Unit 21 - Single Camera Techniques

Task 1: P1, M1, D1

In a single camera drama, only one camera is used, whereas in a multiple camera drama, more than one camera can be used. Both formats of filming have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, a single camera can be used for something that is a bit slower paced, like a panning shot, so that it adds tension to the scene, as you don't know what will be there when the camera stops turning. It is useful for things such as tracking shots, in which the camera only has to follow something on screen, which gives a flowing feeling to the shot. Using the single camera technique alongside shots such as a panning shot or a tracking shot can give you a feel for time and space, because everything is happening sequentially, and not all at once. Also, programmes and films can be made on a lower budget due to not having to pay money for more cameras. There will also be a lot less editing involved, due to the information being saved to one location.

Films and programmes that use multi-camera techniques also have their advantages. It is mainly used for switching between shots swiftly and efficiently. For example, in the show 'Question Time', the camera switches between the two people conversing and the audience quite a lot, so that you can see the audience's reaction to what is being said. It has to use multiple cameras to keep up with the fast pace in which the director wants the cameras to be pointed at. In a different genre of show, such as action, this erratic changing of camera angles is very effecting at giving the show a very frantic pace, so that viewers are kept on the edge of their seat.

Whilst both formats have their advantages, they are not without their disadvantages. Single camera dramas usually lack pace, and some things can end up being dragged out too long because of the camera having to pan round to see different things all the time. Multiple camera dramas don't really give the viewer a chance to look at anything else other than what the camera is pointed at, and this can leave the viewer a bit disorientated at the time because of the very quick changing of camera angles, and it can be quite difficult to follow what is going on. Also, multi-camera dramas are more expensive due to having to spend more money.

An example of a single camera shot is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCG6CMFbPiI from Pulp Fiction. It follows John Travolta walking round Jack Rabbit Slim's restaurant. The camera also follows what Travolta is looking at, such as the man on stage singing, and the little racing car maching. This gives a sense of what the place he's in is like, and also leaves us wondering where his destination is.

An example of a multiple camera shot is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rjtkqs3WLM&feature=related from The Bourne Identity. When the fight scene kicks in a few seconds into the video, a lot of camera changing is happening. It switches angles to show Maria's reaction to the hitman bursting through the window, and then back to Jason and the hitman fighting. It also changes angles when the gun is fired, to show where the bullets hit the ceiling. Also, when someone throws a punch, it changes to the person receiving the hit, so that we can see what happens to them. All of the angle changing leaves the viewer feeling really disoriented and confused, but also very on the edge of their seat, as they don't know what is going to happen when the camera shot changes again.

Task 2 P1, M1, D1

Single camera dramas are split into three different categories. These three categories are: series, serials, and single dramas. A series is a collection of more than five or six episodes that have a narrative. They are on-going, and there is usually more than one series per programme. A serial is a collection of around three episodes, usually an hour long, that also include a narrative, and are usually just a one off thing. A single drama is just one episode, with a narrative, and is around one hour long, and is also just a one off thing to watch.

An example of a series is the early series’ of Friends, before it switched over to the multi camera format, and it is of the sitcom genre. It falls into the category of a series, as it has quite a lot of episodes, which are usually around half an hour long. Each series consists of around twenty plus episodes, and it has 10 series’.

An example of a serial is The Street. It is a drama. It falls into the category of serial, because it had only a few episodes, which were each an hour long. Another example of a series is The Office, which is in the sitcom genre. It is a series because it has more than five or six episodes in a season, and it has a narrative. An example of a single drama is 'See No Evil', as it was just a one-off one hour long episode with a narrative.

Task 3 - P1, M1, D1

There are a lot of different types of narrative structures, and they can all be used in many different ways. One of these narrative structures is the linear/sequential narrative. This is where everything happens in order. Many films/programmes with linear structures often have a closed ending, the exception being soap operas, which give the viewer an endless narrative. Despite having the endless narrative, soap operas are a good example of a programme which have a linear structure. There is always an equilibrium, a disruption, and a resolution, and there is always a hero, villain, a damsel in distress, and a helper.

Another form of narrative structure is the non-linear/non-sequential narrative. This is where things don't happen in a sequence, and is usually shown in the form of flashbacks/forwards. The flashbacks are used to show us past events that have lead up to something that is currently happening on screen. An example of a film/programme with a non-linear structure is The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. The beginning of the film is set in present times, but cuts back to the past as it fleshes out the story. The past is shown as flashbacks, which gives it a non-linear structure.

There are also realist and anti-realist narratives. A realist narrative is a film/programme that draws from real life events, and is as real as it can possibly be. An example of this would be a soap opera, as they're usually based around pretty realistic events, such as a man getting divorced etc. An anti-realist narrative is the opposite of a realist, and doesn't really draw on realist events. The sci-fi genre is anti-realist, which is why Star Wars is a good example for being anti-realist, as it is all made up, none of it is real.

A very important narrative structure is also the ending. There are two different types of endings, open and closed. Open endings are endings that haven't been fully finished, so there is often a need for a sequel. A closed ending is where everything has been resolved, and there will be no need to continue the story. There is sometimes an exception though, where not everything has been resolved, and there's still some problems, and the film will finish without us ever knowing what happened.

There are also several narrative patterns. These are: a goal orientated plot, a search or investigation, a journey, and a climax. An example of a goal orientated plot is Lord Of The Rings, where the characters are focusing on main goal, which is to destroy the ring. An example of a search is in The Bourne Identity, where he goes to find out who he really is. This could also be classed as a journey, as he is making his way physically from one place to another. A journey could also be metaphysical, which means to go on a personal, emotional journey, which The Bourne Identity is also an example of. All films have a climax. This is where the film reaches it's main point.

