Unit 1: Research Techniques

Unit 1.1 - Understand the purposes of research in the media industries

Research Techniques: 

http://heatherharknessbtecradio.blogspot.com/2009/09/unit-1-research-techniques-for-media.html

Market research:

• Audience data: number of people taking part
• Audience awareness: promotion of the product
• Product reach: how many people get the programme
• Audience profiling: details of audience/ target audience
• Consumer behaviour: target audience- how they act
• Consumer attitudes: attitudes of people participating in contrast to the people viewing.
• Competitor analysis: Researching the other companies and what they are doing.
• Advertising placement: where the advert should be set (on Tv, radio, internet etc)
• Advertising effects: effects on the viewers

Production research:

• Content: what you are going to put in the programme, plus research of ofcom and the regulations.
• Resources: e.g. personnel, talent, finance, suppliers, facilities, locations, logistical support; costs; viability; placement, e.g. publication, broadcast, webcast, podcast; audience; competition

• These are some of the things needed to put into what you are making. Every aspect has to be considered to ensure that the final product is suitable for broadcasting. Talent would be ensuring that both the people in the programme, and the people making the programme are able to do their jobs. Finance and costs should be considered throughout, as they are very important aspects and without regulating what you spend you may run out of money. Suppliers, facilities and locations are also very important to the running of the programme. You need to get someone to do everything you need whilst thinking of the costs, the location is important to the setting and also the genre of the show. Webcasts, broadcasting and podcasts are important, they provide important advertising for the product, without this, less people are likely to watch the programme. The target audience must also be taken into consideration, for example, elderly people are less likely to want to watch a show that looks more like its for teenagers. This is also where competition comes in. You need to observe what the other companies are doing, and try to make your product more appealing than theirs. 

Unit 2: Pre-Production Techniques

Task 1: Understand Requirements for production

See table below for the hyperlinks to the various hyperlinks from around my blogs in both Tv and Film, and the Radio course.

Task 2: Applying a range of research

Task 3: Presenting research results

Unit 7: Understanding the Tv and Film Industries

Task 1: Technologies

• The channels that still broadcast on analogue and are available to everyone who buys a TV set are BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
• Freeview is a free digital TV service. You buy the set top box and then don’t have to pay again. The service providers include the ones shown on the site below, as well as a number of others. Satellite TV is television delivered by communications satellites. Statistics show that over 85% of UK homes now have satellite television. In 2012 the UK is switching from analogue to digital, the old analogue signal will be switched off.
• Sky+ is available to people who want to record programmes if they are unable to watch them at the time of showing. Virgin media has an on demand service so that if they have missed their programme they are able to watch it at a later date, or they can watch the shows they want to watch, or even music videos.
• A number of different interactive channels are available to viewers, for example, shows such as the x factor enable the viewers to have their say about what they want to happen on the show, they can vote for their favorite act. Other channels, such as music channels, allow viewers to text in what they want to hear on the show, and both types of interaction cost a small fee. Other types of interaction with shows can be done online. For example, poll’s and blogs can be posted so viewers can have their say about the shows they watch.
• On some sites it is free to watch TV, these are mainly sites such as YouTube and MySpace. This is because they have been put on by other people that use the site. On the other hand, on the 4OD site some shows are free, but there are certain shows that you need to pay for.
• The mass audiences that watched TV in the past are more fragmented now because hundreds of different niche channels have been introduced now that digital TV has been introduced to appeal to a range of different viewers tastes. As a result of this, advertisers have had to change the way they market their programmes. This is because less and less people are watching the shows intended for a general audience, and so they need to change the way they market the programmes so that they appeal to everyone. The disadvantages for the advertisers and programme makers of mass audiences being fragmented are that they are having to spend more to try to advertise to a broader audience to get more people to watch their shows.
• The uses and gratifications theory is more relevant today, as people still watch programs for a number of different reasons, however, advances in technology show us that television is now not the only resource people use. For example, surveillance can be used online now, people can go on to a website and find the information they need. As for diversion, sites on the internet allow people to go on whatever they want. Personal identity and personal relationships can also be found on the internet. Sites such as Facebook and Myspace are useful to lots of people as they can find people like them, who they can relate to, and also blogs on the internet allow people to find themselves reflected in the texts.

Task 2: Case Study

• Channel 4 was originally established under the broadcasting act 1981 and was provided for by the Independent Broadcasting Authority. Later, the channel 4 television corporation was established under the Broadcasting Act 1990 and then in 1993 the channel’s functions were transferred over to the new Corporation. The corporations board is appointed by OFCOM in agreement with the Secretary of state for Media, culture and sport.
• The channel 4 organisation broadcasts throughout the whole of the UK, except some parts of Wales. It is available for viewing on all digital platforms, which are satellite, cable and terrestrial, and also on analogue transmission.
• The channel operates a variety of different services, which include E4, More 4, Film 4, and also free-to-air digital channels. As well as this, channel 4 is also online, the site has a number of different activities, so the choice of what you want to see is yours.

Task 3: Funding: How is the TV industry funded and how does this effect programming?

