Calum, George and I have been looking at different types of interviewing techniques. We have filmed ourselves interviewing each other and doing some 'undercover' camera work to see what these shots would look like. This will help us when we make our main project as we can see which shots fit into our chosen documentary style.
The link for this video can be found below:
http://www.youtube.com/user/GCNMedia#p/u/1/17ygkhkR_5c
The shots that I thought were most successful in this video were the silhouette interview shot and the undercover interviews. I felt that these were the most interesting and engaging for me as an audience member and could fit into a more original and upbeat for of documentary style.
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Rachel's Story: Underage and Pregnant
George, Calum and I have made a documentary based on a pregnant teenager and the effect that it is having on her school life. The link for this can be found below:
http://www.youtube.com/user/GCNMedia#p/u
This documentary was more serious than 'The Boy Who Carries Around Personal Information Around In A Tube.' and therefore was more like the type of documentary I would like to do. The issue we used (teenage pregnancy) is very current, however, I would like to use a serious and up to date topic such as this with a much less conventional form of documentary style. The music, fill shots and interview style are all very typical of a fly on the wall documentary. I feel a more upbeat style could appeal to a wider audience and make our documentary stand out.
http://www.youtube.com/user/GCNMedia#p/u
This documentary was more serious than 'The Boy Who Carries Around Personal Information Around In A Tube.' and therefore was more like the type of documentary I would like to do. The issue we used (teenage pregnancy) is very current, however, I would like to use a serious and up to date topic such as this with a much less conventional form of documentary style. The music, fill shots and interview style are all very typical of a fly on the wall documentary. I feel a more upbeat style could appeal to a wider audience and make our documentary stand out.
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Mockumentary
Ellen, Calum, Jack and myself were all involved in making a mockumentary. This can be found on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEttmAcfNrg
It is called and shows a boy who possessive over a cardboard true which has something inside of it; the audience never finds out what this is.
Although I enjoyed helping to make this mockumentary, I still feel that I do not want to do a mockumentary as I feel that they use less technically challenging editing and camera skills. I also think that, unless done extremely well with a firm idea that would appeal to a wide audience, they can look unprofessional. Despite 'The Boy Who Carries Around Personal Information Around In A Tube.' being amusing to my college friends and myself I doubt that a mockumentary like this would do as well worldwide with people who do not know the character's or any inside jokes on a more personal level.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEttmAcfNrg
It is called and shows a boy who possessive over a cardboard true which has something inside of it; the audience never finds out what this is.
Although I enjoyed helping to make this mockumentary, I still feel that I do not want to do a mockumentary as I feel that they use less technically challenging editing and camera skills. I also think that, unless done extremely well with a firm idea that would appeal to a wide audience, they can look unprofessional. Despite 'The Boy Who Carries Around Personal Information Around In A Tube.' being amusing to my college friends and myself I doubt that a mockumentary like this would do as well worldwide with people who do not know the character's or any inside jokes on a more personal level.
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Green Screen
As mentioned in the brief for our Global Warming documentary, we want to try to use a green screen to make it seem like we are in the Antarctic. This would be a difficult, however, if done properly, could look very professional. Below is a link to the video of our first attempt at using the green screen technology:
http://www.youtube.com/user/GCNMedia#p/u/3/F0v44jfgX1o
To make this video George and Calum came to my house and used a blue screen outside. We did some shots with movement and others without to see how they looked.
What I have learnt from this:
As you can see, the background being used was not the correct colour blue and therefore some of the picture was unclear; for our project we would have to use a real green screen.
As there was not enough space to set the screen up inside, we used the blue screen outside. This meant that the lighting changed as the sun came out and went back in, this not only changed the colour of the screen slightly making the image fuzzier, but also meant that the lighting was not right for the image we edited into the background. We would have to take care to get the lighting correct in our project in order for it to look professional.
The screen was not very large and therefore some of my conservatory can be seen. We will have to make sure that the screen we use is big enough so that this does not happen.
http://www.youtube.com/user/GCNMedia#p/u/3/F0v44jfgX1o
To make this video George and Calum came to my house and used a blue screen outside. We did some shots with movement and others without to see how they looked.
