To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intentions
1. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
Suitability for target audience
The intended audience for my documentary are 15-18 year old boys who live in London,
who are from multicultural backgrounds and mixed social classes. After completing my
documentary and screening it to 6 members of my audience I gave them a questionnaire, to
complete and from these results I had discovered the use of expert opinion as well as the
teenage presenter, cutaways and the direct mode of address made the audience feel as if
they were included as the presenter/VO was directly speaking to them. After viewing my
documentary the audience also said that all the conventions that I had used, as well as
making them feel included gave them a sense of realism and compared well to real
products. All of the people who took my questionnaire said that this issue does appeal to
them as in this day and age; it is a very commonly argued issue. When I asked them to rate
the cutaways, interviews, mode of address and music from 1-4 (4 being the worst) the best-
rated convention was mode of address and the interviews. Also the majority of the people
said that either my editing (effects) and/or my shot types were the best technical quality.
For my documentary I was aiming for it to appeal to 15-18 year olds. People within this age
range took the questionnaire, and every person’s response was that it was appealing to
them.
Respondent one: “I think this documentary does appeal to young people, because the
majority of young people smoke weed, whether they are pressured into it or off their own
accord”.
My target audience found it appealing that the documentary was straightforward and that it
was helpful to them.
Other elements of my documentary, which the audience found appealing, are that they
found the cutaways very relevant and engaging to them. As well as the interviews as they
thought it was very factual and interesting and educating. They also liked that a male
teenager, who also gave a sense of realism to them, as it is much easier for them to relate
to, did the presenter/interviewer/VO. They also thought that the use of archive footage was
appealing them as the people in the videos shown were actually teenagers, as well as this
they thought that the use of other adverts (talk to FRANK) was one of the things that they
liked about it.
2. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
Cutaways
One example of a cutaway, which I feel was suitable for my target audience, was the news
article, which was speaking about the effects Cannabis has on a person who is under 18.
This is an appealing cutaway, as it will give people a sense of
realism, which will make them take this issue a lot seriously.
Having a cutaway which is a real newspaper article will also give
them a sense of realism as they would then know that this is
facts not just opinion. This will help them believe this more as it
is very factual.
As well as this cutaway, I think that the one which shows the
Release website was very
effective because it shows
the audience that this place is actually a professional/real
place and may give them the opportunity to go to
Release website themselves. This is an effective cutaway
because it gives the audience a chance to find out more
about this issue and if they or anyone around them is a
part of this issue already then they can go on the Release
website to find the information they need to help
themselves.
A cutaway like this one, I think is very effective as
it proves/shows the teenagers that this
documentary is directly for them and no one else,
as everyone included in the documentary, apart
from the expert opinion is a teenager.
3. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
Archive footage
The archive footage I have used is a good example of how I have appealed to my target
audience, for instance, the YouTube clip I used of a bunch of teenagers smoking or
announcing themselves as smokers. This was an effective clip as it was as if it was giving the
audience a reality check, this gives them a sense of realism, which is good, as it becomes
more of a real issue. The effect of using a Talk to
Frank advert in my documentary was very
appealing to my target audience as it is a comical
advert and my target audience are also a lot
more likely to recognise it from it being shown
on the TV and it is also a trusted, established
company.
Interviews
My main interview was a successful interview because it was very appealing, it was as if it
was just a casual conversation, which links to an informal mode of address. It wasn’t too
stiff or professional, this was done because there wasn’t any specific costume or props that
they needed to have, it was a freer interview, which is good as that’s the sort of lifestyle my
target audience have. As well as that the interview still had a professional sense to it as it
was filmed in an experts office, which will make it easier for the audience to believe the
things that are being said because it is coming from an expert.
4. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
Mode of address
The mode of address for my documentary is direct and informal, as well as being serious
and informative. The reasons behind me making my documentary this mode of addresses
were that my topic was a quite serious topic, as it a legal debate which I was discussing so I
wanted the mood of my documentary to be quite serious. My mode of address was very
suitable for my documentary and my target audience, I think because the person I used to
do my voice over was a 17 year old boy and when he was speaking he was using colloquial
language. My title sequence represented my mode of address well as during that sequence
it had only displayed teenagers, with my logo the typography of the logo was graffiti writing
which is very informal. My title sequence also contained archive footage of Laith Hakeem
smoking weed, Laith is a well known icon to teenagers as he is in his late teenage years as
well.