• The TV industry is funded by public service broadcasting, or PSB as some call it. This is broadcasting intended to the benefit of the public rather than just for commercials. Public service broadcasting is funded by a licence fee that is paid by UK households. Ofcom, the communications regulator, requires that some television broadcasters, for example the BBC, fulfil certain requirements as a part of their broadcasting licence. In the case of the BBC, they need to educate, inform and also entertain. This is a policy which they stand by in order to get the funds they want to be able to create the quality of shows they want the public to see.
• The amount of money that is spent on funding a certain channel will affect the type and quality of the programmes that get shown on it, whereas the more that is spent on a channel the higher quality the programmes shown will be. For example, the BBC have been funded so much that they can afford to have all the great programmes they want, which also stick to their policy, and not have to be funded by advertisements on most of their channels, whereas on other channels this isn’t the case, because usually channels need the help of advertising companies to fund their programs and increase the quality of the programs.
• Different broadcasting companies encourage viewers to subscribe to their format of broadcasting, for example, SKY, which offers customers different ranges of packages of digital TV and allows them to choose what type of programs they want to watch. Customers will pay a set fee for the programs and the company will allow them to watch the shows, meaning that the customers get to watch the TV they want without having to pay for what they don’t want. Once you are a subscriber, the companies may encourage customers to subscribe to other channels as an extra, and other things such as the telephone and the internet.
• In the US, TV subscriptions are much like the ones in the UK. Basic cable that everyone can get has around 30 channels, and you can also order cable from a cable company with extra channels. Another option for television is satellite, where you buy the channels from the company and you receive a box that gets the channels via satellite. Much like Sky digital in the UK.
• You can now subscribe to TV on the Internet through a range of different companies, such as virgin or sky. They have their own sites, which advertise the different types of packages they can provide for a customer and then the customer can pay for it online and the company will send their package to them, making it easier and more efficient to find what they want.
• Pay per view is where customers can pay to watch certain events or programs on a channel that they haven’t been subscribed to. It is more popular in the US, but the UK also has it for viewers. The kind of events people may wish to view could include sports programs- such as football matches, which are popular with many people, and so may not want to subscribe to the channel because they want to watch one particular game.
• Many companies now get sponsorships to help to fund their programmes. Some example of this include Hollyoaks, which is sponsored by extra mints, Toyota sponsors t4 and Dancing on ice, which is sponsored by DFS. Certain businesses associate themselves with specific companies according to the target audience of their programme. In the case of Hollyoaks and the extra mints sponsor, the target audience is aimed at younger people and they want to be sponsored by a product that young people would be interested in buying, whereas in the case of strictly come dancing, the target audience is aimed at adults, and is also set at a later time when people like to relax, so DFS, being a sofa outlet will be more likely to appeal to that audience.
• Niche audiences are attractive to advertisers as they can give a more specific idea of what type of product the viewer would be most likely to buy, making it easier for them to choose a sponsor for that specific programme, therefore have a better chance of selling more of the product they choose to advertise.
• Product placement is illegal in the UK, but is very popular in the US. Product placement is sponsors that advertise during the show that is being played, either by the actors/ people in the show using the products, or having the products in the background. Product placement can help to fund a TV programme and also advertise the product. Viewers see the products in the TV programme and see that they are popular brands, so are likely to buy them. The sponsor company will pay the show to advertise their products and in return they will get the money back by the viewers going out and buying the products they have seen. Product placement is illegal in the UK because, for example ITV, don’t want the advertisements to distract viewers from the show. They do not “want to feel the script has been written by the commercial marketing director”.

Task 4: Ownership & Control

I produced a presentation that explains different aspects of the film industry...

Task 5: Job Roles & Contracts

There are various roles within the media industry, however the department I am going to focus on is Television and Film, and the various different job types that they have in order to create their products.

There are many different job roles in TV, with the main departments including:

Art & Design

Camera

Hair & Make-up

Journalism & Sport

Lighting

Performers

Production

Sound

Studio & Broadcast technology

Job roles in Film include:

Accounts

Art Department

Camera

Casting

Catering

Construction

Costume

Direction

Distribution

Editing & Post Production

Exhibition

Hair & Make-up

Health & Safety

Lighting

Locations

Music

Performing

Post Production

Sound Production

Production Office

Props

Publicity/ Stills

Script

Transport

Creative Job Roles Mind Map

Editorial

The editorial section focused on job roles such as script writing, production sound and editing & post production side of television and film. (As you can see above) I have listed these jobs and provided information about them as they provide an insight as to the sort of things editorial is about.

I chose to write about what a screenwriter would do, the editor & also the production sound mixer.

There are a variety of different jobs within the roles i have given as examples, which i will list below.

Boom Operator

Production sound mixer

Sound assistant/ Trainee

Editing & Post Production

Editor

Assistant Editor

Second Assistant Editor

Post Production Supervisor

Titles Designer

Script

Script Editor

Script Writer

Script Reader

Development Executive

Non Creative Job Roles in the industry

Management: The management section focuses on jobs around the production office and exhibition. On the Bubbl (above) you can see examples of the types of jobs these categories involve. For the chart I decided to use programmers and producers.

