In Response to the Brief
The assignment brief requires me to produce a media product which effectively demonstrates my skills and ability and helps to convey my capability as a media producer. The project requires a pitch and proposal, as well as a research and analysis essay to determine what the media product will entail and my own personal ideas for showcasing a service/organisation of the Somerset Climate Action Network. I would next need to compose a presentation, this could be in the form of a powerpoint, and perhaps a video presentation would also suffice. Evidence also needs to be provided to back-up my claims and research and also touch on how to build off of my ideas for the project and communicate with the audience.
Keeping regular entries in a weekly production-journal will also provide a good insight into what progress has been made in the project so far and what else needs to be done in the future to further improve the media product. I can also see keeping a production-journal as proving useful for planning. The production journal would need to include evidence such as links, progress, images and videos of work done and more to further amplify the effectiveness of the production-journals. These journal entries must be weekly to be as thorough as possible.
Pre-production will need to be thorough, arranging dates, writing up location recce’s and deconstructing the pre-production plan among other things, will all amount to providing a convincing and substantial amount of pre-production work.
Market and audience research will need to be undertaken to make sure that the media product appeals to both the audience and of course, the organisation and that it can successfully convey what is desired by the viewers to see and the organisations to present. Audience feedback would also be very helpful if we had access to it.
Eventually, I would be required to compose an evaluation document on WordPress to reflect on all of the work that I had previously done. This would include a look back at my research, production and target audience factors of my final major project, among other aspects which I will be sure to cover.
This issue is one that requires our attention and I believe that the general public should care a great deal about Feed Avalon’s work and why they do what they do to benefit the eco-system as well as the locals of Somerset. Sustainable-living is one of the biggest changes that the general public can make if they wish to act against climate-change, but not many know where to start. However, the consumer good that humans require and use the most without fail is food, so surely there are more sustainable ways to eat in our society. This is where Feed Avalon come in and I believe that given the right commercial promotion, they could certainly make some good changes in our local area, should the locals be on-board with such an idea and the message is simple, we have more influence than we may believe.
I want to show people that the consumer has more impact on climate-change than they think and while it is easy to blame the government and large companies which in truth, is justified, in the capitalist Western World of the free-market, the consumer has the final say because if something is profitable, then companies will accommodate the demands of the public because they want to remain influential. Hypothetically speaking, if everyone switched to sustainable-living, by cutting out meat and dairy and looking to plant-based diets for nutrition, then we would have a much more sustainable world. Of course, this is hypothetically speaking and I doubt that this would be possible and also that my Final Major Project would have anywhere near the amount of influence required to stimulate such a radical change.
I do believe that people should be interested because I am showcasing a superb organisation from the excellent Somerset Climate Action Network in the hope that people realise how much of the climate-crisis rests with them and how much influence they could potentially have on which choice we make next in tackling the climate crisis and achieving Net Zero Carbon in Somerset by 2030. Ultimately, I believe that handled correctly, this project could certainly make a splash and get some more people on-side for the Somerset Climate Action Network.
Research Plan
I will absolutely need to look into what it is that Feed Avalon do in detail because while I am currently aware of what it is that the Somerset Climate Action Network and more specifically Feed Avalon do, it would definitely be worth taking a deeper look into the work that the organisation does and the process undertaken by those working there as well. It would also be a good idea to investigate the conception of Feed Avalon and how the organisation came to be and more importantly, why the Somerset Climate Action Network felt that Feed Avalon were needed in the first place and what their purpose was once they became situated in Somerset.
Audience research would as always, be vital. Audience research would help me test the waters to find out who would be interested in this Final Major Project video and who I should try and reach out to. With this in mind, perhaps putting together a survey or a focus group to carry out primary audience research would be a good idea and would help me better understand my (potential) audience for this project. A location recce would also be useful, as it would help me to get a better understanding of the grounds for filming and also help with the risk-assessment which I should hope, will be completed in pre-production, preferably within the next week or so (at the time of writing).
Subject Research
I am focusing on the consumer’s impact on climate change and how what we buy affects who has control over the world and it’s consumerist aspect of distributive capitalism in the modern day’s Western-World free-market. The most forthright product that human-beings are required to buy constantly is food and drink, but is what we are consuming good for the planet? This is the question that I wish to pose with this Final Major Project and this is exactly why Feed Avalon exists, proposing organic and sustainably-produced food which they hope to distribute across Somerset to create a County which lives more sustainably and more kindly with regards to the planet and the life that Earth is a home to.
Above is the website link for Feed Avalon, the main organisation that I am hoping to work with among others should they so wish to work alongside me as well who are in a similar line of work to the individuals who work at Feed Avalon. The website for Feed Avalon provides me with almost all of the information that I need to learn more about Feed Avalon and the work that they do, the people involved, where they are situated and what they hope to achieve. This website has been very useful to me in learning more about Feed Avalon and also, how to get in touch with the right people to get the ball rolling and commence filming at the location very soon.