Another narrative point is restricted and unrestricted information. In an unrestricted narrative, the audience sees and hears everything, and they usually know the ending. An example of this is Titanic. No matter what happens in the film, they knew that the ship was always going to sink. A restricted narrative means that we can only see and hear what the characters in the film can hear, which means we are introduced to the things as the characters are.

There is also subjective and objective narration. Subjective is similar to an unrestricted narrative, in that we can see everything that the characters can, and we can make our own opinions on things. Objective narration is when we take things as we see them, such as the behaviour of characters.

Task 4 (P1, M1, D1)

The scene starts in quite a dark place, which makes it quite clear that they are using diegetic/natural lighting. Also, all of the sound we’ve heard so far has been diegetic, as we can hear the footsteps of what could be the main character, and also the sound of cars driving by in the distance.

The camera then pans around to track the character to the edge of the water. Before this, the camera shows us two characters, once from a long shot, and then again from the reflection in the water. As we are not shown who they are properly, it creates an enigma, as we don’t know who they are, or their motives for what they are doing.

We are then shown an extreme close-up of the main character’s eye. She is shown to be crying, so we know that she has been upset by something that has taken place before the clip. We can still only hear the sounds of the cars passing by. Because of the dark lighting, and the lack of sound, we get a sense of tension.

We are then shown another long shot of the main character from behind. It then cuts to a close-up of her feet, as she prepares to jump into the water from the canal bank. She is wavering slightly, and this connotes that she is nervous, and she can’t be sure whether she is making the right choice or not.

A man then shows up next to her, and since we can still only see their feet, we are still mystified by the identity of the man. The camera then cuts to a low angle long shot, to connote that the men besides her are in power, and because she is stood in between the two men, it tells us that she is trapped, and that there is no way to escape. At this point, we still do not know the identity of the men, or what they are doing, or how they are connected to the main character. Due to their behaviour towards her, it is quite obvious that she is in trouble with them.

The diegetic lighting is still quite dark and grim, connoting that things may not be going too well for the main character. A few seconds later, we are shown what seems to be a flashback of some swings, and a park gate closing, and then a dead body laying on a tree with what looks to be some pills in the corpse’s hand. It is shown in black and white, which again gives us the feeling of everything being dark and grim.

After the flashback, the character curls up into a ball in between the two men, which further connotes how she is caught up in something that’s not quite right. Also, curling up into a ball to defend oneself connotes vulnerability. This coupled with the relaxed stances of the men shows that they are pretty capable of doing whatever the want with her.

There is then another flashback of two girls sitting on a bench, one of the girls (who, coincidentally, looks like the main character) slyly hands something to the other girl, which is hidden in the pages of a book. Throughout the whole film, the lighting has continued to be dark and grim, due to only using diegetic lighting, and also the sound of the cars rushing by has never changed.

Task 5 (P1, M1, D1)

Over the years, technology has progressed in many ways. When the television was first launched, it had only two channels; BBC1 and BBC2. Because of the limited amount of channels, the BBC used to gain massive audiences. When ITV was launched not long after the BBC, the audiences spread out slightly. Because there was more to choose from, the audience spread depending on what appealed to them the most, and so the mass audiences were dwindling slightly. Not long after this, channel 4 was put on air, and so the audiences spread even more.

Nowadays, with things such as Sky and Virgin Media, we are able to browse hundreds of channels at our leisure, and watch what appeals to us most. Because of the sheer amount of channels to surf, and the hundreds of programmes available to watch at any one time, the mass audiences of around forty years ago are no longer there. There are exceptions, however. Programmes such as X-Factor can gain around 10-13 million viewers at a time, but this is a huge difference compared to when Only Fools And Horses had an audience of over 20 million on one of it's christmas episodes.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for the media to reach a broad target audience, because of the fact that not everyone is interested in the same thing as everybody else. An eighteen year old male whose occupation is a fitness trainer, will want to watch something completely different to what a fifty year old female whose occupation is a chef would want to watch. Very few programmes these days can say that they have targeted a broad audience. One of these is the X-Factor. It is popular because everybody likes music, no matter who you are. It is also popular because of the age range of the people who are allowed to compete, so that the younger people in the audience will be cheering on the younger participants, and the older people in the audience will be cheering on the older participants. Also, in the audition stages of the programme, it is very comical, and this also appeals to everybody, as everybody likes to have a good laugh.

Another programme that could claim it has reached a mass audience, despite only doing this recently, is Top Gear. It gains around 8 million viewers every episode, and although this might not be as much as X-Factor, it is still the second most popular programme for the British population to watch. It is popular for several reasons. For one, like the X-Factor, it is extremely funny. Two, everybody likes cars, whether you're 8 years old or 80 years old.

Although the media is having difficulty reaching a broad target audience, it is finding new ways to reach out to everybody. For example, everybody uses the internet, so the media are taking full advantage of this, and are advertising their own television shows over the internet, in the hope that they will gain a larger audience.

Task 6 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 7 (P1, M1, D1)

In making our single camera drama, we didn't have to use a lot of equipment. We used a handle Panasonic video camera for all of the shots, and a tripod to mount the camera on to help us get as high quality shots as possible. The sound on the film is just what the camera picked up. There wasn't much speech, so we didn't have to worry about using a microphone or a voice recorder. Also, we used all natural lighting, as the lighting didn't really matter for what we were trying to achieve.

