Evaluation of Assignment 3 and Unit 1 as a whole

Assignment 3

Throughout Assignment 3 whenever we got together as a group I felt that we intricately planned  out how we were going to go about making the advert. This involved deciding on location and who was responsible for what aspect of the advert. We put our skills that we gained from assignments 1 and 2 into practice in order to execute our plan and our shoot for assignment 3. One thing that helped us was our storyboard. By using a storyboard we gained an idea of what we wanted the advert itself to look like and I feel that the end result was relatively similar and was exactly the same as how we described it and planned it out to be. Our chosen client was L'Oreal and the overall product did resemble that of a L'Oreal or other beauty product advert. We worked together as a group to make sure the advert was filmed and edited to a high quality standard in the way that we wanted so that it did in fact resemble a L'Oreal ad. When editing we had to make sure the ad was around 10 seconds but not too much over and too much under so there were brief discussions that happened in order to make sure the footage we had was relevant and suitable so that it made the ad look professional. Therefore we decided as a group what to keep and what needed to be cut if it was irrelevant so that the ad did not end up too long.

Unit 1 as a whole

Unit 1 as a whole taught me many different skills that are useful in a production environment. I learned about all the different aspects that go into a production even before you begin shooting it. It isn't as simple as I first thought and it requires a lot of hours of commitment as well as planning. Assignment 1 was where I began to research what each aspect requires. Before even any of the planning can start I learned that production companies must first look at a creative brief that a company has come up with in order to begin the creative process. From this the production company can then begin to come up with the idea itself in order to then begin thinking about the other aspects. Things such as location, personnel and equipment will then be planned out as well as how much the ad will cost and who will finance that. Lastly people will have to come up with a contingency plan in case things go wrong. By learning these things I now have an extensive understanding of a production begins to come into place

Assignment 2 was our pitch that we had to give as a group. One vital thing that this assignment taught me was how to work as a group and split work equally between four people. We each had our own roles which we had to focus on and mine personally was to draw out the storyboard and come up with a budget. By looking at different storyboards I was able to understand how they plan out TV ads and now I also know that this can be applied to other areas such as film and TV. I then went on to come up with a budget and this gave me and idea of how much average ads cost as well as what rate of pay different parts of the personnel will work for. I now know that different types of ads cost relatively different prices depending on what is in the ad itself. Simple animations and voiceovers will be a lot cheaper than ads that have actors and a set with higher amount of cinematography. We then had to come together to combine the aspects we were responsible for in order to pitch out idea as if we were an actual production company producing the ad. We had to explain our aspects and how they would add to the production quality/value of the ad when we would eventually come to making it. The pitch gave me key presenting skills. It taught me how to make a formal presentation as well as how to present in front of a group of people.

Task 2 Pitch and Supporting Documentation

Task 3 Advert

5.1.15

Date:
5.11.16

Attendance:
Gabby, Eli, Gabriel, Daniel.

Agenda:

Decisions on the final finish, to make sure we were all happy with the final advert. We had our meeting whilst watching the final finished advert a few times to make sure nothing else needed to be added.

Meeting:

15 minutes

Decisions:

1. To make sure everyone is happy with the advert.

2. To make sure everything is added and not missing from the advert.

3. To make sure all the editing is up to the standard needed.

04.01.16- Production meeting regarding editing

Today we had a five minute meeting, before we started to edit.
Firstly, we all looked over the filming and then discussed the editing and started on the editing process.

Through various discussions during our editing session we came to a conclusion as to what we wanted the Ad to look like exactly and got a finalised product which is fit for purpose.

Gabby, Eli, Gabriel and Daniel were present in this meeting.

Production Meeting- 15/12/15

Meeting time 
25 minutes.

Meeting date:
14.12.15

Agenda:
Gabby, Eli, Gabriel & Daniel

Decisions:
Gabby and Eli pick up equipment Wednesday (16th.12.15 ) at 2pm
Tyla Confirmed as backup.

Pre-Production Documentation

Production Meeting- 08/12/15

Meeting time: 

45 minutes 

Date of meeting: 

08.12.15

Attendance: 

Eli, Gabby, Dan and Gabriel 

Agenda: 

Decide on filming date, make sure all equipment is available and booked

Decisions made:

• Filming on Wednesday 16.12.15 
• Meeting point at 2.00pm at Jcoss main entrance 
• Group must walk to New Barnet Sainsburys and get the 326 to Totteridge and Whetstone, 251 to Mill Hill Broadway and then Thamselink to Elstree station. 
• From the station group will walk to the location; 3 Grange Road 
• Eli will bring jeans, heels and a high-end jacket and fairy-lights 
• Gabby will bring makeup needed for the advert, Gabriel has already purchased perfume bottles and hairbrush and hair dryer available 
• Equipment has been booked for Wednesday from after form time and Gabriel will return it on Thursday morning 
• The group will arrive at the location at 3.30pm and filming will start straightaway 
• Talya, who lives opposite the location is the backup actress for the ad and is available on the chosen date of filming 
• Gabby is the backup camerman as she is the assistant so will know the aims and the storyboard 
• Actress- Eli
• Camerman- Gabriel 
• Camera assistant- Gabby
• Director and Producer- Dan 
• The group have reviewed the risk assessment to go over all the solutions needed to go in place in order to reduce potential hazards, Eli will be responsible for making sure this is handled. 

