Locations for my Documentary (Home environment)

For the purpose of my documentary it was vital there was a number of 'real life' locations filmed within the content to provide a 'comfort' feeling for my target audience - therefore there would be a greater chance of them identifying with the girls in the filming. The message in my plot would impact harsher and more deeply if they themselves can witness anorexia occurring in familiar environments, emphasising the illness survives in ordinary settings we all encounter in regular life and is not 'worlds away'. Moreover I wanted to gain insight from families involved with the disorder, particularly those who have relations inflicted with an eating disorder as this demonstrates a wider range in the filming style, seperating those girls who are recovering at home from those individuals needing immediate attention in hospital. I managed to gain consent from two families who were interested in participating in the filming of the documentary and was given entry into their homes to document the surroundings as part of my planning stages.  The shots presented below are taken from an 18 year old females shared home with her immediate close family.

I took some photographs of the main living room, an ideal setting to conduct interviews in and gain a personal understanding of their every day lives by filming them in regular activities - such as watching TV - to confirm the message to the audience these are normal people no different from them just afflicted with extraordinary circumstances. These sort of rooms are standard in most houses so the viewers should be able to relate to this as a familiar surrounding.

Above is an image of the family kitchen, this is an excellent source to conduct filming in as it will give a personal documentation of meal times with the daughter suffering from anorexia, this is the location she is most likely to be in and where most conflict is to occur if any. I may have to distribute a consent form to the family to sign as tackling private circumstances is a sensitive matter and they may not choose for it to be documented. However if they do it will be an excellent way of displaying how an anorexic prepares her food etc and may shed some typical stereotypical beliefs the audience have about the illness (for example that they don't eat)

The conservatory would be perfect for personal interviews with individual family members as it is a secluded location from the rest of the house therefore the format is less likely to be disturbed. Furthermore the whole layout is relaxing, this aids in making the interviewee more comfortable as causing unecessary stress (because of unfamiliar locations) may cause them to present untruthful answers or demand characteristics (telling the interviewer what they want to hear because they don't feel relaxed enough and not disclosing their true opinions)

I wish to spend more intricate time with the daughter within the confines of her own bedroom, it is a theraputic environment to conduct an interview in as she will be isolated from anyone else who she feels could judge her on her opinions/thoughts, as a bonus it gives her a place to relax as she is comfortable in the surroundings its to commence in. The location broadcasts the notion to my audience that she is still an normal, young adult who enjoys activities, hobbies and interests most other girls her age share, she is more then just an illness which doesn't define her.

As a final incentive I captured some images of the family back garden to finish my photoshoot. It would have been ideal to do some filming outside however with the bleak, chilly autumn weather I don't consider this an appropriate thought anymore as it may be uncomfortable for people to be in freezing conditions.

Time Management - Update 1

Practise Images and Editing Strategies for the Concept of my Double Page Spread

The task I have selected to undertake for my media coursework requires me to produce three seperate productions that are based upon one topic of my decision ( I am detailing into the world of eating disorders). I am thoroughly concerned about my time management deadlines so instead of beginning all three products at identical times I am instead focusing upon each one individually allowing me to add greater depth and detail then what would be seen had I started all of them together. My primary aim at this current moment is to begin my auxillary task one - the TV listings double page spread that revolves around the content of my documentary. After deconstructing regular double page spreads I concluded it would be in my interests to follow a conventional theme and general layout of most professional products by placing a large, eyectaching image on the left hand side of the article with the right distributing the text evenly around few smaller images. I decided to capture the main image as my critical focal starting point, once that was complete it would be easier to spend more time manafement on the article without added stress.

I alternated my mindset when it came to who was to be detailed on the central image, originally I was going to use one of the anorexic girls , with whose permission,  I would then use them on the spread -alongside them being featured in the documentary - so when read by the audience they can directly relate the photo to the film creating a conventional link between the products identifying they are related. However I did not believe this would be dramatic enough - the whole purpose of me creating this documentary is to inform and understandably enlighten the viewer about the devastation of eating disorders, so I believed a shot of one of the girls wouldn't be satisfactory enough in manipulating that 'shock' factor - as many of the girls I am interviewing are undertaking recovery and understandably are slightly healthier I needed someone who in harsher words was physically unwell enough to the brink the physical detrmiental efects would be more recognisable. To overcome this dilemma I commissioned a completely seperate model, this provided variety so the audience was intrigued and interested by a wide range of individuals, allowing them to see the extent of how many people are effected by this destructive illness.

