Production: Testing footage (interview)

I decided to test out a section of the footage I had filmed by editing it in iMovie. I chose to do this with the interview, as this is a crucial part of my documentary. This is something I will show my focus group, so I can gain their opinion on what they think of what I have created so far.

At this moment in time, I haven't yet recorded a voice-over for my documentary so therefore, there is just music playing over the top of the footage when the lifeguard is recounting a rescue.

I have included three cutaways during the duration of this short clip, One being an underwater shot when the lifeguard dives into the pool. I gained inspiration for this type of cutaway from a documentary I have previously analysed.

Planning: The voice-over

As part of the planning towards my documentary, I have written out a rough draft of the voice-over I plan to have over my footage.

I plan to have myself speaking over my documentary, it will be an expository type due to the audience not being able to directly see the narrator when commentating the action.




https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-record-audio-on-imovie

I have looked into the easiest way in which I can record my voice-over. I found this particular website which listed bullet point instructions on how to record the voice-over straight into iMovie. This will ensure that the timing is correct and the footage flows correctly.

Generic Research: Finding statistics

I wanted to include some niche statistics in the voice-over of my documentary, this provides the audience with trust that what is being spoken about is the truth. The logos of the topic will be maintained throughout and the point I am trying to get across will be taken seriously.

These specific statistics that I have collected are from the 'Fusion' website. They show how popular and well known the site is to the general public. I plan to list some of the in the introduction of my documentary. This will be over the top of a panning shot of the centre itself. 

Production: Testing footage (beginning)

This a short clip from the beginning of my documentary that I have edited so far. I wanted to create a niche effect of myself spinning out of my normal clothes and into my lifeguard uniform.

This is followed by an establishing pan of the Clements Hall Leisure Centre.

In the clip, I have now inserted my updated beginning footage straight after the original one. I like this structure, because I can then see how much my content has improved.



I have now updated the beginning of the footage and have decided to add a title. I took the time to place this title in the correct position for a professional effect to be portrayed. As my hand moves away from the lens of the camera, the title then appears on the screen, and can be seen over the top of myself spinning away from the lens.

Audience Research: Ethical issues

I have chosen to do some research into the ethical issues I could come across when going through the production stage of my documentary. 

The one that came to mind was Privacy. I want to ensure that the participants in my footage have maintained privacy. Therefore, I do not think it is appropriate to have the full names of the lifeguards as a caption over the interviews. 

I have checked in with Charlotte Woodall from my focus group, who agrees with myself and believes it would be sensible to remove the surname and keep it simple. 

 

Another aspect of privacy occurs when I filmed some underwater shots in the swimming pool when in Mallorca. I had to be careful when ensuring that the other uses of the pool were not in the background of the shots I took. This would be an invasion of privacy due to them not giving consent to be part of the documentary. 

Audience Research: checking in with my focus group

This is a shot I have included at the start of my documentary. However, I have created the effect of  the lifeguard  jumping back out of the pool and have slowed the speed down. I wasn't sure whether or not this edit was appropriate for a documentary due to it not following the normal codes and 
conventions. Therefore, I have been speaking to my focus group for an audience opinion.

This is Penny, she is part of my focus group and also said that I should remove this part of my footage due to it not following normal codes and conventions of a documentary. It is 'wasting time' where other footage could be inserted. Therefore, due to gaining her opinion I have decided to take this part of my footage out. It is not teaching the audience anything beneficial, and this is my aim in which to do. 

Production: Filming cutaways

Whilst I have been editing my footage on iMovie, I have realised I need more footage that I can use as cutaways. Therefore, they can be used to break up the longer bits of footage such as interviews.

My aim is for my documentary to have quick editing due to the fact that it is a trailer. The cutaways also ensure the footage is interesting and as many aspects as possible are shown in the time frame.

The cutaways that I filmed were at Clements Hall. I plan to create the effect of having different perspectives of one single scene, this looks professional and is an idea I have picked up from other similar documentaries I have watched.

Here is a screenshot of the interview I have just edited of one of the lifeguards at Clements Hall. This is an example where I have decided to put in cutaways due to the footage being of a longer duration.

 When the lifeguard mentions the 'torpedo' I inserted a clip of the piece of equipment he used as a cutaway, so the audience are informed on what a 'torpedo' is. 

Planning- Preferred readings

What is the preferred reading that I aim to achieve for my documentary?

Preferred- I intend for my audience to watch my documentary and come away agreeing that the role of a lifeguard is more than just watching a pool. There is a lot more involved in the job, and more people should be aware of this. It is a job that involves saving lives.

