Final Major Project - RAW TV

After further research I have found RAW TV, headed by founder Dimitri Doganis, the producer of The Imposter. He works closely with his Creative Director Bart Layton and together they make amazing documentaries. They have a head of US Factual, a head of UK factual and a managing director. That's it, no writers or cinematographers. I think this is a model myself and Lauren are working towards. I am in the process of contacting RAW and Dimitri to find out more. In the meantime here's some stuff from their website: 

Final Major Project - Researching Producing

I'm now starting to make the research into roles segment of my report a lot richer, by digging deep into the world of the documentary producer. Unlike a film producer, they tend to have a much greater role in the story telling, this is because they are finding the stories, working with he contributors and ultimately interviewing them. Therefore the content tends to solely lie with the producer. It isn't a writing role as such, more investigative, selection based, building a jigsaw.

I have mentioned previously that the film The Impostor, has had a great influence on myself and Lauren, the style and content seemed perfectly matched. Sometimes with documentary there is too much style over content, or the content is there but the basic style lets it down. The Impostor was complimented by both, neither existed without the other, and if one of them had been slightly weaker, it would not have had the same impact. 

I love the filmic look of The Impostor, which I know Lauren is doing a lot of research into, so I don't need to go into detail about the style. What is interesting for me is how they dealt with he story. There is no narration, something I want to avoid, let the audience piece things together with the help of the contributors. I want out audience to be active, not passive. Each revelation is told my the characters. So I want to know how the producers did this, how did they know what to ask? How did they make the links? How did they structure in the beginning of at all? What was there building blocks? A sort of what came first the chicken or the egg? 

I knew the main producer that has done interviews and has been photographed at awards ceremonies is Dimitri Doganis. He seemed to be the investigative force, he found the story and did the interviews. Then there is a whole list of other producers, 18 to be exact. It didn't have a large budget and was backed by film four, it is completely British. What did these producers bring to the table? Who was in charge of what? I hope to contact a few a figure out what I am most closely linked to, what title would they have given me? 

Most interesting there was NO writer credited. The producers were writing the content or organizing the content the contributors gave them. The director would then choose the shots. 

All The Impostor producers: 

John Battsek	....	executive producer
Sam Brown	....	development producer
Katherine Butler	....	executive producer
Simon Chinn	....	executive producer
Paul Cziok	....	archive producer
Robert DeBitetto	....	executive producer
Poppy Dixon	....	co-producer
Dimitri Doganis	....	producer
John Farrar	....	development producer
Kate Horne	....	assistant producer: Spain
Tabitha Jackson	....	executive producer
Mary-Jane Mitchell	....	development producer
Randy Murray	....	local producer: Phoenix, AZ
Theresa Murray	....	local producer: Phoenix, AZ
Robert Sharenow	....	executive producer
Molly Thompson	....	executive producer
Vanessa Tovell	....	line producer
Paloma Lopez Vazquez	....	local producer: Madrid

Final Major Project - Why make a documentary for my final project?

Before I joined the course, I had a great desire to make documentaries. I was inspired by my media studies lecturer who was passionate about the genre and educated me in the films of Nick Broomfield and Michael Moore. With films like Aileen- life of a serial killer, and Bowling for Collombine, it really showed me the documentaries are all about story telling, pulling the viewer in and more often than not are extremely powerful and interesting because they are true!

When I joined broadcast Media, I thought this was the path that I would stay on. Then I found a new love for script writing during the meeting, which I hadn't done for a few years. I took the path of director/writer, and was pleased with my choice. However, it has been long said that to become a director, stop watching films and start watching people. Become familiar with the world around you, with art and polictics. Find subjects that your are passionate about, civilizations and stories that capture your imagination. Go traveling, read magazines and newspapers from all over the world, search under every rock to find gripping stories. That's when  realised, that finding true stories, human stories, is what I wanted to do. Documentary is this at it's heart.

I love a good investigation, and as Lauren will tell you, I get quite obsessed with stories in the news. When the bombings happened in Boston early this year, I was listening to CNN 24/7, even going to sleep with it on. I learnt the case inside out, made notes, researched the political background and the families/friends. This may sound weird, but I wanted to know every detail, to make an informaed opinion and to file it as a potential story to write about in the future.

