Foundation Production – Report
Brief and Research
For my groups production we will be producing an opening, four minute sequence of a children’s television programme for children between the ages of 5-12.
We will be using film, more in depth, television. Although we will be using filming equipment. As our group originally had four members but now three, our production and all areas of work have been changed so that we can still achieve our targets and complete our productions.
We carried out a lot of research before we planned our ideas and general production. We each watched and analysed a series of children’s programmes aimed at children between the ages of 5-12 (this was to get an idea of our brief limit). We each took a different area of children’s television such as; Cartoon/Animation, puppetry, fact shows/news, old and modern shows. We have also asked a series of children between these ages, what types of show and genres of programme they are interested in.
In the research we carried out, we found many things that we have taken into our own idea and production. We found that lots of; colour, repetition, songs, music, basic dialogue, catchphrases and many other concepts. We took some of these ideas and concepts and applied them to our idea. Another thing that was noticed was the fact that in on going shows, there tends to be a different theme for every episode. Although we wanted to add this to our show, we felt that as it is only one episode that we should concentrate on the ongoing theme, which in our case is milk, calcium and strong bones.
For symbols and signs, we have decided to keep the colour conception simple. For example our main, ‘good’ character will be dressed in complete white whereas our ‘bad guy’ will be dressed in complete black and his face will be covered. This is so that the audience will associate the colours with the character. Another symbol within our production is the symbol of milk. Within our idea milk is a very important issue and with society being in favour of children drinking milk, as almost a traditional belief that calcium in milk will help to give strong teeth and bones. It is represented as being ‘good’.
Conventions within our show will be simple but effective. This includes lots simple, bright, primary colours, basic camera shots, simple lighting and fun but again simple dialogue and audio. We have researched children’s programmes and these seem to be broad across most shows. We have taken this into account and decided to use them within our own production. Simple and basic colours, camera shots, lighting and other effects are used, as children tend to have short attention spans. If they perceive a show as being to complex, ‘boring’ or ‘intellectual’, most children will tend not to watch.
