LO3 - Evaluation

Weekly blog updates are required, as with every unit. Please remember to
take photos/screenshots as you film/edit. You might find it easier if you note
down a record of what you did each day in a diary form.

Please use the following guidance to help you with each week.

LO1 This learning objective was researching examples of

What have you been asked to
do?
How has researching key
examples of your specialism in
practice developed your
understanding?
your specialism in practice
In this First LO1 we were asked to find our chosen
specialism and to research into it. I was asked to do a
variety of things which will help me broaden my
knowledge and understanding of my chosen subject.
I analysed different videos and different interview
techniques. I also looked at structure of
documentaries, created a survey, and analysed the
results. Also to look at the codes and conventions of
the documentary style.
Researching into other high quality examples is very
important as it helps you to understand the types of
things that the best work have. Analysing these types
of productions helps you to see the codes and
conventions and what elements they contain to
make them so popular. Researching other examples
has helped me to see how the professionals such as
David Attenborough conduct his work. Looking at
professional work has helped me to set aims and to
see just how much work and effort go into making of
production. Its important to watch closely and take
notes and look in depth at what makes it so perfect.
Analysing it in detail to break them down and to
essentially dissect them to understand fully. I feel like
you need to look at other high quality examples as it
gives you a feel as to what the best is. Lots of
documentaries also have some form of making of
section or extra like Blue Planet which helps you to see
how it is made gaining a further understanding.
How has analysing videos helped
you to increase your knowledge
of your specialism?
Did you encounter any problems
when trying to analyse videos for
your specialism?
What have you done to
overcome these issues?
By looking at different videos on different
documentaries and also technique videos, its
broadened my knowledge on my specialism a lot. Its
helped me to look at different features of a successful
documentary and break them down. One of the
videos I watched was on how to set up the best
interview which was very educational. By watching
the video I learnt different things such as about
shooting on location, lighting, sound and various other
details to make a perfect interview. Another similar
styled video I watched was an interview with Kevin
Knoblock who talks and discusses the importance of
the 3 part narrative which essentially all
documentaries follow. He talks about how viewers
expect to go through a journey which takes them
from the start to the middle to the end. I also looked
at other example of different types of documentaries
such as Michael Moores Bowling for Columbine
which is a Performative documentary.
When analysing different videos I ran into a couple
minor issues. The first issue was being able to find solid
examples of the different types of documentaries. I
found a couple of good examples such as Planet
Earth and Bowling for Columbine but not many.
Another issue which I came across when analysing
videos was trying to not to re say the same things I
had previously stated. I wanted to write length as well
as quality so I found myself repeating myself
occasionally. The final issue which I encountered was
finding examples which werent similar and were
different in their own way. It took me a while to find
videos which were different so I could discuss various
elements.
I asked my teacher to help me locate and find some
good examples such as Michael Moores work. Once I
had the examples it helped me to get going. When it
came to re saying the same things I made sure that I
checked over my work to makes sure I hadnt and I
also thought of different ways to word things to make
sure I hadnt repeated the same words and the same

What will you implement into your
production from the research
undertaken?
High Grade Tips
points. The last problem I had was solved by looking
deep for good examples but making sure they were
separate by looking at complete different types of
documentary with complete different film makers
such as David Attenborough and Michael Moore.
The research I have completed has and will aid me
massively. There are various different things I have
learnt and understood. I will use the skills and
techniques my research have taught me and make
sure I involve them in my work. I have learnt different
things about interviewing. Things such as not having
many people on set as it causes distractions and it
can get crowded. Another important I thing I learnt is
just how important it can be to have a suitable
location which can help add the context to the
interview, I also learnt skills about the audio side to
things. I learnt how important having an external
audio recorder instead of a built in one is so important
to capture great quality audio and how great video
isnt great unless it has the great audio to match. I
also learnt how easily background noise I picked up
and how its important to keep it out as it ruins the
audio. Implementing the 3 part structure which is said
to be included in all pieces of entertainment is
something Ill make sure is present in my work. I have
also researched into and looked at lighting and how
lighting is important to light your interview and
production well to make it look professional as
possible. Making all of the interviewees visible and
heard is also vital and must be made sure of.

Look to use these terms in order to improve the analysis of your own work.