I believe a good documentary maker is fundamentally a detective and journalist, which I love. You start with one piece of the puzzle and someone you need to find all the pieces to make the film.

I'm hoping I will stay with documentary making for now at least, if not I believe it's a great opportunity as a writer and director to learn their craft and find those human stories.

Role As Producer

After another chat with Helen, it has become clear that this sort of documentary wouldn't have a traditional script writer. The story comes from the interviews and then is worked out in the edit. So for this project I'm not sure I would not necessarily have the role of writer?

 Therefore my role is a Creative Journalistic Producer and I would hope to be judged on these elements:

1) Coming up with the idea and developing the film. Extensive research into the subject.. hours of reading, watching documentaries, emailing doctors and professors,  scouting news paper articles and blogs.

2) Building an audience through Bipolar UK, film festivals,  our website and potentially BBC South East.

3) Working with contributors, building a great report with them, finding the stories, emails, correspondence, interview techniques, phone conversations and recording them.

4) Although traditionally a film producer would find the budget, I feel I have achieved this in a way by pitching to  Bipolar UK, a very scary process.
 I managed to convince them to partner with us, and they provided an employee to work with us throughout the project, who is available when ever I need advice and support.  I suppose if you factor in her salary, this was a large amount of budget we have negotiated. Another large amount of money, would be the platform of the film and the effect/ cost of the bandwidth on their website. To reach 10,000 viewers a day without them, would take thousands of pounds of investment and advertisement. Bipolar UK have asked that the film have a positive ending/message and exceeds no longer than 30 minutes, which is what we will work towards. With other university projects, I know people have made their films with the BBC, ITV and Channel Four in mind. I understand they were never actually shown on these platforms, so if Bipolar UK decide not to use the film in the end, I hope this would not ultimately affect my mark. We would have tried our best, and the offer of it potentially being used is still a huge achievement. 

5) Working on the story (not strictly scripting), developing the top lines,  identifying key areas of interest and debate.

6) The main skills I need to complete Finding Serenity, is to be extremely cautious, aware, sensitive, compassionate and knowledgeable about the subject. I need to let contributors down gently if we can't include them, learn to talk confidently, and openly about suicide and depression. Not to be phased, but be respectful of the emotional journey they are sharing with us. Learn to be aware of how situations can affect them and to be careful not to create stressful situations. But after considering all these factors, I also need to make the best film I can, and push the boundaries as much as I can.  I believe this takes great skill and is a large part of the role I am undertaking. To ultimately be a good communicator. 

7) I will also my credited as the story editor, working on editing software to piece together this enormous jigsaw.

8) I will also be helping Lauren to record sound.

After a lot of research into the field, it seems that documentary making has extremely lapse roles, the majority of those today have one person shooting, producing and directing, Helen also explained she often had to take on all roles. As this is something I want to do in the future for my own business, it makes sense that I would know how to work in all roles. It isn't as straight cut as drama and fictional film. All documentaries have different ways of allocating roles and jobs. I hope this has helped to identify the extensive work I shall be doing on this project. 

I of course will continue to evidence this as we go along. 

Love Always Shoot

Dan Baugh, asked me recently if I would like to be his First Assistant Director for "Love Always", as he liked the work I had done on Poppy. 

Although this won't really go towards my Final Major Project, it is nice to be working on set. Dan feels I work well with actors and organising shoots, which is what I have helped to do on his first day of filming. 

During the day I helped to make sure the actors where happy, thanked them for their work etc and helped Sam Creamer as a second camera op.

I also controlled traffic during a scene we had to record on an extremely busy road, it was scary and very hard to do, but we got there in the end. 

I came into my element when we got to the salute the 40's event at the historic dockyard. 

I negotiated with two photographers dressed in 1940's gear to appear in the film and I managed to get hold of a 1940's car for our couple to use. 

Quick thinking was key for this part of the shoot, so I made sure we were there with our cameras ready to record at the right time at a moments notice. This included filming dancers doing the lindy hop on a stage, I got the actors to dance next to them, then the professional dancers without any question saw what we were doing and decided to grab each of them and show them how it was done, a priceless moment that I hope Dan gets to use in the film. 

