Unit 6: Audience and Client Feedback - Focus Group 3x
I have conducted two positive feedback from my target audience about my finished documentary. Overall, they have included that my work is appealing to them as it is interesting and engaging to them.
The video footage below consists of some negative and positive feedback from a Vox Pop who is my target audience.
Unit 6: Evaluation of how well you achieved your intentions.
6.4 To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intentions.
Suitability for target audience
The intended audience for my documentary are young people aged 16-19 unisex and from multicultural backgrounds and mixed social class.
Through conducting a questionnaire, I have discovered that my audience found the different interviews with different people and the polarized opinions most appealing. For example, MP Sadiq Khan has got a contrasting opinion to Keera’s opinion and some of the Vox Pops. This is also important for a documentary to provide balance.
As my documentary is investigative in its style, my target audience thought my documentary was investigative and serious, which is exactly what I wanted as a response for my documentary.
Respondent 1: ’’I thought it was very good, it had valid information and it could be used for parents too’’.
My target audience are attracted to the use of typography, which I have used throughout my documentary.
The other elements that are appealing to my intended target audience are the background music that I have used at the beginning and ending from Rihanna/S&M and a soundtrack of Baby Making Music, the selected YouTube music videos that are sexually explicit from Usher/Trading Places and Neyo ft. Trey Songz/ The Way You Move are both good examples to demonstrate the extent of sexually explicit contents in the music videos.
The weaknesses of the chosen YouTube music videos are that the quality of the music videos is poor because some YouTube links are not directly downloaded to YouTube with High Definition quality.
Yet also, as the music videos are from YouTube I had to also consider copyright issues. My documentary was over relied on sexually explicit music videos from YouTube but if I was a professional director I wouldn’t be able to use YouTube footage as it would be considered as copying and that is illegal by law in the media world.
In general, my documentary is appealing to my target audience because the structure of the documentary commences with title, presenter introducing the documentary, interview with Sadiq Khan, then, Mrs. Lattimore. Vox Pops, and at last, Keera who is an unsigned artist, ending with the presenter talking to the audience again. This is both conventional and appealing.
My work is suitable for the intended target audience because of the following:
Cutaways
A specific example of a cutaway that is suitable for my intended audience is the BPI website in Sadiq Khan’s documentary. This is very appealing as I have used a close up shot of the BPI website to denote a clearer view of the website. The use of cutaways was to show that there is an official website that deals with the issues tackled in my documentary. This connotes more realism and sincerity to my target audience. In addition, the cutaway links to what Sadiq Khan is saying when he talks in his dialogue about BPI.
An example of less appealing cutaways is the young people cutaways that I have used in Sadiq Khan’s scene. This is not suitable because the footage does not look professional, attractive and appropriate for a critical and investigative documentary that I have made. It appears simple as I have used no techniques in the cutaways.
Archive Footage
My archive footage is a good example of how I have appealed to my target audience. The YouTube music videos that I have used as part of my archive footage are evidence of music videos that are broadcasted on YouTube with excessively sexually explicit contents. For instance, the screen grasp are from the music videos of Christina Aguilera/ Not Myself Tonight and Usher/ Trading Places.
This was reflecting in my audience feedback where they said:
Respondent 2: ’’ The videos were good example for your side (against)’’.
Respondent 3: ’’Interesting and good YouTube examples are used’’.
This is suitable because it is a good example to show to my target audience that there are music videos that primarily objectifies females.
Some of the archive footages that I have used are not really suitable including the Sadiq Khan’s picture and the Google image of the ’’Freedom of Speech’’. This is because they visually appear dull, effortless because both of the archive footages are from Google images. Hence, they are not very youthful and exciting to watch. My intended target audience are young people so it would be suitable to them if more archive footage are used that are interesting, youthful and visually entertaining.
Interviews
Another specific example for the use of my interviews, which are suitable for my target audience are the Sadiq Khan’s interview and Keera (the unsigned artist). The reason to why it is suitable is because these two interviews were the main interviews that I was running after for weeks. They are two famous people who are well qualified for their roles. The interviewees were also important for the genre of the documentary and they give expert opinions to my intended audience.
Again when asked what do you like about my documentary, one of the respondents replied: ‘’everything else, especially the fact that you got an interview with Sadiq Khan’’.
4 members of my intended audience feedback said they like the interviewees and interviewer.
This also connotes that my documentary will be taken more seriously as it s a serious, investigative and critical topic.