We used several different programs to edit the film. We used Garageband to create some music to play over the top of the piece, and we also used a sample of some real music on the credits of the film. Also, Audacity had to be used to edit the speech, as we changed the pitch of the voices and also added some warped sound effects, such as the dog barking near the end. To edit the film itself, we used iMovie HD. We used this program because it also gives us the option to add after-effects, which we used as much as possible. For example, the lightning striking down the dog right at the end of the film.

For the film, we had quite a small production team. We had three actors: Arran Cook, Christian Place, and Rob Cosgrove. Rob was also the main editor for the film. James Clifton worked the camera, and also contributed towards editing and sound effects.

We didn't need many props for this film. We used dinner trays near the beginning to help emphasise some of the acting, and we used some props in the park such as the swings. We also filmed in several locations for the film. The first area you can see is just inside school, in the dinner area, the first four outdoor shots are filmed just outside the school, and the rest of the film is shot in the park. We also used only one costume throughout the entire thing, and that was the banana costume for the credits, which was just to add to the humour of the piece.

Task 8 (P1, M1, D1)

Objective - Our target audience this film is children, mainly 6-10 year olds. Because of the target audience, we've had to make things very simple, and had to make the humour appropriate and easy to understand. The objective of the film is to create a film that 6-10 year olds would understand and enjoy.

Setting - School, and the park.

Description - The film will be shot in the style of a single-camera drama. We use a single camera to great effect in the film, as we use many different types of shots. The very first part of the film starts off quite slow, as this is a contrast to the fast paced shooting of the rest of the film. It's this contrast that makes the piece quite humorous. Everything in the film is aimed towards the target audience. We edited the speech of the film, so that don't actually speak English, but we speak more in the style of Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men, which is also a children's show. We also edited it to be quite high-pitched. Because of the non-english speech, we have added colourful subtitles to appeal to the target audience, and we have kept the dialogue simple. The fast pace of the film will also appeal to the younger target audience, as they usually have a shorter attention span and like to be kept entertained. We had very limited lighting, so we couldn't really do much to make the film any lighter/colourful.

Remarks - Everything will be shot with a single camera. The recurring motif in our film is Rob, who is in almost every shot in the entire film, and is just sat in the background, but is sometimes in the fore of shot. We have tried to do as many different things as possible with what happens in the shots, rather than the type of camera angle, to keep it fast paced and flowing. For example, there is a shot where the camera is just still, and then the two actors run past the camera at high speeds.

Proposed sequence of events:

1) Introduce the characters with an establishing shot of the hall, focusing on one of the characters who is sat at the table. The camera then tracks the second character as he walks over to the table, to sit and chat with his friend.

2) A medium shot of the table and characters is used to convey a relaxed and informal setting. This equilibrium will then be disrupte by one of the characters who accuses the other of eating his snack.

3) The camera then zooms out to focus on the angry character, stood accusing, while the other character slowly moves his chair back, throws the tray at the angry character, then runs for the door.

4) Outside, the camera tracks the characters in a chase scene for the stairs. Here, the comedy in the production is outlline by the characters being chased taking the stairs one at a time, whereas the angry character takes huge leaps.

5) Here we will change to the initial character's point of view, as he runs away from the angry character. This will then change to the angry characters point of view as he chases the initial character.

6) We then used a tracking shot to follow the two characters running for a children's playground, as both characters get near a spinning playground object, the shot changes back to the angry character's point of view as they both jump on the spinning object.

7) The camera then focuses on the characters jumping off the spinning object, and zooms out as they run towards the camera, jumping more obstacles in the process.

8) The camera shot changes to a low angle shot of a gate, as both characters jump over it.

9) The camera angle changes again to a medium shot of both characters running past the camera, heading towards a tree.

10) The camera shot then changes to a noddy shot of both the characters trying to avoid each other, while the initial character attempts to proclaim his innocence.

11) The camera angle changes to a medium shot of the tree, where the angry character finally catches the initial character and raises his fist. The soundtrack then changes from a happy and fun soundtrack to a grace tone at the end, hinting at what might happen. The product is then left on a cliff hanger, to maintain the enigma.

Script:

Arran: Hey man.

Chris: Hey,you okay?

Arran: Yeah, I'm good thanks, yourself?

Arran: Enchiladas?!

Chris: No, they were chicken dippers.

Arran: They ARE my enchiladas!

Arran: You will pay for this!

Arran: Get back here!

Arran: Enchiladas!

Chris: THEY WERE CHICKEN DIPPERS!

Arran: You owe my £1.50!

Chris: Wow, you overpaid!

Arran: Time to pay!

Task 9 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 10 (P1, M1, D1)

Production schedule

Task 11 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 12 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 13 (P1, M1, D1)

I feel that we achieved the purpose of making the video. The idea was to create a children's comedy, and I think we exceeded our own expectations with what we created.

When the video was showed to an audience, it received mixed reactions. It received mostly a preferred reading, as they enjoyed watching the video. However, some people took an oppositional reading, as they thought it was a bit too childish. This could be to do with the fact that it is a children's comedy, and not really intended for an older audience.

We didn't really give out any messages in our video, positive or negative, as the genre of the video didn't really allow us any room for that. our video included only boys. This could be seen as slightly sexist, but it's only because we needed few actors in the film, and all the people in the group were boys. The same applies for there not being any different ethnic groups in the video.

