Editing: Step One

I started off by putting all of my footage into the editing software 'Final Cut Pro X' which I will use to create my documentary. I then started inserting clips from the event into the 'project' and have created a small montage at the beginning of my film, to summarise the contents and ideas of my documentary. Later on in the editing process I plan to insert a voice-over perhaps using my own voice, or maybe a friend's. I would like to use voice-overs throughout my documentary because I think that it's a key convention of expository documentaries. 

I have chosen Lily Allen's track 'Hard Out Here' for the beginning of my documentary, as I think that this song relates to the issues which I explore in my project. Although, I have not used the usual version... Instead I decided to use the instrumental as it will not take focus away from the voice overs. 

Research & Planning: Music Inspiration

Although a lot of what is represented in the media presently, is of 'perfection' which can be damaging to society, there are some aspects which have an extremely positive representation/message. Pop culture is becoming more and more diverse such as Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful'.

Meghan Trainor

"Pop's weighty issue: All About That Bass and other body-positive anthems"

"Physical scrutiny of female pop artists is intense, but stars such as Meghan Trainor, with her breakthrough chart smash, are fighting back with fierce celebrations of flesh"

‘Unswerving body-positivism’: Meghan Trainor’s All About That Bass. 

"Yet its candy-coated, doo-wop-inspired cuteness is only part of the story – the true selling point is its unswerving body-positivism. “Yeah, it’s pretty clear, I ain’t no size two,” sings Trainor, vocally a reedy cross between Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. “But I can shake it like I’m supposed to do/ ’Cos I got that boom-boom that all the boys chase/ And all the right junk in all the right places.”
It’s the defiance of a woman who’s been made to feel she’s not the right size (later in the song she allows herself a dig at “skinny bitches”, and their “silicone Barbie doll” looks), but has decided to see her boom-boom as an asset rather than a flaw."

Taken from The Guardian online: click here    

Lily Allen, Music Video Controversy

I thought that the controversy related with Lily Allen's newly released music video for her latest single is a perfect example when discussing the ways in which women are portrayed in the music industry and media as a whole. Allen uses exaggerated sarcasm to get her viewpoint across in this video, showing what unfortunately the music induustry is like for women.  

 

This is the music video to Lily Allen's new single 'Hard Out Here'. She has received lots of controversy for her choice of content in the video, and people have different opinions on it. It is a great example of the representation of female artists in the music industry as her lyrics and video mock the stereotypical and general views of women and female musicians. 

This article from the daily mail shows some views on the matter.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2507615/Lily-Allen-hit-race-row-sexist-Hard-Out-Here-video-parody.html

'The gaze' is mentioned where Allen sings the lyrics "don't you want to have somebody who objectifies you?" as in the idea that women are representated to please men.

In my opinion, the video simply reflects the lyrics being sung, where she explains how women are exploited in the music industry, shown in her video, although this does not necessarily mean that she agrees with it. For example, she sings 

"If I told you about my sex life

You'd call me a slut

Them boys be talking 'bout their bitches

No one's making a fuss"

which shows how women are much more criticised in the media in comparison to males. I do not think that Lily Allen is exploiting black females in her video, although it is very uncomfortable and stereotypical, I think that these measures needed to be taken in order for her point to be made. It has aroused publicity and debate, which is what I think she wanted in order for her views to be recognised. 

Robin Thicke also received negative criticism for his music video to the single 'Blurred Lines' however, I think Allen's video is vastly different since sarcasm is clearly highlighted in both her lyrics and the video contents itself.

For example, in one part of the video, Allen parades in front of balloons spelling out "Lily Allen has a baggy pussy", a sarcastic imitation of the Blurred Line's "Robin Thicke has a big dick" display. Although, Lily's choice to open the audience up to such a personal remark, shows her strong self confidence, where she says this about herself so that the media can not.

                        

Planning: Focus Group

Focus Group:
I created a focus group in order to receive feedback from people who fit within my target audience. 

3 members of my focus groups are in the primary target audience for my documentary (teenagers/females - age group: 15-25)
The other 2 members are in the secondary audience (males aged between 16-30, and females aged 30+)




Name: Ellie
Age: 15
Interests & Hobbies: music & television, socialising with friends, drama
Occupation: secondary school (GCSEs)
Audience: primary [target]

       .