What I have learnt from this:
As you can see, the background being used was not the correct colour blue and therefore some of the picture was unclear; for our project we would have to use a real green screen.
As there was not enough space to set the screen up inside, we used the blue screen outside. This meant that the lighting changed as the sun came out and went back in, this not only changed the colour of the screen slightly making the image fuzzier, but also meant that the lighting was not right for the image we edited into the background. We would have to take care to get the lighting correct in our project in order for it to look professional.
The screen was not very large and therefore some of my conservatory can be seen. We will have to make sure that the screen we use is big enough so that this does not happen.
Friday, 8 October 2010
Documentary Presentations
As well as my own documentary presentation, other members of the class also made presentations an example of these can be found below:
This presentation was created by Ellen Crane and outlines the conventions of a mockumentary. I feel that I would prefer to do a more serious piece rather than a mockumentary as this would appeal to a wider audience and would enable the use of more advance editing techniques.
Mockumentary
View more presentations from Ellen Crane
This presentation was created by Ellen Crane and outlines the conventions of a mockumentary. I feel that I would prefer to do a more serious piece rather than a mockumentary as this would appeal to a wider audience and would enable the use of more advance editing techniques.
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Inspiration from different documentaries
There are a number of different documentaries that I will be looking at to try to use and expand on other documentary ideas and styles.
Dispatches
Dispatches is a Channel 4 documentary that deals with up to date issues. It is typically expository with voice overs and undercover footage rather than a presenter.
The episode of Dispatches that I have watched is called 'Britain's Secret Slaves' the link for which can be found below:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/4od#3129534
Although I like the expository side of this type of documentary, I want to make a more interesting documentary. I feel that this could be achieved with different camera angles and techniques as well as engaging fill shots that keep the documentary up beat. This would probably appeal more to a younger audience.
Bodyshock
Bodyshock is also a Channel 4 documentary and looks at different bodily deformities.It uses voice overs to document the stories of different people and their journey to correct their deformities. However, the people with the bodily deformities are seen talking to the camera about their experiences rather than the more formal interviews of Dispatches.
The episode of Bodyshock that I have watched is called 'Half Ton Man' the link for which can be found below:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/bodyshock/4od#2923145
I thought Bodyshock was another documentary with an interesting topic, however, I again feel that different editing techniques could make the documentary more upbeat and therefore more appealing to the viewer.
Kevin McCloud: Slumming it
Slumming it is another Channel 4 documentary. It follows Kevin McCloud, the presenter and documentary maker, as he goes to Indian slums and third world countries to see how people live. This is a participatory documentary in which he is the main presenter and is seen getting involved in jobs and projects to improve living conditions as well as interviews in which he is also in the shot listening and responding to the answers given.
The episode of Slumming it that I have watched is the second in the series the link for which can be found below:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/kevin-mccloud-slumming-it/4od#3051418
I like the idea of Slumming it, as I like the participatory role played by Kevin McCloud. I think this makes the documentary more appealing as the feelings expressed by the presenter make the documentary more emotive and therefore more engaging for the viewer. I think this could be a good technique if placed with a more up to date topic from the news.
Louis Theroux: The Most Hated Family in America
The Most Hated Family In America is a BBC documentary in which Louis Theroux lives with a group of born again christians. It is a participatory documentary and sees Theroux on camera as he interviews them and goes about their daily lives with them.
The episode of Louis Theroux's work that I have watched is called The Most Hated Family in America, the link for which can be found below:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7735501683185935638#
Louis Theroux makes an interesting documentary with a very engaging style. He has chosen a topic that is serious however the way in which it is filmed and presented make it slightly humorous and engaging for the viewer. Again his participatory role engages the audience by making the documentary more emotive.
Dispatches
Dispatches is a Channel 4 documentary that deals with up to date issues. It is typically expository with voice overs and undercover footage rather than a presenter.
