Issue of Debate #4 - BBC Birmingham

The factual production from BBC Birmingham, is in the summer months, relocating to Bristol.

Production work in BBC Birmingham currently takes place at The Mailbox. Programmes produced include output on both television and radio. Before The Mailbox, these productions took place at Pebble Mill.

The decision to move the production from Birmingham to Bristol, among other places, certainly on one hand creates a lack of employment opportunities in my area, but on the other hand, could open up a new opportunity to gain employment. With this coming out of the area, it could gain me employment with the job cuts closer to home, but also one on hand, could make the job market even more competitive.

Some radio and television products which will remain in Birmingham, include Midlands Today and Countryfile. For radio includes The Archers and BBC WM. 

Issue of Debate #3 - Twitter Interactivity.

The interactivity of Twitter, has helped reinvigorate the Television industry. A few years ago, viewers were not able to discuss their thoughts on a television show, as it was airing, but Twitter has allowed users of the social networking site, to share their opinions, by creating hash tags, or using ones provided by the programme in question. A popular one I have used in University, is #Drama, for the Television Drama module, and #Docs for the TV Documentary and features module in Semester one.

This allowed me to intearct with other members of my tutor group while watching in the comfort of my own home, and the following weeks scheduled class, saw us able to elaborate on what we liked about the programmes we had watched. Twitter can also be a bad thing for television, as over exposure to it, and forcing it down peoples throats could have an effect where people may not want to watch that particular TV show. An example of this, is recently on WWE Raw every week promoting Twitter, and a month ago, it was overkill, mentioning twitter at every opportunity. Luckily it has died down now, but Twitter is still seen with on screen graphics promoting various things to do with either the current show, or upcoming shows of WWE television.

Another example, where Twitter can help television programmes is on shows such as Unreported World. Unreported World is now in its 23 series, and has been widely watched throughout its run, and due to its unique nature of a different person doing an episode each week, adds a sense of danger, to me , that if they were in another place that they may not be as safe, as an "undercover, unreported" world. Twitter certainly opens the eyes to the world of the dangerous nature of some of the places, and the awful stuff which is happening.

Issue of Debate # 2 - Reality Programming.

Now, I'm a fan of some reality shows, such as 24 hours in A&E, but I am not a fan of TOWIE or Big Brother. I understand the requirements for shows like TOWIE and similar shows (Geordie Shore, Desperate Scousewives), as they focus on a normal person in an everday situation which we can all have experience with. I don't really understand why a show such as Big Brother is as appealing as it is. Let us all, as a nation, sit on the settee and watch a bunch of people doing exactly the same.

24 Hours in A&E.
This show is broadcast on Channel 4, and it was filmed 24/7 for 28 days. The episode I am basing this review of was originally broadcast on Channel 4 at 9 pm on the 27th June 2012. The first 2 minutes of an episode, introduce the viewer to what they will see in the upcoming episode, and is edited together really effiently, and quickly, to symbolise the buisiness of the hospital and the urgency of the jobs by the talking heads in the introduction monologues. What also helped the following three minutes, was the case of a man who had a finger laceration, and you can feel the vulnerability and fear that he was a burden keeping the nurse from a more important medical case. You can also see the plights of the staff, as one of the doctors is quoted at 06:20 "Why is this person in A&E, she's got a cold". We then meet "Malcolm" After this, we get a close up of the red Phone ringing, which is probably a cut away added in editing, which then takes us onto the next case, that being of "a 93 year old man, who was knocked over just outside" named Earnest. For the next ten or so minutes, we are taken between the two cases, and briefly introducing another case, Sean who "hurt his shoulder on the way to work". After the break, we meet a mother and son , who are in A & E because the son fell on the stairs and had lingering rib issues and pain. The format for the rest of the show is the same, to keep each case in the forethough of the viewers' and also to keep it fresh enough it feels different.

In this show you can really feel for some of the characters, which have been well selected by producers, and probably, are from a selection of characters, but some might not come across well on camera, or in working with them, they get a sense of the character in their job.

TOWIE.
This show is broadcast on ITV2. It is filmed a few days in advance of it being aired, and an exert from the episode Series 5 Episode 10 is the basis of this review. The show was originally broadcast on ITV2.
It is a groundbreaking scene between Arg and Gem. After some previous tomfoolery and shenanigans both finally come clean with each other about their feelings for each other in a controlled and unrealistic way.


