more notes for essay

NOTES TO HELP WITH FACTUAL PROGRAMME PRODUCTION – NEWS AND DOCUMENTARY (DARREN)

1. NEWS - This section should contain a case-study of a studio-based news programme and needs to contain primary and secondary research on the following subjects

•             Codes and Conventions of studio-based news programmes - YOU NEED TO CHOOSE AT LEAST 2 NEWS PROGRAMMES (FOX, BBC, C4 ETC) AND DISCUSS THE CODES AND CONVENTIONS IN SOME DETAIL EG USE OF VT INSERTS, INTERVIEWS, VOICE-OVER. LOOK AT HOW AND WHY THEY ARE USED. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO LOOK AT YOUR NOTES ON OUTFOXED AND EXPLAIN HOW GRAPHICS ARE USED OR THE POWER OF THE ANCHOR IN THE STUDIO OR THE VOICE-OVER THAT IS USED TO ‘EXPLAIN’ THE IMAGES SEEN. YOU NEED TO DISCUSS HOW THEY USE FACTS AND INFORMATION AND OPINIONS. HOW ARE NEWS SHOWS STRUCTURED? THINK ABOUT  THE STRUCTURE AND HOW THE STORIES ARE ORGANISED. HOW IS THE CAMERA USED? HOW IS SOUND USED? WHAT ABOUT EDITING? YOU HAVE TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT MAKES TV NEWS DIFFERENT FROM DOCUMENTARY OR FICTION FILM. WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUTTV NEWS? GIVE EXAMPLES FROM THE NEWS SHOWS  YOU HAVE SEEN.

•             The programmes audience, political bias and contract with the viewer – YOU NEED TO DISCUSS HOW THE AUDIENCE ARE BEING PERSUADED TO SEE THINGS IN A PARTICULAR WAY (SUBJECTIVE, BIAS, ONE-SIDED) OR WHETHER IT IS MORE OBJECTIVE, IMPARTIAL, FROM 

(DARREN)

1. NEWS - This section should contain a case-study of a studio-based news programme and needs to contain primary and secondary research on the following subjects

•             Codes and Conventions of studio-based news programmes - YOU NEED TO CHOOSE AT LEAST 2 NEWS PROGRAMMES (FOX, BBC, C4 ETC) AND DISCUSS THE CODES AND CONVENTIONS IN SOME DETAIL EG USE OF VT INSERTS, INTERVIEWS, VOICE-OVER. LOOK AT HOW AND WHY THEY ARE USED. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO LOOK AT YOUR NOTES ON OUTFOXED AND EXPLAIN HOW GRAPHICS ARE USED OR THE POWER OF THE ANCHOR IN THE STUDIO OR THE VOICE-OVER THAT IS USED TO ‘EXPLAIN’ THE IMAGES SEEN. YOU NEED TO DISCUSS HOW THEY USE FACTS AND INFORMATION AND OPINIONS. HOW ARE NEWS SHOWS STRUCTURED? THINK ABOUT  THE STRUCTURE AND HOW THE STORIES ARE ORGANISED. HOW IS THE CAMERA USED? HOW IS SOUND USED? WHAT ABOUT EDITING? YOU HAVE TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT MAKES TV NEWS DIFFERENT FROM DOCUMENTARY OR FICTION FILM. WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUTTV NEWS? GIVE EXAMPLES FROM THE NEWS SHOWS  YOU HAVE SEEN.

•             The programmes audience, political bias and contract with the viewer – YOU NEED TO DISCUSS HOW THE AUDIENCE ARE BEING PERSUADED TO SEE THINGS IN A PARTICULAR WAY (SUBJECTIVE, BIAS, ONE-SIDED) OR WHETHER IT IS MORE OBJECTIVE, IMPARTIAL, FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW – TALK ABOUT CHOICE OF IMAGES, WHO IS INTERVIEWED, HOW THEY ARE INTERVIEWED, HOW THE VOICE-OVER CAN GUIDE US, USE OF GRAPHICS ETC. FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUTFOXED THEY SHOW HOW FOX NEWS INTERVIEW 3 CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS AND ONLY ONE DEMOCRAT SO THAT IT IS HARDER TO BE OBJECTIVE WITH 3 AGAINST ONE. 

•             Issues of representation – YOU NEED TO WRITE ABOUT DIFFERENT KINDS OF REPRESENTATIONS IN EACH OF YOUR SELECTED NEWS SHOWS AND COVER RACE, GENDER, AGE, BELIEFS ETC – HOW ARE THESE REPRESENTED? (THINK ABOUT DRESS, ACTIONS, WHAT IS SAID BY THEM AND ABOUT THEM, USE OF CAMERA, SOUND, ETC) FOR EXAMPLE IN ‘OUTFOXED’ LIBERAL POLITICIANS ARE REPRESENTED IN A NEGATIVE WAY. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO CHOOSE A NEWS PROGRAMME AND DISCUSS HOW DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE REPRESENTED.

