Danny Hewitt's Television Production Blog

I have thoroughly enjoyed this unit and definitely learnt a lot in terms of production and editing. This is the first time I have ever had to adapt a poem into a film, and this for me was the most difficult part. Poetry is not my subject at all, so having to make a film out of one turned out to be very challenging. The part I found the hardest was incorporating the words of the poem into my film, and making it relevant to what is being shown on screen. Next time I will definitely do more research into the actual poem so I know exactly what it's about and where it came from, as I believe this would have helped with ideas.

In terms of filming, I was very happy with how both days went, however the first day was very slow due to not being prepared. This was due to the fact I didn't give myself enough time in-between script feedback and production week to confirm my ideas and be happy with them. Next time I will definitely give myself more time to prepare, and not rush into filming as soon as production weeks starts.

Editing was a very long process due to adding a lot of sound effects as well as struggling to cut some parts due to not enough coverage in some areas. Next time I will make it a lot easier for myself by using more natural diegetic sounds, and shoot plenty of shots so I don't feel limited. I will shoot the same shots from different angles and sizes, as this would give me a lot more to play with in the edit.

Overall I am happy with how it all ended up, especially with the problems with actors and time constraints, therefore I feel proud to have achieved a video that fits the task given. I have learnt a lot of new skills, especially with editing, which has injected me with a lot more confidence in myself and my work. I will definitely use these new skills I have developed in future projects.

Here is the final video for my fiction project:

I am very happy with how this unit went as I believe we created a very successful website with good quality videos. I am very proud of my team as we all worked tirelessly to achieve our goals in good time. For the future, I would definitely be more organised before shoots as that means we would not waste time (which we did slightly for this unit). Shot lists and good communication within the team before the shoots would have helped this, so these will definitely be used in the future.

Overall, I couldn't fault my team with their effort. Helen worked extremely hard as a producer, and Chris worked his socks off with the edit. I am happy with my own performance too as I worked well under pressure on the days, and helped with the organisation as well as the edit afterwards. It's nice to see my ideas come together and be displayed on screen, and this is down to the effort and determination of our team.

Here is our final video for our Digital News Unit:

Here is our website for the Digital News Unit:

Home Page:

Videos:

Editing is going well as I have found all the sound effects I imagined when I was filming the shots. The clips link together nicely, and the voiceover is just the right speed and tone.

I am struggling slightly with certain cuts, as I want them to cut in time of the sounds, and this has become a tricky task.

More time and patience will help me complete this edit with 100% satisfaction.

One of the main aspects of my film is the use of sound effects. I want to reinforce the idea that my character is an ex-army servant who is suffering from a mental health problem due to the experiences he had fighting for his country. This means I need realistic "war sounds" to make it obvious to the audience what's happening; therefore I have searched for different sound effects on youtube and found ones for each of these:

• Gun shots - for when he is experiencing the flashbacks

After filming the car scenes, I realised I needed a song to be played on the radio therefore I looked on this website:

As you can see in the link above, the songs are royalty free so we can use them in our films without any worry of copyright laws. This website turned out to be really handy as it gave you sub-categories so you could narrow your searches down to exactly what mood/genre you wanted. I wanted a song that used classical instruments as well as having a quite calming tone (as my character tries to use the radio as a form of peace). After searching for a while, I came across this one:



As you can see above, the song uses the instruments I wanted to enhance the genre, as well as having the calm tone I desired. The name of the song "Funeral March For Brass" also links in with the subject of the film, so I was very happy when I found this piece of music.

I was in charge of profiles, which will be part of our write up on our website. Here they are:

Chris came up with the idea of getting us all in the same place so we can edit the programme together. This was vitally important as we all have different ideas and want the channel to be as good as possible. This was also a good time to record the voice over, so we invited Jamie round to join us as he still needed to do the commentary in the Roller Derby package.

After showing Jamie the rough cut, he came up with some good points to change/alter, which we all ended up agreeing on. I always think it's useful to get a second opinion, especially from someone who features in it, therefore knowing the subject well. Jamie's advice was taken on board, and definitely helped improve our piece.

We then went on to record the commentary with Jamie, using our phones to get clear audio which can be easily added and transported to our laptops. Again we all told Jamie how we wanted the script to be delivered, and he listened as he did it exactly how we wanted it. We wanted his engaging personality to come through with the commentary, and the relevant pauses made it easier for Chris to edit.

