Audience Research

Upon looking at our research options, my partner and I thought it would be important to create a survery that would represent our audience. The survey asks specific questions about an audience that we could target our documentary at.

Here is the survey link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7Z25YV6

Documentary Series - Reflecting on Seven Days. Was it a flop?

As Steven Lambert moved forward to create what was considered to be a successful documentary, he faced challenges. These challenges were the most important part of a series success, the audience.

The guardian published a piece with an interview from Lambert. Lambert defended his ideas, and placed blame on Channel 4 for poor marketing. Admittedlty Lambert comments that he didnt realize the "strong" dislike that the national audience felt for the "Notting Hill Community". He suggested that the area was diverse and media-friendly and was therefore an appropriate and interesting location to develop his docusoap.

Lambert's "marketing" defense, in my opinion, seems somewhat weak. There were, undoubtabley, flaws in the charactar choices and "face time". When targeting a large demographic, the focus can not be dependent on two yong models and a "playboy". Although Seven Days was pushed back to the 11pm, Tuesday slot and Lambert suggests that the audience just weren't exposed to the programme enough. After 4 epidsodes the show was still not capturing an audience - this shows that there were surely key media and audience concepts missing. The initial viewing figures started at 1.7 million, however they plunged greatly by the fourth episode.

In Lamberts defense, critics have noted that the interactivity of the show developed an entirely new audience and therefore the online viewing figures and popularity could have, potencially, saved the show.

Looking back on my charactar, Sam, it must be said that she became one of the most popular charactars of the show. This was probably because of her candid nature. She openly discussed her private life, and openly questioned people who critised the reality of the show (the cafe scene). Sam will, undoubtabley, become something or sustain media attention because of the show. Although she was not the most deep character, she definately did create a name for herself from the show.

In conclusion, I believe it must be noted that the audience was confused about the point of the show. I don't believe the "marketing was poor", I believe that the concept was too big for the audience. The show had no general theme, and the charactars became predictable. "Seven Days" was a flop. Poor audience figures suggests a confused series with no identity or direction.

Planning the Documentary - Initial notes of construction

After being taught about the basic modes of documentary and the outline of a production, we have now been left to come up with the outline for our documentary piece. Below are the concepts that we have come up with to develop our ideas into production.

Forms and Convention

• Observational
• Voiceover
• Not a series
• Interviews
• Archive footage

The documentary will hopefully turn out to be a conventional piece that conforms to the general conventions of an observational piece. However, we hope that through editing, voiceover, and interviews that it sends unconventional messages about the change in traditional Christmas.

Institutions

• Film Four
• Sponsorship

We will be looking for sponsorship from the film productions of TV brands. Such as film four. Our piece is an interesting comment on the sociological change that has given us new views and expectations of the Christmas season, and we need a TV slot to ensure that our piece is reaching our assigned audiences.

Audience

• TV Audience
• Middle-Class
• Family oriented

We need an audience that is socially informed. One that is aware of sociological views and ideas that have changed the way children, and the general public look at Christmas. It is important that we interview the right people, in order to capture the right audience.

Representations/Messages & Values

• Commercialization
• Capitalist corruption
• Religious diversity
• Children - Changing traditions and expectations of Christmas #

These are our basic ideas, that with more development, will become the basis of our documentary piece. We will conduct sufficient research and further our ideas to create a fixed structure for the production.

The initial working ideas of Documentary

When formulating ideas for our documentary, we tried looking at interesting things and people that were going on and developing around us. After looking at various pieces of documentary work, we found that the best ideas would be those that came from our genuine interest in the world around us.

Christmas is approaching quickly, and it seemed fitting to explore the idea that Christmas is becoming purely commercial. When walking around our home of Cambridge it has become apparent that the consumerism of the world we live in, has now seeped into the tradition of Christmas.

Our documentary is aimed to explore the commercialization of Christmas, and how the tradition is moving away from the conventional relgious ceremonies and towards a social spectacle. In the article below, a CNN reporter talks about the Christmas shopping craze. This, I believe, is a good place to start our research for our documentary. To look at the city change as Christmas comes, and too delve into the social attitudes that surround the festivities. http://business.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/09/christmas-spending/

Looking at Documentary Forms as a Producer

Expository
"A nonfiction film that emphasizes verbal commentary and argumentative logic."

Observational
"Emphasizing the documentary filmmaker's engagement in observing the subject's daily life and circumstances and documenting them with an unobtrusive camera."

Participatory
"Emphasis on the interaction between filmmaker and subject."

