AS Live - Lighting

This afternoon, I've been talking with Lauren alot about the look and feel of the show. The lighting we really want mixes the colours purple, pink, turquoise and orange. Here is an example of the colours we want in the video below, it's not great quality, but you can get an idea of the lighting:



We also want a real intimate atmosphere, with lanterns hanging down. For the rest of this afternoon we are going to start working on a mood board of sets and colours to show CAFT.

As Live - Director Role

So since we found out the roles on Monday, I have been working hard on viewing LOTS of live music on television, to really get a feel for how I would like the show to look visually. I have filmed live music a few times, once at the Hazillit and also for As Worlds Collide music video. The most important thing is that you  feel the music, and know the rhythm well enough to cut to. It's also important to know the styles of musicians, and at what points in their songs that they take the opportunity to do "tricks" solos,  breakdowns,  acapella, etc etc.. so that you are quick to capture these moments. Already I have been thinking about shots, and I know I want at least three close ups, one on the singer, one of the hand of the guitarist/guitarists and a hand held, near the back of the stage on the drummer. I want it to be polished, but also have a bit of a edgy look, with a few hand helds, and presenter shots in the audience, especially for outros and intros.
 Here is some videos I have been looking at for inspirtation:


This video of Ed Sheeran is the look I really want to go for, I've spoken with Lauren W, pur Producer, and it's also her vision to have lamps/tealights, with light blurring into the camera, going out of focus and in focus. I also thought of the use of fairy lights, again to create a really nice atmosphere, which Lauren also likes. We have also discussed the possible use of smoke machines which we want to source:

As Live - Band Contacts

I have just spoken to Fish Tank and This BOy, they both seem up for it, here is the email I sent:
Hey Ben

Regarding our telephone call about the show,

 The aim of the show is to become a platform for new talent across the UK and to promote original songwriters. We also aim to bring awareness to the other side of the music industry that isn't aimed at manufactured artists and talent shows. And to generate an interest in new bands and venues. The style will be 'unpolished', 'edgy' and 'fast-paced'. 
 It's a 30 minute music show recording with a live studio audience in Studio 1 in The Maidstone Studios, more details can be found on their website here: http://www.maidstonestudios.com/facilities/f-studios-1-5.html; we have access to professional sound engineers and lighting technicians and all the equipment necessary and a fully built set. We also have access to green rooms and we would like to have a short interview section as part of the programme. The structure of the show involves two presenters, one in studio and one in the VT's. There will be 3 bands playing one song each in the studio interweaved between 3 VT's. The VT's consist of 'gig guides', where to see music, quirky facts about the area. And another features an 'On the Road with...', we'll pick a band to film this with. And the third is still being debated, it may be a 'day-job' or 'in the recording studio' with a producer. 

 The idea is still in development, but is definately going ahead. As we approach May, we will have ready call sheets, schedules etc. We have a marketing & promotions team to create a viral ad campaign and behind-the-scenes videos. This is a production in partnership with The Maidstone Studios and UCA courses in Broadcast Media and Creative Arts for Theatre and Film. The filming date is Thursday May 17th, with two days prior for setting-up and rehearsals, you won't be expected to attend both, but possibly a rehearsal will be decided later.

 If this is something that appeals to you and that you can commit to then let me know. We would love to have you involved, and think you're the type of band we would like to showcase. Let me know if i've missed anything or any more information you need.

 Thanks

Lauren Howard

max_ar@hotmail.co.uk and prbtours@gmail.com are Fish Tank's booking managers

AS LIVE - First Production Meeting

Monday 27th Feb - As Live Roles:


Producer - Lauren Woodfall
Assistant Producer - Dean
Director - Lauren
VT Package: Hennie,  Jo, Abbi, Maddie, Jane and Fran
Promo Team - Alex, Zee and Dan
Vision Mixer - Hennie
Sound and Lighting - Jo
P.A. - Abbi
Snr Camera - Jane and Alex
Floor Manager - Maddie 
Floor Asst - Fran
Programme Editor - Jo and Dan




Minutes:
- Helen to check where we are meeting CAFT on Monday, preferably in the Studio
- Email address for production - directors13@hotmail.co.uk 
- Hans email is hanspetch@hotmail.com

THURS 23RD FEB – Discuss commission. Roles advertised/apply

MON 27TH FEB 13:30 – Roles allocated. Prod Mtg to discuss and set targets. MON 5TH MAR 10 – 12.30 – Meet CAFT (Producer/Director and AP only)

MON 19TH MAR – After lecture at 13:30 discussion/review progress/set targets.