When further analysing the website, you can find the news section of Feed Avalon which has posts few and far between, however the information provided is useful in giving insight into what it is that the organisation does during their regular events like the seed swap, harvest show and outside events which might be one-offs or happen far less frequently but are still examples of the work that Feed Avalon does as part of the Somerset Climate Action Network.
Above is a video link to a video by the vegan activist and educator Ed Winters, more commonly known online as ‘Earthling Ed’ giving his take on why he believes that sustainable plant-based diets could work wonders for remedying the effects of climate change and how the general public could take a stand against the climate-crisis by simply making some small alterations in their diets and the industries that they choose to support. One should feel free to undertake as much research as they see fit to deduct a conclusion as to whether or not this is correct, but all reliable facts and figures will show that plant-based diets are an excellent way forward and with Feed Avalon’s main focus being ecologically sourced produce and socially-just farming, a plant-based diet is an excellent way forward to remedying our climate-crisis which everyone can try in the hope of reducing their carbon footprint and of course, being kinder to the planet and all of the life that call the Earth home.
Existing Media Products
“The Seal” – Carlsberg
One media product which I believe is a good example with regards to an established organisation/company showcasing their work to better their environmental surroundings is an advert by the alcoholic-beverage company, Carlsberg. In an article from Campaign UK, there was a showcasing of Carlsberg’s partnership with the WWF, an animal-welfare organisation to restore seagrass in the ocean to keep ocean-life well.
In the video, which has a run-time of around 30 seconds, we are introduced to what appears to be a couple, sharing a couple cans of Carlsberg lager by an ocean dock, with Carlsberg glasses to match, the couple then see a seal peeking at them from the ocean, which grabs their attention. There has been narration up to this point, with the opening line being the following; “We believe that working together makes anything possible.” (with we being the company, Carlsberg). After this initial shot, we are then presented with the seal looking at the couple which brings us to the next narrative monologue, “So imagine if every time you did this- (the male of the male and female couple proceeds to crack open his beer can) this happened…” Once the beer can is opened, we see the seal gleefully swimming through the ocean as seagrass grows at a rapid rate, coating the ocean bed with green goodness for all of the sea-life.
This action of conveying that when you open your can of Carlsberg, assuming of course that you have bought it, wondrous things happen in the ocean as your funds help to contribute to the cause of restoring the ocean’s seagrass, all thanks to the alcoholic-beverage company Carlsberg. This gives the company a good-look as people would not often associate an alcoholic-beverage company with sustainability and an ecologically-conscious attitude, but Carlsberg are clearly here to give the industry a new and eco-friendly look with Carlsberg leading the way, being the pioneers of the movement to get large companies to reduce their carbon-footprint by making changes such or partnering with organisations to make the world a greener place.
This is an effective way of communicating with the audience and portraying the company’s ecological-consciousness and how they are motivated to do some good in the world. One could suggest that large companies who rely on worker’s labour, exported materials and the capitalist Western economy painting themselves as better than the rest with their new policies to create a greener planet as somewhat hypocritical and almost laughable, as we as people are taught that the industries are to blame for all of the environment’s deterioration as far back as the industrial revolution which while being a reasonable thing to believe, does not mean that these companies and industries do not have the measures to do something good as well. Perhaps Carlsberg’s eco-friendly attitude to rejuvenating the seagrass of the ocean connotes a new time for companies as they wish to participate in the fabled net-zero and carbon neutral Earth that we are collectively striving for within the next two decades. As we are told, the little steps that we take help to make the greater difference.
“Plastic-free Penzance” – BBC News
From the BBC’s own series ‘Coastal Britain’, the British news channel covers the coastal towns of Britain and always finds a point of interest to discuss to make a compelling instalment of the series. In the episode focused on Cornwall, BBC News focuses on the town of Penzance and its efforts to become carbon-neutral and tackle the global climate-crisis head-on. The video showcases the work done by the locals of Penzance and well conveys the potential that people-power has and how influential a group of people can be. A lot of locals co-operate and help each-other create a more environmentally-friendly town and there is a strong sense of community evoked by the video, conveying the locals to be economically-conscious and pleasant.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-cornwall-49972119
The structure of the video is good, with different segments roughly every 30 seconds, which keeps the viewer interested and supplies us with constant fresh and intriguing information. Information which helps explain to us the policies of the ideally carbon-neutral coastal town of Penzance. This video’s structure is a great example of how to make a video to showcase one of the organisations of the Somerset Climate Action Network, with a variety of shots such as pan-shots like the ones used early on in the video during the climate march, which put on show the vast amount of people who attended the event and showed support for the cause. This shot alone helps to get across the fact that a large amount of people in Penzance genuinely are interested in bettering their town with regards to going plastic-free and having a lower carbon-footprint, which is something that the town has managed to achieve and as the video shows, the town has gained notoriety for their efforts to reduce their carbon-footprint and set an example to the rest of England.
