Week 15: Production Documentation Continued

Throughout this week I have been completing the outstanding production documents. The documents which I have been completing are the shooting schedule, script, shooting script, risk assessment and call sheet. I have completed the shooting schedule, script and shooting script this week. I believe I have planned my time well throughout this production so far, I am currently behind on my production schedule, although I have worked in self-study time to ensure I complete the documents required. I have completed three of the remaining documents this week. The shooting schedule relates to the order in which I will shoot the ident, although, within my ident there is not much footage but I have still created a shooting schedule to show the shot sizes. The script and shooting script combine the shooting schedule, within the script I have written the visuals and sound with the narrator at the end of the ident. The shooting script takes elements such as the shot type and EXT or INT element and these are placed down the side of the script. Next week I will continue to complete the call sheet and risk assessment when I know the date of filming footage for my ident.

Also this week I have started to experiment with different animations which I will be including within my ident. These animations include: sparkle trail, stars, snow and falling snowflakes. I have started to create these animations which can be placed over the footage of the Christmas tree. These animations will look realistic such as the snow as these all suggest the theme of Christmas strongly. I have used both Photoshop and Adobe Flash to create these animations and I have used tutorials from YouTube to help me create the animations. Within Photoshop I have created a snow effect on one of my original images, I learnt this effect from an online tutorial. Next week I will also continue to experiment and create the different animations to be included within my TV ident.

Week 14: Production Documentation Started

Last week completed and submitted my investigation into TV idents. Through this investigation I gained a lot of new knowledge into the purpose and design of TV idents. The aim of the investigation was to research into the different elements surrounding TV idents and using examples discuss the purpose, design, creative communication and the opportunities of these TV idents. Through writing the investigation and analysing existing idents I have been able to gain knowledge and influences for my own TV ident. This investigation has therefore helped me with the planning of my initial and final idea for a TV ident.
Also this week I have been starting to complete my pre-production documents. The documents which I have currently completed are the initial ideas mind maps, developing ideas, proposal and initial aims. These are all documents which I need in order to present my initial ideas and the planning of my final idea. Within the proposal I have discussed and justified my final idea for my TV ident. I have also started completing some of the other production documents such as the filming documents. I have been keeping track on my production schedule and I am up to date with the tasks which should have been completed. This week I have completed the storyboards and a document showing influences from similar/ existing products. In terms of the storyboards I have created one main storyboard and I have also created storyboards for the animations which I will be including within my TV ident. These storyboards visually present what I intend my ident to look like with sound and camera shots information. I have created an influences document which shows various elements from existing idents and TV adverts which have influenced my final idea. The main element was the use of sparkles and glitter, this is an influence because I intend to use this within my ident to emphasise the theme of Christmas.

Responding to Peer Feedback: This week I also continued responding to feedback. I have been responding to the feedback from my peers from the pitch which I presented. I believe this went well and the improvements were positive and will make my idea even stronger. One of the main improvements was to experiment with different colours such as gold on the logo. I have done this, although I came across a problem when I knew the tree I was filming for the ident had a gold star at the top. Therefore the ident would blend in too much with the star and not be as visible as my red and green logo. Another improvement which I was given was the ability to film the footage. This could be an issue because I may not be able to film the tree in January because Christmas is over. Therefore I did decide that I could have a backup plan of filming the tree with my own camera over the Christmas holidays. By filming it at this time it ensures me that I will have some footage to work with to create my TV ident.

I will continue to complete my production documentations including the script, shooting script, risk assessment, shooting schedule and call sheet. These are the documents which I will need to plan and create my TV ident.

Week 12 & 13: Pitch and Feedback & Investigation into TV Idents

Last week I presented my final idea to 3 of my peers in the form of a pitch. Within this pitch I presented my final idea and I was given feedback from my peers about different elements within my idea which they believe I could improve. I was happy with my pitch as I created a PowerPoint which showed the relevant information regarding my final idea. The elements which I included within my pitch include: Content, Theme, Colour Scheme, Logo, Typography, Existing/ Similar Products, Example of my Idea and Target Audience. Within my previous post I stated that my final idea was ITV1 at Christmas. This is the idea which I discussed within my pitch. The feedback which I gained from my pitch was good. I was happy with the way my peers reacted to my idea. They did give me some improvements which I could make to my idea to improve it. These improvements include:

• Experiment with other colours for my ITV1 logo (gold)
• Consider issues which could arise in terms of filming the footage: this is an element I need to consider, as my idea is based on a Christmas tree, therefore I will need to film this within the Christmas period.

