Changes to my Production Brief Proposal

I have decided to make the following changes to my brief proposal;
-GoPro Cameras will be placed differently; They will be placed at each of the two front corners of the stage; facing diagonally towards the centre of the stage. This way each camera will not be in shot of the other, as they would be at opposite ends of the stage, but will still capture the performance from an angle to the right and to the left.

Proposal for the recording of a live production

Proposal for the Media Mill Music Video recording

The brief given from my client is to record a musical performance performed by Middlesbrough College’s performing arts department. This will be performed in the Hazel Pearson Theatre in Middlesbrough College on the 31^st of March, beginning at 7PM and ending at 9PM. There will be four bands performing, and they will be performing for 20 minutes each.
The aim of this video is to showcase the talents of the Middlesbrough College Performing Arts students; and should be a visual representation of the show as a whole.

The target audience for this video will mainly be students of the college, people deciding whether or not to join the college, as well as the family and friends of the students in the performance. These means that the majority of the target audience is essentially teenagers aged 16-18; and also the majority of these students or potential students will be interested in music and the performing arts.

To produce my product, I will require certain resources; namely the filming equipment; I would most likely require two GoPro Cameras, and two of the Canon C100’s; as I would most likely have two of the GoPros placed behind the performers, to catch them performing as well as the audience from two different angles, and I would have one C100 slightly off-centre, recording the stage, to get nothing but the performers on stage, and then one Canon C100 towards the back of the theatre, to capture the audience looking towards the performance, and to capture a little of the performance, to  capture the atmosphere at the performance. I would also need two HC6 mics, in order to ensure that I have a back-up audio; as that is obviously the most important part of the whole video. I would also require access to the editing suite in order to be able to use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit the video.

In order to film this performance efficiently, I would need three people to operate the cameras; one person to operate the two GoPros, one person each to operate the two Canon C100s, and I would also need two people to operate the two microphones, and ensure that the audio is being captured correctly. I would obviously need the cast of the music production to be present and performing properly, I would need a live audience, preferably a larger audience, as well as to create an efficient project schedule. This project schedule would detail the set-up for the day of the performance. This would ensure that the whole day would run smoothly without any technical issues. The cameras would be set up and checked to ensure that they were working and recording correctly with no technical issues on the morning before the performance began; and then charged to make sure that they do not run out of charge during the performance, and then checked again one hour before the performance is scheduled to begin. The budget for this production is not necessary; as the college provide all necessary equipment and crew. The Project Schedule is attached.

There are various constraints that I will have to be wary of when filming this project; all members of the performing group will need to have signed consent forms agreeing to being filmed and for the video to be used for promotional use. The audience will also need to be aware that they will be being filmed and that the resulting video will be used for promotional use and will be distributed online; however the audience will not all each be required to sign individual consent forms; as long as they are all aware of the situation. However; If there are children in the audience, then the parent or guardian of these children will need to sign a consent form agreeing for their child to be recorded and distributed; as this is a legal requirement. If the parent or guardian does not agree to their child being recorded; then during the performance care will have to be taken to ensure that the child is not shown on the video, and that they are not recorded, as this could result in legal repercussions. I will also need to be aware of any copyright infringement issues whilst recording; However Middlesbrough College has paid royalties to ensure that their music and performing arts department can perform, be filmed, and have distributed any covers of other artist’s work; so this is not an issue for this client brief.

Project Schedule

31^st March – Live Performance

10AM-12PM – Check all recording equipment to ensure that it is fully functioning and ready to record. Contact all related cast and crew to ensure that they are still available to film on the night and that there will be no issues. Ensure cameras are charging in preparation for the night and that the editing suite will still be available.

5PM – Collect all recording equipment, and set it up in the theatre ready for the performance.

6PM – Ensure all crew are in positions ready to film the arrival of the audience and the performers – perhaps capture some backstage shots with the GoPro.

7PM – Performance begins – All Crew should be in position with their equipment ready to film.

9PM – Once the performance has ended, crew will make their way up to the editing suite to remove all the raw data from the cameras and recording devices.

9.30PM – Once all data has been removed, all equipment should be taken back to the technician’s office and signed back in.

