Coursework preliminary exercise

Statement of Intent:

I aim to produce a 60-second TV drama chase scene for a show called Lost and Found. This is a fantasy drama about a young girl named Via, who is in her early teenage years, and who has recently been made aware of a prophecy which has been made concerning her. The prophecy in question regards her and the main antagonist Cassiopeia, a power-hungry, ruthless leader who holds the ability to travel between parallel universes, ridding each one of life and asserting dominance with every universe she takes over. Cassiopeia now aspires to take control of the very universe Via resides in, with talks in the air about "her big plan", though what it is nobody knows as of yet. The prophecy states that Via is the one person who has the power to defeat Cassiopeia once and for all, that she is the only one who has what it takes to restore peace and stability and she has abilities in her which Cassiopeia could never dream of and which Via herself has no idea of. But, time is running out. Cassiopeia is expanding her army by the day, people are going missing without any reasonable explanation, there is chaos and mayhem everywhere and all hell has broken loose. Word has gotten out, and Cassiopeia has been relayed the prophecy by one of her most faithful followers, and now Via and her family are in grave, imminent danger. She must flee, in order to keep them safe, to make sure they stay alive - as Cassiopeia has now ordered her army to locate Via, and assassinate anybody who interferes or gets in her way, in order to find and eliminate her so that she can hinder all chances of the prophecy from ever ringing true. So she runs, runs far away where she hopes that nobody will ever find her, seeking refuge within a seemingly remote narrowboat which somebody has left behind. To the rest of the remaining civilisation, Via has simply gotten lost. Except now, she's been found...

Via will be dressed in casual, every-day clothes to further reinforce her young age and to enhance the idea that she is a normal teenage girl just like anybody else - despite her extraordinary qualities and the fact that she is destined for a fate that has never been laid upon anybody else before. Cassiopeia's henchman will be dressed all in black, as it connotes mystery and eeriness - along with displaying use of enigma codes. The chase scene will take place in multiple locations like a path along a canal and an abandoned field and it will exhibit an establishing shot of a desolate train track. I will record the chase scene numerous times from different angles, using a range of camera shots and movements (e.g. medium shots, close-up shots, high and low angles) in order to intensify the scene and to add meaning by creating a dramatic effect, especially when later editing the scenes. There will be uses of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound, to increase the levels of tension and suspense and to captivate the audience, so that they are able to experience audience pleasures like visceral and vicarious pleasure. In terms of Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory, I also hope to make them feel immersed in what is taking place through diversion/entertainment and I want them to feel a personal connection to my protagonist through relationships, by causing them to be on the edge of their seats, brimming with adrenaline, wondering if Via will be able to make it out.

Script:

EXT. CANAL PATH - DAY

Establishing shots of locations; canal path, river, train tracks, bridge.

Via is running with an abrupt start. As she dashes down the path and through a gap in the bushes, opening into a field, we switch between multiple camera angles, following her movements.

She runs down the path by the field, and movement can be heard not far behind her. She stumbles for a split second but regains her footing, breathing heavily.

[From Via's perspective] Handheld camera movement, rough and quick. Looks down below, then moves from her left to her right, panning movement. Briefly focuses on an ominous black figure in the distance, slowly advancing towards her.

She resumes running, multiple shots of her from the front and behind, and close-ups on her feet as she runs.

Close-up of a different pair of shoes; black in colour, belonging to another.

Via whips her head around, spots the looming figure, gains speed and turns towards a different direction.

Over-the-shoulder shot of Via and the ominous figure sprinting from behind.

[From the henchman's perspective] Handheld camera movement, long shot of Via disappearing around the corner.

Via climbs over a wooden, rickety gate, and jumps down [close-up of her feet hitting the ground].

Via staggers into an empty tunnel, leaning against the wall, panting hard and clutching at her heart.

Medium close-up shot of Via, leaning on the edge of the wall. Creeping up next to her; the black figure.

Via begins to proceed down the tunnel, slowly and quietly.

Long shot displaying Via stopping still, breathing heavily again. Black figure sprints across the wall, then disappears. Via spins her head around, but nothing is to be seen.

