Polyphasic Sleep Idea

We have decided on the Polyphasic Sleeping patterns causing effect on daily life. We have a number of people lined up to take part in one of these 5 patterns. We can then analyse the effects lack of sleep the different patterns can have on normal everyday life. We should be conducting the experiment and filming over half term, which will be from the 24th-31st October. We can should then have enough time after half term to edit the film and complete the ancillery tasks. We think, if we can film over half term, we will have a good time schedule. We have 3 weeks to fully plan the film through the pre-production stages, and then will have 6 or 7 weeks to edit the film and complete the ancillary tasks. We are yet to have the idea set in concrete and get the ball rolling with pre-production planning, but I think we will do well if we stick to our time-frame.

Coursework Ideas

We have got a rough idea of groups so have been able to brainstorm our ideas. We have come up with a list of possible ideas and ways in which we can achieve them; how good they are for practicality and shots we could use etc. We have decided to do a Short Film, of approximately 5 minutes, which will be a documentary. These are some possible idea's:

1. Polyphasic Sleeping and the impact it has on your body.
2. The Scares of going to University because of the fees. Issues with the number of places available and the number of applicants, and how the numbers are affected by the fees and costs.
3. Takeaway Restaurants and the health and safety issues with food. Or the number of local takeaways and if home-cooking is a thing of the past.
4. The cost of driving lessons and cars amongst students, and why some teenagers learn to drive and others don't.

All of these options are achievable and could make interesting documentaries, but we need to think about how we could make the documentary enjoyable for the viewer, and not boring. We are leaning more towards the Polyphasic Sleep idea, because we can adopt certain sleeping patterns ourselves and see the effects first-hand.

Coursework Outline

We have been given the brief for the A2 coursework last week, and we can choose from 3 options:

1. A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options:

o a website homepage for the band;
o a cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package)
o a magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package).

2. A promotion package for a new soap opera, to include a TV trailer, together with two of the following three options:
o a listings magazine front cover featuring the new soap
o two hyperlinked webpages (with video extract) for the soap’s website
o a poster for the soap

3. A short film in its entirety, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or animated or a combination of both, together with two of the following three options:
o a poster for the film
o a radio trailer for the film
o a film magazine review page featuring the film.

We have to create a media portfolio, comprising a main and ancillary texts, and a presentation of my research, planning and evaluation in electronic formats, via my blog.

We could of chosen from a podcast, a blog, a powerpoint or DVD extras. I chose to do a blog, because this is easily accessible and I have experience from producing my AS Media Portfolio through a blog. We should be using lots of images, audio, video and links to online resources.

I am planning to complete option 3, a short film, and am currently listing some ideas we could do with the option. For example, an animation style film or a documentary.

The groups are not yet definitive, so neither can the ideas be. We are just getting to know the brief and the ancillary tasks that need to be completed. We have to think of the most practical and efficient option we could work to, and think of ways we could create the best outcome.