At last but not least, an example for my interviews that is not very suitable for my target audience is the feminist writer one because the sound was too low and the interview, itself, was quite extensive, which meant my target audience lost attention over time.
Respondent 6: ‘’The sound of Ms. Lattimore, she speaks to low’’.
‘’’Mrs. Lattimore’s interview is quite extensive and it lost my attention for a while’’.
The reason to why this is not so suitable to my intended target audience is because it is relevant but too long that makes is so unappealing to my target audience. Yet also, for young people long and extra information can lose their interests or attention span, which means they will stop watching my documentary.
Mode of Address
My documentary’s mode of address is formal, informative, direct, investigative, critical and serious. The reason why I have decided to make a documentary of this mode is because I was very interested in the topic about the objectification of women in sexually explicit music videos. Therefore, the mode of address was suitable for my documentary and its subject matter.
Yet also, because I’m a documentary maker myself I could easily relate and feel engaged to my own chosen subject matter in my documentary.
I knew from the beginning what I was dealing with when choosing the topic for my documentary.
I have used vibrant colours for my titles to make them more appealing to my target audience.
Through conducting many audience research I have also find out that my intended target audience like to see documentaries that are investigative, serious and critical.
Aesthetic
Locations
A specific example for this is the location in Sadiq Khan’s office where the interview took place for my documentary in Portcullis House, which is opposite the Houses of Parliament.
This location is effective because it is a professional, well known and formal setting that conveys the seriousness of the issues raised in my documentary.
The reason to why the location is effective is because it is a wealthy, highly professional with intense security measures and a formal, most popular and relevant location for my documentary. I was very pleased to be allowed to have an interview in such a professional and serious location.
In contrast, the locations that I choose for Mrs. Lattimore (feminist writer) and Keera (unsigned artist) were not really effective because the locations restricted me from controlling my sound and light levels and it was out of my hands to minimize sound levels that were too high and that ruined the frequency of the non-diegetic sounds. For instance, the location that the interview took place had pipes of the toilets right behind where Mrs. Lattimore was sitting. Whenever the toilets were flushed these pipes made a loud sound that ruined the whole sound of my documentary and Mrs. Lattimore was also talking very low.
Title sequence
The name titles beneath the interviewees are specific examples of effective use of titles because they are simple, bold, bright, matches the style of the documentary as red and black connotes importance. The titles look interesting, eye-catching and attractive to my intended target audience.
While, another title that is not effective is the introduction title. It could have been better if I did my documentary again because RudeTube, Sex & Censorship as a title is very long, simple and my target audience is more likely to not really memorize the three words. The use of the fonts does make it appear bold and catchy but it should have been more attractive and youthful.
Mise-en-scene/ Costumes
The Sadiq Khan’s costume, which was a suit, made my documentary the type of style/mode of the documentary that I wanted it to be. This is suitable for my target audience because they are the younger generation that will go into the world of work so it provides them a formal and professional example of how a MP is dress every day. Also, the fact that his custom is suitable and appealing to my target audience makes it serious and attractive.
Another example is that Keera wore the right type of costume that I required for my documentary. This is effective because she is a female artist in rather male R&B urban style clothing. This makes it even more appealing to my intended target audience.
On the other hand, as I have described Mrs. Lattimore as a feminist writer, her costume does not really suit her role in my documentary, therefore, this is one of the reasons why my intended target audience may have lost interest in this part of my documentary with Mrs. Lattmore.
The scarf around her neck makes her look informal and does not suit her role in my documentary.
Technical
Editing
The picture above is an evidence of the sequence that I have all my video footage on for editing. I have used Final Cut Pro and Imovie for my editing skills.
The specific example in my documentary in regards with editing is the Sadiq Khan’s interview. This is effective, as it has got only the responses of him without any jump cuts or black shots. This is effective because the editing appears as if the interview went successful and without any errors including the added cutaways.
Contrastingly, a specific example where editing didn’t go so well is with Keera’s interview where I had some jump cuts, repeated footage, sounds were lost, black shots were present and the this made the whole documentary appear really unprofessional.
These were not effective because it makes my documentary appear unskilled, it loses my target audience interest if its not edited well. It looks cluttered and informal.
Respondents 7: ‘‘excellent editing and use of IT skills’’.
Sound
Mr. Khan’s scene and the introduction with the presenter are effective and the best example for sound because the frequency is at the right level for this part of the documentary, its’ well understood and it emphasised on clarity. Meaning, the use of the microphones that I placed right in front of him on the table enabled his voice to be picked up directly to the microphone and into my footage. By the right use of microphone and problem solving skills the sound levels were successfully accomplished in Mr. Khan’s interview.