MON 16TH APR – 13:30 discussion/review progress/set targets

MON 30TH APR – 13:30 discussion/review progress/set targets

- Lauren and Lauren to find contacts and post them up

- Decide on Bands and Presenter ideas for a meeting on March 15th - Producer, Director and AP all to come up with 5 people, other departments can also put forward ideas if they know anyone.

- Find out more about recording and filming live music in the studio, speak to Geof and Paul.

-Find out about equipment and who can come in to help

- Dean mentioned Ben Jones as a possible presenter.

- Title of the show to be decided 5th of March - UNSIGNED - so far.

- Lauren, Lauren, Dean and Jo are going to watch the soundcasters perform in Tonbridge on Wednesday at the Grey Lady, they have confirmed, going to chat with them and get a sense of the sound and visual style.

- Posting a advert for presenters on Star Now - Dean, Mandy - Lauren H and other websites - Lauren W. Style of Simon Amstell 

- Looking for bands with the best stories, once they are confirmed we can talk more about V.T.s

- The V.T Team can make a start on researching the "Guide To Maidstone" focussing on the live music scene.

- Thinking about equipment, need to look for P.A, smoke machine, mics, amps etc etc.

- How do we do the live feeds for sound?

BANDS THAT WE HAVE OUR EYE ON SO FAR

* = we really would like them!

Soundcasters ( Status: Confirmed)

Jamie and The Portraits *

The Baron Von Marlon

Jamie Johnson: - worth a listen on facebook for his new album https://www.facebook.com/jamiejohnsonmusic?sk=app_178091127385

Tom Williams and The Boat *

Kirsty 

Es Muss Sein

Fish Tank *- Just contacted their booking manager Ben - They sound up for it! Going to watch them on the 6th March

https://www.facebook.com/fishtankuk?sk=info - HAVE A LOOK!
This Boy - Just getting in contact REALLY like them, check them out on facebook to hear what the rest of the band are like :)

AS LIVE - COME TOGETHER PITCH

Over View:

Come Together is a glamorous, action packed, Saturday night entertainment game show, where opposing groups and professionals, come head to head in the ultimate battle of the “cliques” . 

Come Together  travels the country, finding the biggest and loudest personalities, at opposite ends of the spectrum, to compete for the prize of a lifetime. Every week the show takes two groups that are stereotypically opposite in nature, and challenges them to three rounds, “The Quiz”, “So you think you can?” and “Bring it on”, showcasing their talents and twisting stereotypes. The winner takes all, with the highly coveted Come Together trophy and an all inclusive holiday to Dubai. In a twist, if they feel they would enjoy the company of the other team a bit more, they can chose to forfeit the holiday to Dubai and all go on a holiday to Magaluf.

Contestants and Host:

The 30 minute pilot episode will feature a Hair and Beauty clique from Maidstone, two male and two female, competing against a group of rowdy footballers, two male, two female.

 Researchers will scout and audition people to find confident, young and entertaining contestants, who’s personalties and passions will take centre stage. A starting point would be a number of salons, hair and beauty courses and football clubs with teams for both sexes, such as the large Malgo team in Maidstone.

 I would like to cast a comedian for the host of either sex, who will react well to situations as they unfold and be able to respond quickly using ad lib techniques. I feel their personality needs to be larger than life, to hold the audience and provide another draw for viewers. I would also like them to develop there own one liners that will become synonymous with the show. 

V.T’s and and second round

The first two V.T’s will be a humorous introduction to each team, clearly demonstrating their personalities using the set up of a glamourous photo shoot. The production value will be high and have a professional style and tone, mixed with actuality footage of both teams in their “Natural Habitat”

The Second V.T will aid the second round “So you think you can?” . This see’s contestants swap roles and challenge each other to do what they do best. In the pilot show The Footballers will train the Beauticians in basic football skills, and challenge them to a penalty shoot out. The training and challenge will be shown in an action packed V.T with entertaining drama and  great graphics, such as the on screen score line, commentator voice over and slow motion action replays. 