Via makes to run again, but a voice rings out from behind, and she stops in her tracks.

HENCHMAN: Stop.

Via very slowly turns her head, eyes widening, backing away.

VIA: I won't go with you. I won't let her win.

HENCHMAN: [sinisterly] Oh, she already has. Cassiopeia always wins. Insolent, little girls like you are no match for her.

VIA: [sarcastically] That's not what that old witch had to say. The one who made the prophecy, I mean, not Cassiopeia. She said I'll be the one to defeat her.

HENCHMAN: The prophecy means nothing! You will never beat Cassiopeia. You are powerless against her.

VIA: [shrugging] Okay. I'll be going now, then.

Via begins to turn away.

HENCHMAN: I'm telling you to stop.

VIA: What, and wait for you to kill me? No thanks, I'm good. Is Cassiopeia too afraid to come here herself, so she sends one of her minions after me instead?

A short pause, then.

HENCHMAN: [mirthless laughter] We've taken your family hostage.

Via freezes, her breathing stops.

VIA: No, you haven't. You're lying--they're safe--I made sure--

HENCHMAN: [smirks] Not sure enough, it seems.

Medium close-up on Via, who is now pale and shaking.

HENCHMAN: Come with me, and I'll make sure they live. If you run, they die, and you shall have to live with that for the rest of your miserable existence. The choice is yours.

Via drops to her knees [close-up as they hit the ground].

VIA: [shakily] I'll do it. I'll come--I'll do whatever you say. Just don't you dare hurt them.

HENCHMAN: [menacingly] Excellent.

Casting:

My preliminary exercise scene will consist of two people, one being a teenage girl (specifically within the age range of 13-15) and another being slightly or even considerably older, to show a clear distinction between age and to present the uses of binary opposition (young vs old, good vs evil).

Locations:

I will film most of my preliminary exercise at Grand Union canal, and the areas surrounding it which includes a vast field, a bridge and a tunnel.

Shot List:

I will use a large variety of different camera angles, shots and movements in order to complete my preliminary exercise. This includes establishing shots to set the scene, long shots and medium close-ups, over-the-shoulder shots and extreme close-ups. For camera angles, I plan to use both high and low angles, to communicate meaning and to convey a sense of superiority and inferiority. I'll also attempt to add an unusual perspective shot to create a sense of danger and make the audience feel alarmed. For camera movements, I'll use pan movements, handheld movements and tilt movements. This will allow my project to meet the expectations I have of it, by making it raw and realistic - with much of it being from both my protagonist and antagonist's point of views.

Kiss FM Breakfast Show CSP: blog tasks

Audience

1) KISS FM's mission is to entertain their target audience, made up of predominantly younger people, in a way that is completely unlike other monotonous radio shows. To achieve this, they deeply connect and listen to their viewers, and understand their interests on a different level by attempting to apply a youthful approach to their content. They keep their audiences up to date with the latest trends and news, which has become increasingly popular especially during the digital age.

2) The target audience for KISS FM is people within the age range of 15-34, and they are made up of 60% of their audience being female and 40% of them male. Although this audience may vary between many different psychographic groups, they would mostly fit into "the mainstream", "the aspirer" and "the succeeder". This is due to the fact that KISS FM provides content which is fitting for these three groups, as mainstreamers enjoy and respond to big, established brands, aspirers are materialistic and money-oriented and succeeders are strong-willed and seek only the best brands.

3) KISS is accessible from a vast variety of different devices, which is what makes it so appealing towards younger people. In order to connect to their audience, they use coveted streaming on apps, live events, social timelines and YouTube. KISS connects with its audience through a multi-platform strategy of presenting content around the music they love and the things that they’re into, wherever, whenever and however they want it, which helps them to further engage with their audience.

4) KISS Fresh provides exclusive first plays of the most popular streaming track from some of the most favoured music artists and producers. They play the biggest urban and rhythmic tunes from genres such as: hip hop, dance, house and afro beats - along with tracks from artists like Drake and Calvin Harris. KISS Fresh is accessible on DAB (in London), Freeview, Sky, KISSFMUK.COM via the KISS Kube app on social and at events. KISSTORY supplies more old-school music, from artists like Beyoncé and Jay-Z. KISSTORY is also hugely successful beyond the radio with compilation album releases and sell out club nights across the world from London to all across Europe and even the UAE. It is available on all the same networks as KISS Fresh.

