from it. Each question would be able to help me when it comes to my project. Each activity likewise would help me to learn something and thankfully it did.

Findings/Data analysis

For my first experiment I completed a short framing task. By doing this experiment I was aiming to find out which shot I prefer and what shot looks better to use. However I believe this experiment has taught me I can use both of the shots and switch between the two. I really think this will work as I can have the shot that I believe shows real meaning and will capture the audience which is the first shot and I will then be able to incorporate the second shot into my interview also.

The second question I asked myself was what should be included in my project? To gather the data I needed I asked a few people what they think would work best in my documentary through a questionnaire whether that would be found footage, voiceovers and so on. I found that more people think found footage merged with pictures and voiceovers will work best. Personally I was aiming to use photos, videos and voiceovers and merge them together as I think this would work best but it also makes it much more entertaining for the audience rather than just one constant interview throughout.

My third experiment which was to record sound in different environments to see which one is the best to record in? This experiment was certainly an interesting experiment. Ultimately I know I am going to record my interview indoors which excludes noise interference so this experiment has helped me to realise this.

31

LO 5.1 6.1 6.2 7.2

Figure 16 Framing in Documentaries photo by Pinterest

GO TO CONTENTS

I learnt a lot from the experiments and also the research that I carried out. The experiments specifically were just to see what works best for what I want and I certainly found that out after doing these experiments. Although they were not complex experiments they gave me the information that I needed as that’s all I needed to learn from them. I now know what to include in my documentary, where to record it and then I have found out exactly how I want my project to look.

The reason I have chosen to do a documentary on the war is due to how much I love documentaries and how interesting I find documentaries to be. As I mentioned in chapter 1 everything I have done over the last two years have all contributed to me wanting to make a documentary. I find history the most interesting topic as there is always something you can learn that’s new when it comes to history. I want my grandads stories and memories to be remembered for a long time and I also want the younger generations to hopefully learn something from this documentary, this along with other factors that I have mentioned previously is what makes me want to do my project and complete it to the best of my ability. My choice of doing a documentary has been influenced by the many stories I have heard from my grandad talking about his experience but also the many trips to war sites in France and even Dover. Both have really made me so interested in the history of the war. My project is a short documentary, I will use found footage, photos and the od voice over to explain my grandads experiences throughout World War 2 whilst living in Dover during the war. I want to achieve a very interesting, professional and appealing documentary to my target audience. This documentary is very appealing to everyone especially people who love documentaries and the war however personally I believe anyone will enjoy this documentary as it will be fun to watch and very fascinating documentary on the war.

There are many similar documentaries to mine for example World War 2 in Colour and WW2 Behind closed Doors (2008). There are similarities and differences from both the documentaries above and my documentary. Firstly they are both based on the war that is the obvious similarity however a difference is both the documentaries are based purely on the fighting during the war whereas mine is an individual personal story, I will include some context on the war and that is the similarity but mine is a first-hand documentary about a boy during the war where they talk about the fighting. I have taken a lot of inspiration from documentaries such as the two above from where they use interviews to get the anecdotal stories into their documentaries. In chapter two I referred to documentaries that weren’t based on the war to see how they structure their documentaries. I referred to one specifically which was Inside the Ambulance. I really liked the way they got the interviewees to look straight down the camera when talking about something that happened to them it was really emotional and I felt a real connection with what they were talking about and this is what I want to emulate in my documentary. I will get my grandad to look straight down the camera when talking as it is personal to him.

From watching other similar media products I have found that they are all related in some way whether that’s the way they structure it or the content within. I believe it’s pivotal with documentaries that the information in your documentary is authentic and makes sense but I believe it also has to be relatable for people to want to watch it. Most documentaries are giving out information if you are watching it you want to learn something you want to better your knowledge on something and that is exactly what I have learnt by watching these similar media products. In most circumstances you aren’t going to watch a documentary on history if you have no interest in history at all so that’s why I must make my documentary appealing to everyone.

