This document discusses how a student media project used and challenged conventions of real media products in developing a documentary and promotional materials. The student created a 5-minute opening to a documentary about knife crime along with a TV listing guide and radio trailer. They researched documentary styles and incorporated common conventions like archive footage and reconstructions. However, they used a female narrator instead of the typical male voice to represent women affected by knife crime. The TV listing followed a magazine layout but placed the title differently and included an underline and review. The radio trailer opened with an audio clip and sad music to grab attention, then provided statistics and a positive conclusion with inspiring music like real trailers. Overall, the project agreed with many

1. In what ways does your media
products use develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real
media products?
Sean Juckes

2. Task
• Our task was to create an opening 5 minutes to a documentary along
with 2 ancillary products to promote it which was TV listing guide
double page spread and a radio trail.
• We researched and planned each of these products; specifically
looking at different types of documentaries.
• Through different conventions we did use many common ones whilst
specific ones that we felt suited our documentary.

3. Style of our Documentary
• Through research we saw the 6 different documentary types and
decided which one we wanted to create then based it around Bill
Nichols (2001) theories.
• We did an performative documentary which did show what is going
on and did include interviewees experiences. We agreed with
conventions by showing what is going on in our society which may of
brought out an emotional response from viewers as the topic is so
sensitive.

4. Documentary
• Archive Footage
We composed our opening with Archive footage which catches your
attention straight away, this archive footage is news articles of recent
stabbings relating to what the narrator is saying. It shows a good link
between narration and footage and with the news articles we have
mixed them to show all the stabbings making it seem more has
happened than there actually has.

5. Documentary
• Mise En Scene
We used a lot of props within our documentary such as Caps, Knife, fake blood and ripped clothing. This helped
with our reconstruction making it much more realistic. The location here is also good in an alley next to a wall
but due to timings of cameras we could not film this in the dark which would have been better suited. Below is
the BBC Stabbed Documentary and our documentary the Mise En Scene on theres is better but links can be
made due to them both having alleys and tracksuits with hats. BBC does look more professional but is due to
more experience and time spent on it.

6. Conventions of our Documentary
• Reconstruction
We thought a reconstruction would be very relevant due to the topic of
knife crime and re en acted it in our documentary making a connection
with the viewer. The reconstruction is very realistic as we used fake
blood and ripped clothing for effect, reconstructions are usually seen
on BBC’s Crimewatch, due it being of a similar documentary.

7. Voiceover
• We used a female narrative voiceover challenging conventions of
other serious documentaries that tend to use a stern male voice. We
did go about following media conventions by using the narrator just
not the stereotypical one. This enabled us to show Women are
involved in this through the narrator as none actually featured in the
documentary. However, looking back at our media product it may of
worked better with a strict male voice.

8. Sound
• The sound we used created tension and when used over narration
was only quiet but quite upbeat at the end to keep the viewers
interested.
• The non digetic sound was from interviews and didn’t use any
intentionally although using digetic sounds of police sirens may of
benefitted us which we did not think about.

9. Documentary
• Rule of Thirds
We followed rule of thirds leaving certain aspects for effect making it
seem more appealing and as if he is looking to the viewers right,
furthermore suggesting how he is trying to help put things right. This is
used with photos making images and interviews look more
professional.

10. Camera Shots
• We used many medium close ups for interviews allowing you to see
hand actions the interviewee is doing.
• With some documentaries such as SuperSize Me by Morgan Spurlock
we used extreme close up from the side which allowed them to show
the facial expression of the actor.
• Pan shots were used to show around the college and police station
relating to the topic by boosting the narrator showing the
surroundings.

11. Effects
• We did use effects which were similar to BBC’s Crimewatch such as
slowing down the reconstruction and with interviews swapping from
different angles.
• Through cross cut editing we were able to swap things quickly in
which programmes such as panaroma do when the narrator is talking
about a certain topic.
• We used fading in order to not do certain switches that would be
sharp on the eye the soft fade allows the topic to be introduced and
relate.

12. TV Listing Magazine
• We based our TV Listing Magazine on a Radio Times with the same layout
with one major image going across. We did challenge conventions with
having an underline below the main title which does give an insight to
what the article will be about. We did this due to the title not giving much
away.
• We gave the review stars to show how good it is, this allows the consumer
to see whether it is worth reading about and overall if they will want to
watch it.
• The text gives a brief insight to what the documentary is about then gives it
a review.
• We wanted this to stay simple but show an insight to our documentary
and we think it followed conventions to help it fulfil its purpose.

13. • We edited the magazine in Photoshop making just the person in
colour for effect so his blood catches the eye.
• The magazine does have the masthead in two different colours
making it stand out “wounded” relating to the other red on the page
with the blood.
• There is only 2 columns rather to 3 on the 2nd page but this is due to
already completing the purpose of the article which is help promote
the documentary.

14. We used a Bi Line
under the Masthead
explaining what it is
about.
TV Listing Magazine.
Time and
date of
magazine
One major
Image
Large Masthead
Both
magazines
shows when
the
programme
will be on
We gave ours a review to make
it stand out and show the
audience the opinion of a
certain viewer.
Drop Cap
used for
effect to
show when
it starts and
make it
stand out.
We both used
columns going for the
traditional magazine
layout helping it flow.
They used a
pull quote to
break up the
text whereas
we chose not
to.

15. Differences
• We went for the title to follow the colour scheme and placed it at the
top right rather than the left due to the empty space on the wall and
you will see the image first then read from left to right, then being
able to find out what the article is about.
• They have used an image of author of who wrote the article, whilst
we have complimented someone we felt an image would make it
unprofessional if it was to feature in a top magazine.
• We feel ours looks simpler and whereas the real media product does
seem over crowded which is not what we wanted to do.

16. Radio Trail
• Our radio trail does start with an audio clip with sad background
music. After listening to many before we felt this was the best way to
grab the audiences attention. The conventions followed was a
narration saying terrifying statistics led to shock listeners so they
concentrate and do listen in then end with a positive note and
inspiring music.
• The time and date of documentary is always added in at the end so
we made sure we finished off with these keeping it in the listeners
head so if they enjoyed the preview they knew when it would be on.

17. Conclude
• We did agree with many conventions from real media products which
helped us to create a professional documentary. However, with some
such as the voiceover we did develop them in order to focus on other
target audiences. With others we did disagree when changing
position of mastheads but overall it did contribute to help us make
the main image stand out.