Here are the original two images that were initially took of the model in different postures

During the first take I instructed the model to undertake a 'pained' expression towards the lens, all focus was directed fully on her body as essentially her face was uneccessary to capture , especially when looking at the physical consequences of anorexia nervosa - ultimately the body itself is what becomes so fragile and frail. Excluding the face forces the eyeline immeditelly towards her frame as it is visually noticeable above every other aspect of the screen capture - the severity of malnourishment is hard to ignore, this is the shot I admired to achieve as regretfully it will provoke the 'shock' factor response from the target audience, it is hard to overlook this girls anorexia and with a case as severe as this it is highly likely to grasp instant attention towards the article. I am pleased in regards to the plain backdrop incorporated in the shot - the image was taken in the subjects bedroom against a faint neutral tone, the lack in colour allows all visual awareness to be indicated towards her as a bright background may have caused the audience to overlook the model if there was something eagerly as intriguing as the girl herself. The shot was gained through the use of an ordinary digital camera therefore the quality is not of the professional standard as some expensive mainstream devices, careful editing will have to be constructed to achieve higher enhancement as poor, grainy, pixallated images is off putting for people to look at and can deter them from becoming interested in a particular product if it is not unique or appealing to look at.

As a follow up I captured a secondary shot alongside the first to see if any other stances/positions could be granted through the limited camera angle I was working with. I allowed the model to look down at the camera for this take, this aided in emphasising her body and verifies her anorexic childlike frame ever so more vividly, however I still removed the face throigh the crop tool in the editing process as it was not required for the look I desired. I still adhere to the 'mysterious' element running through the photography as not only does identifying a face breach confidentiality issues (the model wanted to remain anonymous) but it ruins the aspect of the fragility I am trying to enhance through the sole use of her body. There was limited lighting to co-operate with in the environment and in this particular still the shadows appear more vigilant in the previous shot, this enhances the grainy pixallated effect further which is not what I intended. Overall for quality the first image captured exceeds the second which pushes me more to use the original photograph than look for other options, such as the one displayed above.

This is ultimately how I would desire my final completed image for the double page spread article to appear. After much debate over the different shots I obtained I prefered the original one I took of the 'pained' posture, ultimately when I look at this I am thoroughly shocked and it does elict a sympathetic resposnee from me as I can directly distinguish the agony, torment and despair this girl is subjected to because of her eating disorder. As I am a member of the general public I think it is safe to assume that if my response was that of a distressed one then hopefully it could universal reaction from my target viewers alongside that. The original image was in colour howveer I used an online editing tool to alternate the colour to black and white - I think this utlises a catostrophic respresntation of her body and really highlights the severity of her condition. The neutral tones coinside with my colour scheme in general as I planned for it to be based around dark dismal colours to reflect the sheer devastation of the illness and how it creates a 'black and white' thinking amongst the sufferers - they find it hard to diferentiate between their own personality and that of the eating disorder itself. I used a sharp focal lens to enhance the mid section of her body drawing most attention towards her lower body and legs, essentially these are the areas the eating disorder has decimated so violently and reveal how trapped and malnourished she is. The blurring of her upper half adheres to the notion her mind and body - instead of being connected as one - are split in two as if they were seperate components, it relates to the idea the anorexics brain does not see their body as 'belonging' to them (in their eyes it is disgusting which allows them to inflict so much physical damage without acknowledged the dire consequences of their actions). The quality of the image revealed better then i anticipated, the grainyness has been replaced with a more professional sheen giving the shot a more shock provoking notion rather than being regarded as an image of a college student standard. 

Inspiration from The Blair Witch Project

Before attempting to even begin the onslaught of filming my documentary, I believed it would be highly beneficial for me to conduct some background research into how professional mainstream documentary styled footage is presented in the worldwide media industry this present day. As posted previously I have already deconstructed several unique documentaries to gain insight and inspiration in how to construct my rationale idea, however only a few of my selections actually demonstrated the use of handheld footage or a 'Point of view' perspective with the camera - this technique is critical for the filming of my documentary as I would like to use footage the eating disorder patients have filmed themselves or by employing the cameraman to 'follow' subjects without the use of a tripod, essentially this makes the filming more disorientated yet believable as the audience will be authentically able to connect with the situation displayed for them as it will appear to be acting to 'real life' rather than a staged event.

