1. TASK TWO - FMP RESEARCH
1500 words minimum
• In this context relates to the ability to select, edit, interpret and
respond to relevant material in support of lines of inquiry, and the
level of initiative, commitment, personal responsibility and
resourcefulness demonstrated in developing and progressing
identified goals.
• Likely to be evidenced in research journals, notebooks, personal
collections of edited research material, recordings, artefacts and
through other practical media related outcomes. Areas, methods and
techniques that could be relevant are as follows on the following
slide:
2. Dr. Seuss Cat in the hat context
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss is a very popular
children’s book that I read myself a lot when I was
younger, it’s a very memorable and well loved book
along with many others he wrote and illustrated.
Geisel created the cat in the hat in response to a
debate in the united states about literacy in early
childhood. Geisel was asked to write an entertaining
primer by William Spaulding, who he had met during
World War II, and who was at the time director of
the education division at Houghton Mifflin. A
company based in Boston which published textbooks
and fiction and non-fiction books for young readers
and adults. The book was met with immediate
critical and commercial success, audience praised it
as an ‘exciting alternative to traditional primers’.
After three years after its debut, the book already
had sold over a million copies, and in 2001 the
publishers weekly listed the book at number nine on
its list of ‘best-selling children's books of all time’.
3. The Cat in the Hat
• With the word list being so limited, Dr Seuss found conceiving the story
hard. He finally out of frustration chose the first two words he could find
that rhymed then decided to simply create a story around them, so Cat and
Hat is what he found and used. So the genius of Dr. Seuss imagined the
story very simply with a plot of two kids stuck at home on a rainy day. A cat
appears with two strange thug companions at their door and wreak havoc,
while the kids goldfish warns them of these ‘bad’ characters. In the end,
the cat then uses a machine to clean up his chaotic mess, all because mum
gets home. The story of the Cat in the Hat was an instant hit and made him
a world-renowned children’s book author. Behind the story of the cat in the
hat is a revolt against authority a political message in mind. Dr. Seuss said it
is the book he was most proud of.
BIO STAFF. (march 9th 2017). The Story Behind
Dr. Seuss. Available:
https://www.biography.com/news/story-behind-dr-
seuss-cat-in-the-hat. Last accessed 28/1/19.
4. DR Seuss reviews
.. (2018). Dr. Seuss children books. Available:
https://www.influenster.com/reviews/dr-seuss-
childrens-books. Last accessed 04/02/19.
5. Dr Seuss survey monkey
• http://m.me/surveymonkey?ref=afp0uwhuG4Gs9QTY7wacmo0evJJQ
e2Oktr480r1Zy54_3D
• This is a survey I created to get some brief feedback on Dr Seuss and
his work. I wanted a basic overall idea on his books and how well my
friends and family know and remember his work, and whether their
perception of his work is similar to mine and the reviews I have read.
6. Oliver Jeffers existing products.
FONTS-The fonts used
resembles the children's
handwriting, its quite quirky
and small. It is a bit messy and
wonky, which is how a child's
writing would be portrayed.
This kind of font therefore
obviously relates to children
and is on their level. The font
is interesting as some of the
text is in capitals and some
lower case, as well as the
variation of joint letters and
spaced out. This is the kind of
characteristic children’s
handwriting involves when
they are learning to write at
school, it’s a clever imitation of
the writing of a small child. Its
juvenile and suggests it is
written from the perspective
Jeffers also creates meaning
with his illustrations through
the use of colour, which is
visual language. This is needed
within children's books and I
think his use of it is very clever.
In the book ‘lost and found’ he
uses the use of angles in his
illustration to show
vulnerability within the
characters, creating the sense
of loneliness by the way
they’re positioned, as you can
see on the front cover here.
The characters are both
looking down and positioned
away from one another, which
portrays they’re lonely.
In his books, Jeffers uses a lot of colour to show
meaning, as it’s a children's book colour is an
important factor to show emotions and helps to
tell the story. He uses a lot of deep blues, blacks
and reds. He also uses a lot of shadows in his
illustrations, this adds experience to the book by
eliciting empathy with the characters
7. Oliver Jeffers visual literacy
• Visual literacy is the ability to
decode the images and messages
within a text, bringing meaning to
the story, and helping with
understanding and perception.
Visual images may also add a sub-
context to a text, telling a different
story. Children’s literature and in
particular picture books, are an
integral part of developing learning
about the purpose and meaning of
books; the books’ language, word
choices, the world, giving further
meaning and “stimulating an inner
imaginative process that is in itself
another type of language-ing”
The book, Lost and Found, by author/illustrator Oliver Jeffers, is about a boy who finds a lost penguin on his
doorstop. The book explores the themes of friendship and resilience. The arrangement of illustrations within
the book can set the pace for the story. In Lost and Found the full illustrations are set out as a double page
spread, “Which can serve to slow the story down” (Gamble, 2013, p.211), with the text placed generally to
above or below the illustration. Gamble also suggests that the typeface used in picture books is usually
sympathetic to the type of book and the intended audience; In Lost and Found the typeface is in a large,
childish, visually appealing and supportive font. Jeffers (2005) has used watercolour as the chosen medium
for the illustrations. The primary colours are flat and warm when the child and the penguin are at home, but
blue, cool colours when they are on the ocean.
