- Target audience
- Budget
- The time I have allocated to complete the project
- Opportunities to make use of stereotypes, representations and media theory
Showing posts with label Ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ideas. Show all posts
Saturday, 20 October 2012
This page contains 5 ideas that I have had for documentary subjects. I will give it some serious thought before deciding which subject to persue. I will think about elements such as
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Idea no. 5 - Dystopiosis
Idea No. 5
"Dystopiosis"
Dystopia: An imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.
Brief
A documentary following a person who has a mental disorder which causes them to see the world as their vision of hell on a regular basis. The idea stems from my research into The Hunger Games, and the fact that Panem is created as a dystopia. I researched the term, and the idea of an imagined version od hell greatly fascinates me.
Audience
This documentary would definitely not be aimed at a young audience, as I think that the subjects being dealt with would not be appropriate for younger viewers. In my opinion, a focus on older teenagers and adults would be more suited to this subject matter.
Existing Products and Influences
Dystopian films
The Hunger Games - Panem
In a vision of a post-apocalyptic world, we see Panem, a place which is split into 12 districts and ruled by the Capitol. Every year, one male and one female between the ages of 12 and 18 is sent into an arena to fight to the death- only one can survive. Suzanne Collins, writer of The Hunger Games, stated that the idea came about when she was flicking through TV channels, from war documentaries to reality shows, and realised that the two were not so different. Essentially, The Hunger Games shows us a vision of the way our world is headed.
Code 46
Also in a vision of the future, Code 46 follows the idea that the entire population is split into those who live "inside", in high-density cities physically separated from "outside", where a poor underclass live. Access to and travel between the cities is highly restricted. Most residents of the cities do not venture outside during the day, as direct sunlight is thought to be extremely hazardous to their health.
Documentary films about mental illness
Normal People Scare Me
Normal People Scare Me shares first-person accounts of life and living with autism. Created by Taylor Cross, a 17 year old aspiring film maker with high functioning autism, Normal People Scare Me highlights 65 interviews conducted over the past two years by Cross, with interview subjects representing different levels of abilities on the autism spectrum. The film's interview subjects range in age from 9 to 57 years. Cross asks subjects questions such as "What does autism look like from your perspective? Do you like or not like being autistic?; What do you want to be when you grow up?; to Have you ever been teased? (IMDB)
The Devil and Daniel Johnston
Chronicles American artist Daniel Johnston's life from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his experiences with bipolar disorder, and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.
Conclusion
This would be a fascinating idea to work on, and would require use of imagination as "Dystopiosis" does not actually exist. There is a lot of opportunity to construct representations of people suffering from mental illness, and a reflection of our society today and where it will be in the future. Music and visual effects would also be essential here, to give the viewer an idea as to what this dystopia looks like in the person's head. There are definitely lots of elements I can use here, which does present a technical challenge. It may be difficult to make this dystopic vision seem realistic.
"Dystopiosis"
Dystopia: An imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.
Brief
A documentary following a person who has a mental disorder which causes them to see the world as their vision of hell on a regular basis. The idea stems from my research into The Hunger Games, and the fact that Panem is created as a dystopia. I researched the term, and the idea of an imagined version od hell greatly fascinates me.
Audience
This documentary would definitely not be aimed at a young audience, as I think that the subjects being dealt with would not be appropriate for younger viewers. In my opinion, a focus on older teenagers and adults would be more suited to this subject matter.
Existing Products and Influences
Dystopian films
The Hunger Games - Panem
In a vision of a post-apocalyptic world, we see Panem, a place which is split into 12 districts and ruled by the Capitol. Every year, one male and one female between the ages of 12 and 18 is sent into an arena to fight to the death- only one can survive. Suzanne Collins, writer of The Hunger Games, stated that the idea came about when she was flicking through TV channels, from war documentaries to reality shows, and realised that the two were not so different. Essentially, The Hunger Games shows us a vision of the way our world is headed.
Code 46
Also in a vision of the future, Code 46 follows the idea that the entire population is split into those who live "inside", in high-density cities physically separated from "outside", where a poor underclass live. Access to and travel between the cities is highly restricted. Most residents of the cities do not venture outside during the day, as direct sunlight is thought to be extremely hazardous to their health.