This is why I decided to watch the 1999 movie 'The Blair Witch Project' as the entire film is constructed through the use of a handheld video camera which the characters carry with them without fail throughout the continuation of the plot. The videoing style of choice moreover guaranteed the film instant success despite being filmed on a low budget, as previously a horror had never been commisioned like this before. In the clip I have inserted above we immeditelly get the feel of the atmosphere in the tent in the first few seconds - we can identify with the heavy breathing of the actors and the realistic forest environment it is set in, the handheld point of view footage allows us to adjust ourselves and creates a believable setting we find ourselves immersed in. The actors portray 'ordinary people', allowing us as the audience to directly with the characters involved as they are of a similar status to us, furthermore the actors chosen for the story are indeffintly not as well known as more famous individuals in the market place, making the occurances that happen to them more authentic as it would be harder to relate ourselves to a famous actor who's status makes the roles they take more associated with their name rather then allowing the viewer to see them as a portrayal of a normal citizen who we would expect to stumble across in the every day locations we are familiar with. This is an aspect I have took highly into consideration as the use of 'real people' in my documentary (no actors or semi professionals will be included). I am hoping this will allow my audience to form a relationship on screen with these individuals as they are no different from the viewers themselves - they are all unique, normal people who are having a difficult time with a devastating illness (anorexia nervosa) which I am hopeful will elict sympathy. When deconstructing the footage itself it comes to attention how grainy the hues and saturation is - this is understandable as this particular scene was filmed during the night, despite this knowledge I wouldn't want my documentary filmed where it is unclear in some scenarios what is actually occurring, in case it makes it difficult for the audience to interpret what my characters are doing - this would likely deter them from watching the rest of the footage which would be detrmimental. To avoid this happening it would be safer and more reassuring to film during the day or if the location is naturally dark, then to set up a multitude of lights to alter the brightness of the room which would be satisfactory.

There is no visible editing enhancements in the 'Blair Witch Project' this is obvious when the film is attempting to be as an authentic experience as it can possibly be for the viewers - the students themselves would not have had time to edit the footage if they mysteriously 'disapeared' so the way the movie is designed by having continuity throughout the way the events are staged allows us to follow them up until their final moments. This does not necessarily apply to my own documentary as the consistency of the editing would not effect the overall serious tone I am attempting to replicate in my footage, as long as the audience can see the severe consequences of an eating disorder through their own eyes then the fact the shots don't follow one after the other doesn't effect the content in a negative manner.

Another point of interest is the sound quality of this movie - like the colour saturation it can also be described as 'grainy' and slightly muffled at time because of the lower quality equipment it was filmed with and not a traditional Steadicam. I think its important for the viewer to be able to fully understand and interpret what the subjects are saying as this could make it harder for them to connect with the patients stories if they can't fully grasp what has happened to them. In the 'Blair Witch Project' the crackling sound adds to the horror premise as it creates tension amongst the audience as the disoreintation in the sound creates the illusion of panic as they are unsure as to what is happening to the characters on screen. This would not be appropriate for my documentary as what was stated previously it is essential for them to have a clear viewpoint of what is going on, that is why it would benefit me more to use a higher standard of recording equipment for the POV shots as a cheap handheld camera would not give me the effect I desire.

This screenshot I extracted from the movie is in the opening credits when information about the three students is broadcasted to the audience as a 'preview' of what is to entail before the film has began. I noticed adding screen text to give details about the footage was used in many of the health orientated shows such as 'I'm a child anorexic' and in the movie 'Supersize me', now that I have observed this editing in a multi million dollar product I am decisive that I will use this technique in the opening of my documentary to keep within the conventional terms of other products of the same genre as it appears to be a popular strategy to entice the audiences attention.

Here I stilled a frame in 'The Blair Witch Project' and enhanced it as much as I could to emphahsise the grainy footage I spoke about previously. This was taken during a 'pursuit' scene when the characters were fleeing from an unseen force which explains the poor quality of this piece of the production. This is not a desirable effect I want to replicate in my own product as it is vital the viewer can observe what is unfolding at all times as this would make it easier for them to connect with the sufferers of the illnesses stories more thoroughly and deeply. To avoid this incapacity it would be critical to obtain a decent quality device and test it before the filming begins to ensure it would produce the effect desired.

This is footage taken directly from the introduction of the movie when the forensic investigation team record the evidence of what was left of the missing students belongings (which includes the camera they operated with) The piece of equipment shown here (taken from the students backpack) is semi professional and would be difficult for me as a college student to obtain easily - due to budget cuts and availablity. It would be possible to hire out technology such as this from another campus, being able to safely acquire it and cover money expenses could prove difficult though. I am tempted to use an ordinary video camera that is typical amongst regular families, being compact in size and swift to operate (this kind of camera can be seen in the film 'Cloverfield) however I am discouraged by the quality as it would not be of as high a standard as the footage created for the 'Blair Witch Project'. Budgiting is something I will have to deeply consider before I begin my primary task.

