Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Unit 6: Critical Approaches - Task 2
Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs
the representation
of Class and status.
The extract from Downton Abbey is set in April 1912 - this is shown through a crossfading title. The genre is a period drama as it follows a multi-strand narrative with many different storylines around different characters and is set in the past. The lower class and upper class are both shown in the extract. The extract begins with maids being awoken and one saying "for once I wish to wake naturally", showing that their day begins very early. The kitchen is the next focus and Daisy is shown being ordered to do the fireplaces. The kitchen has a very dark atmosphere with lots of old tools being used - showing the time period. Daisy is dressed a mucky dress, hair tied back walking past other servants. A tracking shot follows Daisy, showing how fast paced the downstairs of the house is and how busy the servants are preparing the house for the day. As Daisy appears upstairs the lighting changes completely, from a dark undertone the colours change to light and warm. Showing the difference between classes, lower class being a struggle and upper class being welcoming and happy. As she is upstairs another tracking shot begins, following Daisy through a maze of rooms as she heads for the correct one she needs, on her way a maid passes and the shot now tracks her through even more rooms, before finally the camera lands on one of the Footmen. This long shot emphasises the size of the house and therefore the wealth of the family who can afford to stay here and have so many staff.
This TV show follows a multi strand storylines but in the opening section the linear storyline is about the sinking of The Titanic. The narrative begins with the newspaper being made and the journalists reactions to actually hearing the news. At the house Carson is complaining the newspapers are late - not known to him is the reason - as they must have the papers ready for the Lord as he sits for breakfast. Eventually the papers arrive and one of the Footmen begins to iron out the newspapers, he is the first person in the house to find out the news of The Titanic. He quickly tells Carson who catches him pausing from his job, who is equally as surprised. As the Lord sits for his breakfast he opens the newspaper and can't believe the news. His daughters enter and wish him a good morning, reading the headline over his shoulder. They all begin to worry as they may have friends who were aboard The Titanic. There is a clear divide between the classes in the narrative as their use of vocabulary is different. The lower class (servants) do not hide their shock and are clearly affected by the news, exclaiming loudly etc. Whereas the upper class, even though they may have friends aboard keep their composure. The upper class also have different accents showing they most likely had a better upbringing than those in lower class.
As the rest of the house awake, significantly after the servants, and after ringing the bells signalling for the need of service we are introduced to the family. Starting with the Lord. As he walks to the grand staircase the music significantly slows its pace and becomes much more classical and peaceful, the change of sound therefore emphasises the change of class and how important this individual is. Not only does the music slow but the editing does also. There are a lot less fewer cuts which makes the shots flow at a steady pace and become more elegant matching that of the character, showing he does not have to rush anywhere, unlike his servants. He slowly descends the staircase alongside his pet dog and enters the dining room to begin breakfast. There is a huge difference between the volume of diegetic sound downstairs compared to upstairs in the house. Downstairs in the servants quarters there is a lot of background noise; plates and pans clanging, footsteps as people rush past, lots of talking and shouting amongst the servants. This shows how busy it is for the lower class. Upstairs there is a lot less background noise, only what is relevant to what is on screen; turning the page of a newspaper, clinking of a teacup being stirred, quiet footsteps as a lady enters the room.
Downstairs the mise en scene follows the conventions of the time and class. There is lots of equipment for all the different services to use and they are all dull, lacking in colour. Following the same rule as the lighting, as upstairs is much brighter with colourful décor. The furniture reflects that of the time and there is a large amount of the furniture itself, along with the huge open spaces of the rooms, again showing how wealthy the family are and how many people may visit the house at one time. Wide and tracking shots are used thoroughly throughout the extract, usually from an open door to reinforce the sizes of the rooms.
Costume also comes under mise en scene which for a show like this is massively important. They must be true to the time and reflect where each person is in status and class. Most of the servants in the house are in very plain comfortable clothing, however the servants that are allowed upstairs must keep their clothing clean and presentable at all times. After all they are reflecting the house and the people who live there. The butlers are an example of this as they are dressed much smarter than those say, in the kitchen who are not seen by anyone upstairs. The upper class wear smart suits and the girls wear colourful dresses with intricate decoration such as beads and gems, showing that more time and effort goes into their clothing.
The extract from Downton Abbey is set in April 1912 - this is shown through a crossfading title. The genre is a period drama as it follows a multi-strand narrative with many different storylines around different characters and is set in the past. The lower class and upper class are both shown in the extract. The extract begins with maids being awoken and one saying "for once I wish to wake naturally", showing that their day begins very early. The kitchen is the next focus and Daisy is shown being ordered to do the fireplaces. The kitchen has a very dark atmosphere with lots of old tools being used - showing the time period. Daisy is dressed a mucky dress, hair tied back walking past other servants. A tracking shot follows Daisy, showing how fast paced the downstairs of the house is and how busy the servants are preparing the house for the day. As Daisy appears upstairs the lighting changes completely, from a dark undertone the colours change to light and warm. Showing the difference between classes, lower class being a struggle and upper class being welcoming and happy. As she is upstairs another tracking shot begins, following Daisy through a maze of rooms as she heads for the correct one she needs, on her way a maid passes and the shot now tracks her through even more rooms, before finally the camera lands on one of the Footmen. This long shot emphasises the size of the house and therefore the wealth of the family who can afford to stay here and have so many staff.
This TV show follows a multi strand storylines but in the opening section the linear storyline is about the sinking of The Titanic. The narrative begins with the newspaper being made and the journalists reactions to actually hearing the news. At the house Carson is complaining the newspapers are late - not known to him is the reason - as they must have the papers ready for the Lord as he sits for breakfast. Eventually the papers arrive and one of the Footmen begins to iron out the newspapers, he is the first person in the house to find out the news of The Titanic. He quickly tells Carson who catches him pausing from his job, who is equally as surprised. As the Lord sits for his breakfast he opens the newspaper and can't believe the news. His daughters enter and wish him a good morning, reading the headline over his shoulder. They all begin to worry as they may have friends who were aboard The Titanic. There is a clear divide between the classes in the narrative as their use of vocabulary is different. The lower class (servants) do not hide their shock and are clearly affected by the news, exclaiming loudly etc. Whereas the upper class, even though they may have friends aboard keep their composure. The upper class also have different accents showing they most likely had a better upbringing than those in lower class.
