Over the past 13 weeks we have been exploring how to make a documentary that is both poetic and political. When I first heard the term “political documentary” I thought of several Government related topics presented in documentary film. To my relief, I discovered that the term “political” can relate to anything of importance to an individual. Bill Nichols has 6 documentary modes, one being the “poetic mode”. He states that arranging footage in an order can evoke an audience association through tone, rhythm, or spatial juxtaposition. The poetic mode “moves away from the ‘objective’ reality of a given situation or person, to grasp at an “inner truth” that can only be grasped by poetical manipulation”. When both come together political poetry is a creative way to exercise one’s right to freedom of expression.

The first few weeks of the studio focused on delving deeper into the concept of observation and experimental films. Experimental films are designed to reject the accepted conventions of documentary filmmaking. The social or political emphasis in an experimental film is expressed in an abstract way, allowing the viewer to interpret the documentary for themselves as oppose to historical documentary which walks us through events from start to finish. At the beginning of the semester we were shown a variety of experimental documentaries, encouraging us to explore how the compilation of shots is crucial in depicting a certain message. It was important for us to gather an understanding of how to produce documentaries that reflect issues in the world as the rest of the semester involved us collaborating with groups to create complex and multifaceted documentaries.

The first major assignment involved us creating two micro documentaries, one being a brief compilation of found footage sequences; the other shot by us. For our found footage video my group focused on how women are sexualized on screen in Hollywood. We wanted to create a timeline of how the female figure is objectified through film by sourcing clips from 1920’s to present. This would hopefully depict how Hollywood continues to stereotype women on screen, despite the progression of gender equality in real life. We chose to use the song “You Don’t Own Me” as the backing track to enhance the emotion of the video through the strong, female voice. It was important for us to make sure that the music didn’t overpower the collaboration of visuals on screen. Therefore, we added jarring glitches to some of the clips to emphasize the darker, more twisted side of Hollywood. This helped distract the viewer from the sexualized clips, highlighting how audiences can easily be swept up in observing the female figure for visual pleasure rather than opposing the objectification displayed on screen.

Our second video focused on the pressure of body image in our society. Our plan changed several times through trial and error. We wanted to portray the thought process of someone suffering with severe body image issues. Before drawing up a storyboard we researched several videos on YouTube to gain a sound knowledge on factors which may affect body image in our society. We found that 1 in 4 teenagers have serious body image concerns caused by social media. To highlight this, we came up with the concept of following a female who aspires to look the same as A-list models on social media. We including shots of billboards, Instagram posts and advertisements to highlight the “pressure” put on women to look a certain way. I found that working in a group made me more organized and efficient in completing work on time as I didn’t want to let down my peers. Although I was happy with the final result, I learnt that working in a group of five allowed some students to slack off and contribute bare minimal to the project which was irritating.

The final assignment required Sophie, Emma-Eve and myself to produce another micro documentary with three constraints: non-photorealistic, no interviews and deliberately breaking some other identifiable documentary convention. After discussions in class we decided to focus on fighting racial discrimination around the world. We constructed a poem about human equality and planned to record Emma-Eve’s voice whilst having multiple people of different cultures and religions mouthing the words. However, due to lack of time, it was challenging to gather several people in the same spot to film. We ended up delving down a more abstract path and focusing on the idea of nature to express human equality. We used the voice-over narration whilst collaborating several aesthetically pleasing images of coloured flowers, forests and growing plants to highlight that we are all the same no matter where we may come from. This pushed our boundaries and allowed us to produce a short video that wasn’t too cliché.

This studio has taught me several skills when it comes to creating content through these modern media platforms. The studio has enabled me to engage with peers, class activities and online research for each project. I’ve really enjoyed the practical side of placing together real and found footage to make a point. The art of persuasion through film-making is a fascinating area that I hope to explore further outside of University.

It’s bizarre to think that 13 weeks ago I was barely familiar with the technical elements that were required to develop a podcast or web series for a demographic audience. This studio has taught me several skills when it comes to creating content through these modern media platforms. The studio has enabled me to engage with peers, guest speakers, class activities and online research for project brief presentations.

We began the first few weeks of the studio focusing on different genres of podcasts including true crime and everyday life. I had listened to Serial before entering the studio and therefore was eager to explore why it is that humans are fascinated by evil? Serial became the first podcast to reach over 5 million downloads on iTunes, creating wide audience discussions across the the internet. I feel that storytelling plays a key role in the success of Serial as the listener can relate to author, Sarah Koenig. Each episode is cleverly crafted to focus on a new character, introducing another possible suspect to the case. Whatever the truth is, somebody’s lying which is what makes the podcast so captivating, it always leaves the listener wanting more. True crime has definitely been a key attraction for me amongst podcasts this semester!