One idea we came up with is to have the 'Jammer' get highlighted when Jamie explains the rules. We believe this is a good idea as it will make it clearer to the audience what we're talking about and therefore understanding the rules to this new sport. Jamie put emphasis on the word 'Jammer', which in turn linked in well with the highlighted idea.

Overall it was a productive day, where we got our final piece of audio, and finalised most of the ideas so we can progress nicely and confidently

Today was the day to film the flashbacks, and this time I had Helen Welsh as camera operator with her new Canon she got yesterday. I learnt from my mistake the other day and came into today a lot more prepared with ideas and a shot list. This became even more important, as the weather was terrible, so we had to film as soon as we had the chances to.

Jamie put on the army uniform which I got from my dad and it fit him well, which was one worry off my mind. As soon as we got to the location, we didn't hang around and just got straight into filming all the shots I planned. Again, Jamie was brilliant and did exactly what I wanted him to do, and even put forward some ideas I hadn't thought of.

After filming some walking and shouting scenes near the cannon, it was time to shoot the most important scene - the final flashback where he gets injured and loses his arm. Due to low production values, I had to be clever with how I filmed this, as obviously I don't have the money or access to film it with guns and fake blood. This didn't stop us though, as we filmed Jamie flipping over a grassy bank, and making sure the shots were as close up as possible so it didn't look fake or tacky. Jamie performed this last piece perfectly, as he genuinely looked like he was in agony even though I knew he wasn't. Very convincing, and Helen did a great job of getting dynamic shots of everything.

Overall, it was a very successful day which was actually finished in less than an hour. This was down to my organisation, as well as Jamie's flawless acting. Next time I would look at the weather report beforehand so I know exactly what to expect and therefore know what to bring in terms of clothing and equipment. I am happy with the shots I got, and now looking forward to editing it all together.

Here is a rough cut of our news project:

As you can see, there is still a lot to do as we have commentary still to add in. Some of the clips still need cutting, and the colours need correcting, however overall we are very happy with the rough cut as everything is starting to take shape

I was researching different sports programmes, and took a great interest in "The Clare Balding Show" as the studio was very eye-catching (as seen in the pictures below). The bright colours really stand out, but give the studio a rather "comfortable" feel at the same time. This could really help us develop our virtual studio as not only is a female presenter used, but the colours match our logo, therefore keeping continuity across the whole channel. I will mention this research to my team, and I'm sure they'll agree that this is the way forward in developing our virtual studio with Fran.

Today I filmed all the shots I needed apart from the flashbacks (which will be filmed at a different location another day). These shots mainly took place in Jamie's car and the office in Rochester.

The day started off quite slow as I wasn't fully prepared with my idea, and still had decisions to make. Luckily I thought of this in advance, which is why I met up with Jamie (actor) and Chris (camera operator) in the morning, so we had a lot of time to film. After a brainstorm with everyone, I finally decided on what I wanted to do and gave the brief so everyone was on the same wave length. One positive aspect of this project is the fact the actor doesn't necessarily have to remember lines, which gave Jamie a lot pressure while delivering his performance. This meant he had 100% concentration on his emotions and facial expressions, as well as his actions.

We started off with the car scenes as I wanted to use the daylight while we had the chance. Due to my idea of making Jamie have one arm, I made the decision for it to be his right arm that is missing as this made it a lot easier for us to hide that fact in the car scenes (steering wheel on the right side of the car, therefore camera on the left). Once everyone was in position and knew what they were doing, we cracked on with all the shots. I have learnt from previous projects to get many shots in the same place so I can sequence it nicely in the edit. This meant getting close-ups of all the aspects of a typical car journey including seat belt, radio, gear change and mirrors.

After all the car scenes were finished, I decided to get us all a KFC as working on an empty stomach never goes well. "Food is Fuel" is my motto, and I will always make sure my colleagues and I are satisfied in terms of food and drink as I want the best performance from everyone, including me. We then went to the office, where Chris and I sorted out the desk to make it look as realistic as possible. This involved moving items around as well as tidying. Due to scouting the location beforehand, I knew exactly what props I wanted to use, therefore making the preparation time a lot faster.

We filmed all the office scenes with Chris on camera, and myself directing while also in charge of the lighting. I didn't have to focus too much on the lighting as I wanted the room to be quite dark to reinforce his sense of loneliness. I told Jamie to act more shaken up as I wanted my film to progress in terms of emotions, I wanted it to build up. This turned out great, as he did exactly what I asked and it helped give the film some emotion. Helen told me beforehand that she wanted to feel the actors pain and torment, so that's what I told Jamie and he did it superbly with the use of heavy breathing and facial expressions.