As the rest of the house awake, significantly after the servants, and after ringing the bells signalling for the need of service we are introduced to the family. Starting with the Lord. As he walks to the grand staircase the music significantly slows its pace and becomes much more classical and peaceful, the change of sound therefore emphasises the change of class and how important this individual is. Not only does the music slow but the editing does also. There are a lot less fewer cuts which makes the shots flow at a steady pace and become more elegant matching that of the character, showing he does not have to rush anywhere, unlike his servants. He slowly descends the staircase alongside his pet dog and enters the dining room to begin breakfast. There is a huge difference between the volume of diegetic sound downstairs compared to upstairs in the house. Downstairs in the servants quarters there is a lot of background noise; plates and pans clanging, footsteps as people rush past, lots of talking and shouting amongst the servants. This shows how busy it is for the lower class. Upstairs there is a lot less background noise, only what is relevant to what is on screen; turning the page of a newspaper, clinking of a teacup being stirred, quiet footsteps as a lady enters the room.
Downstairs the mise en scene follows the conventions of the time and class. There is lots of equipment for all the different services to use and they are all dull, lacking in colour. Following the same rule as the lighting, as upstairs is much brighter with colourful décor. The furniture reflects that of the time and there is a large amount of the furniture itself, along with the huge open spaces of the rooms, again showing how wealthy the family are and how many people may visit the house at one time. Wide and tracking shots are used thoroughly throughout the extract, usually from an open door to reinforce the sizes of the rooms.
Costume also comes under mise en scene which for a show like this is massively important. They must be true to the time and reflect where each person is in status and class. Most of the servants in the house are in very plain comfortable clothing, however the servants that are allowed upstairs must keep their clothing clean and presentable at all times. After all they are reflecting the house and the people who live there. The butlers are an example of this as they are dressed much smarter than those say, in the kitchen who are not seen by anyone upstairs. The upper class wear smart suits and the girls wear colourful dresses with intricate decoration such as beads and gems, showing that more time and effort goes into their clothing.
Tuesday, 13 June 2017
Unit 31: Social Action and Community Media
TASK 1
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gv0_E6uzN_-9nZxQ0OD_Td75v7-7X4_w8xdmF0pNs3g/edit?usp=sharing
TASK 3
I took part in the pre-production, production and post production of the community media piece for Little Sprouts as noted in my log. Before we began filming the video I researched videos Little Sprouts had made previously to promote their company and the positive message it reinforces. I also researched similar videos from different communities, including a video about homelessness and a service for people suffering from alcohol/drug abuse. All the videos included someone from the company giving a brief overview of what it is they do, they then showed the people in need. Sometimes including an interview with the person/people who are benefiting from the service stating how important this company is for them. I alternated between Camera Operator and Director during the shoot and was also editor of the final piece. I oversaw the pre-production team for the Equality and Diversity competition entry. As Taylor was Project Manager I would mostly work with him to make sure the project was moving along smoothly. Matthew Taylor managed our video to encourage young people to vote in the most recent General Election. I was part of the Production team, alternating between Camera Operator and Director. Myself, Kane, Matthew and Taylor all took part in the video also. Before shooting began we all discussed the script and a few changes we thought would be best to make it flow more naturally. The idea of all of us being involved on screen was also pitched by me as I thought it would encourage our message - that ALL young people should vote. Having four members of Ufilms reiterate that fact would have a bigger impact than one.
TASK 4
As a crew on the Vote video Matthew, myself, Kane and Taylor worked very well together and filmed the video with no issues. I think the video is a great success and turned out excellent. Matthew's script was fit for purpose and appropriate to our audience. It included a statistic to be informative and reinforce the idea behind the video - more young people need to vote - but wasn't too formal and stayed lighthearted throughout, sure to keep a young persons attention and not bore them. The statistic "When looking at previous elections did you know that only 40% of young people decided to cast their votes in the most recent prior to this one?" is relevant to the intended audience and an effective way to persuade them against the trend. Communication had to be effective in our video about democracy otherwise the purpose of the video would fail. We had to communicate with the viewer about the importance of using their vote and how it is their future that will be affected by the outcome of the General Election. With each of the team taking a turn at speaking I hoped it would make the video even more relevant as we ourselves are young people and very passionate about the oppurtunity to vote, as would the use of college students in the vox pops.
With more time management and better planning beforehand I believe this video could have been even better. We could of circulated the video around college to be shown to classes by their tutors, making sure more of the target audience would see the video before the day of voting. It would of also been good to include more students in the vox pops. With more time we could of visited different areas of the college and got a bigger variety of contributors. More time would of meant we all could of had more input in the pre-production and developed original ideas even further. Such as, instead of a badly lit mid shot in front of the green screen, the team could of been sat behind a desk with a key chromed green screen behind them - something relevant to the General Election such as a graphic about the different parties or more facts.
Our finished product was shown at the beginning of a Q&A with students at the college and MP Labour Candidate for Stockton South Paul Williams on the morning of the General Election. It received great feedback as we were actually asked for the video to be a part of the Q&A and our now elected MP praised our efforts and passion for young people to use their vote. It also changed the viewpoints of some of our friends in the college and convinced them to not waste their vote. Overall our video was very effective and was educational and fun to make in the process.
Thursday, 8 June 2017
Unit 15: Developing a Small Business
TASK 1A
TASK 1B
TASK 2
(I worked in a group with Matthew Taylor and Jordan Reed. My pages are Tax Liabilities and Sources of Finance)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lvB7S2dZ0YlikC3OGA47LTEhpoSQ_C7Ea7ozV4Qz_hE/edit?usp=sharing
TASK 3
My own media production skills vary due to participating in different roles such as; Director, Editor, Camera Operator and Manager. However I think I most excel in management and directing, therefore I would like to manage my own business and team. I've taken part in a variety of projects through Ufilms so far meaning there are many different ideas and routes that the future of Ufilms and myself could take. An example is wedding videos, with more experience and a dedicated team this could be an appropriate idea.
