Evaluation Question 2

Evaluation Question 2

'How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?'

Me and Steven wanted to keep the same themes throughout the main documentary and the ancillary tasks because that way we would have the same styles and themes within our products that we have created. We wanted to keep with the colour scheme of black and white throughout the the main documentary and both of the ancillary tasks, we had both titles with the black and white style as well as the '8V' logo me and Steven created.

Channel '8V' Logo

Double Page Spread Title

Magazine Advert Title

As you can see from the images above, we have kept with the same colour scheme throughout the documentary and both of the ancillary tasks. Me and Steven decided to pick the colours of black and white because we believe they look the most professional and what you would see other other TV channels that make documentaries such as; BBC and Channel 4. This also gave our documentary and ancillary tasks a educational feel which we learned at looking at the advertisement for the 'educating series' (Channel 4).

The main documentary and the two ancillary tasks work together well even though some of the feedback when we exhibited our work to 50 students in their assembly did not believe that the magazine advert did. The double page spread shows off the documentary really well because it shows some of the shots that are within the documentary like the establishing shot of the school on the double page spread and lets the audience know from the first impression that it is going to be a educational documentary/ancillary tasks and could make them want to read on. This links to John Fiskes theory that genre is convenient for audiences and producers. Both ancillary tasks gives a lot of information about what the audience would expect to see from it and so people can learn a bit more about what the 'Bitterne Park Secondary School' is like. 

Me and Steven thought about using media convergence within the ancillary tasks and documentary that we have created. However, we had a lack of social media links because of the genre style that we decided to go with and we wanted to make all of our products professional and for a slightly more mature audience. We could of done this for our ancillary tasks and documentary to try and get more opinions from other people and so they can see what our documentary is about and what our ancillary tasks are like. Also we could make money through this because we are advertising our documentary for free through social media and this links to the two step flow theory, where someone could share their thoughts about our documentary on social media and others will be able to read this and may want them to look at the documentary as well. However, the two step flow theory is not always reliable because the opinion leader may believe that your product is bad then he would make the product be seen to the public in a negative light, as may well be the case is in something as political controversial as education particularly if that audience member had negative experiences in their own education. 

Social Media

Me and Steven did use YouTube to achieve media convergence because of the likes, shares and electronic word of mouth (EWOM) from the customers from telling their friends and family to gain more attention and gain more viewers from it as well. We could of gained more viewers on catch up as well, just like what 'Channel 4' have with '4 on Demand' and 'BBC' also have with the 'BBC IPlayer' where people can go on there whenever and watch some TV shows that they may have missed. 

'4 On Demand' Logo

These are mine and Steven's ancillary tasks

Magazine Advert

Double Page Spread

Me and Steven wanted to have some brand identity shown throughout both of the ancillary tasks. The use of the colour scheme 'Black and White' makes both of our ancillary tasks look very simplistic and mature which what we wanted our radio times double page spread and magazine advert both to look like. Me and Steven also believed that our colour scheme gives the educational and calm feel to the audience that looks at our ancillary tasks and gives them an idea on what it is about. Me and Steven decided on this colour scheme through our extensive research on other double page spreads, magazine adverts and audience feedback we have received.

Another way that me and Steven have shown brand identity within our ancillary tasks in the pictures of the school settings. For the spectators to see a school on a magazine advert or double page spread is an icon and makes them have a instant recognition of it being about education and would give them strong ideas about what kind of genre it is going to be which is a observational documentary. The spectators would also get an instant insight about the school surroundings by seeing what it looks like and may would encourage them to watch the documentary. Me and Steven would want them to have a preferred reading (Stuart Hall's Theory, 1975) and see the school in a positive light just from looking at the images on the ancillary tasks.   

Picture of the school within the magazine

The use of white spaces within our ancillary tasks also shows brand identity which me and Steven discussed about having. We both thought that it would be easier for the spectator to read everything within the double page spread and on the magazine advert and it is not overloading them with so much information that they do not want to read about it. Me and Steven also believed that it made both of our ancillary tasks look very professional with the clear writing and the relevant clear pictures on both of the ancillary tasks. This was a common feature that we have seen is educational TV adverts, and this may be to make it realistic and not over produced, therefore creating a reliable brand that is trust worthy to the public. 

On the magazine advert, Steven included the '8V' logo to show the spectator who the documentary was made by but I did not include this onto my double page spread. I wanted my double page spread to look professional and I thought that having a channel logo would not make it look as professional as it could. From the other radio times double page spreads that I have looked at, they did not have any channel logos on them as well and is not a part of the codes and conventions of a radio times double page spread. 

The Documentary

As you can see from our ancillary tasks and from the documentary that me and Steven have created you can see that the combination is really effective and portrays the same style and themes with the images of 'Bitterne Park School' and they are all different pictures on the Double Page Spread and the Magazine Advert.  