5) Audiences can actively engage with the KISS radio brand by listening to it live online on their website, through the free KISS Kube app, through the radio or through attending one of their 100 yearly live events - from festivals to pool parties. Furthermore, this allows audiences to connect with KISS FM and their other stations on a personal level.

6) I think that listeners of the KISS Breakfast Show are mostly active, as they are offered an assortment of ways to connect and engage with the radio stations, from live events to different platforms to access it by, such as the KISS Kube app which allows them to stream shows at a convenient time to them. They are also constantly encouraged to be actively involved within everything KISS has to offer, including the news, pop culture and current trends. KISS is also very interactive towards their audience, which is a key aspect of the Breakfast Show.

7) The KISS FM Breakfast Show with Jordan and Perri provides audiences with audience pleasures such as personal relationships, information/surveillance and identity. This is because viewers may connect with the hosts due to their outgoing, chatty nature and their youthful take on things, making them very appealing and entertaining towards young people consuming the media, therefore creating personal relationships between them. They also supply informative news and educate viewers on things they may not have known beforehand, and viewers may consequently feel as though they can relate to the content that is shared to them on screen.

8) In the 1960s, music and radio was largely consumed via pirate radio stations or the BBC's very own radio stations. This was not only severely limited, but also very tedious, due to the fact that listening times were shortened to a mere few hours every day and pirate stations were outlawed. Nowadays, listeners have complete creative freedom to listen to whatever music they want, at any time of day, for as long as they desire. There are also many more streaming platforms which makes listening to music and the radio much more easier and accessible for anyone who wishes to do it.

9) In contrast to the KISS FM Breakfast Show, Tony Blackburn's 1967 Radio 1 Breakfast Show and the launch of BBC Radio 1 were specifically targeted towards a more limited and smaller group of people. While the target audience for KISS FM ranges from different ages, likes and dislikes, ethnicity and identity, the others were less broad and miscellaneous due to how different times were. BBC Radio 1 was very traditional and stood for conventional values, which is utterly unlike KISS and what it stands for. Due to this, KISS is more successful in terms of audience consumption, as its diversity appeals to audiences more than BBC Radio 1 did - which, after its release, subsequently failed to meet the expectations of their targeted audience. Although, it is similar to Tony Blackburn's show in the sense that they both started out as pirate stations.

10) In terms of Stuart Hall's reception theory, the preferred reading for the KISS FM Breakfast Show may be that it is very diverse and offers a number of resources for a wide range of different people. Avid fans may love the show due to this sense of inclusion, and how their content is constantly enjoyable, entertaining and relevant to the latest trends. However, the oppositional reading may be that it is too informal and restricted, as much of what they offer is quite niche and may only appeal to a specific group of people, rather than to everybody. Some may criticise the show due to its lack of eccentric or distinctive content, as it doesn't have many qualities which stand out completely towards somebody who isn't interested in the mainstream content that it supplies.

Industry

1) KISS FM first broadcasted on the 7th of October 1985 as a pirate radio station, initially to South London and then across the entire city.

2) There are three types of media, which are: magazines, radio and digital media. I recognise KISS, Empire and Magic.

3) KISS FM makes money through advertising, sponsorship and events (for example their summer festivals and the Wembley Arena Halloween party).

4) Today, KISS FM struggles to maintain its audience during the digital age. The previous breakfast show which was hosted by Rickie, Melvin and Charlie had over 2 million listeners. However, by the time Jordan and Perri took over it had already been deducted to 1.4 million. More recently, the figures have dropped to 980,000 listeners, so it is just over 1 million less than what it was before.

5) KISS FM is regulated by Ofcom. This means that the KISS FM Breakfast show must follow the Ofcom broadcasting code and not include anything inappropriate for children or younger listeners. If they were to break these rules, they would be at risk of facing a potentially large fine or being reprimanded.