32

GO TO CONTENTS

Idea 1- My first idea was obviously this documentary on my granddad and his experiences throughout the war. I thought of the idea when I was sat with him and he was telling me continuously loads of stories about what he went through and I thought I want to document this as I want his stories to be heard as he is now 86 and it is great that he is able to remember all this when he was only young at the time. I want these unique memories to be remembered for a long time and I felt producing a documentary was the best way for this to happen. Quite frankly a lot of people who lived through the war are either quite old or not around no more so I think it’s great that we still have people like my grandad who can talk about what he experienced and can remember what he went through. It will be something to show future generations to inform them of what the war was like and what some people had to go through at such a young age like many during this time.

Idea 2- My second idea was to get creative and create my own piece of line art such as the one above using John Lennon’s line art as inspiration. I have briefly touched upon art within chapter 12 where I done line art but I didn’t go deep enough into it. I touched the surface but doing it for my project I could have done a lot of research into art and specifically line art from years and years back to when John Lennon got his inspiration.

When it comes to choosing what idea I wanted to do for my project it was easy for me to choose. I knew I could do a lot of research for both ideas however the documentary I felt I could get stuck into more as it is personal to me and I have experience in doing documentaries so I felt I could make it as professional as possible. I am very good at drawing and art but I was questioning what I could draw for my project and whether it would be enough so that is why I went for my documentary.

The documentary is viable for me to make as it is simply an interview with my grandad. It will get complex as I have to add in photos and found footage but it is certainly achievable for me to make a good documentary especially as I have knowledge on how to make documentaries as I have done them before. The idea for doing art is again certainly viable but I do not know so much about art as I do for history.

33

Figure 17 John Lennon Line Art Photo by Pinterest

GO TO CONTENTS

Lot of research can be done on the subject

My knowledge on art is not great

I have done a documentary before so I know how to

structure it and what to put in it.

Conclusion

The research that I carried out both primary and secondary really helped me. It gave me the opportunity to see how other documentaries were structured, it gave me the opportunity to get inspiration on what to put in my documentary and how I can frame it. I was able to get feedback from my peers and others on what I should put in my documentary which also really helped to get others perspectives on what they would like to see as well. I really enjoyed doing the primary research as it allowed me to experiment and learn through first-hand experience on what would work best in my documentary. My secondary research really helped with just being able to look at other documentaries and seeing what I can possible take from theirs knowledge wise and put in mine. Overall the research that I have done over the last two chapter have really informed my project and have now given me the knowledge to produce a very good documentary. I will certainly apply this knowledge to my documentary in places where required for example when it comes to setting up my camera I will use my framing skills and when it comes to recording my documentary I will use what I learnt during my sound task.

34

John Lennon Line Art IDEA 1-

Documentary on WW2 IDEA 2-

Strengths Weaknesses

The questions I am going to ask my

questions must be good questions and fit

in with what I am talking about.

GO TO CONTENTS

CHAPTER 5

My Project

Introduction

In this chapter I will produce everything from my pre-production paperwork which includes schedules, health and safety and a production schedule. I will also be creating a presentation for my project which I will be presenting to my tutor. Throughout the chapter I will be clearly demonstrating my journey through all three stages of the pre-production stages.

Pre-Production Pre-Production Budget

Table 4 Pre-Production Budget

35

LO 3.1 4.1 5.1 7.1 7.2

PRODUCTION BUDGET Name: Brandon Virtue

Description of all1.Personnel2.Equipment

3.Materials used for video audio photography

Cost per weekPer day or

Per hour forPersonnel/Equipment

Hire£

Cost per unit for materials

£

Personnel Equipment X number

weeks/days/hours used.

MaterialsX number units used

Sub Total

Please add together to give the final total.

Personnel (crew/cast)Director £600 / Day 4 Days £2400 Interviewee £50 / Day 4 Days £200 Cameraman £250 / Day 4 Days £1000Editor £500 / Day 4 Days £2000 Equipment/Hiring editing suite Camera £50 / Day 4 Days £200 Tripod £25 / Day 4 Days £100 SD Card £6.00 / Per

Card X24 Days £12

Insurance/Copyrights Found Footage £5 / Video X 4 £20Photos £5 / Photo X 6

Photos £30

Final Total: £5962

CONTENTS

Risk Assessment

Table 5 Risk Assessment

Location/ activity

Hazard Who is at risk

Level of risk

Actions/ controls Are Control Measures in place/adequate? Y/N/n/aIn Place Adequat

eMy Grandads House

Trip Hazard

Everyone

low Make sure all cables are securely taped to the floor.

