Locations for my documentary (Hospital Environment)

With the topic of my choice revolving around eating disorders for my task I believed it would be crucial to obtain a realistic, convincing environment to conduct the majority of my documentary in. Since a few of the scenes I desire in the filming to be based in a hospital like surroundings, I took time and effort in my free time to discover a location that would be suitable to film within. Listed below are images I have succeeded in taking on a mental health ward that specialises in the treatment of the condition anorexia nervosa.

The image presented above is of a communal conservatory area that is used for recreation during free time for the patients whilst also functioning as a theraputic environment for group sessions and cognitive therapy. It would be ideal if i could film a scene in here, especially if there was multiple patients as it gives the feel the audience would be immersed in the treatment around them. This room could serve highly as a fundimental area to conduct interviews in, as it is quiet and a familiar comfortable place for patients. A camera could easily be set up for steadicam properties however the living space isn't wide enough to use tracking shots/hand held footage as it would be difficult to manouevere in a tightly constructed space with the equipment.

Here I captured a shot of a whiteboard that details some indication of what the viewer is likely to expect whilst observing a therapy session. For confidentiality reasons it would be morally wrong to disclose a patients thoughts in the running of the documentary if they did not wish their opinions to be broadcasted - since therapy sessions can be emotional,sensitive and sometimes embarassing. Although if they are happy to disclose personal experiences I would credit that - for those who wish their information to remain private it would be a neccessity to get them to sign a confidentiality consent form.

This is personally one of my favourite images I photographed on the ward and where I would like some of the filming potentially to be recorded. It displays a communal living arrangment where patients would spend rest periods after meals or if they decided they'd enjoy to socialise. If recording was executed here it would allow us to see 'personal time' with the patints whilst also impersonating the illusion the audience is involved in there with them. A tripod could easily be positioned in the room to allow a panning shot, this would acheive a complete view of the room and if all the patients are present in it provides there is a sense of community and support here. This would allow the viewer to feel part of the 'communitive edge', that they are included in this tightly woven network.

Here is another sample of what I'd expect the audience to witness on screen of the lounge living space surroudings on the ward. In this screen capture I focused on the TV, as this aspect in my opinion displays the notion these patients are not withdrawn from the outside world, that they can constantly relate to what is occuring outside of the confines of the building - this makes them real people and easier to connect with. Moreover the fact that they can enjoy watching a show whilst sitting down offers the notion these are ordinary citizens and not falsifications of what others perceive indiviudals with an eating condition to be like (for example always exercising or purging in some manner). This personifies they can engage in common recreational activities, as viewing the television essentially is an aspect many of us do. Realistically it would be possible to use a tracking shot to get a basic overview of the room, even an establishing shot could be acheived as there is a vast amount of space to operate the equipment in. For personal reasons it would be wrong to infringe or violate someones privacy so patients can be shown only throiugh their own consent.

Although this is a slightly unrelevant photo (being of a suggestion box for improvements to the ward as brought to attention by the patients themselves) I thought it would be ideal to include something like this in the backgrond of the filming. Not only does this indicate that all their woes and concerns are taken into consideration but it portrays a more realistic environment to the audience and that events are taking place constantly even when the camera isnt there to show an operating medical system.

This is an initial image I took in the corridors of the specialist ward. The entrance is visible to the naked eye with staff control rooms positioned on the left of the frame. I think it would be perfect for the opening of my documentary to be set here - by pushing the camera through the doors on a platform or by operating a hand held device it gives a personal point of view perspective to the audience and could give the illusion they themselves are being admitted to the unit.

Here is another lengthways depiction of a corridor on the ward. Indicated on the right are some of the patients bedrooms and a treatment room is located at the top out of the way. A shot like this creates an atmosphere as if implying a long journey is ahead of those in treatment, it also signifies the isolation of the disorder and how help seems a long way for those effected. Tracking shots would be significant here as there is plenty of open space for the camera to follow patients without disruption. Steadiccam would be most effective, allowing me to compose several long shots, essentially this gains a larger view of the ward and captures more points of interests in it. However it also personfiies the length of time patients spend here as the illness itself robs so much time from their hands.

On my final location I decided to shoot some images in a bedroom belonging to one of the patients themselves. The white walls make an excellent back drop, this is where I plan to construct the majority of interviews with the individuals themselves. It offers a realistic environment which we can all relate to with a sense of familarity and being in someones personal space secretes the realism of the documentary as I am actually indulging in their daily lives with them, showing these events did indeed naturally occur.