I think the soundtrack to the film is what really makes this video a real children's comedy, with the really upbeat music that is really only found in slapstick comedy. The change in music near the end gives the video a really large contrast in moods, as it changes from very upbeat to dark and sinister, giving it a tense atmosphere. The location's were perfect for the genre of the video. We had a school and a park, which are places that are normally associated with childhood, and to older people watching the video, it woiuld give the feeling of nostalgia. The language was also very appropriate for the target audience. We are aiming the video at primary school children, so the language was kept VERY basic, and we even have subtitles in the video. It also looked very realistic for it's genre, as the location and the music help to give it that child-like innocence.

The audio levels were an issue in the beginning, as the voice was either way too loud or way too quiet for the video, but we eventually solved this problem using Audacity and Garageband. The camerawork was done very well in our video. We used a variety of different shots so that the video didn't look the same all the time. The shots would also contrast, for example, there would be a close-up that would switch to a long shot, making the camera shots almost sporadic which adds to the intensity and pace of the film. This variety helped to keep the audience interested and on the edge of their seats. We did not need to use an external microphone as the camera audio was suffient enough for what we needed to do. I also think the editing process went rather well. Everything was done pretty smoothly, and we rarely came across any stumbling blocks. The transitions inbetween clips were very smooth, as we tried our best to keep the video flowing. However, after looking at the clip again, the font that we used to show the subtitles and credits could have been changed to something more suitable for the genre.

Some things that are typical of this genre are: fast-paced camera work, upbeat/slapstick music, lots of colour, childish comedy. I think we delivered strongly on all of these. One of our strengths was the variety of camera shots, and I think our only weakness was when the music changed, it wasn't smooth enough. I feel that I was a good team member though. I contributed a lot to the writing of the screenplay, and I did my job as an actor. Of course, some issues were raised about what would work and what wouldn't in the video, but we all got together as a group and worked through it collectively, and we all listened to each other.

I think one thing I would improve on next time would be the effects. The effects we used could have been better, but that was due to a limited amount of things we could do with the software.

Unit 1 - Research Techniques

Unit 1:1 Content – Market Research

Audience Data – Audience Data is collected by BARB. Audience research is information on ratings i.e what people watch on television. BARB are the British Audience Research Board. They do research into how many people watch certain programmes. They do this by using 8,000 homes in the UK, and they have to log in to a special programme every time they watch television. This is then recorded on BARB’s database and they can take an average of how many people in the UK watch each programme.

Audience Awareness – Audience awareness is knowing who you’re talking to, or knowing who your viewers are going to be. For example, if you’re talking to people at an age of 5 or under, you will talk in much more simpler language, whereas, if you were talking to an adult of the same age, you would talk in much more formal language.

Product Reach – How many people the product will reach. E.g. If a programme will broadcast nationally or internationally. This is also monitored through BARB, as they can tell who watches what through their login process.

Audience Profiling – Audience profiling is collecting data about the viewers. BARB do this so that they know who watches what. They collect information such as age, gender, ethnicity, and peak watching times.

Consumer Behaviour – Consumer Behaviour is how the viewers view programmes. For example, shows can be watched through television, internet and through video and DVD.

Consumer Attitudes – Consumer attitudes depends how the consumer sees the programmes. For example, viewers in America may be sensitive towards television programmes about the 9/11 incident., whereas European viewers may not be too bothered about it.

Competitor Analysis – Competitor Analysis is where one channel/programme gets information from another, so they can see what they’re up against.

Advertising Placement – Advertising placement is product placement. For example, placing an item in the shot of a film, so that you can see it, and it will make you buy the product.

Advertising Effects – This is the result of advertising. Adverts make you want to buy a product, and the effect of advertising is making you buy the product that they are advertising.

Production Research –

Content – What a product consists of, what it contains.

Resources – Personnel: These are the staff that work for the companies. Talent: the talent would mainly be the actors of the TV programme. Suppliers: The people that supply things such as whatever they need. Facilities: What they will be using, such as cameras and props. Locations: The places where all the events such as filming will take place. Logistical support: Teamsters and roadies. Carrying equipment.

Costs: How much the production will cost to make.

Viability: viability is whether the product is okay to be released.

Placement: Where the production will be placed. TV etc. Ho the production will be published e.g. through television or through the internet. The product will need to be broadcasted, so it will need a TV slot. Also, it can be show through the internet, which is known as a webcast. It can also be produced as a recorded speech package, known as a podcast.

Audience – Who the production will be broadcasted to, and where.

Competition – What the producers are up against.

Product Research:

Talent: This can be anybody from actors to film crew. They are referred to as 'talent' as they are trained to things that others cannot do.

Finance: This is how the money is managed for the entire production. Such as where and how it is spent, and keeping to a budget. The money can come from advertising and other company's wanting to invest in the product.

Suppliers: these are the people who supply things such as props and sets, amongst other things. These people are needed to help bring the product together.

Facilities: these are things such as set locations and editing studios, or even cafeterias for the workmen to have lunch.

Locations: Locations are where a product may be filmed. For example, the majority of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film adaptation was shot on location in New Zealand.

Logistical support: These are the people who carry the equipment about from location to location, or even from one set to another, such as cameras and props.

Costs: This is the amount of money it will cost to make the whole product. This can be an issue as there is usually a set budget on the finished product, and the price of things such as cameras and actors is very high these days.

Viability: this is whether or not the product can be made. Sometimes it may not be viable due to the technology needed may not be advanced enough.

Placement:

Publication: the first showing of a product is called the premiere, this is the publication.

Broadcast: Broadcasting is the most popular way of showing your product to worldwide audiences. Broadcasting is usually associated with TV.

Webcast: A product that will be shown on the internet. This is mainly for niche audiences, as the product may not have a wide enough audience to gain any profit from airing on TV.