Another aspect which I have enjoyed is listening to a different duo present a particular web series or podcasts each week, opening the classroom up for discussion. Jack and I were one of the earlier groups to host a class discussion about podcasts for children. We focused on two podcasts, the first being an educational ABC series ‘Short and Curly’ and the second, an entertaining stage production ‘The Thrilling Adventure Hour’. It was interesting to explore how both podcasts were so different despite capturing the same demographic. Short and Curly is targeted towards adults who want their children to be educated as well as entertained. The podcast discusses topical world issues in a basic, humorous way for children to understand. Many School’s play it in class to open intellectual discussion amongst peers after each episode. In contrast, The Thrilling Adventure Hour is a fictional melodramatic performance targeted towards adults and children. This podcast is commonly played aloud on family car trips, appealing to a family-friendly audience. It’s interesting to analyze how most people listen to podcasts, whether it be via smartphones whilst commuting to and from work, or on computer devices at home. This is important to know when creating our own podcasts as It can help to determine the length of each episode. I felt that our presentation to the class kept everyone engaged and led to an informative discussion.

In week four we were asked to create an audio essay between 3 – 5 minutes on a particular aspect of podcasts. The term “aspect” confused me a little as to how broad the topic could be. I quickly was assured that the assignment was flexible, giving us space to focus on anything to do with podcasts. I decided to explore the popular UK podcast, My Dad Wrote a Porno, delving into such aspects including style, character and target audience. Given that this was my first audio essay I wasn’t too pleased with the final result. I felt that I focused on too many aspects that didn’t go in-depth enough whereas if I had spent more time researching one specific topic of interest I could have produced a clearer and more concise essay for the listener to engage with. Unfortunately, I forgot to record 30 seconds of ‘room sound’ to fill in any gaps that were interrupted with unnecessary noise.

The next assignment was to create a group video essay between 3 – 5 minutes focusing on an aspect of web series. I find that I am more organized and efficient when working within a group as there is more pressure for me to complete work on time so I don’t let my peers down. My group decided to analyze the idea of distribution amongst this comedy web series, basing our focus on the popular ABC iView series, Get Krack’n. I was thankful for the previous mixed-media workshop exercises that taught us how to set up a frame, use a camera and experiment with positioning and lighting. We filmed Jack and Sarah as the hosts of our video essay using the techniques we had learnt. The roles were divided up equally amongst the group, ensuring everyone was dealt an even amount of work. I interviewed the producer of Get Krack’n, Sue Evans, who was able to provided me with an insight of working on web series as opposed to television. Despite the fact that I personally find the humour of Get Krack’n weak, I still respect how both female hosts began their concept together at home on YouTube to share their content, proving that television networks aren’t the only media-services sharing talent.

My initial practice pitch for the final assignment changed from creating a parody podcast on how millennials are depicted in the media to focusing on why music evokes a memory or emotion of a specific moment. This concept sparked from having a chat with my Mum in the car when a seventies Fleetwood Mac song began to play on the radio. The next 20 minutes were spent listening to her talk about how every time she heard the song it reminded her of being 21 and having her heart broken by her first boyfriend. This conversation gave me a great insight to the memories that everyday Australians may share with treasured songs. During the semester I spoke with Elizabeth from Triple R about my new idea, LifeSong! She was able to provide me with feedback about aligning with APRA AMCOS to gain rights for me to incorporate music into my podcast. We also discussed how the episodes short be short and sharp, targeted at a commuting audience. To create my 1 – 4-minute teaser I interviewed a family friend on three songs that captured moments over his lifetime. Despite the fact that our conversation ran for 24 minutes, I had the tricky task of editing the audio down to just over 3 minutes. I really enjoyed creating a pitch for my podcast and am considering spending more time developing it after the studio comes to an end.

It’s bizarre to think that thirteen weeks ago I was barely familiar with the term ‘fashion film’ and blinded by the evolving impact it’s having within the film industry. This semester has opened my eyes to the types of ways in which fashion is presented to us in film whether it be through an advertisement, music video or short film – it’s everywhere! Over a period of thirteen weeks I have been forced to step outside of my comfort zone and experiment with collaborating fashion and film with other students.

During the first few weeks of this semester we were given the opportunity to listen to professionals within the industry share an insight into the world of fashion films. In week two Ex-RMIT Student and co-founder of film production studio C-KOL, Jessie Oldfield enlightened us with the duties of her role as a filmmaker within the fashion world. I have to admit that after listening to Jessie delve deep into her experience with filming two widely acknowledged campaigns for Australian fashion label Country Road, I was immediately captivated and eager to learn more about how this industry operated.