y y

My Grandads House

Heavy Equipmen

t

Crew Medium Make sure everything is carried around carefully and everyone is aware that equipment is being

moved.

y y

My Grandads House

Blocked Fire Exits

Everyone

High Keep all fire exits unblocked. Make sure to leave a walkway in

case of emergency putting all bags and equipment to the side

when not in use.

y y

My Grandads House

Bags from equipment laying around

Everyone

Medium Pack excess bags away correctly so nobody can fall over them.

y y

36

CONTENTS

REMOTE SURVEY CHECKLIST – LOCATION RECEE SHEET

Table 6 Location Recee Sheet

Date of Survey 13/04/18Location Leybourne Road, Dover

Day of Shoot 19/04/18 Time of Shoot 9.00 AMPower AvailableQuantity

YES4 Plug Sockets

Extension Cords 23 Meters

AC Outlets Quantity

YES2

Reflection Interferences- NO

Obstructions blocking camera view- NO

Sprinkler System- NO

Sun LocationShould not interfere

View from inside looking out- Garden

External Surroundings (noise interference) - NO

Type of Floor- Carpet

Ceiling Height- 5 Meters

Width of hallways2 Meters

Width of Doors – 1.5 Meters

Permits/Clearances Police - Parking - Fire Dept -Names of Contacts for Permits/Clearances-

Special Props Needed- NO

37

GO TO CONTENTS

External Filming – Traffic Noise- NO

External Filming – Source of Power available?- NO

External Filming – road access/parking – NO but is parking

External Filming – public interference - NO

Any Additional Location Specific Information/Observation- NO

38

CONTENTS

Production Diary

Table 7 Production Diary

Action/Resource

Week of 9/04/18 Week of 16/04/18 Week of 23/04/18 Week of 30/04/18 Week of 7/05/18

M Tu W Th F M Tu W Th F M Tu W Th F M Tu W Th F M Tu W Th F

Research/Proposal

TreatmentLocation recce.Shooting ScriptStory BoardShootPaper editRough cutFinal cutProducerDirectorCameramanSound recordistEditor

39

CONTENTS

Call Sheet

Table 8 Call Sheet

Day: 26 Month: April Year: 2018Shoot Start Time: Wrap Time:Location: Grandads house Address: Leybourne Road

Contact Name/Tel No: 07715 905257

Main Production Contacts/names Number & e-mail

Director:Line Producer:1st AssistantDirector:Assistant Producer:3rd AssistantDirector:

Brandon V07715 905257 [email protected]

Name/ArtisteHarry Williams – Interviewee

Name Production Role Call Time Contact NoBrandon Virtue Producer 9 AM - 07715 905257 Brandon Virtue Director 9 AM - 07715 905257Harry Virtue Camera 9 AM - 07714 608247Brandon Virtue Sound 9 AM - 07715 905257Harry Virtue Lighting 9 AM - 07714 608247Rachael Virtue Camera Assistant 9 AM - 07717 902463Brandon Virtue Design Assistant 9 AM - 07715 905257Everybody Health+Safety 9 AM -

Rachael Virtue Assistant 9 AM - 07717 902463Production Requirements Location: Harry WilliamsParking: Parking outside the front of the house. Toilets: Toilets are inside Equipment: Camera, Tripod and interviewee

Preliminary Schedule – Subject to change Time Action

40

GO TO CONTENTS

9 AM9:30 AM12 PM

2 PM

Set everything up. Begin recording the interview Finish recording the interview. Also check that all the footage I have got is what I need. Once that’s done get everything put away.

Unit Wrap Time: 2 PM

Interview Questions

What is your earliest memory of what Dover was like in the war?

Why did you stay in Dover during the war?

What do you remember most about the war in Dover at the time?

At such a young age were you aware of the constant threat you were under?

41

Travel

Name Travel Method Departure time + any additional information

Return time (plus any additional information)

Brandon V Drive Depart my home 8:30… Arrive at 8:50

Depart at 2PM and arrive back home at 2.20PM.