There are many different sources of work available and I believe there is currently a high demand for new businesses with a young fresh perspective. Ufilms had just that and we were very successful in many bids using this as our Unique Selling Point. There are many different businesses in the Teesside area and we are becoming more and more popular with new shops and restaurants opening monthly and events advertised around the region - all potential clients. With social media becoming even bigger more people are wanting to advertise their business to a wide audience while staying up to date with latest trends, having a film business with young adults and new ideas make your video is the best way to do so. I believe word of mouth and using Ufilms Facebook page and subsidiary companies pages is the best way to find sources of work. Also staying in contact with the college and encouraging their enterprise project. As the majority of Ufilms current members are leaving the area for University I would be the only current staff at the Teesside branch however I hope to enlist some classmates on my own University course. This would be a great opportunity for them to develop their own skills alongside their course and gain an insight into having your own business. Before recruiting any staff I would need to see a media CV and any portfolios to make sure they can maintain Ufilms professional standard of work. After recruiting a few members of the class as staff (to begin with) I would then monitor their performances and make sure they were reaching a high standard/quality of work.
Summary of Business:
My small business idea in the creative media sector is to continue the work of Ufilms Productions, branching out to different areas of the UK as the current members leave this area to start University. As I am attending Teesside University I'll be staying in the area and hope to stay linked to the college, as first years (and years to come) develop their own businesses linking from Ufilms as Subsidiary companies.
Aim of Business/Goals:
The aim of the business is
Without a well thought out plan a business cannot excel in any aspect. Every eventuality must have a coinciding plan to counteract and make sure the business can overcome the issue.
Resources:
Growth - Linear/Organic:
SWOT:
STRENGTHS - I and staff to come will be very skilled in all aspects of the film production and be passionate about all the videos we make. As we are up to date with current social media platforms we know the correct and successful ways to promote our business and attract potential customers.
WEAKNESSES - To clients our age is a weakness. They may not find us trustworthy and reliable due to our inexperience in the actual industry.
OPPURTUNITIES - There will be lots of opportunities for us in the university/college environment as tutors and mentors will be keen for the business to succeed and for us as students to gain as much experience as possible.
THREATS - Other professional businesses in the area that have already created a positive name for themselves may prove a threat. as they will have improved abilities and more free time to run their business day to day.
Contingency:
If my business fails my contingency will be to start as a freelancer creating smaller video content.
Ufilms is a small business created and ran by the students of Film and TV at Stockton Riverside College. We offer services in filming, editing, DVD production and photography.
There are 11 members of Ufilms and some have specific roles or have more involvement in the production side or pre-production side of projects due to their skills and expertise. Business meetings are held every week to discuss on-going projects, any issues and plans for the future.
My role in Ufilms is Operations Manager, this is a senior role which involves overseeing the production of goods and/or provision of services. It’s my job to make sure the organisation is running as well as it possibly can, with a smooth efficient service that meets the expectations and needs of customers and clients. I ensure communication is being kept between the company and clients, but also between the members of the team. I ensure all projects are being completed to the schedule and that every member is involved in our projects. I also manage the company’s Facebook and Instagram page, making sure we regularly update our social media and keep our engagement with consumers through an online presence.
Jess Bramfitt also has a managing role and is the Ufilms Accountant. She is in charge of creating and documenting all invoices, income and outcome. If a member of the team requires money for a project they must consult Jess who will evaluate the cost.
Matthew Taylor has a leadership role as Human Resources/Wellbeing Manager. He is in charge of making sure members of the team are happy but sharing the workload evenly. He is also the person to go to if anyone has an issue with another member in the workplace. Matthew created a weekly session of ‘Positivity Thursdays’ where everyone wrote positive messages to each other to boost people’s confidence and self-esteem as well as highlighting what we value about each other.
Every member of Ufilms takes on production roles by being a part of different projects. However some people do more work as their expertise is useful in recurring projects e.g. Matty Dickens as DOP.
When setting up the business we decided on the pricing: £8 per hour per camera or £8 per hour for editing. The price is considerably less than that of the industry as this is a student ran business and this means less experience and expertise. We get paid from projects cash in hand as this is easier for us all to access. Myself and Jess are the two members with keys so we can make sure money is only be used when necessary. Our first lot of income came from a ‘Dragon's Den’ style pitch to a panel of successful business men and women from the area. Myself, Kane Smith, Matthew Taylor and Taylor Henderson pitched Ufilms as a film business, who were interested in making promotional videos for the college. As we are the college’s audience we know what to advertise to hopefully draw in more potential students. We spoke about an overall video for the college and then focusing on the single areas in the college e.g. Performing Arts, Construction, A-Levels, Makeup. We were successful in our proposal and awarded £70 (we are yet to be paid the remaining £30, as the winning money was £100). Another lot of income came from a deal with the company Page2Stage. We agreed to film a number of the drama companies performances and burn them to discs for Kelly Fairhurst (the owner) to sell onto the students. We also agreed to plan and produce two promotional videos for the drama company and the business’ party company. After our initial Dragons Den bid we were eventually successful in setting up a meeting with the schools liaison board from our college. We pitched our promotional video idea and the college agreed to pay us £80 to complete an overall video about the college. If this was proven to be a success the college would look into videos being made for each department.
Ufilms is marketed as a local, student-run business offering services in filming, editing and photography for public and private hire. Our biggest selling point and how we attract new customers is through our social media platforms. Our Facebook has over 300 likes but our post reaches can rise to as many as 2,447 people. However some posts can dip down to 200. This shows we don’t have a consistent audience engagement. Persistent sharing of posts from different accounts (family members, and the Newcastle Film Festival) help u to reach more people who don’t like the page. We regularly update Facebook with a variety of posts, we post news about upcoming films, film facts or updates about our current projects. We also have a Twitter account linked to Ufilms. This is ran by Matty Dickens and Jess Bramfitt and updated frequently. As Twitter has limited characters it’s hard to really sell our business on the platform. However Jess and Matty use short and snappy phrases to engage our audience and make sure to post photos - normally updates on our current filming projects. People are more likely to open a photo and engage with it. They also share tweets from a variety of other professional film companies, keeping our page up to date with the latest from film and TV. Facebook is the company's main focus as this is where the majority of interest and potential clients come from, with customers using Facebook to communicate with us.