I took a photograph of the room but full lengthways this time so to highlight the cramped confines the bedroom offers, this emphasises the fact that I will only be viable to employ steadicam technology in here as it is physically impossible to move around in such limited conditions. However the bedroom will serve an excellent purpose of being an ideal set up for some personal interviews as the camera can be focused soley on the patient being questioned - this allows me to construct a more detailed, planned shot which ideally will come out authentic and professional.

General and Specifics for my Target Audience

Here I have outlined the persona type detailing how I perceive my target audience to be

General

 For this segment I need to consider who my target audience is, what I'd expect them to do (occupation etc) and elements of my publication that should be aimed specifically at them.

Age -  16 years and above

Gender - Male and Female

Occupation - Ranging from working class,middle,upper to those studying at school or college. It is a sensitive topic that I am focusing upon that can provoke interest from a range of different people and occupations.

Colour - Neutral tones (white,black,grey) and red to highlight the serious interventions of my project. The colour directly releases the feel of the article and my audience should recgonise its of a mature mindset purely through the tones employed.

Ownership - The BBC co-operation will own the copyrights and distribution mainframe of my documentary. This company appeals to a wide range of audiences through the use of the programmes they screen so hopefully my viewers can be intrigued as to what I'm offering them.

Tone - As my storyline is of a serious nature my audience essentially need to be capable of understanding the mature situation, hence the older age category.

Publisher - BBC (documentary),  for the TV article a well reknowned publication such as the Radio Times or TV Guide. The advert in my newspaper will be framed in a famous national telegraph for example The Telegraph.

Storyline - True life/illness/hope/seriousness, a mixture of elements that reflects the ever changing elements of anorexia and the emotions of those involved

Price - Since the content is appealing to a wide variety of classes it ahould be staggered as reasonable so it is an afforadable price for everyone (this doesn't apply to the documentary)

Genre - Weight/Real life/Drama

Layout

Advertisements (local/national)

In this section I will be focusing upon what genre of things my target audience will be intrigued/interested in and how I can apply this to the three components of my task (documentary, newspaper advert, TV listings double page spread) To execute this I will be referencing and applying Blumer and Khatz's 'Gratification' theory

Personal Identity - This enables my audience to relate to the issues present in my documentary - some may be suffering with the devastating consequences of an eating disorder themselves and witnessing another individual enduring the same condition may help elate the sense they are not alone in their struggles.

Diversion - Reading the TV listings article allows the audience to 'escape' from their daily life by viewing the content - it can act as a distraction from their daily lives, this is heightned if the topic it revolves around is unique or exciting. It may aid as a respite for the families involved with eating disorders and offers them an escape as they can relate to the unfolding situations shown on the documentary.

Personal Relationships - The documentary/Tv listings article may offer a connection with specific groups of individuals. Those diagnosed with an eating disorder may form a relationship with the characters present as they can relate to the discord of living with the illness, parents of those effected may be provided with a sense of relief, comforted by the fact there is others facing the daily discontent of co-inhabiting with a family member struggling with the condition and professionals in the medical field can understand the woes of those present in the documetary as they have witnessed first hand how destructive an influence it has over their patients.

Surveillance - The audience will be informed of statistics in particular how many seperate people are diagnosed with this illness every year, the most effected gender and the documentary can display which locations the patents are at so they will be able to identify which region they live in as it can create a 'closer to home' principle.

Storyboards

A storyboard is employed by a film maker to essentially allow them to visualise how their media production (programme/movie/documentary) will be presented on screen to the audience. It is composed in a shot by shot style, explaining editing throughout the filming and allowing us moreover to anticipate where and how the characters should be visualised in the footage such as how they compose themselves (body language/facial expression), how they interact with their environment (action shots) and most importantly the relationships displayed between the individual actors in the film.

Location/Setting

Before a storyboard can even be considered producing it must be decided where the location and filming will commence. This is required so the crew can acknowledge they can afford to set up the equipment there and most importantly if that environment is easily accessible to production schedules.

Actor

Additional cast members must be liased with and included as the authenticity of the filming is a key element to the construction of the shot. To allow the production to be as 'realistic' as possible it is sometimes worthwhile to employ extra's in the surrounings to make a setting slightly more believable and true to 'current real life' so the audience can connect more readily.

Prop

Before filming it is critical the team are able to obtain the essential props to include in the shots - it would be pointless in allowing a character to have a flash sports car if it was physically impossible to obtain one. It should always be took into consideration the budget of the production to enable all props identified as important in the content to be assessed and determined so they can be included on location.

Movement

All characters/objects should be able to be tracked on screen - this is vital especially if they are a main element to the filming and derive more primary focus. A storyboard allows the director to plan what or who is moving in which direction or what they are doing within the shot. For instances like these it can be deemed approrpiate to incoporate a direction for the actor to move in the storyboard itself (an arrow could be used to represent this)

Camera Movements

This is a primary foundation as camera movements allow you to follow the character throughout the composition of the framework. It needs to be took into consideration what is the approprite method to focus on them (e.g. a gradual extreme close up of their facial expressions or perhaps an long shot etc.)