Podcast: A downloadable speech package that can be put onto an MP3 or iPod. An example of a podcast is BBC radio.

Unit 2 - Pre-Production Techniques

Unit 7 - Understanding The Television And Film Industries

Task 1 (P1, M1, D1)

Technology in the TV industry has change a lot over the years, such as the being able to record programs and eventually having to switch over to digital television. But despite the digital switchover, four channels are still available to people on analogue and everybody who even buys a TV set. These channels are: BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel Four.

Even though these four channels are available to anyone and everyone at any time, most TV sets come with Freeview. Freeview is a service that shows free-to-air TV channels, like BBC1 and BBC2, amongst many others. It is owned and run by it's shareholders, which are: ITV, BBC, Arqiva and Channel 4, and around 77% of the population can currently receive Freeview. In 2007, digital viewing began to replace analogue, and will continue to do so until the whole of the UK is on digital. This is predicted to happen some time in 2011.

Also, with the newer techology in TV, viewers are able to record programs before they air, so that they don't have to miss it, and the can watch it whenever they want. One company that offers this service is Sky, who have become massively popular due to this service. Also, Virgin have an 'On demand' function, so that you may watch any programs that you have missed, or that you want to watch again.

There are also many ways in which the audience can interract with television and the programs themselves. For example, there is the 'red button' function. This acts as a sort of on demand function. The BBC put it to good use during sporting events such as the Snooker World Championship, where by pressign the red button will allow you to watch a snooker game other than the one that is on at the present time, or you can even watch more than one game at a time has they have a multi-screen function. Also, on shows such as X-Factor, the audience can phone in to vote who they want to see win the competition. Another example would be teleshopping, where purchasable items are advertised on the television, and the audience can view these items, and if they decide to buy, they can phone up and order what they have seen. It is also possible to enter competitions to win things on television, for example, the Gadget Show hold massive prize competitions where you have to either phone in or text your answer to a certain number to be in with a chance of winning.

Another way of viewing television on the internet. BBC have a website called iPlayer, where you can watch any program you want that has been aired within the past week. Channel 4 also has 4od, which works in the same vein as BBC's iPlayer. These services are free. However, it is possible to purchase TV on the internet. Apple offer a range of TV programs available to buy.

Due to all of these technologies being introduced, the audiences are a lot more spread out now. This is because there are a lot of channels and programs aimed at the individual and what they like to see, rather than just the general audience. There are sports channels, teleshopping, film channels, documentary's amongst many other things. Naturally, people of different interests are going to be more attracted to different things, which is why the audience has fragmented. A special christmas episode of Only Fools and Horses had an estimated 20 million viewers several decades ago. Nowadays, the two highest viewed programs are the X-factor final, which has around 8 million viewers, and Top Gear, which has approximately 6 million viewers at the start of a new series or when they do a special episode such as the Vietnam one.

I think the uses and gratification is a lot more relevant in todays day and age. The diversion aspect of the theory has definitely become more relevant, as people are very willing to escape their everyday problems. These problems may be anything from family issues to the current financial climate taking it's toll on nearly everybody. However, this doesn't mean that the other aspects don't apply. People still use the media for personal relationships, as people like to talk about what they have seen on TV. A lot of people also use the TV to find out things such as weather reports and news on the financial climate, which is surveillance. Although these days, people don't tend to find a personal identity from TV. Instead of finding themselves reflected by someone on a programme, they try to be what the see on TV, which goes to show how much power the media has over it's audience.

We can access films through Digital TV with the use of the On Deman function that Sky and Virgin offer. Virgin has over 500 films that you choose to purchase and watch over a period of a week. We can also access film through the internet. Lovefilm.co.uk offers a film rental service, where they send you the film through the post for a fee and you send it back once you have watched it.

Task 2 (P1, M1, D1)

Sky has pioneered the way in which we watch television with it's innovative new technologies. Sky introduced the idea of recording TV to the UK, which was Sky Plus. Sky Plus offered everything that the original Sky offer did, such as whatever channels you pay for, excep that it had the ability to record programs.

If you're going to miss a program that you want to watch, then you can simply find the program that you want to watch on the TV guide, and press record on the remote control. Plus, you can record more than one program at once, and even record an entire series, so that you can whatever you want whenever you want. A great deal have people have switched from the current TV provider to Sky mainly for this function. Whilst other companies had the On Demand function, Sky offered an even easier way to watch television than ever before.

Also, with the advent of the Digital switchover, they have been able to offer Sky Digital, and even a radio service.

Task 3 (P1, M1, D1)

Television is funded in many different ways. One of these is PSB, which stands for Public Service Broadcasting. The PSB is funded by the TV license payers. The BBC provide the PSB for the UK, and are the only company funded by just the TV license. A license for a full colour TV is just under £140. The money from the TV license pays for producing and airing the programs. There are also some other stations that are funded by part of the BBC's PSB. Some of these are Five, ITV and Channel 4.

Another type of funding is by sucbscription. Companies such ask Virgin and Sky offer their serives for a monthly fee. These services can come in packages which include the TV, Broadband and phone line deals. These packages are relatively cheap for what they offer, but with companies such as Sky having 8 million subscribers, and the packages being £18 a month at the cheapest, a lot of money goes towards the company so that it can be funded into offering these services more and more.

Pay-per-view is another form of television funding. Pay-per-view is where the consumer pays a one time fee to watch one program. A lot of sports progams do this in America, such as boxing and professional wrestling companies. PPV is at it's most popular in the US.

