My A2 Project Documentary: Planning

By Elaina Papastavrou

My Task

• Create an extract from a new documentary TV programme, lasting approximately 5 minutes along with:– A double page spread focused on the

documentary– A newspaper advertisement for the

documentary

What is a Documentary???

• A documentary film is a movie that attempts, in some way, to document reality. Even though the scenes are carefully chosen and arranged, they are not scripted, and the people in a documentary film are not actors. Sometimes, a documentary film may rely on voice-over narration to describe what is happening in the footage; in other films, the footage will speak for itself. Often, a documentary film will include interviews with the people in the film.

Different Documentaries

• Looking at different documentaries makes you think about what type of documentary I would like to create.

• I looked at numerous different types, from all different types of genres; Supersize Me, David Attenborough, Capturing the Friedmans.

Thinking Of Ideas

• My initial idea when hearing about my A2 piece of coursework immediately brought me to the idea of talking on the topic ”Events”! It’s interesting, it’s hardly been done and everyone is familiar with the many different types.

• I started to consider what I could include in such a documentary. I had to consider how and what I would be informing the audience of.

Thinking Of Ideas: Events

• I wanted the 5 minute clip of the documentary to be from the first episode of the series. I had planned the opening sequence along with a lively score.

• The opening sequence would consist of numerous pictures showing explosive ideas about events: grand venues, decorations, different themes. And set the pictures looking like invitations.

Thinking Of Ideas: Events

• If it were a series, what would I do?

I attempted to think further into the documentary and propose what other episodes may consist of e.g. locations, flowers.

Rethinking

• My events documentary would be very informative, like most, presenting the facts about a person or an event.

• Although excited about my ideas, I realized I was missing certain aspects of some documentary conventions.

• More interaction AND an element of secrecy

Re-inventing

• STUDENT LIFE

• CLOTHING/MUSIC INDUSTRY

• PUBLIC TRANSPORT

• PEOPLES ATTITUDE TO DOORKNOCKING

• NIGHTLIFE

• THE 10 WORST/BEST THINGS ABOUT…

• CATCHING REACTIONS

Finding Jack

• During the summer I had taken interest into sight seeing around London. But something had caught my attention and has ever since…

• Jack The Ripper

• Why him? Why choose this for my documentary?

Further research on Jack

• I had to find ways to adapt the story into a documentary.

• Reading “Uncle Jack” by Tony Williams• Going on the famous Jack the Ripper tour,

again, in the east end of London.• Going to the London Dungeons• Finding old newspaper articles about Jack

the Ripper and particular incidents – this helped me to start to think about the 5 minutes I would want to film in particular.

My Documentary and Jack

• Where to start?

• How to mix the two?

• Previous documentaries and how to differ from anything previously done.

• The previous Jack the Ripper documentary…

• Could I have my very own exclusive?!

• What type of audience would I be aiming this to?

Who would be interested in my Documentary?

• The great thing about Jack the Ripper, is his fame that he has created in the UK over the years.

• What range of people could this appeal to?

• How would I create a programme to reach all types of viewers?

My Jack

• Having your own documentary to do will have you constantly thinking where and whenever you are!

• You’ll end up asking yourself questions that you may want to find the answer to yourself and display in your own creative way, or to let the audience watch your documentary and allow their minds to wonder.

Jack’s 5 Minutes of Fame!

• Having thought about this over and over I had to come up with some sort plan for my 5 minutes:– What and how would I open my segment?– Spend 2 minutes describing the location in the

East End of London– Compare the two times (1888-2010)– Interview– Closing?

Something to think about…

• Is this something you would want to watch?

• Would you like to see anything else in the 5 minutes extract?

• What time would you like to see this, if you were to watch it on TV?

• Do you have any other comments or constructive criticism?