07 Planning Production

In the pre-production stage of producing my media text, I had to write a pilot script for a comedy show. I went through various stages of script writing but here is my final edit

https://www.celtx.com/a/ux/scripteditor?id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.celtx.com%2Ffeeds%2Fdefault%2Fprivate%2Ffull%2F12a94dd24919c0cccc6451a926ea58ff9fae56eh#noreload

I then thought about the representations I wanted to construct within the radio comedy programme. I then wrote fact files for all the characters.

Michelle - presenting the stereotype about young adults particularly of a working/lower class. This is presented through the type of language she uses and the accent of the voice. She seems to be a character who has a complex life and struggles to look after herself. I wanted to then challenge the stereotype by making the character intellectual and knowledgeable of a wide range of topics. For example, she finds out very quickly that her Uncle had lied about her going to University.

Sebastian - I wanted to create conflict to enhance the comedy in the programme by creating a binary opposite of class, poor:rich. Sebastian is a very snobby character which is again a stereotypical characteristic within the middle class. I wanted to present this character to seem superior to Michelle, the protagonist of the text, by the mode of address he uses within the show. Sebastian is a representation of the hatred that Michelle has through the harsh jokes he uses to her.

David - I wanted Michelle's uncle to come across as manipulative by ensuring she would start a job. I wanted to make sure that again David had a higher status as it gives the character of Michelle a chance to use comedy to challenge the status.


Narrative Equilibrium - Michelle is getting ready to move to University

Narrative Disruption - Michelle receives an application for a job at the University.

Recognition - Michelle rings David to state that she had an application for a job rather than being a student.

Although, this doesn't follow the five steps of the Narratology cycle, I intended for the attempt to repair the disequilibrium to not follow so it was engaging for the listener.

06 Audience Website

As I was bearing in mind my 'fun-loving' audience of 16-25 year olds, I decided to gather a focus group to see what they would like on a radio website. The majority were attracted to Q&As and short videos that established the characters well. I then decided to shoot small videos which had both of my actors in characters delivering some actions on camera such as reading a book or magazine or calling someone on their phone as well as performing direct lines from the show to create a clear convergence between the product and the website. I also filmed a 30 second Q&A, which is a viral trend on social media sites such as Instagram and Snapchat, which sees the actors being themselves as the audience got to know them better through personal questions which creates a immediate connection between the audience and the product. This style of video is also reminiscent of many social influencers on YouTube which was something my focus group had an interest in. This created the idea that the actors acted as aspirational figures for the 16-26 year old fun loving audience should aspire to be like and simply 'have fun'.This was the use of my audio-visual aspect of my website.

I also created fact files for each character which had deliberate humour to gain a comedic relief from my audience. The use of hyperbolic, informal language was utilised for the audience to receive as humorous.

05 Audience Production

Audience Production

- Language was essential to appeal to a young audience of fun-loving 16-25 years old. In a focus group I organised, I found that swearing would enhance the comedy but is not essential to cause a reaction from them. This meant I ensured that I had a balanced and suitable ratio between dialogue: swearing.

- I wanted to make sure the main idea for the radio show was something that was relatable for the audience so that they could feel a connection with the characters. In the focus group, the concept of University would be interesting as around 80% of the group said it was their 'best time of their adult time yet'.

- Due to the restrictions of an audio-only media product, I ensured that I used music to appeal to the audience. In the focus group, I asked about several artists they would like to hear throughout the pilot episode. I had a huge variety but decided that the genre of recent pop music was popular, thus I used Lizzo's Juice in the background for the dialogue between the character's Michelle and Sebastian. Furthermore, I wanted the audience to feel a sense of nostalgia to enhance the fun loving nature of the audience. I chose Earth, Wind and Fire's 'September', a popular 70's song which around 90% of my focus group had heard before, when I asked.

04 C&C Website

Codes and Conventions of Radio Websites 

 Logo Placement - Logo is often placed in the upper left corner

Masthead- The logo and/or name of the product that the website is advertising

Main Navigation - There is a navigation bar where it takes you to the other linked pages

Home Page - The main page of the website

Text - Used to inform, educate or entertain the audience about the product

Main Image - Used on the home page and the choice of image tells the immediately about the tone of the website.

Multimedia elements - Using other forms of media to shape the audience's meaning/purpose

Social media links - Links that take you to a different social media links that promote the website/product

Fonts - Using unique fonts can appeal to a suitable audience

Colour - Used to make the website appealing and engaging. Could perhaps reflect a mood/atmosphere.

I looked at a range of BBC Radio 4 websites to get a sense of the house style of the channel. Through my research, I discovered the backgrounds are predominately navy blue with a white gradient which matches the colour scheme of the logo, which is placed within the top left hand corner. Image was also vitally important which took up about 1/3 of the page. The picture usually uses direct mode of address to engage the reader.
                                                                           

01 Coursework Brief

Brief 2 - Radio and Online 

You work for an independent media production company. You have been given the task of producing a three minute opening sequence of a pilot comedy programme to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in an attempt to attract a broader audience to the channel and the working website for the pilot show. The opening sequence must introduce the concept of the show and provide an audience hook. The web pages must promote the new comedy programme to its target audience and enable fans to interact with the show.
 Summary of brief requirements:
• Statement of Intent (approx. 500 words)
 • Opening sequence for pilot of a radio comedy: One three minute opening sequence.
• Broadcast channel and time: Content must be suitable for Radio 4 in the late evening comedy slot (weekdays 11pm–11.30pm).
• Number of web pages: One homepage and one linked page.
 • Cross-media production target audience: a funloving 16–25 year old mass market demographic.

There must be a clear sense of branding across the two elements of the cross-media production.

12 Practice Tasks

Camera Investigation

We have 5 different styles of camera in school.

Panasonic Lumix LX7
Pansonic Lumix GH3 and GH4
Canon 550D and 600D
Mobile Phone 


Over the next few weeks, you will need to undertake the following tasks and answer the following questions.

TASKS
1: Change the camera from JPEG to RAW mode and back again.
2: Take a portrait in medium close up using natural light.
3: Take a Long Shot portrait using studio lighting.
4: Find three images online that you really like and try to take a photograph that is similar to each one. NB: You can use Photoshop afterwards.
5: Make a short video in which you ask one of your portrait models three questions.


QUESTIONS
1: Which camera has the smallest focal length (i.e. allows the closest shot)?
2: Which camera allows the best shallow depth of field? IYO
3: Which camera has the easiest user interface.
4: Rank the cameras in order of how useful you think they will be to take stills for:
a) A website
b) A magazine
5: Rank the cameras in order of how useful you felt they were for taking short videos.


Answers

1. Lumix LX7
2. Panasonic Lumix GH4
4). a) A website
Lumix GH4 & GH3
Canon 550D & 600D
Lumix LX7
      b) A magazine
  Lumix GH4 & GH3
  Lumix LX7
  Canon 550D & 600D
5) Lumix GH4 & GH3
    Canon 550D & 600D





Panasonic Lumix LX7

Medium close up ( with natural light) shot

Long shot with studio lighting

Short video

Panasonic Lumix GH3

Medium close up with natural light

Long shot with studio light

Short video                                                              

Canon  550D

Medium close up with natural light

Long shot with studio light

Mobile Phone Photoshoot