Week 12 – Battle of the Foods

For the last week, rather than kicking back and finishing off work, I decide to go ahead and make another package as me and Lucy decide to create one last WinchXtra.

This for me is better than my Comic Con package in terms of scripting, editing, and filming. I am very proud of this piece of work.

In terms of the editing, I decided to go all out and not hold back, and I had a lot of fun in the process. I worked hard on the intro to manipulate the effects to come up the way I wanted them, especially the falling of the title words. I timed the images with the sound to create a much more clean-cut edit, where the visuals and audio actually worked together in harmony.

I felt I used sound well in terms of the sound effects and music. I wanted to take a much less serious tone with this package, and I feel I really get feature packages now. The only thing with the sound that was not up to scratch was to do with the raw footage, where you can hear Lucy’s laughter in the background throughout the package.

The quality of the footage is very crisp and there is a great use of natural light, and I feel my use of the rule of thirds was ideal.

The scripting and planning of the package as a whole seemed to come together nicely. I set out with a general idea, but not strict script, to I could take advantage of natural events – for example, the Bratwurst on the floor, and the Chocolate Kiss vendor’s incredible celebrations. I feel that with that kind of planning it allows room for a great amount of personality to seep in.

However, I do not stand behind the idea of going out and hoping for the best without researching into what you really want as the outcome. This was discussed during the debrief for the W2 Features Special – features is not totally separate from news, there are still the same principles of finding a story and following through with that. Features isn’t an excuse to create cute and fun packages, there is still an element of telling a story. For example, with this package, I identified that it was consistently French vs German foods, so I played on that and made sure that the interviews/vox pops had the right attitude to them.

The voice overs and scripting was meant to imitate the style of shows such as Come Dine With Me, with a sarcastic and conversational tone to carry the viewer through the package and tie together the different parts.

Week 11 – W2 Features Special Graphics

Rather than creating a Super WINOL, it was decided that the Features team had produced such strong content that we should put together a special for the newly launched W2 website, where this production will be looped.

The initial idea was to make one hour’s worth of content, including the packages from throughout the year, however it was then extended to two hours because there was such a large volume of content.

I was asked to create the graphics for the show, which I took on jumping right into the deep end, exactly how I love to learn. I had no experience of After Effects prior to this role, but I took it on wholeheartedly, very excited to complete the project.

It was a real struggle getting to grips with the program, however after fiddling with adding in videos and text, inserting it into the template, and changing the timings of each transition, I felt confident by the end that I had basic knowledge of the program.

I used Adobe After Effects CS5, with the template ‘Fast Fashion Opener’ from Videohive.

OPENER:

TWO MINUTE ADVERT ADVERT (it was then cut down to 30 seconds):

Week 9 – Third Radio Show and Presenting

First, here is my Bonfire Package that has been put up on WinchXtra:

I feel it was a good package in the way that I chose not to include myself and summarised the event for what it was, and I had fun with the scripting. It isn’t as edgy or story telling as my Comic Con package, but then again it doesn’t necessarily need to be. It was a relevant event that a large chunk of the Winchester population attended, so it was of interest.

WINOL

This week on WINOL I took on the role of presenter as well as producer. This was a great shake up and experience and lended further variation to the semester. I found the script writing to be challenging as I was still in features mode, however I feel it gave the bulletin more personality, light and shade.

I made a mistake however as I wasn’t 100% transparent at the beginning of the script when I introduced Steven Slominski, as I said I had spoken to him a few moments ago when really it was prerecorded this morning. This was a great learning point.

I was very fortunate as Laura Trant, presenter of BBC News South, came to act as guest editor this week. I felt the pressure when she was watching from the gallery as I presented, but in the debrief she only had kind words to say – she said that my voice had depth to it and that I did a good job. However I felt I should have timed the OOVs much tighter.

The bulletin itself was fantastic, especially due to Steven’s breaking news with the Southampton gas explosion, Brooke’s former gambling addict case study, and the variation of the rest of the bulletin. I feel that after Christmas that the second years will be more than capable of taking on WINOL and excelling further.

RADIO

This week Tate and I both felt incredibly comfortable and familiar with all the motions of producing our radio show. And now that all of the Masters students have had the role of News Editor, that is the last show of the semester.

However, there was still a struggle with standard in and out cues! I feel for next semester, we will have to form a sort of guidebook that will outline the format of the show.

The end product is smooth and I am proud of how much we have improved, including the MA students, compared to the first show. I feel that next semester we will carry on the show and we will only go up from here, tuning finer points.

We have managed to make it sound less scripted, although this could definitely still be improved.

Producing a radio show with Tate each week has increased my understanding of sound and also my understanding of the importance of radio as a broadcast platform. This has been incredible for my overall experience and I am looking forward to pushing it further next semester.

Week 6 – London MCM Comic Con

 

 

WinchXtra as a whole was particularly strong this week. My package was by far the best package I have produced so far in terms of production quality, planning, and scripting.