There have been many successes and many failures for our company. I have mentioned the Dragons Den bid which was a huge success for the business as it was our first big payment. This money now meant we were in profit and could invest in new projects and have a budget if needed. Another success was our Educating Grandad video, we produced this video to be entered into the College’s Equality and Diversity competition and we won a prize money award. The video focused around a Grandad’s negative and racist beliefs. A positive message was reinforced through the other family members - tolerance of other people’s beliefs, mutual respect, rule of law and the importance of democracy. All of Ufilms content is at a professionally high standard. This is a success for the whole team as we have managed to work together to make some incredible projects. But every business is not without its failures. A number of times the team have failed to communicate with other members, making sure that everyone is kept on the loop. This can prove an issue if cameras are being used and someone needs them, more projects are being taken on when some are still outstanding, etc. Communication is vital between members of the business as we must work together. The fair share of work dealt out in the business has also proved an issue. However I believe this is due to a lack of enthusiasm for the business itself and an overall work ethic in some people. It makes sense for someone who is enthusiastic to work, wants to increase their potential and their skills to take on a project, than someone who won’t put any effort in.
Ufilms illustrates the key skills required for running a small business by providing creativity. We are never short of new ideas for videos or creative ways to make money and gain interest. This can be shown through keeping up with the latest trends e.g. Mannequin challenge. I believe the management structure and actual managing of staff has worked very well. I felt comfortable in leading the team, making any necessary decisions and taking certain actions due to my role. I also tried to set an example of how members of the team should act in the workplace, be it on location or in our office. People must be committed and determined when completing jobs. We suffered many technical difficulties when trying to complete projects. Editing being the worst difficulty. Exporting videos and burning discs has affected the length of time took to finish a project. Our marketing and sales has been a slight success with no overall win. Although there has been interest and videos been made, payments have been late or not received at all. However the fact we were asked by an external member of the public who had only just heard of Ufilms to make their wedding video - marketing must have spiked at that time. Every member of Ufilms joined this business with little or no experience but will leave with plenty of experience in filmmaking for clients and creating products to sell.
Ufilms obtains its resources through the college course. We have access to all of our equipment (cameras, tripods, mics, booms, stabilisers, lights, crane, track and dolly), green room studio and editing software in the college. All of the equipment is stored correctly and taken care of in the green room/studio. Any damages to equipment must be reported as soon as possible so the issue can be fixed/replaced. Our classroom is used as the Ufilms office, where we keep our paperwork, files, accounting, money tin and hard drive with all the businesses projects. We normally hold our meetings in this room or the green room/studio. In this room we also have the assistance of tutor Kelly Fairhurst who offers advice and mentoring whilst we run the business. As students we are always learning something new and bouncing off each other. We all help each other which helps us develop our skills in an area we may lack in. People know to ask for help if it’s needed as Ufilms must continue it’s professional standard. We are all currently in training as we are students, every shoot we learn something new therefore it is important that everyone is involved in shoots and is aware of what and how people are doing certain jobs, it is also vital for people to ask for help or advice when filming so that the best quality and as near professional standard video can be achieved.
TASK 1B
As Ufilms Operations Manager I did not take on the role of Project Manager often, I found myself busy managing all the projects through the specific Project Managers. When we were approached to film a Wedding video in early May I took on the role of PM and got to work.
The North Wedding 2017
We were approached via our Facebook to film Amanda - then - Coulthard and Charlie North’s Spring wedding at Middleton Lodge in February. Amanda explained we had been recommended and told we would do a great job. Obviously, I reiterated this fact and reassured her I would personally make sure of it. The first meeting was scheduled for February 7th. Prior to the meeting I begin my research into wedding videography and the location itself. A major red flag that popped into my mind straight away was pricing. As this was our first video in this field of work what was an appropriate price to charge. Companies that specialize in wedding videos charge anywhere from £3,000 to £10,000. This along with a few other issues (use of copyrighted music, timing, getting together a team), meant I called a team meeting. In the meeting we all decided an appropriate amount to charge would be £250, asking for the £50 as a deposit. We came to this agreement using our pre-made filming and editing charge of £8 p/h. In the meeting it was decided the team on the day would be myself, Kane and Matty. I would be team Bride, focusing on shots revolving around Amanda. Kane would be team Groom, focusing on shots around Charlie. Matty would focus on exterior shots, cutaways and the guests on the day. Matthew stepped in at the start of the project to help me with research and paperwork also. It was then time for our first meeting with the couple. Myself, Kane and Matthew attended are were feeling extremely nervous beforehand, as this was our first ‘real’ meeting with an external client none of us knew we didn’t want to mess up or come across as not professional. Amanda and Charlie were absolutely lovely and really made us feel at ease, they were happily surprised at how much research we had already completed on the location and wedding videos in general. In the meeting the price of £250 was agreed, timings, clothing requirements, equipment and crew was finalised. A month later myself, Matthew and Kane went along to an Open Day at the venue to see the location and get to know how/where we were going to film. It was an incredibly beautiful place with many rooms. The main issue we came across was the room where the actual ceremony would take place. It was a very small room and with the amount of guests we were worried about where all three of us would fit to get the best angles. We made notes on our visit ready for the follow up meeting. A week before the wedding I met with Amanda to finalise the day and make sure we had all the correct timings, we also received our deposit in cash.
The day of the wedding seemed to fly by. Myself, Matty and Taylor filmed on the day as Kane was unavailable due to a date mix up. We all enjoyed ourselves alongside staying professional the entire day. We were on location for a total of eight hours and all three of us worked incredibly hard and to the best of our abilities. The footage we have is amazing and I can’t wait to finish editing the 3 minute clip and 60 minute film.
There were a few set backs on the day of filming but nothing we couldn’t handle as a team. I arrived on location first, as Matty and Taylor had never been to Middleton Lodge they were struggling with directions. This was soon resolved as Matty - out of the three of us - kept calm and I sent him my location via Facebook. They shortly arrived and we were ready to go.