Shot type/angle

During the making of a storyboard it is of major importance to relate to the editing principle - most importantly the type of shot that is to be constructed. This is created to ensure it looks authentic but also to allow the audience to understand the action that is commencing on screen whether this is an extreme close up, panning shot, establishing etc. Often it is overlooked but the angle of the camera must be took into consideration also - for example if it was in your intersts to make a chaacter look weak and powerless the euipment should be positioned low to the ground to display a low angle shot

Hand-held/tripod

Whilst going through the planning stages a director takes into account how they would like the camera technology to be presented, this gives deciveness on how the equipment is to be operated. If you desire to empoly a tripod it connotates traditional steadiness and equilibrium in the frame - a more professional look. espite this you may consider a hand held video styled camera as this gives the impression of realism as if we are immersed in the world we live in on a regular basis or can connotate that theequilibirium established preiviously has been discouraged (maybe in a violent scene or a heated conflict)

Lighting

Using innappropriate lighting can ultimately convey the incoorect connotations/messages to the viewer. Essentially lighting itself creates a mood or feel in the production (for instance dark eery tones can signal danger/death/fear as if something is stalking an individual)

Special Effects

Occasionally a direcotr may employ special effects into the mainframe of their filming (for example computer generated imagery instead of animatornics for increased realism). In a written piece like newspaper reports or television broadcasts it may be in your interests to establish a 'catchy' tone to represent the show or a quick cut from a programmes logo to the presenter of the show. Sometimes professionals incorporate audio into their shot to be included over the characters diagloue on screen (normally this comes in the form of a soundtrack)

Technical Elements of Script

Starting Point
In the initial primary phases of composing a script it normally commences by incoporating a simple editing strategy (for example 'Fade Out') This immeditelly allows us to engage with the plot, building up interest until the opening scene is under way.

FADE IN:

Scene Heading/Slugline
This element details precisley where the location of the shooting will be set, it can also be used to document the time/moment of the day the shooting of the scene is initiated. It must be realised this particular segment is highlighted in capital letters on the script to emphasise the relevence of how it is to be composed, for example this could be 'INT.MEDIA ROOM - LATE AFTERNOON'. This helps relate to others, such as the crew, detailing when and where the shooting will be done. 'INT' is an abbreivation for interior - this suggests the shot will be conducted in an indoor environment. If you were to consider participating in a scene outside then this wouldbe represented as 'EXT' (exterior).

EXT: SUNDERLAND COLLEGE - NIGHT

Action
Refers to the section of the script that focuses upon what physical events occur in the scene - this will all be printed in present tense for the reader to understand. It can include action for animate objects (humans/animals) or inanimate (vehicles). For example the narrative description may come across as 'its the middle of the night and a car RIDES past a suburban street' and is always printed in present tense.

Character
All characters names are to be displayed in capital letters to emphasise them above other components of the script, as in essence they cannot be ignored if the filming is to flow smoothly. It could be normally shown something like 'GAIL skipped cheerfully down the street, blissfully unaware of the man who is stalking her'. Their name will always be above their speaking lines, moreover if the character has virtually no impact or importance in the content (an extra) then they may be referenced to 'customer' or 'crowd member'

Dialogue
Interacts with a characters line of speech, whether they are present on the set or not - can be used when a character is off screen, this is commonly described as a 'voice over' and will be displayed as a conventional piece of dialogue such as 'is everyone okay?'

STEVE

Hey, how are you?

Transitions
Only viable on a shooting script, describing the editing transit in continuation from one shot to the next. These filming editing instructions are often seen presented 'FADE OUT' or 'CUT TO' so they are not to be overlooked by the director. Transitions most importantly construct how a scene is to change or develop throughout the progress of the script.

DISSOLVE TO:

Shot
When this technical event commences during filming the audience will be able to identify the focal point in the environment has been manipulated and changed - this could be an instance when an incremental zoom is employed to get a closer view point on a certain actor of interest.

