Myles' Blog

 

 

Critical Questions  How did your research inform your products and the way they use and challenge Conventions?   This essay is about my A2 coursework documentary, ‘Mountains Bite Back’. Documentary is a technique of showing a non-fictional plot to get an essential message or theme across to your target audience, being defined by John Grierson, who was known as the ‘Father of documentary’, as “the creative treatment of actuality”. My product follows the typical conventions such as drone footage, interviews and voiceovers, being an expository documentary. I took inspiration from David Attenborough’s ‘Planet Earth’, which allowed me to understand how these conventions are used correctly for a documentary of this nature. I filmed my interview in a conventional way to contrast the fast-paced action of the Mountain Rescue teams responding to callouts. Unfortunately, some of this material had to be taken from their own archives, because of the health and safety contraints of being ab...

 Editing Process 1. Firstly, I imported drone footage of mountains, that I shot myself using my drone. My reasoning for the inclusion of mountain ranges at the very start of the production, was to set the overall theme of the production, along with also giving the documentary a gradual introduction, as opposed to a sudden one that may catch viewers off guard. 2. I then imported a 'wind sound' over the top of the mountain footage, to create a dramatic effect. This then fades into a piece of music I took from a video on YouTube, which I think suits my production. When the mountain footage finishes, I added an brief black screen, to give the viewers time to 'breath', but also make the production less rushed. This then fades into archive footage of Mountain Rescue doing callouts. Over the top of this, I added a voiceover of myself, talking briefly about the history of Mountain Rescue and some statistics. 3. After the archive footage, I added some stills of me interviewing C...

Reflection - This has been a useful activity, as it has given me a secure structure for my Instagram page. I intend to do 8 or 9 posts, consisting of a variety of 'stills' of mountain ranges, Mountain Rescue vehicles and more. In amongst this, I intend on having a post about Chris Lloyd (the interviewee), and Myles Webster (the producer). This is to allow my audience to feel more connected to aspects of the production, such as the interviewee, along with knowing who the creator is behind the documentary, and the cause. I want my Instagram page to share the same, 'thrilling' theme that is visible in my documentary, in order to create a sense of branding. The production company 'Webster Films' will feature throughout the Instagram page, in order to grow the recognition of the brand. I may also include a charity post, in order to express Myles' care and compassion for the issue covered, being mountain safety and Mountain Rescue strains.  

Reflection: This is my updated documentary storyboard. I made some small adjustments, such as there being no statistics at the start, but instead of the end. My intention of this is that the statistics have a greater effect at the end, and the mountain footage is more powerful and dramatic at the start. I was also more specific on when i'm going to include 'fade ins' and 'fade outs', along with when music will be included. By doing this, it has given me a more secure structure for when i start my filming, and will hopefully keep me on the right track.