My final image was captured in another fleeing scene through the woods to show how decrepit and blurry handheld footage can be seen. None of the patients will be running in my documentary so this will make it easier for the cameraman to keep blakacned and level with the steadiness of the equipment, hopefully allowing it to be clear but still 'jerky' (to personify the realism) Too much wavering can cause severe disoretination of the picture on screen, this is appropriate for a horror film like 'Blair Witch' which districbutes a panic, danger element that is typically seen in this genre. Moreover this effect would not justify with the serious note I am aiming to create for my own documentary as the awkwardness of the frame would not emphasise the severity of an eating disorder if my audience cannot distinguish what is on screen appropriately enough.

Film Making Techniques - Shot Types

Here I observed different shot types in a professional mainstream movie (The Silver Linings Playbook) and identified popular shots that were constructed into the making and editing of this multi million oscar winning production.

Establishing Shot (Extreme Wide Shot)

This is placed generally at the beginning of a programme/movie to indulge the viewer in the location of where the plot is situated to in essence 'set the scene'.

Wide Shot (WS) /Long Shot

Assists in establishing to the audience who the characters are in the film and is a neccessity in connotating how they 'fit' into their immediate surroundings, as they 'belong' there (we can witness here that we are observing the titular character 'Pat' running in his home of Philidelphia city, moreover he 'fits' into this setting as it is not uncommon to run in a local area and this importantly is his home where he 'belongs')

Medium Shot (MS)

The shot helps to elaborate and interpret body langauage from a particular character so as to aid the audience in understanding their current mood (as seen above the character 'Tiffany' appears hostile and vacant as dispalyed within her stance and facial expression) A medium shot also assists in deciphering the expression etched on the characters face in more detail.

Medium Close Up (MCU)

These are essential when directly focusing upon the visual facial emotions of the character as well as the body langauge. This is not a close up as the body is still very much visible however more attention is paid in emphasisng the expressions of the character which is a noticable difference from a medium shot (in this clip the character 'Pat' is visibly frustrated which is reaffirmed to the viewer through the immediate focus towards his eyes and mouth) The medium close up allows us to still establish the actor into their surroundings as the setting is still identifable behind the character.

Close Up (CU) - Character

Used in co-operation to focus soley upon one character as it is critical to convey feelings to the audience about a certain situation or mood. The shot itself focuses overall on the characters face, most coherantly the expressions, as this illustrates their emotions, thoughts and general mannerisms towards the viewer. It helps us to connect more deeply with them, influencing how we feel even though we are not beside them on screen within that setting (here we are directly connected with 'Tiffany', we feel her happiness at being around 'Pat', moreover we can relate to her more as if she was a 'real person' and not just a character in a movie)

Close Up (CU) - Object

Close up's can be directed further into focusing upon objects besides humans as this aids in re-illiterating the major importance of them in the foundations of the plot (hence the Ernest Hemmingway book seen here is necessary in conveying 'Pat's' thoughts, he wants to impress his estranged wife 'Nikki' by creating the impression he has moved on from the event that destroyed their marriage, in particular he begins reading some of her favourite books to connect with her on a deeper level, however he is disgusted by the content and throws it out of the window. Not only does this shot show his disgust for the novel but hence forth how his marriage essentially has been 'thrown out the window')

Extreme Close Up (ECU) - Character

A common feature in most of the film making industry, this type of shot is composed when the director directs our attention onto one specific point of relevance to emphasise that particular importance to the viewer. In characters this can commonly be eye/mouth expression, an object they are holding etc (in this scene the ECU is of 'Pat's' running shoes - not only does this imply he is doing his daily exercise routine, but also of how alone he is and how he is attempting to 'run away' from his problems of the current day events)

Extreme Close up (ECU) - Object

Similarly in correspondance to a close up, extreme close ups also focus much attention on objects as much as people as many inamiate items can enforce the same wavelength of relevance to a storyline than the characters themselves (in this screenshot we see the words of the book 'Pat' is reading - this reverberates the idea of how hard he is trying to be like 'Nikki' by indulging in her favourite novels as he is in sheer desperation trying to connect with her like he failed to do previously)

Two Shot

This specfic shot preference is composed to allow us to observe two major characters sharing the same screen time together whilst adhering in displaying the current location they are placed in. It is easier to decipher the relationship they share with one another and the level of closeness as read in their body langauge (for this particular scene 'Tiffany' is teaching 'Pat' to dance, the two shot emphasises how this activity has improved their standing relationship and the new found affection they are beginning to develop for their comrade)

Over the Shoulder Shot

This technical element allows us as viewers to directly observe the scene as it unfolds, creating the illusion we are emersed in the world of the characters alongside them. It creates a sense of realism to the audience and makes the event appear more realistic (we can easily identify here with the flowing conversation between 'Tiffany' and 'Pat', the way the camera is directed over his shoulder makes us closer to her as her expressions are easily identiable, it creates the illusion we ourslves are in the cafe with them witnessing the conversation)