References
Jeffers, Oliver (2005). Lost and found. London, UK: Harper Collins.
[Images] Jeffers, Oliver (2005). accessed 20.12.13
http://www.oliverjeffers.com
Gamble, N. (2013). Exploring children’s literature: reading with pleasure
and purpose. London: Sage.
Winch, G., Johnston, R.R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., Holliday, M. (2010).
Literacy: reading, writing, & children’s literature (4th ed.).South
Melbourne, VIC.: Oxford University Press.
I personally found the book very appealing and feel it
would be a lovely one to read out aloud and share with
younger, beginning readers right through to the emergent
reader. I also think it would be a book that young children
might read or explore themselves as the illustrations are
effective in adding real meaning and depth to the storyline
in a way children could empathise with.
8. Oliver jeffers
• Jeffers books all convey a lot of meaning and importance, which is what makes them so
popular, and he doesn't’t just do this through the writing but with his creativity within
illustration and colours. When I researched some reviews, this was spoken about:
• Oliver Jeffers has won numerous awards and delighted millions of kids and parents alike
with his beautifully hand illustrated stories.
• Jeffers's picture books are wonderfully accessible. They explore themes of friendship,
loneliness, independence and imagination. He has written and illustrated, or "made", as
he prefers to put it, five hugely successful picture books. The first three - the "boy books"
- feature a small boy who sets off on a series of daunting quests. How to Catch a Star
(2004), the first of them, was inspired by a Brer Rabbit story he read as a child. In Lost
and Found (2005) the boy heroically rows to the south pole for the sake of an unhappy
penguin, and in The Way Back Home (2007) he rescues a young Martian whose
spaceship has crashed on the moon.
• The Heart and the Bottle is wholly compelling for the importance of its message and the
brilliance of how that is conveyed in words and pictures. This is a book to return to time
and time again says Julia Eccleshare, Lovereading4kids’ editorial expert.
9. Julia Donaldson work
• Julia Donaldson is a very popular children's author and is especially
famous for her book called The Gruffalo. When I researched her
interviews, I found one on the guardian explaining her work ethic.
Work-”If I’m trying to see where a plot’s going, it will come to me if I
wallow in the bath. I don’t have a routine but if I have an idea for a
new book, I slave away for hours and bore everyone talking about it. I
do book tours, so there’s a lot of admin, but I’m not complaining: it is
all fun.” Her work involves a lot of animal characters which is relevant
to my work as I will be creating these myself. Her style is very original
and successful so I will be using this for inspiration. Her illustration is
quite detailed and descriptive along with her writing, which I think is
what makes children so fond of her books.
10. Market Research on The Gruffalo
• The Gruffalo has come out top in a survey of children's favourite books.
• Almost one in five children (18%) picked the Julia Donaldson tale, while Eric
Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Peppa Pig, by Ladybird books, came
joint second with 11%.
• Children aged between four and 11 of more than 1,500 parents were
surveyed for free reading scheme Booktime.
• The survey also suggested parents encouraged children to read the books
that they had enjoyed.
• There were strong correlations between parents' favourites and the ones
their children liked.
BBC.co.uk. (19 October 2010). Gruffalo tops list of
children's favourite books. Available:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11568551.
Last accessed 13/02/19.
11. The Gruffalo When reading the Gruffalo, Donaldson
really matches the description she
writes of her characters right down to
the illustration. She really makes a point
of visualizing the text and images to
create this strong imagery that you can
put to paper. I love the detail and full
coverage of the pages she illustrates, as
she focuses a lot of detail on not just the
characters but the backgrounds too. She
uses irony in her story of the Gruffalo, as
throughout the story the mouse is
describing features of the Gruffalo
conveying him as a terrifying beast with
horrible attribute, but when we come to
meet him this isn't the case. This is very
clever for the audience of children as it
is a build up of humour and creates this
tense story.
12. Children's Books Market Analysis
• Writing and marketing a children’s book is an ambitious task, but with careful research you can
find a publisher and see your books in print. The book market is in transition, with electronic
books commanding a growing slice of the publishing pie. Your ability to find a niche for your book
and reach the right editor will go far in helping you succeed.