I also managed to get the actors into a mock tearoom and theatre entrance, having them act our an afternoon tea conversation, and the purchasing of tickets for a show. 


It was a great day and I was thrilled to be apart of it. I offered advice but made sure I didn't interfere with Dan's vision. 

I just wanted to thank Dan for asking me to come on board, what a professional atmosphere there was! Well done everyone!

Emails, Emails, Emails.

My role as producer for this documentary is to do heavy research into the subject and get to know my contributors and their own stories inside out. I want to find the best stories I can, and make them come together through interview and edit.

Bipolar UK sent out an advert which attracted over 100 responses. I went through every single one, and selected forty, then twenty. Out of those twenty, Bipolar UK contacted them all to make sure they were well enough to participate. 14 were given the go ahead.

I then began to email all 14, to explain who I was, what I was doing and why I was doing it. I wanted to come over as friendly, but professional as possible. I had to make sure that I did not promise anything form the get go, as we are only looking for 4-6 full contributors in the film. I knew at some point I would have to let people down, this was hard to accept and I had to tread carefully.

It took two weeks to build up report, find out the information I need and to organize logistically challenges. Dozens of emails were exchanged with each contributor.

four contributors came through very strongly and five others I would still like to interview research and test further.  I have to be careful not to give to much information away as this is an extremely personal and sensitive situation. All I can devulge at present is perhaps their name, rough locations and career. 

Dan - Mental Health Worker - Maidstone
Dorrit - Ex Lawer, now personal fitness trainer for the disabled - London
Liz - Ex Teacher, now helps with a breakfast club - Surrey
John - Had a multimillion pound company, now runs a very small company making chemicals - Medway

Belinda - Clarinet player and University lecturer - Canterbury
Seema - Optometrist in the NHS - London
Steve - Writer - Tonbridge
Antonia - Studying for her PHD, wants to start up her own business, moved from ITALY - London
Sarah - works for MIND in one of their shops, also does lectures on her experience - Surrey. 

So far I have contacted, Dorit, Dan, Steve and Antonia on the phone,  this week I will be recording the others on the phones and begin to plan a shooting schedule. 

Final Major Project - What are our platforms?

After my tutorial with Simon, it was agreed that as producer I need to be the one who is focusing on where this film is going to be seen, and that is is my responsibility to make sure it meets the criteria for each platform.

I have identified three areas where I want to showcase our film and will be doing more detailed research into them.

Festivals:

Sheffield Doc/Fest: 
The UK's largest documentary film festival. The film festival would fit our time schedule, as the documentary needs to be made after June 2013 and be submitted by Feb 2014. The film festival will be June 2014. 

 It costs £25 to submit, and it is preferred to be submitted from a Vimeo link. 

There are three categories that we could enter either  Short Films: Less than 30 mins with credits. Medium Length which is 31-59 mins with credits. There is also the Cross Platform, which could be great, this is for "films created for exhibition on multiple online platforms, or in non traditional media spaces. Any duration acceptable". 

Films that are unsuccessful may be place on their "Videotheque" which is an online video library. 

This is an extremely established and prestigious festival that I want to aim highly for

Toronto Online Film Festival:
More and more festivals are appearing online, although they may not have gained prestigious fame, they are a lot more accessible and offer a much greater audience. 

Their aim:
"To honour the top creators in the digital arts world as voted by members of the online community worldwide. Especially undiscovered gems that yearn for an international audience. "

This film festival has been born out of the hub of filmmakers in the toronto district, where digital media has boomed in the last five years. 

There is no submission fee, and there is a simple application process with the need for a Vimeo link that is live and viewable until the Awards announcement. 

Videos are voted for by worldwide selected viewers. 

Once a Week Online Film Festival
Another online festival, but winners are chosen every week of the year. 

This film festival is very popular with online platforms. Films can be submitted throughout the year. 

"Once a Week Online Film Festival is a weekly showcase of short indie films under 30 minutes.  All films showcased come directly from submissions. Every Wednesday at 9pm eastern time the highest rated film from our judges will be given the distinction of an Official Selection.   Each Official Selection will be shown on the homepage for an entire week. 