Collaborating with Asha and Bliss for majority of this Semester has taught me how to develop my editing skills, improve my time management and contribute online to group discussions. Producing a successful, short film for PB3 reflected how our trio could work well together to create an experimental film. We demonstrated efficiency within the time-frame given by communicating via a Facebook chat to organize when to shoot and edit our short fashion films. Everyone had input in how they wanted the video to look and what impact they wanted it to have on the viewer. Thankfully, there were no disagreements within our group as everyone was willing to participate and produce a solid piece of footage.

Due to the success of PB3 we were eager to apply the similar theme of “Individuality” to the PB4 assignment as we felt fashion plays a pivotal role in expressing one’s identity. Given that our group consisted of strong, passionate women we wanted to incorporate this into our films and focus on shooting empowering women. It has become more apparent through the media that we are seeing females challenge societies expectations by having the confidence to show off their voluptuous curves, funky hairstyles and natural body hair around the streets. This is shown in Lena Dunham’s HBO series Girls where the leading characters express their individual style despite what others may think. Inheriting this idea, we sourced four female models (Elle, Alex, Sophie, Sophia) and interviewed them to discover where they enjoyed spending their personal time and whether it influenced their fashion. Our chosen models were confident young women of the modern age who conveyed a sense of fearlessness in their style.

We divided the location shooting between us to ensure the workload was being divided equally. I was given the task of shooting and editing 20 Seconds of Sophie’s preferred location, Greville Street. There were lots of quirky signs and graffiti walls which enabled me to gather endless amounts of eye-catching footage. Bliss and Asha focused on the other locations which included Footscray Markets, Workshop (Bar) and Fitzroy. The group shot location was filmed in a laneway outside Melbourne Central. Originally we planned to film over a dozen young females walking insinctly down the laneway but as we weren’t able to source this many women within the time-frame, we settled on focusing on our four models. Bliss filmed whilst Asha and I gave direction to the models. Unfortunately, we forgot to click record on some of the shots, however, there was still plenty of footage to work with.

The next step was to film our models in front of the green screen. In order to book the green screen studio, we had to pick a time when each model was free for shooting. This was a trial and error process as we had to rearrange our plans to suit our models. We organised a 20-minute time-frame of shooting per model and asked that each person arrive 5 minutes before they were required. This assignment allowed for my organization skills to improve dramatically as we had to set deadlines each week to progress. Bliss, Asha and I all took turns in filming from the tripod and hand-held camera, enabling us to gain experience in capturing footage from different angles. Throughout the filming I gave direction and made the models feel welcomed by asking questions to find more out about their identity. Out of our four models, two were introverts and two were extraverts on screen. This came as a pleasant surprise for our group as it enabled us to show that both over-confident and under-confident women still find pleasure in expressing their identity through fashion.

The decision to edit the footage together at the end allowed our group to collaborate and make sure that we were all pleased with the final product. Bliss and Asha are quite skilled with editing which was great for me to learn some new skills when working with premiere pro. Bliss took control of outlining the green screen which was a major advantage as she was able to do it overnight. We decided that overlapping each model on screen resulted in a more aesthetically pleasing visual. Our last task was to source a piece of royalty free music to accompany our film. Asha sourced a disco/funk beat which created a modern, cool vibe to the film.

Overall, I am pleased with the outcome of our fashion film. Collaborating with Asha and Bliss this semester has enabled me to learn new skills whilst enjoying my time. We all respected and understood each others ideas, ensuring there was no conflict throughout the journey. If we were given a longer time frame it would have been effective to incorporate more eccentric females to further express our theme of ’empowering women”. However, we were still able to achieve our goal of capturing each female’s identity through their fashion on screen, resulting in a powerful fashion film!

For todays class we booked out the Green Screen Studio and organised for our models to come in for shooting. We had two cameras, one was used for handheld close up shots and the other was positioned on a tripod, capturing the whole frame. This allowed each member of our group to take turns in filming, gathering a range of material. Before meeting we prompted each model to wear an outfit which they felt represented their individual stye.

First Model: Ella

Ella was our first model to be filmed in the green screen studio. She wore all black, dark lipstick, punk t-shirt, capturing a retro style. Our aim was to get Ella moving on screen so we played some music to create an open, carefree space. It seemed that Ella was an introvert and quite camera shy. We tried to make her feel as comfortable as possible by asking questions to take her mind off being filmed.

