1/12/2016

1/12/2016

This lesson we wrote up our application letter for our desired camera role. I decided to apply for floor manager because as I am relatively new to Media I thought I would start with something with less pressure. It was my first taste of applying for a 'job'. The letter had to be very formal; we included our address, name, date, and formal greetings etc. I had to persuade the teachers to select me to be one of two floor managers, so I had to basically sell myself, and say what good qualities I have that would make me a good floor manager, and what I would do to make sure everything runs smoothly as floor manager. In the end, I got the job!

12/01/2017

We weren't filming today, so we stayed in our classroom and started working on our journals, finishing the script, and organising roles (eg; who brings what). Me and 2 other members of my group went over to the filming group and took videos. It was my first time seeing an 'actual' TV shoot, and I have to say, it is as stressful as I expected, but they did a good job, although they could've been more well-prepared. We also had to research on our different roles; for floor manager, I would need to set out the floor-plan, decide where the cameras/props/presenters would go, and most importantly, make the set a hazard-free zone.

The above link includes the various roles for each group member, ingredients list, VT ideas, and some health and safety notes.

This was the final script we followed. I had a small role in helping write up the script for the presenters, but my director told me that I wouldn't need to worry about that and I would just need to worry about which camera was used for which shot.

19/01/2017

Today was the big day! As soon as I got to D83, I had to go straight to the filming room, where I had to be quickly briefed by my director, Nidhi, and the technician, Amy, and then I was set to go. I had to be equipped with a headphone set to communicate with those in the control room, after a quick inspection of the room to make sure there were no trip hazards, I was set to go.

Everyone got a copy of a script, but everyone had different uses for it. For me, I had to see which camera was being used for each shot, so that I could signal to the presenters, Alex and Shreya, on which camera to look for. It may have been a bit challenging for them, because if they had to look at the middle camera, they would also need to glance left or right to look at the autocue, and they may forget to look at the camera. Overall, it went pretty smoothly. Speaking of autocue, I actually had to run it on top of being floor manager, and it was actually as easy as I expected, once I found the right speed. Daniel ended up doing Autocue for both groups though

I felt that I did well as floor manager, although the presenters didn't always follow my cue. I also felt like I could have handled auto-cue as well (maybe something I could do next time). It seemed like we did more takes than needed, but most of the issues were with the camera angles and the shaky VT. There was also a problem with the glue, which cost us precious minutes; the lid was impossible to open, so we had to cut it open. It was a small job, but I had to make sure no glue, or any liquid got on any cameras or cables.

How a TV-Show is using modern technology to promote and market itself

Criminal Minds is a American police procedural crime drama television series. It first aired in late 2005 and is still running as of now. It has a 8.8/10 rating on TV.com; excellent for a crime show. It has been nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding stunt coordination in 08 and 09. A popular show, it has been subjected to quite a number of online memes. Some have gone viral and it's not hard to see why. Some of the memes are of the main character, Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, portrayed by Thomas Gibson, for having a very stern facial expression

These funny internet images (also known as memes) are one of the most popular ways to tell a story or an event. The meme shown above is stating a fact, but making a comparison to another popular celebrity. The humour boosts the shows popularity, and existing viewers of the show can relate to it more. Spreading it on social media websites such as Facebook or Twitter means more people will see the memes, and be attracted to the show. The official criminal minds Facebook Page, with more than 14.5 million followers, is filled with snips of upcoming episodes, throwbacks to previous ones, and various articles. They can use social media to promote the show. Because most Facebook users are ages 30 or below, they are more likely to be attracted to crime shows rather than people above 40. Sometimes it will show up as a suggestion to like that page, and that could be how someone first sees the show. A popular social media account will gather interest and more revenue from bank accounts, and there will be better development for the show, meaning they can keep funding the actors and spend more to create better episodes. There are different memes for different characters; there may not be a clear favourite as everyone on the team is equally as intelligent. These memes prove that something as serious as a crime show can be made into something humorous.

Distribution Possibilities

Back in the 60s or so, almost everyone watched TV's, because it was one of the main forms of entertainment if you didn't play outside. However nowadays, with the arrival of smartphones and other smart-electronics, young people are drawn to their phones and Ipads, and only those of old age will stick to their TV sets as watching the telly is something they've done for decades. Now that more people are turning to their computers to watch videos (youtube), we can use this to our advantage by creating a youtube channel to publish our TV make. This way, it will attract more viewers, teenagers in particular. Another advantage is that if its on Youtube, it's available for anyone to see at anytime. If it were to be on TV, it would only be available on a certain time, on a certain day, and the audience number would be significantly less.

360 degree commissioning is being able to broadcast your content on a wide range of platforms. We would be able to upload our make on Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram. There is a ridiculously small chance we would be able to get it on TV, but given the odds, it's highly unlikely we would do that. Another way to market our make would be using various reading materials, eg. books, magazines. We could take pictures, then write up a step by step method. Magazines are popular amongst middle-aged to senior people, who like having a cup of tea whilst reading. Also, the product we made is made with household items, and although its meant for children, it would be a good opportunity for parents bond with their children over these activities.

The way in which we delivered our product was also important. Using simple language so kids could understand, and speaking in a clear tone to benefit old people who may have trouble hearing.

Textual Analysis: BLUE PETER MAKE

In this make, the presenters are teaching the participants how to make a bag out of a hoodie. A variety of different shots were used, such as close ups, mid-shots, and wide shots. A large number of the shots were at a mid angle, mainly because it involved a group of people, and it was important for the audience to see what the participants were doing, but also to be able to see the presenter, since she's the one whose mastered making the hoodie bag.

There were some brief closeups whilst the presenter was folding the hoodie, so the viewers could have a more detailed image to follow her verbal instructions.

Some of the shots are just directed at her, just to give it a bit of variation, because she is the person with the most things to say so it makes sense if most of the camera attention is towards her. Very occasionally, there will be some brief mid shots of the dancers so everyone can see their concentration, since they're going to be making it next.

When the dancers begin to make their hoodie, there starts to be more close up shots of their face, to see their expression, which then goes down to their hoodie, so the viewers can see how much progress they've made.

Another reason why this make is effective is from the actual speech. The laid back attitude of the presenter really make you feel at home, and the occasional joke here and there gives it that extra spice. The presenter is there to not only teach, but to encourage the participants. They were racing to make their hoodie bag, adding tension, which draws the viewer in.

Set design is also important. The background is a mixture of different shades of blue. Those colours don't particularly stand out, which works to their advantage because you want the audience to focus on the presenter and dancers. The presenter isn't wearing stylish clothes, so that her clothes don't make her stand out and the audience will focus on what she's making.

FINAL EVALUATION

Having only joined media right before the make, it wasn't an excuse to slack off and I made an effort to make sure I was on top of everything. I chose Floor Manager because I wanted to start off with a role that didn't bring too much stress, and I actually enjoyed it more than I thought. I stuck to my role and successfully did my job, and I would really like to do it next time. I wouldn't also mind doing autocue as well.