•             Why multi-camera setups are used and how the studio might be set up (this should include a studio diagram with camera positions drawn in) IT WOULD BE BEST TO DO THIS IN RELATION TO YOUR TV NEWS REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS AND EXPLAIN WHY AND HOW YOU USE MULTI-CAMERA BUT YOU COULD STILL TALK ABOUT IT IN RELATION TO FOX NEWS, BBC, C4 ETC. YOU NEED TO ANALYSE A STORY THAT USES MULTI-CAMERA. 

2.            Documentary

This section should contain a case-study of a single-camera documentary and needs to contain primary and secondary research on the following subjects

THEY ARE INTERVIEWED, HOW THE VOICE-OVER CAN GUIDE US, USE OF GRAPHICS ETC. FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUTFOXED THEY SHOW HOW FOX NEWS INTERVIEW 3 CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS AND ONLY ONE DEMOCRAT SO THAT IT IS HARDER TO BE OBJECTIVE WITH 3 AGAINST ONE. 

•             Issues of representation – YOU NEED TO WRITE ABOUT DIFFERENT KINDS OF REPRESENTATIONS IN EACH OF YOUR SELECTED NEWS SHOWS AND COVER RACE, GENDER, AGE, BELIEFS ETC – HOW ARE THESE REPRESENTED? (THINK ABOUT DRESS, ACTIONS, WHAT IS SAID BY THEM AND ABOUT THEM, USE OF CAMERA, SOUND, ETC) FOR EXAMPLE IN ‘OUTFOXED’ LIBERAL POLITICIANS ARE REPRESENTED IN A NEGATIVE WAY. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO CHOOSE A NEWS PROGRAMME AND DISCUSS HOW DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE REPRESENTED.

•             Why multi-camera setups are used and how the studio might be set up (this should include a studio diagram with camera positions drawn in) IT WOULD BE BEST TO DO THIS IN RELATION TO YOUR TV NEWS REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS AND EXPLAIN WHY AND HOW YOU USE MULTI-CAMERA BUT YOU COULD STILL TALK ABOUT IT IN RELATION TO FOX NEWS, BBC, C4 ETC. YOU NEED TO ANALYSE A STORY THAT USES MULTI-CAMERA. 

2.            Documentary

This section should contain a case-study of a single-camera documentary and needs to contain primary and secondary research on the following subjects

•             Codes and Conventions of documentaries - YOU NEED TO CHOOSE AT LEAST 2 DOCUMENTARIES AND DISCUSS THE CODES AND CONVENTIONS IN SOME DETAIL EG USE OF VT INSERTS, INTERVIEWS, VOICE-OVER, MUSIC, EDITING, ISSUES AND HOW IT DEALS WITH THEM. LOOK AT HOW AND WHY THEY ARE USED. YOU NEED TO DISCUSS HOW THEY USE FACTS AND INFORMATION AND OPINIONS. HOW ARE DOCUMENTARIES STRUCTURED? THINK ABOUT USE OF INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES – TRYING TO FIND OUT SOMETHING AND CONSIDERING ISSUES. HOW IS THE CAMERA USED? HOW IS SOUND USED? WHAT ABOUT EDITING? YOU HAVE TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT MAKES DOCUMENTARY DIFFERENT FROM NEWS OR FICTION FILM. WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT DOCUMENTARY? GIVE EXAMPLES FROM THE FILMS YOU HAVE SEEN.

•             The documentaries audience, political bias and contract with the viewer - YOU NEED TO DISCUSS HOW THE AUDIENCE ARE BEING PERSUADED TO SEE THINGS IN A PARTICULAR WAY (SUBJECTIVE, BIAS, ONE-SIDED) OR WHETHER IT IS MORE OBJECTIVE, IMPARTIAL, FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW – TALK ABOUT CHOICE OF IMAGES, WHO IS INTERVIEWED, HOW THEY ARE INTERVIEWED, HOW THE VOICE-OVER CAN GUIDE US, USE OF GRAPHICS ETC. FOR EXAMPLE, IN ‘BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE’ MICHAEL MOORE’S VOIVE-OVER CONSTANTLY LEADS US AS TO HOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO RESPOND. THINK ABOUT HOW HE USES THE MONTAGE AT THE START TO SHOW HOW VIOLENT AMERICA IS OR THE MONTAGE OF IMAGES OF THOSE SOLDIERS AND TERRORISTS AMERICA HAS TRAINED WITH THE TRACK ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL  WORLD’ PLAYING OVER THE TOP WHICH IS USED IRONICALLY TO SHOW HOW AMERICA HAVE CREATED AND FINANCED TERRORISTS WHO HAVE RUINED THE WORLD.