I have considered these two elements and I will respond to these within the pre-production and production stage of this assignment. These improvements I believe will help me when I create my ident. I am glad I have had some feedback on my idea and have also gained feedback from the potential target audience of my ident.

Investigation
Over the past two weeks I have been continuing with my investigation into TV idents. Through the process of completing this investigation I have learnt a lot about the purpose, design, opportunities, Limitations and communication of TV idents. Within the investigation I have stated these different elements in relation to TV idents. I have analysed existing TV idents in relation to the different elements, this allowed me to understand and show my understand of how the purpose, design, communication and opportunities TV idents have. Some of this knowledge includes:
Design
Density of Information: This relates to the amount of information included within the ident. This usually relates to the voice over informing the viewer of what is coming next on the channel. The information ranges from the voice over simply stating the programme name to giving a synopsis.
Screen Tempo: The screen tempo relates to the speed of the ident. These are usually a slow pace as they allow a relaxing break in between programmes. The speed of the idents does depend on the channel and the target audience. For example, ITV2 idents are have a faster tempo than those on ITV1. This is because the target audience is different.
Space and Time: This relates to how well the space on screen is used and the duration of the idents. This varies between each channel, for example, Channel 4 idents use the screen space very well. This is because they create an illusion of the '4' using a landscape which covers the whole screen.

Purpose
Identity: The identity is important for the channel. Through the use on idents on their TV channels the channel itself is creating more of an identity. People will recognise the channel by its ident in terms of the format of the ident.
Scheduling- Idents can be seen as adverts and breaks within TV programmes, especially within channels such as BBC.
Segmentation within scheduling: This allows the programmes to be ‘broken up’ and show that one programme has finished and they are now introducing another.
Opportunities
Brand loyalty: Faithfulness of consumers of a particular TV channel in terms of viewing figures- competing channels. Tight scheduling with programmes appealing to a particular audience.
Creation of corporate identity: Channels colour schemes, designs make a visual statement about channel itself which represents how the company views itself.
Limitations
Typography: Appeal to the target audience and meaning of typeface
Colour palette: The appearance of the colours could change when the ident is viewed on different devices such as computer, TV and mobile.

Time Management
Throughout the process of this project so far I have been using my production schedule to complete my production documentations by the deadlines I have set myself. I am on schedule in terms of the the production documents I have completed. The only document which is incomplete and should have been completed by today is my Proposal. I will aim to complete this document tomorrow as I have all the relevant information I need to complete this. The proposal is similar to my pitch and allows me to justify my final idea. A deadlines which I have this week is my investigation into TV idents. This is a deadline which I will meet and I have been given set deadlines like this throughout this assignment. This includes the pre-production documents deadline and the final deadline. I have stated these deadlines within my production schedule. By having these certain deadlines it allows me to plan and schedule when I will complete certain tasks and gives me a clear time frame. Overall, in terms of my time management I believe I have completed the relevant documents according to my production schedule.

This week I will complete my investigation and my proposal. I will also continue with improvements from previous Film Studies work and start responding to feedback for my final idea.

Week 12: Final Idea for TV Ident

From creating my 3 initial ideas I have chosen my final idea. I have chosen the ITV1 at Christmas theme to create my ident. This ident focuses on the theme of Christmas and this theme will be clearly highlighted with different elements included. This idea has the main focal point of a Christmas Tree. The ident sees the camera panning up to the top with the lights being lit on the way. Along the way to the top of the tree baubles are seen with footage of the ITV1 shows. This informs the audience of what shows are on this channel at Christmas time. Once the ident reaches the top of the tree my original ITV1 logo will be shown, this will have the effect of the lights being lit.

