Reflection

From the first days of this module I have thought about how it would be at the end and how I would be as a Media student after completing it. I am happy to say that I have enjoyed working on the TV programme and look forward to working on similar task. The module has given me an insight towards how it must be to work in the industry as a Media producer in the world of television and how it can differ from other formats of production. I am lucky that I was able to use other experiences I have had in media to my benefit whilst working in broadcast media.

As a character I have developed on a personal level and moved towards being more of an independent worker, to have a role within the team and have responsibility is something I am fond of. I always felt ready to meet any challenge I have been set, nothing has changed with my completion of this module. I have an air of confidence around me from the boost given to me through the successes we achieved as a group in production. Thinking about my development I can see in myself that I have grown as the project progressed.

I learnt alot about the different roles within a TV studio environment and have seen roles I would like to attempt in the future. The work I did as VT Producer showed me how important each role is and how various skills are needed to complete a show. I used what I already knew to develop on the skills I was learning in this module. I am optimistic about continuing with a career in television and look forward to attempting something more innovative and different with its style and content. Broadcast is definitely something that has been engaging for me.

The experience I gained is one I will cherish forever. Working with my peers on this project is something I am used to, unlike other projects this was a larger group something I was not used to. I was able to adapt to the role given to me and help others where it was needed. I’m proud of the end product of the programme we made and look forward to showcasing my work. The module was something that kept me busy throughout my participation and challenged my thoughts on what to expect. My ideologies of television have altered during this term and I am now more appreciative of the subject.

Magazine show research (Task1)

Here is a presentation I made which looks into the differences between BBC’s The One Show and Channel 4′s The F Word.

The One Show vs The f word < Click this link.

Final day, Live in the Studio (Filming)

The day had finally arrived, it was time to put all that we had learnt in the past few weeks and make our programme out of it. Everyone had arranged to meet early and set up so we had time to get in as many takes as we could in selecting the best one. Our producer had made sure everyone knew what they were doing and were in attendance, guests and performers were all on time and ready to be filmed. I had been looking forward to this day for a long time because our studio practices had progressed a long way since we had initially started the project.

As VT Producer I was in charge of the VT machine, due to my involvement of being our ‘Sports Specialist’ I was needed in studio for filming of the World Cup debate with my guest. We had already planned what to do; I would cue in the first couple VTs and then pass the machine over to Laura our producer who was already present in the gallery. The plan worked well and appeared swiftly on camera, no one would know that I was in both rooms, I suppose I got the best of both worlds and was excited to have this freedom.

My guest Matt was someone we brought in on the last week of production, we immediately established a chemistry on camera and were able to provide the ‘heated debate’ our director and producer sought after. Having a multiple of VTs for use in gallery was very useful as it allowed those in studio to set up the next segment efficiently and make the show experience an altogether more fluent one. Everyone worked well on the day of filming and was able to communicate effectively with each other. I was very pleased with the way the day went and all the more relieved that the shoot was a success.

The Set

Initially, we wanted to call our show ‘The Blue Room’; I think it sounded nice but because of the blue screen and issues with use of the colour I didn’t think it would be right to have that name but nothing blue on set. We wanted a home like feel to our show which would represent the warmth and comfort our audience could access whilst watching our show. In discussions about set, I thought that to have floral patterns was not the best idea and saw that it related to an audience other than the one we were targeting. The group decided to split up and come up with ideas about set that we would later share with the rest of the group.

After continuous discussion and deliberation, we came to a shared agreement that it would be much better if we named our show ‘The Student Room’ thus opening up the area of definition for the show and allowing us more room for experimentation. I was particularly pleased with the name change and saw the group vision and dynamic take a change towards how the set could look. Colours like green, white and black had always been agreed to be used in the set and with the new edge our name gave us we could think about new ideas.

The group finally decided that we would paint boards green and tag them with graffiti, whilst having other boards brick painted with student relate literature stuck on them. Props were also brought in and used to provide an overall complete look to the programme. I was happy with the direction our group took with set and made contributions to its formulation whenever I could. When the final set had been complete and taken to studio I was pleased with what I saw and appreciated the efforts members of the group had made to the creation of the set.

Practical Studio Exercise (Task2)

The task was to set up the studio and gallery under test conditions; this was in preparation of recording how long it would take us as a group to set up everything involved in our programme. My involvement in setting up was not particularly a great one as everyone in studio felt happy to set up the pieces of equipment their role designated them. Being VT Producer, I merely offered a helping hand wherever needed as the whole set derived of many different mediums. The sofa, boards, table, cameras, talk back, lighting and machines in the gallery all needed someone to operate them.