Negotiated-  However, the audience may only partially agree with the information being put across, due to the fact that they may have had an experience previous to watching the documentary that would adapt their opinion on the subject of lifeguards.

Oppositional- The audience may not agree agree with the message I am trying to portray, as many people have not been in the situation where they have been saved by a lifeguard

Production: documentary progress

Today, I spent my time preparing the introductory section to my documentary. I believe this is a very crucial part of the production process due to the fact it is the first aspect the audience will watch.

I have begun with myself spinning around as a way of transforming into my lifeguard uniform. This is a way of introducing what the documentary is going to be about as a whole.

So far, I have followed my storyboard in terms of the shots I planned to film. However, this may be adapted due to what my focus group believe.


At this moment in time, I have got a soundtrack playing in the background of my footage, however, I am not sure as of yet if this is going to work due planning on having a narration in the background also.

Generic Research: Theorist work

In class, we were introduced to a variety of different theories in the media, who all have a different role and opinion on the way things work within the industry. Some of these theories were more applicable to the concept of a documentary than others. Here are some that I find most interesting:

This theorist is named Levi Strauss, and he focusses in on the idea of binary oppositions. This means that two ideas or physical characters within the content are the opposite to each other.  He was a French anthropologist and has been referred to as being the 'father of modern anthropology.'

The main example that many think of is 'Good vs Evil' which appears more within a film rather than a documentary. Their purpose is to help understand the events taking place within the storyline.  They are also frequently used within music videos, so then the audience can understand the meaning of the song lyrics more. 

In my documentary, I have a slight binary opposition due to the fact that I plan to compare lifeguards within the UK and also from Mallorca, to compare the roles and whether or not they're contrasted in any way. 

This is Stuart Hall, who us a Media  theorist  focussing in on the way in which the audience perceive something. This is called encoding and decoding, and he came up with a model which explains three ways in which one may read a text.

Dominant reading- the audience read the text in the way that the author intended it to be read, this is the preferred reading type.

Negotiated reading- the audience partly believe what is being put across within the text, but not entirely. However, they tend to modify this in a way that fits in with what they believe.

Oppositional reading- the audience will completely reject the reading. Their social position places them opposite positions in comparison to the dominant code.

I plan to have a dominant reading type in my documentary, so the audience will come away from watching it with knowledge they didn't know before. I want them to find out more about the role of a lifeguard and what it really takes to undertake the role. 

This is Steve Neale, who is a Media theorist focussing on the aspect of 'genre' as a topic.  He says that genre is an instance of repetition and difference. This means that when there is content that contains repetition, it becomes boring and not as entertaining to the consumer.

However, the content should match the genre to a certain extent, and follow the forms and conventions that would be expected in order to be labelled as being part of that genre.

I want to ensure that the piece I create doesn't have repletion to the point where it is classed as not being enjoyable to watch. I will do this by making sure I film many cutaway clips, that can be used to place over the top of long duration footage such as interviews.

Planning: questions to ask the lifeguards

This is a rough plan of the questions I planned to ask the lifeguards around the pool before I arrived at Mallorca. However, the lifeguard around the pool at the hotel didn't speak English at all which meant I couldn't ask him these questions.

Therefore, when I went to find the lifeguards on the beach, I adapted the wording of the questions slightly to match their role. This selections of questions worked really well and they managed to answer all the them.

Planning: screenshot of my footage

Footage- 

Here are some screenshots of the footage I have collected over the summer holidays. I stuck to the plan and have filmed some of the clips at Clements Hall Leisure centre, and the rest of the clips are based in Mallorca on the beach when interviewing the lifeguards.

I decided to film this footage on my iphone 6, as I felt as though the test shots that I had filmed were of good enough quality for my documentary. Also, this was a practical piece of technology that I could transport on holiday with me, and also take onto poolside at Clements Hall.

Planning-Locations

This it the Can Picafort beach in Mallorca where I have filmed footage of  interviews with the lifeguards on the beach. I visited this destination on a family holiday during the summer, which meant it was easy to get hold of the footage of the questions I had planned on asking.

Some of the beginning shots I have filmed in my hometown of Rayleigh, one of my aims is to  film in two different locations that are very much contrasted. This is due to the fact that I want to compare the role that lifeguards carry out in different places. 

This is a screenshot from Google Maps, demonstrating where Clements Hall is located. It is in Hockley which is local to where I live, and due to having my work commitments there it means I am there regularly and, can film extra clips if I feel the need to.