From looking at the responses I got from my audience, it showed that they had really
enjoyed the presenter. If I had to do it again, I would have made the presenter be an actual
host instead of just a narrator.
Aesthetic quality
Locations
An example of a well-used location could be Basak’s office at Release, where the interview
had taken place. Her office was a perfect office for my documentary because it had a lot of
books/posters which were relevant to the topic we were discussing, as well as this the office
wasn’t a really formal office, although it was quite an informal area it still had a professional
look to it which was perfect for portraying the seriousness of the topic which was being
discussed. Teacher feedback had suggested that it might have been better if the
interview/presenter had been outside the location prior to the interview in order to
introduce the interview to the documentary.
Titles
I think the titles I used is an example of effective titles, this is because the colours were
bright and the writing was bold which would be a lot more appealing to the target audience,
as well as this the white background to that title I made was made to look like smoke which
is very relevant to my topic. The typography of my titles were a graffiti, which is good as
that would be something my target audience, this writing is simple, easy to read, bright and
bold which in fact, matches the style of my documentary. The people who took my
questionnaire had said that my titles were very “eye-catching, interesting and attractive.”
Mise en scene
5. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
The mise en scene for my main interview was very good because it had all things, which
were relevant for my topic, for instance on the wall in the corner of her office there was a
poster which was about Cannabis. As well as this there was a big bookshelf full of books on
drugs and the effects of those particular drugs. This made the mise en scene for my
documentary good, as it was very relevant. Also there wasn’t any clutter in the shot or
anything behind Basak or Oliver to distract the audience’s attention. Also in my voxpops
there were no extra people in the shot or people walking by, it was just the member of the
public who I was interviewing, this was good because it meant that all attention would be
on the public whom I was interviewing and the things that they were saying. Having my
main interview filmed in an expert’s office is perfect as it makes the information easier to
believe.
Respondent two: “I think the location and mise en scene represented the documentary
well because it was in a formal location, making the viewers believe the information
which is being told because it is coming from an expert.”
Technical Quality
Sound
I think the sound quality throughout my documentary wasn’t as up to standard as I had
hoped it would be, this is because during the voice over, there is various times where the
sound levels differ throughout the documentary. However, a point in my documentary
where I think the sound was the best was during the voxpops, I think the voxpops sound
was very effective as there was no non-diagetic sound there and the sound levels
throughout each voxpop remained the same. During the main interview the sound quality
wasn’t bad, however there were some spots in the interview where there was a lot of non-
diagetic sound, some of the other drug researchers who were in the building were coughing
and sneezing. During the interview you could also hear the elevator door opening and
closing which was a negative factor in my documentary.
Lighting
I think the most effective point where the lighting was best was during the interview, as my
interviewer couldn’t be there on the day, we had to film his half in a different location which
meant that everything had to be symmetrical, the interviewers half of the interview was
effective because the lighting matched very well to the lighting which was in the Release
office.
Shot types and editing
An example of when I had used effective shot types and edited effectively was for my main
interview, the editing in the interview was good because it didn’t have any black spots or
jump cuts. This was effective because the editing makes the interview look as if there were
no mistakes or errors even with the cutaways which I added into it.
Final changes I would make
6. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
There are a lot of changes I would make to my documentary, from looking back at the
questionnaires I had given out and the responses I had received, the
improvements/suggestions I was given were to:
• Improve sound quality
• The shots that jump
• Sign on at the beginning was very low quality sound
• Adding music and credits at the end.
• Length of cutaways
These suggestions were very commonly shown through out the questionnaires, they said
that the sound of the voice over, interviews and the voxpops were all at different volumes.
The beginning of my documentary (the sign on) was very low in volume then once you get
to the interviews the volume increases rapidly. As well as this, I would ensure that all shots
move on into the next shot smoothly instead of jumping into it rapidly. They also said that if
I were to add music and credits at the end it would be more effective for them as it would
give them a sense of realism and something for them to relate to. The cutaways I used in
this documentary all lasted for quite a long time, with this, an improvement I would make
would be to shorten the duration they’re been shown for. Also I would improve the ending
of my documentary, as it ends quite abruptly and some of the shots before that were cut
off, I would make sure the editing was a little more smooth than it is. I could have ended the
documentary by maybe adding in some music and credits. I would make the conclusion to
my documentary a lot clearer than it is now and also I would make it more attractive.
Unit 6: Audience and Client Feedback- Questionnaire and the results/responses
Unit 6: Audience and Client Feedback
• Do you think my documentary appeals to young people?
“I think this was a documentary that will appeal to young teens as a lot of them do smoke or
who have friends who smoke”
“I think this documentary does appeal to young people, because the majority of young
people smoke weed, whether they are pressured into it or off their own accord”
“Yes as the topic is very relevant and easy to relate to”
“Yes, it does as this is an issues with young teens in this day and age”
• Give me three things you liked about my documentary?
“Effects, interviews and use of expert opinion”
“Use of the talk to Frank archive footage, expert opinion, use of a young presenter,
cutaways”
“Appealing, straightforward, great cutaways”
“Straightforward, helpful, good interviews”
“Interesting cutaways, expert opinion, good interviews”
“Use of other adverts, interviews, use of websites”
“Interviews, cutaways, camera angles”
• What mode of address do you think my documentary is?
7. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
“Direct, talking directly to us makes us feel involved and gives us a sense of realism”
“Direct as the documentary is talking to us as teenagers”
• Rank the following conventions 1-being the most effective and 4- being the
least (Cutaways, Interviews, Mode of address, music)
“1- Cutaways, 2-Interviews, 3-Mode of address, 4- Music”
“1-Mode of address, 2- Interview, 3-Cutaways, 4-Music”
“1-Cutaways, 2-Mode of address, 3-Interviews, 4-Music”
• Which of the following technical finish is the best quality? (Sound, Lighting,
Shot Types, Editing)
“Editing (effects)”
“Editing (effects)”
“Lighting”
“Shot Types”
“Shot Types”
“Editing (effects)”
• Do you think my interview was represented well with location/mise en
scene?
“Yes”
“Yes, well located, very relevant mise en scene”
“Yes”
• Do you have any suggestions on how I could improve my documentary?
“Improve the sound quality and some of the shots jump a little, overall it is a good
documentary”
“Sound quality”
“Have more music”
“Some sound was too quiet”
“Add credits to the end”
“Better sound quality”
“Add credits and music”
“Make the cutaway duration shorter”
8. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
Is this topic interesting and why?
Yes
Who do you think would benefit most from this documentary?
I think that young people would benefit 4t more from this documentary because they are
the ones that smoke nowadays, they need to be educated about the affect that it has on
young people.
What other people could I have used for an interview?
You could have interviewed someone that works with young people on a daily basis to find
out their views about Cannabis and young people.
Do you think my documentary is reaching out to the right target audience?
I think it appeals to young people because of the presenter and the people in the voxpops
because they are all young people. The questions that are asked are also aimed more
toward young people than anything else.
Compared to real life documentaries, what do you think of this one?
I think this documentary is just a short version of a real life documentary this is because it
includes all the conventions of a normal documentary, its just shorter.
Classmates and teacher feedback
Target Audience
Give examples of how this is appealing and relevant to the intended audience.
Respondent 1
“Nice opening sequence, lots of young people in the world. Interviewer and voice-over is
relevant”
Respondent 2
“Urban font/text, young presenter, young people in the voxpops, information is not known
by young people about drugs”
Respondent 3
“Many young people smoke weed so it is relevant, having young people do voxpops, expert
opinion, informative”
Respondent 4
“Its about young people doing drugs/smoking weed, it’s appealing to us because she uses a
young presenter and smoking weed is the new in thing for young people”
Respondent 5
“I think its target audience is young people because the presenter is young and they are
talking about young people and weed.”
Weaknesses
Respondent 1
“Could have an interview with a long term user and the effect it has had on them.”
9. A Level Media Communication and Production Unit 6 6.4
To evaluate how successfully you achieved your intention
Demi Lowe Mrs. Molyneux
Creativity
Give examples of how this documentary is creative, original, and exciting in presenting this
information.
Respondent 1 –
“Good factual information, interesting follow-up to the recent article”
Respondent 2 –
“Cutaways, archive footage, young presenter, urban text/font.”
Respondent 3 –
“It features archive footage of young people smoking so this makes the target audience
relate to it. Having a young presenter.”
Respondent 4 –
“The presenter is young, she got an interview with an actual expert opinion”
Respondent 5 -
“This idea is creative because I haven’t seen a documentary out there that is about weed
and the effect it has on young people”
Technical Quality and Finish
What do you think of the technical quality and finish of the work?
Respondent 1 –
“Voice over needs cutting (Oliver in intro), good cross cutting in interviews”
Respondent 2 –
“
Respondent 3 -
Respondent 4 -
Respondent 5 -