At the very end of my documentary the recording of the presenter’s sound was unsuccessful because as I was speaking I was stuttering and it appears as if I am stuttering and the sound mixes with the background track. Through editing I did manage to fix this part of my documentary in regards with sound but some of it did not really go well.
Yet again, Mrs. Lattimore’s sound in the interview was very low in comparison to my other sounds, which had an impact on my general interview. But, I overcame this problem by trying to adjust the right sound levels for the right video footage.
Recording voice over
A specific example of recording voice over that was effective was the part where I introduced Mrs. Lattimore as a feminist writer and when I introduced her to my intended audience. This is effective because the voice over sounds clear, understandable and goes straight to the point. There are no extra sentences that are irrelevant and makes that makes the recording of the voice over long.
While, another example of a voice over that I have recorded, which did not went effective was when I recorded my Vox Pops and Keera voice-overs’. This did not go well and wasn’t really effective because the sound wasn’t very loud enough, some parts of the voice over I spoke so loud that when I recorded the voice over some errors occurred within the sound. It had this loud, inappropriate and annoying sound.
Yet also, it wasn’t successful because my voice sounds as if I am reading of something as my voice was also on a low pace.
Lighting
The pictures above denote an example of my two interviews that were not very well lightened as their faces and the mise-en-scene appeared really dark and unprofessional. But, I have brightened the framing of the interviews on Final Cut Pro to make the faces of the interviewees visually clearer.
By brightening the frame of the picture on Final Cut Pro the pictures now appears better framed, the faces of the interviewees are brighter and there are no dark shadows around them that makes the framing informal and untidy.
The lighting of the Vox Pops interview with the two boys was effective because it worked well as the illumination wasn’t too bright or too dark. It was the right type of high key lighting that made their faces appear bright and the mise-en-scene surrounding the interviewees was effective as well as there wasn’t anything that appears informal or unprofessional.
Yet also, the lighting was natural, bright and the correct illumination for a Vox Pops interview.
But, what didn’t go to a good standard was the lighting in Keera’s interview. This went completely unsuccessful as I had a high key lighting above Keera, which wasn’t enough to brighten the whole frame that she was in or the location that she was sitting at.
The wasn’t effective because her face was too dark that you couldn’t see her, yet also, as she was wearing a hat this made the brightness of her face completely transparent into the walls behind which were black too.
Respondent 8: ‘’The lighting of some of your interviews is either too bright or unbalanced than your other interviews’’
In conclusion, I got the opportunity to produce my documentary again I would make my documentary even more professional and successful by using more advanced and high level technology software and hardware such as Microsoft Movie Maker or Cyberlink’s PowerDirector to make better titles, logos, better editing, adding graphics, special effects or anything that would make my DIY documentary even more attractive and meets the expectations of my intended target audience. Also, if I had a larger budget I would be able to afford a studio and a professional crew to actually make my own sexually explicit music videos without using the music videos from YouTube as a secondary resource. For instance, I could hire unisex models that are dressed revealingly in a music video and act the scene for me.
Alternatively, I could also ask in my college from the Drama Department actors to act for me in my documentary. These would be all very suitable and appealing for my target audience.
What I would like to specifically improve about my documentary if I did it again are the following:
- My interviews were successful but for perfection I would next time consider in all my interviews the use of better lighting, framing, sound, mode of address and the mise-en-scene.
-Using different and exciting camera techniques such as panning or tilting.
-The location that Mrs. Lattimore’s interview took place could have been better if it was in an office or next to a poster but not really behind a plane wall where the sound affects the whole video footage.
-The female Vox Pops would appear much more professional and formal if it was in a much brighter location with less cluttered background.
- More exciting youth and topic related cutaways.
- Skilled and youthful titles and use of typography on LifeType.
- The conclusion could have been better and improved by researching more into it and seeing what the final answer was rather than leaving the documentary without a proper ending. Next time I would want to make my conclusion much more clear, appealing, lively and captivating.
- I would use more journals and research around to find relevant newspaper images about my subject matter to convey the message that it is a real, current and topical issue.
It is important to mention that, I am satisfied with my title, the success of my documentary and the introduction scene with the presenter next to the Houses of Parliaments.
Additionally, I am also happy with my choice of YouTube music videos that are examples of sexually explicit music videos.