The assessment was more of an informal one which not distract or make our attempts less vigorous, the group were keen to set up swiftly and efficiently to ensure that we had maximised the preparation we had allowed ourselves for our forthcoming programme. Confidence is something that goes all around The Blue Group and this day was nothing different; any issues encountered were resolved within minutes and relevant ease. The group were working as a team, this was portrayed through the way we carry ourselves as a cohesive unit. I was happy to be involved in this task and took it as ‘a normal day in the tv studio’.

Module Questions

• Why are studios used to make programmes when tape is so cheap and available?

  They are a reusable environment which can be controlled. The can provide versatility to a business because of the way in which they are changeable; thus allowing multiple television programmes to be filmed in them, which is cost-effective. They minimise health and safety questions which arise when conducting filming, to film outdoors limits the amount of control and allows more room for risk and danger. The idea of ownership is also explored in studios as there is less of a need to have permission to film the footage if it is already produced by the broadcaster. Lighting, set and the blue screen can all work well together in providing a more technically enhanced artefact, a more profitable one also.

• What are Magazine Programmes? Why do audiences like them?

  Are shows that provide entertainment and information for their audiences. They can be a general show that covers a wide area of topics or a specialist show which deals with a specific area of interest. They use varying and similar techniques in the delivery of content and can be owned by parent or rivalling companies. Audiences like them because they go into what people are interested in and can provide segments which cater to ‘everyones needs’ or particular interest. The developments in audience participation and use of technology such as the web are making shows more unique in their creation and more interactive.

• What are the limitations of magazine shows? How can they be improved to ensure they continue?

  They can almost cover too much information in some shows which can reduce audience appreciation; the deciding factor is always the reaction from the audience and how they accept what they are consuming. Content can become repetitive and issues of content can hinder a programmes continuation. The size of the set, objects within the studio and its construction can all be strenuous financially. Shows can ensure they continue by being innovative with the proposed briefs and aspirations they have for their programmes. By remaining current and up to date with technology shows can begin to access their audiences in a more interactive way that will generally boost the interest of the show for its audience.

• Consider other sources of distribution for magazine type shows.

  The most evident source that shows will take towards distribution is the internet, this is something that already exists but by considering how these methods progress with time is something I will attempt looking at. The web world of television already has services like iPlayer and Sky Player for laptops and home desktop computers that can tap into the online interface to watch their favourite shows. My own purchase of an iPhone has shown me the depths to which mobile devices can expand and reach new heights; I have been able to watch live Sky News on my phone. With the introduction of the iPad I can only wait to see what developments are made next in the continuously changing media landscape we find ourselves in.

The Roles Video (Task3)

I have enjoyed my role as VT Producer, it allowed me to be responsible and make important decisions that would aid the groups progression in the programme. I was able to work as a team member and exercise my communication skills to effectively work with my peers in the creation of our VTs. My role in the studio rather more reserved working on the VT machine, but I have enjoyed my involvement. Luckily, I was able to appear a couple of VTs and present the World Cup debate. Here is a video that shows me (VT Producer), Laura (Producer), James (PA) and Mick (Director) talking about our roles.

Filming and Editing the Video Tapes (VTs)

My role as VT producer was to produce the concept and idea for videos I wanted to be filmed. Of course me being a proactive member of the team I couldn’t just be a passive observer. There was quite a few VTs that needed filming, 6 in total. The VTs that had made it to my final choices were the Intro (welcome clip), World Cup vox pop, Energy drink comparisons, Make-up tips, 3 minute meals and our credits sequence. I took charge of the Energy drink and the World Cup videos. The group were working well together and I was able to assign other members to the rest of the VTs while I observed their progressions whilst filming.

Filming the World Cup vox pop was something I could not even call a task because of how much I enjoyed the activity. Everything went to plan, we were able to take out the appropriate kit and set out to the city centre hoping we would find some good answers in our searches. Upon arriving at the town centre I did not feel entirely confident I would be able to approach strangers and ask them their thoughts on the World cup. Fortunately that wasn’t the case, The first day of filming was so enjoyable as we got many differing views and also very interesting ones.