I went down to the London MCM Comic Con with Mirjam Naustbakken and we both presented and put together the package. This was an interesting new experience for me as I have never presented alongside another person, so it was interesting to see how we could make it work in the package, and how we could interact with each other to enhance the piece as a whole.

The first thing we had to consider was how we would look on screen, most importantly what microphones we would use. I have never used the Shure microphones but I decided it would look most professional and as if it was really an entertainment show. It added a certain edge.

This was Mirjam’s first time in front of a camera, so throughout the event I encouraged her to jump into the deep end and to really form a charismatic presenting style. I think she did an absolutely fantastic job and she definitely gives a lot to the package.

We spent three days in London filming the main events that we thought were worthwhile: Daniel Radcliffe’s panel for Horns, The Power Rangers, Interstellar exprience, and famously the sea of cosplayers (people who dress up) that attend the event.

I felt my quality of filming increased a lot, and I am happy with the outcome of my piece. The editing is what really made it, and this has made me much more confident that I can go out and know how to get the shots I need, and how to edit it together for it not to be too long and boring, and punchy enough to keep people watching.

The scripting was put together on the spot and it is evident that there isn’t a structured script as it flows much more naturally.

Week 4 – Comedy Festival and WINOL

WINCHXTRA

For my first WinchXtra package I chose to head down to the Winchester Comedy Festival and film with some comedians, as well as vox pop the Winchester public in the town to ask them for their funniest joke.

I was able to get two interviews with top comedians – Tom Deacon, a former BBC Radio 1 presenter, and Brian Gittins, a character from the Ricki Gervais show ‘Derek’. When I interviewed Tom Deacon, it was easy going and great, and I felt I got generally what I needed. However, when it came to Brian Gittins, it was by far the most awkward and friction-filled interviews that I have ever conducted, and I think will ever experience. He was in character when I was talking to him, and so he was socially awkward and just absolutely terrible. But, I have to say, this added something incredibly hilarious and special to my package, and by the way I edited it, it worked so well.

The vox pops were humorous and I felt that it worked for my package, despite the ban that got put on the interview technique. I felt I avoided the absolute ‘studenty’ vibe that they can give off, and it was light hearted and easy to watch

This first package for WinchXtra was a challenge overall as it was my first go at features, but I was able to put my personality and passion into my work which made it visually much better than my news packages from last year.

Chris told me many times that my presenting was ‘textbook’ and that it was believable.

 

WINOL

I stood in for some production roles in WINOL this week. As Midoriko was away at her graduation ceremony, I took on the role of Director. Not only did I fulfil this job, but also took on Production Editor and Producer as Nicole was also away at her graduation ceremony. This week was somewhat overwhelming, especially as I wasn’t able to perform my director role to the best of my ability due to the stresses of the other two roles, and with me trying to complete my WinchXtra package.

At the end of this week, I gathered together the production team and ran through their roles with them and gave them more direction as they had only begun. Things that I went over with them was: autocue speed, avoiding black holes and coordinating vision mixer and VT, and mixing the sound effectively.

I have to say, I won’t be going back to a directing role, but I enjoyed contributing to the production side of the course, rather than just a reporter role.

Analysis of BBC’s ‘The One Show’

This semester I will be producing a show similar to ‘The One Show’ and felt that if I was ever to make anything similar, I should study and analyse the format and content of the show.

Format:

• Classed as ‘topical magazine programme’
• Half an hour
• On sofas, always two presenters – funny, personable, engaging
• There is a guest/guests with them throughout the show
• Variety of content, flexible
• Escapism for people, relaxation

Content:

• Topical conversation points made into packages. Example = burglary (based on statistics released), package on vox pops and how the public can react in funny ways, time of year for travelling so raise awareness/case study on rogue travel agents.
• Experimental packages/in studio segments. Example = table manners in public and how we react to them (moral judgement calls in set up restaurant), in studio DIY piece (Gordan Ramsay making giant onion rings)
• They don’t show packages all at once. They show the beginning part, and the conclusion/reactions later on in the show. This interlinks all segments and keeps the viewer tuned in throughout the show.
• Interviews. People with new books, shows, people who have done something.
• Packages on people – a pilot in the 50s, a woman who walks miles and had a strange diet.

So what can I take from this to make WinchXtra, my imitation show, similar but doable? Here are some of my suggestions:

• Rather than have a guest throughout the show, we could arrange to have guests in studio for just an interview. We don’t need to fill out the show by going back to them.
• WinchXtra will be of a similar length as WINOL – 10-15 minutes long. To fill this in we could produce three segments, all 3 minutes each (to allow links and opening and closing of show).
• The show will be set on a sofa, preferably with two presenters but due to shortage of staff, and with me being director of the show, there may only be one presenter.
• There will be a variety of packages and in studio bits, depending on what is happening in Winchester/Hampshire. Vox pops for humour/topical questions, interesting people, news features, interviews, etc.