Inspiration from Documentary Style Movies/Programmes

The majority of the inspiration for my media coursework rationale originated within this stand off documentary I decided to view one night on the BBC Three television channel. The harsh content delves deep into the world of eating disorders and focuses upon the lives of several young girls living and receiving treatment in a respected specialist centre to aid them in their fight against anorexia nervosa. The way this documentary is composed, focusing upon the girls daily lives in their treatment programme and the personal interviews that they are subjected to throughout their stay inspires me to compose a traditional style documentary - gritty and firmly to the point whilst also being realistic- lacking in heavy camera editing and incorporating a 'realistic' environment (by following the average day of the patients) A lot of the camera work here is done in a 'handheld' style which can be quite shaky at times. I think this personifies the realism of the event and conveys the idea the viewer is actually in the room with them, experiencing what the patients do on a daily basis so they are more likely to convey a sense of sympathy and understanding towards them. The colours displayed within this documentary are very neutral, bland and depressing - this reflects the nature of my idea extremely well as it conveys with the colour scheme I have chosen for the literature side of my project (the newspaper and magazine articles) as well as relating to the style I desire my own clip to be shot in, which in parts will be black and white to highlight the serious nature of the topic being focused upon and the underlying depression and destruction that comes with it. The bleakness highlights the hospital nature of the programme, hence the medical side which also refers back to the colour palette I desire.I appreciate the lack of quick cuts in the composition of this film, mostly as it allows us as a viewer to engage more closely with the girls and their stories rather then flicking back and forwards between separate points of interest as this would disengage the audiences empathy for them. The use of handheld for the more 'action scenes' (when the camera man tails the patients and nurses on foot) contrasts well with the steadicam methodology used for the interviews with professionals and the girls as this conveys how much their opinions, thoughts and feelings do matter and help the audience to diverge deeper into the world of eating disorders through a personal experience. Most importantly it aids the documentary in appearing of a professional standard, highlighting its authenticity. The use of real life environments are focused heavily within the programme through the use of medical wards, to shopping centres and an ordinary family home in a regular estate which personifies that this illness is all around us where we would least expect it to be sulking. For me I believe it would be useful to incorporate these type of surroundings in my documentary as I want to strongly emphasise how 'real' the disorder can be in peoples lives - they need to understand how it destroys family communities apart and if they can relate to the settings the documentary is based in I think the message will be projected clearer.



I stumbled across this documentary whilst browsing Youtube for ideas to improve and expand the thoughts I had distributed in my rationale for my documentary project. Not only was I initially intrigued by the content of this 10 minute segment of the programme (it revolves around weight/fad diets which is a major influence into the development of eating disorders) but when I began to become engrossed within it I found it was a great inspiration for many other technical aspects included. Almost immeditelly into the clip there are useful techniques I am able to distinguish, such as the opening few seconds 0.05-0.30 where the 'plot' of the content for the programme is printed onscreen in bold white font for the viewer to read and interpret. This allows them a mini 'preview' of what is to entail before it is presented to them - it gives a vague understanding as of what to expect in regards to the documentary allowing the audience to decide whether it fits their interests/is worth watching/seems interesting etc. The documentary is vaguely identical to many others I have presented on this page as it has the use of handheld styled camera components - this personifies the realism of the programme and how it is directly relating to situaions we ourselves would encounter in our environments. The equipment is directly used by the presenter Dawn Porter herself for personal documented 'diaries' when she speaks to the camera (and therefore the public) in a sensitive manner as if she was actually addressing them. Furthermore there is additional footage of her being tailed by the camera operator through the streets during a vigorous exercise routine viewed at 0.55-1.16. The environment Dawn Porter is emersed in is a typical setting an ordinary person would be accoustmed to (e.g. an average neighbourhood street), documenting that she is trying to make her size zero film as appealing to the target audience as she can potentially make it by referencing to everyday experiences we encounter (in this specific instance she is doing a ftiness workout which is an activity a majority of the great british public would engage with) Hand-held footage is extremely popular within the content of the samples I have selected to present, further convivning me this line of filming is deffinitely appropriate and beneficial within my own project as it will help personalise the perception of the daily endevaours of someone suffering with an eating disorder and how their real world experiences happen alongst side ours