Documentary films about mental illness
Normal People Scare Me
Normal People Scare Me shares first-person accounts of life and living with autism. Created by Taylor Cross, a 17 year old aspiring film maker with high functioning autism, Normal People Scare Me highlights 65 interviews conducted over the past two years by Cross, with interview subjects representing different levels of abilities on the autism spectrum. The film's interview subjects range in age from 9 to 57 years. Cross asks subjects questions such as "What does autism look like from your perspective? Do you like or not like being autistic?; What do you want to be when you grow up?; to Have you ever been teased? (IMDB)
The Devil and Daniel Johnston
Chronicles American artist Daniel Johnston's life from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his experiences with bipolar disorder, and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.
Conclusion
This would be a fascinating idea to work on, and would require use of imagination as "Dystopiosis" does not actually exist. There is a lot of opportunity to construct representations of people suffering from mental illness, and a reflection of our society today and where it will be in the future. Music and visual effects would also be essential here, to give the viewer an idea as to what this dystopia looks like in the person's head. There are definitely lots of elements I can use here, which does present a technical challenge. It may be difficult to make this dystopic vision seem realistic.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Idea no. 4 - Sixth Formers
Idea No. 4
"Rest of Your Life"
Brief
A film following the stories of a small group (5 or 6) of sixth formers, as they prepare for life after education. I would want to create various representations of different social groups- the people going to university, a pregnant teenager, someone who has no idea what they want to do, someone who is confused about their sexuality etc.
Audience
In my opinion, this documentary would reach a wide audience. Of course, teenagers and young adults would find it interesting, as the subject matter is relevant to their lives right now. I also think that older adults would enjoy this film as it would present a rare window into the life of young people today, and how this age is particularly challenging, as we are constantly told that the decisions we make now with affect us for the rest of our lives.
Existing Products and Influences
"Up Series" - Granada Television
A documentary following the lives of fourteen british teenagers, staring in 1964, when they were 7 years old. Every 7 years, the series is re-aired, tracking their life paths since the last filming. I find this series particularly interesting as it spans various social groups, and gives us an in depth view of each.
Conclusion
I feel that, like the Up Series, this documentary would appeal to a wide audience. It could be funny and compelling- there is a lot of freedom here. However, I only have 90 seconds' worth of a trailer to show the people the film will be following, and give enough information about each to make people want to know more.
"Rest of Your Life"
Brief
A film following the stories of a small group (5 or 6) of sixth formers, as they prepare for life after education. I would want to create various representations of different social groups- the people going to university, a pregnant teenager, someone who has no idea what they want to do, someone who is confused about their sexuality etc.
Audience
In my opinion, this documentary would reach a wide audience. Of course, teenagers and young adults would find it interesting, as the subject matter is relevant to their lives right now. I also think that older adults would enjoy this film as it would present a rare window into the life of young people today, and how this age is particularly challenging, as we are constantly told that the decisions we make now with affect us for the rest of our lives.
Existing Products and Influences
"Up Series" - Granada Television
Conclusion
I feel that, like the Up Series, this documentary would appeal to a wide audience. It could be funny and compelling- there is a lot of freedom here. However, I only have 90 seconds' worth of a trailer to show the people the film will be following, and give enough information about each to make people want to know more.
Idea no. 3 - School Musical
Idea No. 3
"The Making of Malone"
Brief
A film documenting the making of this year's musical at my school- Bugsy Malone. Follows all aspects- directing, set design, costume, lighting, sound, the actors themselves.
Audience
This documentary would be aimed more at teenagers, as I believe that they would enjoy watching people their own age as they face various challenges and learn to balance rehearsals with the other pressures teenagers are faced with. I also think that parents of teenagers would find this documentary interesting, as parents never get to see what their children are really like in school.
Existing Products and Influences
"Hairspray: School Musical" - Sky 1
"The Making of Malone"
Brief
A film documenting the making of this year's musical at my school- Bugsy Malone. Follows all aspects- directing, set design, costume, lighting, sound, the actors themselves.
Audience
This documentary would be aimed more at teenagers, as I believe that they would enjoy watching people their own age as they face various challenges and learn to balance rehearsals with the other pressures teenagers are faced with. I also think that parents of teenagers would find this documentary interesting, as parents never get to see what their children are really like in school.
Existing Products and Influences
"Hairspray: School Musical" - Sky 1
A 2008 reality TV series charting the development of a comprehensive school's production of the Broadway and West End musical Hairspray.
