Audience research.

I think our film would be aimed at students 16-22 both genders and parents of students. Our film is about student life so it'll first be aimed at other students and maybe their parents so they look at how teenagers live these days which we're going to show in sarcastic way. Our film will have swearing and sexual references so it's not suitable for less than 15 age certificate so obviously we can't make our target audience below that. Students who will watch our films will see themselves in it and relate themselves to characters in film and make them laugh. We also wil try to attract parents to watch this film making them think about what their own son or daughter does in life.

Alex's Research into Genre.

Research into Genre Mockumentary.

Mockumentaries are media texts (radio programmes, short films, feature films, television programmes, and any number of online material) which 'look' and/or 'sound' like documentaries or reality-based media (the term 'reality-based media' refers to the range of ways in which reality is appears within contemporary media, including news and current affairs programming, 'hybrid' forms such as nature documentary, drama-documentary, and the proliferation of television formats such as reality TV, docusoaps, reality gameshows, makeover programmes, situation documentaries, reality sitcoms and so on). Mockumentaries, then, are fictional texts which appropriate the aesthetics of the documentary genre or other reality-based media.

• They use the same codes and conventions as documentary and related media, such as an authoritative voice-over narrator or on-screen presenter, apparently 'real' footage of events, archival photographs, interviews with apparent 'experts' and 'eyewitnesses', and the other familiar ways of representing reality.
• Mockumentaries 'work' because of the assumptions and expectations that we as viewers have of representations of reality. When we see a text that looks and sounds real, we tend to begin reading and responding to it as factual. We may in fact read 'real' texts in very different ways to fictional texts.
• At some point a mockumentary will 'flag' that it is fictional. This might happen through promotional material, or become obvious when watching the mockumentary itself, or not be revealed until later (as with mockumentaries designed to be hoaxes)
• Because they demonstrate how easily all of the codes and conventions we associate with the conveying of 'reality' can be faked, mockumentary can often cause us as viewers to consider why we place so much faith in the accuracy and integrity of genres such as documentary.
• Mockumentary, then, is a fictional form which can encourage us to reflect on the nature of the documentary and related genres, and on the 'privileged' position that we tend to give such factual texts.

This 'reflexivity' toward documentary (and related media) is something that all mockumentaries share, because they are taking such common and taken-for-granted forms and playing with them.
This definition, however, needs more nuance. Many filmmakers and television producers who create mockumentaries are not interested in trying to 'raise our consciousness' in relation to documentary, or in forcing us to think more deeply about how we read and interpret different forms of the media. We need to consider the variety of reasons why media producers themselves are using mockumentary forms;

• simply as a novelty or stunt style;
• for promotional purposes;
• as an innovative dramatic style;
• or for parody and satire.

Many popular mockumentaries are simply looking to create humour by using the documentary as the 'straight person' in a comedy double-act. They make an absurd subject funnier by taking an apparently rational and sober perspective on it. Others incorporate a number of popular culture references, often building a satiric commentary on other media. Some of the more interesting mockumentaries can create quite 'layered' forms of experience for their audiences.

Since the 1980s, the mockumentary format has enjoyed much attention, especially in the directorial work of Spinal Tap star Christopher Guest. Films such as Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, and A Mighty Wind, penned by Guest and co-star Eugene Levy, were critical successes.
Zelig was a 1983 American mockumentary film written and directed by Woody Allen, and starring Allen and Mia Farrow. Allen plays Zelig, a curiously nondescript enigma who is discovered for his remarkable ability to transform himself to resemble anyone he is near.

In 1995 Forgotten Silver, claimed New Zealand filmmaker Colin McKenzie was a pioneer of most aspects of filmmaking. When it was revealed to be a mockumentary, director Peter Jackson received criticism for tricking a number of viewers.
Borat is an example of a successful film from the 2000s which uses this style. Another one is Thomas. Thomas is a German short mockumentary about the city archivist Wolfgang Weber, who proves, that a director of an Ayurvedic clinic is the reincarnation of an Irish mining pioneer.

Alex's Individual Distributor Research

Individual research of Distributor.

I've looked in internet for different short film distributors. One of them is Dazzle commented as the UK's hottest independent short film label, handles the exclusive distribution, exhibition and sales rights for a selective catalogue of award-winning, critically acclaimed UK and international titles. From 90-second, digital micro-movies to super-35mm masterpieces, dazzle's bijou short film collection is often provocative, always original and sure to inspire. 

This distributor looks good for our film since they're distributing a lot of short films of different genres.

