commission & distribution log - week 5 23/11/07

I found today’s lesson hugely comforting in that we actually began the process of organising and forming the material we had collected into a radio program. I also interviewed Sarah Pitt on the distribution process. The practicalities of this interview were quite challenging as we didn’t have a recording space or the correct equipment for the job but we managed to work around this problem using a portable DAT machine. Although not perfect I was pleased with the resulting interview that, I found fun doing and I feel is great material for my program. Sarah answered all my questions and after listening back to the interview I realized that there were questions that I hadn’t asked that I would need to ask my next Interviewee or expand on myself using script. Especially around rights and the future of distribution.

Commission & Distribution Log - Week 1 05/10/07

Hi Mike, here with week one of my log...

We spent the lesson researching the commissioning process in particular editorial guidelines. We examined the BBC commissioning website http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/ to look at theirs.

This is an extract from the site:

The BBC is committed to delivering the highest editorial and ethical standards in the provision of its programmes and services both in the UK and around the world.

We seek to balance our rights to freedom of expression and information with our responsibilities, for example, to respect privacy and protect children.

The BBC Editorial Guidelines are a statement of the values and standards we have set for ourselves over the years. They also codify the good practice we expect from the creators and makers of all BBC content, whether it is made by the BBC itself or by an Independent company working for the BBC and whether it is made for:

* radio
* television
* online
* mobile devices
* interactive services
* the printed word.

Editorial guidelines are important to the producer as they provide a framework to work around and give an idea of the type of content the channel commissions. Editorial guidelines differ from one channel to another. What would be appropriate for BBC 1 may not be appropriate for Channel 4. This alludes to the four DO's when pitching for a commission (selling your idea):

KNOW YOUR CHANNELS
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
KNOW YOUR MARKETS
KNOW YOUR BUSINESS

There are literally hundreds of channels from terrestrial's such as BBC 1 and ITV to free view and satellite channels like Sky 1 and the discovery channel and each one has different guidelines .We also looked at channel 4's commissioning website http://www.channel4.com/corporate/4producers/ It was interesting to note that due to the nature of commissioning,the fact that treatments are passed around the company to different departments, Commissions are only excepted in electronic formats such as word or PDF documents.

Treatment for individual project

Idea
The Clifton suspension bridge is instantly identifiable as Bristol’s best-loved and most famous icon. This program aims to explore the relationship between the bridge and the people of Bristol.

Concept
The program will use interviews with volunteers on location at the bridge and Vox pop’s from tourist’s and locals. This will be tied together using a presenter and some suitable music.
Synopsis
This short 10-minute documentary will examine the connection with the Clifton suspension bridge’s status as an icon with the people of Bristol using interviews, Vox pops and a presenter.

Sounds Lost

Sounds Lost is a short film depicting the decay of communication in society since the advent of the ipod. I designed and mixed the sound.I found working on this a real challenge especialy re-editing the music so that it worked with the hit points.

Tunnel

This is a Tunnel montage by my brother, Lawrence who is a student at the London school of film and television. He asked me to create an abstract sound track which, I did. I built the sound around a piece of music by John Cage. I felt it captured the anxious claustrophobic tension of the film.

Sound for Animation

Hey, mike here...I want to discuss sound for animation. Well, at least reflect upon the assignment "sound for picture" and give you my thoughts on the subject! There is lots of reading on sound for animation and I learnt many new terms for the techniques involved like :

VIVIFICATION
Manifest living traits in inanimate objects (scream from doormat)

HYPERBOLE
Obvious and intentional exaggeration (scream with alarm clock)

What I found interesting in looking at sound for animation was the aspect of non-human verbal communication. I found it really challenging creating these effects - and - a lot of fun! When I was recording I found it really helped to watch the animation and perform the actions of the character - this gave the sounds more expressiveness and emotion.
I also used layering techniques common in sound for picture when creating foley for the assignment. I'll refer to the definitions for an explanation. I used Hyperbole in creating my football FX which, was made up of found sound, real world and samples. I layered the sound of a football being kicked that I recorded with the sound of a spring "boing" with a white noise whoosh. Together they give a "cartoony" feel to the sound still recognisable as a football being kicked. The sound is "empethetic".
I really enjoyed the peer evaluation aspect of this assignment as it allowed me to comment critically and objectively on other animations. I also found it helped me to cement the knowlege I gained from this assignment!