I watched some of this series myself and greatly enjoyed it. The main thing I really liked was that the series told the background stories of some of the pupils as they go through the process of putting the musical together. The series documented the pressure and stress the cast and crew went through, and I became quite attached to some of the people in it.
Conclusion
Making this documentary would be very practical, as I have all the filming material I need right on my doorstep- especially as I will be taking part in the musical myself. However, it may be difficult to balance filming the rehearsals as well as taking part in them- I would not want one task to distract me from the other. I would also need to gain the cast and crew's permission to film them.
Idea no. 2 - DcMonald's
Idea No. 2
"The DcMonald's Story"
Brief
A film following a group of people who run an illegal underground trade delivering McDonald's meals in the UK.
This idea stemmed from a conversation I had with my family, about why McDonald's do not deliver, as they could obviously make a lot of money from it. We then went on to discuss the idea of someone starting up their own business, doing just that. It then occured to me how fascinating it would be to watch this operation take place, as there are several issues...
"The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters" directed by Seth Gordon
The idea of focussing on a group of people who take their job seriously, but are mocked by others, came to me after watching this documentary, which tells the story of a group of avid arcade game players, competing to reach the world record high score for Donkey Kong.
The film follows reigning Donkey Kong champion, Billy Mitchell, and the challenger, Steve Wiebe, who is attempting to steal the title. The film also includes other contentders, plus video game referees from Twin Galaxies, the group that regulates video game world records.
Conclusion
I know that I would have a lot of fun creating a trailer for this documentary. There is plenty of opportunity to use humour and imagination here. There is plenty of opportunity to create representations of different groups- the delivery workers, the people ordering the food, the people trying to stop the operation. I believe that this idea would appeal to a wide audience, young and old, male and female. However, it would be a challenging product to create. It would require a lot of filming on location, plus I would need to use cars or even vans. When discussing the idea with my friends, I get the impression that they find it strange and cannot picture it. This further encourages me to take the plunge and create this trailer and prove everyone's doubts wrong- this documentary would be a must-see.
"The DcMonald's Story"
A film following a group of people who run an illegal underground trade delivering McDonald's meals in the UK.
This idea stemmed from a conversation I had with my family, about why McDonald's do not deliver, as they could obviously make a lot of money from it. We then went on to discuss the idea of someone starting up their own business, doing just that. It then occured to me how fascinating it would be to watch this operation take place, as there are several issues...
- Keeping the food fresh and warm between the restaurant and people's homes
- Car insurance would not cover an accident unless previously informed that the car was being used for business purposes
- Business licensing
- Taking responsibility for illnesses caused by the food
- McDonald's workers beginning to become suspisious
"The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters" directed by Seth Gordon
The idea of focussing on a group of people who take their job seriously, but are mocked by others, came to me after watching this documentary, which tells the story of a group of avid arcade game players, competing to reach the world record high score for Donkey Kong.
The film follows reigning Donkey Kong champion, Billy Mitchell, and the challenger, Steve Wiebe, who is attempting to steal the title. The film also includes other contentders, plus video game referees from Twin Galaxies, the group that regulates video game world records.
Conclusion
I know that I would have a lot of fun creating a trailer for this documentary. There is plenty of opportunity to use humour and imagination here. There is plenty of opportunity to create representations of different groups- the delivery workers, the people ordering the food, the people trying to stop the operation. I believe that this idea would appeal to a wide audience, young and old, male and female. However, it would be a challenging product to create. It would require a lot of filming on location, plus I would need to use cars or even vans. When discussing the idea with my friends, I get the impression that they find it strange and cannot picture it. This further encourages me to take the plunge and create this trailer and prove everyone's doubts wrong- this documentary would be a must-see.
Idea no. 1 - Women
Idea No. 1
"The Weird World of Women"
Brief
A film with the aim of explaining the strange traits about women that men find confusing. Covers topics such as relationships, sex, diets, periods, beauty. A real 'warts 'n' all' documentary, with brutal honesty and a sense of humour to go with it.
Audience
Adults, both genders.
Existing Products and Influences
"How to Be a Woman" by Caitlin Moran - Book
Targeted at women, this book takes a look at life as a female, looking at the challenges we face, things we learn, how we grow etc, all with a sense of humour.
