Television Segment – Timmy’s Summer Bites

Timmy’s Summer Bites is a television segment that was devised by myself and a three other RMIT students. As per the course criteria, our group was required to mirror a conventional television program as well as base our show around the theme summer. In doing so, we created ‘Timmy’s Summer Bites’, imaging our chosen host program ‘Coxy’s Big Break‘.

 

Synopsis

Timmy’s Summer Bites is a television segment that captures the public appeal and popularity of food trucks in Melbourne’s inner suburbs, particularly over summer. Featuring ‘Johnny’, the owner of the thriving food van called ‘Dude Food Man’, the show explores the allure of operating a business out of a mobile van. With an up-beat, summer vibe, the show’s host, Timmy, speaks with the locals to find out what is so attractive about food vans in what has become a trendy event amidst Melbourne’s food culture.

 

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Timmy’s Summer Bites

 

 

 

 

Exploratory Documentary – Mosaic: The Series EP1

Mustafa Izzy, Max Conroy and myself have been working on the production of a collection of short exploratory documentaries. Primarily the short pieces profile individuals within the community, focusing on what assists immigrants assimilating to life in Australia, and some of the hardships or potential joys that they might face. As a part of our Film TV 2 specialisation, our committed team formed ‘MKM Productions’ and began the process of sourcing, interviewing, filming and editing our intended documentaries.

 

Within both the course and time constraints, MKM Productions filmed two pieces as well as produced one completed short film. Our team will resume editing of our second documentary, ‘EP2’, and has also made arrangements to film our next short piece in early 2015. Additionally, over the last semester of 2014, MKM Productions kept a dedicated blog that entails some of our research, production processes and exploratory concepts.

 

MKM’s first completed film titled ‘Mosaic: The Series EP1’ profiles an aspiring Melbourne based musician, 18-year-old Angelo from Kukuma, Kenya.

 

Documentary Storytelling – Article Review

Bernard Curran’s article titled ‘Documentary Storytelling for Film and Videomakers’ provides insight as to the considerations of planning of producing a documentary. Curran told how it is important to take a step back and to consider whether the documentary’s story is something that audiences would actually want to view (27). Interestingly, Curran told that a documentary that transports viewers into experiences beyond their own means or presents observations outside of their attainment is more likely to be well received (31). Additionally, Curran spoke of the importance of building relationships and gaining trust with your subjects. This reminded me of the strong and sometimes obscure bonds that the filmmaker, Louis Theroux forms with his subjects – as below.

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‘End of the Line’ AKA the short film in Broken Hill

The student documentary titled End of the Line, also known as ‘the Broken Hill film’ features long-term locals expressing their passion and life-long loyalty for the rural town. In doing this, the film presents some striking views of small town mentality. Particular from an elderly woman who obsessively voiced her desire for death as well as connecting her supposed near death with the town whilst conveying a sense of religious harmony.

I’m unsure if the filmmakers achieved what they originally intended to do. I’d like to think that no documentary filmmakers could presuppose precisely the type of film their going to end up with as it often dependent on the subjects or often things are discovered in the process of making the film. I do perceive that the filmmakers remained in line with their original concept however the subjects and the brutality of the town itself perhaps revealed certain views as well as a sense of reality to the filmmakers.