Throughout this process of making our documentary and ancillary tasks, we were looking mainly at 'Channel 4' to give us some inspiration to create and develop our documentary and ancillary tasks. Steven looked at a Channel 4 promotional magazine advert for the TV show 'Britain's Forgotten Children' to give him some inspiration when creating his advert. Whereas, I used a radio times magazine to give me some inspiration when creating the double page spread as, they are a very professional looking magazine. Me and Steven looked at a lot of 'Channel 4' documentaries about school like 'Educating Essex' to give us a better understanding of what we could aim to create.

Channel 4 'Britain's Forgotten Children Advert'

Overall, I believe that combination between mine and Steven's ancillary tasks and our main documentary are very effective because we had a structure that we stuck by throughout the production of our documentary and the making of ancillary tasks which does give our work brand identity. However, there was some things that we could of improved on in both the documentary and the ancillary tasks. 

Evaluation Question 1

Evaluation Question 1

'In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Analysing 'Our School' BBC Documentary

'Our School' BBC Documentary

I have been looking at another school documentary like I did for 'Educating Cardiff' to see what other ideas me and Steven would be able to add into our documentary to see what makes it look more professional. This documentary just like 'Educating Cardiff' and 'Educating Yorkshire' as they both give us an insight about what school life is really like for the students and teachers that go to the school everyday. This is a 'fly on the wall' documentary like most school documentaries but is different to the style of a Channel 4 documentary.

I have been watching 'Our School' a BBC documentary based around the Year 7's and the teachers that have to look after them. This a very different type of school documentary style to Channel 4 because the person doing the voice over is actually a teacher at the school and an former pupil at the school. 'Our School ' is very different to 'Educating Yorkshire' because I believe that the demographic that they are trying to target is not only the older but younger demographic as, it has been released on CBBC which is TV channel for younger children. There will be no bad language that is involved within this documentary because they do not want younger viewers to copy anything that would happen within that sort of documentary. Compared to most Channel 4 documentaries, I believe that they are trying to target the (C2DE) as well because they are the families that would want to watch these types of things about schools. Parents would want to watch this because they would want to find out what secondary school would be like for  Year 7 and how enjoyable it is at that school. They may also want to target their audiences to inspiring teachers because they would wanna see how they could be able to handle a situation and get them prepared for what is going to happen.

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVjiEq-jOrY   

Camera work

During the first few seconds of 'Our School' you can see that this is a 'fly on the wall' documentary as, it looks like you are watching the children through a security camera. From the close up and long shots, the viewer would be able to see what a enjoyable school this is for the young children that come into it. Some of the audience may get an emotional response from seeing this because they would see how much fun all the students are having and they would relate the 'Uses and Gratifications Theory' (Personal Identity) remember the time that they went to school and how much has changed since they was at school. However, for the younger demographic this they would also relate to the 'Uses and Gratificaitons Theory' (Information and Learning) as, they would learn all about what secondary school is like and how much fun they are going to have when they get to it. 

Children having fun when at school

Another shot within the trailer is the extreme long shot of the teacher and his class having a fun lesson learning. This shot would make the audience have an emotional response of happiness because they can see how the teacher is making his lessons fun for the Year 7 students as, it would be a easier way for them to learn. The director would want us to feel this way because he wants to show how good the teachers our at this school for the students to learn. This is a different to Channel 4 school documentary because this one is focusing on one year group and wanting to show the audience how much fun you have when you are in Year 7 but also how much you would actually learn from it as well. The establishing shot of the name of the school which the students have designed would make the audience feel cheerful because the students at the school have designed that for the documentary and shows how much fun they have when they do it as well. The director wants the audience to see this because it shows how much fun the school is going to be during the documentary and the different range of activities that they would get up to in Year 7.

Teacher teaching his class

Mise-en-scene

In the BBC documentary 'Our School', there is a teacher trying to teach his students in the best way possible for them to learn by doing something fun. He is wearing a shirt with some smart trousers which is what most teachers would wear at school and shows how professional the teachers are that work at this school. the audience would see this and have an emotional response of satisfied because they can see that the teacher is dress appropriately and the students are as well which is what me and Steven would want to have within our documentary. The reason why the director wanted to add this into the documentary is because he wants to show how the students are following the school rules by wearing their uniform and making the school seen in a positive light.

  

Teacher dressing appropriately and teaching his class in a fun way 

The performance of the teachers at the school is very professional but also in a way that the students can find funny and enjoy to learn from them. They like to make their lessons fun so that it is the best way for the students to learn and remember it. The director wanted to add this into the documentary because they want to show how the teachers can have a bit of fun but also remain quite happy and want to make the children want to learn and enjoy coming to school.