Gabriel will be providing food and soft drinks for all crew members 

My Opinion on Unit 1- The first two tasks

Unit 1 Thus far

So far unit 1 gave me an interesting insight into what pre-production techniques are used before you begin an actual production. They have shown me that productions that are expected to be done at a professional standard have a lot more bit by bit planning that go into them as opposed to just getting on and hoping for the best with them like a project in lower school years would be like.

My Prezi allowed me to explore each of the pre-production techniques in detail and discover how each little part comes together in order to eventually become an Advert, Film, TV Show etc. By looking at each method individually I could see exactly how the different techniques are used for each individual aspect of the advert whether that be looking at the creative brief in order to come up with an idea, putting together a budget or even learning what each member of the production team (the personnel) were supposed to do as a role.

It then came to the pitch and the supporting documentation that went with it. I found that since we were working in a group the work load could be spread out meaning we could each focus on a specific aspect in detail and to the best of our abilities. The two aspects that I looked at/covered were the budget and the storyboard. By creating a budget, I got an idea of what real life TV adverts will cost due to the different aspects such as personnel and equipment. Since we are not paying for a location however it made it so the production was a lot cheaper. I also created the storyboard so that we can get an idea of what the production will look like when we film it. Although I am not the best artist I feel that this is still something we can work from. When it came to the pitch and the presentation I felt that my group adequately gave our pitch for our idea and outlined all the key points that we were asked to cover in detail.

10 Second Mini Ads Analysis and Notes

Cadburys Creme Egg 



Content

• The ad itself is short
• One actor with very limited dialogue
• Limited costumes
• Small Simple Set-Probably built, Possibly on location, Props that would have been easy to acquire
• It is set in a bedroom of a 'teenager' practicing chatting up a creme egg as if it were a female

Structure

• Starts off with a bit of dialogue with the actor talking to a mirror as if it were another person
• He then looks into the camera as if it were another person (breaks the fourth wall)
• The tagline then appears with a picture of a Creme Egg

Technical Elements

• Quiet- Diegetic sound from the location. The only noise we hear when the actor is talking is him and the sound of a dog barking from outside
• The first shot is a long shot and is establishing that we are in his bedroom, it is trying to show he is a typical teenager with various things lying around the bedroom
• The final shot is him staring into the mirror (the camera) and therefore we get a shot from in front of his facing he smiles into the camera
• There is no camera movement and there are only still shots of what is going on
• Once the tagline appears there is a voiceover that reads it to show that we are now outside of what is going on within the ad and to show that is finished.
• There is a lack of editing due to the fact that there is a lack of shots. The shots are short to medium length

Gumtree Success

Content

• The advert shows a man selling his speakers to 2 young guys who are dressed in 'urban clothing'
• The two guys then walk off and it cuts to them in a room dancing to the music
• The tagline then shows up with the logo and it shows that the Gumtree app can be downloaded on apple and android
• There is a voiceover narrating what is going on

Structure

• The ad has no dialogue but it shows the actors doing very simple things
• There are a small amount of actors
• After the first shot it then cuts to another one where the tagline then shows
• Small amount of shots

Technical Elements

• Medium Close up shots
• Medium length shots as there are only two shots
• There is a voiceover that is non diegetic
• The only dialogue is a brief exchange between the people and isn't supposed to be the focus which is why it is quiet
• Two very simple camera shots with minimal movement
• The first shot shows the two young guys giving the man selling the speakers money and return they take the speakers.
• The second shot shows the two guys in a bedroom dancing in a comedic way using the speakers they just bought. The bedroom has a large amount of posters and I feel that this along with the speakers and the dancing are to establish the fact that they enjoy music

Sofaworks

Content

• The ad shoes two delivery men bringing in a Sofa
• There is then an alarm going off with a voiceover saying "stop right there" at which point they both sit down and begin watching TV
• They are in a living room when this is happening
• The logo for the business then appears in the bottom right of the screen

Structure

• The ad starts with them bringing the couch
• There is then a voiceover and they then stop what they are doing
• The two actors within the ad have no dialogue

Technical Elements

• Still camera shots
• Short edited clips
• Only 3 shots
• The setting is in a living room. There is a TV, a rug and furniture around to establish this 
• The sound is non-dieetic, there is a voiceover and the sound of a live audience clapping but this is not within the scene- creates a comedic effect

Assignment 1- Advert for McCann Erickson

Task 1

For the first task of the assignment I had to begin researching the different areas that I would have to be thinking about when it came to planning and creating my advertisement for McCann Erickson. The client that I chose to create an advert for was Coca Cola and therefore I took this into account when doing my research and thinking about the kinds of things that would be going into the advert.

