Studio Production Unit: Possible VT Locations

I am in Sam Wilder's team for the production Funny People on the VT Package team, so I have done some research into possible filming locations. We have decided to film in London as there is a more vibrant atmosphere than in Maidstone.
Possible locations include the following:
Outside railway stations e.g. Victoria and St. Pancras, as there will always be a lot of people outside them, The South Bank, as this is another source of lots of things happening and lots of people around, Parks, such as Greenwich Park, this is all I have come up with so far, but I shall keep thinking and post again when I have more location ideas.

Fiction Adaptation Unit: Ideas

Today I am refining my idea for adapting Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman, which is the 18th century poem written to the tune that the nursery rhyme twinkle twinkle little star has become associated with.

Fiction Adaptation Unit: Defining Words in the Poem

I found out the definitions of some of the more important words in the poem I am adapting to try and give my story more layers. Here are the definitions

Definitions of words in the poem

Torment – to agitate or upset greatly

Blushes – shame/ashamed

Unfortunately – underserved bad luck

Betrays – being false and disloyal

Take advantage – Superiority – Non emotion from either character to get their way

His weakness – A personal defect or failing

Foolish – stubborn and unreasonable

Tender – easily crushed and vulnerable

Air – a giant void of nothingness

Wolfgang (Name) – The hero in front of the wolf

Studio Production Unit: Pitches and Roles for the Studio Productions

I pitched my idea to Simon and Helen on Monday, I thought it went ok but it was clear while pitching that I should have done more research into my idea and this is probably one of the main reasons why my idea wasn't picked. However, all is not lost as I have now gained myself the role of Production Assistant on both of the studio productions, which I am very pleased about. Today we are being interviewed for the other roles on the production, I will be being interviewed for a role in one of the VT Package teams, as despite being Production Assistant I still need to fulfil a pre-production role, and this is the one that holds the most interest for me.

Studio Production Unit: Pitch Preparation

I have been working on preparing my pitch this afternoon ready for Monday. I am now pretty confident about my idea, you can read all about it below:

Studio Production Idea

Title: Access All Areas

Format: Factual/magazine show

Idea: My idea is a factual magazine show which will focus on mainstream events; there will be a VT section covering shows and exhibitions with a roving reporter, who will review them for the benefit of everybody, but will as a sideline discuss the access and so on for disabled visitors. There will also be a review of a mobility scooter or some other piece of mobility equipment, this will be another VT section. The studio section will be an introduction, and a discussion around how participation of disabled people in sport has risen since the holding of the Paralympics in London last year. There will also be a discussion around employment for disabled people, and how it has become easier for those with disabilities to gain employment in the last few years.

Channel/broadcaster/schedule: BBC Two, 8:00 PM, Friday, because it is a factual show, so it can be broadcast after people have got in from work, had their dinner and unwound etc.

Target Audience: The age range will be adults in their 20s to 30s, as the show will be factual but will have elements of humour in it when reviewing the products.

Possible VT: Discussion around disabled people and employment, how employment for people with disabilities is now easier to come by than a few years ago, due mainly to the passing of the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, and the Equality Act of 2010 which was a follow-on from the DDA

Possible VT 2: A review of the latest mobility scooter or other product that aids mobility. This will be useful for people with disabilities as they will be able to make a decision on whether they need the product or not, and it will be useful for people who are able bodied because if they are a carer for someone with a disability then they may need to know the information so they can tell the person they care for about the product in question.

Fiction Adaptation Unit: More Research

Today I am in the library on campus doing research for my essay on this unit. I am hoping to discuss one of the Harry Potter books/films in my essay, but the essay questions state that we have to discuss a text adapted for broadcast on television, so I will ask my tutors if we are allowed to discuss films or whether it has to be something that was broadcast on television.

Fiction Adaptation Unit: Research

Today is studio support at the studios, I have been doing more research for my fiction adaptation idea. After disecting the words in the original rhyme, I have decided to do a modern day Film Noir style piece, as the definitions for a lot of the words in the rhyme point to being vulnerable, frail, agitated, ashamed etc. Finding out the definitions of these words has enabled me to visualise parts of the story for my piece and enabled me to put them together. Also, I would thoroughly recommend to all my classmates to utitlise studio time when Simon is available in order to discuss your ideas and take on any changes or improvements he suggests. As I have been the only second year student in today, I have been able to take full advantage of him being here and have discussed my idea with him at different points throughout the day. I now have a slightly clearer idea about what I am doing and where it is going.

Fiction Adaptation Unit: Research

Today I have done some more research into the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle little star that I planned to adapt for this unit. However, I have now found that the tune that the nursery rhyme is sung to was first paired with an 18th century French rhyme called Ah! vous dirais-je, Maman, that is as far removed from twinkle as it is possible to be. Here it is, translated into English:

Ah, would I tell you, mom?


What causes my torment;
 Since I saw Wolfgang


Look at me with a tender air; 
My heart says every single moment


Can people live without lover?

He blushes and unfortunately


A sigh betrays his heart.


The cruel with address, 
Take advantage of his weakness:


Alas, Mum! one foolish mistake


Makes him to fall into her arms.