Due to the ceremony room being so small we knew we would have to think on our feet as guests were taking their seats. The bride was to walk out of a room upstairs, onto the balcony overlooking the ceremony room and walk down a set of winding stairs to the aisle. I was positioned at the back of the room/end of the aisle getting an overall viewpoint and framed angle of the whole ceremony. Taylor was positioned to the right of the aisle at the front, getting guests and the couple. Matty (being the most talented and confident using a camera) began filming the wedding entourage upstairs. After the Bride started to walk down the stairs he had to run down a set of back stairs, into the ceremony room, while taking the camera off the wheel and then placing it on a tripod, to the left at the front of the aisle, then focusing on the couple and speakers. Halfway through the ceremony a issue arose as the guest in front of me moved ever so slightly to the left - suddenly blocking my view. I moved the camera off the mantelpiece slowly and then leant against the doorframe, making sure to keep the shot steady and framed correctly.
TASK 2
(I worked in a group with Matthew Taylor and Jordan Reed. My pages are Tax Liabilities and Sources of Finance)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lvB7S2dZ0YlikC3OGA47LTEhpoSQ_C7Ea7ozV4Qz_hE/edit?usp=sharing
TASK 3
My own media production skills vary due to participating in different roles such as; Director, Editor, Camera Operator and Manager. However I think I most excel in management and directing, therefore I would like to manage my own business and team. I've taken part in a variety of projects through Ufilms so far meaning there are many different ideas and routes that the future of Ufilms and myself could take. An example is wedding videos, with more experience and a dedicated team this could be an appropriate idea.
There are many different sources of work available and I believe there is currently a high demand for new businesses with a young fresh perspective. Ufilms had just that and we were very successful in many bids using this as our Unique Selling Point. There are many different businesses in the Teesside area and we are becoming more and more popular with new shops and restaurants opening monthly and events advertised around the region - all potential clients. With social media becoming even bigger more people are wanting to advertise their business to a wide audience while staying up to date with latest trends, having a film business with young adults and new ideas make your video is the best way to do so. I believe word of mouth and using Ufilms Facebook page and subsidiary companies pages is the best way to find sources of work. Also staying in contact with the college and encouraging their enterprise project. As the majority of Ufilms current members are leaving the area for University I would be the only current staff at the Teesside branch however I hope to enlist some classmates on my own University course. This would be a great opportunity for them to develop their own skills alongside their course and gain an insight into having your own business. Before recruiting any staff I would need to see a media CV and any portfolios to make sure they can maintain Ufilms professional standard of work. After recruiting a few members of the class as staff (to begin with) I would then monitor their performances and make sure they were reaching a high standard/quality of work.
Summary of Business:
My small business idea in the creative media sector is to continue the work of Ufilms Productions, branching out to different areas of the UK as the current members leave this area to start University. As I am attending Teesside University I'll be staying in the area and hope to stay linked to the college, as first years (and years to come) develop their own businesses linking from Ufilms as Subsidiary companies.
Aim of Business/Goals:
The aim of the business is
- to create various different videos for any clients that come to Ufilms - in any of the different branches/areas, from pre-production to post
- for the Teesside branch to expand the knowledge and business skills of Film and TV students at Stockton Riverside College as they start their own path into the industry
Without a well thought out plan a business cannot excel in any aspect. Every eventuality must have a coinciding plan to counteract and make sure the business can overcome the issue.
Resources:
The business will need filming equipment: camera, microphone, boom pole, tripod, SD cards, speciality equipment e.g. dolly or stabiliser. This will hopefully be at hand from the University and College for the first years. The editing software and rooms at University are open 24/7 available to Film students. However College students are limited to their timetable sessions in their classroom/the studio. The rooms can be used as somewhere to meet clients and hold business meetings.
Growth - Linear/Organic:
I expect the business to have a linear growth, increasing the amount the business produces. This would be predicted after a year of sales as we improve after the first.
SWOT:
STRENGTHS - I and staff to come will be very skilled in all aspects of the film production and be passionate about all the videos we make. As we are up to date with current social media platforms we know the correct and successful ways to promote our business and attract potential customers.
WEAKNESSES - To clients our age is a weakness. They may not find us trustworthy and reliable due to our inexperience in the actual industry.
OPPURTUNITIES - There will be lots of opportunities for us in the university/college environment as tutors and mentors will be keen for the business to succeed and for us as students to gain as much experience as possible.
THREATS - Other professional businesses in the area that have already created a positive name for themselves may prove a threat. as they will have improved abilities and more free time to run their business day to day.
Contingency:
If my business fails my contingency will be to start as a freelancer creating smaller video content.
Wednesday, 29 March 2017
Tuesday, 21 March 2017
Thursday, 16 March 2017
Unit 37: Task 4
Evaluation
The Ufilms Oscars Rundown has come to a close and I think it's fair to say the past two weeks has been one of the busiest and stressful times for all of the Ufilms team. However I think as a whole this has proved successful and despite setbacks we managed to film, edit and schedule, 2 weeks worth of footage with only days to plan. Our content is of professional standard, informative and fun. everything Ufilms stands for.
Both my segments, co-presenting alongside Matthew, went extremely well. I think we were very natural on camera and really enjoyed presenting for the first time. I definitely think it helped being paired up with Matthew. As one of my closest friends we can get along and take about anything for hours on end. We know how the other thinks and what to say to make them laugh. We also aren't afraid to have differing opinions, which was important, as we both had different views on different outfits. I think we worked very well as a team.
We've received lots of good feedback from audience, members of the team and tutors, which was so good to hear. Peers branded us as a young Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, (thankfully as I'm yet to find a grey hair on Matthew's head), as two incredibly talented people on screen it was great feedback. I received lots of messages from friends outside of college and family members saying how well I had done presenting and how much fun they had watching and listening about the fashion at the Oscars. They had seen the videos through the Ufilms team online presence and constant sharing to friends. Our tutor, Kelly, said we were naturals on screen and delivered our segment easily.