The episode of Dispatches that I have watched is called 'Britain's Secret Slaves' the link for which can be found below:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/4od#3129534
Although I like the expository side of this type of documentary, I want to make a more interesting documentary. I feel that this could be achieved with different camera angles and techniques as well as engaging fill shots that keep the documentary up beat. This would probably appeal more to a younger audience.
Bodyshock
Bodyshock is also a Channel 4 documentary and looks at different bodily deformities.It uses voice overs to document the stories of different people and their journey to correct their deformities. However, the people with the bodily deformities are seen talking to the camera about their experiences rather than the more formal interviews of Dispatches.
The episode of Bodyshock that I have watched is called 'Half Ton Man' the link for which can be found below:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/bodyshock/4od#2923145
I thought Bodyshock was another documentary with an interesting topic, however, I again feel that different editing techniques could make the documentary more upbeat and therefore more appealing to the viewer.
Kevin McCloud: Slumming it
Slumming it is another Channel 4 documentary. It follows Kevin McCloud, the presenter and documentary maker, as he goes to Indian slums and third world countries to see how people live. This is a participatory documentary in which he is the main presenter and is seen getting involved in jobs and projects to improve living conditions as well as interviews in which he is also in the shot listening and responding to the answers given.
The episode of Slumming it that I have watched is the second in the series the link for which can be found below:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/kevin-mccloud-slumming-it/4od#3051418
I like the idea of Slumming it, as I like the participatory role played by Kevin McCloud. I think this makes the documentary more appealing as the feelings expressed by the presenter make the documentary more emotive and therefore more engaging for the viewer. I think this could be a good technique if placed with a more up to date topic from the news.
Louis Theroux: The Most Hated Family in America
The Most Hated Family In America is a BBC documentary in which Louis Theroux lives with a group of born again christians. It is a participatory documentary and sees Theroux on camera as he interviews them and goes about their daily lives with them.
The episode of Louis Theroux's work that I have watched is called The Most Hated Family in America, the link for which can be found below:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7735501683185935638#
Louis Theroux makes an interesting documentary with a very engaging style. He has chosen a topic that is serious however the way in which it is filmed and presented make it slightly humorous and engaging for the viewer. Again his participatory role engages the audience by making the documentary more emotive.
Friday, 17 September 2010
Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?
This is the first 10 minutes of the documentary 'Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?' presented by Morgan Spurlock. It is a documentary film about Spurlock's search for Bin Laden as he explores relations between America and Israel.
I thought that this was a good documentary as it automatically engages the viewer. There are a range of effects and different technologies that are interesting as well as informative. I think that the participatory style of the documentary is also engaging for the viewer and is a useful way to make a serious topic more appealing to the audience. The music also gives this documentary an upbeat mood however in parts I think that it takes some of the importance away from the topic of American and Israelian relations as well as the seriousness of the dangers Spurlock may face.
Ideas for my documentary:
- Seeing this has definitely made me want to do a participatory documentary as I feel this will be more engaging for the viewer.
- The range of technologies and styles of camera work and effects have made me want to use more of a variety of technologies as I feel that this again engages the audience.
- I would like to use a serious topic that we can make more interesting with the above techniques however I want to keep the topic more serious than Spurlock does in 'Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?'
I thought that this was a good documentary as it automatically engages the viewer. There are a range of effects and different technologies that are interesting as well as informative. I think that the participatory style of the documentary is also engaging for the viewer and is a useful way to make a serious topic more appealing to the audience. The music also gives this documentary an upbeat mood however in parts I think that it takes some of the importance away from the topic of American and Israelian relations as well as the seriousness of the dangers Spurlock may face.
Ideas for my documentary:
- Seeing this has definitely made me want to do a participatory documentary as I feel this will be more engaging for the viewer.
- The range of technologies and styles of camera work and effects have made me want to use more of a variety of technologies as I feel that this again engages the audience.
- I would like to use a serious topic that we can make more interesting with the above techniques however I want to keep the topic more serious than Spurlock does in 'Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?'
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