After a long day, it was finally a wrap and I was very pleased with Jamie's performance as he did exactly what I was looking for. I believe this was down to good communication within the team, as well as Jamie's outstanding acting skills. One thing I am worried about is the amount of shots I've got. I won't know how many good shots I have until I sit down and edit. I am also worried about the lighting of the last office scenes, as even though I wanted them dark, I don't want them to be so bad that you can't see Jamie's facial expressions.

Overall I am happy with how it went, and I am looking forward to filming the flashbacks on Thursday.

Luckily my friend Jamie (who was our reporter in the Digital News project) is available on the filming days, and he said he is excited about starring in this role. I believe he is the perfect candidate for this role as not only does he have all the physical features I want, but he also has a great talent in front of the camera.

I've known him for many years, so we both know exactly how each other works, which means we can play to our strengths. I know how to get the best out of Jamie, and we communicate on a personal level due to being friends. This friendship also means we trust each other, as well as enjoying every shoot we do (mainly due to his funny personality).

I have every faith in Jamie, and believe he will deliver a performance exactly the way I want it to be and planned out in my head.

After filming with the green screen, it was time to record the voiceovers for our news piece. Again, this was using Fran, however this time she was not on camera as we used the sound booth in the studios.

Chris took up the technical role on the computer, while Helen and I went through the script with Fran. Again, we both asked Fran to put emphasis on certain words as this helped to get our meanings across. One example of this would be when Fran says "get to grips with" after talking about Pole Fitness; emphasis on the word "grips" enhances the idea of the pun, therefore making it easier for the audience to understand. Helen sorted out the script in sections, therefore making it easy for us to record the different segments, and making it less daunting for Fran.

Overall this worked perfectly as we got good sound with a nice clear delivery from Fran.

We filmed our studio piece using a green screen. The idea is that we have a virtual studio in the background while Fran talks to the camera. As there is quite a bit of dialogue, we decided to use a teleprompter (an app on iPad) which would help Fran deliver the piece clearly and confidently. We didn't want her to keep looking down at her paper as we find that very distracting as a viewer.

We set up everything like what we did before on the test day; with the lights and filters being carefully placed to shine on the green screen equally, therefore getting perfect quality. After setting up for about 45 minutes, everything was in place and Helen went to get Fran. While Chris and I were waiting, we decided to shoot some profile videos for our website. We started off with myself, and I came up with the idea of walking onto screen and then stopping. This idea was based on Sky Sports when they got the football players to do the same. We believe this has a great effect, and will be a nice feature on our website.

Fran arrived, and we got started straight away. Chris had his usual camera role, Helen was holding the lights, and I was holding the teleprompter. It started off quite slow as we had to keep changing the settings of the teleprompter so Fran could deliver perfectly. First I changed the size of the text, then the speed of which it was moving. After a few takes I managed to get the settings right for Fran, and we ended up getting the footage we needed. Fran was very professional, and took all of our advice on board. Chris asked her to move her hands more so she didn't look like a nervous statue; and Helen and I asked her to put more emphasis on certain words - which Fran did perfectly. It was great that we managed to have good communication within our team as well as with Fran, as it meant we were all happy and got the job done.

Overall it was a very successful day! We got everything we wanted, and we were very happy with Fran. Next time I would practice with different softwares/apps beforehand, so the shoot doesn't get delayed. The teleprompter worked out great, however it slowed down our progress due to not enough practice. In the end, we were extremely happy with how everything went, and we are looking forward to seeing it all with the virtual studio

Unfortunately after asking my applicant about a possible audition, he replied by saying he is now busy/unavailable to take part in the film.... This is quite annoying as I'm filming soon and I only had one applicant. Here are the messages:

We wanted someone who was confident on camera to be our news anchor, as this is a very important job on the programme. As with Jamie, we wanted someone who has an engaging personality so the audience can interact with them as well as be entertained

Here is a video of Fran talking to the camera:

One person applied for my short film and here is his profile:

As part of our development and research, we went to the studios to test the green screen before the important shoot. We hired out the kit and one of the rooms so we can practice using the equipment which I personally have never used before. Luckily for me, I had Chris there to give help and advice, as well as share his knowledge due to having worked with green screen before.