With Big brother, the format is always the same, and always disappoints so many people, yet there are always people who claim to love it, then be the first to complain about it. While I loved the idea of Big brother, in its infancy, I have grown to lothe all the television time it had gotten across the summer, although with the revivial on Channel 5, it is only on Television for an hour or 2 every night instead of 24/7 coverage, so I can understand the recent surge in viewers. I may even begin to watch it myself, if it continues to be a limited format.

In conclusion, I think if you think of a reality genred programme, it will be more successful if you follow the lineage of 24 Hours in A & E , although shows like TOWIE are becoming more popular, with the likes of Geordie Shore, Desperate scousewives, and a rumoured show about Birmingham. I don't believe the format of Big Brother, which is a simplistic approach is a good long term approach.

Issues of Debate #1 - Copyright.

Copyright.

As a University Student, I have realised the importance of Copyright, and in the real world, it is a lot more complicated. Everything needs to be justified, and cleared before using a piece of music, and for costly sums of money. This doesn't mean things I have done, can't be published, but quite a lot of my previous work, before University has used content which should be cleared if I was to produce the same pieces, outside of education purposes.

Copyright causes a problem, at any stage of productions at any level, whether further education, higher education, or professional. For me the issue has been easier to deal with, as I know a musician who can produce copyright free music for me, for credit. As I gain more experience, and better quality productions, I would need more music, and we already have an agreement, in which, if they have to produce more than 10 songs, we would need to negotiate a fee.

I would be unable to Use a Johnny Cash song, in a tribute to Johnny Cash, or to give a drama more tension, as a background song, or perhaps an opening or closing credit song, without permission from the people that own the Johnny Cash estates, for example. Clearing copyrighted material for use in materials, whether non profit or for commerical purposes can vary. It can cost thousands of pounds for up to 30 seconds of music or video footage.

The reason for this, is the same as, on doing essays, or scholastic work, if using a quotiation from a source, or a person, I am to Harvard Reference it, to say where I got it from, this is the visual sense of the Harvard Referencing system.

To put it another way, if I had worked for hours, or in some cases weeks on a project, and if someone tried to pass it off as their own work, it would be disappointing. If I was to find someone had submitted a video on YouTube or Vimeo, that I had done, and passed it off as their own, I would have to prove that it was my creation, and I am the copyright holder. This could be a long process, but whenever I am involved with a piece of media creation, I always place on beginning and end credits which would say who did what on the production. This is a form of Harvard referencing, and will make it difficult for anybody to steal works I have been involved with.

Capital Theatre Fesitival.

Recently, I got a chance to help create a short drama piece, which had been writer on the Writers' Forum, and a piece called Drastic, written by Liz John. Several of the students in my groups were there, and the script was directing by Mim Gertchen, Sound was captured by Louis Stones-Racz and Chantelle Slowly, Camera and editing were taken on by Tom Thompson and myself.

You can see the finished article here.

This was an enjoyable experience and I am greatful for the chance to help out. I thought the location of the M.A.C (Midland Arts Centre), was ideally situated, and attracted more people than I thought would show up .

Overall, the whole experience was very rewarding, and one in which I would do again, if presented an opportunity to do so.

Road Diary #5

#Brain Storm. This opportunity came about very quickly, and suddenly, and I'm greatful of the chance.

Look , A picture of production ! I played an apathetic policeman and it was good to lend a "helping" hand. Well done to James Callaghan at the Basement in Dudley. Good story, and good crew which ensured everyone was comfortable and ok on set!

Just a quick entry this week, until Next time Stay awesome !


Matt.

Road Diary # 4

- Checking in Part one .

Wow, that's a long title!

Let me just say, what an absolute pleasure it has been, the last 2 shoots I've been on with the Checking in Crew! Fabulous stuff, has given me a chance to be involved with another side of the production. Clapperboard. This is important for synching video, and audio to make editing more simpler and fault free. It was a lot of fun, although next time, can I have a pen, it took me ages to get the chalk off me!

I also got to briefly appear the other side of the camera, which is important as well, as it gave me more experience in the acting field. Any experience I can get right now, is valuable, and will help in the longer term. You're all stars for allowing me an opportunity !

Until July, I'm checking out..... What?

Matt.