My research for the FMP

1. Research
Rhys Sadler-Scott

2. Existing Product
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxK3_hihHis
Educating Essex.
A documentary style TV show focusing on the GSCE school year of a group of Essex students and the staff
that teach them. The link and image above is from the trailer of the show which airs on channel 4. The
show, similar to the documentary I am aiming to produce. Focuses on the school life of a group of students
that have something different about their day to day routine then the average student. It is popular with
audiences because of its outlandish, comedic tone, thanks to the natural humor heavy relationship
between the students and the teachers as well the interest at seeing how school life might differ in
separate parts of the country.
I chose this program to focus on as one of my existing products because of the huge similarities in the
subject matter, which might help me to frame and film any interaction between students and staff in my
own Documentary. As well as understanding what audiences might want to see if a scene focuses on the
lessons of the children.

3. Existing Product
The Roman invasion of Britain: Presented by Bettany Hughes.
Is a revered and trusted source of information about the Roman invasion and the life of the British settlers
circa 40AD. It is popular with audiences because of it’s broad, detailed look at ancient civilizations and the
strong reputation of Bettany Hughes. As well as being a very good source of information for that
particular time period. The format of the documentary; that of a presenter moving through the different
significant areas and narrating over footage relevant to the current focus of the documentary is almost
exactly how I had planned to present my Documentary, so it will be a good source for the ratio of what
types of footage to include in my own project. I.e. How long to spend narrating, presenting and showing
footage of the subject matter. The documentary will also be useful for knowing when it might be
appropriate to apply music to a certain scene. Which is done in this product to great effect, usually as a
transition between Bettany Hughes narrating and re-enactment footage of what actually happened during
the Roman invasion of Britain

4. Existing Product
Blue Planet 2
In terms of cinematography and how to shoot and score documentary so that it is interesting and
engaging for the audience. I think that the recently released Blue planet 2 is a prime example of how to
do these aspects right. I think there is a huge amount to be learned about how to shoot and narrate a
documentary here, as well as the importance of a well fitting soundtrack, which can work very well to
tie the separate styles of shots together. Blue Planet is an observational documentary, which means the
tone might clash with my own planned reflexive/performative documentary. Which is why I chose this
example almost solely for the masterful use of cinematography and soundtrack to highlight the
information being presented in the product. Which has helped me to understand how the shots and
music can make or break my own product if I employ them with just as much care and focus as the
subject matter of the documentary itself, that of the daily lives of the students at a School specialized in
high functioning autistic adolescents. Blue Planet 2 is also a good example of a Documentary that
focuses more on narration than a physical presenter, which may be how I choose to format my own
work. The audience appeal comes both from the huge success of the first blue planet documentary and
the stellar reputation of David Attenborough as a presenter and source of information on nature and
wildlife.

5. Existing Product
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_eP39tXW0
School Life
I have chosen the 2017 documentary ‘School Life’ as the focus for my fourth existing product
because of it’s extremely similar subject matter and tone to my own planned documentary on
Autistic School Life. The film appeals to audiences because of the obscure subject matter, that of
daily life in an Irish boarding school and what it’s like for the inhabitants. The documentary focuses
on two senior teachers and their experiences teaching a group of teenaged students at an Irish
boarding school. They way the product is shot from the point of view of the teachers is similar to
what I had envisioned for the format of my own work, with the Teachers interviews and voiceovers
being played over footage of the students learning during the day. The performative style of the
documentary, here meaning the story is given from the point of view of a certain individual. Or in
this case, two individuals and their journey through schooling young adolescents. The format of the
documentary and the way it is shot from the point of view of the teachers but also heavily features
the students and their exploits on a daily basis is an angle that I might like to explore in my own
product. The focus on a boarding School is also runs parallel to my own work. However, I have
chosen to analyze only the trailer of this particular documentary, for help with my own trailer. As I
feel that I shouldn’t borrow to heavily from the themes explored in this film, in order to give my own
piece more originality.