Audience Award: 
Submitted films will compete for the distinction of the Audience Award.  All submitted films will receive their own page. The film with the most social media shares in any given week will win the Audience Award and will be shown on the homepage along side the Official Selection for the week.  

All winning films will be archived under Official Selections and Audience Awards on the Watch The Films page.  All other films will remain in categories under their respective genres. "

There are no submission fees, but each film must be under 30 mins total duration time. Can be submitted through a youtube or Vimeo link, which must be kept live for the duration of the festival. 

Online Streaming and Platforms:

Vimeo
Vimeo is the filmmakers youtube. The quality of films are higher and their appeal is higher in the film industry. Most if not all film festivals will require you to have the film uploaded to youtube and be readily available to view. 

Vimeo also has far reaching categories, and their own festivals and groups, to help your film reach the right audience through the right platform.

We will be setting up an account for "Finding Serenity" shortly. 

Films For Action
Is the perfect platform for finding serenity. 

It takes films from Vimeo and gives them the platform they really need, to be seen by other audiences, filmmakers, producers, and distributors. 

There only criterias? That it already has a URL (Vimeo) and it's a film that want's to help change something or make the world a better place. 

"At an International Level:

Films For Action uses the power of film to raise awareness of important social, environmental, and media-related issues not covered by the mainstream news. Our goal is to provide citizens with the information and perspectives essential to creating a more just, sustainable, and democratic society.

Our website has cataloged over 1500 of the best films and videos that can be watched free online.

At the Local Level:
On the ground, our City Chapters are working to create alternative media channels that will inform, connect, and inspire action at a community level.

Our city chapters screen documentaries at independent theaters and other venues regularly throughout the year. With most films we launch an accompanying educational and action-oriented campaign to address the issues presented by the films. Some of our chapters air films on their local public Access TV channel. And all the films we buy we make available for people to borrow from us for free, either to watch themselves or to screen in their own neighborhoods.

Our local city chapter sub-sites offer several tools to connect and inform people through our website, including a calendar of local activist events, a directory of local progressive and radical groups, and a blog for writers to contribute local news and perspectives.

All in all, through the screenings, public access TV, this website, and our Lending Library, our City Chapters aim to provide an information and resource network that will reduce its city's dependence on corporate media, providing more meaningful and reliable ways to stay informed on the issues that matter.

"Films for Action is outstanding! Thanks so much for creating this incredible tool!" - Elisa Beck. Transitionpgh.org

"I love how different people from all over the world are coming here to watch amazing films, write and discuss. Greetings from Lithuania!" - Danny Crowe

I just discovered this terrific resource. Try it! - Jo Sippie-Gora

Films for Action has made me more informed and more effective in my activism. I don't think I could live without it. - Terry Knepp "

Filmbinder
Filmbinder is an alternative to itunes and netflix. It means you don't have to have a distributor to have a platform where people can rent or download your film. It costs $14 a month to upload a film(s), and for every 24 click you should receive $1. Sounds good! It would be a good indicator to see the potential for our film. There is no cancellation fee or contract, so we could see how well we do for just a month or two? 

 

Websites:

Our own Website
We have set up our own website, which we will use to promote the film. It will feature a vimeo link. Audience reach is low, but it will enable us to have a central location for the film to begin with. 


Bipolar Uk 
This at the moment is a tricky area. Simon feels that he isn't sure whether we are making the film for them or not, which of course impacts what we do. Currently we are making a film for film festival and online release, Bipolar UK will have the opportunity to use our film if they wish. 

Our film will be 30mins in length, this will not be altered should bipolar UK want something different. We would how ever make them a revised version for their website if they couldn't feature the film in it's entirety. This can be seen in all distribution situations, including blockbuster films that are "edited for TV" i.e. sex and violence toned down. 

Although we are not making a film that it is confined to Bipolar UK's expectations, I have emailed them to request what they could feature and what they couldn't. (This has been discussed over the phone and in the meeting, but I feel it is important to have a clear idea in writing from them). 