The day started off rather abruptly due to a mix up with the bookings.. However this quickly got sorted and we were in the room with all the equipment needed. We all helped set up the green screen, and then Helen and I were in charge of the lighting while Chris set up the camera. After researching about lighting, Helen and I used that to great effect by placing them in the desired areas, however this turned out to be trickier than we thought as that wasn't enough to light up the whole screen (which needs to be equally lit). In the end we managed to do it, which was one of the highlights of the day, as it meant we could execute this procedure quickly and efficiently on the day of shooting.

We originally used the Sony to practice on, however after shooting different clips with different people, we realised the quality of the image was not good enough which started to frustrate us all. We then made the decision to try a Canon, which Vic kindly lent to us, and this turned out to be a million times better! The image was much clearer and sharper, which is what we need for a successful project.

Overall it was a very productive day which helped us all a lot in terms of use of the equipment. We found out what camera to use, where to place the lights, and what filters to use to get the best results. On a personal point, I enhanced my knowledge and understanding of a subject which I wasn't very clear about, therefore this test day was very useful to me and my future use with green screen.

I will be filming in two locations for my fiction film, one inside and one out:

I have found an interesting video of a car sequence:

Here is a video of a war poem that has been adapted into a short film:

After getting feedback from my script and having a long discussion with Helen, I have now got a few more ideas for my film. Helen made a good point about the fact I'm limiting myself due to basing the whole film in an office.. Therefore I have decided to start the film in his car, as this means I can film him making his way to work as well as the office.

I think my attempt to portray the poem through different office props has made it quite confusing and farfetched.. therefore I have decided to stick with the poem being a thought in his head, however I will have the last bit of the poem on the back of a photo frame to make it more interesting, and gives something for the audience to refer to.

Finally, I am changing the fact my actor is going to be in a wheelchair. Even though this was a good ending, it just meant I limited myself to what I could film (especially now he's going to be driving). Therefore I am considering a different injury, and at the moment I'm thinking a lost arm, as this won't stop him from driving, and can film a lot easier. The reveal of the lost arm will still have the desired effect as the wheelchair did.

After a successful first day of filming with Pole Persona, it was onto the second day; this time with the Roller Derby Girls in Herne Bay. This was another exciting project, as it is a very fast paced sport with good characters. We wanted to reinforce this character, so we used my friend Jamie Terry as the reporter as he is very funny and engaging.

The day started off quite slow, as when we got there we had to wait around for a while for the arena to be free. We thought this would help give us time to set up, however we couldn't set up in the arena so it ended up being a waste of time. On the other hand, it gave us time to show Jamie the script (who only received it there and then), therefore making him feel more comfortable. The next problem we faced was constantly changing our ideas/layout due to different opinions.. This is where I had to step up as director and not only be decisive, but steer the ship in the right direction so we didn't waste valuable time. This turned out to be a good move, as we got set up just in time for when the action was about to start.

While the girls were warming up; we interviewed our first person - Lady Killer. She was carefully chosen as we wanted someone who was confident in front of camera, therefore giving us good answers without any fear. This turned out to be one of the highlights of the day, as not only did she answer all of the questions perfectly, but Jamie was superb too! We did it in one take, which was great considering it's a live piece. I was particularly proud of Jamie because he performed the script perfectly, and even added his own humorous twists which made it very entertaining for everyone.

We then moved onto the second interview, but this time with Jamie asking the questions with Roller Derby gear on. We thought this would help the audience interact with the programme more, as well as adding an entertaining element to the piece. Unfortunately we only had one clip mic, so we were slightly worried about the audio.. However we made sure Jamie stood close to the interviewee so we could pick up both voices clearly. After asking questions, we got the interviewee to teach Jamie a move used in Roller Derby, as this helped explain the sport as well as showing the audience that it can be done even by beginners. I would say this interview was slightly weaker than the first one due to the audio and the nervous interviewee; however Jamie being taught a move helped save the piece.

The last bit of filming was for the package, which will be placed in the middle of the piece. This involved us filming the girls in action so we can explain the sport to our audience. I put Chris in charge of the Sony again, and decided to put him up high so he could film the whole arena from a slight birds eye view (like a football match). Helen and I took in turns of filming right next to the action with the Canon. Similarly with the Pole Fitness, we helped each other look for good shots while swapping to save energy. We wanted the shots to be as still as possible, therefore needing 100% strength. Being right up close to the action helped us get some great close up shots, and Helen and I even managed to capture some people falling over too - which was great for the commentary, as well as entertaining for the viewers.