There isn't much I would change about our segments. The only issue we had occasionally was time management. I think we could have planned or time more efficiently and left ourselves with more time to edit our videos together etc. Sometimes it got very stuffy in the studio and I think regular breaks during filming would have proved helpful for all of the crew also.
As a crew, everybody in Ufilms did a fantastic job. Everybody helped each other; whether it was being on screen as a guest, filming last minute due to absences or helping another person edit a certain part of their video. Everyone managed to upload their videos on time, with only a couple one/two hours late but always on the correct day, despite the set backs being out of their control. We worked endlessly and despite everyone's moods constantly changing we kept each other going and didn't give up. Our YouTube channel looks incredible thanks to headers and thumbnails created by Ben. Matty also created an intro graphic relevant to the Oscars for all of us to use before our videos began. Taylor created nameplates using Ufilms branding - an orange and black colour scheme and our social media accounts underneath so people could find us on other social media sites. I do think our videos could have done with a little more. Maybe some sound effects or more graphics to make us look more professional. Our reaches on Facebook have been huge during The Ufilms Oscars Rundown and after, proving we have been a success online.
Although we were faced with many setbacks the Ufilms team pulled together and achieved our goals we previously set. A job well done!
The Ufilms Oscars Rundown has come to a close and I think it's fair to say the past two weeks has been one of the busiest and stressful times for all of the Ufilms team. However I think as a whole this has proved successful and despite setbacks we managed to film, edit and schedule, 2 weeks worth of footage with only days to plan. Our content is of professional standard, informative and fun. everything Ufilms stands for.
Both my segments, co-presenting alongside Matthew, went extremely well. I think we were very natural on camera and really enjoyed presenting for the first time. I definitely think it helped being paired up with Matthew. As one of my closest friends we can get along and take about anything for hours on end. We know how the other thinks and what to say to make them laugh. We also aren't afraid to have differing opinions, which was important, as we both had different views on different outfits. I think we worked very well as a team.
We've received lots of good feedback from audience, members of the team and tutors, which was so good to hear. Peers branded us as a young Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, (thankfully as I'm yet to find a grey hair on Matthew's head), as two incredibly talented people on screen it was great feedback. I received lots of messages from friends outside of college and family members saying how well I had done presenting and how much fun they had watching and listening about the fashion at the Oscars. They had seen the videos through the Ufilms team online presence and constant sharing to friends. Our tutor, Kelly, said we were naturals on screen and delivered our segment easily.
There isn't much I would change about our segments. The only issue we had occasionally was time management. I think we could have planned or time more efficiently and left ourselves with more time to edit our videos together etc. Sometimes it got very stuffy in the studio and I think regular breaks during filming would have proved helpful for all of the crew also.
As a crew, everybody in Ufilms did a fantastic job. Everybody helped each other; whether it was being on screen as a guest, filming last minute due to absences or helping another person edit a certain part of their video. Everyone managed to upload their videos on time, with only a couple one/two hours late but always on the correct day, despite the set backs being out of their control. We worked endlessly and despite everyone's moods constantly changing we kept each other going and didn't give up. Our YouTube channel looks incredible thanks to headers and thumbnails created by Ben. Matty also created an intro graphic relevant to the Oscars for all of us to use before our videos began. Taylor created nameplates using Ufilms branding - an orange and black colour scheme and our social media accounts underneath so people could find us on other social media sites. I do think our videos could have done with a little more. Maybe some sound effects or more graphics to make us look more professional. Our reaches on Facebook have been huge during The Ufilms Oscars Rundown and after, proving we have been a success online.
Although we were faced with many setbacks the Ufilms team pulled together and achieved our goals we previously set. A job well done!
Unit 37 & Unit 13: Task 3
Production Diary - The Ufilms Oscars Rundown
Monday, February 20th
Today we began filming for The Ufilms Oscars Rundown. As Adam and Rhys's episode on The History of the Oscars was due up later that day, theirs was the first to film. We had a tight schedule so had to keep on eye on the time throughout the day. Filming the video was successful however it did take longer than originally planned due to one of the presenters having wordy paragraphs to remember. We tried to overcome this by using an auto cue using the projector. For this episode I worked as Director. My job was to keep an eye on continuity, make sure the boom mic was never in shot and that Rhys and Adam were looking at the right cameras at the right time.
Next was mine and Matthew's fashion segment. We were both a little nervous as this was our first time presenting and the thought of everyone watching us was pretty daunting. However we took this into our stride and after the first few takes it was like we were at home having a good natter. We were aware of the cameras throughout and where to look for each line we delivered. We sat on a sofa each whilst we discussed our piece, positioning them on an angle so that we could easily direct our attention to the appropriate camera; whether that be by looking directly forward for a master-shot at camera A or by looking slightly to the left/right (depending on the host) to camera B/C (again depending on the host). We chose to include a mannequin as it seemed a relevant prop to display to viewers that the topic of conversation would be focusing around fashion. I feel as though we both did an excellent job and finished with a day and a half to edit our piece to be scheduled the next day.
Today I spent most of the day editing mine and Matthews fashion segment ready to be uploaded later this evening. However at about half past 12 myself and Matthew had organised with make-up student Callum Douglass to complete a Hollywood make-up tutorial as one part of our fashion segment. Fellow Ufilms member Jess Bramfitt, was our make-up model. The filming took a lot longer than expected and we were all (crew especially) exhausted. Matthew was also supposed to get his makeup done but we couldn't film any longer. So we ended with Jess's final look. We hope this will be very informative for viewers.
Wednesday, February 22nd
Today we filmed Jess's segment, The Politics of the Oscars. Jess was 'acting' as a teacher teaching some students (and the audience) about the relationship between politics and the Academy Awards. I was camera operator on the main camera. I was in charge of making sure there was no issue with sound throughout and that all the contributors stayed in frame. Jess did an incredible job, knowing ALL of her lines and presenting confidently.
