Week 3: Meeting..........Maybe Not

For industry practice this week:

On Monday there was a meeting planned with the client to discuss the video product. However the client was unable to commit to the meeting due to organisational difficulties. However the client did inform Emmaline that they would prefer us to present a pitch for the video product. This now gives the group creative control of the video product. This process is similar to negotiating a film

“A film begins as an idea ‘pitched’ to a studio. It is conceived as an individual product and put together by a producer as a ‘package’ of a story, stars, and a director and crew.” (Branston, Stafford, 2006, p214)

This is similar because the group is now in a situation where we have to pitch the idea to the client (who in this case is the studio). The client will control whether we have permission to film locations or peoples, much in the way a studio will control whether a company can film in there space. And this control will be dependent on the pitch.

This pitch will be dependent on research of the nature of the product and the client. To contribute towards this I have volunteered to look at broadcasting standards that will relate to video product. These standards will effect how the product will be shot and edited but also whether the concept would be suitable for broadcasting.

“In many other countries, public service broadcasting refers to a system that is set up by law and generally financed by public funds (often a compulsory licence paid by households) and given a large degree of editorial and operating independence. The general rationale for such systems is that they should serve the public interest for such systems is that they should serve the public interest by meeting the important communication needs of society and its citizens, as decided and reviewed by the way of democratic political system.” (McQuail, 2005, p179)

To meet public interest following these broadcast codes will be important. These codes will also apply to the product because it deals with a sensitive topic of prostitution, drugs, and possibly crime. Therefore fairness, privacy, due impartiality, and protecting under 18’s (who may be involved or who may be viewing the product).

Week 2: Need Something Soon.........Please

This past week for industry practice has been rather eventful.

On Monday I contacted my friend at BP Andrew Carter-Fea. After speaking with him I found out that there may be some work that we could create for them. However my contact asked that a physical letter be sent to him giving the details of the module video. This letter was compiled on the Monday afternoon and sent on the Tuesday.

The letter contained my personal contacts (address, mobile number, and home number) and the production company email address. However upon writing this blog there has been no contact from BP of any kind.

However Emmaline has received a phone call on Tuesday from the community church centre that they are interested in a video product. With this in mind on Thursday Emmaline contacted the community church to arrange a meeting. This meeting was arranged for the following Monday at 1:00pm. I have not contacted BP just in case the community church cannot deliver.

Also realising that next week there is a mock presentation of the video product the group decided to begin piecing together a presentation. I was tasked with gathering some general research on the community churches lighthouse project from the following areas: http://www.community-house.co.uk/community/lighthouse http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article402374.ece

Due to there being no details on the actual product much of the presentation was left unfinished. This presentation will be completed for next week.

Week 1: Starting Off

This past week the groups for industry practice have finally been agreed. I have been put into a group with Francesca and Emmaline. After this was complete the first item to discuss as a group was to find a client. This meeting was held on 04/10/10 and certain ideas were put forward, one being for the Hull Community Church.

The idea was put forward by Emmaline (due to her work with the church 2years earlier) as she had spoken with on of the managers there who was in charge of the lighthouse project (project designed to help prostitutes in hull to change). The manager expressed at the time an interest at creating a video product for the project. With this in mind the group got in contact with the church, however we are still waiting for a reply from them.

With this in mind I took it upon myself to contact other possible clients in case the community church does not get back to us.

Firstly I approached a company called saville audio visual. After contacting their hull branch I was given a contact for John Baxter (the head of their creative department). However I was told by him that they already create videos for themselves.

After this I looked through my list of contacts and realised I had one for a friend (who will be left unnamed) works in the media department in BP. However I have found that they are currently unavailable until 11/10/10.

Considering this week’s progress the targets for the end of next week (17/10/10) should be:

• Confirm a client
• Arrange a meeting with the client (as soon as possible)
• * If the above has been organised before end of week a schedule should be drawn up.