--END OF DAY--

Production Management Production Log - Post 1

Today we interviewed Michael about the brief, and found out his requirements, and the correct dates and times for the filming. We also discussed the format he would like the finished project to be in; editing is permitted for this brief. He said that he would prefer the finished product to be set up like an awards show; starting off with interviews with the band members, and the families of the band members who are sat in the audience, before the actual performance and the filming of the performance begins, and then afterwards the band members leaving the stage and the venue. He also said that there is no deadline required for this brief.

Online Distribution for Digital Video Production

This is my report for Soundworks on the range of online distribution methods.

There are three main types of online distribution;
- Downloading
- Progressive Streaming
- Streaming (also known as True Streaming)

I have thoroughly researched into each of the above online distribution methods, and my findings are as follows;

Downloads

To download means to receive data to a local system from a remote system, usually from a web server.
There are many websites which offer downloadable content; such as Amazon and iTunes.
You can download videos onto your phone/tablet/computer/etc.
Once you have downloaded something, it is saved to your hard drive, and can be used offline at any time, and transferred onto different computers, etc.
However this option is not always the most popular one; particularly with short videos; as it obviously involves waiting for the download to be completed, and takes up space on your harddrive/phone/etc.
I believe this would not be the best option for Soundworks to distribute their content online; as it would be better for viewers to be able to access it immediately, without having to download it to watch it; as then people are more likely to watch it as it is quick and easy to access.

True Streaming

True Streaming can also be called Live Streaming; and is simply when a video/audio clip, is broadcast live; and these are mostly sports. Examples of this are live football matches, live coverage of the olympics, wrestling matches, or radio shows, etc.
The technicalities of True Streaming are essentially the same as Progressive Streaming. But obviously videos distributed via True Streaming cannot be edited beforehand; as the footage is fed straight from the camera onto the internet. One option when creating a production to be distributed via True Streaming is to include VT's; you can pre-set a VT (A pre-recorded piece of video) to be shown at set times during the live transmission.
I do not believe that this would be the best option for Soundworks; as I am assuming the footage from Soundworks would be recorded and then edited; and this is obviously not an option when using Live Streaming as your online distribution platform.


Progressive Streaming

The user selects the file that they would like to watch.Usually a plug-in such as Adobe Flash is used to successfully stream the video. A copy of the video never actually exists on the user's computer/phone/tablet/etc. Only fragments of data are shown as they arrive, and are immediately deleted as streaming files.
A streaming server and real-time protocols are used for streaming. The web server sends the file to watch to the streaming server, which then sends the file directly to you, usually by using a real-time protocol (an RTP), Which is an internet protocol standard which manages the real-time transmission of multimedia data over multicast network services. ("Multicast is communication between a single sender and multiple receivers on a network"); This would be used for websites such as Netflix, LoveFilm and YouTube, etc.
Your video player, such as Windows Media Player, decodes and displays the data as it arrives, and gets rid of all unnecessary data.
Streaming online is quickly becoming the most popular method of watching films and videos, and I believe this would be the best method for Soundworks to dsitribute their content online; as Soundworks content is not something that people would download and want to keep saved and rewatch; and the content is not being filmed live; and so I believe streaming is the best option; as people can quickly and easily access the video; they can just click on the video and watch it quickly, without having to wait for it to download, and many platforms can be used to stream videos; and I believe the best option for Soundworks to stream their content would be via a YouTube channel, or their own website, and this could then be shared as a link via Social Networking, in order to reach as wide an audience as possible.



References Used

http://www.globaldots.com/how-live-video-streaming-works/
http://www.searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/Real-Time-Transport-Protocol/
http://www.searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/multicast/

