Statement of intent

Product 1 

I intend to use the four areas of media theoretical framework along with my research to produce an opening for an observational documentary named ‘What It Takes’. This will be based on international showjumper Harry Bateman and produced by sport company ‘Sporting Excellence’ for BBC3. This idea is influenced by the lack of coverage of unique sports within the media, and so appears as something new and fresh for the 16-25 socially conscious, middle to upmarket audience. Stuart Hall’s reception theory is useful to consider here, due to the preferred meaning is for the audience to feel inspired after watching the documentary, with the call to action being to encourage the audience to participate in a new sport.From my research it is apparent that audiences are more likely to interact online or discuss with others if the documentary is engaging, and so I intend to use a range of shot types across various locations such as the stables and competitions to indicate the nationwide coverage of the sport, as well as using the hashtag #WhatItTakes to converge between the online forms and the documentary. Including a range of shot types such as wide shots and close ups will be paramount; however I shall also use a low angle shot whilst a horse jumps over a fence, which will indicate the power of a horse and the partnership between horse and rider. Stuart Hall’s reception theory comes in useful here, as the preferred reading of the audience would be that they find the shot and the documentary as a whole exciting and feel enlightened as to what they find out.  Using various locations and shot types also allows the audience to have a true insight to equestrianism and experience the ‘observational’ aspect of the documentary, which theorist Ben Nichols describes as allowing the audience to be shown true, uninterrupted facts in order to interpret the positive preferred meaning. As a public service broadcaster, the BBC has a remit to ‘educate, entertain and inform’ their audience, and by broadcasting a new, less publicised sport to the 16-25 aged audience it allows them to learn as well as feel encouraged to try something new. This should construct a positive and exciting representation of the sport, and see it as a valuable asset to British sport. Nevertheless, it shall also reveal the difficulties that lay for sportspeople such as balancing a social life, money and injuries. The audience will experience a behind the scenes feel, revealing the hardworking ethic of Harry Bateman as an international showjumper and how he built his career. The observational documentary will represent Harry Bateman as a credible source of knowledge as an international competitor, as well as the interviewees that will feature.

 

 

Product 2 

The website to accompany the documentary will maintain the typical house style of the BBC3 website, continuing its colour palette of black and pink to anchor its production. The website will contain extra information for audiences, including clips of Harry Bateman answering their questions as the 30 second audio visual, and blog posts about recent competitions and topics within equestrianism. This allows the ‘educating and informing’ section of the BBC remit to be fulfilled, as the audiences will find information separate from the documentary and learn more about this subject. From my generic research into BBC documentaries, I noticed the lack of digital convergence between platforms, and so this is something I shall improve by encouraging interaction via links to social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. As theorist Clay Shirky suggests, audiences are no longer passive and want to interact by liking, commenting and sharing, and so I shall utilise this information by providing platforms that audiences can interact with each other about What It Takes. There will be available links to organisations that audiences can visit online which offer a way to get started and learn further about being an equestrian, encouraging the call to action to be fulfilled by the audience. The website is also an opportunity for intertextuality to other media forms, and I intend to use autobiographies by Olympians Nick Skelton and Tim Stockdale, as well as films such as Moneyball. Although these chosen autobiographies may depend on cultural competencies, it allows the audience to learn, which fulfils the BBC remit further. I shall also place an Easter egg within the website, and those who chose to click on the logo that it is linked to shall receive a free copy of Nick Skelton's autobiography, encouraging satisfaction for the individual who finds it. The website will also offer the opportunity to ask questions for the talent and have him answer them in his blog or audio-visual clip, as I found in my research that having the ability to ask questions was popular among audience, as it allows them to become involved in the media.

How do you intend to link your media products to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the digitally convergent nature of your media production? (approx. 100 words) 

A range of social media platforms will be used to reference the documentary, as well as pop-ups on the website. All of these platforms allow the audiences to interact by asking questions online or submitting via the pop-ups on the website, as well as discovering new content on the Instagram and Twitter. The website will have a social bar to connect the audience to the available sites and so create a network to promote the documentary. Furthermore, the #WhatItTakes will be displayed within the documentary and so can be a way to encourage conversation between audiences, and allowing them to ‘speak back’ as Clay Shirky indicates in his end of audience theory.