•
The Marketplace
•
• Children's book sales have been hit by the recession, but as the economy recovers, so too do
book sales. The five-year growth rate for children’s books from 2006 to 2011 averaged 0.7
percent, but in 2012, the growth rate rose to 1.7 percent. Driving the market is an important
demographic trend. In 2012, the growth in the K-12 segment of the population rose faster than
that of the general population. The book market continues to evolve. In spite of the closure of
one of the major book chains, book sales continue, spurred by the eBook segment of the market.
With children’s eBooks available on computers, readers, tablets and smart phones, there is a
whole new avenue available to market your books.
13. Market research to help me with writing my book
and planning out the story length and genre.
• Conduct Your Research
•
• Start your research by looking for books that are similar to the one
you propose. Look for those that are of the same genre, length and
content. Ask a librarian which books are popular and read some of
them. Visit a bookstore and ask the manager or buyer the same
questions. Research shows that 85 percent of all children’s books are
bought on impulse. Do not neglect to visit specialty stores. If your
book has a religious theme, then visit a religious bookstore. This
research will help you to determine the marketability of your books.
14. Children's books Market Research analysis.
• Around 10,000 new children’s titles are published in the UK every year. Chris Kloet,
Editor-at-Large at Walker Books, suggests how a potential author can best ensure that
their work reaches the bookshop shelves.
• The profile of children’s books has never been higher, yet it can be difficult for the first-
time writer to get published. It is a diverse, overcrowded market, with many thousands
of titles currently in print, available both in the UK and from elsewhere via the Internet.
• Children’s publishers tend to fill their lists with commissioned books by writers they
publish regularly, so they may have little space for the untried author, even though they
seek exceptional new talent. Your work will be vying for attention alongside that of
established children’s writers, as well as titles from celebrities and the offerings for
children from established writers for adults, who seize the opportunity to widen their
audience.
• Since every new book is expected to meet its projected sales target, your writing must
demonstrate solid sales potential, as well as strength and originality, if it is to stand a
chance of being published.
15. Market Research
• Although a story written for this format should be simple, it must be
structured, with a compelling beginning, middle and end. The theme
should interest and be appropriate for the age and experience of its
audience. As the text is likely to be reread, it should possess a
satisfying rhythm (but beware of rhymes). Ideally, it should be fewer
than 1000 words (and could be much shorter), must offer scope for
illustration and, finally, it needs strong international appeal.
16. Audience
• As my audience is children, my product needs to involve certain marketing
techniques to get the attention of this age group and for it to be successful,
as this is quite a popular marketing product already I want to ensure my
work stands out and has specific qualities that will make this happen. To do
this, I want my story to have a theme which draws in children, possibly a
humour, adventure or both combined as this is the type of fictional stories
children enjoy listening to. I think my illustration need to involve full pages
of colour and attention to detail when it comes to my characters. Simple
things such as my main character of the dog smiling to give it human like
features as this tends to be a characteristic most childrens fictional book
characters convey, as it helps them connect with the characters and see
them on their level. I will use a lot of colour and consistency of colour too.
18. TASK TWO - FMP RESEARCH
Research Methods
Existing Products
Vox Pops: (vox populi, meaning voice of the people)
Surveys: Online or in person
Focus Groups
Quantitative Research: Programme ratings, hits on a
website, box office figures etc.
Qualitative research: Film reviews, game reviews, attitudes
to media products, responses to advertising campaigns etc.
Methods & Sources Of Research: Books, directories,
newspapers, film archives, worldwide web
19. TASK TWO - FMP RESEARCH
Primary and Secondary
Primary Research techniques (new data)
Online quantitative surveys
Online qualitative forums
Interviews, focus groups
Social listening
Secondary Research techniques (desk research)
Market/Category Data
Survey Results (Conducted by another source)
Consumer Market
Category Trends
Reviews
Online Forums
20. 2. Be able to use research,
analysis and evaluation
to develop solutions for
a creative media
production project.
2.1 Use research to support
the development of
a creative media
production project.
2.2 Use analytical and
evaluative skills to
develop creative
solutions to realise a
media production project.
21. Grading
Pass - Use research to support the development of a creative media production project. Use analytical and
evaluative skills to develop creative solutions to realise a media production project.
Merit - Use research to support the development of a creative media production project to a high standard.
Use analytical and evaluative skills to develop creative solutions to realise a media production project to a high
standard.
Distinction - Use research to support the development of a creative media production project to a very high
standard. Use analytical and evaluative skills to develop creative solutions to realise a media production project
to a very high standard.
22. Synthesis:
the combination of components
or elements to form a connected
whole.
A range of relevant sources
Not just the internet?!
23. Your project
Audience
e.g.
Who is your project for?
What do they expect?
What do they engage with/why?
Marketplace
e.g.
What already exists?
What is the competition?
Production Techniques
e.g.
How do you intend to realise your
project?
What specific techniques could you
utilise?
Summary
Critically engage with your research; discuss your findings; interpret what your research means; indicate how your
research will help to guide and develop your creative solutions