The other teams challenge will be Studio based, where the beauticians will give a Generation Game style demonstration of waxing a leg, which will then be carried out by the footballers. The audience will be asked to vote on the team they felt went all out and gave it their all. 

First and Third Round:

The first round will be The Quiz, with questions thrown in specifically aimed at each team, which will create great conflict if the opposing team is able to answer first. The final round “Bring It On” will place each team on an equal grounding, and will become an action intense game that is instantly recognisable with the branding.

The Filming Style:

I want the filming style to be slick and similar to that used in Celebrity Juice, with great close ups and and quick reaction shots. I also want the audience to be truly involved in the show, and therefore use a range of hand held shots, similar to TFI Fridays, to get right into the audience, especially 

Online Content and Promo:

Online content is an integral part to Come Together. “Come Together Again” will be an online series that is posted weekly showing the events that unfolded whilst the contestants were on holiday and all the backstage gossip. Viewers can also vote on what activities the contestants can take part in on their winning holiday, i.e. bar crawls, swimming with dolphins, spa treatments etc. A purpose shot, high production value promo video would also be filmed for an extensive advertising campaign, similar to the one used for T.O.W.I.E., instead using the Beatles song “Come Together”, with the pilot episodes’ contestants.

Overall - Come Together will be a six part series, with other episodes including Dancers vs Rugby Players, 

Scheduled on ITV2, Saturday at 9pm, targeting 18 - 35 year olds, Come Together takes inspiration from the best of hugely popular, glamour reality TV (Take Me Out and T.O.W.I.E ), and mixes it with the flirtatious and outrageous attitude and style of Celebrity Juice.
Like these shows Come Together will take REAL people with BIG personalties and create GREAT entertainment, striving to be outlandish and getting the whole country talking .

SCHEDULE:

00:00 Opening Titles

00:30 Intro Link from host

00:45 Intro Link to First Team

01:00 First Team V.T

02:10 Intro Link Second Team

02:25 Second Team V.T

03:35 Intro Link into The Quiz

03:45 The Quiz

06:00 Scores In / Link

06:10 Intro to “So You Think You Can?”

06:30 V.T of Football Shoot Out

10:30 Link Summary/ Intro into Beauty Challenge

11:00 Waxing Demonstration in Studio

12:30 Footballers Turn to Wax 

17:30 Outro Link of “So You Think You Can”

18:00 Audience Vote for “So You Think You Can”

19 :00 Intro into “Bring It On” Round

19:30 Beauticians Attempt

22:30 Link From Beauticians to Footballers Attempt

23:00 Footballers Attempt

26:00 Outro of “Bring It On”

26:30 Link to Final Scores

27:00 Winner Collects Trophy/ Decides on Holiday

29:00 Outro Link

29:30 Credits

30:00 End 

As Live- Now it begins!

I'm really happy with the decision by the panel, I thought all the ideas were great, but my experience has always been with music, and have always wanted to work on a music show, mainly for all the beautiful shots you can achieve. My heart really is set on the Directors role, because I would love to make this visually work. But Helen has expressed that Assistant Producer would also be a great role for me, and isn't just the pencil pusher as I had first thought. AP's co write the script, and are with the Producer all the way through, helping making decisions and organising things, and they both translate their ideas to the Director.  I do love writing and I feel I could really help and support Lauren with her role, we have already organised to see some bands together which is fantastic! However my heart really wants to be the Director, because I feel so confident with editing,  which is key to knowing when to cut between cameras, and because of my love of music, I know I could feel the music and visually create something great. If thats isn't to be, I now understand how very important the AP is and would be very happy to work so closely with Lauren.

AS Live - pitch

COME TOGETHER

On Monday we had our tutorials, and since then I've been working non stop, trying to really hone in on my idea. I'm not confident it is one of the best or even close, but I want to do as well as I can.  I think I've covered most of the eventualities, and even had a go at produce some of the production paperwork. My idea is pretty simple, but dresses up with lots of glamour and interesting plot twists and turns. It's something I would like to watch and find entertaining, so that's the best I can hope for! I wish everyone good luck for tomorrow, the ideas all sound really good! And I'm sure what ever happens, you will get the role you want to do :)
I'll upload more research, the pitch and production sheets etc a bit later!