Overall it was a good day! It started off slow, with all of us being indecisive and not prepared.. However this enhanced my role as a director as it meant I had to make quick decisions, as well as getting everyone focused on the same wavelength. This was a challenge, but one I very much enjoyed and believe I performed it well under pressure. We got all the shots we needed, and we were extremely happy with Jamie and our interviewees.

This is my first draft of the script for my film:

Now it's second year, I really need to start finding proper actors who have experience making films. I've heard "Starnow.co.uk" is good for recruiting actors, so I created an application on there to see if I could find any suitable actors:

As you can see, I have given a little description of the idea so any applicants know what they're in for. I have also stated the production time, so they can be available for when I'm filming. Due to being a student, I have warned them in advance that this is unpaid, which I know unfortunately means I will not get as many applicants; however I'm hoping at least a few people apply so I get a choice of who will suit this role the best.

Here is a link to a website that lists poems that have been adapted into films:

http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/poetry-movies-partial-list

This long list has given me a lot of material to research on to develop my ideas.

I have researched the meaning of adaptation so I know exactly I'm doing for this project:

Our first shoot was in Medway City Estate where we filmed 'pole fitness' at Pole Persona. We took 2 cameras, a tripod and zoom sound kit. We decided on one Sony and one Canon as we wanted a variety of shots and both cameras have their own specialties. The Sony was used for wider shots as well as sound; and the Canon was used for close up shots so we could get right up close to the action for the audience to see every detail.

As director of this project, I had a big responsibility on this day.. and I started this role by briefing the actors, as well as my team. I believe that this is one of the most important roles as a director as you can't create a successful project without everyone knowing what they're doing, and feeling comfortable with it. I decided to put Chris on the Sony and Helen on the Canon as they were both familiar with their respected cameras. Helen has a got a very good eye for a dynamic shot, so she was able to use this skill with her free role. We are always on the same wavelength too, so we both saw good shots when they arose.

We started off recording the girls in action, with them showing different moves on the pole, while we walk around the room filming them at different angles. This worked out really well as it meant we had many cutaways to use, as well as making our interviews easier to construct (as we became more familiar with the sport). I then wanted the girls to perform the same moves at the same time so we had a different variety of shots, as well giving the film some balance and symmetry. This turned out great as the shots gave the girls a chance to show how elegant it can be, as well as aesthetically pleasing for the us and the audience.

Then we moved onto interviews - with Chris on camera and Helen asking the questions. We came up with the idea of having one of the girls performing tricks in the background while we ask another member some questions to do with the sport. This was one of the highlights of the day, as after a lot of trial and error, we managed to frame it perfectly and it gave the interview a new dimension which would make it more interesting for the audience. I was very proud of us all for managing to execute that style to great effect. We interviewed an instructor and a student, as we wanted to get opinions from different members of the sport. This was very effective as it enhanced our knowledge and understanding of being a student, as well as an instructor, and all the work that comes with it.

At the end of the shoot, I decided to have a go on the pole, and I can assure you it's a lot harder than it looks! We filmed the instructor showing me a move, which will feature on our website as my skills were too good to make the cut...... I think..... Overall it was a great shoot as we got everything we wanted and more! The participants were great on camera and gave good answers to the interview questions. Next time I would reconsider the location and scout it out before we get there, because this one was surrounded by mirrors which made us very limited.. However we dealt with this problem accordingly and managed to get good shots regardless. Great day!

Today we were given a task to use clips from youtube and edit them using a song of our choice. The idea of this task was to see the relationship between the music and what is on screen. This involved timing as well as continuity. I chose to use the song "We Will Rock You" by Queen, as this is a powerful song, as well as being one I enjoy listening to. I decided to use clips of riots/protests as I believe these would go well with the song, making it easy for people to relate.

Here it is:

We needed to get a reporter for our live piece, and we all decided we wanted a male who had a bit of character. After agreeing on that, I knew the perfect person for this role and contacted him via social media. His name is Jamie Terry and he studied Performing Arts at university.

I pitched the idea to Jamie, and he loved the sound of it! This is his area of field so he is very excited about the prospect of working with us on this project. I believe he fits the role perfectly as he is very engaging and will add natural comedy through his humour.