P.S. due to technical faults my images cannot be seen on blogger.
Unit 6: Audience and Client Feedback - Questionnaire and the results/ responses
P.S. due to technical faults my images cannot be seen on blogger.
Unit 6: Audience and Client Feedback - Questionnaire and the results/ responses
Unit 6: Audience and Client Feedback
This questionnaire contains of open and closed questions. Feel free to include as much as qualitative data in this questionnaire as possible.
1) After watching my documentary, what do you think of it?
’’It was interesting and informative’’.
’’Good and interesting’’.
‘’ It is good and interesting’’.
‘’ It has an excellent point of story and you have put a lot of expert opinions’’.
‘’It’s a good idea and argument for YouTube censorship’’.
’’Very professional, entertaining and lovely’’.
‘’I think it was a very good video as it will be useful for younger people who think sexually explicit are good things’’.
‘’Interesting and good YouTube examples are used’’.
‘’I thought it was very good, it had valid information and it could be used for parents’’.
2) What do you like about my documentary?
The documentary in general I I I I I
3) What do you dislike about my documentary?
4) What are the weaknesses?
- ’’The level of the sound should be the same throughout.’’
- ’’The answer at the end should be either yes or no’’.
- ’’Can’t hear some of the people’’.
- ‘’ I didn’t understand why you focused on this topic’’.
-‘’ Some content might be too strong’’.
-‘’Some of the pictures used’’.
-‘’The sound of Ms. Lattimore, she speaks to low’’.
-‘’ Nothing that I can think of’’.
-‘’No, nothing is bad’’.
5) What are the strengths of my documentary?
’’Interesting and informative’’.
’’ A range of views’’.
‘’ Your research (e.g. interview with the MP’’).
‘’ The documentary goes to the point’’.
‘’Everything else’’.
‘’Everything else, especially the fact that you got an interview with Sadiq Khan’’.
‘’ The video’s were good example for your side (against)’’.
‘’Everything’’.
6) To whom do you think this documentary appeals to?
7) Do you think this documentary is investigative, serious and critical?
8) Is the titles and typography used throughout the documentary appealing to you?
9) Do you think my documentary is educational and raises awareness about the excessive sexualized music videos?
10) How do you think this documentary could have been improved?
’’More interview’’.
‘’Nothing’’.
’’Nothing needs changing’’.
‘’ Maybe some advice at the ending to teach the audience of how to be aware or taking care not to show to a younger audience’’.
‘’ Different pictures, titles and typography’’.
‘’More interviews with older people’’.
‘’ Probably more lighting in some areas’’.
‘’No need to’’.
Unit 6: Charts/ graphs for audience and client feedback
The below charts are the results from the questionnaire that I have conducted for my audience research. I have found out that the majority of my target audience mainly liked my interviews and interviewees, my general documentary and the background music.
The below charts are the results from the questionnaire that I have conducted for my audience research. I have found out that the majority of my target audience mainly liked my interviews and interviewees, my general documentary and the background music.
They could see through my documentary that my documentary was investigative as I have used all the conventions of a typical investigative documentary in a professional and usual manner.
I am satisfied with my documentary as I have found out through my questionnaire the answers that I wanted to see.
Unit 6: Professional Practice in The Media Industries - Report on legal/ ethical and industry specific codes and conventions.
Unit 6: National Union of Journalists - Industry specific codes and conventions.
Unit 6: Ethical PowerPiont
Ethical2
View more presentations from Maro Lafif.
Unit 6: Comparative analysis of you work and at least 3 examples of existing output.
For Unit 6, I have to compare a factual program known as ‘The Ghost Village Project’ to my own documentary called RudeTube, Sex & Censorship. I will be discussing six key topics, which are content, structure, codes & conventions, use of technology, style and genre.
Unit 6: Comparative analysis of you work and at least 3 examples of existing output.
For Unit 6, I have to compare a factual program known as ‘The Ghost Village Project’ to my own documentary called RudeTube, Sex & Censorship. I will be discussing six key topics, which are content, structure, codes & conventions, use of technology, style and genre.
Content
The Ghost Village Project is about six graffiti artists that transform an abandoned 1970s village, which is located on the coast of Scotland into a giant art installation where the people who live in the village can come and visit the building that is now much more exciting and visually entertaining. The Ghost Village documentary appeals to a target audience of graffiti fans and artists, primarily for men aged 20-35 from multicultural backgrounds.
The Ghost Village documentary commences with a black fade into an image of the abandoned building, which appears frightening at the beginning.