Harry V Drive Depart my home 8:30… Arrive at 8:50


Rachael Drive Depart my home 8:30… Arrive at 8:50


GO TO CONTENTS

Production

Production Diary:

Filming Day:

Notes on preparation for the interview: Today I am going to begin filming. When I arrive on set I will begin to set up the equipment and make sure everything is in place for me to film. Once I have done this I will run through the questions with my grandad to make sure he has an idea of what I am going to ask him, this will allow him to think of his answers and prepare for the interview. Once my sound and camera is ready and the framing is correct I will begin to film making sure the sound is right and the footage is correct.

The images below was taken throughout the interview…

42

Figure 18 Production Diary photo by Brandon V



GO TO CONTENTS

The pictures above are demonstrating me asking the question, recoding the sound and the setup for my interview. As I mentioned in previous chapters framing was key for my interview and the image on the bottom left best demonstrates us trying to get the camera in the right position. The picture at the top shows me asking the questions and recording the sound. I really focused on trying to get the best sound as possible and it was quite tough to get the levels of sound right so we can hear exactly what my grandad is saying. The final picture on the bottom right is just showing the number of takes we were on when we were filming.

Outcome: Once we finished filming and recording we reviewed the footage to make sure we had everything I needed and also I reviewed the audio recordings to make sure that it sounded exactly the way I wanted. I believe the production went really well and it was a really productive day. We had an issue with getting the sound at the correct level but I was quickly able to rectify that and overall the whole day went really well.

I found when filming we were able to do it in a few takes as we all knew what we had to do and we just got on and done it. I believe everything I learnt throughout this project allowed me to get as good footage and sound as possible. Relating back to my research I chose to do a medium shot throughout as medium shots are used most with the occasional close up. I recorded my sound separately rather than recording through the camera as the sound you get through the microphone is much clearer and also it’s a far more professional approach.

Timeline of the Production day:

43

Once we reviewed the footage and had everything we packed all the equipment up and left the set.

We reviewed the footage and sound that we got.

Once everything was set up we began a test take.

We began filming the documentary.

Arrived on set.

We finished filming.

Began setting up the equipment. 9:05 AM

10:35 AM

9:15 AM

9:30 AM

10:30 AM

9AM

11 AM

Figure 21 Production Day Timeline

GO TO CONTENTS

Post-production

Once I finished the production stage of my project my focus then turned to the editing of my documentary. I knew the edit was going to be tough as I have to sync the sound and then incorporate pictures and found footage into it as well.

Before I started editing I got all my footage, pictures and found footage and separated them clearly so I knew exactly where it all was when it comes to editing it all together. I then took the footage that I wanted to use and sync that to the audio. Once I done this it was mainly just putting it all together on the timeline. From the found footage and the pictures that I had I tried to try to put them in when they had relevance to what my grandad was talking about.

Figure 23 Editing Post Production

44

Figure 22 Editing Process, Post Production

GO TO CONTENTS

Found Footage & Photos: I believe with every documentary/interview you have to include something that will make the audience watching it. I thought adding in footage and pictures would definitely work but I felt they shouldn’t just be thrown in at any time they had to have a purpose for being there so I decided to put them in when my grandad talks about it for example when he says about the dive bombers I managed to find footage that backs what he is saying. I got my found footage from YouTube, I found clips of the war that had something to do with my project like the bomber planes and so on. I got my pictures from sites such as The Dover Society as they had the pictures that were both taken in Dover and the pictures that I felt were most relevant to my documentary. If this production wasn’t a student production I would have had to get license to use their pictures and videos as in the industry you have to have permission from everybody and everything in order to use someone else’s footage or pictures.

Once everything was in place this is what my finished timeline looked like. One major aspect of my edit was making sure that the sound was correct so I decided to raise the sound levels for when I’m asking the question so that is clear for the audience to hear. Luckily I didn’t really have any problems when it comes to filming my interview. I had a slight issue with the sound and making sure all the levels were right and that the sound was perfect but as for putting it all together I had no problems whatsoever. As this documentary is purely based on sound I really wanted to focus on it likewise why I my experiments were on sound and they was so it would enable me to get the best sound possible for this project.

