Links to A2 Documantary Blogs

Here are some links for you to look at:

http://achoudhurydocumentary.blogspot.com

http://ellendocumentary.blogspot.com

http://oliviadoc.blogspot.com

http://tillyguess.blogspot.com

http://zoedoc.blogspot.com

http://gcndocumentary.blogspot.com

Look at how many different types of technology have been used in the blogs.

You need to use your blog to support your work; add as much detail to it as often as possible!

Channel 4

Channel 4 have some amazing documentaries on at the moment; if you miss them watch them on 4OD:

Cutting Edge: The Men Who Jump Off Buildings (Wednesday @ 9pm)

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/themes/cutting-edge

Dispatches:Britain's Witch Children (Monday @ 8pm) This looks really interesting but please don't watch it if you are afraid of things linked to the spirit world.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches

The Hospital (Mondays @ 9pm) Looks at teengers and the NHS

Amish: The World's Squarest Teenagers (Sunday @ 8pm)

The Unreported World series is also interesting:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/unreported-world

Documentaries to Watch This Week...

As usual there are some great documentaries on this week including:

Fake Britain (BBC1 Monday)
Panorama (BBC 1 Monday)
My Child's Big Fat Birthday Party (BBC1 Monday)
Who Do You Think You Are? Bruce Forsyth (BBC1 Monday)
The Ugly Face of Beauty (Channel 4 Tuesday)
Mussolini: The Rise of Italian Fascism - Revealed (Channel 5 Tuesday)
Ladette to Lady (ITV Tuesday)
Mary, Queen of Shops (BBC2 Wednesday)
My Weird and Wonderful Family (Channel 4 Wednesday)
Escape from Colditz (Channel 5 Wednesday)
Traffic Cops (BBC1 Wednesday)
Undercover Boss (Channel 4 Thursday)
The Hotel Inspector (Channel 5 Thursday)
Victorian Pharmacy (BBC2 Thursday)
Cops with Cameras (ITV Thursday)
Superhuman: The World's Smallest People (ITV Thursday)
Nature Shock: Death Fog (Channel 5 Friday)

The ones in bold look more interesting - try to watch at least one of these.

This is not including the endless screenings of:
MTV shows (on MTV Shows channel)
Big Brother
Ice Road Truckers, Axe Men, The Deadliest Catch
DIY, antiques and property shows on daytime tv

You should try to watch sections of some of the documentaries above AND some that you have sourced.

When you watch you should be trying to identify mode and stylistics as well as getting inspiration for your own documentary sections.

Sample Student Timeline

The Rise of Documentary

Please complete the following work:

You need to research the rise and formation of documentary genre. Look at the following:
When it was formed
What were the first documentaries
How has it changed over the years
Key dates in documentary history
Important documantaries
Key documentary makers

You can produce this as a time-line or ANY other VISUAL way. Please do NOT copy and paste information into a document as it has no worth to you or I.

Use the websites I've already put onto the blog to help you.

Be creative - you can use the cameras, big paper and pens in Y5 BUT please respect the equipment.

Useful websites may include:

www.timerime.com

www.vertex42.com/ExcelArticles/create-a-timeline.html

www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/timelines

Kerry Katona 'What's theProblem?' and 'What Katie did Next' Extracts

These clips contain some strong lanugage and adult content. You must ensure that if you watch these you are analysing the mode and conventions that are presented.

Do some of your own research and blog it.

Kerry is waiting for DNA test results.



Katie has just left the jungle. Look at the amount of shots and variety that is used.

Creating Word Clouds

Creating a work cloud is a great way to show the exam board that you have a broad range of knowledge. The best websites to experiment on are:

http://www.wordle.net/

http://worditout.com/

http://www.tocloud.com/

Modes of Documentary:Typical Conventions

Modes of Documentary: Conventions

View more presentations from amythechooch.

Screenonline Research Tool

Screen Online is an excellent website for you to explore when researching. It has information, articles and clips on a vast range of media topics including documentary.

There is great information on older documentaries that you might not have heard of; you should research these on screen online to broaden yourunderstanding of documentary modes and sub-genres.

The website is:

http://www.screenonline.org.uk/index.html

There is a great section on David Attenborough on the home page at the moment.

Other pages of interest:

TV Home page and search tool:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/index.html

History of Doumentary Film:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/446186/index.html

Drama Documentary - we haven't touched on this yet:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1103146/index.html

Authored Documentary:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/898488/index.html

'Fly on the Wall' Documentary:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/698785/index.html

Nick Broomfield

Part 1: Nick gives advice on interviewing techniques.