Production Office

Producer

Production Department

Executive Producer

Associate Producer/ Assistant Producer

Exhibition

Programmer

Projectionist

Task 6: Job Interview- Film Directing:

I had a job interview where i had to explain what it takes to be a film director:

Do you need specific training for your job?

While there are numerous training courses and reference books on directing, formal qualifications are not necessary to become a Director. Studying the art and craft of directing is important, but the role can only really be mastered through in-depth practical experience. Writing a screenplay, directing one's own short film or an amateur play, are all good starting places. Extensive industry experience is also crucial to this role; up-to-date knowledge of filmmaking techniques and equipment is vital, as is learning how to work with actors to create a performance.

What is the most important responsibility of your job?

Directors may write the film's script or commission it to be written; or they may be hired after an early draft of the script is complete. Directors must then develop a vision for the finished film, and define a practical route for achieving it. During pre-production, Directors make crucial decisions, such as selecting the right cast, crew and locations for the film. They then direct rehearsals, and the performances of the actors once the film is in production. Directors also manage the technical aspects of filming, including the camera, sound, lighting, design and special effects departments.

During post- production, Directors work closely with Editors through the many technical processes of editing, to reach the final cut or version of the film. At all stages, Directors are responsible for motivating the team to produce the best possible results. Directors must also appreciate the needs and expectations of the film's financiers.

Task 7: Job Contracts at the BBC

There are various different types of employment contracts within the TV and Film industries. In the BBC, they have a range of contracts. These are:

Attachment: This is where the worker is contracted to a certain department for any length of time. It is the most permanent of the job contracts available, and it usually involves working a set amount of hours.

Fixed Term: This is a contract that runs out after a fixed amount of time- for example, it could last from 6 months to 12 months etc. When the contract runs out, the worker would have to find a new job.

Casual: Casual is work that is where the worker is needed occasionally, for a few weeks at a time.

Flexi-Time: Flexi-time allows the worker to work extra hours of their choice in order to create time which they will ultimately save up so that they can use to have a day off when they choose. Flexi can also provide more equal opportunities to staff who are unable to work standard hours.

Freelance: A freelance worker is a person who’s profession is without a long term commitment to any employer in particular. Some freelancers require clients to sign contracts or have verbal agreements before they do the work. Payment for this type of work varies- freelancers may be charged by the hour, by the day, or per-project.

Secondment: This is where the worker is transferred from their normal job to a temporary job somewhere else. This type of work is beneficial to development and helps them to gain more experience in other areas of work.

Voluntary: Voluntary work is working for someone for no wage. People choose to do this either because they want the extra experience in the area of work they are involving themselves in, in order to benefit their future line of paid work. An alternate reason for volunteering work is simply done for personal gain- they may enjoy the job.

Confidentiality: Some people in the media industry have to sign a confidentiality agreement. This agreement is to make sure that certain things happening at their place of work are not being told to anyone outside of the particular industry. For example, if the plot line on ‘EastEnders’ was to be told to someone from another company, the idea could then be stolen, therefore affecting viewing ratings.

Exclusivity: Some industries employ people with contracts where the employee can only work for that particular organization- this is exclusivity. Celebrities are well known for signing these types of contracts- for example, Ant & Dec- who exclusively appear on ITV, and Jonathan Ross- who appears only on the BBC. Companies do this so that the celebrities become well known and regular on that channel- so that the viewers will watch that particular channel because it is reliable for their favorite celebrities.

Organisations working with other organisations: Some companies will only work with a certain type of television, for example, Sky is entitled to all of the wrestling channels- and no other companies are legally allowed to use the programs on their own television channels. Another example is Sky & Setanta, who own all of the rights for the different football programs- and the BBC are entitled to showing the highlights of football on ‘Match of the Day’.

Task 8: Risk Assessment

See Unit 21 Single Camera Techniques; Task 11 Health and Safety:

http://heatherharknessbtectvandfilm.blogspot.com/2009/06/unit-21-single-camera-techniques.html

Task 9: Employment Legislation

Most companies have an equal opportunities statement. This is where they are giving everyone the chance to get the job, and not singling people out on account of things such as race, colour, beliefs, nationality, religion, sexuality, age, disability etc. Age discrimination applies to both younger and older people. Popular misconceptions of these people are that older people are more likely to have time off due to health reasons, and that younger people are more ambitious- which isn’t fair as everyone can have ambition- and everyone can get sick.

There are different types of age discrimination. These include:

Direct discrimination- This is treating a person less favourably than others, due to their age.

Indirect discrimination- This is putting people at a particular age at a disadvantage to others.

Harrassment- Violating the persons dignity because of their age through offensive treatment, humiliating, or intimidating the person.

Victimisation- being treated unfairly because of the person complaining about age discrimination.

Resources:

www.ofcom.org.uk

www.digitaluk.co.uk

www.radioandtelly.co.uk/iptv.html

www.mediaknowall.com/alevkeyconcepts/audience.html

www.channel4.com/about4/overview.html

www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jun/11/advertising

http://www.digital-tv-online.co.uk/sky.html