In the Ghost Village Project documentary not a lot is occurring as it is entirely based on the external interviews of the artists and their graffiti designs and who they are and what they do in the abandoned village. It uses the documentary as a tool to promote their campaign known as ‘Agents of Change’.
The hobbies and interests of the target group in the Ghost Village documentary are of those people who like art such as graffiti artists. Their favourite sports interests are football. The target audience is from a working class background. Their target audience is from a Black African or Afro- Caribbean, Asian, British White background or other mixed backgrounds.
The nationality of the target audience from the Ghost village project is mainly Scottish or British as the abandoned village is located in Scotland.
Other hobbies or interests may include cooking, collecting, crafting, writing and many more.
My documentary is completely about another subject matter that involves investigating through providing polarized opinions of different types of individuals about whether it is right or wrong to censor sexually explicit music videos. Recent proposals of music video censorship inspired me to make a documentary. The target audience for my documentary is young people between the ages of 16-19 years old.
Both documentaries did have informal Vox Pop opinions of different people present in the documentary. These are all the key contents that the documentaries must have to target their audience and make the documentaries visually fascinating.
Contrastingly, the difference between The Ghost Village Project compared to RudeTube, Sex & Censorship is that my documentary contained 3 formal interviews with experts for their opinions, which was from Sadiq Khan, Keera who is an unsigned artist and a feminist writer, Angela Lattimore, whereas The Ghost Village Project did not have any formal interviews.
Other differences are that my documentary commenced with an introduction but the Ghost Village Project did not have any introduction, it began with a voice over suddenly talking and some cutaways. Additionally, there isn’t any presenter available in ‘The Ghost Village Project’ documentary.
The way both of the documentaries are targeting their audience is by using sound effects that creates mood/atmosphere, relevant and interesting cutaways and Vox Pops.
The Ghost Village Project targets its audience by the chosen subject matter, imagery, cutaways, sound tracks that creates atmosphere and gazes attention (e.g. at the beginning the sound track is very mysterious and secretive). Likewise, the RudeTube, Sex and Censorship documentary targets its audience by similarly like the Ghost Village Project using relevant, interesting and attractive cutaways, archive footage, narrator voice over and some soundtracks.
The differences between the content of my documentary and the one I have studied are that my documentary shed light on the topic about sexually explicit contents primarily in music videos and investigating whether this is right or wrong, whereas the Ghost village project contains a rather narrative topic that emphasizes about an abandoned village in Scotland and how that is transformed into an art installation for the residents in the village. Yet again, both documentaries are about completely different contents as the points that both documentaries are trying to convey are mainly that the society requires alterations as it ethically wrong to have music videos full of sexual contents or buildings that are left abandoned for nothing in the middle of a village.
Structure
The structure of The Ghost Village Project is layered in accordance with what the documentary is about, meaning that the structure of the documentary looks like a narrative. For instance, the documentary isn’t structured anything like the RudeTube, Sex and Censorship.
The structure of the Ghost Village Project is ’off the hook’, where the documentary is almost like a horror novel, as it starts with a scene or many scenes that will create atmosphere and it will immediately capture the audience and make them want to continue watching. The opening of The Ghost Village documentary did leave the viewers hungry for more as it appears at the opening like a horror movie with mystery and sinister attached to it.
Then, the layout of The Ghost Village Project after the opening begins with Vox Pops including narrator voice overs and HD quality cutaways that are very eye-catching and fascinating especially to artists and graffiti fans. The structure of the documentary ends with more Vox Pops and just like my documentary it also has got at the very end the names of the artists who participated in the documentary as the actors.
Most importantly, the Ghost Village Project was heavily based on artists’ opinions with some cutaways. The structure of it remained with artists talking about the Ghost Village Project throughout the documentary. A lot did occur on the walls of the graffiti building but the documentary was only based in one specific location, which was in the Ghost Village in Scotland.
In contrast, the opening of my documentary commences with a caution sign that warns viewers that the documentary contains sexually explicit contents, which may be inappropriate; this is then structured by including my title and the documentary is then introduced by a presenter, followed by a series of different interviews, where I have interviewed Mr. Sadiq Khan as an MP in my documentary. Significantly, another documentary that has also interview members of the Parliaments or individuals who work for the politics is a Spanish documentary called ’Las Constituyentes or Mothers of the Constitution’.
