a2 advanced portfolio_production_diary_template

Olivia LyonsA2 Media StudiesAdvanced PortfolioProduction Diary

PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK (Including Possible Contingency Plans If Problems Anticipated)

September 2012(Detailed Monthly Summary)

On starting the course we were told about the different coursework briefs and told what each one involved. I chose to make a Short Film and got into a group with two others who had also chosen this brief. I then set up my advanced portfolio blog and had a brief look at the work I would be doing over the year. I then began to do research into the Ancillary 1 task by collecting a range of different film posters.

My plan for next month is to continue my Ancillary 1 research by analysing film posters from different genres in order to help me construct Ancillary 1, my own film poster. Also, I will carry out research for Ancillary 2 and design a layout plan for my own film review, as I can’t complete the review until the film is finished.

October 2012(Detailed Monthly Summary)

I completed my research for Ancillary 1 by analysing 3 different film posters, looking at the layout, design, colours, images, fonts and the mise en scene and how each represented the genre of the film. This then helped me create Ancillary 1, my own poster for a horror film. I created the poster using Photoshop. Once this work was completed I moved on to do my research for Ancillary 2 which was to find 3 film reviews and analyse them. I collected film reviews from various magazines, and chose films from different genres. I started to analyse the reviews in relation to the language used, the layout, proxemics, images, house style and content.

My plan for next month is to complete my Ancillary 2 research by analysing 3 different film reviews, in order to help me construct Ancillary 2, a review of my own film. I will then go on to create my Ancillary 2. As I have not yet produced my short film I won’t yet be able to write up my review. However, I will create a layout plan using Photoshop, in order to help me when it comes to create it. I will use the box and text tool to show where I will have dialogue/ images.

November 2012(Detailed Monthly Summary)

I created my layout plan for Ancillary two, by producing a design in Photoshop. I showed where I would include images, text, credits, a cast list and a brief synopsis of the film. I created the layout plan to help me create my film review, once I had produced my film. I now started to watch and analyse other short films, and comment on the conventions used.

Next month I will complete my analysis of three similar products to my main piece. I will find three separate short films and analyse them using Lacey’s repertoire of elements. I will use screenshots to back up my analysis.

December 2012 I completed my product research task by analysing 3 As I have not yet uploaded this piece of work to my


(Detailed Monthly Summary)

separate products to my main piece. I analysed them by the conventions presented in the film, such as stereotypes and genre conventions. I used screen shots so that when I later referred to my work, it made sense and I could apply the appropriate conventions to my short film. This will then help me create a successful short film.

blog, this will be done on returning to college after the Christmas holidays. Next month I will also begin my market research my creating a short film questionnaire and getting 10 people to fill it out.

Mon W/B 07/01/13(Detailed Weekly Summary)

I am now going to start with my main piece construction. In order to help with my ideas generation I carried out a market research task. I created a short film questionnaire and asked 10 people to fill it out. The questionnaire included questions such as “What is your Preferred Film Genre?” and “How do you prefer a film to be structured?” By asking questions like these I got an insight into what it is that my target audience want to see in a film.

My plan for next week is to gather all my results together and put the data into pie charts so that I can easily view and compare the data that I have collected.


This week I am going to put all the data I collected from my market research questionnaires into pie charts. By doing this I will easily be able to view and compare my results in order to get a clear understanding of what people want to see in a short film. I will create a pie chart for each question on my questionnaire and will write a brief summary of what my results show. After doing this for each question I will write up an evaluation showing what I have found and how I will apply it to my short film.

After completing my market research task successfully, and getting a clear understanding of what my target audience want to see in a short film, I can now move on to my ideas generation.


This week I will start my ideas generation, I will do this using a programme called MindGenius. In our group we will create a mind map style plan showing our initial ideas, in relation to genre, conventions, setting, lighting, props, costume, camera, editing, effects and the types of character. We will expand on

My plan for next week is to start writing the script for my short film; I will be using a programme called Celtx. As well as dialogue, I will include whereabouts the shot is taking place (int, ext) and weather it is night or day.


our ideas, as a group, by creating branches off each of the above headings, showing our ideas for the main piece.


This week I am working on my script. I will include clear conventions of the romantic comedy genre throughout the script and use dialogue that my target audience can relate to, for example local slang. I am going to write my script in depth as the film contains a lot of dialogue; therefore it is important that the dialogue gets the clear conventions of the genre across.

My plan for next week is to begin storyboarding. I will storyboard my ideas, using my finished script. I will include the shot number, an image of what is happening in the scene and a brief summary.


I have now completed most of my storyboards and will soon be ready to begin filming over half term. Throughout the week I will be working on my storyboards and getting them finished before half term so I can begin filming. I have hired out a camera, tripod and sound-kit from college.

My plan for half term is to go out and film some footage for my short film. I am going to try and get the majority of my filming done so that after half term I can begin with editing.


Half term:Over half term my plan didn’t go as hoped and I wasn’t able to get any filming done as the people I had planned to act in the film had let me down. This set me back and I had to re-think of a plan that meant I would have all my footage in time.

My plan for next week is to begin filming and collecting the footage for my short film. However, in the event of being let down again off the actors, I will re –look at my product research tasks and make improvements.


This week I have begun filming and collecting footage for my short film, I will continue doing this until I feel I have collected enough footage to produce a successful short film.

My plan for next week is to continue filming for my main piece construction.


This week I have continued to film by filming new scenes in different locations and re-filming scenes where the footage wasn’t as professional looking as I had hoped.

My plan for next week is to continue filming for my main piece construction.



This week I have continued to film in and outside of college and I now feel I have collected enough footage to be able to begin editing. Due to limitations in equipment I do feel as though some of the footage I have collected isn’t as professional looking as I had hoped.

My plan for next week is to set up a project in Premiere and import all my footage onto there and begin editing. I will set up my project and one computer and will use this same computer throughout the completion of the project.


This week I have set up my project in Adobe Premiere and have imported all my footage onto it. I have begun editing the shots by cutting down and adjusting the lighting and sound in order to make the final film look as professional as possible.

Next week I will continue to edit my footage in hope of getting my first draft edit onto YouTube.


This week I have finished editing all the footage and have successfully created my first draft edit and have successfully met the deadline. I have distributed the video onto YouTube making it easier for people to view it when evaluating my work.

My plan for over half term is to complete my first draft for my evaluation, by writing a first draft answer for all the four questions.


This week, over half term, I have completed my first draft evaluation, and answered the four questions in relation to my ancillary texts, final product and my learning and development of skills in relation to computer software and hardware.

My plan for next week is to transfer the work I have done on my evaluation onto four different software formats so that I am able to present my work differently.


As I found myself running out of time I wasn’t able to do what I had hoped to do, by presenting my finished evaluation on four different software formats. Because of this, I completed my evaluation on both Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint, in order to meet the evaluation deadline.

As I have now completed all work for my Advanced Portfolio, my plan for next week is to look back over all the work I have completed over the course and make sure I have all the work uploaded onto my blog. If there are any improvements to be made I will use this time to make them.

Mon W/B 15/04/13(Detailed Weekly

This week I have uploaded all work onto my blog and made sure everything is to a good standard.

My plan for next week is to begin revising for Section A and Section B of the upcoming exam.

a2 advanced portfolio_production_diary_template

Entertainment & Humor