Production Diary 6

This week I have created an equipment checklist so that I am fully aware of what equipment I require when I plan to film. The equipment I have listed so far is: Camera, Tripod, Microphone, Memory Cards, External Hardrive, and video editing software once filming has been completed. Over the course of filming, I may need update this checklist if I require further equipment.

I have also requested for more music permission to use the music by Emily's Army in my documentary.

Equipment Checklist

• Camera

For filming, I will need to use my DSLR Nikon camera. The camera films in HD and is portable enough to film outdoors without having to carry around heavy equipment. The only downside of the camera is the sound quality when filming is poor - using an external microphone will fix this. 

• Tri-pod

In order to get steady camera shots, improving film quality, I will use a Tripod for most shots that I don't need to film handheld. Using a tripod ensures that camera shake doesn't occur in order to get a smooth, steady shot.

• Memory Cards

Having several memory cards for the DSLR camera is important as memory cards can easily become corrupt, losing footage. Because of this, when filming I will make sure that I have several on-hand in order to avoid footage becoming corrupt - the time spent re-filming, if this occurred, would take away from the time I will need to spend editing. 

• External Hard-Drive

Storing footage on an external hard-drive avoids losing footage from memory cards that are likely to corrupt. It is also helpful to carry around when editing, as the vast storage limit allows for a lot to be stored on it.

• Video Editing Software

In order to create my documentary, I will need to use  video editing software to edit clips together, adding in music when necessary. For this I will software such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, etc. 

Music Permission 2

Here are more emails I have sent to record companies in order to request permission to use music by artists.


Emily's Army - Rise Records



Production Diary 5

To further what was mentioned in Production Diary 1, I have created a Consent form for those who are going to appear in my documentary to sign. The consent form will be signed before filming, and states that whoever signs it is giving me permission to use their voice, likeness and participation in my documentary, which will be edited at my discretion - in order to give the documentary a clear direction/message. 

Consent Form

I have created a Consent Form for those appearing in my documentary to sign before filming begins. The form gives myself creative rights over producing content which includes the use of name, likeness, voice, and participation of those appearing in the documentary. Getting those to sign the form avoids issues that may include people wanting to withdraw their participation, etc. 

Here is my Consent Form which has been uploaded to Scribd: 

Personal Appearance Release Form

Production Diary 4

Introduction

Today I have gathered numerous concert footage that I have taken over the years from several different rock concerts. I have decided to use several of the footage I have found during the introduction of my documentary when there is a voiceover. The introduction will be fairly short and introduce the fact that the documentary is about teenage music fans and obsessiveness with music. During which, whilst the voiceover is playing, there will be numerous clips in the background of concert footage and concert photos. The introduction will also introduce the family in which the documentary is about (mainly focussing on the teenage daughter who the documentary is about).

Shot List Plan

I have also created a short plan of shot lists. During the plan, I have discussed the main camera shots that I intend using and why I have decided to use them. I have also discussed how I will edit certain camera shots - such as the time lapse. 

Shot List Plan

Establishing Shot:

Before each scene that takes place in a different location, I will include a short establishing shot of the location - e.g for the clips that take place in the O2 Academy, I will take a daytime shot of the exterior of the venue - the shot will be during the day as so that it is clear what the venue is. There will also be an establishing shot of the outside of my friend's house - the area in which most of the documentary takes place.

Interview Shots

During the interview scenes, I will use a variety of different shots- using more than one camera. These shots include mid-shots for the main camera - the use of the mid shot allows the audience to see more than just the person being interviewed - the bedroom in which my friend is interviewed in has the walls covered in band posters, linking to the purpose and genre of the documentary; the shot will have the interviewee centre in the shot, facing the camera. For the second camera, I will have a close up of the interviewee talking from the side (whilst the other camera is still filming) so that I have the interviews from different perspectives. When editing, I will cut between the two camera angles and edit the second camera into black and white for creative effect (something I have seen in many documentaries). I will also film an establishing-like shot of the bedroom of the interviewee (showing the band posters and concert tickets); the shot will pan around the room and when editing, will have audio from the interview laid over it. These extra features will make the interview scenes more interesting, instead of a single, unedited clip of someone being interviewed.

Time Lapse

In order to avoid a large gap between the interviews/everyday life scenes and the concert footage, I intend to include a time lapse of the journey from my friend's house to the concert venue, with the song "Weighted" by "Frnkiero andthe Cellabration" edited along side it. This scene will include video clips, along with images took at the concert. At a certain instant in the song, the scene will cut to the same song being performed during the concert. 

Production Diary 3

Concert Photos and Videos

I reviewed the photographs of the acts at the concert I attended on 11/11/14 and the concert footage I took. During this time, I also began to plan how I was going to use the footage in the time-lapse I plan on doing of the journey to the concert, transitioning into the actual concert footage. 

The following are a few of the images I took at the concert: 

Risk Assessment and Location Recce

I have also completed a Risk Assessment and Location Recce of the O2 Academy Newcastle. The O2 Academy was the venue in which the concert took place. 

Music Permission

For my documentary, I intend to include music from several artists during cut scenes and background music. However, in order to include music, it is important that i received permission from record companies in order to avoid copyright issues on my documentary.

I contacted Graphite Records (Northern Music) in order to use music by LostAlone, along with Staple Records in order to use music by "frnkiero andthe cellabration".

Here are the emails I sent to several record companies, asking for permission to use their music:

Concert Risk Assessment

Here is my risk assessment: 

Production Diary 2

Interview Questions:

Today I have working on creating interview questions for my documentary. I have attempted to tailor the questions to the specific interviewee in order to get in depth, honest answers in order to strengthen the interview segments in the documentary. 

Music:

I have began researching into the Record Companies of the artists I have decided to use in my documentary. I have constructed and sent emails to Graphite Records (LostAlone) and Staple Records/B.Calm Press (Frnkiero andthe Cellabration), asking for permission to use the music by the artists in my documentary. In the email, I made sure that I included that I was an A2 Media student and the documentary was for educational purposes. 

Concert Footage: 

As I am attending a concert with the people (subjects) of my documentary tonight, I decided to plan out what concert footage I intend to take. 

Interview Questions

The following are questions that I plan to use in the interviews during my question. I have tried to tailer the question to whom is being interviewed in order to get more personal, in depth responses.


Main Cast:
These are the questions that I will ask my main cast of teenagers:
What does music mean to you?
Do you feel that you are obsessed with music? Why?
Do you feel that teenagers are more interested/obsessed with music than older audiences? Why?
What is your opinion on how others view your relationship with music? Does it bother you?

Secondary Cast (family members):
What is your opinion on (insert teenage relative's name)'s music taste?
Does it worry you that music plays a large role in their life?
Describe yourself as a teenager... are their any similarities between (insert teenage relative's name) and yourself at their age.

Production Diary 1

Documentary Cast

I approached my friend and her family, asking for permission to use them in my documentary. During this time, I debriefed them about what it is I need from them and what I intend to include in the documentary. In addition, I also got feedback from them for the idea of a documentary about obsessiveness with music from teenagers and also got suggestions on what I could include in my documentary. 

Music

During this week I also began looking into music that I could use in my documentary. So far, I have decided to use the music by "LostAlone" and "Frnkiero andthe Cellabration". I will begin to research into the Record Companies of these artists in order to request permission to use their music.