Their website is not our primarily target platform, they would probably feature it from our Vimeo etc. This could be likened to Netflix. Films aren't made to feature on Netflix, they are made with the cinema in mind ( I know this is changing), but they would hope Netflix would want to feature it. They wouldn't change the production to suit Netflix criteria, as their main aim is a cinema release. If Netflix after the cinema release wanted to platform the film, edits may be made etc. 

Therefore it would be a bonus if Bipolar UK accepted our film (They recieve 10,000 hits a day, but as a creative producer I will not let this effect the artistic creation of the film or dictate what is/ isn't included. I want to make the best film I can. 

Final Major Project - Meeting With Helen

It was our first day back yesterday and it shocked me just how little we have left before we are out of education forever, and before we have to finish our final films! However,  I think Lauren and myself are in a good place!

I met with Helen later on in the afternoon to talk through our film and get some advice. I explained that we were at a stage where we had twenty contributors and were just waiting to hear their story. Helen advised not to script until we have those stories, but to concentrate on what they top line was and what I want to say during the film, and that it should always be content over style.

I have drawn up the ideas that I want to include:

Message of Finding Serenity

I also mentioned to Helen about our theme of the ballerina, who may act as a dramatization of the emotions our contributors have gone through, she thought this was a good idea, but to put it on pause until we know the stories, to make sure it ties in and works. Their may be another motif that shines through after interviewing them.

Helen has given me the documentary film "Dreams of a Life" to watch as it may help with style, dramatization and motifs. It tells the story of a young woman whose skeleton is found three years after her death, in her bedsit surrounded by Christmas presents. I'm looking forward to watching it this afternoon and will report back.


We also discussed the interview process, as I am slightly worried about interviewing people who have such sensitive stories, and that suicidal thoughts are quite likely to be brought up. I showed Helen my questions, and it was suggested that I may wish to change them, so they are not questions and a script, but rather areas to cover, bullet point notes that aid it what should fundamentally be a conversation, not an interrogation. I will be doing this in the next few days.

I am just waiting for Gloria to give me the contact information once everyone has agreed, then we are off!

Final Major Project - Thoughts of events so far and interview questions

It has really dawned on my this week how huge this project could be, and the seriousness of the topic. I do have experience with family members, and have seen the destructiveness and sadness of the illness first hand.

 However to hear other’s stories of suicide attempts etc, is very hard hitting. I’m scared about the prospect of interviewing some of our contributors, mainly because I am inexperienced and to start with such a sensitive subject is really throwing myself in at the deep end. On the other hand, I have always wanted to make this film, and I feel so strongly about it, it deserves to be made and in a way I am as equipped as anyone having grown up with it.

I have to be confident in talking, empathises and sympathise, allowing them to open up as much as possible. 

I wrote some questions for John’s interview, but have reworked them. I need to talk with Helen to get some advice, of course they sound kind of cold hearted to start, but in a conversational and comfortable environment, I am sure we can make this work.

 I have put them in the sections I can currently see them fitting in to the film:


Finding Serenity - Interview Questions

Final Major Project - Style and Meaning of Finding Serenity

Reading all the responses his reaffirmed the type of documentary I want to make, and the film they deserve.  I really want these stories to be told from the heart, in a human interest style, beautifully, truly and openly. 

I don’t want to make a factual “What is bipolar?”, this means we won’t be blaring the facts, statistics or using doctors to help explain the illness.  Instead Finding Serenity will be an artistic discussion that explores the people behind the illness, their experiences surrounding diagnosis and stigma, and then how they cope, how they have found peace (if they have) and how they see the future.

It is so clear that this is an illness completely individual to the person, all stereotypes associated with the old name “Manic Depressive” need to be broken. I feel extremely passionate that the  messages I want to drive home are that this can happen to anyone, but there is hope and judgment must be left at the door.

I also feel that there is a lot left to be desired in treatment and diagnosis, they feel this is fundamental to their recovery and lives. Not only with bipolar, but most mental illnesses, they are the walking wounded, and unfortunately not treated with the urgency and respect other illnesses are granted. I believe treatment has progressed, but is not even close to what it should be. It takes an average of ten years to be diagnosed and during this time 3.5 mis-diagnosis are given, in which time sadly many people commit suicide.  I hope our film will help others identify and seek the help they need.