Understanding the requirements of working to a brief

There are various types of briefs that are found in the creative sectors; such as contractual briefs; where a deadline, budgets, pay, etc, are all agreed and signed for at the beginning of the production; and so if you are late with the brief, legal action can be taken, and if you exceed the budget, you would not be paid.A negotiated brief is a brief where before production is begun, you negotiate with the client the budget; pay, and deadlines.
A formal brief is a brief which is similar to a contractual brief; however there is usually a get out clause; as a contractual brief is legally binding, whereas with a formal contract there will usually be no legal repercussions for a late entry.
An Informal brief is a brief for which the requirements such as deadlines/pay/budget/etc are not written down, and there is no legal repercussions whatsoever for a failure to complete the brief.
A Commission brief is a brief of which the client seeks out freelancers to complete work for them; this is usually paid lower than other types of briefs.
A Co-operative brief is a brief which you work with other people on, sometimes simply in a group of two, and sometimes large groups, and the task of meeting the requirements for the brief are shared by all members of the group.
A Tender brief is a brief of which the client will approach multiple people with the project, and see who can provide the lowest price, and whoever provides the lowest price would get the contract.
The final type of brief is a Competition; of which a client will ask multiple people to participate and create something for them in order to win a prize; sometimes cash, sometimes other prizes or incentives.

Negotiating the brief is a very important part of the process; Negotiating the brief first involves having a meeting with the client, to discuss the brief; The main things to be negotiated for this brief would be pay; what I would get paid for the project; and then the deadline; how long it would take for the project to be completed by, so as to avoid missing ir being late for the deadline.  And the final thing to negotiate with the client is the budget for the project; to ensure that the client gives you enough money to make the project with; as there could be potential fines of your pay, if you exceed the budget.

The first thing that you have to do when you get your brief is to identify the requirements of the client, as specified in the brief; as well as identifying the nature of the brief; e.g. - a cheerful video advertisement;, or a seriously natured picture advertisement, etc, so that you can make a plan of how to meet the requirements of said brief; for example; a client brief will usually include:

-     - What needs to be produced

      - The budget for the brief

      - Timescale

      - Fees

      When discussing the brief with the client;  it is important to consider legal issues; that what the client is asking for does not break any copyright laws,and that the way in which you create the client's product is not portrayed as unethical. (E.g. - if you are asked to create an advertisement to raise awareness for dementia, then this must be done tactfully so that there are no ethical implications, etc.)

      Usually the first thing to be discussed is the fees and budget. because if you exceed the budget,you can end up either not getting paid; or having the excess taken out of your pay. 
      A good way of ensuring that you meet the budget requirements is to work out a budget before making the product; and adding a little bit extra on just in case; so that you have a small amount spare in the budget just in case. 
      Doing the same with the timescale can also help to ensure that you meet the client requirements for the brief; adding a little extra time than is totally necessary just in case, so that it is more likely that you will meet the timescale requirements of the client's brief.
      Discussing with the client what they want their product to look like is a good way of ensuring that you fully understand the requirements of the client's brief, so that you can more easily meet those requirements.

     
      If, however, there needs to be amendments to the budget, or fees, then these would be best being discussed with the client in a mature, and professional manner. The same applies to if the client requests some amendments to the conditions of the brief, or amendments to the proposed final product, then these should be discussed maturely with the client; and you should make sure that you have a full understanding of what the client wants to change, and timescales for these; to avoid any other future amendments.

      It is extremely important to ensure that you deliver the product to the client on time, and within budget. This is extremely important; as if you do not deliver the product on time and within the agreed timescale; you could possibly not be paid, and as well as this, it will give you a bad reputation, and possibly ruin any future opportunities for work. Reversely; if you do deliver your product on time, and within budget, word will spread and it will increase your opportunities for work, as well as giving you a good portfolio of work to send to possible future clients..
It   
      It can also be beneficial when working for a client to create a product to look for self-development opportunities; to improve the skills you currently have; e.g. - by gaining more experience by working with certain editing programs, and exploring various features of these programs whilst working on a product, or if a weakness that you have is working within a group; then ensuring that if you are working on a client brief as a group, then you are contributing fully to the group, and make efforts to improve your team-working skills, by trying to compromise on ideas, and if you are the leader of the group; delegating the tasks amongst the group according to their strengths; e.g. - editor, camera-operator, etc, and work alongside them to create a good morale amongst the group, and to get to know the group.