However, another documentary on Panorama documentaries on BBC has also utilized similar to my documentary interviews with MPs and the documentary is about Members of the Parliments. It is known as ’Can You Forgive Your MP?’ by Emeka Onono.
Another expert opinion that I have obtained was from Mrs. Lattimore with Vox Pops, at last but not least, an interview with an unsigned artist, Keera and then the conclusion with me as the presenter. At the very final end, I have also included a gratitude message to all the participating actors to convey the message that the documentary has ended with.
The similarities between the structure of the RudeTube, Sex and Censorship with the Ghost Village Project are that both of the documentaries show their gratitude for the characters that have taken part in the documentary at the ending, also, both documentaries commence with the title of the documentary on what it is actually about.
Other similarities with regards to the structure of the documentaries are that both have almost a beginning, middle and end parts. Though, the beginning and ending of the Ghost Village Project is very vague as the documentary itself does not use any ways to convey to the audience that it is opening or ending.
The differences between both of the documentaries in regards with structure are that the Ghost Village Project shows at the beginning an abandoned village, but at the end it introduces us, as viewers to a comparison of the village where the village is not abandoned, dull and empty anymore. Instead, it shows a contrast of the village turning into a rather interesting, exciting place and the residents are united in the art installation.
In contrast, my ending ties the documentary together but it does not come entirely with a final answer or conclusion to whether the censorship is right or wrong as I stated that the issues raised in my documentary are ongoing dialogues.
The structure of RudeTube, Sex and Censorship compared to The Ghost Village Project is different because my documentary contains more interviews, Vox Pops, expert opinions of Sadiq Khan as an MP, Angela Lattimore as a feminist writer and Keera as an unsigned artist.
An example of a documentary that has also used similar codes of conventions as my documentary is a Panorama documentary titled as ‘Fighting Gaddafi’ on BBC one produced by Robin Barnwell and Paul Kenyon who is the reporter. The codes of conventions that they have also used are Vox Pop interviews, expert opinions, archive footage and more interviews of the victims of assault during the Gaddafi regime.
The Ghost Village Project did not use any archive footage, but I did use archive footages in my documentary, which were the key elements in my documentary as the archive footages back up my points raised in the documentary. Archive footage was a source of secondary evidence for me to prove to my target audience that my documentary is a serious issue in reality.
Codes of Conventions
On the one hand, the codes of conventions in The Ghost Village Project are that the documentary is documenting an aspect of reality or non-fiction, expert opinions form the graffiti artists, deep focus, voice over including cutaways, long takes dominate, still images that appeared as a documentary very professional and appropriate.
But, what the Ghost Village Project did not use is archive footage, 5 shot rule, location shooting with handheld camera work for realism and it is unbiased just like the ’RudeTube, Sex and Censorship’ documentary.
The Panorama documentary known as ’Dewani couple’s honeymoon kiss caught on CCTV’ has also used codes of conventions similar to The Ghost Village Project. These codes of conventions are documenting an aspect of reality or non-fiction, expert opinions form the graffiti artists, deep focus, voice over including cutaways, long takes dominate, archive footage, 5 shot rule, location shooting with handheld camera work for realism and still images that appeared as a documentary very professional and appropriate.
On the other hand, the codes or conventions that I have used are that my documentary is documenting an aspect of reality or non-fiction, archive footage, cutaways, supportive stills, voice over narration, expert opinions, deep focus, cutaways with voice over, occasionally I have used the 5 shot rule in my cutaways primarily. I have only used once location shooting with handheld camera work for realism where I filmed the YouTube website as a cutaway.
Most importantly, another documentary that does utilize similar codes of conventions to my documentary is the Panorama documentary called ’Regulator criticized after woman assaulted in care home’. URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17777113
The codes and conventions of the Panorama documentary about the elderly care homes are documenting an aspect of reality or non-fiction, archive footage, cutaways, supportive stills, voice over narration, expert opinions, deep focus, cutaways with voice over, 5 shot rule and location shooting with handheld camera work for realism.
Piece to camera
I have also used piece to camera where I have talked directly to the audience. I have used piece to camera at the introduction where I presented my documentary and at the conclusion to indicate that the documentary is coming to an ending, whereas the Ghost Village Project has used no piece to camera at all. It is entirely dependent on interviews and cutaways.
Interviews
Below I have got the screen grabs of my six interviews.
Tough, the Ghost Village has used similar to the RudeTube, Sex and Censorship documentary, interviews, which constructs the structure of the whole documentary and remains only with individuals talking about the topic of the documentary.