This seems like an unusual sample to scan for useful ideas relating to my project genre as it is a topic that is a far contrast from the medical health sector I'm focusing upon. However it is not the content but the composition and editing styles of the clip I am most thoroughly interested in. This is a segment from Air crash investigation which incoporates a mixture of reconstructed footage of an aiviation event and professional interviews with those actually involved to explain a story of a near fatal airplane accident. The style in which the interviews themselves are composed is achieved through the use of steadicam technology - at no point does the camera man move or tilt the screen to cause disorientation to the audience, it is 'steady' throughout, the only exception being when an incremintal zoom is done to focus on the interviewees facial expressions to convey their emotions that more directly in a personal level to the viewing public. This is to elict the intended, desired reaction from them (whether it is shock, happiness, fear etc.) Having full attention on an individuals expressions can make a statement clearer with profound emphasis, this is ideal for my rationale as I intend to grasp my target audiences full spectrum of emotions, it is important they themselves feel connected with the individuals interviewed in the footage as ultimately the effect I desire is for them to experience the struggle of another with an eating disorder as empathy is essentially the only method of provoking that. The steadicam asset to this video magnifies the feelings of the interviewees, the lack of jolting movement of the equipment or screen aids in personifing a professional attitude to the production - ultimately I desire mine to replicate this as if my documentary was amateurish it would not broadcast very authentically to my target audience so there is a possibility of them becoming disinterested. Especially during the inteviews when its focused on the individuals suffering from the eating disorders I require the camera to remain as still as possible as this helps to maintain the seriousness of the situation amongst discussion. During the 52 minutes of footage composed to the audience the colours in the environment resemble a fairly bleak palette, with no sudden emphasis on anything in particular - I think this aids to indicate the bleakness of the content, after all an air crash investigation is not a pleasant experience and obviously those interviewed will not be thrilled in explaining how the incidence occured. Tones of colour can effectively portray the nature of the documentary and the story can be experienced more in depth, if the shades relate to the mood of the footage then this conveys the overall feel to the viewers emotions more strongly. I'm going to attempt to replicate this technique in my own project by incorporating neutral, dismal colours in illustration to the bleakness of the medical wards and the underlying danger that is attached to an eating disorder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjeU-iaq0iw&safe=active

The hyperlink inserted will direct you immeditelly to a 'movie' style documentary named 'Supersize Me' which details the experiment by an ordinary man as he undertakes the excrucitating challenge of gorging on Mcdonalds food every day for a month. I decided to view this short film as it related to the health/food industry which is the basis of my eating disorders documentary. During the inital opening of this movie facts about the topic being dicussed (fast food chains and human obesity amongst the general population) can be located at 1.06-1.21, 1.50-1.55 and 2.38-3.00, this is a technique used to entice and interest the audience - if essentially the film makers can gain their full attention in the first few minutes its highly likely they will be swayed to engage with the rest of the production. Despite me only granted a limited viewing time for the length of my documentary I think it would be beneficial to include facts or true statements within the footage - it will help impact more greatly on the audiences empathy if they knew the death totals caused by eating disorders or the multitude of people effected by them in the UK. If i can acheive warm audience reception from the introduction (by including such facts) I may have a greater impact on their feelings which is overall what I would personally like to be my goal at the end of this task bestowed. There is a multitude of different interviewing arrangments scattered throughout the film, professional interviews with patients and doctors conversations can be located at 5.18-6.00 and interviews with a lone individual (who normally has an important role to fill such as a director of a company firm) an example of which is found at 16.39-17.08, both of these compose of steady camera methology where there is little to no unecessary lense movement or disoreitnation of the equipment. This broadcasts the important, serious edge here - the director obviously intends in gaining audience interest here as this is a necessary segment for them to view, it will contain vital knowledge about the message they are trying to transfer (for instance here the narrator uses this professional style interviews to emphasise how destructive the fast food industry is to health and how it can cause life threatening problems as proven by doctors/medical screening tests) Moreover this is the editing style I intend to display in my documentary as I want the issue I'm dealing with to intensily impact on my target audience so they feel the dangerous, life threatening edge to the subject of eating disorders. Furthermore 'Supersize Me' conducts random 'jerky' interviews with members of the ordinary public about the topic of unhealthy food products in addition to the professional constructed ones I explained above, these can be seen at 14.21-15.00 in the footage. The choice allows the producer to incorporate a realistic setting into the scenario - the viewer can relate to the surroundings more as its taking place in an every day environment they are familiar with and can relate to so is familiar to them. It is interesting to see this used in 'Supersize Me' which was originally broadcasted as a movie which would be expected to be as clean and authentic as possible, however this choice of using hand held footage would be excellent amongst my documentary film as the closer to a real life environment I can establish the more likely the audience will be able to identify, understand and sympathise the issue (hence why I desire to shoot in a hospital, the city scape etc as this creates a safe surrounding that most individuals will relate to) The handheld camera methology differentiates away from the traditional 'steadicam' which allows the operator to move the equipment fluintly without causing disorientation or unnecessary sharp movement in the frame. When pursuing passers by the camera itself is tilted reaptedly, knocked about and the framing obscured sometimes making whats on the screen harder to distinguish - this gives an element of a 'normal life' where things are always on the go lacking in perfection. It also personifies realism as it shows that the footage was captured in an actual busy city at a particular time in the day - a situation we can all recognise as being involved in. It helps to broadcast the message of this movie that obesity is happening across the nation in the areas we inhabit - making the reference more real and disturbing that its happening in front of our eyes. If I could prompt a similair reaction for my own eating disorders documentary then I would feel successful as ultimately I want my audience to feel shocked this illness is occuring around them. Therfore the hand held filmography becomes handy as it allows me to manipulate my viewers by verifying this disorder is present in their familiar warm environments. I intend to acheive this by tailing some of the girls to be interviewed by foot or to use general screen time of ordinary people walking by the camera whist moving (as if to mimic its 'walking' in the crowd) to make this realism even that more possible. 'Supersize Me' assertively relies upon quick fade out editing cuts to skip to another scene or related scenario in the film, this style keeps with the pace and continuity of the documentary so each scene unfolds in a chronological order which can be witnessed at 13.13-13.17. I was genuinley interested in the idea of using editing cuts to re-illutirate crucial scenes in my own programme purely for emphasis so it would linger on the audiences mind that extended several seconds. However I would rely on slow wipeout cuts or fading shots as the longer I can keep a particular point of attention on the screen, the likelhood is the viewer would be more observant and take greater heed of the message I am trying to convey towards them