Sponsorship is also a big part of funding these days. Sponsorship is where a brand or company pay to have a small advert played between the program and each commercial break to advertise their product. One example of this would be when Friends on E4 was sponsored by Appletiser. I think that certain brands associate themselves with certain programs for a reason. For example, Extreme Makeover is sponsored by Black and Decker. Extreme Makeover is a program where they build a house from scratch, and Black and Decker is a company that makes tools for doing so. It is more memorable when the program and it's sponsor have a direct link to each other.

Another form of funding is product placement. Whilst illegal in Britain, it is commonplace in the US. Product placement is similar to sponsorship, but the product is placed somewhere within the program itself so that it may be advertised. A common example of this is when somebody is shown to be working on a laptop computer. There is always a clear shot of the logo on the back of the laptop's screen, and it is usually either Apple or Sony Vaio that place their products in programs.

Task 4 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 5 (P1, M1, D1)

Unit 22 - Multi-Camera Techniques

Multi-Camera Techniques

Task 1 (P1, M1, D1)

The types of shows that generally use the multi-camera techniques are sitcoms, sports programs, soap operas, game shows and talk shows. An example of a few these would be Seinfeld, Coronation Street and Jeremy Kyle. Also, more and more Hollywood films have begun using the multi-camera technique. There are a few advantages to using the multi-camera set up over the single-camera setup, such as it being less expensive. Also, everything can be shot in one live take from many different angles, whereas with the single-camera setup would have to shoot things several times from different angles to get the same effect, which means everything takes a lot less time and money to film.

In a multi-camera setup, there are generally 4 cameras in use. The two outer cameras would take shots of the two most active characters in the scene, whilst the central cameras take a master shot to capture everything that happens in the scene and to capture the surroundings.

Task 2 (P1, M1, D1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMZdJePz62I&feature=player_embedded

Krafterwerk - Awards Show. Dir: Hamish Hamilton.

The scene begins with an establishing shot of the crowd and the stage, it then shows a long shot of the four members of the band, and them shows a close-up of each member, panning from one to the other. Their faces remain almost hidden due to the lighting creating an enigma. Also, they stand relatively still during the whole performance, and because of their odd costumes and hidden faces, it gives them an air of power and an almost god-like appearance. Towards the end, their is a crane shot, that starts from within the audience and then looks down on the band members. The video holds the viewer's interest my keeping the characters very enigmatic and mysterious, almost wanting you to keep watching to find out who they are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Yv6e-T6WA&feature=player_embedded

Roberto Cavalli Fall/Winter 2009/2010 Full Show [Multi-camera view]

The catwalk show has lots of camera shots that are very typical to a catwalk show. There is the long shot taken from above the audience that shows them walking down the catwalk, there is the shot of the feet which then moves upwards to their face as they move closer to the camera, which then switches to a low-angled middle shot of the model. The low-angled shot is used to make the model look as if she is towering over everybody, making her look like she is in a position of authority and power. The same applies for the long shot from the audience. The camera follows her, making people think that she is something to be desired, and that all eyes should be on her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK16ihc6ESw&feature=player_embedded

Match of the Day: 2008/2009 Premier League Season Review

The opening shot is a middle shot of the presenter. It then cuts to a a series of quick cuts of people scoring goals, using many different camera angles, ranging from long shots, close ups and panning shots. The mususic is really tense which fits the pace of the editing. The commentary also adds to the intensity of the clip, as the commentators are really on the edge of their seat all the way through the clip. All the intensity and the quick pace makes for a very riveting clip which helps to keep the attention of the audience.

Task 3 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 4 (P1, M1, D1)

Script:

*Opening Sequence*

*Camera 2* (Medium Shot)

Eddie: Welcome to Friday world! We've got an awesome line-up for you this week, and the first of these features is going to be introduced by Arran.

*Camera 1 on Arran* (Cloose up)

Arran: Hello everybody! This film has been produced by year 13 students for their media course. We bring to you... The Silent Treatment.

*Roll VT: The Silent Treatment*

*Camera 2 - back to Arran and Eddie in the studio* (medium shot)

Eddie: Awesome film. And there will be more single camera drama's coming up in the next few weeks!

Arran: Coming up now we've got a trailer that will take you back to your childhood. Here's Toy Story 3!

*Roll VT: Toy Story 3*

*Camera 1 on Eddie* (Close up)

Eddie: Arran, what ARE you doing?

*Camera 2 zooms to a medium shot of Eddie and Arran*

Arran: Well Eddie, I'm wearing this banana suit because YOU ATE MY ENCHILADAS!

*Roll VT: You Ate My Enchiladas*

*Camera 1* (Close up)

Eddie: Well that was unexpected, and quite brutal to say the least!

*Camera 2* (Medium shot)

Arran: Shut up Eddie, we have breaking news! We go to our man on the ground, Christan Place! Christian?

*Roll VT: Zombie Sequence*

*Camera 2 on both* (Medium shot)

Eddie: Well this could quite possibly be the last episode of Friday World ever! So I think we should all enjoy this next video!

Arran: So here's MC Hammer voicing his opinions on the zombies!

*Roll VT: MC Hammer - Can't Touch This*

*Camera 2 on both* (Medium shot)

Arran: It's been a pleasure to be your hosts, I'm Arran.

Eddie: And I'm Eddie.

Arran: Goodbye!

