The document provides research and planning details for a media studies project on TV advertisements, web pop-ups, and radio ads promoting car insurance. It includes research on target audiences and existing insurance ads, planning for character profiles, storyboards, and shooting lists, and notes on conventions and the use of new media technologies in the production process.

1. OCR Media Studies GCE G324: Advanced Media Portfolio Candidates: Zak Elichaoff & Nicholas Hayden A response to set brief 3 : Research & Planning and Evaluation

2. Research & Planning focus: Similar products and potential target audience Organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props Scripting and storyboarding

3. Research: TV Advertisements Internet Pop-ups Radio adverts Products functions Format / content / style Audience profile & motivation

4. Product functions: All 3 products are promotional tools being used to advertise the insurance service TV Trailers - to engage the audience in a short audiovisual clip, creating narrative intrigue and audiovisual spectacle Web Pop-up – a visual prompt that offers an opportunity to link to further information Radio advert – to engage an audience with sound hooks: jingles, theme tune, catchphrases, dialogue snippets *All three will share some synergy if they are for the same campaign and a brand identity will be reinforced

5. Texts studied: TV insurance adverts Geico Advert Swift cover advert AA advert

6. Texts studied: Inspiration Fosters beer ads 1 Fosters beer ads 2 Crocodile Dundee

7. TV advertisements Codes & conventions: Narrative Mise-en-scene Sound Cinematography

8. Narrative conventions : Plot : problems are encountered which are resolved by the insurance company Characters : Either domestic users – who have just bought insurance and want to talk about it celebrities – personalities are engaged in a mini-drama involving aspects of car insurance Settings : in cars; various driving locations in which driving appears to be fun/enjoyable

9. Our Research Mise-en-scene : used to promote realism via verisimilitude Locations: interior/exterior of cars; various driving locations in which driving appears to be fun/enjoyable Props: cars Costumes: familiar for protagonists; often similar to target audience, or typical of the celebrity ’s image NVC: showing concern about dangers associated with being a car owner/driver; showing contentment at having the security of the insurance.

10. Our Research Sound : both diegetic & non-diegetic Music: usually a non-diegetic jingle over product information; some diegetic music can be used to promote realism but must n ot conflict with the dialogue for attention Dialogue: simple, characters & plot are verbally developed; plots revolve around insurance anecdotes Effects: usually limited to exaggerating motoring no ises

11. Our Research Cinematography : Camera: initial location shots give way to twin shots and shot reverse shots of main protagonists, at their eye level for empathy Lighting: naturalistic to promote realism Editing: continuity style to promote realism

12. Research: Audience profile – varies within the permitted driving age range Demographics: Both male and female Aged 17+ No socio-economic limits B C1C2 D E Initially domestic British Psychographics: Too varied to list – depends on advert concept; however, puritans are a common theme Uses & Gratifications – some commonalities include : To be amused To see others make mistakes To find models to imitate

13. Planning: Target audiences Plot outlines & script Character profiles Location reconnaissance Storyboard Shooting list

14. Research: Audience profile – for our campaign products Demographics: Primarily male Aged 17+ No socio-economic limits C2 D E Initially domestic British Psychographics: Cowboys Uses & Gratifications: To be amused To see others make mistakes To find models to imitate

15. Planning Plot outlines Advert 1: Stevo and Kev are in the car going into MacDs drive thru to get fast food. Stevo orders heaps of food because he has saved money on his car insurance. Both guys are happy and enjoy their feast courtesy of Bondi. Advert 2: Stevo and Kev are in the car when they get bumped from behind by an uninsured driver. But they are not worried because Bondi has them covered.

16. Planning: Character profiles Names: Stevo & Kev Age: 18 Family situation & recent history : both have grown up in Australia and moved to England after studies and are enjoying the freedom of living away from home and responsibilities; have got simple jobs that do not require much commitment, this leaves them plenty of time to enjoy themselves. Problems : want to be busy enjoying life and not spend time worrying about searching around for insurance Solution : Bondi Car Insurance!

17. Planning: Script for Advert 1 Int car approaching a MacDonalds drive thru Stevo: Hello Mr Mcdonald. Kev: Hello mate how you going? There will be 2 of us dining with you tonight. We would like 2 large cheeseburgers. Stevo: and 2 large fries. Kev: Wait a minute, didn ’ t you just save a bundle on your car insurance? Stevo: I sure did mate, double that order. Kev: Whats the name of that place again? Stevo: Bondi mate. Kev: Ah yeah that ’ s the one, they ’ re not on price comparison sites are they? Stevo: Nah mate. (they collect their food) Kev: Cheers mate. Stevo: Cheers.

18. Planning: Storyboard

19. Planning: Shooting list & Location reconnaissance Scene Day/ date / time done comments Location description Equipment & staff reqd 1 Y Check sight lines to avoid unwanted interference from passers by Exterior of MacDonalds as viewed from street approaching the Drive Thru Car: driver & passenger Camera man Camera & tripod 2 Y Avoid light glare from shiny surface Exterior of MacDonalds BCU of microphone speaker used to order Camera man Camera & tripod 3 Y May need extra kit to possibly mount the camera on the bonnet of the car Exterior of car shooting back through windscreen at characters Car: driver & passenger with sunglasses Camera man Camera & tripod? Sound recordist & recorder in car

20. Texts studied: Web Pop-ups

21. OUR WEB POP-UP Anchored to the product, car insurance because of the road sign theme that links with driving Bondi logo, = brand recognition Matches the concept of a pop up, to draw people in and provide them with an easy route to the customer to increase sales.