One thing I wasn’t sure about was adding in a backing track, I decided against this as it could take the audience’s attention away from what is being said and this is what I don’t want. I only had one slight problem with sound and that was making sure that the levels were right so when I put it on avid it would distort the sound if I wanted to lower or raise it. It took a couple of takes to get the sound exactly the way I wanted it to. Looking back at my finished documentary I possibly could have taken out the questions being asked as my grandad more or less mentioned the questions in the documentary. Another aspect of my documentary in contrast to what was in it was I could added more footage and pictures. Looking back what ive got works but I could of maybe added a bit more.

One thing I did notice when it comes to the editing of my project was that it didn’t always sync correctly so it took me a few attempts at getting this correct. During editing I was debating whether to zoom in a bit on my grandad to get it to be more of a close up rather than a medium shot however I felt it was fine the way it was as if it was closer I feel it would look a bit awkward staying in that one position throughout whereas the shot that I used in my opinion is perfect throughout.

45

GO TO CONTENTS

Presentation

Figure

Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 1

46

GO TO CONTENTS

Figure 26 Presentation for Unit 13 Slide 3

47


GO TO CONTENTS

Figure



48

GO TO CONTENTS

Figure



49

GO TO CONTENTS

CHAPTER 6

MY EXTENDED PROJECT – FINAL PRODUCT

50

LO 4.1 7.2

Figure 31 WW2 - I Was There

GO TO CONTENTS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvgN2IGnJIg

51

GO TO CONTENTS

CHAPTER 7

Project Evaluation

My documentary, WW2 – I Was There is a short documentary/interview about my grandads experiences throughout WW2. To further demonstrate what my grandad went through I have incorporated found footage and pictures into my documentary to make it more entertaining to watch. I want my audience to be able to watch a very well informative documentary that will appeal not only to documentary lovers but to everyone.

Strengths Weaknesses

Found footage used is relevant to what my grandad is talking about.

A weakness could be that my documentary is a bit too long.

The documentary is very interesting to listen to what my grandad went through.

Another weakness is that I may not have included enough found footage or pictures.

The way the project is edited it really works well when he talks about something and you get a visual of what he’s talking about.

The cream chair with the white background sort of make my grandad look like he’s in a care home.

The quality of sound. You can clearly hear the questions being asked and also the answer.

The framing used sort of looks as if I am questioning him for a crime.

The organisation for my production was very good. Everything was completed to the deadline and to a good standard.

Ideally I didn’t really need to have me asking the questions in it as my grandad practically mentions it in the documentary.

Figure 32 Strengths and Weaknesses Chart for my Documentary

When it comes to thinking of my ideas there was not necessarily a clear link however although it is not an obvious link between the two idea fundamentally it was history. This documentary is based on history likewise my other idea of the John Lennon Line Art. Going all the way back to the start of this project I have stated my constant love and passion for history and that is what ultimately made me want to do a project with the structure of history.

Once I chose my strongest idea which was of course this documentary I had the opportunity to experiment with all the aspects which make a documentary what it is. I began with looking into framing and completing a framing task which allowed me to test out a few different camera angles to see which one best fit my documentary. I wanted to find the best framing solution which would best suit my documentary. Once I found the best framing solution I then decided to look at other documentaries and see how they used framing within their own documentaries and see if framing could change the way the audience see the documentary through an emotional response. I then decided I wanted to better my sound skills so I decided to do a few different recordings in different locations and see which one the best to film in. Fundamentally by doing this I found that sound is so vital to any documentary and in different

52

LO 6.1 6.2

GO TO CONTENTS

locations you can expect different quality of sound. Finally my third and final experiment I done a short survey, the purpose of this was to find what would be the best content in my documentary. I asked questions such as would the documentary be better with found footage and pictures and why? They are basic questions but allow you to get a lot of information out of it.

