Long Road Media Technical

'A risk assessment is not about creating huge amounts of paperwork , but rather about identifying sensible measures to control the risks in your workplace.' - http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/controlling-risks.htm 

For your film production you need to produce risk assessments for the locations you intend to film in (your workplace), these should indicate any hazards that you may face and how you intend to control the risks you face. You need to produce documents that indicate the risks and how these will be managed. A template is here:

As with a recce report the Location manager is in charge of health and safety on a shoot http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles_and_stories/job_roles/2943_location_manager_film

The recce report is an important document as it indicates that you have planned your shoot and are aware of issues that may arise whilst shooting in a particular location. Its purpose is to obtain information about a location by visual observation, this observation should then be recorded in a document that can be shared amongst a film crew. It should include the following information:

• The name of the location
• The physical location - This can be marked on a map
• A description of the location - This should include information about sound, lighting and accessibility issues e.g opening times
• Pictures of the location - Ideally these would be taken at the proposed time of shooting
• A floor plan or map of the location - This can mark out where you are thinking of filming from

Within the industry a location manager would often undertake this role http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles_and_stories/job_roles/2943_location_manager_film

You need to produce examples of set design for your film production. This should be a visual representation of what you expect the finished project to look like. As with a fictional film production you have to control what the film looks like and consider how the setting can generate meaning for the audience. Your set design should include the following:

• Photos/drawings of what you hope the sets for each scene will look like 
• Photos/drawings of the locations that you hope to use
• Written explanation of what you the overall look of the film to be

A detailed outline of what a Production Designers job is can be found at http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles_and_stories/job_roles/737_production_designer

You need to produce a hand drawn storyboard for your production. This will be about 20+ frames that outline how you intend to shoot your documentary. It will include a clear idea of how you intend to frame certain interview subject as well as the type of cut away shots you intend to shoot. It is a planning document so there will be changes from your original drawings to the final output.

Examples of how storyboards work can be found here http://www.artistdaily.com/blogs/drawing/archive/2008/07/07/coen-brothers-movies-drawing-storyboards.aspx

Your treatment should be no more than 2 sides of A4 and should be clear to read, well punctuated with subheadings.  It may include a picture if it helps set the mood of the piece.  Your treatment should include:

• A working title - This can alter from initial idea to finished production
• A synopsis - This is a short paragraph which explains the key features of the story
• The themes and concept of the film - What is the film about? What themes will your film deal with? Love, friendship, ambitions, recovery etc...
• The length and other technical details - This is how long you think the finished production will be and the format that it will be shot in e.g. HD Digital and the sound e.g. stereo sound
• An outline of the target audience -  This should be more detailed than just the age and gender of your audience, most of your ideas have a broad audience base and this should be considered. Yu can also make links to similar documentaries.  You should also indicate where you hope it will be shown e.g. film festivals, type of cinema, online (which type of sites?)
• Your contact details
  

There are four Learning Objectives (LO's) for this unit. These are as follows:

LO1 = Be able to produce pre-production materials for an original short film or sequence of a film

LO2 = Be able to produce production materials for use in an original short film or sequence of a film

LO3 = Be able to edit production materials to produce an original short film or sequence of a film

LO4 = Be able to propose certification for the original short film or sequence of a film produced based on feedback gained from a focus group

There are Merit and Distinction criteria for LO2 and LO3. The guidance for achieving these is as follows:

LO2 (Merit) = Learners’ filming is proficient. Camera, lighting, sound and mise en scène techniques are fit for purpose and used effectively to create meaning within the planned outcome. The footage for the original short film, or sequence of a film, produced by learners is generally of a good technical standard and quality

LO2 (Distinction) = The footage for the original short film, or sequence of a film, produced by learners is generally of a high technical standard and quality. Conventions of the chosen genre are followed, within the intentions of the production. The camera, lighting, sound and mise en scène are used to good effect to enhance meaning, within the intentions of the production

LO3 (Merit) = Learners’ editing is proficient and post-production additions are used effectively to create meaning within the planned outcome. The final edit of the original short film or sequence of a film, produced by learners is generally of a good technical standard and quality

LO3 (Distinction) = The final edit of the original short film, or sequence of a film, produced by learners is generally of a high technical standard and quality. It will be generally skilful with continuity and post- production additions being utilised to enhance meaning, within the intentions of the production

What next?

Your work for this project has been very good, you have all produced work that you should be proud of. However in order to achieve the merit and distinction criteria you must meet the pass criteria first so please check your work. 

Use the checklist to make sure that you have completed each task or have the paperwork, you should use screenshots of your editing to illustrate the post production work you have completed, you can also complete a post about the kit that you have used. 

You also need to:

• Complete the edit
• Complete the soundtrack (All work should be copyright free! If you have used sound from free sound you need to credit the work in your credits)
• Complete the titles 
• Complete the credits. 

There are 5 Learning Objectives (LO's) for Unit 11, these are as follows:

LO1 = Understand scripted elements in a range of media products 

LO2 = Be able to generate ideas for the scripted element of a media product, in response to a client brief 

LO3 = Be able to produce the scripted element of a media product, in response to a client brief 

LO4 = Be able to present the scripted element to a client for feedback 

LO5 = Be able to revise the scripted element using client feedback 

Of these LO's you can achieve Merit & Distinction marks on LO3 and Merit marks on LO4. The criteria for achieving these are as follows:

LO3 (Merit) = Learners demonstrate proficient writing skills to produce a script with a good narrate structure. The process and conventions used are appropriate for a script. The dialogue is appropriate for the storyline and characters. [You should remember that you have created a script for a documentary and should consider the people interviewed as 'characters', you will also have a 'story' that you are telling.]

LO3 (Distinction) = Learners produce a script that is generally of a high technical standard and quality. They adapt the script for use as a shooting script by adding in camera operator directions.  [This is an area that most, if not all of you have to complete. You will get feedback and guidance on how to alter your first draft accordingly this week, Monday 24th November]

LO4 (Merit) = Learners make purposeful and relevant changes to their script based on the client’s feedback [This means listening to the advice given to you and making changes!]

What you need to do:

Check your work against the checklist and see what you still need to do. If you have work in a notebook it would be helpful if this could be scanned and uploaded to your blog (we can help you with this). 

In order to demonstrate research into other screenplays you need to make a short presentation using PowerPoint or Keynote that discusses how a film or television programmes genre and target audience can influence a screenplay. Your presentation should include the following slides:

• Title slide
• Choice of TV programme or film (Should be contemporary e.g. within last 8 years), include a short summary of what it is. This may include how long the show ran for? What genre the series or film is etc...
• You should find an interview with the films writer online. Read it or watch it and either pick out key quotes or embed the video in the presentation. Please remember to list the source. 
• What themes are present in the film/TV programme? How are this typical or not of the genre? 
• Who is the target audience for the film/TV programme? How can you tell? 
• Summary of key points. 

There are some useful tools for creating info-graphics at this website.

This is a good starting point:

You should be well under way with the planning of your documentary and should be beginning to have a clear idea of what you imagine it will look like. You should be completing the following tasks:

1. Draft script - This is a first draft of your script, it should aim to be as complete as possible and provide a clear idea of what you imagine the documentary would look like. It is a draft so will alter over time but it should make reference to all the material that you need to film. Your script needs to be be between 5-10 pages long as each page of script will equal about a minute on screen.

2. Mind map/flow chart of sequences - this is a visual representation of your script and provides an idea of the order that the finished film would run. 

3. Draft shooting schedule - this can be produced as a table and should outline who and what you need to shoot and when. It also should include the documents you need to complete for that part of the shoot. This is a draft and will be altered and developed in future sessions.