Name: Christie
Age: 18
Interests & Hobbies: dance, shopping, fashion
Occupation: dance college
Audience: primary [target]

Name: Kiah
Age: 23
Interests & Hobbies: art, film, singing, socialising with friends
Occupation: currently unemployed i.e. travelling / work experience / volunteering
Audience: primary [target]

Name: Samantha
Age: 36
Interests & Hobbies: photography, reading, running, mother
Occupation: wedding photographer 
Audience: secondary [mother of member in primary audience]








Name: Cameron
Age: 19
Interests & Hobbies: video games, football
Occupation: university (student)
Audience: secondary [brother of member in primary audience]

Planning: Technology

I have been using two cameras to film my footage. The larger camera has a higher quality, therefore I have used it to film the interview sections of my documentary. However, I have used my Canon SX40 for cut away footage etc as it is more portable and was easier for me to carry around. 

When filming the interview sections, I tried to use a tripod as much as possible since it makes the shot a lot more steady and therefore more professional. However, I have tried to use a large variety of different shots, some with a tripod and some without. 

Editing: Micro-Video

I decided that I would like to have a short title sequence for my documentary…
I follow an account on Instagram: http://instagram.com/meagancignoli which has inspired me to use a short 'micro video' section which involves taking multiple photographs and putting them together to create a moving image effect. 

Here is the link to Megan's personal website which has many examples of these type of photo-videos - http://ilovemeagan.com 

I have created my own 'practice' video on iMovie which I have uploaded to Vimeo below.

I made this micro-video when my documentary idea was about Britain, therefore it represents quintessentially British features. However, I am still considering using a micro-video sequence for the title part of my product.


Micro-Video Practice from Beth Moss on Vimeo.

I found it quite difficult to produce this video, even though it is rather short. 
Firstly, I had to set up my camera on a high tripod so that it stayed in the same position for each photograph which was taken.

After inserting all of the photos into iMovie (there were approx. 260 pictures in total) I made them all the same length (0.1 seconds each) by selecting a photo and ticking the 'Applies to all stills' box on the options menu: 

What I'll do differently next time…
Next time I will make sure I take the photos in a place in which the lighting cannot change, as the lighting slightly varies throughout the sequence of photographs. 
Also, I will make the sequence shorter, as it is rather long and could be viewed as rather tedious for the audience. 
I will add music to the sequence to make it more exciting and easy-wathcing. 

Research & Planning: After Effects tutorial

This video shows an animation made in After Effects in which lots of different effects have been merged together. This video has inspired me to use After Effects in my own product, therefore I plan to play around with the programme and try to create my own sequence. 

I would like to use After Effects for the title sequence in my documentary. I have not yet decided exactly what kind of sequence I will try to create, but I have watched some tutorials on how to use the programme as it is completely new to me. 

Research & Planning: Target Audience

Target Audience... My target audience is females in the age group 15-25 (teenage girls - young adults) as I believe that this audience can relate well to the contents and ideas of my documentary. Also, realistically, I think that this is the age group that would be most interested in the documentary genre: lifestyle / fashion / health.

My secondary audience would be males ages between 15-25 as friends / in a relationship with a member of the target audience. As well, women over 30 who might be a relation to members in my target audience. 

 

I made this audience profile on Photoshop to represent the interests of my target audience. The collage shows the following interests:

• technology
• social media
• fashion
• shopping
• reading
• tv series 
• photography 

Planning: Lexicon of Words

I made a lexicon of words on www.worlde.net to show the themes of my documentary. Furthermore, this is the expected vocabulary for my documentary content and many of these words or ideas will occur in my project.

Log / Research: Louise Redknapp

http://www.louiseredknappofficial.co.uk/tv/


'The Truth About Size Zero'




This documentary is another influence for my own product, with similar ideas and themes. It is quite similar to 'SuperSlim Me' which I have previously analysed.


http://metro.co.uk/2007/03/09/louise-redknapps-the-truth-about-size-zero-becomes-thinspiration-for-anorexics-162091/


http://metro.co.uk/2010/10/03/louise-redknapp-i-still-worry-about-being-too-fat-533795/

Research: Information needed for documentary

Research: Genre and Codes & Conventions

Some documentary genres:

• Animated 
• Art & Culture
• Digital storytelling
• Docudrama
• Docufiction
• Ethnofiction
• Ethnographic film
• Lifestyle
• Mockumentary
• Mondo film
• Nature 
• Pseudo 
• Reality film
• Semidocumentary
• Travel
• Visual sociology

I have analysed the codes and conventions within the genre that my documentary is in (lifestyle) and I will incorporate as many of these as possible into my own product.

Research & Planning: 'Super Slim Me' Analysis

I have analysed the opening 5 minutes of 'SuperSlim Me' which was broadcasted on BBC Three in 2007

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-432939/My-quest-size-zero.html


http://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2007/may/08/anoriginaldietdocumentaryf