to evaluate how successfully you achieved your intentions

A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention

Suitability for target audience

The intended audience for my documentary are 15-18 year old boys who live in London, who are from multicultural backgrounds and mixed social classes. After completing my documentary and screening it to 6 members of my audience I gave them a questionnaire, to complete and from these results I had discovered the use of expert opinion as well as the teenage presenter, cutaways and the direct mode of address made the audience feel as if they were included as the presenter/VO was directly speaking to them. After viewing my documentary the audience also said that all the conventions that I had used, as well as making them feel included gave them a sense of realism and compared well to real products. All of the people who took my questionnaire said that this issue does appeal to them as in this day and age; it is a very commonly argued issue. When I asked them to rate the cutaways, interviews, mode of address and music from 1-4 (4 being the worst) the best-rated convention was mode of address and the interviews. Also the majority of the people said that either my editing (effects) and/or my shot types were the best technical quality.

For my documentary I was aiming for it to appeal to 15-18 year olds. People within this age range took the questionnaire, and every person’s response was that it was appealing to them. Respondent one: “I think this documentary does appeal to young people, because the majority of young people smoke weed, whether they are pressured into it or off their own accord”. My target audience found it appealing that the documentary was straightforward and that it was helpful to them.

Other elements of my documentary, which the audience found appealing, are that they found the cutaways very relevant and engaging to them. As well as the interviews as they thought it was very factual and interesting and educating. They also liked that a male teenager, who also gave a sense of realism to them, as it is much easier for them to relate to, did the presenter/interviewer/VO. They also thought that the use of archive footage was appealing them as the people in the videos shown were actually teenagers, as well as this they thought that the use of other adverts (talk to FRANK) was one of the things that they liked about it.

Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux


Cutaways

One example of a cutaway, which I feel was suitable for my target audience, was the news article, which was speaking about the effects Cannabis has on a person who is under 18. This is an appealing cutaway, as it will give people a sense of realism, which will make them take this issue a lot seriously. Having a cutaway which is a real newspaper article will also give them a sense of realism as they would then know that this is facts not just opinion. This will help them believe this more as it is very factual.

As well as this cutaway, I think that the one which shows the Release website was very effective because it shows the audience that this place is actually a professional/real place and may give them the opportunity to go to Release website themselves. This is an effective cutaway because it gives the audience a chance to find out more about this issue and if they or anyone around them is a part of this issue already then they can go on the Release website to find the information they need to help themselves.

A cutaway like this one, I think is very effective as it proves/shows the teenagers that this documentary is directly for them and no one else, as everyone included in the documentary, apart from the expert opinion is a teenager.



Archive footage

The archive footage I have used is a good example of how I have appealed to my target audience, for instance, the YouTube clip I used of a bunch of teenagers smoking or announcing themselves as smokers. This was an effective clip as it was as if it was giving the audience a reality check, this gives them a sense of realism, which is good, as it becomes more of a real issue. The effect of using a Talk to Frank advert in my documentary was very appealing to my target audience as it is a comical advert and my target audience are also a lot more likely to recognise it from it being shown on the TV and it is also a trusted, established company.

InterviewsMy main interview was a successful interview because it was very appealing, it was as if it was just a casual conversation, which links to an informal mode of address. It wasn’t too stiff or professional, this was done because there wasn’t any specific costume or props that they needed to have, it was a freer interview, which is good as that’s the sort of lifestyle my target audience have. As well as that the interview still had a professional sense to it as it was filmed in an experts office, which will make it easier for the audience to believe the things that are being said because it is coming from an expert.



Mode of addressThe mode of address for my documentary is direct and informal, as well as being serious and informative. The reasons behind me making my documentary this mode of addresses were that my topic was a quite serious topic, as it a legal debate which I was discussing so I wanted the mood of my documentary to be quite serious. My mode of address was very suitable for my documentary and my target audience, I think because the person I used to do my voice over was a 17 year old boy and when he was speaking he was using colloquial language. My title sequence represented my mode of address well as during that sequence it had only displayed teenagers, with my logo the typography of the logo was graffiti writing which is very informal. My title sequence also contained archive footage of Laith Hakeem smoking weed, Laith is a well known icon to teenagers as he is in his late teenage years as well. From looking at the responses I got from my audience, it showed that they had really enjoyed the presenter. If I had to do it again, I would have made the presenter be an actual host instead of just a narrator.