For the comparison of a similar media product I have chosen a documentary called Inside WW2 (2016) there are many differences and comparisons between Inside WW2 and my documentary. Firstly the way they use found footage is very similar to mine however they just use a lot more of it as their documentary is a lot longer than mine. Another similarity is how they do their interviews. For the interviews in Inside WW2 they have men who fought in the war and experienced it with their own eyes whereas similarly to mine my grandad experienced the war but obviously was too young to fight however he still lived through it and can remember what it was like. Other aspects such as how both their documentary and mine use photos to better explain points made and so on. There are also differences with both of the documentaries such as they use a narrator throughout the whole documentary to explain what’s happening and where it’s happening throughout the war. I did not include a voiceover as I wanted to more focus on what my grandad was saying and I felt that adding voiceovers would complicate the documentary and the audience could get confused. Another quite obvious difference between the two documentaries is that my documentary didn’t have the professional documentary makers to put it all together whereas the Inside WW2 documentary would have had a team of professionals putting it all together and working on it.

When I decided to make a documentary I knew there was certain area of development and that was everything within making a documentary so that is framing and sound and the skills you need to learn to be able to make a very professional and good documentary. For me personally I wanted to develop my sound skills as I knew this is a big part of documentary making likewise framing. These two things mainly I focused on before making this documentary. I believe even after making this documentary I still done know everything about sound and framing I can still learn more and that just comes with experience and doing, obviously if I was to make more documentaries I would learn from each one as every piece of work is different and you have to approach it and apply a different skill set to each one.

Personally I believe I achieved everything I set out to for example I said in my project proposal I wanted to create a documentary that would tell my grandads unique experiences and I think I certainly achieved this. Another thing I said in my proposal was I want to show of my framing and sound skills in my documentary although I only stuck with one camera shot throughout I believe it really worked.

When I first pitched my idea to my client I was surprised by the support and backing I got for making this documentary. My client gave me a few suggestions as to how I could make this documentary as good as it could possibly be such as making sure everything in the documentary is relevant and I certainly took this advice on board. Everything in my documentary I believe is relevant from the questions asked to the found footage and that’s what makes my documentary as interesting as possible.

When it comes to reviewing my work I felt it was a good as I could possibly make it. I felt it was everything I thought it would be and I believe its personal opinion. However watching it a few times over and properly analysing my final project I could have possibly added in a few voiceovers to maybe better narrate my documentary. One other thing I could have done to improve my documentary is maybe add in a bit more found footage. When it comes to putting it together I wanted to add in the pictures and found footage when it was relevant. As I’ve mentioned above I didn’t want to just put them in anywhere as that then becomes confusing for the audience so I decided to add the found footage in and pictures when they were relevant to what my grandad was saying and I believe that works better as the audience then have a visual.

53

GO TO CONTENTS

I believe the final work is of course appropriate to the needs of the project. I believe I have answered my brief. I wanted to create a very interesting documentary about my grandads’ unique experiences whilst living in Dover at the time and I believe this documentary is the answer to that.

Before I presented my pitch to the board I was nervous but also at the same time determined to make sure my pitch was as good as possible because I just wanted to go off and film. When it comes to presenting an idea that you have come up with you need to make sure that you are confident and show you know what you are talking about. That way the board will trust that they know I know what I’m doing. Fundamentally I believe the pitch when perfect, I was that confident that I knew what I was talking about I could have talked about my project for ages. The feedback I got from my lecturer was mainly making sure I was completely certain that I could make this documentary. Next time I do this project pitch I would certainly make sure I am more prepared on how I am going to put my project across to the client as I was a bit unsure on how to present my project.

In conclusion I believe my project went far better than I expected. I was planned and prepared from the start on what I was going to do and I knew how to execute a good documentary. All along I was confidant on how to make this whole project as good as possible from the research to the experimentation to the three production stages I had a rough idea all along of what I wanted to do and I knew exactly how to do it using the skills and the experience I have gained throughout the two years I have been on this course.

Overall the feedback I have got from my audience who have watched my documentary is very good. Surprisingly they all found it interesting and I say surprisingly because some of the people who have seen it are my peers and I said above in the previous chapters that people my age may not take a liking to this sort of documentary as they may not find it interesting so that’s what surprised me.

If I was to do this project again I would carry out even more research on the war. The war is a huge topic and I covered it in my research but not as much as I could of. I would have also liked to do a bit more research into the war in Dover as it’s close to home so it would have been really interesting to find out more about what Dover went through in the war. In regards to my documentary, if I was to do this again I would have tried to incorporate a bit more found footage into it still keeping it relevant to what my grandad was saying and maybe add in voiceovers to better explain what I am talking about.