This translation into English has inspired me to make a dream sequence for the above text, whilst using the original tune from Twinkle to depict a car journey at the beginning of the piece where the person falls asleep and begins to dream, and another at the end when they wake up.

Studio production workshop with Hans Petch

On Thursday 7th February, we all did a studio workshop with Hans Petch, visiting lecturer. We all had to fill different roles in the workshop, here are some photos of me filling the role of camera operator.

Studio Production Unit: More Ideas

Here is another idea I have had for the studio production idea, something a little bit closer to home!

Title: Ticket to View

Format: Factual programme about the history of Maidstone Studios.

Idea: Factual programme which will showcase the history of Maidstone Studios and will discuss some of the shows filmed there in the past and also what plans lie ahead for the future of the complex, so there can be a discussion around the current renovation work taking place, the studio section could comprise interviews with past and present employees, possibly people who have been in shows made at the studios etc. VT’s could include a walkaround at the studios, a guided tour, and there is the possibility for some archive footage to be included too.

Channel/broadcaster/schedule: BBC Four, 9PM, Monday.

Target Audience: The age range will probably be people from 30 onwards, who will remember the studios in it’s earlier years and also remember some of the programmes that have been made there.

Studio Production Unit: Is this the year of disability on TV?

Whilst doing research for my studio production idea, I came across this article, which enforces my way of thinking with regard to my subject: Is this the year of disability on TV?

Studio Production Unit: Idea

I have been feeling a bit nervous about this unit, especially if my idea gets chosen for production. However, despite these feelings of nerves, I am also excited at the idea of potentially being a producer on my own production. So here is my current idea for the studio production, it is still in it's early stages and needs a bit more refining, but the basic idea is there.

Title: Access All Areas

Format: Factual/magazine show

Idea: My idea is a factual magazine show which will focus on mainstream events; there will be a VT section covering shows and exhibitions with a roving reporter, who will review them for the benefit of everybody, but will as a sideline discuss the access and so on for disabled visitors. There will also be a review of a mobility scooter or some other piece of mobility equipment, this will be another VT section. The studio section will be an introduction, and a discussion around how participation of disabled people in sport has risen since the holding of the Paralympics in London last year.

Channel/broadcaster/schedule: BBC Two, 8:00 PM, Friday.

Target Audience: The age range will be adults in their 20s to 30s, as the show will be factual but will have elements of humour in it when reviewing the products.

Fiction Adaptation Unit: From War to the Nursery

Another idea I have had is to do an adaptation of the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but in an inverted way, so instead of it being an innocent children's nursery rhyme, it has a darker subject, perhaps around the afterlife. The lyrics from the nursery rhyme come from a 19th century English poem called The Star, published in 1806 and written by Jane Taylor. Here is the poem:

 Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
     How I wonder what you are.
     Up above the world so high,
     Like a diamond in the sky.

     When the blazing sun is gone,
     When he nothing shines upon,
     Then you show your little light,
     Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

     Then the traveller in the dark,
     Thanks you for your tiny spark,
     He could not see which way to go,
     If you did not twinkle so.

     In the dark blue sky you keep,
     And often through my curtains peep,
     For you never shut your eye,
     'Till the sun is in the sky.

     As your bright and tiny spark,
     Lights the traveller in the dark.
     Though I know not what you are,
     Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

     Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
     How I wonder what you are.
     Up above the world so high,
     Like a diamond in the sky.

     Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
     How I wonder what you are.     How I wonder what you are. 

My main reasons for choosing this piece are that it holds happy childhood memories for me, and it also tells a good story which has a lot of potential to be very different to anything else that has ever been done before.

Fiction Adaptation Unit: Ideas

After today's session, I now have a couple of ideas for the fiction adaptation piece, as follows:

I had an idea that I could take the War Poem Dulce et Decorum Est, and possibly change it to reflect a recent issue, such as the 2011 riots in the United Kingdom. Here is the poem in it's entirety:

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, 
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, 
Till on the haunting flares(2) we turned our backs 
And towards our distant rest(3) began to trudge. 
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots 
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; 
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots(4)  
Of tired, outstripped(5) Five-Nines(6) that dropped behind.
Gas!(7) Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling, 
Fitting the clumsy helmets(8) just in time; 
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling, 
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime(9) . . . 
Dim, through the misty panes(10) and thick green light, 
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. 
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, 
He plunges at me, guttering,(11) choking, drowning. 
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace 
Behind the wagon that we flung him in, 
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, 
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; 
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood 
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, 
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud(12)  
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, 
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest(13)  
To children ardent(14) for some desperate glory, 
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est 
Pro patria mori.(15)

I had the idea for choosing this poem as I have studied it before at A-Level, and I have been told by my mother about my grandfather who was fighting in the second world war, and whilst this poem is about the first world war, I can relate to it and how my grandfather was feeling whilst in the middle of a war zone.

New term - New me

Well, the start of a new year. I enjoyed the first year of the course, I found it hard in places, but I managed to get through it and pass all my units. This year, I plan to put more effort and time into my work, and approach each unit as something to be embraced and enjoyed, rather than seeing everything as a wall to struggle over. I will also use my self directed study time more effectively, and really knuckle down and strive to achieve well in all my endeavours.