Second Model: Alice

Alice wore mid-length sequin dress with a plunging neckline. As soon as Alice entered the room she was extremely confident and new how to work with the camera. Alice exemplified bold movements, showing us different positions to exemplify her empowering feminist nature. It was interesting to see how one’s clothing item could represent their inner self.

Third Model: Sophie

Our third model Sophie was dressed in jeans, boots, a grey fur jacket and sunglasses. Sophie’s style wasn’t as alternative to the other models as it leant towards the social norm. Sophie was shy and lacked movement towards the camera. We focussed on her introvert personality to highlight the difference between the extravert models. This would enable us to point out that both over-confident and under-confident women use fashion to reflect their identity.

Fourth Model: Sophia

Sophie wore a velvet pink playsuit which reflected her bold personality. Given that she was a dancer, we couldn’t take our eyes of the way she moved. Sophie didn’t need any direction, she was able to perform in front of the camera which was great to watch!

Each of our models had different body shapes, styles and identities so the collaboration worked really well! The filming ran so smoothly that we were done within an hour!

In week nine our group began filming specific locations to be used in our fashion films. We divided up the shooting as it was difficult to organise a time when each member of the group and the models were available. Whilst Asha spent a morning at Footscray markets filming Anna’s (model) location, I focussed on capturing Greville Street through the lens to reflect Sophie’s (model) place of leisure. I’m quite under confident with using a video camera, therefore relying on myself to film the streets from different angles was a great learning experience. Greville Street is a funky little strip filled with a range of trendy shops, bars, salons, and a recently renovated park placed in the middle. I filmed areas including graffitied walls and vintage shopfronts to depict the quirkiness which appealed to Sophie. The idea of filming locations where our models spend time at is to enhance their individual profile on screen for the viewer. Sophie lives and works along Greville Street because she enjoys the atmosphere and style to which the location obtains. After filming an hours worth footage I sorted through clips on my laptop, selecting shots which I felt would look great in the background of our experimental film. This hands on experience enabled me to play around with my own footage and present a cut to Bliss and Asha the following week. I pieced together a 30 second clip containing several hand-held shots of Greville Street which could be displayed behind Sophie’s profile in our fashion film. This task has given me more confidence to play around with filming and editing footage and encouraged me to capture more on film in my free time.

This week Asha, Bliss and I spent the afternoon brainstorming how to approach our final fashion film. Although we have requested to work with a fashion student, we are still wanting to explore possible alternatives before delving into that idea. Some of the topics which came up in our discussion were dogs/pets fashion, uni students fashion and focussing on individual profiles. I really liked the first idea as I envisioned us doing a documentary style fashion film and finding humans of Melbourne who dress up their pets. However after re-thinking that idea, it would have been time consuming to source these people within the 12 week period we’ve been given to complete this assignment. We decided to focus on individual profiles and pitch this idea to the class next week

The ideas we came up with were having a group of models dressed over the top walking down the street as a contrast to the everyday wear the public would have on.  As well as displaying each model in all one particular colour and having them stand against an opposite colour backdrop. Despite these possible ideas our group ended up deciding on individual fashion profiles. We want to focus on particular people’s fashion and showcase their individuality. We would like to keep the style of experimental film like our last project but instead of using just one model, use four and intercut the different profiles. Given that we are all females, we would like to keep this theme throughout the film and perhaps focus on empowering women.

I feel that over the six weeks of creating and posting on my educational blog there are several factors I could have improved on and others which I think have worked well. Documenting my media usage over a week allowed me to create a table for each day explaining what, how and why I used the type of online media. This made it clear for me to reflect and compare the patterns which occurred over the days. It was important to make sure that I was blogging every night so I didn’t lose track of the online media used. I was great at organising my time and management to keep up to date with documenting each night. If I was given this task again I would spend more time focussing on the how and why component of my involvement online as I feel that the area could do with more explanation.

After looking at the other analysis blogposts, it’s clear that I have spent the past six weeks contemplating my involvement with online media. I feel that a potential theme to explore is the ways in which I communicate with peers online through social media. It seems that I spend more time socialising online than in person which makes me question if others my age are doing the same. I feel that this could be a strong area to discuss in my essay as it highlights my usage with a range of social media platforms (Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram). Some possible topics to write about in my essay regarding my usage with social media may discuss what technology do most people use to access social media, how many times a day do people check their newsfeed, or does our profile on social media reflect who we are in real life? The topic is broad which makes it interesting to explore.

At first I thought that recoding my media usage would be irritating work which had to be done, however, I began to gain interest after comparing and analysing what is most important/least important to me online. This assignment has taught me several things about myself and my involvement online as a twenty year old girl in the 21st century.