I am going to brief him on the subject as well as his lines so he feels 100% comfortable when we shoot live. I have every faith in him and believe he will deliver on the day, which is what we need if we want a successful shoot (especially as it's live)

We decided to make Jamie wear smart but slightly casual clothes so he brings professionalism but with a less serious approach. We want the viewers to feel comfortable as well as entertained therefore these dress codes will help achieve that

Before the green screen test, I decided to research 'Three point lighting' as we will be using that for our project. I wanted to enhance my knowledge and understanding of the set up before we shoot so I could get it right first time, as well as finding out any key tips.

After much deliberation, we came up with a number of taglines that we believe would help get our message across in terms of our channels brand. These are the nominees:

• Sports. News. Now

• All Sports, No Balls

• Just Sport, No Balls

As part of our development and practice - we got given a task to create a news package for tourists. We got into our groups and we decided to do Rochester as that was the best place for all of us to access.

We started off with a brainstorm, with everyone coming up with different ideas and different places to film. We then made a rough script to follow once we finalised what places we were going to film. Rochester is very historic so we all straight away mentioned the castle and cathedral. Not only are these famous landmarks, but they are also great features to have on film and sums up Rochester nicely.

We took up our usual roles, with Helen writing the script and gaining access to different locations, Chris was editor and chief cameraman, and I was the director while also starring/presenting in this project. I find it useful to be on camera sometimes, as it helps you realise what actors/presenters have to deal with, as well as find/work out what helps them and what they need from the production crew.

We met up at Chris' flat (which is luckily in Rochester) and began prepping. We then headed off to the different locations filming cutaways as well as pieces to camera. Helen and I then filmed the castle and cathedral as they were vital for our piece. Chris then worked his magic with the editing, and it turned out great! We were all happy with the end result, and learnt different things with making a package for a news piece.

The main thing I learnt was the role of the reporter. Movement on camera is key, and the delivery needs to be clear. We will have to get an engaging reporter for our digital news project

• How important the feet are while using a green screen - making sure the floor is green too
• Making sure everything is the same shade of green for accuracy and consistency
• Where to put the lights - making sure they cover all angles by setting them up with different heights and angles
• The time it takes to set everything up, therefore thinking of that in advance for when we shoot our projects

Our team decided to meet up on a day we weren't at University, and discuss every part of our news project. We all sat down, with our notepads/laptops, and brought each other up to speed with our progress and ideas. As my role as the Director I believed this to be key to not only our success, but also the team morale. Sticking together and being on the same page/wavelength is vital, and we have always had great communication within our team.

The brainstorming session went great as we progressed with our ideas for many aspects of our news piece. By the end, we had ideas for the strapline, created the logo and set out how we wanted the studio to look

Overall a useful meeting with our project and ideas progressing nicely

We have found a Roller Derby league called "Kent Roller Girls" who are the first and currently only league located in Kent. Everything is run by members of the league, and they are financed solely by members and donations.

It was established in 2010, which shows just how new the sport is! The whole sport originally started in America where it's now played in nearly every state. Kent Roller Girls wanted to bring this exhilarating sport to England, which is why they created the league 4 years ago. Since then, it has grown into a popular hobby, and is widely renowned as the fastest growing female competitive sport in the UK

Here is a video of the Kent Roller Girls in action:

We have found a local pole fitness class in Medway which would be great for our news piece! It's called "Pole Persona Dance and Fitness". Helen knows someone who goes there regularly, therefore gaining us access.

It's situated on Medway City Estate in Strood and offers classes as well as private lessons in their own studio. This would be perfect to film in, and we've heard the studio is very keen/opinionated on showing people that it's a sport, which is exactly what we wanted

Here is a link to their website:

http://www.polepersona.co.uk

After many discussions, we came up with the idea of filming a live piece of a female sport which is growing each year and becoming very popular - it's called Roller Derby

Roller Derby is defined as: "a type of speed-skating competition on roller skates"

This exciting sport features teams of 14 each, having 5 players on at a time, skating round a track. Each team designates a scoring player, these are called the "jammers", with the other 4 players acting as "blockers". The aim of the game is for the jammers to lap the opposing team, scoring points every time they do so. And of course the blockers jobs are to avoid that happening using their bodies to get in the way of the Jammers.