6. Existing Product
March of The Penguins.
I chose this product, more specifically the trailer because of the mysterious and cinematic
style that blends both realistic footage and a cinematic, three act story structure. Though this
probably won’t be the format I present my documentary in, as I think a more wholly realistic
style would be more appropriate. I do think it could work very well if I implemented it in my
trailer. By adding an aura of mystery as to what the Documentary is really about, but giving
enough information that the audience has a rough idea. It will leave them wanting to know
more about the film and it’s content, therefore making the trailer very effective. The MOTP
trailer is particularly effective because of it’s use of a well known narrator (Morgan Freeman)
and steadily building inspirational music that fits the tone of the trailer shot for shot. So this
Film might also help in my selection of a soundtrack for my Documentary. As well as the
music I Choose to compliment my trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7tWNwhSocE

7. Research Analysis
• What common features do the researched
products have?
• What aspects of the research will you include
within your own production work?

8. Questionnaire Analysis

9. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

10. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

11. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

12. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

13. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

14. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

15. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

16. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

17. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

18. Audience research
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this audience:

19. Interviews

20. Interview 1 (Sam Schoettner, 17, Male)
• 1. What do you think the appeal of documentaries about School life is?
• You get a chance to look into other students lives and see similarities, differences between their
school/ school life and your own and just in general how they might do things in their everyday live
differently (for example homework).
• 2. How do you think a Documentary about an uninteresting subject can be made more
interesting?
• I personally think if the subject you are talking about is well researched and you care about it, it is
hard for it to be boring as if you are interested and show that some of the interest will rub of on the
viewer, even if they don't care for the subject.
• 3. What do you think is a disadvantage of Documentaries?
• I think, if they aren't done well they can become boring very quickly. I watched a documentary
recently that basically kept repeating itself so it could have been 1/4 of the length and given me as
much information. Basically it has to always be moving forward with new information so that there
is constantly something new to be learned this will decrease the chance of the documentary
boring.
• 4. What do you think is an advantage of Documentaries?
• Documentaries are very useful for quickly learning and gaining a basic understanding for whatever
the subject is the documentary is about. This means you could watch a documentary about
something you have never heard of and walk away knowing quite a lot about it. Therefore
documentaries are hugely important to society as a whole as they contribute as a vast source of
information.

21. Interview 1
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this
audience:

22. Interview 2 (Simran Jabbal, 17, Female)
1. What do you think the appeal of documentaries about School life is?
When you watch a documentary about school life you get to see how other students behave. I’ve
seen parts of Educating Yorkshire and you see how different students act in a classroom if they
have disabilities. I find it fascinating how other students react to other students with disabilities.
2. How do you think a Documentary about an uninteresting subject can be made more
interesting?
you could make it more interesting by getting proper researched information about the particular
topic.
3. What do you think is a disadvantage of Documentaries?
Depending on the documentary but they can be boring
4. What do you think is an advantage of Documentaries?
They make people more knowledgeable about the about a certain topic.
5. What do you look for in a documentary?
A good narrator (voiceover) like David Attenbough.

23. Interview 2
• Observation:
• What this says about my audience:
• How will your product appeal to this
audience:

24. Bibliography

25. Bibliography
1. Anon. (2018). Hypodermic needle model. Available:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypodermic_needle_model. Last accessed 12th April 2018.
2. BBC. (2017). BBC One - Blue Planet 2. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04tjbtx.
Last accessed 12th April 2018.
3. Bettany Hughes. (2009). The Roman Invasion of Britain. Available:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roman_Invasion_of_Britain. Last accessed 11th April 2018.
4. Channel 4. (2011). Educating Essex | Starts 22nd September | Channel 4. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxK3_hihHis. Last accessed 11 April 2018.
5. ChrisLawes. (2013). Documentaries with good cinematography. Available:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls056730943/. Last accessed 12th April 2018.
6. Christopher Campbell . (2016). The 20 Best Documentary Trailers of the Last 20 Years. Available:
https://nonfics.com/the-20-best-documentary-trailers-of-the-last-20-years-7078d0b4446a. Last
accessed 12th April 2018.
7. Luc Jacquet . (2005). March of the Penguins. Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0428803/.
Last accessed 13th April 2018.
8. Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing. (2017). School Life - Official Trailer . Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_eP39tXW0. Last accessed 12th April 2018.
9. Rhys Sadler-Scott (2018) Target Audience Research Survey (conducted on 11/4/18)
10. Sam Schoettner (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on 13/4/18)