Creative Brief for Advertising

Creative Brief

Creative Brief Example
(Aviva Car Insurance)

This is a creative brief for Aviva Car Insurance. A creative brief outlines what a company does and the message/product they would like to get across in the advertisement made for them. They will then send this off to advertisement agencies and whoever comes back to Aviva with the best idea for an advert will be hired to film it. This is how all companies will decide who they would like to film their adverts. Aviva through their adverts want people to buy insurance through them. Creative briefs usually also point out who they would like their ideal target audience to be.In the case of Aviva they are aiming their service at drivers, experienced rivers in particular who have had their license for over 15 years. Some creative briefs will also include background information about themselves, on the off chance an advertising company isn't sure who they are or isn't exactly sure of they're aims and objectives.

Creative Brief for Coca Cola

Mcann Client Background- Coca Cola

• Coca Cola was first made in 1886
• Between 1888-1891 Coca Cola started to be marketed to local pharmacies. The mixture was sold to pharmacists who would put it into cups for customers to by and drink
• In the early 1900's the company began bottling Coca Cola
• In 1923, they began to market Coca Cola to the world.  Coke was a sponsor of the 1928 US Olympics team. Around this time the six pack was also invented.
• Coke also owns a lot of other drinks such as Fanta, Sprite, Oasis and Powerade
• In the 1940's the Coca Cola manufacturing and bottling facilities would have been used as munitions factories meaning that they would have got a huge pay out as a result of the war. This would therefore have allowed Coca Cola expand a great amount due to this high income.
• The early Coca Cola Ads were always associated with "fun, friends and good times" which is something that they try to continue even today in their campaigns
• In the 1980s Diet Coke was introduced and became the top low calorie drink in the world
• In the 1990s Coca Cola received on-going support from FIFA, The Rugby World Cup, The NBA and The Olympics

The Task/Objective:

To create a TV Ad campaign that appeals to consumers of Coca Cola as well as to bring in a whole new audience of Coca Cola drinkers. We aim to show Coca Cola as a drink that should be consumed sensibly and in moderation. Through our AD we want to show off all the products we offer in order to give our customers as much variety as possible so that they make the right drink choice for their diet and for their lifestyle.

Target Audience:

Our Target Audience needs to be aimed more at people above the ages of 12. We need an AD campaign that targets those who know the risks when it comes to drinking Carbonated Drinks. Therefore we would like this campaign to be aimed specifically at those looking to have a drink that is the main quencher of their thirst in party and celebration type situations. We want our consumers to see that by drinking Coca Cola they will be refreshed in body, mind and spirit. Since Coca Cola is a world renowned and well known brand, it should be used to promote Coca Cola not just for the UK but for the world. We want our AD to be memorable and talked about globally.

What Must You Include:
"Open Happiness" is the tagline that must be used by the end of the advertisement and therefore 'Happiness' is a key theme that we would like you run with when making our advertisement.


How much does The Average TV Advert cost to make and why do costs vary?

TV adverts can vary depending on specific factors to do with two sides of things. Firstly there is the creative side of costs which is the cost of actually producing an Ad or Ad campaign. Then there is a media side of costs which means the cost of what media outlet the product will be advertised on. Already depending on what type of media outlet, means that from early on, the Media costs will be thought out so that way once the advert is completed, then they will be a step ahead of themselves and prepared. There are a number of variables that can effect the media cost of simply getting a TV advert aired:

• Time of the advert- Depending on the length of an Advert, it will cost more to get it aired. For example a John Lewis Christmas advert, just for the length of time of the advert would cost more than maybe an advert for a bar of chocolate (Obviously depending on the chocolate)
• Seasonal- Specific months will be cheaper than others for a TV advert to air. The summer is usually the cheapest whereas Christmas times would probably be the most expensive
• Time of Day- Peak times (Times when everyone is tuning in) will be a more expensive slot than say airing an advert at 9am in the morning when most people will be either just waking up or getting into work meaning there will be a lot lower viewership
• Popularity of the channel/TV- TV channels with a far bigger audience than others will be more expensive than audiences with smaller channels. For example an advert during the middle of a Nationally watched event such as a sporting event or reality show on a channel like ITV (e.g. World cup final, X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, I'm a Celebrity get me out of here etc) will have a more expensive advertising slot than say during a re-run of a classic show on a channel such as Dave or Gold. There is a Daily Mirror article from November 2013 which states that just 30 Seconds of an ad slot for a product or company during the X Factor breaks would cost £200,000. 