Part 2: Nick talks about using research in the construction of documentaries; he discusses the process in creating 'The Battle for Haditha'

Part 3: Nick discusses his own influences on film-making and the creative process of using images over dialogue

Part 4: General information and his own tips on documentary making

Useful Websites for Research

Here are some websites that you might find useful:

Documentary Makers:
http://www.michaelmoore.com

http://www.nickbroomfield.com/home.html


Watch Documentaries Free:

(May be some age restricted content but documentaries have all been screened on TV)
http://documentaryheaven.com

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com

Obviously http://www.youtube.com/ but be very selective with what you watch and how it is used in your research

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/tags/documentaries

General:

http://www.documentaryfilms.net/ - a site that had current documentary releases, reviews and news from the Industry as well as documentary making tips and links.

http://www.freebase.com/ - a really useful website that is full of data and facts on thousands of topics

Research into Documentary Forms

To start with you need to ensure that you actually understand what a documentary is. You need to undertake to research in the following areas and put it onto your blogs:

• Research forms and modes of documentary
• Research and show understanding of each mode
• Nick Broomfield
• Michael Moore
• Louis Theroux

This research evidence must be a combination os text, images, hyperlinks and clips that are relevant; try to be creative and display your understanding in a variety of ways.

Research DIFFERENT documentaries and watch as many as you can to gain a better understanding of conventions and stylistics.

For each documentary you watch ensure that you blog about it; include images, clips and some analysis of target audience and conventions.

Put any PowerPoints on your blog by using screen shots or via www.slideshare.net

Construction: Marking Criteria

In this piece of work, in terms of production 40 marks will be allocated to the main task and 10 marks each for the two ancillary tasks.

Within the section of the main task, you should consider the relationship between the tasks and ensure that a sense of brand identity across the package is evident. This should be taken into account at this stage.

The table displays the allocation of marks including the construction of the main task and the supporting pieces of work.

Film/Television/Video
Level 1

Work likely to be unfinished.
There is evidence of minimal ability in the creative use of any of the following technical skills:

 the ability to hold a shot steady;
 framing a shot appropriately;
 using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;
 shooting material appropriate to the task set;
 selecting mise-en-scène;
 editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;
 using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and appropriately;
 using sound with images and editing appropriately.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, there is only minimal evidence of a contribution to construction.

Level 2
There is evidence of a basic level of ability in the creative use of some of the following technical skills:

 holding a shot steady, where appropriate;
 framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;
 using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;
 shooting material appropriate to the task set;
 selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;
 editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;
 using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and appropriately for the task set;
 using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, a basic contribution to construction is evident.

Level 3

The candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

 holding a shot steady, where appropriate;
 framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;
 using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;
 shooting material appropriate to the task set;
 selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;
 editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;
 using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and appropriately for the task set;
 using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, a proficient contribution to construction is evident.

Level 4

The candidate is expected to demonstrate excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

 holding a shot steady, where appropriate;
 framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate;
 using a variety of shot distances as appropriate;
 shooting material appropriate to the task set;
 selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;
 editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;
 using varied shot transitions, captions and other effects selectively and appropriately;
 using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, an excellent contribution to construction is evident.

Research and Planning: Information and Marking Criteria

Before you start to construct your documentary you need to research the genre in great detail. You need to understand and explore the sub-genres and gain a detailed understanding of the stylistics involved in the different modes of documentary.


Marking Criteria for the Presentation of the Research and Planning

Research and Planning should be presented in electronic format. As part of the moderation sample, the moderator will expect to see research/planning evidence.

Level 1: 0–7 marks
 There is minimal research into similar products and a potential target audience.
 There is minimal organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
 There is minimal work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
There is minimal care in the presentation of the research and planning
 Time management may be very poor.

Level 2: 8–11 marks
 There is basic research into similar products and a potential target audience.
 There is basic organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
 There is basic work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
 There is a basic level of care in the presentation of the research and planning
 Time management may not be good.

Level 3: 12–15 marks
 There is proficient research into similar products and a potential target audience.
 There is proficient organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
 There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
 There is a good level of care in the presentation of the research and planning
 Time management is good.

Level 4: 16–20 marks
 There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.
 There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
 There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
 There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research and planning
 Time management is excellent.

Introduction to Advanced Portfolio (G324)

You are embarking on another creative process, only this time you are going to be creating a 5 minute section of a documentary instead of the opening of a thriller. The exam board guidance for unit G324 is as follows:

This is a coursework unit. Each candidate will produce:

 a media portfolio, comprising a main and ancillary texts;
 a presentation of their research, planning and evaluation in electronic format(s).

The Portfolio

The portfolio will consist of an extract from a new documentary TV programme, lasting approximately five minutes, together with two of the following three options:

 a radio trailer for the documentary;
 a double-page spread from a listings magazine focused on the documentary;
 a newspaper advertisement for the documentary.


The Evaluation

Each candidate will evaluate and reflect upon the creative process and their experience of it.
For the evaluation you will produce a PowerPoint presentation, a Prezi and a thorough blog.

In the evaluation the following questions must be answered:

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?
4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Marking of the Unit

G324 is marked and internally standardised by the school and marks are submitted to OCR by, a sample is then selected for external moderation.

The unit is marked out of a total of 100 marks:

• 20 marks for the planning and research and its presentation;
• 60 marks for the construction; broken into 40 marks for the documentary and 10 marks for each of the supporting pieces
• 20 marks for the evaluation.