*Outro*

Task 5 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 6 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 7 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 8 (P1, M1, D1)

See Tutor

Task 9 (P1, M1, D1)

The purpose of this task was to create and record a live TV entertainment programme for our target audience of 12-15 year olds. I feel that we achieved this, as the audience seemed to enjoy it very much. We got a positive reading from nearly every member of the audience. They liked most of the VT's, especially the Toy Story 3 trailer, where they laughed, shouted and even screamed about it. This was our aim, to entertain the primary target audience of 12-15 year olds. There was a mix of male and female members aswell as mixed ethical groups in the VT's that were shown, which would appeal to the target audience more as there were also people of different ethnicity's within the audience. We didn't have a music track for the presenter's sections as it was all speech to introduce the VT's, but the music that was included in the student's videos was very appropriate for the mood, as was the location's they all picked. The location we picked for the presenter's sections was very colourful and vibrant, which generally appeals to a younger audience. Also, we kept the language we used slightly simpler for the target audience. The video looked very realistic for it's genre. We had a good setting for what is particular for the genre, like the colourful backdrop.

The only technical faults we came across were in the rehearsals, where the sound failed several times. We only had one technical problem we had throughout the entirety of the live show was the sound failing again for a few seconds. All of the camera work was fine, as it followed the sooting script we had provided for the people working the cameras. The audience stayed very interested throughout the entire show, as we offered them things that would appeal to them.

We didn't have a narrative for the show, as we were only the presenters of different clips that needed to be introduced. Everything we did though was typical to the genre, such as the type of camera shots used and how we introduced the VTs. Everything down to the script was kept as realustic to the genre as it could possible be. I'd say the only disadvantage we had was the budget. TV shows of this kind have higher budgets, and they use very high-tech equipment and have a studio to work with, whereas we had only a small room.

I felt I learnt a lot from this experience. I learnt how to write a script typical to a certain genre, and how to present it in a way that would keep the target audience interested. I felt that I was a good team member too. I contributed a lot of idea's to the whole show, I played my part in presenting the show very well. I think the only thing we could improve on in the future would be the sound quality. for example, we would need clip-on microphones rather than having to pass the microphone to the other presenter, as this can get a little tedious.

Unit 29 - Advertisement Production For Television

Task 1 (P1, M1, D1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x13DH6IoIcQ&feature=player_embedded
Honda Advert - The Impossible Dream

This advert follows various lines of appeal. One of these is the dreams line of appeal. It shows a man who looks to be living his dream by driving all these fancy vehicles that cost a lot money. It's almost as if the advert is saying 'Honda is the dream'. This could also be following the aspirational line of appeal, which is showing rich and luxurious lifestyles. This ties in with the dream line of appeal, as it's showing that if you have aspirations, you can reach to whatever heights and dreams you want. It also shows a line of appeal in the form of nature. The man on the vehicles is driving through the stunning locations, showing to people that Honda can take you anywhere that you wish to go.

Through all these lines of appeal, it definitely shows some reward power. If you achieve your aspirations such as a rich and luxurious lifestyle, you will be rewarded with these nice vehicles, the nice places and be able to live the dream. There is also some coercive power, but only through the use of the song. The name of the song itself, The Impossible Dream, almost dares the viewer to take up the challenge.

This advert in particular seems to be aimed 30-35 year olds, ones who may not have achieved what they want in life and are willing to try anything to live their dream. There is only one character throughout the entire advert, and he seems to be cast as a hero of some sort, like he is victorious over something, or that he has achieved his goals.



Task 2 (P1, M1, D1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jggz2wPnm2o&feature=player_embedded
Halo ODST

The information given on the character is very stricted, although it is made to seem that he does not really want to do what he has to do. We can tell this by his facial expressions at the beginning. Throughout the advert, he is made out to be some kind of hero, although at one point he seems to be the damsel-in-distress until he is saved by a fellow squad member. We can tell it is the same man throughout because of the scars on his face. At the beginning, we're not entirely sure of what the man's goal is. It seems to follow Todorov's theory of an equilibrium, disruption and resolution, although there is no resolution, as is is shown that they are fighting an almost endless war due to the passing of time in the advert.
Task 3 (P1, M1, D1)
The L'oreal advert with Jennifer Aniston employs all the styles of a beauty product advert. She is shown wearing a golden in dress in very bright lighting, laying back in relaxed positions, almost like a goddess. She is shown again in this goddess-like manner when she is ruffling her hair in the mirror and flicking back out of her face. The advert also uses star power to help sell the product, making the audience think that if they used the product, they could become a surreal goddess being just like Jennifer Aniston.
Another advert that could be classed as surreal, although not of the same style, is the Evian advert with the rollerskating babies. Surreal adverts usually have very little to do with the actual product itself, however in this advert, the tagline 'Evian, live young' applies. Babies who look like they are too to even walk are rollerskating with ease, and are therefore living young. It is normally the more surreal adverts that are the most memorable though, and therefore make for a good advertising campaign, such as Compare the Meerkat. In my opinion, it is the surrealness of it that makes it an effective advert, as I am able to remember it even after not seeing it for a long time.

Task 4 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 5 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 6 (P1, M1, D1)

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) are an independant regulator of advertising in all forms of media. These include: magazines and newspaper advertisements, television adverts, radio commercials, posters and billboards, and direct mail. From time to time, the ASA receive complaints from the public, and they respond to these complaints by checking each one thoroughly. Due to this, nearly 2500 advertisements were changed in 2008. Some of the codes that they have to check for in advertisements are misleadingness, harm and offence, racial and sexual discrimination and political and controversial issues.