High Angle

To acheive the composition of this specific shot the camera is situated above the actors to suggest a lack of status, inferiority or the insignificance a character may have. It is most commonly used to make someone appear subdued and inferior to the dominance of another character or maybe a situation (it can be seen here that all the member of 'Pat's' family and his friends feel powerless as he vents his rage about how he has no control of his life - they feel incapable of having a say in the matter as he verbally abuses them all)

Low Angle

We can relate significantly to a characters power, status and strength by the use of a low angle shot, viweing the actor from below by placing the camera into a contorted, small position signifies someones dominance over a scene (as 'Tiffany' rises from the table, the equipment is placed below the actress to signify her anger which makes 'Pat' look inferior and weak despite being a male - her emotions override the apparent patriachy and it is visible she ultimately has the control)

Canted Angle

An unusal shot that helps to identify an inbalacne or disoretination in a certain frame, it can be typically witnessed within action movie 'fight' sequences to convey the feelings of a disruption of peace and regularity. However they can also be incoproated to highlight a major change in a characters mood (for this screenshot 'Pat' is confused about his feelings for 'Nikki' and 'Tiffany', his uncertainty and confusion is highlighted further by the canted angle as he struggles to make sense of the situation) A canted angle can also be acheived by tilting the camera so it is not horizontally level with the floor.

Eyeline Shot/Match

This is used in symmetry between two characters and allows us to keep pace with a fluent conversation as if we were amongst the action with them, it can sometimes be compared to a 'shot reverse shot' through the cosistent and rapid editing prcedure (the conversation between 'Pat' and 'Ronnie' is clearly noticable here as their peripheral focus is directly on each other)

Tilt

The operating technical equipment is situated in a fixed position (normally on a tripod) and is tilted up and down, this is regularly seen with characters but here it is used to look up upon the house (in this scene screaming can be heard from outside and the camera is angled to focus on the window to prepare us for the action that is about to commence in the next take)

Tracking Shot

Sometimes a director may desire the camera to 'follow' the actors in continuity with the actions/movements they are performing, in this case a tracking shot is employed to acheive the apporpriate framing. The equipment is mounted upon a wheeled platform or a dolly and is used to steadily follow the action, this grants a smooth shot which is not disorientated or shaky in an manner (in this clip from the movie a dolly would have been most likely used to track the two characters 'Pat' and 'Tiffany' as they run down the neighbourhood street in conjunction with the action that is unfolding)

 Foreground/Background

To establish a realistic and authentic scene as what is possible a camera man needs to take into consideration what is occuring in the primary focus of the shot (e.g. the actors) and what is commencing in the background as well (e.g. the busy scape of a city) It is sometimes easy to obtain the body posture or expression that is expected from a character on film yet if the setting they are isn't complety right (for example in an office someone may be smoking which wouldn't be permitted) that would deter the professionalism from the construction of the shot (here we can easily identify the current feelings of the characters 'Tiffany' and 'Pat' and they directly reflect the surroundings they are in, both of them are in casual running clothes to go jogging around the neighbourhood in)

Panning Shot

This technique is used by moving the camera from side to side in a swaying motion to ensure all the action is captured on the footage. Commonly the equipment is elevated on a tripod to allow it to remain still throughout the procedure. Panning is normally used to emphasise the significance of a room or an important area so the viewer is presented with a full sweep of that environment, however it can also be seen when a character is emotionally overwhelmed (it is undeniable in this scene of the movie that 'Pat' is frustrated by the plot of the novel he has just read, here he paces across the room - tracked at all times by the camera - to evidently render his annoyance to his family)

POV Shot

This is essentially an extremely important shot to emphasise a particular character above everyone else by documenting an experience from their own eyes which we as the audience witness first hand from their own perspective personalising the whole event. POV's allows the viewer to feel what the character is feeling (this is nearly indefinitely exclusive to the protagonist/antagonist of the film) The experience helps enormously in directing a characters thoughts/emotions/mood effectivley across to the audience (in this capture we see the Hemmingsway book through 'Pat's' eyes - not only does this identify to us further he is trying to be more like his wife 'Nikki' but it aids in us understanding his annoyance later on when he discards the novel violently out of the window)

Handheld

An easily directed shot where the camera man in charge of the equipment manouvers with the technology without the assistance of a tripod, this makes the filming more 'jerky' and 'unconventional' which is effective in certain scenarios, for example a chase sequence in an action movie where there is much disorientation with the camera to emphasise the speed, pace and real time of the event.