Relevant and coherent make sure your research sources are not just the same as the
media product you hope to make and talk about how they inform your planning.
Sustained continue your research throughout the 4 week project and dont just limit
yourself.
Efficient production against timescales how is your planning helping you to meet your
deadline.
LO2 For this learning objective you worked on planning
and production
What did you learn When planning your productions it is very important to
from your planning? do so thoroughly and make sure you check through.
When planning you need to get your best ideas and
vision for the project down so you know what you
want to aim for. The first thing I learnt whilst planning
was that I was going to need to act fast yet of course
efficiently. Having to complete 3 weeks to do 3
productions only left me a week for each including
planning, filming and editing. Working under time
pressure is always a task but I feel like I did this well. I
learnt from planning that these productions will be
harder than usual because two of the productions
needed to be filmed where I do my kickboxing. This
was hard because I didnt want to disrupt the class
and be a distraction. I also needed the approval from
my instructor. I learnt from my planning what items
and equipment were going to be needed for each,
knowing this is important to make sure you can book
out the equipment in time for your production.
Another element I found from the planning was
finding out what parts wouldnt work. One issue I had
was not being able to film my one minute piece to
camera during a kickboxing class due to it being
disruptive. Therefore I had to film it in the Henley
College sports hall which still adds the context and
the halls are very similar.
How will this be There are many reasons as to why planning is useful
useful as your later on in the production process. One of the biggest
production process reasons is to look for faults in your work. Not planning
properly can easily leave flaws In your production and
continues?
causing issues later on. The best way is to take the
time planning as this will mean you wont run into the
issues later which would slow you down and waste
time you dont have. Working quickly allows you extra
time later on your production to tweak it and make
sure its how you want it to be. Making sure you have
permission to film where you want to will help you later
on as youll already have the permission. You wont
have to worry about not being able to film there
which would again waste time. You need to make
sure youve planned with a lot of care. Just to
essentially make sure things go smoothly which is how
you want it to go throughout all the productions.
What I have chosen to do factual documentation for my
genres/formats chosen genre. By choosing this genre it meant the
have you chosen three productions I had to produce were required to
be truthful. This meant I could choose what I did them
and why?
on and I chose to do all three pieces on kickboxing. I
chose this because kickboxing is something that has
played a big part in my life for a long time. I feel like
doing my work on something that I know a lot about
will only help me to perfect my work and make it the
best it can be. I chose to factual documentation as I
wanted to make factual pieces oppose to something
 that isnt real. I also wanted to do factual
documentation as documentaries are something that
I enjoy watching so I thought essentially documenting
kickboxing would be something enjoyed.
How much work did When it came to the work load I managed to do the
you complete majority of it within the time allocated in lessons. I
outside of the used class time to do all the pre-production and some
editing. Then of course, I did the majority of the filming
lessons?
outside of lesson at my kickboxing, so I spent that time
outside of class. However I wasnt going to have time
to finish the editing at home so I completed it on my
laptop out of class hours.
What issues did you Whilst planning my production I ran into a few issues in
encounter whilst which I had to overcome. Although I didnt have
planning and how many it still was an issue I had to face. The first big
problem I had was not being able to shoot b roll
did you overcome
footage of the dragons or juniors classes due to not
them? having the permission to do so. This meant I only had
adult and older children footage. Which meant
sometimes my footage couldnt correspond with the
part I was saying. Another issue in which I
encountered in my productions was the inability to
film my one piece to camera within the hall where it
train. I couldnt do this because it was simply be a
distraction and would interrupt the class and the
students.
How did you find the The filming
filming and editing process and
process? editing process
was something in
which I struggled
with a little bit but
at the same I
enjoyed. The
filming process for the bits during the kickboxing
classes were fun as I got to shoot my fellow students
and get some good shots. However I am not the most
skilled with a camera so some shots arent the best
and could be better. When shooting the one minute
piece to camera it wasnt as fun and was quite
boring. I found that with the filming process it was
pretty straight forward for shooting the b roll however
will take more time to make sure they are the best
quality next time. The filming for the interview was a
bit more complexed as I had to set up the camera,
lighting and make sure the positioning was right. It
took more care and it more time however I like setting
up the whole thing as it felt professional. The editing
process was something in which I enjoyed once I got
into it. Editing is hard to get perfect and I definitely
need some more practise in this field. Some of my
editing looks nice and I kept it basic as I feel keeping