Sound 

The sound track that is playing during the documentary 'Our School' is very happy and joyful which is because it is on a TV channel that is for children and it is used to make them see that secondary school is fun and that they will enjoy it. This is mainly for the younger demographic so that it keeps them interested in watching the documentary but also for the older demographic as, it shows how fun secondary school is and that their children are going to enjoy it. Just like in 'Educating Cardiff' there is an non-diegtic sound of the school bell ringing which means that the documentary is about to begin just like at school it was for a lesson is about to begin. This would make the older audience have an emotional response and brings back old memories of their school days and makes them feel happy and would make them want to watch more to see how different it is now compared to then.

Extreme long shot of the school corridor 

They have tried to make this documentary based for the younger demographic by adding in a lot of silly sound effects that will make them laugh and continue watching to see if there would be any more like it happen during the rest of the documentary. The director wanted to add this into the documentary because it would make the younger audiences want to stay and watch the rest of the documentary and see what it is like.

Editing

The editing within 'Our School' is very unique and different compared to the Channel 4 documentary 'Educating Yorkshire' because they want to make it more fun and for children so they have added different type of cuts to change within the scenes so it looks different and makes people want to stay and watch it. These sort of cuts make it look like you are looking through a security camera and shows that you are watching everything that they are doing. The director wanted to add this into the documentary because it makes this documentary different and unique compared to every other school documentary that is on the TV.

One of the unique cuts within 'Our School'

They also want to make the it easier for the younger audience to understand because they may not know what somethings mean and it would be easier for them to understand instead of just listen about his story. They have made a profile about what the new teacher at the school is like and that he used to be a former pupil at the school. The director wanted to add this in because it would be easier for the younger audience to understand who he is and so they know who he is when they are watching the whole of the documentary.

Summary

This is very different to the Channel 4 style of documentaries as, this is mainly based for the younger demographic and that they want to make it easier for them to understand. Me and Steven have would discuss whether we should us any of these ideas that they have used within 'Our School' or we should stick with the Channel 4 style.

Documentary Planning - Student Permission Letter

Documentary Planning - Student Permission Letter

Me and Steven throughout the filming of our documentary, have been giving out permission letters to all the students that have been filmed for the school documentary. We gave them a list about if they sign this they should expect;

• To be filmed for the documentary
• To says only good things about the school as, the documentary aims to put the school in a positive light.
• To wear appropriate school clothing to represent the school in a professional manner.

The students that agree to sign this have to follow these rules during the documentary, so that Bitterne Park School is only seen in a positive light and not a negative one.

Here is 2 permission letters that we have had signed and received back to us for them being involved within our documentary.

Summary

Me and Steven have done this because we need to have permission of all the people that are seen within our documentary and so that the school know who has been in the documentary and that we have been given their permission of it.

Next Steps

The next steps for me and Steven is to show people our documentary so far and get feed back from them about how we can improve it.

Documentary Planning - Ancillary Task Concept - Take 3

Ancillary Task Concept - Take 3

I have made more changes to my double page spread. I have changed the main image of the double page spread to see if it would look more professional. I have also added the last section to it, with a quote from the head teacher 'Susan Trigger' and is about what you would learn about Bitterne Park School from watching the documentary.

Here is the third concept that I have made for my double page spread. I have looked at other magazines like; The Radio Times to help me gain a better understanding of what a double page spread should look like to make it look professional.

3rd Concept of the Double Page Spread

Summary

I have changed some of the information within the double page spread and added in some new images that show what the school looks like. The main image still needs changing because the image does not look professional for a double page spread.

Next Steps

The next steps for me and Steven is, that we would have to take another picture for the main image and make sure that I can edit it to make it look professional and to make sure that the editing of the documentary is almost done.

Further Documentary Planning

Further Documentary Planning

Me and Steven have prepared for our filming by sending a permission letter to the deputy head of the school and got some questions to ask the students and teacher that come to Bitterne Park School. It is better than we plan in advance that way on the day we would be able to know what we have to do and if we are aloud to film in the corridors of the school.

This is the permission letter that me and Steven sent to the deputy head of Bitterne Park School.

And here is the questions that we are planning to ask the students and teachers at the school.

Summary

Me and Steven have decided to plan this in advance so that we know what to say to the students on the day of filming and so we can see whether we are able to film within the school corridors.

Next Steps

The next steps for me and Steven is to get all the footage for our documentary and edit it and then finish out ancillary tasks as well.

Documentary Planning - Ancillary Task Concept - Take 2

Ancillary Task Concept - Take 2

I have made changes from my last ancillary task. I have changed the layout of my double page spread because I want it to look professional and like a actual magazine on 'Inside Britain's Schools'.

Here is the second concept that I have made for my double page spread. I have looked at other double page spreads to help me get more ideas about what I should include within my double page spread to make it look interesting and want people to read it.

2nd Concept of the Double Page Spread

Summary

I have changed the layout of double page spread with the help of Steven to make it look more professional and more like a double page spread in a magazine. The main image is going to need changing because it is not the right picture for the double page spread.

Next Steps

The next steps for me and Steven is, to take another picture for the double page spread, film a class on the 3rd February 2016 for the main documentary and continue editing.