Another one I found is Future Shorts.
Future Shorts is one of the world’s leading short film distribution labels, representing an extensive and eclectic catalogue of original, award winning films from across the globe. With years of experience in acquiring premium content and programming cutting-edge film packages, Future Shorts is a one-stop shop for broadcasters seeking the latest groundbreaking talent and content on the market.
This distributor would be good if we were going to make an international film but at the moment our film is aimed only at British audience.

Another possible distributor is Candella Films. It's a distributor of independent short films aimed at community education in UK and worldwide. This sounds like a good distributor as it focuses on education as well and our short film is kind of telling people in sarcastic way of life of normal student.


There are other possible distributor but I think Dazzle would be a good choice for our film. 

BBFC Classification applied to our production

I've done some extra research in to the BBFC classifications to try and see where our production would fit in.
I think at most our film would be awarded a 12A rating. IU've decided on this because of a few things:

'Infrequent use of strong language'
The BBFC states there may be some use of strong language, but it must be infrequent. Whilst our production does not contain any strong language, there is the potential for some to be improvised in, such as in the ending scene with the narrator and girlfriend in the bed, as the subjects reaction is likely to be a strong one.

'Brief and discreet sex'
Again, this could apply to our production as whilst there will be no visible sex scene, there will be the suggestion of it through the noises and the narrator and girlfriend being in bed, under the covers. Under the BBFC guidelines of a 12A, sex must be brief and discreetly displayed, as it would be in our production

'Overall tone'
As our production is a comedy style mockumentary, I feel the tone would prevent us being pushed from a 12A to a 15, as it is very light and there is no darkness at all

'Moderate Violence'
The BBFC also state there may be moderate violence in a 12A, but our production does not feature any fighting at all, and so we need not worry about this.

Overall, I feel the production would be awarded a 12A, if not a U for a certificate, as there is no violence, no drug use, only the suggestion of sex and no strong language. It has a happy, comical tone and is a film designed to make people laugh and enjoy themselves as opposed to a dark documentary revealing scary truths.

Audience Analysis

Our production will be aimed at a wide range of people. The main audience will be students, as a film about them and mocking them allows them to laugh at themselves and say 'Oh I do that', and so they can relate to the film more than a younger person who might watch the film.
We also hope to attract the parents of students, as they will be able to laugh and compare their own experiences with their kids to those on screen, as well as compare these on-screen scenarios to how things were when they were a studeent

Shot List

Medium shot of the Narrator as he introduces the following documentary.
Medium tracking shot from behind the narrator, following him up to a bedroom door,
Match on action of the narrator reaching for the handle to a close up of him grabbing the handle and opening the door.
Medium shot/long shot of the narrator stood next to bed speaking, them walking towards camera
Overhead, high angle CCTV style shot of student bedroom as he wakes up
Overhead CCTV style shot of stairs and student aproaching and going down the stairs
Overhead CCTV style shot of a kitchen, with student entering and bending down to access fridge.
(Shot from inside fridge of door opening and student grabbing milk)
Back to overhead of kitchen
Establishing shot of college
Long shot of student walking up to a girl, hugging etc, then getting rejected
Long shot of student entering home,
Overhead of student walking up the stairs
Overhead of bedroom and student locating clothes
Low angle surveilance shot of bathroom whilst student does hair
Long shot of girlfriends house and being let in by a parent/walking in
overhead of student in hallway, must be able to see emotion as the student will look confused then walk down the hall to a door
Close up of door handle opening
POV of bed with narrator popping head out

Alex's Classification Research.

Classification research.

How much strong language is there in a 15?

There could potentially be a great deal. At 15 there is no upper limit on the number of uses of strong language (eg f***).

Occasionally there may be uses of the strongest terms (eg 'c***'), although continued or aggressive use will not normally be passed 15.

What about discriminatory or offensive terms?

There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language, and the work could explore themes relating to this.

However, at 15 the work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.

How much sex and nudity is allowed at 15?

At 15 sexual activity can be portrayed, as long as there is no strong or graphic detail. Some sex scenes can be quite long at this category and may involve some nudity and movement. Though nudity may be allowed in a sexual context there should be no strong detail.

There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.

There can be strong references to sex and sexual behaviour, but especially strong or crude references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context.

Heterosexual and homosexual sex and sex references are treated the same.

Can there be strong violence?

Yes, at 15 violence may be strong. It should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury, however, and the strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.

Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable.

Easily accessible weapons may not be glamorised.

What about sexual violence?

There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence (for example descriptions of rape or sexual assault in a courtroom scene or in victim testimony) but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.

What about horror works?

Many horror films are rated 15. At 15 there can be strong threat and menace (as long as it is not sadistic or sexualised), although the strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.