it basic can also be effective. Editing to the point is
something I tried and making it look clean and
professional. I found the editing process tedious and
took a fair while to do. I had to finish the editing off at
 home to make sure it was completed in time. I had
fun editing however and learning new skills was
helpful and also important.
Did you encounter When filming and editing there were a few issues that
any problems during crept up and I had to face. The first issue I had was
filming/editing? How being able to shoot the piece to camera in the hall I
train in during a class. Although this would have been
did you overcome
ideal for the piece I couldnt do this as I wasnt
them? allowed as it would be a nuisance. Editing problems
were also encountered such as finding it hard to edit
and make it look professional. Apart from the fact I
am not very good at editing I didnt encounter many
issues apart from the usual importing and saving issues
from time to time. I also ran out of time when editing
so I had to finish at home.
How do you feel When creating these productions I was happy with
your product the outcome. The best piece was my interview and I
compares to existing feel like It definitely has a professional look to it
although I dont feel like it is quite there. I am happy
professional
with the production and I feel like if I put a bit more
products? effort in and spend a little more time perfecting it.
Before I got to work on my pieces and before Id
even thought about filming and all the rest of it I had
to complete research. Part of the research process
was to look at and analyse different codes and
conventions of my topic which is factual
documentation. I also looked at interviews and how
they are conducted etc. The main codes and
conventions I looked at were those of interviews. I did
a few things to make sure I stuck to them and kept
them present. The first code and convention I used
was making sure the interviewee was just to the left of
the screen leaving space for them to look like there
talking to someone. I also used my kickboxing bag,
gloves and belt to maintain the context throughout as
well as the training mat on the floor. Another code
and convention I had was making sure it was only me
and Jett there when we shot the interview as shooting
in small groups as smaller groups means less
distraction and better results. Another factor of the
interview which I used effectively is the location. I shot
the interview where I do my kickboxing training and
you can hear a class taking place which again adds
context. A couple of codes and conventions which
were harder to incorporate were thing such as not
being able to shoot the interview with the class in shot
as it would be a distraction. It was also hard for me to
include different angles and shots to add in more
viewing perspectives, this was because I only have
one camera. I feel like my productions are definitely
aimed at my target audience. They are all factual
and proper. They look at the assumption that
kickboxing is a negative thing and is violent. The
production appeals to all ages which is the age
group the productions are aimed at as I feel
kickboxing is something that can be taken up by any
 age. I know students as young as 3 and as old as 60s.
Again I feel like my pieces could appeal to all ages
more if only I could get footage of the younger
students too however this wasnt possible due to
permission issues. As I have stated previously on a
whole I am happy with my productions however there
are a lot of places where improvement can be done.
In my opinion my interview is the best piece out of the
three as I think it looks the most professional. I had the
best set of equipment for this piece as well of course
helping it to look better. The worst piece was definitely
the one minute piece to camera, it doesnt look very
professional and the camera skills arent the best. I
also wasnt able to remember the whole of the script
so couldnt complete it in one shot. Therefore it
doesnt look smooth as it had to be edited together.
Another area in which I feel my productions lack is the
footage as I feel some of the footage isnt as good as
some others. Some of the footage also has been used
over more than once as I didnt shoot enough
content. There are actually many ways in which I
know I can improve my productions when It comes to
next time. The first thing I will make sure to do is to
make sure all of the cameras I use are set to the right
settings as some of my footage is a little off colour. I
want to use my time more efficiently and make sure I
have enough time to get more footage for example if
I do run out of time. Something else that I will make
sure to change for next time is to spend more time on
the editing to make it look smother and keep the flow
throughout. I am still basic at editing but the more
practise I get, the better. When it comes to my
productions I feel as though there are things that went
well despite the obvious things that werent great.
One of the things I felt that went well was the quality
and professionalism of the interview. I feel like my
interview was my best piece and Im happy with the
framing, editing and the overall outcome of the
piece, although some extra time on the editing
wouldnt go a miss. Another element of my work in
which I was pleased with was the voice over. I feel like
the voice over went well and it looks professional and
I am happy with the final product. I think its smooth
and works well. I think the content of the voice over is
important and the content I provided was solid. It
covered different topics surrounding kickboxing
including different age groups, what kickboxing
consists of as well as look at the typical assumptions of
kickboxing. I wanted to have to have some form of
educational purpose to my work as well to inform and