One scene in particular which I find captivating, is midway through the video where we are treated to a tour of the community garden of Penzance. I mention this, because in this scene, we are shown what must be at least 20 minutes of footage, however most of it is sped-up and only the elements which are deemed interesting by the BBC are shown and only these last around 5 seconds. It goes to show that while a lot of footage may be collected, not all of it would or should be focused on and a large segment of footage, is useful to speed up and use as a time-lapse segment instead, to showcase a vast array of elements without spending too much time on them and keeping the segment as well as the video to a watchable and acceptable length.
I find this video to include the informative nature I desire my video to have, as well as the easy-to-watch structure of around 5 minutes in duration with many different shots, segments and points of interest throughout the video. I should hope that my video turns out similarly to the very watchable and very information-packed video which the BBC made about Penzance and their economically-kind practices. The aspects such as the abundance of interesting shots, brisk topic changes (whilst still being in-keeping with the general topic of the video) and the many vox-pops of locals explaining the policies and desires of the people of Penzance are all aspects of which I would like to in some way, incorporate into my video and create a production to a similar standard and quality.
Judgements and Concepts
I have taken inspiration from the existing media products that I have previously covered in this essay such as the Carlsberg advert ‘The Seal’ and the BBC’s video from the ‘Coastal Britain’ series, ‘Plastic Free Penzance’. The aspects of these media products which I find to be interesting and can see working in my own Final Major Project video, are the many cut-away shots with B-Roll footage, which add depth to a production and ultimately give the segment a more professional feel. I am also a fan of the well-structured nature of the ‘Penzance’ video in particular and I should hope to create something as close to this in terms of quality as I possibly can, while of course retaining my own authenticity in spite of the words of Pablo Picasso stating that, “great artists steal”.
I will try to adapt these ideas, even if they have initially been cherry-picked from other productions, I will ensure that my own authentic touch is prominent in this production and that I can put my own accent as the head producer of this media production into the mix and use proven and effective conventions to help better my production whilst still retaining my own unique style of production, filming and editing in the production to ensure that the production is not only of a great quality, but also reminiscent of some of the finest informative videos ever created for such a purpose of showcasing the work of the Somerset Climate Action Network and more specifically, Feed Avalon.
I do not believe that it is a superb idea to almost blatantly plagiarise another person and their work which they put time and effort into. I believe that taking inspiration however, is admirable and being inspired by another’s work and hoping to somehow incorporate aspects of such work into your own for me, conveys an individual as someone who is willing to learn new things and does not overstate their abilities as a creator, always willing to take notice of the greats and understand that it is because their work is so excellent and influential, that they are considered such greats. People like Quentin Tarantino and James Cameron who are cinematographic geniuses, deserve their critical acclaim, because they are as good as their reputation says and so it is a credit to such creators to take inspiration from their expertise when it comes to being a talented cinematographer and getting the best and most effective shots possible in a media production.
I have taken the idea to use B-Roll of things like flowers, landscapes and road traffic to add depth to my video. I have seen such aspects in multiple productions, particularly in productions such as news reports and mini-documentaries which are of course, remarkably similar to the sort of media product which I am to be composing. These shots can be found in the BBC’s ‘Plastic-Free Penzance’ video and I have taken great inspiration from the interesting shots in the video and I believe that they will help my production become a stronger body of work and a more well-rounded production as a whole, with multiple interchangeable shots which I will be able to influence with my own style of filming to make them authentic and unique to me and my style of filming, editing and producing a media product, conveying my awareness of the necessity and effectiveness of professional practice in media production.
Aims and Ambitions
My main ambition for this project is for the video to gain notoriety on social media and give the Somerset Climate Action Network as well as Feed Avalon and my own work, some much-deserved promotion and to increase Feed Avalon’s reach as an organisation across Somerset. I hope that this media product is mutually beneficial to both parties, helping me to get a good final grade this year in media, as well as help promote the remarkable work that is done at Feed Avalon.
If all goes particularly well, then I can see this video being used on Feed Avalon’s own website, to act as a good example of all of their work and what they do, all accessible in a short and high-quality informative video. I believe that one video should be enough to get the point across, though this video will have to be of an excellent standard, something which I believe that I am capable of composing.
