Reflections...

Well, the blog looks a little bit messy since everyone's been posting up research, so this is to provide you with a brief insight on what everyone been doing and to update you on our progress:

Watching documentaries
Each member of the group has now watched 3 documentaries each. By doing so, not only has it widened our knowledge on documentary conventions, but it has also allowed us to consider different avenues for illustrating certain issues (such as quantitative research) on screen. Below are the list of documentaries with the conventions they used that could also be used in our documentary at the editing stage.

"Kings and Toys"

Conventions used:
*Archive footage showing graffiti being actively done
*Interview narration
*Interviews

What conventions we could use:
*The narrative is told through interviews themselves. This is something we definately want to do since we believe that if the documentary is told through the actual artists themselves then its all the more authentic... a more realistic insight into their lives (less artificial).

*The way that the documentary conceals the identity of the artists is interesting to look at. -They use many more techniques than simply silhouetting their faces. An example of a creative way they did was to simply focus on certain body parts which speak for themselves. For example, focusing on fiddling hands indicates worrying.

"The office"

Conventions used:
* Authoritative narrator who features in the documentary as a character.
* Brief interviews, stating the names of the people below on screen.
* Music plays throughout the documentary, however barely audible.

What conventions we could use:
* Brief interviews with many artists to give a range of views. But this is also to make sure that there isn't one single person that the audience are able to identify with since we think its better for the audience to identify either with all the artists or none because all artists share similar experiences.

"Painting with permission"

Conventions used:
* Voice overs - news report at the beginning.
* Use of factual information
* Archive footage
* Strong, biased interviews
* Montage sequences

What conventions we could use:
* Voice over... this could be the interview with Simon from BTP
* Factual information, also in the form of newspaper cuttings
* Archive footage
* We could also go to an exhibition as did in this documentary.

All the documentaries incorporate still images - something that we will definitely be doing. - Cuts are definitely the most apparent feature at the very opening of the documentaries in order to gain the audiences attention... which is also a technique we shall be using. At the end of our documentary we aim to feature a death caused through documentary as did in 'Bowling for Columbine' and 'Style Wars' - this creates a strong emotional impact that stays memorable in the minds of the audience long after the documentary is over.

So far, I have researched a graffiti exhibition on that is taking place in London... on the blog Ive posted up some research on the artists we'll be interviewing - but also to show you how they relate to our documentary. - Since these are legal artists, it'll ensure that our documentary investigates both the legal and illegal sides of graffiti, thus providing our target audience with a well informed view on graffiti.

Ive organised for the group to go to this documentary on Friday 9th Feb and i shall post up more info once we get back from it...!

The phone call interview was supposed to take place today (Thursday) with Simon form the BTP but because only Ramone and myself are present we've decided to re-arrange this for Monday now instead... and I've emailed Esther Addeley asking him whats happening because he was supposed to get back to me - But if he doesn't reply ill phone him myself tomorrow.

Vishna