educate people on kickboxing as it is something not
many people know about and I feel like I did this. I
feel like I kept the context well within the interview
with Jett in his kickboxing branded clothing, the bag
and gloves as well as the mat on the floor.
What area are you I received feedback on my research and there
looking to improve wasnt too much but still a couple of things in which I
on in your next missed. The first bit of feedback given was to make
production? sure that I reference my work as it is easily forgotten.
The second bit of research feedback I got was to look
at sports documentaries to see how they conduct
and go about their work. I was also asked to look
closely at the interviews and the b roll in which they
capture to get some ideas and inspiration for my own
work by looking at other examples. The research
helped me and it was useful to be reminded about
referencing as it is very important. It was also useful to
be told to look at other sport documentaries and
other pieces to help me understand what elements
are required for a professional piece and it gives me
something to aim for. I will definitely make sure to
Harvard reference next time and be sure to take a bit
more time researching into other high quality
examples to help me. With the planning there were a
few things in which I was suggested and given
feedback on. I was given feedback on my planning
such as being suggested to use the Canon camera
video recorder in which I ended up using for my
interview. Using this camera as suggested was a really
good idea and im glad I listened to that suggestion as
the quality looks amazing and it paid off. I was also
given improvements and suggestions on locations,
equipment and other bits of my production. The
planning stage was the part which most of the
changes and improvements happened as I made
them as early as possible to try get it right early on.
There were a few bits of feedback for each
production and they were taken on board. The
improvements that were given for my interview were
to match the visuals with the voice to reflect on
screen what I was saying. However this wasnt always
able as I didnt have any footage of the younger
kickboxers. I was also asked to make the b roll a bit
more cinematic and exciting. I was also asked to
improve it by including in more close ups to get a
good variety of shots to mix it up. Including another
camera to get an extra angle would be better also.
The feedback in which I got back from the piece to
camera included a few things. The first and main one
is to make sure I do the whole thing in one shot,
however I found this hard to remember the whole
thing and this is why I didnt do it. I had to choose a
location which wasnt where I train with kickboxing as
it was too much of a distraction so I had to shoot in a
sports hall which I feel still had the context but not the
most ideal. Making movement to make it less boring
was also a bit of feedback given. The voice over
feedback was the shortest and the best. The only bit
of feedback given was to make sure I dont stutter
and also to make sure it flows naturally in the final
piece. I was unable to implement the feedback as I
didnt get it in time to make the changes, however
 the feedback can be used effectively in my next
production. All of the feedback given I agree with
despite the moving whilst filming the piece to camera
as you should only move if it is necessary to show
something. The feedback will definitely be taken on
board and used to alter and improve my next
production. When it comes to understanding and
knowledge I feel like its always expanding. I feel like
throughout every production im constantly learning
new things and understanding different things. This
production has broadened my knowledge on sports,
documentaries, interview, documentaries and a
various few others. My knowledge has definitely got
wider and understanding how to use different sorts of
cameras, lights etc. This was my first interview, one
minute piece to camera and voice over. Due to it
being my first of each, a lot of knowledge was
gained. Throughout the course of the productions I
also learned and understood new technique and skills
in which I will use again in the future. Things such as
making sure the interviewee is slightly to the left side
of the screen to make it seem as though they are
talking to someone and they have space and are not
just rammed in. I also learnt how to use different types
of camera such as the canon video recorder in which
I used in the interview. I also used a lot of new skills in
editing like editing to the beat of the instrumental as
well as being able to just make the edit look cleaner
in general. Looking at the editing of these productions
you can clearly see an improvement opposed to
other productions in the editing side. I also learnt to
effectively analyse and look at different sorts of
documentaries and pick out different types. Knowing
a lot of different techniques, skills and knowledge is
required within factual documentation is vital.
Knowing a variety of skills and techniques can be
used to make it look effective and making
documentaries interesting really is a skill. Using all of
these elements correctly to make a documentary
interesting Is a task but adding all of them in will
ensure a solid and fun documentary. Making sure
your documentary isnt boring is very important.
Understanding knowledge on factual documentation
helps you to make your documentary factual and
helpful as well as fun.
High Grade Tips

Look to use these terms in order to improve the analysis of your own work.

Considered and capable demonstration of processes detailed

documentation of your production process such as still images, and
annotated screenshots of your specific production and editing process
including what and why and not just how.