Notes

Richee
Feedback- great sound mix. Synced well. Good quality recorded Foley. Sounds missing, ducks, bumps, Non diagetic sounds for cabbage worked well.

Adam
Sheep sounds good. Cartoon FX good. Unempethetic sounds…farmer! Some sounds missing. Don’t fit the genre

Kirsty
Fast pace…great music. Sound mix not great! Good FX!

Lloyd
Great sound mix. Lot’s of space. Lot’s of non-verbal communication…Good Foley ruler boing!! Polished. Non-verbal borders on human… duck sounds like pig!! Underscore? Use of tempo???

Star Skit

I was asked by the program controller at Star radio to put together a short promotional video detailing the station's successes over the past year. Given the tight deadline (24 hrs) and using the company's core values, Profesional, open minded, Fun, fair and unconventional, we decided upon a comedy skit. I felt we captured the spirit of fun which makes working at star fun and ultimatly the most successful station in the group.

Actuality

Actuality was the subject of the first lecture in year two of FdBm..

- The live or recorded sound of an event or interview on location.
Live or as it "Actually" happens.
(Radio handbook, Carol Flemming)

We examined the use of actuality in the news...

It is particularly useful in local news creating "rapport" and "locality". It can create emotional connections and strengthen brand awareness. Stations such as Star radio in North Somerset have very minimal staff and a small budget but still do very well in the RAYJAR because of their commitment to local news and the use of actuality "on the scene" "live from" content in their news bulletins.

Bath FM's Laura Harrison had this to say-

"Actuality is really important, as I use it as much I can and and if I'm out and about interviewing people I always want to interview them somewhere where there's a bit of background noise.
It important because it shows the listener that we are out in the community where they are and of course the direct result of that it that they know we care about Bath and care about them...therefore we're local.
Here at Bath FM we do alot of OBs which has the same effect because it's bringing the brand out to the listener, they can then relate to us - and we're not just a bunch of lemons sitting in an office and not having a clue.
I think it also makes for appealing radio because as a listener you want to hear your radio station out in your community.

Last week we went to an old railway tunnel which was re-opening for the first time in years. The journalist walked the whole mile through the tunnel with a load of school children. It sounded immediate, it sounded interesting (because anyone can sit in an office and interview someone)and it it sets the scene a lot more. The listener can imagine themselves there and its all about making the listener believe that they are there with the others.

Live content's good because it is very immediate and up to date A few second world war bomb's have been found in Bath since I started here in April and we always get down to them because its what people are talking about in the pub - how stupid and out of touch with the local community would we look if we just sat in an office and speculated or just read what the press officers gave us?! Nine times out of ten live content will be top of the bulletins because it happening there and then".

(Bath FM News editor, Laura Harrison)

We were asked to create a narrative to accompany two pictures in the form of an "on the scene" news bulletin.

Our correspondent Michael Huck at the Popo river in Binan...

Suspended in a sea of debris, his hair slick with an oily film from the flotsam and jetsam of a nation's waste that surrounds him. This young boy is desperate to seek refuge from the sweltering afternoon sun.

From the look on his face on could presume he's faced with attack from the myriad predators in this region of the Philippines...Snakes, piranha's or an alligator perhaps?

This treat however is far more deadly. Over 90 percent of rivers in the PPhilippines have been classified as biologically dead. this floating landfill site is a stark and timely reminder of the damage we as mankind are inflicting on the environment.

End Of Term..

Hey, Mike here. I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone involved in Weston Rock. Cast and Crew. Bob, Sue and Andy but especially my classmates. Richee, Lloyd, Symon, Adam and Kirsty...You guys rawk! Have a great summer everyone!!

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