However, the difference between the interviews in RudeTube, Sex and Censorship is that my interviews are rather formal, serious and are located in internal professional settings such as colleges, studio and offices, whereas the Ghost Village Documentary has got interviews that most of them take place in one location, which is the abandoned village and the interviews are informal, basic, straight forward and takes place on scene.
Titles
Below are some examples of my titles that I have produced on Livetype for my documentary.
I have used text and fonts right across my documentary to convey messages and information. At the beginning of my documentary, I have used text for a warning sign and my documentary title, which represents the documentary’s subject matter or topic.
The title of the Ghost Village Project is known as ’Agents of change’ with plain fonts and typography. Similar to my documentary the Ghost Village Project ends with mentioning the names of the actors in the
Additionally, I have used texts and font beneath each interview, which indicates their names and job titles. This is essential as it indicates who the people are, who is being interviewed and what their relevant job are to my documentary. For instance, Keera is an unsigned artist as my documentary is about music videos and musicians.
Alternatively, another example of a documentary that has also used text and typography is a Panorama documentary called ‘Murdoch Breaking the Spell?’ on BBC 1 produced by Stephen Scott and reported by Vivian White. In this documentaries the use of text is rather simple and in white colour. This connotes that the documentary is a formal, sophisticated and serious type of factual program.
URL: http://watchdocumentary.com/watch/murdoch-breaking-the-spell-video_00f8835f6.html
Use of voice over
In addition, other similarities are that both documentaries use narrator voice overs that are very articulate, understandable and have got the right volume. My documentary’s voice over is from a female narrator and the Ghost Village has got all male voice overs and in interviews no woman is present, whereas the RudeTube, Sex and Censorship has considered everything as it is a balanced documentary, which has young and old, male or female and from different ethnicities.
A panorama documentary that has also used voice over as part of the codes of conventions is known as ‘Hooligans: A Panorama Special produced by Jeff Wilkinson and the voice over narrator is Stephen Barrett, which is broadcasted on BBC.
URL: http://watchdocumentary.com/watch/hooligans-a-panorama-special-video_790f7fe3d.html
Cutaway footages of the topic
The similarities between The Ghost Village Project and my documentary are that both use relevant cutaways of the topic that make some parts of the documentaries even more interesting and appeals to its target audiences. For instance, the Ghost Village Project uses cutaways of some of the graffiti designs on the walls of the abandoned village to demonstrate what is being produced on the walls, which attracts attention and interest mainly of those who are artists and value art. This is similar to my documentary, where I have also used pertinent cutaways in between each interview, which makes my documentary visually entertaining and fascinating.
Music/ soundtrack
The Ghost Village Project has got no special sound effects or any music. But, the background sound track does sound mysterious and sinister once we are introduced to the abandoned village with the cutaways. This builds tension and excitement as the audience becomes curious about what the abandoned side is about. The Ghost Village Project has got most of the part only this mysterious soundtrack and silence. But, my documentary uses soundtracks that are more youthful, lively, engaging and relevant to the documentary’s theme or topic.
Archive footage
Below I have included archive footage from my documentary.
I have used a lot of archive footage from YouTube and Google as I have used examples of sexually explicit music videos to demonstrate to my target audience that there are really out there music videos that are too sexually explicit. But the Ghost Village Project has not used any archive footage at all as the documentary takes place on one day and its original as it uses all current firsthand cutaways.
In addition, another example of a documentary that is also entirely dependent on archive footage as it is the most important back bone of the documentary due to the fact that some footage required for documentaries cannot be re-shot or copied but used in a legal way.
This is why I chose the Panorama documentary called ‘Murdoch Breaking the Spell?’ on BBC 1 produced by Stephen Scott and reported by Vivian White as it has also used thorough archive footages similar to my documentary as its main source of video footage and the most dominant code of conventions.
Use of still images
Below are some examples of my still images included in my documentary.
The use of the still images is very helpful as I could use the images to convey a message or demonstrate something.
The Ghost Village Project has used still images but mainly for the designs of the artists to enable the viewers to see the detail and quality of the designs.
The use of the still images in the Ghost Village Project is primarily for the purpose to reflect the subject matter through imagery.
However, the reason why I haven’t used biased opinions in my documentary is because my documentary is free from prejudice and it was set to obtain a variety of different opinions from different types of people that are from diverse social backgrounds not persuading people to a particular point of view. For instance, emphasizing the point in my documentary that sexually explicit music videos are bad and should be banned from being produced.