54

GO TO CONTENTS

APPENDICES

Extended project in creative media production Learning Outcomes and Assessment

1. Be able to initiate and develop a creative media production project proposal. 1.1. Use critical and contextual perspectives to initiate a creative media production project proposal.

1.2. Use analysis and evaluation to clarify and develop ideas for a creative media production project proposal.

2. Be able to use research, analysis and evaluation to develop solutions for creative media production project.

2.1. Use research to support the development of a creative media production project.

2.2. Use analytical and evaluative skills to develop creative solutions to realise a media production project.

3. Be able to solve practical, theoretical and technical problems in a creative media production project.

3.1. Solve practical and technical problems within a creative media production project. 3.2. Solve theoretical problems within a creative media production project.

4. Be able to plan, organise and produce a creative media production project. 4.1. Demonstrate the ability to plan, organise and produce a creative media production project within an

agreed timeframe.

5. Be able to use practical methods and skills in a creative media production project. 5.1. Demonstrate the exploration, adaptation and application of practical methods and skills in the

realisation of a creative media production project.

6. Be able to use evaluative and reflective skills in the production of a creative media product.

6.1. Maintain evaluative and reflective records of the development and production of a creative media project.

6.2. Use evaluative and reflective skills to make decisions for a creative media production project.

7. Be able to present a creative media production project. 7.1. Explore strategies to present a creative media production project.

7.2. Present a creative media production project to a specified audience.

55

GO TO CONTENTS

REFERENCES

Cover Page Photo:Acgov.org. 2016. Career Ladders. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.acgov.org/hrs/divisions/ps/ladders.htm. [Accessed 20 February 2018].

Chapter 1:

Chapter 2:BBC. 2008. Kent During WW2. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2006/06/27/history_kent_during_ww2_feature.shtml. [Accessed 15 March 2018].

Den Of Geek. 2016. James Bond Director Guy Hamilton Dies at 93. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/guy-hamilton/254754/james-bond-director-guy-hamilton-dies-at-93. [Accessed 6 March 2018].

Desktop Documentaries. 2018. Documentary Structure The Three-Act Documentary. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/documentary-structure.html. [Accessed 15 March 2018].

Desktop Documentaries. 2018. Making Documentaries. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/making-documentaries.html. [Accessed 15 March 2018].

Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom. 2016. Dover in the Second World War - Bombing and Shelling. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dover-kent.co.uk/ww2_bombing.htm. [Accessed 15 March 2018].

expertvillage. 2008. YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4TswJ84cyE. [Accessed 17 March 2018].

FLOSS Manuals. 2018. 2.2 How are Fictional Films Structured?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://write.flossmanuals.net/video-production/how-are-fictional-films-structured/. [Accessed 15 March 2018].

History Of Wars. 2016. YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR8s1zRdylo. [Accessed 19 March 2018].IMDB. 2018. IMDB Guy Hamilton. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0357891/?ref_=nv_sr_1. [Accessed 6 March 2018].

IMDB. 2018. IMDB. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0857621/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1. [Accessed 6 March 2018].

IMDB. 2018. Louis Theroux- IMDB. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0857621/. [Accessed 6 March 2018]

James Keating. 2013. YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcfpHq6XfwM. [Accessed 12 March 2018].

56

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcfpHq6XfwM

http://write.flossmanuals.net/video-production/how-are-fictional-films-structured/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4TswJ84cyE

http://www.dover-kent.co.uk/ww2_bombing.htm

https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/making-documentaries.html

https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/making-documentaries.html

https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/documentary-structure.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2006/06/27/history_kent_during_ww2_feature.shtml

GO TO CONTENTS

John Latter. 2018. YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpXoQ7dAD0. [Accessed 15 March 2018].

KentaiMorogan. 2016. YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_9RnVB2ZMY&t=3382s. [Accessed 12 March 2018].