It's a contact sport which means injuries do happen, however they are all well protected with helmets, mouth guards and pads. All of this makes it very exciting for people to watch, as well as people to participate in - here is an example video:

Once we decided to create a sports channel, I felt inclined to research some existing ones. The main sports one, which features on television with its own channel is Sky Sports News:

Helen came up with a great idea which was to film pole fitness and show the audience that it's a genuine sport which is great for fitness and strength. Many people associate pole dancing with "sluts" and clubs, however we want to show the audience that it's better than that and girls do it for fun as a hobby

After extensive research, I have found out that pole fitness is defined as:

"A combination of acrobatics and gymnastics on a pole"

This definition in itself shows that it's considered a sport as gymnastics is a worldwide sport which features in big events like the Olympic Games. Pole fitness is growing in popularity each year, and now it's been known that they want it to feature in the Olympic Games along with gymnastics.

I have been watching videos on pole fitness, and this one caught my eye as it shows you the basic steps, as well as showing the audience it's not just for being "sexy"

Profile:

John Farnworth

Aged 28

British

Football Freestyler

Facts:

• He has won both World and European titles in football freestyle
• Currently holds 5 Guinness World Records
• Performed in over 30 countries including big events like The Grand Prix and World Cup Final
• Filmed his first DVD in 2008
• Featured in Music Videos and Soccer AM
• In 2010 became the Ambassador for the sports drink "Soccerade" alongside Cristiano Ronaldo
• In 2011 he completed the London Marathon while keeping a ball up in the air (completed it in 12 hours and raised £10,000 for Kick4Life)
• In 2012 he was one of few people to carry the Olympic Torch

After researching videos on John, we decided that he would fit the role perfectly on our news channel. We  managed to get a contact number for his agent, so I rang him up and delivered the proposed project.

This went well as he seemed interested and gave me his personal email address so we can tell him more details

After reading "Summer in England" by Alice Meynnell, I thought of the idea of basing my film in an office. This is setting the scene in a completely different place to where the poem is originally set (war zone).

The plan is to adapt the war conventions into everyday life e.g. email instead of guns... This will modernise the poem, as well as adding comedy value. I haven't fully decided on the genre yet, but I want it to be either a comedy or thriller... I have ideas for either genre

The main part of my film will be comparing World War I to everyday life nowadays. I want to show that different jobs at different times share the same fear, stress and pressure.

One idea I can't decide on is whether or not to have my character as an ex-soldier or not.. I will be looking at the pros and cons of this feature; and decide soon

After naming our channel Tekkers TV we thought it would be ideal to find a football freestyler who would live up to the name. We came across many videos, but one which stood out was John Farnworth.. who has not only featured on famous television programmes like Britains Got Talent; but also has broken many World Records with his talented feet and ball control.

The plan is to film him doing some tricks (tekkers) at a sporting event where he will try and secure another world record under his belt. I believe this is a long shot due to his "celebrity" status, however there is nothing wrong with trying as we believe he fits the role perfectly

Here is a link to his website:

http://www.johnfarnworth.com

I was delighted to find out I was with my Documentary group again (Chris and Helen), and we got straight to work trying to think of a news channel which would appeal to us. Straight away we all agreed on doing a sports channel aimed at young people, as we all love sport therefore having a passion for it.

Helen came up with a great name for our channel: "Tekkers TV". This works in many ways as not only is "tekkers" a word used in sports, it also has a nice ring to it (alliteration). It means a lot to us too as our production name for the last project we worked on was called "Tekkers Productions", so we're carrying on the theme as well as making it relevant to the project.

I am very excited with this project, and the prospect with working with my team again

§You are being challenged to develop your own ORIGINAL online news channel and produce content for that channel.  You will be working in a group of 3 (one group of 4).   You will have group and individual responsibilities, however you will be assessed INDIVIDUALLY.§In your production group you will be required to deliver the following:§Design your own branded digital online news channel via website such as YouTube, Vimeo etc.  Should include:§An original title sequence/GFX/branded strapline/stings that fits your own original channel identity.§Promotional package – a presenter led teaser for your news items.§Appropriate branding/banner at top.§1 news package per group -  2’00” – 2’30” duration§1 “live” OB report with a reporter on location (recorded as live to the specified duration of 2’00”) which may include some pre-shot material.Example – CLIP – news programme : https://estream.ucreative.ac.uk/view.aspx?id=13048~5d~uPTCHGgELV§All video material from workshops on the unit should also be uploaded to your channel.§Films should be accompanied by supporting written material about your news stories and published on your online news channel.