Moodboard
I have created a mood board to show the development of my idea. This moodboard represents the colours, font and images which I will be including within my ident. This moodboard has influenced my final idea and shows how I have linked this to other, existing products. The main element within this moodboard which I wanted to portray was the baubles with the images placed inside. This represents the baubles which I am including within my ident on the tree. These will include footage of existing shows on ITV1 instead of images. The other images within this moodboard such as the glitter and typography represent my final idea. This is because I will be using sparkles and glitter to emphasise the Christmas theme. In terms of the font I have created an original bold logo based on lights. The font below on this moodboard is similar as it uses the circle, light effect within the main text. This is an aspect which influenced my final logo. An image of this moodboard is shown below.

Moodboard Representing my Final Idea for my TV ident

Influences
I have researched and analysed some existing ITV1 Christmas idents and also other Christmas idents. This has allowed me to understand what elements are included within a Christmas TV ident. I have gained knowledge in what elements I need to include within my own ident for it to appeal to an audience at Christmas time. Two adverts which I have analysed is the Forrero Roche Christmas advert and an existing ITV1 Christmas ident. The main element within these idents which I believe will influence my ident was the use of 'sparkle and glitter'. This is an element which people associate with Christmas.

Initial Aims Document
I have completed the initial aims document as I have now decided on my final idea. This document highlights the reasons why I have chosen this idea and why I did not choose any of my other ideas. It also highlights how I plan to complete this production. This is in terms of the production documentation which I need to complete and how I will complete this. These are documents which I will be required to complete in the pre-production, production and post-production stage. In terms of the pre-production stage I have started to complete the investigation document, researching into TV idents such as the design and purposes. I have also completed my developing ideas document focusing on my 3 initial ideas with supporting mind maps. These documents show how I have developed my ideas and how I have developed my final idea. In terms of the production documentation I will start to create these documents. These are documents such as the proposal, storyboard, script and shooting schedule.

Proposal
I have also started to write my proposal for my final idea. I have researched into the different elements which I need to discuss within this document. This document focuses on elements such as: finance, content, legal & ethical issues, similar/ existing products, client & audience needs, target audience and resources. Through the proposal I will be able to show the client how I have considered these elements for the production of my TV ident. I aim to complete this document by the end of this week so I can be sure I will start my production documents next week. I am currently on target with my production schedule and I will ensure to stick to my own deadlines for this production.

Week 11: Developing Ideas and Investigation into TV Idents

Over the past week I have been continuing with my developing ideas. I have developed 3 initial ideas for my TV Ident. The idents which I have created an idea on include:

• ITV1: Christmas
• Film4: British Film
• CBBC: The Olympics

To brainstorm my ideas I created a mind map focusing on the features which I will include within my TV Ident. Some of these elements include: content, colour, logo, sound/ music, typography, screen tempo, space and time and identity. I have brainstormed with a mind map for the above TV Idents. In order for me to brainstorm these initial ideas I researched into some existing TV Idents for the channels listed above. I have analysed some existing TV idents and talked about the negatives and positives of these idents. From researching into these idents I have been able to understand what is included within idents and elements which I could consider and develop within my animation. One ident which I analysed was the Film4 Ident for the car scene, this is shown below. One main element I noticed within the Film4 Idents was that they included 'film scene' footage. This makes the ident dramatic and relates in well with the theme of the channel which is films.

The main element which I included within the mind map was the content, for each initial idea I included the concept and what is happening within the TV Ident.
The following image shows my initial idea mind map for my idea for ITV- Christmas.
The concept for my ITV1 TV ident focuses on the Christmas tree. The camera will pan up from the bottom of the Christmas tree to the top to reveal my original ITV1 logo. Around this image will be sparkles, stars and other elements which suggest the theme of Christmas. I want to clearly portray the Christmas theme within this ident. The image below shows my initial idea mind map for this idea.

