Olivia created a short film for her advanced portfolio project. She documented her progress through production diaries. In September, she researched film posters and planned to analyze them. In October, she analyzed posters and began researching film reviews. In November, she created a layout plan for her film review. In December, she analyzed short films. In January, she conducted market research and began writing a script. In February, she storyboarded and planned filming. In March, she filmed and began editing. In April, she completed her evaluation and uploaded all work to her blog.

1. Olivia Lyons
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK(Including Possible
Contingency Plans If Problems Anticipated)
September 2012
(Detailed Monthly
Summary)
On starting the course we were told about the different
coursework briefs and told what each one involved. I chose
to make a Short Film and got into a group with two others
who had also chosen this brief. I then set up my advanced
portfolio blog and had a brief look at the work I would be
doing over the year. I then began to do research into the
Ancillary 1 task by collecting a range of different film posters.
My plan for next month is to continue my Ancillary
1 research by analysing film posters from different
genres in order to help me construct Ancillary 1, my
own film poster. Also, I will carry out research for
Ancillary 2 and design a layout plan for my own film
review, as I can’t complete the review until the film
is finished.
October 2012
(Detailed Monthly
Summary)
I completed my research for Ancillary 1 by analysing 3
different film posters, looking at the layout, design, colours,
images, fonts and the mise en scene and how each
represented the genre of the film. This then helped me
create Ancillary 1, my own poster for a horror film. I created
the poster using Photoshop. Once this work was completed I
moved on to do my research for Ancillary 2 which was to find
3 film reviews and analyse them. I collected film reviews from
various magazines, and chose films from different genres. I
started to analyse the reviews in relation to the language
used, the layout, proxemics, images, house style and content.
My plan for next month is to complete my Ancillary
2 research by analysing 3 different film reviews, in
order to help me construct Ancillary 2, a review of
my own film. I will then go on to create my
Ancillary 2. As I have not yet produced my short
film I won’t yet be able to write up my review.
However, I will create a layout plan using
Photoshop, in order to help me when it comes to
create it. I will use the box and text tool to show
where I will have dialogue/ images.
November 2012
(Detailed Monthly
Summary)
I created my layout plan for Ancillary two, by producing a
design in Photoshop. I showed where I would include images,
text, credits, a cast list and a brief synopsis of the film. I
created the layout plan to help me create my film review,
once I had produced my film. I now started to watch and
analyse other short films, and comment on the conventions
used.
Next month I will complete my analysis of three
similar products to my main piece. I will find three
separate short films and analyse them usingLacey’s
repertoire of elements. I will use screenshots to
back up my analysis.
December 2012 I completed my product research task by analysing 3 As I have not yet uploaded this piece of work to my

2. Olivia Lyons
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
(Detailed Monthly
Summary)
separate products to my main piece. I analysed them by the
conventions presented in the film, such as stereotypes and
genre conventions. I used screen shots so that when I later
referred to my work, it made sense and I could apply the
appropriate conventions to my short film. This will then help
me create a successful short film.
blog, this will be done on returning to college after
the Christmas holidays. Next month I will also begin
my market research my creating a short film
questionnaire and getting 10 people to fill it out.
Mon W/B 07/01/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
I am now going to start with my main piece construction. In
order to help with my ideas generation I carried out a market
research task. I created a short film questionnaire and asked
10 people to fill it out. The questionnaire included questions
such as “What is your Preferred Film Genre?” and “How do
you prefer a film to be structured?” By asking questions like
these I got an insight into what it is that my target audience
want to see in a film.
My plan for next week is to gather all my results
together and put the data into pie charts so that I
can easily view and compare the data that I have
collected.
Mon W/B 14/01/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week I am going to put all the data I collected from my
market research questionnaires into pie charts. By doing this
I will easily be able to view and compare my results in order
to get a clear understanding of what people want to see in a
short film. I will create a pie chart for each question on my
questionnaire and will write a brief summary of what my
results show. After doing this for each question I will write up
an evaluation showing what I have found and how I will apply
it to my short film.
After completing my market research task
successfully, and getting a clear understanding of
what my target audience want to see in a short
film, I can now move on to my ideas generation.
Mon W/B 21/01/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week I will start my ideas generation, I will do this using
a programme called MindGenius. In our group we will create
a mind map style plan showing our initial ideas, in relation to
genre, conventions, setting, lighting, props, costume, camera,
editing, effects and the types of character. We will expand on
My plan for next week is to start writing the script
for my short film; I will be using a programme
called Celtx. As well as dialogue, I will include
whereabouts the shot is taking place (int, ext) and
weather it is night or day.