Research into webseries

Myself and Becca researched into popular movie reviewers on Youtube, and found the most highly rated and popular reviewers; and people's feedback into why they are popular.
The first we found was The Epic Movie Review; Who are three men who discuss their films as they leave the cinema after seeing the film, and have a group discussion about it.
From feedback from the viewers; people enjoy these reviews because they are honest, unbiased. with a clear interest in the films that they are watching.
The second we found was the Blind Film Critic, a man who is blind but reviews films from what he hears from them, and the audio descriptive versions.
From feedback from the viewers on this reviewer; people liked the reviews as they add a unique perspective that not many people will experience.
Breakin' it down  was another popular reviewer; a woman whose parents are directors/producers, and people enjoy these reviews because she provides a funny perspective, and is more than qualified to deliver film reviews.
Kermode and Mayo are two very popular movie reviewers who have a radio show, and put the videos of these on the internet, and people enjoy his reviews as they provide an intellectual perspective on movies, and oftentimes can be quite amusing.
What the Flick was the final one that we researched, and it draws together reviewers from across the web and gets them talking about movies that they've recently seen; and viewers seem to enjoy it because it is a panel of professionals, who know what they are talking about; providing their input on movies.

We researched these popular web reviewers in order to get ideas for our review show on how to make it popular and enjoyable, and factors that we can extract from these review shows in order to make ours better; and the main factor that I can take from this was that the most enjyable review shows are the more casual, discussion-based ones.

Production Log

Production Log

-          Was told about the project, and what it entails; watching the presentation on road safety; and assessing how it can be improved to better reach it’s target audience.

-          We watched the presentation; and were given a chance to hear feedback from the other group. The other group said that it could be seen as biased as a lot of the facts included that most of the crashes were by male teenage drivers; and it could be better to stay away from that, as there is a risk of insulting the audience. Some other criticisms were that the video clips shown were much too graphic, and put off a lot of the audience; and that the content that focussed on the emotional repercussions reached people a lot more.
My own personal critique somewhat matched the other group’s feedback; I found the clips much too graphic; It bordered on horror, and seemed to be constant, and there would be members of the group who would be sickened, rather than shocked into not driving dangerously, and there would be members of the group who wouldn’t care as they were too used to violence.

-          My idea from there was to create a clip without any violence, preferably something humorous, which still got the message across to the audience, rather than relying on shock tactics, which would most likely be ineffective on a teenage audience.

-          I began to put together a proposal for my idea to improve the presentation, and to explain why it would improve the presentation, and the message that it would put across.

-          My idea was to put across in my video the message that teenagers, particularly girls, should be careful of using their phones while walking round in public, near roads, as it is very easy to become distracted and stop paying attention to cars driving past. I wrote in my pitch that this idea would help improve the presentation, as it addresses something that no other video in the presentation did; as well as being relevant to the target audience.

-          Two other ideas were selected by the creators of the presentation to be made, and so the class was split into two groups to create each video. The video my group was meant to create was a funny video about two couples having a race to put their seatbelts on, rather than to race their cars.

-          Everyone created an individual script for the piece, and one script was chosen to be used for the video.

-          This script was changed, as it once had speech in it, and the speech was removed, as it seemed to flow a lot better with no speech, and just music playing over the video, as really, no speech was needed, as it added to the humour, of the audience thinking that they were actually going to have a real race.

-          Storyboards were created, to depict where each shot was, and it what order they would be played, so as to make it easier when filming and editing.

-          The location was selected; Teesside Park, at the car park next to Hollywood Bowl.

-          The Risk Assessments were written and distributed to all involved members of the cast and crew.

-          We scheduled which day everyone was available, and scheduled the shoot.

-          Contact sheets with everyone’s details, and the details of the shoot and times were written and distributed amongst all involved members of the cast and crew.

-          A Script Breakdown was carried out to decide what equipment was needed. We only really needed two cars; one car was Karl’s, the other Hamada’s.

-          Started filming, the equipment was not booked in advance, but the GoPro Camera was available, and so this was used. No sound or lighting equipment was necessary. The whole shoot took around 2 hours to film, and transportation was provided in Karl and Hamada’s cars. Everything ran smoothly, and all the exterior shots were filmed first, then all of the shots inside one car, and then all the shots in the other car next, to be edited together later on. We returned to the college and returned the equipment immediately after taking off the footage and saving it to a safe location.

-          Myself, Karl and Rebecca each did a separate edit of the video. The editing process took around 5 and a half hours each, and we decided on Karl’s edit to be our finished piece.

-          We handed in all Pre-Production work and the finished videos into Andy.