WEEK 1 – Wednesday 26th Spetember
Introduction to module
Introduction on using Yola for group website.
WEEK 2 – Wednesday 3rd October
Photojournalism and Documentary
Brief overview of history of photojournalism; including key figures.
Reflection over key documentary modes.
To begin our initial research in to our first documentary idea of taxidermy we have arranged a meeting with practitioner of the hobby on the 6th of October. Her name is Polly Perry and as well as managing the Black Boy pub in Winchester, which in its self has an impressive collection of taxidermy, she not only practices taxidermy but also collects it. Polly will be a perfect starting point in terms of our research. She will hopefully be able to provide us with helpful contacts in the form of other taxidermy enthusiasts.
For more details of the meeting see Harry Fisher’s documentary idea one research page.
After deciding on historical reenactments as a strong potential documentary idea, on the 2nd of November one of our group members contacted a fellow work colleague named Charlie Collis who, along with her boyfriend and their friends, regularly attend Viking reenactments. She along with her boyfriend, Thomas Write, and there other friends are completely on board with taking part in the documentary. If we as a group decide to choose historical reenactments as our dominant idea, Charlie, Thomas and all their friends are firm and stable contacts.
Furthermore the group has another firm and secure contact for the historical reenactments documentary. Soon after the above was made, the same group member got in contact with an old friend named Emily Holman whose father and his friends attend historical reenactments, Emily sometimes takes part as well. She has also spoken to her farther and his friends and they have agreed to take part in the documentary with the promise that they can attend the U-Doc festival for the films screening.
WEEK 3- Wednesday 10th October
Group meeting on website- allocating roles to each group member and applying them to our Yola site.
WEEK 4- Wednesday 17th October
Introduction to the Canon 550D / 650D – This lecture covered all key technical uses necessary to create photo essay.
WEEK 5- Wednesday 24th October
Group meeting on developing website- Discussing strong ideas for final Documentary. Maintenance on website. Developing as a group individual photo essay
WEEK 6- Wednesday 31st October
Tutorial on editing camera RAW images
Tutorial on how to meta-data Raw photos on Bridge
Pitched all strong documentary ideas and received brief feedback on group website.
WEEK 7- Wednesday 7th November
Discussion of criteria expected for documentary presentation pitch in week 11
Further elaboration to lecturer of group ideas for documentary. Further breaking down of documentary styles and techniques.
WEEK 8- 14th November
Close study of one extreme style of documentary compared to another and which one works best. (Observational v.s reflective.)
In-depth look in to the techniques behind asking subjects questions with in documentaries using Nick Broomfield’s styles as examples.
WEEK 9- 21st November
Group meeting on increasing content on Yola website- specific roles were allocated to each group member in conjunction with further improving the group website.
To peruse initial research and contacts towards the Rock-documentary idea, one member of the group got hold of a friend named Ali Johnstone-Mackie. Ali’s father, Howard Johnstone, was and still is the guitarist for Strange Arrangement, the New Romantic group who will be one of the main focus points for the documentary.
Howard and the rest of the band have expressed interest in the documentary but wished to know about the idea behind it in more detail. Below is an email sent to Howard regarding this:
Hi Howard
Hope all is well. As Ali told you for a large part of one of one of my core modules at university myself and a small group are required to create a small 30-50 minute documentary on a subject of our choice. I had an idea of creating a film which looks at Strange Arrangement back in the new romantic days through archive footage etc. and then seeing where the band is today.
The kind of footage we’d be interested in capturing would be: filming you teaching a guitar lesson, filming fellow band members at work, you and the rest of the band practicing/jamming together, a handful of interviews with as many of the members of the band as possible and probably the entire band relaxing together at a possible favourite pub or something similar.
Such filming won’t be required till next year; however a promotional is needed which will probably be where we’ll use a lot of the archive footage.
Both you, the band and whoever else you want would be invited along to view the finished piece at the university in Winchester at the end of next semester where it will be entered in a small film festival.
Would this be something you would be interested in taking part in?
All the best,
Harry.
Howard replied with the following:
Hi Polly
Hope all is well. My name is Harry Fisher I’m the student who came to the Black Boy in early October to ask about taxidermy and your interest in it as I’m sure you remember.
As you may remember for a large part of one of one of my core modules at university myself and a small group are required to create a small 30-50 minute documentary on a subject of our choice. I had an idea of creating a film which looks at the music industry and how competitive it is for talented band who are very up and coming to make an established name for themselves within the industry.
The kind of footage we’d be interested in capturing would be: filming yourself as well as fellow band members at work, you and the rest of the band practicing/jamming together, playing at one of your many live shows, a handful of interviews with as many of the members of the band as possible and probably and the entire band relaxing together at a possible favourite pub or something similar.
Such filming won’t be required till next year; however a promotional video is. This could probably just consist of the band playing live with maybe a small interview.
Both you, the band and whoever else you want would be invited along to view the finished piece at the university in Winchester at the end of next semester where it will be entered in a small film festival.
Would this be something you would be interested in taking part in?
All the best,
Harry.
I am yet to receive a reply.
WEEK 10- 28th November
Propose synopsis for final documentary idea in preparation for week 12.
On the 29th to pursue further research for back up documentary ideas and contacts for the Celebrity Worship Syndrome idea, a member of the group informally contacted a Youtube phenomenon concerning the issue. The contact is one Chris Crocker who in 2007 made a bedroom rant style video entitled ‘leave Britney Alone’. This consisted of Crocker crying to the camera for 2 minutes 11 for the media to leave pop star Britney Spears alone after her highly publicized mental breakdown.
As Crocker was well known for possibly possessing Celebrity Worship Syndrome, the member of the group pursuing the idea got in contact with him to gain a better understanding of the issue.
Below is a print screen of the conversation, which was held on twitter:
WEEK 11- 5th December
Unanimous decision within the group to radically change the documentary idea to that of portraying speed dating, the people who do it and there reason behind why they do it.
For further details on the film click on idea three of Jess Massey’s documentary ideas and research.
Group continue to carry out research for new documentary idea as well as prepare for documentary presentation/pitch on week 12.
WEEK 12- 12 th December
Group presentation/pitch concerning documentary idea to lecturer.
Group create a WIX page as part of promotion strategies as well as short online webisodes.
Jess Massey and Harry Fisher