AS Live - Mood Board

COME TOGETHER
(a working title)

A pilot episode of a brand new show for ITV 2 on a Saturday night, with a team of three beauticians vs a three footballers, in the ultimate head to head!

They will have to complete is a series of rounds, including a general knowledge round with questions aimed at both sexes, with flirtatious questions such as Q)"which nut contains milk?" - A)  coconut

There will also be the challenge round. For this episode the footballers will have to wax members of the audience (already selected) and one of the V.Ts will be of the girls doing a penalty shoot out.

There will also be a hidden talent round, i.e. one of the team members can do something to earn extra points, and will be judges by the audience, for this episode I expect to have one of the Footballers to be able to do good tricks with a ball, and for the beauticians to give an elderly lady a make over etc. 

The other episodes will have these teams:

Models vs Mechinics

Professional Dancers vs Boxers

Nurses vs Taxi Drivers

Chefs vs Dj's

The winning team will win a gltzy trophy and an all inclusive holiday to Dubai (fake prize of course)

Audience Profile:

18 -35 years old. Who enjoy cheesy Saturday night entertainment, i.e. Take Me Out. Appeals to audiences who our fans of reality TV, such as T.O.W.I.E,  Geordie Shore, The Hills. I have also found that with these types of programmes, elder and middle class audiences tune in, due to the stupidity factor, they enjoy watching others that come across as "tacky" and silly, compared to themselves. It also creates a feel good party factor for the Saturday night audiences, after TAKE ME OUT. In order to keep the large number of viewers Take Me Out attracts, I would advertise throughout the show on ITV 1 but then place it on ITV2 at 9pm, allowing it to become a bit raunchier. I think with the huge success of Take me Out and Towie, there is defiantly room for a show like this, it would be something professional and attractive to use on a show reel, showing that we can produce something aimed at large existing markets. 

I really want to push the boundaries with this, making it quite shocking TV, but something that taps into the audiences of existing high profile shows. It is based around the game/quiz show genre, but mixes it with glamour, battle of the sexes, reality themes etc. 

Schedule, Set designs, V.T Breakdown, teams, presenter profile, and more branding to folllow, any opinions would be greatly appreciated :) 

AS LIVE - BRANDING

I want my show to be glamourous, and have a very slick brand, with plenty of online content, gossip on facebook and twitter etc. The set design should reflect this, with bold colors, like purple and silver. I want it to be stylish and visually pleasing to my target audience.  I would also want to create a brilliant advertising campaign, including a truely stunning promo, in the style of a music video like the one for The Only Way Is Essex:



I've been playing with ideas of songs I would like to use and that could also double as the title of the show, one is Come Together by the Beatles. I quite like this remix be Skillz and the video is pretty cool too:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8Id2baAPvnQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

As Live - Research

Im starting to really narrow down my ideas now, and have come up with a really fun, saturday night game/quiz show, that mixes the flirtatiousness and witty one liners of Take Me Out, the panel quiz show elements of Celebrity Juice and the audience and appeal of The Only Way IS ESSEX. My show will appeal to audiences between 18 - 35, with plenty of humor, cringe moments, and stupidity. It will be slghty racy and fit well on ITV2. More details to follow, in the mean time, here are some shows I've been looking at for inspiration:

As Live - Worshop

We have been working on a Live Broadcast mock up, in order to practise creating the "live" feeling in television.


Our group consisted of Jo, Fran, Lauren Woodfall and myself, and I think we really had a lot of fun with this! We shot our opening and closing studio links in the small base room, with Jo as the anchor, and a picture of the BBC news room as a back drop. Our outside interviews were filmed on location at the Tesco fuel pump in Grove Green, as it suited our story well. The interviews we gave, were comical so that we could have a bit of fun on set, but we still did all the real elements of an outside broadcast.

