Melissa Gotobed TV

 As I find the time of the assessment of this unit (the presentation) slowly, yet all encompassingly, looming, I feel the need to reflect upon what I intended to do with this unit and my time. Confession: I honestly haven't actively/ consciously looked at my learning agreement in order to develop my knowledge. However, as I checked my learning agreement earlier today following our Production Office 'lecture' I've realised that I have subconsciously followed what I intended to do in terms of developing my understanding of storytelling.  I went into this year (following a fantastic experience in the second year) knowing exactly what I love to do in relation to TV (and producing) and what I wanted to do to strengthen these areas- primarily to learn more about the fundamentals of storytelling and how to develop and structure ideas. I also wanted to improve my management skills, and understanding of what a creative producer does, due to having the role of 'Series Produce...

 A few weeks ago, in one of our seminars, Trevor brought up the importance of intention- what do you want the audience to feel? He expressed how storytellers are managers of emotion, and manipulate what the audience should be thinking and feeling.  We had a task to come up with a very short scene where we were meant to be conveying emotion to the audience- however retrospectively I definitely didn't do this. However, realising that has made me realise what the intention of feeling really means and how you could go about this. One thing that I find very obvious about me when I watch a show, is that if its something that I really like, I get attached to it and will think about it for a long time afterwards. I'm more likely to be able to explain TV shows I haven't seen in years but I was deeply engaged with at some point, then something that I watched casually a week ago (although it's very unlikely I'll watch something casually at this point past an episode or two).  ...

  In one of our earlier Fiction Storytellers seminar, I was introduced to Alexander Mackendrick's Writer's Cards. These cards express his thoughts on filmmaking, story, directing and more. Below are some of the ones that stood out to me the most (in no particular order): "Props: are the director's key to the design of incidental business': unspoken suggestions for behaviour that can prevent 'theatricality'." I feel this sums up why I enjoy mise-en-scene so much and shows where the settings is as much a character as anything else. It's a way to provide depth without exposition. "If it can be cut out, then cut it out. Everything non-essential that you can eliminate strengthens what's left." This I find is something that comes with experience. When I think back to past films I've done, I could quite easily re-cut the footage to be half the run time. Perhaps this is due to time, and being more distanced to the project so it is easier ...

 Moodboard One: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Focus on muted natural colours, lots of green, brown, cream etc, but also pops of colour such as orange and red. Feels naturalistic and immersive- doesn't distract. Moodboard Two: 20th Century Period Dramas Focus on replicating the feel of a place and time, costumes and settings that work together,. some clashing and some highlighting one or the other to grab the audience's attention. Overall, I like the use of muted, natural colours, combined with pops of colour and/or light to draw attention to the intended focal point.

Here's my 'sound scape' for one of our graduate project ideas, which has the working title of 'Baking Bad' (no copyright infringement intended...). I've taken sounds from some trailers from similar sorts of shows such as 'McMafia', and quotes from gang members, as well as sound effects and music which I feel communicate the tone and feel as much as I can, without the use of imagery. The premise is that a Mafia has had to go online, conducting their meetings over zoom, where a uni student accidently stumbles into one of these meetings instead of their business lecture. They get drawn in, and thinking it's just a task for their course, they set up a business sourcing baking goods and selling them as they are in such high demand due to the pandemic. The police are simultaneously investigating the group, and hear word that they are growing their business, increasing their inquiry.

With the new lockdown restrictions soon to come into effect again, it is clear that conventional production will probably not happen, be highly restricted, and ill-advised. Therefore, I've put more thought into how to use the limitations the restrictions provide to create new ideas and methods.  During the first lockdown one show, I felt accomplished these things was Staged, starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen. The show uses Zoom (or similar) to show the characters, an exaggeration of the two actors themselves, along with some others trying to navigate the lockdown whilst trying to rehearse their new theatre play. I feel the show effectively uses the new platform and tools to show everything you would have wanted to do, and wouldn't otherwise work outside of the current context.  Since I watched this when it first aired I've been thinking of how else the platform can be used, or productions to be done remotely. Particularly for drama, I find this to be a more challengi...