A commercial advertisement can be as cheap or as expensive as one would like to produce as long as it does a good quality job of trying to get the message across that they are trying to achieve. There are specific factors that will increase the cost of production aside from the pay that the crew get. These factors include:

• Whether or not they use a celebrity and their endorsement fees
• Locations
• Actors depending on level of experience
• Sets which require building
• Software experts such as CGI or motion graphics

Depending on what can be seen, heard and displayed in an advert, this will also cause costs to vary. An advert where you see mostly simple looking animations in 2-D rather than 3-D would cost something like £5000-£10,000. They will usually be short with a simple voiceover and won't have much going on. Adverts up to £10,000 or more may have a bit more complex advertising in 3-D to make it more pleasing to the eye. They also might have actors in the adverts but no one too famous or well known. Adverts over £20,000 will usually have less animated visuals and will have actors in their Ads in order to help get the message across that whatever their advertising will actually effect real people. These adverts will usually be more expensive since they are on location and might involve building a set. They will also have to hire the actors.

Advert Plan- Coca Cola

• Rugby World Cup Themed Coca Cola Ad
• Celebration of the World Cup- Different Settings- A Bar, Someones House where they're having a BBQ, Someone watching the World Cup on their computer, People playing rugby in school and spectators at a match for the rugby world cup.
• The different people are all reacting to the same part of the match differently- The people playing rugby at school act out that scenario as if everyone else is actually reacting to them
• Someone Scores and everyone celebrates at which point everyone is seen drinking a bottle or a can of Coke.

Pre-Production Techniques

Pre-Production Techniques

There are different areas when it comes to the pre-production stages of filming something. The Pre-Production areas are:

·     

    The Type of production- Film, TV Show, TV AD, Photo-shoot, Radio, Music Video etc

·      Who- The various kinds of personnel who will be working on the production

·      Contributors- People that are involved with the advert but aren’t directly part of it, for example people making an Anti-smoking ad may consult with a Specialist Doctor.

·      Finance- Budget by finding out average commercial costs of Advertising. Where is the money coming from (usually the client) and how will it be spent. Is the profit worth the amount of money being spent on advertising? Costing has to be planned out for each area of the filming process- Pay for the actors/crew, cost of filming in a specific place, the set costs, props and costumes, facilities and equipment. The Finances can depend on whether or not the advertisement is Above the line or Below the line.

·       Code of Practice- Is what is being done legal? Do you know that you have permission to be filming what you are filming and where you are filming it? Can the advert legally say what it is saying/market Ads to the people they are trying to market it to? In order to regulate this there are two organizations called the ASA (Advertising standards authority) and Clearcast who get sent adverts and check that Ads adhere to the ASA. Adverts have to adhere to copyright. For example if they want use specific music, they have to make sure that they can legally use the music they are using in an adverts. In order to do this, the company making the advert will have to get permission from the company that owns the song.  Before production, the planning team also have to do a risk assessment of the environment they are planning to film in.

·      Target Audience- Who is the production being made for? This will affect the content of the production

·      Materials- What will be used by the crew and actors

·      Locations- Important in setting a scene

·      Time- Deadlines, Availability of people, Locations and equipment. Timetable of when specific features of the production are going to be done.

   What 'Materials' would be used for a TV Advertisement?

·      Scripts so the actors know what they are saying

·      Cameras that film in 1080p Full HD

·      Sound Equipment- Microphones and Mixers

·      Possibly a Green Screen

·      Different costumes or props if there is a specific theme or story

·      Lighting Equipment

·      Auto-Cue

·      Set/Scenery

·      Editing Software

·      Animating/CGI Software

Who are the Personnel that will be used?

·      Cameraman or Cameramen depending on the different shot compositions

·      Sound Person- Sets up the sound to best quality possible, in films and TV there will be additional people for sound effects and voiceovers

·      Lighting People- Set up the lighting/track the sun movement in order to make sure the scene itself has the best lighting possible

·      Producer- makes sure all the production features work successfully hand in hand with each other

·      Director- directs the actors

·      Actors/Voice Actors

·      Editor

·      Action Theme?-  Maybe a stunt man/stunt double

·      Cinematographer

·      Continuity- In TV Shows- Makes sure there are no continuity errors e.g. if a cup is half full/empty in one shot, they make sure it stays like that in the next shot (it may change due to multiple shots/takes being edited together