Reflexsive

Performative

The Five Modes Of Documentary Typical Conventions

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

The Five Modes Of Documentary Typical Conventions

View more presentations from Catford High School.

Expository

• London Can Take It

Observational

• Listen to Britain

Participatory

• Micheal Moore

Reflexsive

• Man On Wire
• Camoflage

Performative

• London can Take it

Audience reaction to Seven Days

The Daily Mail, discusses audience feedback and reactions to the later episodes of Seven Days

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1318865/Big-Brother-style-Channel-4-reality-Seven-Days-sees-ratings-halve-just-650-000.html

The Independent, also, suggests the lack of audience response and interest of Seven Days

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/the-painful-reality-no-one-is-watching-seven-days-2100992.html

Comparing Documentary Styles

Upon the advancement of our documentary study, we looked at two contrasting war time films. Although both Documentary pieces, we analyzed that they sustain very different conventions. Below I have bullet pointed the varying conventions of both pieces. 


London Can Take It

1. Distinct "neutral" voice over 
2. Propaganda message 
3. Linear Didactic 
4. There is a very developed suggestion of social cause and, therefore, affect. 
5. Very solely based on the impact on London as a industrial place representing the "peoples war"
6. Created to suggest power to the Americans with insecurity of British support

Listen to Britain 

1.  There is no narrative 
2. A sever patriotism is suggested in the piece
3. Due to the directors (Jennings) academic background, the documentary in incredibly impressionistic and circular
4. The musical harmony of the soundtrack suggests a harmony in British Society 
5. The cross cuts and development of editing suggests appeal to a diversified audience base of all classes and backgrounds 

Researching Documentary Forms - Samantha from Seven Days

As part of our research development, it was imperative to see whether the charactars actually developed their life choices around the suggestions of their audience. In order to prove whether the characteristics of audience choice existed, we have chosen a character to experiment with a see whether our suggestion really do appear in the lives of those we are observing. 

I have chosen Samantha, a model who is aspiring to be an actress. I was interested in Samantha because she has become an incredibly controversial character. People observe her too be an incredibly obnoxious, pompous and selfish. I would somewhat agree with the statement, however I find it interesting to see the reaction from the audience on "Samanthas Chat Nav". 

We can already see the development of audience involvement in this show. Not just on the internet, but in the show itself. Samantha and Lauren come face to face with some one who is interested in the reality of the show and their behavior. I personally believe it must be suggested that this interaction with a member of the public suggests reality, and the editors and producers are obviously playing to the knowledge that if normal people can be involved and have critical comment on the cast's lives in the show, then undoubtably they will get involved online.  

Researching Documentary Forms - Seven Days

Upon finding out about the development of our production in this year, we needed to develop an understand for the use of documentary in a contemporary society, such as we are today. Therefore we are now undergoing a research task, and social experiment to discover the way in which documentary is used in a modern society.

The choices made for Seven Days were interesting ones. Seven Days follows 10 people in Notting Hill for 7 days, the show then documents their average every day life. The documentary has set up forums such as twitter and facebook to allow audiences to access the people on the show and present them as very normal people, in equality with the people who are watching the show. Although representing media conventions in this series, it is incredibly unconventional and therefore the audience are intrigued by the reality of what is going on.

As part of the audience base, I am intrigued to see the development of the show. As it is only 3 episodes in, we are setting up expectations from the characters and their interactions. The power shift has occurred, an television audiences officially have the power. What will the audience chose to do?

(Click for: Seven Days Trailer)

Looking at Review Form

John Welsh reviews Seven Days for the Independent

This review of Seven Days develops resentment towards the outcome of each episode. This review is somewhat negetive, but they do create interesting points about the development of each charactars futures after the show. The belief that this show can actually create change in these charactars lives is something that allows the audience to be interested and genuinelly feel a power shift in the television/documentary conventions.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/seven-days-channel-4-wednesdaybrgareth-malones-extraordinary-school-for-boys-bbc2-thursday-2089636.html

Looking at Review Form

Tim Dowling reviews Seven Days for The Guardian 

The review of the "compelling" documentary or "docusoap" gives a very specific view of the development of this series. Dowling is positive that media critics and the audience will react well to this new concept of television and audience involvement. The genuine unpredictability of these peoples lives is considered to be the most interesting development of this new series. We as audience however, have sustained power over the unpredictability and we can now have the option to the take the reigns and develop the show to exactly what an audience want. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/sep/23/seven-days-tv-review