22. Conventions of real media products TV ads Web Pop-up Radio Ads Mise-en-scene develop & conform conform N/A Camerawork conform N/A N/A Sound conform N/A conform Editing conform N/A conform Narrative conform conform conform Representations conform conform conform

23. Television Advertisements Mise-en-scene Develop = info ticker included at bottom of the screen Conform = car interior; Ozy male stereotype Camerawork Conform = standard twin shot; medium close-ups at eyelevel; establishing shots for location Sound Conform = realism constructed via focus on diegetic sound; non-diegetic voiceover Editing Conform = standard shot reverse shot; continuity style; cuts between shots in scene, fade between narrative and brand logo scene Narrative Conform = simple script with two character dialogue featuring a car insurance issue; product information is dispalyed Representation Conform = driving is fun and insurance is a necessary problem; Ozy male stereotype is used

24. Mise En Scene Sunglasses (stereotypical Australian) McDonalds bag, representing that they are eating. Linked to the previous advert.

25. Our Research Cinematography:

26. Differences between our Productions The lighting is very bad here. Red glare, cannot see the actors well. The lighting is a bit better here but think it still needs to be brighter and therefore filmed in the day. At a closer view it is also slightly pixilated . The lighting in the shot is much better, all details can be seen as it was filmed in the day time . First Production Second Production Third Production

27. Production notes Debrief of shoot 1 -Needs to be done in daytime -Less camera angles -Make it simpler -Actors with more feeling and expression -Better sound Lighting-red light in McDonalds (car in Wayne ’s world was similar idea but very well artificially lit) Camera positioning - Cut off someone ’s head - Bonnet shot to encourage the actors to work together and create more of a relationship - POV from the position of the speaker in Mcdonalds Actors- showing crocodile Dundee on the laptop to the actors so they understood the idea we were trying to portray. External microphone Mise en scene - include stuff in the back of the car! - Cricket hat - ozzy rugby shirt - boys mag on the dahsboard RADIO- just use more expression - ozzy phrase to add to the adverts at the end (good call)

28. Our final design logo

29. Design elements Used in the writing Clouds used at the top of the logo This was used as a surfboard for the little character Used as a palm tree on the top of the lettering, parts have been edited out and it has been filled in blue .

30. Conventions of real media products Fake character surfing, represents chilled attitude and surfing is a stereotypical Australian past time. Steering wheel to connote to a car insurance company. Palm tree represents Australia again. Palm trees are often found on beaches and our company name is from a beach in Australia This is linked to the Australian nationality of our protagonist characters. The strapline is also linked to the first advert, as the characters are spending more money on fast food than car insurance.

31. Use of new media technologies As small scale independent producers new technologies were key to the success of our enterprises: Communication Interaction Feedback Production Exhibition

32. Use of new media technologies RESEARCH Internet blog Locate and examine real media texts: Video Print Pop-ups Store information: real texts our analyses Ask for feedback & advice from followers

33. Use of new media technologies PLANNING Internet blog mobile phones Maps: locate MacDonalds locations; use streetview to assess Web: images for logo design Communicate with production team: post messages about meeting date/times Store planning info: eg, maps for locations Mobile office: email, text, phone: locations recce photos

34. Use of new media technologies PRODUCTION mobile phones audiovisual recording post production assembly Invaluable for organisation of production team Digital video recorder and Digital audio voice recorders - for high quality images/sound and immediate review iMovie & Garageband - for maximum quality and flexibility in picture and sound organisation

35. Use of new media technologies EVALUATION blog Youtube Feedback posted on our blog Storage Potential for increased feedback from a wider audience

36. Audience feedback We have received feedback in various forms but the most useful was: Blogging There were many reasons why we decided to set up a blog, to: act as a production log act as a receptacle for work done enable us to communicate with each other enable us to communicate with our colleagues offer a forum for exchange and to get immediate feedback on our work

37. Audience feedback We Asked 10 peers from our age group to watch our advertisements and ancillary texts and asked them to answer the following questions: 1) What is the advertisements representing? 2) Do you feel you can relate to the characters? 3) Do you find the adverts funny? 4) Would you buy Bondi car insurance? 5) Can you understand the narrative of the advertisements?

38. Audience Feedback Results: A teenage car insurance company General consensus was yes apart from people from the older generation, however this was our aim so we are pleased with our results Yes, bother generations found the adverts amusing and easy to build a bond with. Most people responded that they would, however the area of our production of the company does not include prices, which is a key when purchasing car insurance. Yes and most people were familiar with the narrative as a real life situation The audience feedback, has informs us that we have successfully achieved the aim of our task, and successfully Communicate with the target audience, which is key to any advertising campaign

39. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the combination between main and ancillary products Evaluation = highly successful! Why? A synergy of brand identity is achieved via the elements of construction and messages generated Repetition of brand name: Bondi – written and/or spoken in all products Thematic – the Ozy lifestyle/attitude concept is present in all products Narratives are simple, in-keeping with the theme, direct reference is made to the service being offered in all products Representation of characters – easy going Ozy blokes present in TV and radio ads, plus surfer character in logo on pop-up Continuity of colour scheme – the blue and gold (similar to Australian green and gold) is utilised in all products Inclusion of logo – the Bondi imagery encapsulates the theme and is present in both TV advert and Web pop-up