•             Issues of representation - YOU NEED TO WRITE ABOUT DIFFERENT KINDS OF REPRESENTATIONS IN EACH OF YOUR SELECTED DOCUMENTARIES AND COVER RACE, GENDER, AGE, BELIEFS ETC – HOW ARE THESE REPRESENTED? (THINK ABOUT DRESS, ACTIONS, WHAT IS SAID BY THEM AND ABOUT THEM, USE OF CAMERA, SOUND, ETC). FOR EXAMPLE ‘BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE’ USES INTERVIEWS WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO OWN GUNS AND SHOWS MOST GUNOWNERS TO BE IGNORANT, STUPID OR UNCARING SUCH AS THE COP WITH THE DOG, WHO SHOT HIS OWNER OR THE HEAD OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION AND BOTH THESE ARE USED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT GUNS ARE DANGEROUS IN THE WRONG HANDS BUT ALSO REPRESENTS THE GUNOWNERS AS THOUGHTLESS. ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW BLACK PEOPLE ARE NEGATIVELY REPRESENTED ON THE TV NEWS. THINK ABOUT HOW AMERICA IS REPRESENTED. IN ‘LOUIS AND THE NAZIS’ TALK ABOUT HOW THE NAZIS ARE REPRESENTED. IN ‘THE FILTH AND THE FURY’ TALK ABOUT HOW THE SEX PISTOLS ARE REPRESENTED AND HOW PUNK AND BRITAIN ARE REPRESENTED. AGAIN, BE SPECIFIC AND TALK ABOUT WHAT IS SAID AND SHOWN IN TERMS OF CAMERA, COSTUME, MUSIC ETC

•             Why single camera setups are used. THINK ABOUT THE FLEXIBILITY AND NOT NEEDING BIG SET-UPS. THIS HELPS WITH INTIMACY IN INTERVIEWS. FOR EXAMPLE IN ‘LOUIS MET THE NAZIS’ IMAGINE THE INTERVIEW WITH THE WOMAN AND TWINS WITH A MULTI-CAMERA SETUP. IT WOULD LOSE THE INTIMACY. THINK ABOUT THE INTERVIEW IN BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE 

•             Issues of representation - YOU NEED TO WRITE ABOUT DIFFERENT KINDS OF REPRESENTATIONS IN EACH OF YOUR SELECTED DOCUMENTARIES AND COVER RACE, GENDER, AGE, BELIEFS ETC – HOW ARE THESE REPRESENTED? (THINK ABOUT DRESS, ACTIONS, WHAT IS SAID BY THEM AND ABOUT THEM, USE OF CAMERA, SOUND, ETC). FOR EXAMPLE ‘BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE’ USES INTERVIEWS WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO OWN GUNS AND SHOWS MOST GUNOWNERS TO BE IGNORANT, STUPID OR UNCARING SUCH AS THE COP WITH THE DOG, WHO SHOT HIS OWNER OR THE HEAD OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION AND BOTH THESE ARE USED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT GUNS ARE DANGEROUS IN THE WRONG HANDS BUT ALSO REPRESENTS THE GUNOWNERS AS THOUGHTLESS. ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW BLACK PEOPLE ARE NEGATIVELY REPRESENTED ON THE TV NEWS. THINK ABOUT HOW AMERICA IS REPRESENTED. IN ‘LOUIS AND THE NAZIS’ TALK ABOUT HOW THE NAZIS ARE REPRESENTED. IN ‘THE FILTH AND THE FURY’ TALK ABOUT HOW THE SEX PISTOLS ARE REPRESENTED AND HOW PUNK AND BRITAIN ARE REPRESENTED. AGAIN, BE SPECIFIC AND TALK ABOUT WHAT IS SAID AND SHOWN IN TERMS OF CAMERA, COSTUME, MUSIC ETC

•             Why single camera setups are used. THINK ABOUT THE FLEXIBILITY AND NOT NEEDING BIG SET-UPS. THIS HELPS WITH INTIMACY IN INTERVIEWS. FOR EXAMPLE IN ‘LOUIS MET THE NAZIS’ IMAGINE THE INTERVIEW WITH THE WOMAN AND TWINS WITH A MULTI-CAMERA SETUP. IT WOULD LOSE THE INTIMACY. THINK ABOUT THE INTERVIEW IN BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE WHEN THEY GO TO THE K MART STORE OR WITH CHARLTON HESTON. TOO MANY CAMERAS WOULD CAUSE VARIOUS ISSUES. THINK ABOUT COSTS INVOLVED. WHAT OTHER FACTORS – POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE – CAN YOU THINK OF FOR USING SINGLE CAMERA SETUOS?