3. Olivia Lyons
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
our ideas, as a group, by creating branches off each of the
above headings, showing our ideas for the main piece.
Mon W/B 28/01/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week I am working on my script. I will include clear
conventions of the romantic comedy genre throughout the
script and use dialogue that my target audience can relate to,
for example local slang. I am going to write my script in depth
as the film contains a lot of dialogue; therefore it is important
that the dialogue gets the clear conventions of the genre
across.
My plan for next week is to begin storyboarding. I
will storyboard my ideas, using my finished script. I
will include the shot number, an image of what is
happening in the scene and a brief summary.
Mon W/B 04/02/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
I have now completed most of my storyboards and will soon
be ready to begin filming over half term. Throughout the
week I will be working on my storyboards and getting them
finished before half term so I can begin filming. I have hired
out a camera, tripod and sound-kit from college.
My plan for half term is to go out and film some
footage for my short film. I am going to try and get
the majority of my filming done so that after half
term I can begin with editing.
Mon W/B 11/02/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
Half term:
Over half term my plan didn’t go as hoped and I wasn’t able
to get any filming done as the people I had planned to act in
the film had let me down. This set me back and I had to re-
think of a plan that meant I would have all my footage in
time.
My plan for next week is to begin filming and
collecting the footage for my short film. However,
in the event of being let down again off the actors, I
will re –look at my product research tasks and
make improvements.
Mon W/B 18/02/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week I have begun filming and collecting footage for my
short film, I will continue doing this until I feel I have
collected enough footage to produce a successful short film.
My plan for next week is to continue filming for my
main piece construction.
Mon W/B 25/02/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week I have continued to film by filming new scenes in
different locations and re-filming scenes where the footage
wasn’t as professional looking as I had hoped.
My plan for next week is to continue filming for my
main piece construction.

4. Olivia Lyons
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
Mon W/B 04/03/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week I have continued to film in and outside of college
and I now feel I have collected enough footage to be able to
begin editing. Due to limitations in equipment I do feel as
though some of the footage I have collected isn’t as
professional looking as I had hoped.
My plan for next week is to set up a project in
Premiere and import all my footage onto there and
begin editing. I will set up my project and one
computer and will use this same computer
throughout the completion of the project.
Mon W/B 11/03/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week I have set up my project in Adobe Premiere and
have imported all my footage onto it. I have begun editing
the shots by cutting down and adjusting the lighting and
sound in order to make the final film look as professional as
possible.
Next week I will continue to edit my footage in
hope of getting my first draft edit onto YouTube.
Mon W/B 18/03/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week I have finished editing all the footage and have
successfully created my first draft edit and have successfully
met the deadline. I have distributed the video onto YouTube
making it easier for people to view it when evaluating my
work.
My plan for over half term is to complete my first
draft for my evaluation, by writing a first draft
answer for all the four questions.
Mon W/B 01/04/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
This week, over half term, I have completed my first draft
evaluation, and answered the four questions in relation to
my ancillary texts, final product and my learning and
development of skills in relation to computer software and
hardware.
My plan for next week is to transfer the work I have
done on my evaluation onto four different software
formats so that I am able to present my work
differently.
Mon W/B 08/04/13
(Detailed Weekly
Summary)
As I found myself running out of time I wasn’t able to do
what I had hoped to do, by presenting my finished evaluation
on four different software formats. Because of this, I
completed my evaluation on both Microsoft Word and
Microsoft PowerPoint, in order to meet the evaluation
deadline.
As I have now completed all work for my Advanced
Portfolio, my plan for next week is to look back
over all the work I have completed over the course
and make sure I have all the work uploaded onto
my blog. If there are any improvements to be made
I will use this time to make them.
Mon W/B 15/04/13
(Detailed Weekly
This week I have uploaded all work onto my blog and made
sure everything is to a good standard.
My plan for next week is to begin revising for
Section A and Section B of the upcoming exam.

5. Olivia Lyons
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary