My research and initial ideas for the factual project.

1. Factual Research
Rhys Sadler-Scott

2. Existing Product: A Place Like This.
A Place Like This, is a short, 6 minute documentary that focuses on a WW2
bomber veteran and his experiences throughout his time in the War. The
audience is told a sad, sometimes extreme story about the first hand horror
that the war brought to a small squadron of British air bombers. This is all shot
in the middle of a particularly lush, green, well cared for garden, which the
veteran owns. The contrast between the cinematography and the subject
matter of the documentary is brilliant, in that every still, quiet, peaceful shot
carries a slightly uncomfortable undertone, knowing what the owner of the
garden has been through to get there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_WzVVndUCY

3. The cinematography of A Place Like This.

4. I think the cinematography in A Place Like This is masterful in its emphasis
on contrast and reflection. The still, serene, sometimes unfocused shots;
clash brilliantly with the somewhat depressing, bleak story of war and loss
that the interviewee is telling the audience. This sort of contrast in
cinematography and subject matter is something I would love to achieve in
my own work. The story itself is a wonderfully bleak, yet touching tale
about an old war veteran finding his peace in the world; by building his
own garden. I think telling a deep, impactful story like this, would make a
brilliant subject matter for my own piece of work.

5. Existing Product
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ellh4eiYjE8&start_radio=1&list=RDEllh4eiYjE8
One thing I am very eager to explore in my next project is music. I think
music is always one of the things that can make or break a good
project, and for this one, I’d like to create an original cover of a song
myself, to go in the background of the other work I produce. Since my
current most likely idea is to interview an individual with a bittersweet
past, who will tell their story, enhanced by the music in the
background. I felt a very appropriate song choice in the soft, bluesy
melody by Oliver Riot, known as Ivory Black. Though I might explore
performing more songs from the same album if I feel the documentary
needs to be longer than three minutes or so.

6. Ivory Black
It can be very easy to lose interest in a documentary without music behind it.
Slow, static shots of listening to people talk can be very difficult to pull focus
towards. This is why I think that, no matter what sort of factual work I
produce, the music is critically important. I lean towards Ivory Black as an
idea, inspiration and possible soundtrack for my work. Because of it’s
extremely mellow, sometimes bittersweet melody, which will be perfect for
emphasize the more subdued kind of real life story I want to tell in my
project. Though I may not be ale to use the song itself, it is still a brilliant
inspiration for the type of music that can suitably accompany a factual work.

7. Existing Product: The Secret Lives of Trees.
The Secret Lives of Trees is a clever short documentary that shows how
important, essential and borderline unnoticed trees are in our society. The
entire documentary consists of still shots of various different types of trees all
around the world, often showing humans interacting with, or simply going
about their business around them. The idea of telling a great story based
around something that most people traditionally ignore or don’t think very
deeply about is very appealing to me. And wouldn’t be very difficult to create
a short series about, which makes it an ideal format for my web series pilot.
The cinematography of the flora and fauna is also worth examining if I plan to
do my own series outside, as it is particularly visually impressive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJdy4W4B1Io

8. Existing Product: factual Short
This short university film is not very much of an inspiration in
terms of its cinematography and audio, which are both plagued
with noticeable issues that detract from the interesting subject
matter of the short. Which focuses on a cage fighter, who works
as a tattoo artist. The interesting duality of these two
professions is explored throughout the three minute short, as
the interviewee explains his love of both professions. The idea
of having a short series focused on other such individuals with
multiple and sometimes radically different lives, I think, is a very
interesting subject to explore. This could serve as an ideal
format for my own production.

9. Research summary
My research has given me a strong idea and a lot of
inspiration for the sort of product I would like to do. My
previous work on factual films have had an emphasis on
light, uplifting tones. For this fresh attempt, I’d like to try
a darker, more bittersweet approach to my factual
documentary series Pilot. The existing products I have
selected are a perfect knowledge base to help me with
that. Such as the expert cinematography and tonal clash
in A place like this. The downplayed, smooth, gentle, sad
rhythm of Ivory Black and the contemplative, unique
viewpoint of the Secret Lives of Trees. These will all likely
be heavy influences in my final product.

10. Initial Ideas

11. Idea 1: History in the making
My first and most developed idea so far is to
interview an old friend of mine, who was born in
Czechoslovakia before its split, worked as an
ambassador for her country in her earlier years, and
now works as a psychologist in both a private
practice and a fixed position for a School. I feel that
hearing some of her stories about her life, in a
visually appealing setting, with a strong soundtrack
in the background, which I hope to score myself,
would make an excellent Pilot for a web series
focusing on History in the Making and well lived
individuals.

12. Idea 2: From minor to mainstream.
Another idea of mine is to focus on the history of a
particular product, person, or species that receives little
mainstream attention yet plays an important part in our
society. This could be something as simple as a Wallet, or
old wall. Or something as complicated as a Musical
instrument or website. This would be very easy to make
into a series and develop several short videos on, which
makes it an ideal format for a pilot, my main concern
would be making them interesting enough for the public
to take any notice. The general outline of the show would
be giving a brief synopsis of the object’s history, how it is
used today and why it is important. With a peaceful,
ambient soundtrack behind it.

13. Idea 3: Reality series Pilot
The final idea that struck me was a reality TV style
short focusing on a particular individual or group as
they went about their daily lives. Just short snippets
of the most interesting parts of their day. This, I feel
would be the most difficult idea to execute as this is
a heavily saturated market and finding a fresh angle
would be very difficult. However, there is still a
general interest how interesting, abnormal, or
unusual people might go about their business, for
example; those who travel extensively.

14. Bibliography
1. Tall Story Films. (2014). A Place Like This. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_WzVVndUCY. Last accessed 12th September 2018.
2. Oliver Riot. (2015). Ivory Black. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ellh4eiYjE8&list=RDEllh4eiYjE8&start_radio=1. Last
accessed 12th September 2018.
3. National Geographic . (2016). The Secret Lives of Trees. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJdy4W4B1Io. Last accessed 13th September 2018.
4. One Bird Studios. (2014). A Victim. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHtoBOSdPDc. Last accessed 13th September 2018 .
5. Army Palin-Tune. (2012). Factual Short. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpyz7fqrG9I. Last accessed 13th September 2018.