Final Major Project - Contributor Responses

I have just received an email from Gloria, the lady who is helping us find our contributors from Bipolar UK, and I am extremely overwhelmed. In one week we have received over a 100 responses to our advert from people who want to share their experiences in our film. Their  stories are incredible, we have had NHS workers, artists, teachers, musicians, barristers, actors, film directors, west end writers and managing directors all wanting to help tell the real stories about bipolar rather than celebrities.

 They are all unique, which highlights my main message that this illness can affect everyone and anyone. They all repeat that this disorder needs to be shared from the heart, and to explain to people they are not crazy, they are intelligent and creative, but troubled. 

I have been sent the emails of all of them, but at this stage I don’t want to share them as this is very personal and private to them. I feel it would be wrong to publish them without their consent, and only those who feature in the film will be used. 

It was extremely difficult to whittle down, but I have selected twenty that show a diverse cross section, and for practical reasons live within an achievable distance to maidstone. Gloria will contact them on my behalf to check a few details and then if they agree she will pass the email addresses on to me.

 Normally as a documentary filmmaker I would be sourcing the contributors from scratch myself, but because this is such a sensitive issue, all parties have agreed that for the safety of the sufferers, I only receive their contact details once their situation has been thoroughly assessed by bipolar UK, their mental health is paramount. 

These are the details I have asked Gloria to pass on to them:

- Are they happy to appear on film?
What is their availability this month and beginning of October? Maybe start to get days they can do and hours they are able to be contacted. An email address, first name, location and telephone number would be great.
 We will likely chat through email first, then record an interview over the phone and finally meet them to film in person. If they are ok with this, could they let us know if they are happy for us to film in their homes, and/or do they have any favourite outside locations, parks etc or comfortable places of work we can film?
 We understand this is an extremely sensitive subject and their health is paramount, if any of this becomes to overwhelming we can stop at anytime and they are under no obligation to continue.
 Do they have any concerns?

Final Major Project - Bipolar Research

Sally, the PA to the chief executive Suzanne at Bipolar UK, has very kindly sent me a pack with lots of detailed information about bipolar. It includes what suffers receive initially to help with their diagnosis; mood diary, mood scale, families coping with a person of bipolar disorder and so on. Although we are doing a very filmic and stylistic documentary, it is important to have the facts of the illness to hand and of course this helps with the interview process.

My job now is to become extremely knowledgeable about the disorder, in order to respond quickly to questions, help with the storytelling and aid me in any difficult interviews with contributors. Thankfully I have a solid understanding of the illness, through personal experiences, but I still need to understand it from a professional and factual point of view. 

I am currently taking every piece of research I have been given, highlighting the most important and creating a list of aspects I must cover in our film. 

Final Major Project - Documentary Research

Throughout the summer I have been watching endless documentaries, some to do with bipolar, including the famous one with Stephen Fry and others totally unrelated. It has helped me to decide what I want our film to look like and what I don’t.



One that really caught my eye and Lauren’s has been the Impostor, it is an extremely dramatic and fascinating film. I recommend every to watch it! The film in very cinematic and not a television style, which is what I want for “finding serenity”. The cinematography is beautiful, with captivating storytelling at it’s heart. The editor chose to use the expressions of the contributors to tell another layer of the story, and it works extremely well, something else I want to incorporate in our film. It had a huge cinema release, first shown at Sundance Film Festival.

Although I am unsure of where our film will take us, I have always been drawn to cinematic documentaries, such as those by Michael Moore and Nick Broomfield. TV documentaries and fly on the wall styles are fantastic, but because of my love of cinema and film, I want to lean more towards this style. 


Just as fascinating was the making of the Impostor documentary, I have learnt a great deal from this, about research and structuring. I have learnt that documentary is almost backwards from film in terms of pre production, you have to find the story's first and film interviews, before you can script. Really the editing room becomes your writing process, but we will of course have a basic structure and a list of what we need to film before we shoot.


Please watch the trailer for the Imposter, it is truly amazing.