Shot Variation

Simply a variety of shots are sequenced together fluently one after the other to allow consistency in the editing - this can utilise the idea the scene is flowing in 'real time' currency. For instance an establishing shot is proceeded by a medium shot which is quickly followed by a medium close up of that character.

180 degree Rule

For this the camera remains stationary on one side of a scene or room, marking out an 'invisible' line in the centre which it must not cross at ANY time (this is identified as the 'axis') In procession the first character in the script will then be framed on the right hand side of the screen, whilst the secondary will remain on the left. The camera will then consistently cross the 'axis', this is referred to as 'crossing the line' which will identify each character as occupying one side of the room only. If crossing over this line is not backed up by other camera shots running alongside it then it is possible for the audience to become confused by the action taking place on screen. 180 degree rule is often seen commencing after an extreme wide shot, but is also often identified within over the shoulder shots to help establish characters and location to the viewer.

Inspiration for my TV listings Double Page Spread from Newspaper Articles

I struggled to locate a TV listings based double paged spread article on the web so I drew most of my inspiration from newspaper articles to give me the impression of what I am expected to create regarding the layout/presentation of my own double page product. Here are two examples I have selected from the Daily Mail newspaper that specifically cover TV styled reality programmes/documentaries and provide an interestng article relating to them within the content. Both of these features have been reproduced from the infamous ‘Daily Mail’ newspaper, the underlying reason I used them as samples was due to the nature of their content – eating disorders- which my documentary is based upon. The screenshot on the left is a story that covers the ‘I’m a child anorexic’ documentary that was screened on BBC three in late 2006 and depicts how younger and younger children are developing eating disorders. Throughout the presentation the newspaper article relates back consistently to the documentary, patients and doctors as extra evidence to support the statistics they have claimed. The image on the right focuses upon the health show ‘Supersize vs Superskinny’ emphasising how this programme and those alike can be a monumental trigger for people to develop life threatening eating disorders, through the use of the weight loss diets featured on the show . I observed these screenshots rigidly to aid me in brainstorming more potential ideas for how to shape the magazine/newspaper features I am expected to produce alongside my documentary and drew inspiration from what I found.  Firstly I am going to begin by focusing on my discoveries from the ‘Child Anorexic’ story. I’m particularly fond of how the ‘SIX’ is emphasized through the combination of bold and capital lettering, this allows it to easily overshadow all other text presented along side with it drawing anyone’s source of visual focus immeditelly to this single word. I believe this common editorial tactic would be essential in my newspaper articles byline – this would be beneficial in capturing audience interest that more easily. I am fond of how the Daily Mail structures the presentation of their stories, with quite a longer then average masthead that creates interest through a moderate amount of information concealed within it – I believe if I can offer a similar amount of detail in my own masthead then it will be more likely to be focused upon by my target audience through its descriptive tendencies. This was partially the reason I selected these two features from the internet as I have been thoroughly swayed by the visual impact of there said mastheads. 

The use of the length of these mastheads helps to confine as much information as possible to provoke audience attention yet is dramatic at the same time with the use of ‘trigger for eating disorder sufferers’ in the Supersize article and ‘Young as SIX’ within the feature on anorexic pre pubescent girls to highlight the seriousness and comprehensible danger that these features withhold. I may be going against traditional conventions by opting for a long masthead but I firmly stand by the argument it will allow me to gain the maximum numbers of target audience I am aiming for, if there is a decent amount of detail then its highly likely them to mentally perceive there is a worthwhile  story to spend time reading.  Both articles have adverts surrounding them (due to them being of a viral newspaper campaign) if my brief on my documentary is to look effective in my newspaper then I think I should consider the possibility of perhaps in addition placing maybe a couple of adverts on the page to make it look more authentic and ‘on the market’ rather then something that has merely been produced by a student at college. Even though there is a huge contrast between an Internet based newspaper product and one that is printed, adverts are still a beneficial and universal theme in them which is worth abiding by and reproducing within my own product.  Very noticeable in the ‘anorexic girls clinic’ feature is the use of bold font in highlighting the first paragraph, this essentially draws the audiences attention to the most vital and considerably note worthy part of the article itself – it is also a way of provoking interest as the more detailed, informative and dramatic it is, hence forth more of the public will be intrigued and are likely to persevere with reading it rather then glance in disinterest. By drawing inspiration from this text I think it would be highly in my best interests to use an attractive bold/colorful font for the initial paragraph to the topic I’m discussing in my own feature as regardless of anything else my primary focus is to gain interest as soon as possible from my acquired target population. 