Myself and Matthew presented our final part of our pre-Oscars fashion rundown later that day, a fashion show. I provided some "Hollywood Glamour" dresses, as did the models (Ellie, Jess and Chloe). Taylor and Kane were also models, modelling their own suit jackets. As all the models were coming out of the left side of the background and then going back to the right, the cameras had be angled to the side. For this to work we had to hang up a white sheet to hide the equipment and remaining green room from shot. Before we began shooting we made a note of the clothes, where they were from and the price, so we could tell the audience when that corresponding outfit came out.
Thursday, February 23rd
Monday, February 27th
Today myself and Matthew planned what we were going to talk about in today's segment. We searched through all the online magazines about who and what people wore. We decided to follow the same set up as last week and begin with what the nominees and winners wore, moving onto best dressed men, worst dressed overall and the nights best couples. We also set up the sofas the same and stayed sitting the same sides, using the same camera setup so we know where to look. We didn't necessarily plan what we were going to say word for word as we wanted our reactions to be natural and be able to have a back and forth banter.
Tuesday, February 28th
Today I stayed in the classroom to edit mine and Matthew's post-Oscars segment. Making sure there was more than enough time to schedule and upload the video to YouTube and our social media accounts.
Wednesday, March 1st
Today we filmed Jess's post-Oscars video about how politics were involved in Sunday's Academy Awards. It took roughly an hour to film due to Jess not having long to learn her script. However, she still managed to stay calm and presented professionally. I was supposed to be down as on the boom but due to Jess's filming being moved further down the week I had to operate a camera.
Thursday, March 2nd
Today we created our last video of The Ufilms Oscars Rundown, the outro. We briefly came together as a group and planned what we were going to say. Basically thanking people for staying tuned and watching our videos and to stay tuned for more videos coming. This involved everyone being on camera except for Rhys and Adam who had to hold up a white sheet so that we could fit everyone in shot. The shoot went well and was over in just a couple of takes. It will be uploaded on Saturday to mark the end of our 2 week series.
Monday, February 20th
Today we began filming for The Ufilms Oscars Rundown. As Adam and Rhys's episode on The History of the Oscars was due up later that day, theirs was the first to film. We had a tight schedule so had to keep on eye on the time throughout the day. Filming the video was successful however it did take longer than originally planned due to one of the presenters having wordy paragraphs to remember. We tried to overcome this by using an auto cue using the projector. For this episode I worked as Director. My job was to keep an eye on continuity, make sure the boom mic was never in shot and that Rhys and Adam were looking at the right cameras at the right time.
Next was mine and Matthew's fashion segment. We were both a little nervous as this was our first time presenting and the thought of everyone watching us was pretty daunting. However we took this into our stride and after the first few takes it was like we were at home having a good natter. We were aware of the cameras throughout and where to look for each line we delivered. We sat on a sofa each whilst we discussed our piece, positioning them on an angle so that we could easily direct our attention to the appropriate camera; whether that be by looking directly forward for a master-shot at camera A or by looking slightly to the left/right (depending on the host) to camera B/C (again depending on the host). We chose to include a mannequin as it seemed a relevant prop to display to viewers that the topic of conversation would be focusing around fashion. I feel as though we both did an excellent job and finished with a day and a half to edit our piece to be scheduled the next day.
Tuesday, February 21st
Today I spent most of the day editing mine and Matthews fashion segment ready to be uploaded later this evening. However at about half past 12 myself and Matthew had organised with make-up student Callum Douglass to complete a Hollywood make-up tutorial as one part of our fashion segment. Fellow Ufilms member Jess Bramfitt, was our make-up model. The filming took a lot longer than expected and we were all (crew especially) exhausted. Matthew was also supposed to get his makeup done but we couldn't film any longer. So we ended with Jess's final look. We hope this will be very informative for viewers.
When it came to scheduling The Fashion of the Oscars on Ufilms YouTube channel, it did not go to plan. My computer at home crashed while halfway through uploading and would not work for an hour. I then ran to college to use their computers. However with only fifteen minutes left until college closed it didn't leave enough time for it to post (it needed about an hour). I then made my way to my parents house and used their computer successfully to upload the video. It had been a long day and night.
Wednesday, February 22nd
Today we filmed Jess's segment, The Politics of the Oscars. Jess was 'acting' as a teacher teaching some students (and the audience) about the relationship between politics and the Academy Awards. I was camera operator on the main camera. I was in charge of making sure there was no issue with sound throughout and that all the contributors stayed in frame. Jess did an incredible job, knowing ALL of her lines and presenting confidently.
Myself and Matthew presented our final part of our pre-Oscars fashion rundown later that day, a fashion show. I provided some "Hollywood Glamour" dresses, as did the models (Ellie, Jess and Chloe). Taylor and Kane were also models, modelling their own suit jackets. As all the models were coming out of the left side of the background and then going back to the right, the cameras had be angled to the side. For this to work we had to hang up a white sheet to hide the equipment and remaining green room from shot. Before we began shooting we made a note of the clothes, where they were from and the price, so we could tell the audience when that corresponding outfit came out.
Thursday, February 23rd
Today we had to film Jess's video again, The Politics of the Oscars, due to an issue copying footage of the SD card. Again, I was on master camera. The scene was set up the same again and everything was going great. Until one of the lights died. We believe the light overheated and cut off to prevent further damage, we did not have another light therefore had to stop filming. As we couldn't continue filming from there Jess was given the decision to film her outro by reframing the whole thing so that it was just a close up of her from a straight on angle.
After filming Jess's video we filmed Matty and Kane's, The Predictions for the Oscars segment, which will be the final video uploaded as part of our pre-Oscars week. The shoot went well however being down one light we had to use the usual overhead lights too. I was camera operator on the master camera again this shoot, making sure continuity wasn't an issue, the sound stayed good throughout.
Monday, February 27th
Today myself and Matthew planned what we were going to talk about in today's segment. We searched through all the online magazines about who and what people wore. We decided to follow the same set up as last week and begin with what the nominees and winners wore, moving onto best dressed men, worst dressed overall and the nights best couples. We also set up the sofas the same and stayed sitting the same sides, using the same camera setup so we know where to look. We didn't necessarily plan what we were going to say word for word as we wanted our reactions to be natural and be able to have a back and forth banter.