On Caitlin Moran's website, the book is described as this:
"1913 – Suffragette throws herself under the King’s horse.
1969 – Feminists storm Miss World.
NOW – Caitlin Moran rewrites The Female Eunuch from a bar stool and demands to know why pants are getting smaller.
There’s never been a better time to be a woman: we have the vote and the Pill, and we haven’t been burnt as witches since 1727. However, a few nagging questions do remain…
Part memoir, part rant, Caitlin Moran answers these questions and more in How To Be A Woman – following her from her terrible 13th birthday (‘I am 13 stone, have no friends, and boys throw gravel at me when they see me’) through adolescence, the workplace, strip-clubs, love, fat, abortion, TopShop, motherhood and beyond."
The book has been extremely succesful, winning these awards:
A documentary by and about Zambian women who were taught to make a film and then used their new skills to create this piece about their community. The film’s synopsis:
Conclusion
A documentary focussing on female issues would be extremely interesting for me to make. As the subjects are close to my heart, I would be able to produce a truthful and accurate reflection of women today and be passionate about the topic. However, I would have to ensure that my documentary would also appeal to a male audience. I would also need to find a group of women from which to construct a representation.
"The Weird World of Women"
Brief
A film with the aim of explaining the strange traits about women that men find confusing. Covers topics such as relationships, sex, diets, periods, beauty. A real 'warts 'n' all' documentary, with brutal honesty and a sense of humour to go with it.
Audience
Adults, both genders.
Existing Products and Influences
"How to Be a Woman" by Caitlin Moran - Book
Targeted at women, this book takes a look at life as a female, looking at the challenges we face, things we learn, how we grow etc, all with a sense of humour.
On Caitlin Moran's website, the book is described as this:
"1913 – Suffragette throws herself under the King’s horse.
1969 – Feminists storm Miss World.
NOW – Caitlin Moran rewrites The Female Eunuch from a bar stool and demands to know why pants are getting smaller.
There’s never been a better time to be a woman: we have the vote and the Pill, and we haven’t been burnt as witches since 1727. However, a few nagging questions do remain…
Why are we supposed to get Brazilians? Should you get
Botox? Do men secretly hate us? What should you call your vagina? Why does your
bra hurt? And why does everyone ask you when you’re going to have a baby?
Part memoir, part rant, Caitlin Moran answers these questions and more in How To Be A Woman – following her from her terrible 13th birthday (‘I am 13 stone, have no friends, and boys throw gravel at me when they see me’) through adolescence, the workplace, strip-clubs, love, fat, abortion, TopShop, motherhood and beyond."
The book has been extremely succesful, winning these awards:
- Galaxy Book of the Year 2011
- Galaxy Popular Non-Fiction Award
- Irish Book Award (RTE Listeners Choice)
- British Society of Newspapers – Columnist of the Year
- Cosmo Ultimate Writer of the Year
A documentary by and about Zambian women who were taught to make a film and then used their new skills to create this piece about their community. The film’s synopsis:
"Narrated by Morgan Freeman, Where the Water Meets the Sky is the story of a remarkable group of women in a remote region of northern Zambia, who are given a unique opportunity: to learn how to make a film, as a way to speak out about their lives and to challenge the local traditions which have, until now, kept them silent.The trailer can be found at: http://www.watermeetssky.com/
Many in the group can’t read or write, most are desperately poor, and few have been exposed to film or television. But with the help of two teachers, this class of 23 women learn to shoot a film that portrays a subject of their own choosing. It involves an issue that is traumatic for them all, and rarely spoken about: the plight of young women orphaned by AIDS.
Their film recounts the real-life experiences of Penelop, an 18-year-old orphan, and her struggle to provide for herself and her siblings in the wake of her parents’ deaths.
What begins as a workshop about filmmaking, and a quest to tell Penelop’s story, becomes a journey in empowerment as the women rise to the challenge of pressing their community to change.
Uplifting and poignant, Where the Water Meets the Sky is the story of an unforgettable group of women who defy long traditions of silence and who demonstrate with courage, humor and resilience that their futures are once again something of promise."
Conclusion
A documentary focussing on female issues would be extremely interesting for me to make. As the subjects are close to my heart, I would be able to produce a truthful and accurate reflection of women today and be passionate about the topic. However, I would have to ensure that my documentary would also appeal to a male audience. I would also need to find a group of women from which to construct a representation.
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