ROBIN L. NABI. 2018. Exploring the Framing Effects of Emotion. [ONLINE] Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/dae0/2f765c7bbc6cf9c0cc9e27649adfb8fab870.pdf. [Accessed 12 March 2018].

Videomaker. 2013. Framing Good Shots. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.videomaker.com/article/f5/9231-framing-good-shots. [Accessed 13 March 2018].

Will Yapp. 2014. Vimeo. [ONLINE] Available at: https://vimeo.com/76002148. [Accessed 6 March 2018].

Wordpress. 2015. The Dover Historian. [ONLINE] Available at: https://doverhistorian.com/2015/06/06/admiralty-pier-part-ii-from-1909/. [Accessed 15 March 2018].

Chapter 3:

Chapter 4:Google. 2018. Pinterest. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/search?rlz=1C1GGRV_enGB785GB785&biw=909&bih=941&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=ncjVWsTiCYnZgAb_vqaABw&q=framing+in+documentaries&oq=framing+in+docu&gs_l=psy-ab.3.0.0i24k1.12057.13968.0.15008.8.7.0.1.1.0.114.446.6j1.7.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.8.446...0j0i67k1j0i8i30k1.0.xVAFAVuioNk&safe=active&ssui=on#imgrc=LQhz_xxg8KqzPM:. [Accessed 17 April 2018].

Pinterest. 2018. Pinterest. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/547187423459348633/. [Accessed 18 April 2018].

Chapter 5:CriticalPast. 2014. YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uysvx2DKe4. [Accessed 8 May 2018].

Harry Mount. 2011. Daily Mail. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002876/The-musty-tunnels-70ft-Dover-altered-course-war.html. [Accessed 24 April 2018].

Henham History - War Memories. 2018. Henham History - War Memories. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.henhamhistory.org/WarMemories.html. [Accessed 24 April 2018].

Independant. 2015. Forgotten World War Two tunnels under White Cliffs of Dover to reopen. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/forgotten-world-war-two-tunnels-under-white-cliffs-of-dover-to-reopen-10400433.html. [Accessed 2 May 2018].

The Dover Historian. 2006. Wordpress. [ONLINE] Available at: https://doverhistorian.com/2013/07/17/wartime-devastation-of-dover-and-the-abercrombie-plan/. [Accessed 24 April 2018].

The Dover Historian. 2006. Wordpress. [ONLINE] Available at: https://doverhistorian.com/2013/07/17/wartime-devastation-of-dover-and-the-abercrombie-plan/. [Accessed 24 April 2018].

The Dover Society. 2016. The Dover Society. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dover-kent.co.uk/ww2_evacuation.htm. [Accessed 8 May 2018].

57

https://doverhistorian.com/2015/06/06/admiralty-pier-part-ii-from-1909/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpXoQ7dAD0

GO TO CONTENTS

The Dover Society. 2018. The Dover Society. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.doversociety.org.uk/history-scrapbook/events/family-history-day. [Accessed 2 May 2018].

The Dover Society. 2018. The Dover Society. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&client=firefox-b-ab&biw=1320&bih=765&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=64bpWrnRLYfagQaA76HYBQ&q=dover+air+raid&oq=dover+air+raid&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i24k1.20506.20506.0.20877.1.1.0.0.0.0.62.62.1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.1.62....0.AkiAdh0DAys#imgrc=j5IXmOE5Us4q_M:. [Accessed 2 May 2018].

The Dover Society. 2018. The Dover Society. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.doversociety.org.uk/history-scrapbook/world-war-ii. [Accessed 2 May 2018].

travelfilmarchive. 2009. YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-lFFHRGIyU. [Accessed 2 May 2018].

World War 2 Today. 2018. World War 2 Today. [ONLINE] Available at: http://ww2today.com/28th-august-1940-churchill-visits-hell-fire-corner. [Accessed 2 May 2018].

Yoho Media. 2015. YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEg0XUGukzQ. [Accessed 8 May 2018].

YouTube. 2018. Inside WW2 - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXtXI274HM. [Accessed 14 May 2018].

58

Date post:	30-Apr-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	5 times
Download:	0 times

brandonvirtuefilmandtv16.files.wordpress.com€¦ · Web viewCanterbury College. Brandon Virtue....

Documents