Planning documentary
The whole class made a brain storm on possible documentary topics, these were as follows:
After the whole class brainstorm we were put into our groups, we then had to decide on a topic. We narrowed the brainstorm down to three seperate choices. These were:
Animals
Technology
Graffiti
Our group decided the topic of graffiti would be best suited and we all agreed this was the one we are all most interested in.
We decided to brainstorm the topic of graffiti and try to think of some possible content for the programme between us, we came up with the followin:
Art - galleries - interviews with workers.
Main soundtrack - determined by questionnaire results.
A graffiti artist doing graffiti to chroal soundtrack in a fast motion shot
Montage before opening title
Voice over - male - 30? Standard English
Interview with psychologist - who has studied banksy
Archive material - still images and youtube footage
Interview with police officer - asking his opinion and experiences
Vox pop in Liverpool
Show random footage of local graffiti walls
Barcelona subway graffiti
After discussing possible content for our documentary we decided on the scheduling, target audience and the title of the programme.
We decided the documentary would be shown on channel 4, although this isn't the most commonly watched channel our documentary was only going to be aimed at a small audience and channel 4 caters for minorities. We decided the target audience of the documentary was going to be people 30+, this is because the topic of the documentary is based on the question, is graffiti art or vandalism? This involves the target audience we have chosen because there a variety of opinions on the topic.
Formal Proposal
Title: Write On?
Topic: Is graffiti art or vandalism?
Type of Documentary: Mixed
Style of Documentary: Informing, informal, entertaining, opinions of interviewees comes through
Channel and Scheduling: Channel 4, Wednesday at 9PM.
Target Audience: Unisex ages 30+, mature audience to consider the topic
Primary Research Needed:
Interview e.g.:- Policeman-
Michael Hoey (graffiti artist)
- Local MP
- Art museum staff member
- Art teacher
- Psychologist
Locations e.g.:
- in front of graffiti wall
- Police station/office
- MP’s office or town hall
- Art museum (room without art work)
- Art classroom
- In psychologists office (with special chair in Mise-en-scene)
- Graffiti walls, Liverpool (vox pop), subway in Barcelona
- Mise-en-scene of interviews will be decided on location
- Liverpool museum (Egypt exhibition)
Secondary Research Needed: Archive Material:
- Graffiti magazine
- Graffiti websites
- Banksy artwork (printed)
- Youtube footage
- Audio discussions
- Surveys/facts and figures on graffiti
- Books on graffiti
- Music: choral soundtrack
- Egyptian hieroglyphics research
- Xbox games
Narrative Structure: Non-linear, open, circular, single strand
Outline of Content: Titles – Relate to topic
- Interviews- with cutaways of graffiti
- Voiceover tells the narrative and links interviews together
- Main theme of questions will be is graffiti art or vandalism?
- Vox pop of people in Liverpool
- History of graffiti included
Resource Requirements
- Video camera, digital camera, tripod, computer with Adobe Premiere and audition, Internet access
Running Order
Documentary: Write On?
Channel: C4
Scheduling: Wednesday 9-9.30PM
Duration: 24 minutes (including advert breaks)
Opening titles 20 secs
Voice over introduces programme and poses question,whilst quick cuts (pans & zooms) of graffiti are on screen. 30 secs
Brief history of graffiti (voice over explains this) while still images(early history) and actuality footage of graffiti (modern),ranging from Italy to modernised graffiti. 1 minute
Voice talks about public opinion on graffiti whilst vox pop is being shown with establishing shots of Liverpool. 30 secs
Interview with cross cut interview between teacher and police man with cutaways.1minute
Spinning shot around graffiti studio, cuts to Hoey interview,cutaways are mainly him doing graffiti. (possibly other interview)1 minute
Voiceover talks about Banksy, while his work is on screen +Actuality footage of ‘rat in Liverpool’.40 secs
Interview with Banksy, with cutaways. 2 minutes
Zooms and pans of graffiti in art museums, voiceover talks about acceptanceof Banksy in art community.40 secs
Aerial shot from helicopter of London,voiceover talks about the different places and art Banksy has done acrossLondon. 30 secs
Interview with art critic about Banky’s work.1 minute
Archive footage of the unveiling of the 1st solo graffiti art exhibition at Birmingham’s Museum and Art Gallery by Temper.
Voiceover talks about Temper and his work.1 minute
Slow zoom out a piece of graffiti while voiceover talks about the illegality.30 secs
Interview with policeman about graffiti related arrests.1 minute20 secs
ADVERT BREAK 3 Minutes
Interview with Leader of Liverpool city council, answering questions on how graffiti could be brought into society legally.1 Minute30 secs
Voiceover talks about influence on graffiti on society, as camera pans along Shelf in shop of rap music.20 secs
Interview with graphic designer who has used graffiti on album covers,with cutaways.40 secs
Point of view shot of person pushing trolley through a shop,voiceover discusses graffiti in fashion.40 secs
Interview with head of fashion design at Echo Unlimited, with cutaways.1 minute
Archive footage montage of various games, with people playing them,screen shots of graffiti on games, voiceover talks about effects of graffiti ongame production.40 secs
Interview with gamer, explaining how you graffiti on GTA San Andreas, Mise en scene is chromakey of game footage behind him.40 secs
Actuality footage of camera in a car, driving through a rough area withgraffiti on walls, voiceover talks about gang culture and effect on society.30 secs
Interview with two members of a local gang cross cut with interview with anold woman talking about graffiti.1 minute
Quick cuts of archive material of graffiti magazines, books, studios, artists,Etc. while voiceover talks about the growing fame of graffiti1 minute Some examples of vox pop shown, cuts to zooms and pans of graffiti and people looking at it as voiceover poses question again.40 secs
Closing credits, as a montage of stills of graffiti fade in and out as titles roll.20 secs
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 24 Mins
As a group we created a storyboard for our title sequence for our documentary as you can see there is only one shot, this is because we want our title spray painted to make it unique.
Also we drew rough drawings of what we initially intended the framings of our interviews to be like.
Here are the questions we used for our interviews:
Interview questions – Mally
- Tell me how you got into doing graffiti
- Why do you take part in doing graffiti?
- Do you take part in graffiti because you see it as art or because it’s a form of rebellion against authority?
- What is your own personal tag?
- How did you come up with the design?
- Tell me about your inspirations in relation to graffiti?
- Do you see graffiti as a form of art?
- Where are the main areas where you do graffiti?
- What are the rules on graffiti amongst artists like yourself?
- Have you ever had any issues with authority over what you do?
- How have your graffiti skills have developed since you began doing it?
- Why don’t you study art?
- Are your parents aware of you doing graffiti, tell me about their opinions?
- What is good graffiti?
- What is bad graffiti?
- Do you admire any particular graffiti artists?
- Does graffiti influence any other aspects of your personal life? (E.g. fashion sense)
- What advice would you give to someone who wants to take up graffiti?
