Danny Hewitt's Television Production Blog

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:

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

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.

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

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:

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.

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.

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