I had a film team with me of members of the group which helped the day pass by much easier, we discussed our ideas of how to go about the ‘task’ and shared opinion on how we would get the best footage. A surprise of mine was having an expectation of how someone would respond and having it completely subverted; this gave me insight towards how it must be in the industry for media reporters. All our participants were asked permission to film prior to the inclusion of them in our video.

 Filming the Energy drink video was one that required more planning, we wanted to show that our programme had content and professionalism; I had remained with the group that filmed the vox pop video with me so we were able to film this video on the say day, making the process an overall more efficient one. The location was to be our Presenter Adam’s house and I would host the video with my two guests our Director Mick and PA James. The video was simple, students would try out tasting leading energy drinks and pit them against the newer, cheaper and less popular brands.

We were able to write a script for this video which made filming more worthwhile as tape wasnt wasted on experimental takes. The cameras were positioned and we began filming, after a couple takes were feeling more confident that the video would be good. I would say that tasting a few of those drinks repetitively would have been too much to endure, so I was pleased that filming was carried out swiftly. We had used two cameras whilst filming which gave us more of a dynamic and choice when moving on to the editing phase. I looked forward to finishing the videos creation.

When it came to editing our videos, I was very involved and wanted to ensure that footage we had captured told the story and serve the purpose we had intended for it; the length of the clips was the biggest issue as we knew that we could not go over the time limit designated. I had previous experience with Final Cut and felt competent in using the interface. As time moved along the video began looking more and more ready for gallery, it was that we had so much usuable footage that was difficult instead that we didn’t had enough.

Drawing closer to the end of editing I believe the right decisions were made and the final VTs looked very good. I had been monitoring the progression of people in charge of other VTs and was also pleased with the videos they had produced; everyone showcased them to each other in a group meeting and was satisfied with the feedback we received. My role as VT producer is something that enables me to work with my team effectively, because they have been willing to work hard and efficiently we have been able to produce artefacts The Blue Group are proud of.

The Running Order

Looking at and the initially proposed ones gave me time think about how each VT would be composed. I wanted to be very involved with the production side of the VT process. I thought it was crucial to know how long we had between live take and VT so that we knew how long each video was supposed to be. The length of the VTs varied which altered the style of each one, making them all individual and unique in the way they contribute to the show. I felt more as a member of the group as each of our tasks progressed and looked forward to showcasing our end product.

Being a VT Producer, developing ideas.

The research groups were very useful in allowing me to develop the ideas that were already present. As VT Producer I had to consider our target audience and come up with the ideas of footage I would want present in our tv show; this decision process was done with the help of the group. Initial ideas that I thought were the most compulsory to be completed was the intro to our show, a recording of our proposed performer, an advert of some sort and the closing titles and credits. I spoke with our Graphics coordinator and delegated them to producing the titles while others worked on other recordings.

An idea for an advert came about in group discussion that it would be interesting if we had one for an energy drink; this was one the group were in full support of. After more discussion and advice from our tutors, we came to deciding that our show would be better off providing more content and change the ad into an energy drinks comparison video. The World Cup is something that most people in the country are talking about now, keeping with the theme and general interest, our group wanted to have a football quiz competition type segment where our guests were pitted against each other discussing topics and having questions asked. The idea was good, due to the timing constraints of the show we shifted our direction towards an on-screen competition that was for the audience, making the show an overall more interactive experience.

We did not want to make our show completely sports based, to spark the idea of debate I thought it would be a good choice in going around to a vox pop asking the general public “who they thought was going to win the World cup and why”. An idea I was pleased with as it came to formulation and brought members of the group together in its progression; this VT helped link the show together and fitted the vision the group shared for our day of filming.

We still wanted to produce more VTs to make sure that we had a wide area of interest and catered to the large audience we had created for our show. The show was to have a fashion segment, I thought it would be good if we filmed a video showing how we could “get the look” for cheaper. The theme was to be comparing what the celebrities are wearing and show our audience where they could find similar items of clothing for a much cheaper price; this idea was taken for one that could be performed live, so instead we kept with the theme and moved on to a make-up tips video. The idea worked well as it made the show more relevant to what was shown in studio.

The final VT was to  be something that was universal to everyone watching our show, an initial idea was to do a tour-type clip showing highlights of the city, areas such as the sky dome would be included. The idea was not particularly one that we would have been able to complete so we decided to meet up and discuss ideas. The conversation was very helpful as the group were able to come up with a cooking special, where our chef showed us how to prepare a “cheap and easy meal”. The theme for our show was “By students, for students”, I believe all of our VTs have accommodated for those watching and looked forward to filming them.