Adaption Unit - Workshop

Yesterday we had a great workshop on adapting novels, with particular concentration on Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. This is one of my favorite pieces of work, especially the BBC 2011 adaption, so I really connected with the lecture. 
Our task was to take another classic novel and adapt it in a new way. I chose another Dickens' piece, Oliver Twist, as it has been adapted many times, but as to my knowledge, not brought into a modern setting.


With a HUGE admiration for BBC's recent modern adaptions, such as SHERLOCK, I wanted to use this kind of style. However I would tell the story from Nancy's point of view, and make her life revolve around prostitution, heroin addiction and her lover, Bill, who abuses her and pimps her out to his clients. Therefore I feel this would be best suited on Channel Four, as it has a much grittier portfolio, especially with the likes of the recent Top Boy and Black Mirror. I would aim to schedule a there part series across Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 9pm for 1 hour. My target audience would be working-middle class, 18 - 45 year olds. Although it appeals to the young generation 18-25, I feel it would have a wider range, due to the great drama and well known story. 
I liked my idea and decided to write a short snippet of the piece in a script form. It's only a draft, and isn't formatted properly, but I would like any feedback you have :) 


My Cast Would Be:


Nancy - Jamie Winstone
Bill - Noel Clarke - Bill Sykes
Gin - Tom Hardy - Faggin
JD - Plan B - Artful Dodger
Ollie - Daniel Kuulya


Beyond Redemption

Is there anybody there?

The lecture on Wednesday, really helped me to look at my chosen poem in a different light. 

Before the lecture, I was going to stick to the story of the whole poem, making a straight cut adaption.Then I had problems with thinking about how to film horses and create good enough effects for phantoms etc. So I'm scraping the idea all together.

After watching the music videos on Wednesday,especially "HURT" by Johnny Cash, I have decided to be more abstract, and take a few lines from the poem and base my idea around them.

For a long time I have wanted to do a piece of work about alcoholism, as it is a subject close to my heart. I have seen how it affects families, and how it is not understood as an illness in most peoples eyes. A lot of people have the idea, that an alcoholic must "want" to drink and that they are just the victims of self pitty and use alcohol as an excuse. I want to try and change peoples perception, by placing the viewer in the mind of an alcoholic and showing how desperate and hellish it really is. 

It takes a lot of courage to admit your an alcoholic and even more courage to try and change your life. I think this poem could really reflect this, especially with the line "‘Tell them I came, and no one answered". This shows the desire to stop drinking but not quite being able to.

Therefore my adaption of The Listeners, will focus on an alcoholics "Rock Bottom", the point in which they have traveled so far down the spiral of the illness, that they MUST stop, otherwise they will lose their life. At this point, many alcholics have lost their homes, their jobs, their families, their dignity and the will to live.  Sadly only a very small percentage of alcoholics manage to fight their addiction, the others have to fight everyday for the rest of their lives to keep their demons away.

Addiction, I believe, like many studies show, is a genetic problem. Like mental illness, some people are more prone to it then others, and those with an addiction, will find they have a general addictive personality, whether it is food, sex, alcohol, gambling, drugs, sleeping pills, exercise, etc. Scientist have proven that those people actually have a fragment of their DNA missing, the "Stop Button" if you like. An addict will never know when to stop. An old A.A saying is "one drink is too many, twenty is not enough". 

Addiction can be found in many forms, but I believe that if it costing you more than money, i.e. it's affecting family, your job, your health and your mental wellbeing, then it is something to start thinking about.

New statistics show 5% of the British public, are alcohol dependent. Of those 5% only 6% seek help. With 65% of suicides relating to alcohol, it's a sad thought about what happens to the 94% of alcoholics who are never able to admit their problem.

I know this is a sad subject, but it's a reality, and I really want to try and show audiences that being an alcoholic is not something you choose, but that you are born with. By doing an experimental piece, with emotional scenes and trauma, I hope to show alcoholics, not as "the bad" people in society or weak, just very unwell. 

My film will centre around a father, who is at the most desperate point of his addiction, who is searching for help so that he can be reunited with his daughter, but his demons and thirst aren't quite ready to let go. 

"Show me the whiskey stains on the floor
Show me a drunk as he stumbles out the door

And I'll show you a young man
With many reasons why
There but for fortune, go you or I" - Phil Ochs