Aesthetic quality

Locations An example of a well-used location could be Basak’s office at Release, where the interview had taken place. Her office was a perfect office for my documentary because it had a lot of books/posters which were relevant to the topic we were discussing, as well as this the office wasn’t a really formal office, although it was quite an informal area it still had a professional look to it which was perfect for portraying the seriousness of the topic which was being discussed. Teacher feedback had suggested that it might have been better if the interview/presenter had been outside the location prior to the interview in order to introduce the interview to the documentary.

Titles

I think the titles I used is an example of effective titles, this is because the colours were bright and the writing was bold which would be a lot more appealing to the target audience, as well as this the white background to that title I made was made to look like smoke which is very relevant to my topic. The typography of my titles were a graffiti, which is good as that would be something my target audience, this writing is simple, easy to read, bright and bold which in fact, matches the style of my documentary. The people who took my questionnaire had said that my titles were very “eye-catching, interesting and attractive.”

Mise en sceneThe mise en scene for my main interview was very good because it had all things, which were relevant for my topic, for instance on the wall in the corner of her office there was a



poster which was about Cannabis. As well as this there was a big bookshelf full of books on drugs and the effects of those particular drugs. This made the mise en scene for my documentary good, as it was very relevant. Also there wasn’t any clutter in the shot or anything behind Basak or Oliver to distract the audience’s attention. Also in my voxpops there were no extra people in the shot or people walking by, it was just the member of the public who I was interviewing, this was good because it meant that all attention would be on the public whom I was interviewing and the things that they were saying. Having my main interview filmed in an expert’s office is perfect as it makes the information easier to believe. Respondent two: “I think the location and mise en scene represented the documentary well because it was in a formal location, making the viewers believe the information which is being told because it is coming from an expert.”

Technical Quality

SoundI think the sound quality throughout my documentary wasn’t as up to standard as I had hoped it would be, this is because during the voice over, there is various times where the sound levels differ throughout the documentary. However, a point in my documentary where I think the sound was the best was during the voxpops, I think the voxpops sound was very effective as there was no non-diagetic sound there and the sound levels throughout each voxpop remained the same. During the main interview the sound quality wasn’t bad, however there were some spots in the interview where there was a lot of non-diagetic sound, some of the other drug researchers who were in the building were coughing and sneezing. During the interview you could also hear the elevator door opening and closing which was a negative factor in my documentary.Lighting I think the most effective point where the lighting was best was during the interview, as my interviewer couldn’t be there on the day, we had to film his half in a different location which meant that everything had to be symmetrical, the interviewers half of the interview was effective because the lighting matched very well to the lighting which was in the Release office.

Shot types and editingAn example of when I had used effective shot types and edited effectively was for my main interview, the editing in the interview was good because it didn’t have any black spots or jump cuts. This was effective because the editing makes the interview look as if there were no mistakes or errors even with the cutaways which I added into it.

Final changes I would make

There are a lot of changes I would make to my documentary, from looking back at the questionnaires I had given out and the responses I had received, the improvements/suggestions I was given were to:

• Improve sound quality



• The shots that jump• Sign on at the beginning was very low quality sound• Adding music and credits at the end. • Length of cutaways

These suggestions were very commonly shown through out the questionnaires, they said that the sound of the voice over, interviews and the voxpops were all at different volumes. The beginning of my documentary (the sign on) was very low in volume then once you get to the interviews the volume increases rapidly. As well as this, I would ensure that all shots move on into the next shot smoothly instead of jumping into it rapidly. They also said that if I were to add music and credits at the end it would be more effective for them as it would give them a sense of realism and something for them to relate to. The cutaways I used in this documentary all lasted for quite a long time, with this, an improvement I would make would be to shorten the duration they’re been shown for. Also I would improve the ending of my documentary, as it ends quite abruptly and some of the shots before that were cut off, I would make sure the editing was a little more smooth than it is. I could have ended the documentary by maybe adding in some music and credits. I would make the conclusion to my documentary a lot clearer than it is now and also I would make it more attractive.