The third documentary that has also used still images is a Panorama documentary. The still images are from a soldier that is from a small and elite band of highly qualified bomb disposal experts. The documentary is called ‘A very British Hero’. The use of the still images in this documentary provides the viewers a clear picture of who the soldier is? The prop that has been used in the picture symbolizes his role as a soldier and the passion for his occupation. The narrator is Claire Burnett.
URL: http://watchdocumentary.com/watch/a-very-british-hero-video_fed462398.html
Use of Technology
The technologies that have been used by the Ghost Village Project, as a factual program that is published on TV and FilmNetwork, should have obviously used more advanced and professional resources including the technologies that I have used but much better, expensive, expertise and advanced.
For the RudeTube, Sex & Censorship documentary, I have used a range of technologies, which are the softwares on Apple Imac including Final Cut Pro for advanced editing, Live Type for titles and fonts, After effects and Imovie for editing. Yet also, the hardwares that I have used are tripod, microphone, Canon camera and lots of tapes, yet, secondary resources are researching on the internet including Google for images, YouTube and Clip Converter for my MP4 music videos.
I am going to publish my documentary on Blogger as it is for public use and it is known by lots of young people too.
What would have made my documentary more professional are that as, a documentary producer, I should learn and knew more advanced ways of using high quality technologies such as software and hardware, yet also, higher budget, more advanced equipments such as cameras and microphones, more authority to interview important people or high status professionals and a wide range of expert crews and production manager, editor (sound) or director and easy access to services, location and destinations.
I think what could have made my documentary more professional is having access to a studio for the location of my interviews where I could interview the even better in a professional manner and the availability of a sound booth for even more high quality sound and more advanced various of technologies, likewise, having simple access to the availabilities of interviewees who are experts.
Style
The style of the RudeTube, Sex & Censorship documentary is investigative, formal, serious and critical because I have adapted or followed the professional documentary style. This enabled me to attract my target audience more, it was more appealing to them and it made my documentary appear more professional and skilled.
An example of a Panorama documentary that is investigative, formal, serious and critical too, similar to my documentary is the documentary on BBC about BP call the ‘BP - In Deep Water’ by Howard Bradburn. It is critical because it criticizing the BP spill in the coast of America, yet also, it investigative by lifting the lid of what really occurred on the day when the oil was spilled. The fact that the documentary is serious is because the subject matter or the topic of the documentary is a serious issue and for BP, as a global company. The formality of the documentary makes even more serious and deeply focused.
URL: http://watchdocumentary.com/watch/bp-in-deep-water-video_8dc9fa72d.html
Contrastingly, the style of the Ghost Village Project is informal, celebratory and optimistic. An example of a documentary that is also informal, celebratory and optimistic is a Channel 4 documentary known as ‘Love Virtually’. It is about internet dating that’s why the codes of conventions match the subject matter of the documentary.
URL: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/love-virtually/4od
Genre
The mode or genre of my documentary is participatory and investigative, while, the Ghost Village Project is also participatory and historical.
I did produce structured questions for my interviews to investigate further what my interviewees thought about my subject matter or topic in more depth. I also interviewed different interviewees for broader and varied interviewees, which develops the genre of my documentary further. I also did on purpose formal dress codes on to connote seriousness, formality and professionalism, which are mainly the style and genre of my documentary.
I have also decided to participate in my own documentary to conform to the genre, as it is also participatory.
In contrast, the Ghost Village Project as it is historical it has got lots of cutaways and different shots of the abandoned village and a message at the beginning to connote historical genre and as there are no presenter the interviews makes the documentary appear participatory.
I think that my documentary is truly unique and has got a Unique Selling Point because there hasn’t ever a documentary produced about sexually explicit music videos and the issues around it. The objectification of men and women may have never been an issue or taken too seriously as the viewers like to see them revealed on the covers of a magazine or music videos.
Yet also, my documentary is unique because it is original, produced by a female young person for young people and it is very formal and professionally produced with the combination of different techniques and sources.
I have also discovered a new angle to the story about the objectification of women. I have discovered that there may be overload of sexually explicit music videos or the objectification of man and woman, the videos are monitored and controlled by the BPI.
Unit 6: Summarized PowerPoint for the Evaluation of Practice essay.
I have made the PowerPoint presentation again to summarize in straightforward and simple sentences what I have to talk about if I was to present my essay to my class. I have used images and visual prompts for attracting attention and make it more interesting and exciting to my target audience.
Unit 6: Evaluation of practice