Tuesday, February 28th
Today I stayed in the classroom to edit mine and Matthew's post-Oscars segment. Making sure there was more than enough time to schedule and upload the video to YouTube and our social media accounts.
Wednesday, March 1st
Today we filmed Jess's post-Oscars video about how politics were involved in Sunday's Academy Awards. It took roughly an hour to film due to Jess not having long to learn her script. However, she still managed to stay calm and presented professionally. I was supposed to be down as on the boom but due to Jess's filming being moved further down the week I had to operate a camera.
Thursday, March 2nd
Today we created our last video of The Ufilms Oscars Rundown, the outro. We briefly came together as a group and planned what we were going to say. Basically thanking people for staying tuned and watching our videos and to stay tuned for more videos coming. This involved everyone being on camera except for Rhys and Adam who had to hold up a white sheet so that we could fit everyone in shot. The shoot went well and was over in just a couple of takes. It will be uploaded on Saturday to mark the end of our 2 week series.
Unit 37 & Unit 13: Task 2
As a group we sat together and decided what topics we'd cover and who would cover what for The Ufilms Oscars Rundown. Myself and Matthew would cover all things fashion and make-up.
Once that was decided we had to come up with a schedule for each piece including, when it would be filmed and when it would actually go up online.
We had planned to film as much as possible on the Monday and Tuesday pre-Oscar week so that we didn't run out of time to edit and schedule our videos. We had planned to film on
Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st:
Rhys and Adam - The History of the Oscars
Jess - The Politics of the Oscars
Chloe and Jordan - The Iconic Moments/Facts of the Oscars
Taylor and Ben - The Music of the Oscars
Danniella and Matthew - The Fashion of the Oscars
Thursday 23rd:
Kane and Matty - The Predictions for the Oscars
(However due to changes in partners and people being absent we had to switch some scheduling and filming days.)
We then did the same for post-Oscar week, planning to film as much as possible at the beginning of the week
Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th:
Matty and Kane - The Winners of the Oscars
Jess - The Politics at the Oscars
Danniella and Matthew - The Fashion at the Oscars
Taylor and Ben - The Music at the Oscars
Rhys and Adam - The After Party of the Oscars
Chloe and Jordan - The Highlights of the Oscars
(However due to changes in partners and people being absent we had to switch some scheduling and filming days.)
Once we had decided who was doing what myself and Matthew got together to brainstorm some ideas of what we could cover. The top half of the mind map is pre-Oscars and the bottom is post-Oscars.
Pre-Oscars:
Some ideas to speak about were previous attendees who wore outrageous clothing, this years nominees and their style evolutions, latest trends we think we'll see on the carpet and have a make-up tutorial.
Post-Oscars:
We thought of talking about our best/worst dressed, any outrageous styles, reoccurring trends and what the nominees and winners wore.
The Fashion of the Oscars | The Ufilms Oscars Rundown Proposal
Premise
A fun talk show segment discussing current nominees previous outfits as well as a make-up tutorial to get people red carpet ready.
Overview of Content
Introduction- Myself and Matthew are sat on a sofa each, opposite each other, we greet the audience, introducing ourselves and explaining the continuation of our UFilms Oscars Rundown series.
Nominees Style - The first segment of our show will be covering our personal favourite outfits worn by current nominees from their previous Academy Awards visits. We will be speaking about what we like and dislike about particular iconic outfits worn in the past and discuss and share opinions on each other's picks.
Best and Worst Dressed Males - The next segment will show our favourite and worst outfits worn by men at previous Academy Awards, hopefully with a few humorous undertones to keep our segment light and chatty.
Best Dressed Couples - Our last segment will show our favourite, iconic couples at previous Academy Awards, and looking at what they might wear to the Oscars next.
Ending - Our final segment will be us closing the show, thanking the viewing audience for watching. We will inform them of the coming shows and let the views know to stay tuned to our YouTube channel for more content.
Aim
To entertain and inform the viewing public about the make-up, clothes, hair and accessories worn by the stars at the Academy Awards.
Contributors
Matthew Taylor - Co-Host
Danniella Cooper - Co-Host
Callum Douglass - Make-Up Artist (to be confirmed)
Sofia Cook - Make-Up Model (to be confirmed)
Length
The total duration of the piece will be ten minutes; this will be enough time to incorporate all content mentioned above.
Location
All of our filming will be taking place in the studio, we will however be using a variety of different props in order to change the overall look of our piece.
This will include:
This will include:
Make-Up Studio Chairs
Mannequins
Blue/Yellow Fabrics
Orange/Black Cushions
Matthew and I planned how we would want our set to look when we were filming through looking at how the green room was set out and what we had available. We then used a camera/floor plan to see if it was suitable, what equipment we would need etc. and to pin point any issues we may have. We also wanted to make sure we had the correct cameras on each of us at the right time for our reactions and speaking to camera during our piece.
Camera A is positioned in the centre of the set, capturing a master-shot of both presenters which we will both look at when addressing the audience.
Camera B is 'Matthew's Camera', this will be the camera he primarily looks at when he is speaking to me, it is positioned near me in order to give a more organic and real feel to our movement rather than making any content addressed to the camera looking forced.
Camera C is 'Danniella's Camera', this will be the camera I primarily look at when I am speaking to Matthew, it is positioned near him for the same reasons listed above.
Lights:
Light 1 is positioned to the left of the set, this light will primarily be lighting the host sat to the left.
Light 2 is positioned to the right of the set, this light will be lighting the host sat to the right.
Camera B is 'Matthew's Camera', this will be the camera he primarily looks at when he is speaking to me, it is positioned near me in order to give a more organic and real feel to our movement rather than making any content addressed to the camera looking forced.
Camera C is 'Danniella's Camera', this will be the camera I primarily look at when I am speaking to Matthew, it is positioned near him for the same reasons listed above.
Lights:
Light 1 is positioned to the left of the set, this light will primarily be lighting the host sat to the left.
Light 2 is positioned to the right of the set, this light will be lighting the host sat to the right.
Matthew then covered health and safety, running it by me to make sure I agreed. As we needed so many lights to make our set look studio based there would be a lot of wires that could prove a tripping hazard.
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