Unit 6: Audience and Client Feedback- Questionnaire and the results/responses

Unit 6: Audience and Client Feedback

• Do you think my documentary appeals to young people?“I think this was a documentary that will appeal to young teens as a lot of them do smoke or who have friends who smoke”“I think this documentary does appeal to young people, because the majority of young people smoke weed, whether they are pressured into it or off their own accord”“Yes as the topic is very relevant and easy to relate to”“Yes, it does as this is an issues with young teens in this day and age”

• Give me three things you liked about my documentary?“Effects, interviews and use of expert opinion”“Use of the talk to Frank archive footage, expert opinion, use of a young presenter, cutaways”“Appealing, straightforward, great cutaways”“Straightforward, helpful, good interviews”“Interesting cutaways, expert opinion, good interviews”“Use of other adverts, interviews, use of websites”“Interviews, cutaways, camera angles”

• What mode of address do you think my documentary is?“Direct, talking directly to us makes us feel involved and gives us a sense of realism”“Direct as the documentary is talking to us as teenagers”

• Rank the following conventions 1-being the most effective and 4- being the least (Cutaways, Interviews, Mode of address, music)



“1- Cutaways, 2-Interviews, 3-Mode of address, 4- Music”“1-Mode of address, 2- Interview, 3-Cutaways, 4-Music”“1-Cutaways, 2-Mode of address, 3-Interviews, 4-Music”

• Which of the following technical finish is the best quality? (Sound, Lighting, Shot Types, Editing)“Editing (effects)”“Editing (effects)”“Lighting”“Shot Types”“Shot Types”“Editing (effects)”

• Do you think my interview was represented well with location/mise en scene?“Yes”“Yes, well located, very relevant mise en scene”“Yes”

• Do you have any suggestions on how I could improve my documentary?“Improve the sound quality and some of the shots jump a little, overall it is a good documentary”“Sound quality”“Have more music”“Some sound was too quiet”“Add credits to the end”“Better sound quality”“Add credits and music”“Make the cutaway duration shorter”

Is this topic interesting and why?Yes



Who do you think would benefit most from this documentary?I think that young people would benefit 4t more from this documentary because they are the ones that smoke nowadays, they need to be educated about the affect that it has on young people.What other people could I have used for an interview?You could have interviewed someone that works with young people on a daily basis to find out their views about Cannabis and young people. Do you think my documentary is reaching out to the right target audience?I think it appeals to young people because of the presenter and the people in the voxpops because they are all young people. The questions that are asked are also aimed more toward young people than anything else. Compared to real life documentaries, what do you think of this one?I think this documentary is just a short version of a real life documentary this is because it includes all the conventions of a normal documentary, its just shorter.

Classmates and teacher feedback

Target Audience Give examples of how this is appealing and relevant to the intended audience.Respondent 1“Nice opening sequence, lots of young people in the world. Interviewer and voice-over is relevant”Respondent 2“Urban font/text, young presenter, young people in the voxpops, information is not known by young people about drugs”Respondent 3“Many young people smoke weed so it is relevant, having young people do voxpops, expert opinion, informative”Respondent 4“Its about young people doing drugs/smoking weed, it’s appealing to us because she uses a young presenter and smoking weed is the new in thing for young people”Respondent 5“I think its target audience is young people because the presenter is young and they are talking about young people and weed.”

Weaknesses

Respondent 1“Could have an interview with a long term user and the effect it has had on them.”

CreativityGive examples of how this documentary is creative, original, and exciting in presenting this information.



Respondent 1 – “Good factual information, interesting follow-up to the recent article”Respondent 2 –“Cutaways, archive footage, young presenter, urban text/font.”Respondent 3 – “It features archive footage of young people smoking so this makes the target audience relate to it. Having a young presenter.”Respondent 4 –“The presenter is young, she got an interview with an actual expert opinion”Respondent 5 -“This idea is creative because I haven’t seen a documentary out there that is about weed and the effect it has on young people”

Technical Quality and FinishWhat do you think of the technical quality and finish of the work?Respondent 1 –“Voice over needs cutting (Oliver in intro), good cross cutting in interviews” Respondent 2 – “Respondent 3 -Respondent 4 -Respondent 5 -


to evaluate how successfully you achieved your intentions

Business

showsthe audience

appealing cutaway

sense of realism

professional sense

real issue

appealing tothem

sense ofrealism

argued issue