This project will do an excellent job of bolstering my abilities in creative media studies and composing a media product. I will learn more about working with clients, but also being my own boss and making my production schedule work effectively in getting all of the necessary work done in good time. I am also exicted to see how this project will benefit my confidence with regards to cinematography and utilising the power of effective shots, such as a good establishing shot to name a good example, as a good establishing shot clearly explains to the viewer where you are, which is not always easy, because there are points to look out for such as signs or landscapes, which are indicators of the setting in the video.
I believe that this video requires a video format similar to that of a YouTube Video, which is in one package and easily accessible through a link, or specific search address. The other benefit of a YouTube video format is that the video will be easy to embed into Feed Avalon’s website if they should wish to do so. I think that a YouTube video format will compliment the type of video I am to make.
My target audience is economically-conscious individuals in the Somerset area who are of all ages, to reach out to a broader audience who might even have an interest in doing some voluntary work at Feed Avalon, such as helping out at one of their annueal ‘Seed-Swaps’. I should imagine that such individuals are interested in organic or plant-based diets, which are kinder to the planet which I would assume is the motive for such methods of consumption, something which Feed Avalon as well as the rest of the Somerset Climate Action Network pride themselves on. Being ecologically-conscious and eco-friendly. I believe that my product will meet the needs of this target audience, by showcasing what more that they could do to contribute to a greener Somerset and thus, a greener world. The target audience will get a look into the livelihood of the people who work consistently to create an alternative to some of the more destructuve methods of sourcing produce on our planet and that there is an eco-friendly solution, almost right on the doorstep of most people in Somerset. I believe that the video could prove motivating for some, to make more of an effort to contribute to a more sustainable world, with sustainable goods from Feed Avalon setting a great example. I see all of the aforementioned as reasons that the target demographic would be enthusiastic about the media product. I think that good conversations with the people that work with Feed Avalon will be an attractive asset of my video, which will humanise the individuals working there and make the viewers and more importantly the target audience, feel more related to and thus make my video a more desirable product for my target audience. When it comes to audience feedback, I believe that it will greatly influence the product in a positive way, because the views of the public are what stimulates the difference-making in the world of climate change and fighting against it. I would very much look forward to hearing all forms of feedback, as they credit me as a media-producer, but also offer engagement into the media product itself and thus Feed Avalon and on a broader scale, the Somerset Climate Action Network.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
I think that one asset that I have in this particular project, is that I am passionate about what I am looking into and I have the upmost respect for the Somerset Climate Action Network and the work that they do. Feed Avalon are an organisation that represent a better solution to some of our more environmentally-harmful methods of food production and this aligns with my values and aspirations for our society when it comes to the concept of a world of more ethically-sourced and sustainable produce. I believe that throughout my time on the creative media course at college, I have learnt a great deal about video-editing, structuring, planning, research and the overall process of producing a media product. I believe that one strength I have which stands above the rest of my skillset, would be my ability to structure a media product. I have been inspired throughout my youth by the documentaries I have been exposed to and have taken on an interest and an enthusiasm for producing documentaries, looking to my own personal favourites, such as Louis Theroux, Richard Dawkins and Ross Kemp. I would also credit myself as an individual with good social skills and I enjoy meeting new people and working alongside them, which I see as a positive factor in this project in particular.
Weaknesses
The tightly knit production schedule will certainly put a strain on my issue of keeping everything organized, which is a weakness of mine when it comes to producing a media product. I can rememdy this by regularly referring back to the production schedule and ensuring that I keep up to date with all of my work. I feel that a good contingency plan can remedy this, which is currently on standby if required, which involves confiding in the help of an associate of mine in the course who is also working with Feed Avalon and working alongside him to secure filming dates at the site of filming. I am also not a highly-skilled video-editor, but I am confident that given the time I will have, I will be able to improve on my current ability by learning from video tutorials and gaining experience with the software itself.
Opportunities
I see this project as an opportunity to broaden my knowledge when it comes to composing a media-product and I will also be able to get a better idea of what is like to work with people of whom I have never met and building working-relationships. I also see this as an opportunity to improve my cinematographic skills and improve my structuring of contingency plans if anything goes wrong, which is always a possibility. If such an occurrence should take place, I will be able to put into place my strong contingency plan, but hopefully there will be no need for it.
Threats
I can see bad weather, bad communication, poor professional practice and a lack of organizational skills as the multitude of threats which I will need to watch out for which could compromise the process of producing my media product, but as stated before I believe that a well-followed and well-composed production plan will be able to prevent and if necessary, remedy such threats. #
Links and Bibliography
URL: http://www.feedavalon.org.uk/
URL: Veganism could save the planet. Here’s why.
URL: The Seal Carlsberg | TV Advertising Campaign | Creative Advertising Agency – Fold7
URL: https://bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-cornwall-49972119
Website Title: BBC News
Article Title: Is Penzance the UK’s most eco-friendly Town?
Romano G Media 