Ancillary Task - Practice with Newspaper Advert Photograph Editing

I took one of the photographs that I found during my research and decided to edit it. I hope to recreate this picture myself during a photoshoot. Below I have experimented with different types of blur and colour schemes. With the blur I hope to achieve the idea or look that the post 16 education system may not be performing as well as it should be/school life seems blurry. I have also added some screen shots of the tools I practiced with to achieve this look.  

 

Interview Reshoot - Jess

Ancillary Task - Newspaper Advert Photograph Ideas

After completing my general research about newspaper adverts, the majority of them are just one picture with little writing. I have started to think about the sort of picture that may represent education. I have started to look at pictures of a classroom - students engaged in a lesson, but however I could edit the photograph to represent the suggested 'breakdown' of the post 16 education system. Below are some research examples.

 When shooting or capturing this type of image I will have to think about many things such as the colours of what people are wearing, the angles at which I would take it and the layout and spacing for font and text to be added.

 I can think about using the ripped/torn font that I practised creating over the top of the photograph.

 I'm not sure if I would want a photograph of just hands, I think I would at least like the back of the students to be in the photograph. Making the photograph more diverse and interesting to look at.

Making A Documentary

I have decided to go back to the basics, looking more closely at advice and tips on how to make a documentary. Following my first very rough draft of my product I decided to watch tutorials and research conventions of a documentary in order to improve how I film my interviews. I have found several useful sources of information. The following have allowed me to see more in the eyes of a documentary maker - giving me more of a sense of direction in what I want to achieve with my product.

From further research I also gained terms such as Cinéma Vérité or Direct Cinema - the idea that the camera is becoming the lives that it is watching - creating quite personal shots and revealing the character. Although I hope to get across the information and opinions of those going through the post 16 education system, I would also like to reveal the different characters of those that I interview. This allows the viewer to start to empathise (if they are in a similar situation/age etc) or sympathise with them if the interviews reveal feelings. The website also says 'Cinéma Vérité depends on the reality of true unrehearsed answers.' This idea fits in well with the changes I have made to my interviewing technique.

I also decided to look at advice to create a handheld camera documentary - as I am working on my own I am more likely to use the handheld look rather than a tripod. I wanted the personal documentary feel.
Main tips that I found were:
- shoot everything in Wide Pan
- don't zoom simply move closer/further away
- tilt the camera to reveal what the subject may be holding/doing with their hands
- keep all movement slow

First Draft of Documentary Clip

I added a description to the Youtube upload, it discusses a few things about the first draft that I would like to change or add to improve the quality of my product. I still have a very long way to go and need to reshoot a lot of the content.

Ancillary Task - Newspaper Advert Research

 

I have looked at some general research and ideas of what newspaper adverts. For example the typical layout, shapes used, amount of text, fonts, colours etc. I can use these examples as a basic layout for what I want to achieve. Plan my advert, think of colours in any photographs used, the font that would suit my advert yet be eye catching. The main thing about my advert is that it needs to draw in the attention of my target audience. 

Firstly I need to establish my target audience for my documentary. 

Due the nature and subject of my documentary, I feel that those going through the post 16 education system may be intrigued by the documentary and want to watch hoping that it shows a clear point of view. Teachers involved in the education system may also be interested, as well as prospect parents. So my age range can vary from 16 upwards. 

Planning and Organising

After struggling with organising my time and meeting deadlines I decided to sit down and devise what needed to be improved/completed/prioritise my work. As I am working on my own I have realised I only have myself to rely on. If I were in a group then different tasks could be given to the members. However, I need to make sure I stick to this plan of work in order to get things done in time and meet deadlines. 
Below is a list of dates that I have made on a notes on my iPod - something I look at regularly. I have also set up reminders to these dates so that I know what I need to get done and when.  I have left gaps in order to add to them at a later date so  know what is left to be done. 


Media

Deadlines :
Monday 4th feb, second version due 
Final 25th feb due 
 
Thursday 24th jan blog & upload first draft 
Friday 25th jan filming 3&4 (in between shots/introduction shots/eve reshoot) 
Monday 28th jan lunchtime reshoot jess c /edit new shots 
Wednesday 30th jan edit film/any shots needed 
Thursday 31st jan
Monday 4th Feb SECOND DRAFT DUE 
Wednesday 6th feb
Thursday 7th feb
Monday 11th feb 
Wednesday 13th feb
Thursday 14th feb FINAL FILM DUE 

I have also added a picture of the notes I made, listing what was left to be done and what I need to do to achieve the grade I want, and complete my product on time. 

The Making Process

Above are a few shots from the making of the video, showing the different tools I have used to create the product. The first screen shot just shows how I had separated and edited the clips, cut them shorter in order to put them together later on. The next few shots show a similar process of how to change the volume levels and fading in and out of the different clips and sounds. I have found this quite challenging to do, listening to when to fade the volume in and out  and how to add in new sound can be hard.

This is a picture of me recording the voice overs for the video, using Audacity and a stand alone microphone.

 Below are screenshots of the programme audacity which I used to help level out the recordings and clear them up so that they were audible and fitted in with the other levels of recording. I used the silence tool to get rid of any mic pops that occured and changed the level of sound in particular areas to even the sound out.



Above are a few pictures of planning and storyboarding ideas and shots that I felt could be easily put together or work well in the documentary. Planning what shots would go where and what sequence the frames would happen in.