Filming Styles For my Documentary - Steadicam

Steadicam

A steadicam allows the camera to be easily supported and stabilizes the apparatus allowing fluid movement for the camera operator, this in essence isolates it from the operators movements so the shot produced is not 'shakey' or 'jerky' under any circumstances. To execute low-angled priority takes, the camera itself or the sled architecture attached to the operator for mechanical support can be rotated in a vertical fashion, this places the camera on the bottom and sled on top (this can also be viewed as a 'low mode' operation) This particular shot would be ideal for the construction of my documentary as a low angled portrayal of an individual suffering from anorexia could help conform to the audience just how powerful of a hold it has upon the host and how they are virtually incapable of controlling it.

The smallest steadicam avaiable for use with a support arm is the Merlin variety which can essentially carry any camera technology up to a combined weight of 3.2kg. With reference to my documentary it is necessary for me to be able to manouver efficiently throughout the continuity of the footage, if the machinery was too heavy then it would be difficult to keep up with the subjects focused upon in the film. That is why I'm taking into consideration the mass of the equipment I have selected - for my film footage to run as smooth to a professional standard as I desire it is a necessity for me to ideally be able to keep the appliance as stable as what can effectuate to recreate the intended effect. This will be indispensible for the serious one to one interviews over seen in the documentary as if there was to be constant movement throughout the length with the subject continually disorientated from the viewing publics eye then this would not create the authentic convention I am asserted to gain.

Essentially there are two choices in the camera stabilizing system the director can debate upon when initiating a traditional 'tracking' shot
Either : The technology could potentially be mounted upon a wheeled stabilizing system (camera dolly for instance), this becomes operational through the use of levelled balls attached with wheels, however it is an extremely time consuming operation to stage and for many situations involving takes, this method is impractical to set in motion.
Or : The camera operator may hold the apparatus in a hand held grasp. There are several advantages to this choice of methology as it grants an increased amount of speed and overall flexibility as there are no restriction through the use of a moving platform where the camera becomes incapacitated and impossible to deviate in the direction the camera man yearns. 

For my documentary I intend to use a combination of customary hand held shots (these will be incorporated in the realistic 'movement' scenarios when the camera tails the subject by foot) and sustained stablized takes when a competent moment in the filming is fixated upon (an interview or a serious moment perhaps) In regards to the dolly, due to me enrolled in college it will be troublesome to be granted access to the equipment so I may have to settle with an ordinary stablizer for the poised, unwavering shots. I believe I will benefit most graciously by incorporating steadicam technology into the final filming stages of my documentary (especially in the interviewing scenarios) which will allow a more serious tone to be created, emphasising significantly the words and opinions of the interviewees themselves. Hopefully this will personify their feelings more clearly to the audience.

Rationale for my coursework idea

RATIONALE

Out of the many different briefs presented to me for my media assignment the original idea that appealed strongly to my persona was the option of producing a segmented short clip from a new tv documentary approximately lasting five minutes once recorded. Also vital to be included in this particular package was a double page spread from a magazine outlining the documentary and also a newspaper article that focused upon it as well. Immeditately I concluded I wanted to focus entirely upon real life occurances that happen every day in society – I want my product to appeal to the target audience therefore orientating it around something we can relate to or we are familiar with in a sense, that way it wouldn’t appear too outlandish that the audience would have a zero percent chance of ever experiencing (like a tropical expedition documentary for example).  I was therefore strongly influenced by my own experiences with life for inspiration so I have decided to center my documentary around the world of eating disorders, most importantly how food issues effect us all to the present day through the use of the media (celebrities broadcasted on tv, magazines, internet streaming sites etc) whilst showing us the harsh reality of how mentally painful it is to live in such a lifestyle by interviwwing current and recovered anorexia nervosa sufferers.