Radio 1 Launch CSP: blog tasks

Historical, social and cultural contexts

1) Before 1967, the BBC supplied three radio stations: BBC Radio Home (1939-1967), BBC Radio Light (1945-1967) and BBC Third (1946-1970). BBC Radio Home offered education programmes and news which were mainly speech-based, and was later replaced by Radio 4. BBC Radio Light broadcasted predominantly light entertainment (comedy / drama) and music, and was then replaced by Radio 2. BBC Third provided intellectual arts-based talk and music, however it later became Radio 3.

2) In September 1967, BBC radio was reorganised due to the realisation that their content did not appeal to the growth market of younger audiences. On 30 September 1967, the Light Programme was split into Radio 1 which provided listeners with continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 for more 'Easy Listening'. The "Third" programme became Radio 3, offering classical music and cultural programming. The Home Service became Radio 4 which presented news and non-musical content such as quiz shows, readings, dramas and plays.

3) Pirate radios were stations which produced informal, relaxed music, such as pop, outside of the control of regulators. This was due to a large change in attitude towards music and youth culture from young people in the 1960s. This was popular as the BBC did not provide this themselves and so many younger people turned towards pirate radio stations, as they suited their interests much more.

4) In 1967, the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act officially outlawed pirate radio stations. The Government had closed the legal loophole which allowed these stations to continuously broadcast and gather a British audience of 10 to 15 million. This meant the audience had no other alternative but to go to Radio 1 if they wanted to listen to popular music.

5) After the shutdown of pirate radio stations, many of the pirate station DJs were then employed by BBC Radio 1, which meant that they brought along many of their loyal listeners with them. Radio 1 also developed better content more suitable to their target audience, helping them increase their popularity.

6) 'Needle Time' was the restriction of the amount of recorded music that could be transmitted by the BBC during the course of any 24-hour period. It was introduced in 1967 and meant that they could only play five hours of music per day. However, this was a problem for the BBC due to the fact that pirate stations did not have these restrictions imposed on them because the law was difficult to apply offshore - and so they could play more music for longer intervals of time. They were, therefore, more popular with young people than the BBC.

7) BBC Radio 1 attempted to mirror the content of pirate radio stations, and however unsuccessfully they did this, it made them stand out from their previous radio stations by providing music which were more trendy and appealing to young people or teenagers at the time.

8) The first presenter for BBC Radio 1 was Tony Blackburn. The new Radio 1 DJs initially caused upset at the traditional BBC as they wore casual clothes, spoke informally and had comedic voices and strange catchphrases - which was utterly unlike the newsreaders who would dress formally and speak with refined mannerisms.

9) Tony Blackburn's broadcast may have appealed to younger audiences as he was young himself, and could therefore engage and connect with people within or around his own age range. He speaks in a chatty and informal manner, another reason as to why it appealed to younger audiences so much.

10) Tony Blackburn's radio show was relaxed, informal, casual and not traditional unlike previous content provided by the BBC. These were all conventions taken away from pirate radio stations as they were what made the younger 1960s audience so attracted to it.

Audience and Industry

1) The target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967 was young people who were listening to pirate radio.

2) Radio 1 initially struggled to attract a younger audience as they were not seen as "cool" or "trendy" due to the fact that the BBC stood for traditional, conservative values which did not interest young people.

3) In 1967, Radio 1 offered listeners multiple audience pleasures, such as: personal identity, diversion/entertainment and information/surveillance. This is because listeners may be able to relate and engage with the DJs, who were within the same age range as them, whilst simultaneously providing a sense of escapism from the real world. It also provided news and reports, therefore educating their targeted audiences as well.

4) The BBC is funded through the annual TV licence fee, which is charged to all British households, companies and organisations which use any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts or watch using iPlayer.

5) In terms of Stuart Hall's Reception theory, the preferred readings for BBC Radio 1 in 1967 may be that it is an enjoyable and great source of entertainment specifically for young people, as they were similar to the popular pirate radio stations and they allowed listeners to listen to a large range of music of their liking. The oppositional readings may be that they were too formal and traditional, therefore not having the same impact on young audiences as the pirate radio stations did. They did not implement the pirate radio style in a successful manner, and were instead seen as conventional and upheld many conservative principles.