Both of the articles have high definition images inserted onto the page, in my rationale I conversed about using my own images (a large main one with the possibility of secondary smaller shots) by looking at the ones used in the Daily Mail its safe to suggest I should continue with this idea as a photograph of what your portraying in the feature makes it more visually seductive to the audience to look at and is likely to successfully gain more interest compared to another article that was absent of any images. A lack of images would make the presentation appear boring, dull, mediocre and certainly not interesting enough to waste effort reading – the use of carefully captured shots in my own work should aid to illustrate the content of my feature before the reader has even had an opportunity to browse the text themselves and they should have a vague idea upon what they will be reading before even beginning to browse the feature. The font for the main paragraphs detailing the story are of identical size in the different articles, big enough for the audience to read without difficulty or being overly large so as to dominate the page. Getting the sizing correct is essentially one of the most important aspects I need to focus upon and seeing first hand how the Daily Mail displays them gives me a rough impression of what mine is to be presented like for my own television listings product, I’m tempted to use these articles I’ve discovered as guidelines to ensure that my font is coherent and consistent enough for my audience. Furthermore I am thoroughly swayed by the simple but effective layout in each article, neither of which are spread over a double page but are kept in consistency with the paragraphs following on from one another over the course of an entire page. Since the feature for my newspaper is not one of an incredible amount of content I believe it would be practical to confine it to one page only, this effectively saves time but prevents it being ‘dragged out’, sometimes too much information can be off putting to an audience – keeping it short, simple and sweet is sometimes the most effective way of gaining recognition with the public.

Displayed above is an Internet formatted newspaper article that details another story revolving around the ‘Supersize vs Superskinny’ genre of shows, this time it has been selected from a lesser known production (The Daily Record) focusing however upon how a woman used her experience on the show for positive purposes which allowed her to increase her weight from a frighteningly low figure to a more a healthier build for her height which fortunately allowed her to conceive for the first time. An immediate contrast to the other ‘Supersize’ article I selected is the difference in moods each feature creates. I’ve followed an occurring theme in the examples I’m selecting as all of the newspaper publication regard the health/weight genre I am revolving my documentary around. The Daily Records argues how involvement with these programmes can be beneficial to those who participate them (regarding them in a positive light) whilst the other one on the previous slide indicates the devastation they can promote – especially by encouraging the development of life threatening eating disorders to those that signed up and the viewers they influence back at home.  Both the ‘Record’ and ‘Mail’ papers situate their mastheads above the webpage search panel, although my product will be print based and not viral I think it may be of benefit to me to acknowledge where they have decided to place the main masthead. It can be perceived that many newspapers will replicate their names and place them inside the paper (or in this case above every article within the confines of the website) – this is obviously to emphasize to the reader the name of the production they are reading. If the audience like the features that are presented to them then its more than likely they will purchase that said item again, by being able to constantly relate back to the masthead on each page it burrows in the name, this  will means its unlikely to be forgotten therefore re alliterating the message that this is a worthy product for the reader to buy. Although it is unrelated to the content of my article I believe if I place a smaller masthead above it in the corner, it will allow my newspaper to appear my authentic to the eye and add that professional feel to the final outcome. Both the masthead’s for the ‘Mail’ and ‘Record’ are filled in bold – this is just an additional way for the editors to make their stories more intriguing and appealing for the reader to observe therefore

   Both the masthead’s for the ‘Mail’ and ‘Record’ are filled in bold – this is just an additional way for the editors to make their stories more intriguing and appealing .Their more likely to be persuaded to read the piece out of curiosity as a writer would not highlight something if it was not of any relevant neccessity or importance, it is a vital method as importantly its techniques such as this which sell the product and make a steady income for the company. Similarly as what I witnessed whilst deconstructing the two Daily Mail articles, the Record employs the use of capital font to enhance the feel of a particular word or phrase. Instead of beginning with an initial introductory paragraph, the editors have employed what I would describe as a short byline for the first word of which is in upper casing. Unlike the Mail which colors its significant text in bold, this remains in the same palette of color as the remainder of the text. To assume it’s a universal feature of most newspapers to highlight major segments of their features seems plausible, when constructing my final feature for my adjoining documentary product I am very foremost for using large, upper case, bold font for the necessity in drawing in the target audience’s attention directly to the interesting sections of the article – if they enjoy what they see they will be encouraged to continue reading and what’s more it is likely the emphasized fragments will linger on their minds allowing them to muse over what was said (this is critical for the point I’m attempting to establish in my feature as I want others to understand the complete desolation eating disorders can cause for an individual) Another point to focus upon is the use of a high definition image amongst the paragraphs within the article, this can also be seen in the Daily Mail. I was originally planning on using one large central photograph of an anorexic sufferer (who would be featured as a key element in my documentary) followed by a few subsidiary images placed at the bottom of the page for additional visual information to the audience (these could be of other individuals, a hospital, home or city landscape I wasn’t entirely sure of what else to include however it was established it must be of some reference to eating disorders). I am still thoroughly set to use a blown up shot but I’m swayed to cut the extra images down to maybe just one as it seems newspaper articles do not rely extensively on carefully managed and crafted photographic images to attract the underlying interest of the audience – it appears one is just suffice. The Records newspaper article has a fairly simple yet effective layout, it mirrors the Mail by having an opening ‘byline’ as a dramatic introductory sentence, which is quickly followed by the main photograph with the rest of the feature in continuation. This is yet another identification that indicates a universal theme among general layouts in most magazines, despite me wanting a unique cover story for my documentary I think it would be safe to abide by traditional conventions in some parts (such as layout, text and editing styles) as this is a common recognisable aspect of many magazines which deems professionalism and a sense of respect from readers.