The target audience for this product have to be sophisticated in a sense to fully understand and appreciate the severity of the illness itself so I will be focusing on attracting the attention of young adults and anyone over the age of eighteen, this age range have more emotional understanding and appreciation whereas younger viewers may be visually upset and disturbed by the phyical consequences of the devastation of anorexia (moreover graphicness such as the emaciation of the bodily frame) Moreover a large percentage of eating disorder sufferers are between the ages of 14 and above so there is a significantly raised chance of older individuals experiencing this compared to someone who is classified in a younger age category.

 For both the magazine and newspaper articles I would like the central photography to be incorporated in a black and white effect – particularly with the girls who the documentary will be focusing on. This reflects the ‘black and white’ thinking of a person suffering with an eating disorder, they view the world through their own thoughts and judgements with the illness convincing them they are always in the right leading to the belief everyone is against them. The dull hue also describes the feelings of isolation and entrapment an individual will feel as their illness drives a wedge between those they love and cherish the most. The shots of the girls I want as the main images I would highly prefer to be blurred and distorted, for me it helps to highlight the mysteriousness around the subject – what causes people to inflict such self harm upon themselves? Not only that but it reflects how ‘out of reality’ anorexia can take someone making their existence seem lost and misplaced as they lose themselves from those around them and into the illness itself.

Due to the nature of my brief instructing me that I need to fulfil the criteria of both a magazine and newspaper feature revolving around the content of my documentary I think it is essential the colour scheme overall should be the primary method of attracting reader interest to my media production. Due to my target audience ranging from young adults to middle aged citizens it is necessary to not only revolve the colour scheme around the documentary but the public as well, it is of importance to gain the interest of the correct target age range as this allows the feature to be viewed potentially by the largest number of people possible in the age margin. I have resorted to incorporate a neutral colour scheme to both the magazine listing and the newspaper coverage; this will provide the most basic of shades from grey, white and black. This may seem mediocre and boring yet I believe it relates to my concept perfectly and ties in remarkably fitting with the complexity of eating disorders. It not only portrays the sad, lonely existence of the ordeal of an individual suffering from the illness, but the numbness they feel ( it is commonly described that patients feel ‘cut off’ from the world and that they live in a reality of their own with only the disorder for comfort) this therefore reflects their separation from society itself. Moreover the neutral tones appeal strongly to the adult age range I am focusing upon, as visually it is not intriguing to an individual of the younger generations who are potentially more engaged by bright, sharp and colourful productions, whereas an adult would be fairly able to decipher the severity of the topic through the usage of dismal colours. I think most importantly the shades I am choosing help to reflect the sincerity and severity of the situation for a person enveloped in the snare of an eating disorder, it also expresses the public health and beauty genre as bland colours are often of use in many traditional hospitals and inpatient services where these illnesses may be treated. Most importantly it markets a mature mindset to fully grasp – hence why adults are being targeted.

An important aspect of creating a feature is to ensure you can claim the audience’s immediate attention almost instantly – this certifies success. So for me relying on a balanced colour scheme and well constructed font/text can guarantee a successful production. The main headline for the articles will be encased in a striking, dramatic bold font – this will easily grasp the reader’s point of interest. Although I am primarily orientating around a neutral colour layout I have decided to include a cover line for the features, this I wish to be presented in a visually dramatic burgundy/scarlet red shade. A tone of this proportion is not easily overlooked by someone browsing through a magazine; red connotates danger, a warning, which essentially is the reaction I am intending to provoke. For someone suffering from an eating disorder, particularly anorexia, there are many physical complications which range in severity and eventually leading to death if not treated effectively. These consequences are what I wish to highlight through the use of this colour – that the outcome for a person who is not effectively treated is not a joyful one. Red can be seen as symbolising the heart as well, and how it is the heart of the individual themselves which drives their illness to the extreme and is the bearer of the life they are losing, yet it can be seen as the audience lending their heart and sympathy towards the situation. Hearts symbolise the health genre which this documentary is moreover focusing upon and how the staff of many hospitals fight to save the lives of those seriously malnourished on the brink of ebbing away completely. The red contrasts well against the neutral layout making the cover line easily identified on the page itself. I want my cover line to be of an original origin and want to venture away from the classic cheesy line a writer might use relating to the programme or a piece of information detailing the content of the show so I decided upon using a quote taken from one of the girls interviews – this conveys highly the personal nature of the documentary and that real life people are being focused upon. This is appealing to the audience as it indicates this is someone’s thoughts and feelings – not a mash up piece of script a writer has thrown together, reflecting the very serious real life situation they are involved within. Due to it being directly taken from an individual, the quote should be presented in italics with speech marks to symbolise this point further. The main informative body of text that describes the contents of the documentary will be situated underneath the cover line, this is to allow continuity and a rhythm to be established within the article, this way the audience can clearly identify that each individual piece of text is linked to one another and follows in a traditional continuative editorial fashion. The font here will be smaller then the cover line to minimise the risk of them blending together and appearing as one long continuous feature which may appear off-putting for the audience to read, the different sizes will allow the reader to distinguish the centre piece article from other related pieces of text. The font on the main body will be presented in black to link in with the neutral tone establishing that vital consistency. Important words will be displayed in italics to divert the readers gave to these important selling points of the feature which will be more easily imprinted and remembered later.