ITV1- Christmas Initial Idea Mind Map

My other initial idea was based on the theme of the CBBC- Olympics. I created a similar mind map for this idea. The concept behind this idea relates around my original logo for CBBC. The TV Ident features various Olympic athletes 'coming together' around the CBBC logo. They will be seen on and around the logo which is placed in the centre of the screen. The different Olympians will be seen showing their different sports around the logo. An image of my mind map for this idea is shown below.

CBBC Initial Idea Mind Map

For my final idea I have focused on the Film4 theme of a British film. The concept behind this idea was to take The Italian Job as an iconic British film. Mini Cars will be the focus of this ident, various Minis will be seen driving around the screen and eventually forming the 4 on the logo. This is similar to the concept of the Channel 4 idents. An image of mind map for this idea is shown below.

Initial Idea Film4 Mind Map

I will continue to complete my developing ideas by completing the last of analyses of existing idents. I will then continue to complete my production schedule, this is by researching into the final product when I have decided on one of my initial ideas for my final idea. This document focuses on the budget, techniques, legal and ethical considerations, client and audience needs and similar/ existing products. I will create a document based on these elements and this will help me to write my proposal/ pitch. I will decide on a final idea by the end of this week and I will then have a clear idea of what I will be creating to start the pre-production documents listed on my production schedule.

Investigation into TV Idents
I have also been completing the investigation into TV Idents. I have researched into the history of TV idents and within my report I have discussed the development of the ITV1 logos. This has allowed me to see how the idents have developed over time through the new technology being introduced. This investigation focuses on the design, purpose, opportunities and limitations in relation to TV idents. These are the main aspects which I will be focusing on within the investigation and will show my knowledge from research through this report.
I will continue to complete my developing ideas and decide on my final idea. I will create a document for the final idea to show clearly my decisions and justify my decisions for the final idea.

Week 10: Introduction to TV Idents Assignment and Pre-production Started

I have been introduced to the new assignment, creating a Television Ident. This assignment requires me to use Adobe Flash to create a TV Ident. From the brief I have been given four different options to create an Ident based on, these include:

• ITV- Christmas
• E4 Music- An unsigned band
• CBBC- The Olympics
• Film 4- A British Film

From these I will choose an idea to create a final ident which appeals to the target audience of teenagers. I am required to carry out an investigation into the design and purpose of TV idents. I will research into the different elements which are considered in relation to these points. Some of the design elements include:

• Screen Tempo- The speed and rhythm of the ident, these are usually slow paced.
• Space and Time- The space used within the screen and the duration of ident which is 30 seconds.
• Information Led- Important information may be shown within the TV ident.
• Interaction with the viewers- Makes the audience think and react to the ident. The ident will catch the audience attention even if they are not watching the TV as they can hear the voice over for the ident.

Some purpose elements for TV idents include:

• Identity- For the channel, this becomes an identity and people can recognise their channels and programmes by this ident.
• Packaging and Re-Packaging- New techniques and formats are added to older TV idents.
• Scheduling- Idents can be seen as adverts and breaks within TV programmes, especially within channels such as BBC.
• Segmentation within scheduling- This allows the programmes to be ‘broken up’ and show that one programme has finished and they are now introducing another.

For the investigation I will be finding some existing TV idents and relating these to the design and purpose elements. This will show how they present the purpose and design elements within TV idents. Through this investigation it will present my knowledge in terms of TV idents and their purpose and design. Therefore I will be able to start brainstorming my own TV ident ideas as I have knowledge in how they are designed and their purpose.

I have created a production schedule for this assignment and this document shows the time frames which I have allowed myself to carry out the individual tasks. The image below shows my production schedule. The deadline for this assignment is 30^th January 2012 and from the production schedule it shows my deadlines clearly. My investigation document needs to be completed by 12^th December, my pre-production documents needs to be completed by 16^th January.

TV Ident Production Schedule

I will start to complete my developing ideas by creating 3 initial ideas for the TV ident, based on the different options to create an ident based on. I aim to carry out the investigation on TV idents and developing ideas from this week. As shown in my production schedule I will be completing 2 different documents at the same time. This allowed me to be able to complete the tasks required for this assignment. I will be continuing with the investigation and developing ideas, by creating mind maps and sketches to show my initial ideas for my TV ident.