Task 7 (P1, M1, D1)

http://arrancookbtectvandfilm.blogspot.com/2009/10/unit-21-single-camera-techniques.html
Scroll down to task 5

Advertisers need to know how technology in media is changing because they need to know how to reach their audience in the most effective ways. There are many new ways to advertise, such as through the internet, and many more people read magazines these days. They'll constantly be looking for new mediums of advertising.

Task 8 (P1, M1, D1)

Alaska Marketing Solutions

Client Brief

Project: Television advertisement for the media department in school.

Prepared by: Alaska Market Solutions

Mount Pleasant Road, Pudsey, Leeds, LS27 7ND

Background: Media is constantly growing in every aspect, whether it's out in the real world or just a department in one school.

Objective: We feel that media has become part of our everyday culture, and we want to help a younger generation understand that, and give them skills they need to become successful in the growing entity that is the media.

Target Audience/ Secondary Audience: The primary target audience for our advertisement is year 9 students who are just about to make their decisions about which classes to take at GCSE level. Our secondary audience will be the year 7 and 8 students, as it will give them something to think about over the years, and like any good advertisement does, it will stay in their head subconciously and will influence their choice within the coming years.

Important Context: I feel that the most important thing to include in the advertisement are some solid reasons for joining the media department, such as the range of things it can offer such as the Macs and it's very own radio station. This will give the audience an incentive to join.

Rational/Emotional Reasons: A ration reason for joining the course would be the high pass rate of the course, aswell as the amount of new technology it has to offer. An emotion reason to join the course would be that it could be something that the student wants to do in the future.

Product Ideas: Including interviews of year 10 students expressing their opinion on why they like the media department, and interviews on 6th form students telling the audience what they have learnt over the years and what experience and new skills they have gained by joining the courses offered. We will also have a tagline for our advertisement, as we feel that a tagline helps the advertisement stay in someones head better.

Mandatory Details - Website http://pgslearning.co.uk/media Phone number: 0113 229 6000

Budget/Advertising Time:

Task 9 (P1, M1, D1)

Do you like to see humour in your adverts? Yes/No

Do you like to see a narrative? Yes/No

Do you like to see celebrities/star power? Yes/No

Do you prefer seriousness in your adverts? Yes/No

Would you like known/popular music in your adverts? Yes/No

Do you like expert power/professional opinion? Yes/No

Do you like nostalgia in your adverts? Yes/No

Does a tagline help you to remember an advert? Yes/No

Task 10 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 11 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 12 (P1, M1, D1)

Misleadingness: The consumer must not be mislead into believing something that is not true. An example of this using our own advert would be that if you join the media department, you can do anything you want to in life. This is not true. It misleads the consumer into thinking something that isn't true. A more accurate statement would be 'If you join the media department, you can choose from a wide range of careers'. Whilst the term 'wide range of careers' and 'almost anything in life' seem pretty similar, there is actually a huge difference. It is true that there is a wide range of careers available in media, therefore that statement is not misleading. If a customer is mislead, they may feel that they have been manipulated and will lose faith in that company. The company then loses money due to losing customers.

Task 13 (P1, M1, D1)

Due to our advert being an advertisement for the media department, we could put it almost anywhere on television. A good example would be putting it after some kind of presenters show, where upon watching the program and seeing the advert, it could lead them to think that by taking on the media course that they could become a television presenter. Another good place to put the advert is before a large sporting event, as a career in media could also help you reach the heights of being something like a football commentator, or a camera-man at the match itself.

Task 14 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 15 (P1, M1, D1)

Objective: The objective of this advertisement is to get the year 9's to choose media as a GCSE subject, as they are our target audience. Our secondary audience is the year 11's, as we are wanting them to join 6th form media, and therefore we will need to add a 6th former's opinion into the advertisement. The students will need to persuaded into joining. To do this, we will give them an incentive to join, such as skills for working in the media industry, and offering them all the technology that the media department has. The style of it will have the general conventions of an advertisement. It will include expert power, consumer opinions and will make use of several taglines to make the advertisement a lot more memorable.
The advert won't have a narrative as such, but I'd say the goal would be to successfully get the year 9's and 11's to pick GCSE and BTEC media courses for the next step of their education. The characters will be the people who take the class at GCSE and BTEC levels. Not actors, but just people giving their opinion on what they've learned and experienced upon taking the media class. Close-ups will be used for all of the interviews, and a mid-shot will be used for the interview with Mr. Jackson, as we want to be able to see the working environment around him. To edit the film, we are going to use Adobe After Effects.

Task 16 (P1, M1, D1)


Equipment



The camera we used to record everything was a professional Panasonic camera. We used a dolly for easier transportation of the camera, and a tripod so that could effectively do the shots we needed without the camera being too shaky. For the interviews, we used a directional microphone, except for the interview with Mr. Jackson, in which we used a clip on microphone. The voice over was recorded with a Zoom voice recorder.



Editing Software



iMovie was used to take the footage from the tape in the camera so that it could be saved onto a hard-drive. The footage was then edited in Adobe After Effects.



Who Was Involved In The Recording Process



The whole upper-sixth media class was involved in one shot, which was 12 minutes worth of footage to create a time-lapse to show the working environment in the room. We left the camera to record for a period of time on a tripod. We also interviewed three people, aswell as the head of the media department.



Costume and Location





The interviews were conducted on the spot with no rehearsing of answers, and the people being interviewed had no knowledge of what the questions were beforehand. The location we chose was the media department, as this seemed a suitable place to shoot footage the advert. This is so that people can see exactly what they'd be doing if they joined the media department. There were no costumes used.



Task 17 (P1, M1, D1)




Task 18 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 19 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 20 (P1, M1, D1)




Task 21 (P1, M1, D1)