Since the layout for the magazine could be constructed to follow so many different paths I initially found it challenging to employ an appropriate plan of what I’d guarantee it to look at when presented to my target audience. I decided to firstly go for a more obvious method of placing the main headline at the top of the page, which would carry on over both sides of the double page spread, this emphasises the importance of the documentary to the audience. Underneath this on the right hand side would be the follow up cover line which will explain a few more minor details about the programme to engage additional interest from the reader. I’m confining the main body of text which focuses entirely upon the documentary to the right page of the spread to allow the left to expose the large image relating to the documentary – this photo is what I am relying upon to gain me the maximum visual interest from the audience as entirely possible.

Whilst I was researching ideas for what I could possibly create within the content of my products I observed, read and watched various forms of media to gain more insight into the target area of documentaries my brief focuses upon. I began by viewing stereotypical health related shows such as 'Supersize vs Superskinny' and 'Embarassing Bodies' as I was interested throughly in the method of filming the chose, most commonly the Steadicam technology that was employed to film individuals during their personal interviews. This relates massively to the content of my documentary as i would hopefully be filming girls with many forms of eating disorders, I feel it would be most appropriate to film them in a traditional interview style with the camera equipment mounted upon a tripod. This would prevent it from wobbling and therefore create a very professional, sleek look to the documentary. The words of the girls would have to be taken extremely seriously as ultimately they would be documenting their hardships and battles faced with a devastating illness, this deserves a level of respect so by keeping the technology steady it would help to illustrate further the seriousness of their conditions. In the cases of the programmes I mentioned above, Steadicam allows the audience t directly connect with the individual on the screen as they can have a stronger relationship with their stories, as the lack of camera movement personifies the dramatic and sometimes serious tales they have to tell which in turn causes the viewer to focus on them more intentionally and to highlight the nature of what is being discussed. I am interested in using a dolly at some point as I feel it would be beneficial to follow the girls of the documentary around in their every day lives, this would show a sense of 'normality' and that they can engage with an average life rather then being completely absorbed by their eating disorder every moment of the day. For reference point I was inspired to watch 'Supersize Me'. Although this is a movie it ultimately is a documentary in essence, revolving around the obesity epidemic caused by the many fast food industries that are distributed in our nations. This is typical hand held footage which is shaky and slightly disorientated, normally this is employed to cause confusion in the audience yet for this programme in particular it is used to 'track' the main narrator as an 'in the moment' filming technique as they follow him around his every day life. It is highly effective as it appears to be filmed during real time rather then in a scripted situation so emphasises the spontaneous nature of the documentary and the effort that has been given to perceive a very realistic environment the audience can engage and empathise with. Since my content focuses upon eating disorders in an average household, in an average living area it may be of great use to go for a hand held filming style as this would enable the viewer to recognise these girls live in similar environments as them, making the connection stronger between the audience and the girls, that they aren't just unique individuals but are just as normal as me and you. The viewer may also be able to relate to the settings in the documentary (housing estates, shopping malls) as these are typical places we would go to and be found in during an every day course of life, familiar environments provides a comforting edge to the audience that they can relate to these nostalgic areas.

Furthermore I was influenced by a book I read a few months ago called 'Thin' by Grace Bowman, a young woman who has fully recovered from anorexia. Not only did the content of the novel startle and disturb me at times, I felt like incorporating some of the concepts she mentioned (such as exercise, restrictive behaviours) could enhance my documentary, overall I would consider asking the girls questions like this if it is to highlight the destruction of the illness (and therefore alarm and shock the audience) whilst also prompting a more intriguing and interesting content of my programme which would allow the viewer to remain engaged with it. Most importantly I was heavily influenced by the front cover of her publication as it portrays a woman with anorexia, yet you can't see her face so all emphasis is upon her body. This concept truly fascinates me in that excluding someones facial features could pull more attention to them physically (which would be beneficial in portraying the physical complications of the illness), I think it would be an amazing idea to take with me for when I develop the poster and double page spread for my brief and what type of images I should consider using.