Masthead colours and font ideas for TV listing article

This is one of the red mastheads I stumbled across whilst browsing the internet for concept ideas. Although I like the burgundy coloured red that is used for this palette (I feel it reflects the medical/danger look I desire whilst also reflecting the gritty nature of the documentary I am intended upon producing) I am, however, discouraged by the font style as it seems outlandish and far too ‘cartoon’ orientated for the serious theme that is running through both my articles, this is a type of font style I would commonly expect to encounter in a heavy metal themed magazine which does not correspond with the real life personal edge I wish to achieve within my own product. If anything I’m more encouraged by the shade of red then the text style itself that is used to emphasize this masthead.

Here is the main masthead for the sun newspaper. On an initial glance it appears to be an unusual choice for the design I conversed about in my rationale due to the main masthead colored a white tone. Despite this, the reason I selected this particular title was due to me personally being encouraged by the red hue in the background . The red is perfect for the medical red I was aiming for in the masthead of my two articles (it helps to significantly represent the danger of the illness) so I would consider incoporating it into my final project. The style of the font is not too unappealing, it is large enough to attract the attention it is striving to achieve and I like the looks of it for my own masthead so I would consider maybe using something along similar lines during the final construction of the final idea.

Here is another masthead that caught my eye whilst trawling for inspiration. The colour palette overall obviously doesn’t relate to what I desire mine to be (red in my primary concepts and not black). However disregarding this, it is the font style which I have decided to select it for – I believe it is perfect for grabbing the audiences attention to the article, the text is nice to look at, easy on the eyes without too much unnecessary detail and the boldness aids it in standing itself out upon the page more. I am also intrigued with the burgundy shade that the ‘in’ is coloured with – it isnt the bright red I was attempting to recreate for my documentary feature piece yet this colour is dark and gritty which relates to the nature of my programme and the seriousness as well so I may consider revamping my idea to include this shade of color in addition to my existing concepts.

Presented here is an example of the masthead for ‘The Sun’ newspaper corporation as it would be viewed by the public in the national media industry. The cover heavily emphasizes a substantial sized image as the primary method of gaining interest from amongst the audience, with the masthead itself situated in the top left hand corner – demonstrating how prominent and renowned the publication is that it doesn’t depend upon its masthead purely to impress the concernment of the congregation of the public. In my project it is not required of me to fabricate a front cover for my newspaper article – yet I have gained enthusiasm to include my own masthead on the feature to re-illustrate to the audience the name of the merchandise their reading. Most importantly I am extremely impressed with the blood crimson red of the background color palette shadowing the main text of the masthead – it is feverently bright and eye-catching, easily attracting thorough interest to the naked eye. This is perfect for the shade of red I intend to excude in my articles as it is not easily overlooked on an initial glance, connotating ideally with my determination to engage with the audiences attention as soon as possible.

I selected this scanned in image of a front cover to represent an issue of the ‘Rolling Stones’ magazine so I could get an indication of how the red hue of the masthead would contrast with the overall content it is presented alongside with. Looking  at my original feedback, I was discouraged not by the color but the style of font the editors have endured which was the main reason I wasn’t enthralled by this particular text. However my view has been overturned and I am thoroughly impressed with how this text signifies upon the page – it is the most notable feature along with the gigantic image and the deep scarlet red ultimately draws all attention to it. Despite me being tempted by the tone used in ‘The Sun’s’ masthead, it is safe to assume I’m overexcited about this shade of red and that it is extremely likely this will be my color of choice for my final feature publication. This cover is conventially similar to “the Sun’ presented opposite as they both incorporate over proportionate central images as another method of gaining attention