Can you see drugs in a 15 rated film or video?

At 15 drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse.

The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances like aerosols or solvents is unlikely to be acceptable at 15.

What about dangerous behaviour or things teens might copy?

We consider the risk of potential harm to impressionable teenagers. For example, dangerous behaviour such as hanging, suicide and self-harming should not dwell on detail which could be copied.

I'd say our film should be rated 15 or above, we might use strong language and slight sex description and use of it which is acce[table for 15 years old classification. To ensure that our fil is suitable for that classification we'll follow guidelines above.

Alex's Individual short film research.

Individual short film analysis.
I'm going to analyse the mockumentary called "The Majestic Plastic Bag."

It's about a life cycle of a plastic bag "life cycle" which is shown as a usual documentary about wildlife but obviously it's all sarcastic and is a mockumentary aimed to show the bad side of plastic bags.

The video was made for a petition to ban plastic bags in california and shows the life cycle of plastic bag as if it was an animal which in the end shows the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in Pacific ocean which shows the amount of rubbish thrown into ocean focusing audience on how I like men & horrible it is but in a way as it a bag's "Natural Habitat".

The video made in clever way making it sound like any other documentary about wildlife. You can hear narrator describing what's happening on screen and with bag in a way as they usually do in documentaries making it sound like a normal professional documentary about wild life. Camera is used to capture bag's "movement"around city and ocean following it from different angles making it look like a documentary again.

It starts with a family coming out of shop and narrator says that this is documentary about one of the most clever and illustrious creatures, the plastic bag making it sounds very sarcastic and in same way serious like a documentary would sound. Then the plastic bag falls off a trolley then as following narrator it shows all steps of "life cycle" of plastic bag from roads of California to Pacific ocean. Shots are shown with plastic bag in the middle of shot and it cuts to shots from different steps of life cycle, showing "dangers" and "final destination" and also some stops on the way like a sharp fence that bag sticks to.
     
                                 
                                 

Again, the title appears as in usual documentary looking professional, it's located a little bit down in center so you can see the bag traveling through different places trying to keep bag in focus.

All the way throughout the film shots vary from close ups to long shots always focusing bag or key characters like park services in the middle of shot and it follows every word of narrator, but the narrator's text makes it sound really sarcastic, using words like "First flight of plastic bag", "It's finally airborne"

Music changes with video as well, as bag takes its "first flight" there is a gracious music in background, followed up by dramatic music when park services shown indicating danger as also narrator mentions in his text.

Genre research - Mockumentary

Our film's genre is 'Mockumentary'; This is often a fictional event that is shot and portrayed in a documentary format, showing them dramatically, but more often than not in a comical light. Although they are meant to be satirical about something in particular, they more-often-than-not don't include a lot of laugher about the subject and try to retain as much of the atmosphere as possible for the audience.

Perhaps one of the most famous and well known Mockumentaries is 'War of the Worlds' by Orson Welles' radio broadcast in the late 1930's. He did a series of broadcasts that appeared to be news information about puffs of green smoke being spotted coming from Mars and projectiles heading towards the Earth from the red planet. Due to the way the mockumentary was broadcasted, it caused some panic amongst listeners as the first 60 minutes of the show was portrayed as a new bulletin.

one of my personal favourite mockumentary style shows is probably 'Monty Pythons Flying Circus'. while not all of the sketches in it are shot in a mockumentary style, a few of them are. The best being 'The Funniest Joke in the World', or 'Killer Joke'. It follows updates on how a man has written a joke so funny that anyone who reads it will promptly die of laughter. It shows how the joke is first created and how it moves on to be used by the army as a weapon against people.

Short Film Analysis

http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3158/trolleycide

"The life of a supermarket trolley is never an easy one; they are pushed to the brink in their all consuming roles and often find themselves on the edge of despair...the mouth of the river offering itself to them in a sweet surrender. The NSPCT are a charity aiming to change this..."


The embedded short film is a mockumentary about a shopping trolley help like, the NSPCT. In many ways it's similar to our planned short film as it too is a mockumentary, but about a student rather than a trolley. 

The film follows the struggle of the trolley as it has to endure hardship in the super market, being kicked by people for not going the right way and having to carry heavy loads 24 hours day without being paid. They portray the trolleys having emotional issues, showing them having suicidal thoughts and as shown above, committing suicide by jumping into a canal and drowning. 
Although our film doesn't show the students having suicidal thoughts, it does show him going through emotional stress and hardship at college due to fashion etc. Although similar in them few ways, it does differ a lot compared to ours when looking at the story board for shots and what the content actually is.