BC1001 - Reflection on Media Roles

During this Semester we've looked at and had experience of a number of Media Roles.

We've covered Sound Recording & Editing, Research, Producing/Directing, Presenting and have examined all of the Roles involved with making a TV Drama Production.

With all of the Roles (particularly Research) we had to be very aware of the Legal aspects of gathering the information and using it within a context that represents it in a true light. When editing a piece together or Presenting information it is very easy to misrepresent the meaning of the information by rearranging what was said or using it out of context. We also looked at the issues of Copyright and examined the process involved with using Copyrighted Music in a DVD for General Release.

I had an idea about Copyright but was shocked at just how much is involved in ensuring that information is used and represented correctly - and just how much this is undermined by YouTube where basically anything can be put up and shared to a mass audience without much repercussion on Copyright.

Because of my musical background I really enjoyed the Modules on the Physics of Sound and Sound Editing where I got to explore and use my own ideas and experience to create some Projects that I took great pride in making. I've worked with Digital Effects and both Analogue Digital Sound Recording in the past so it was great to use this experience in a new context.

For the Soundscape project I spent time around Campus and my Village recording birdsong, running water, horses and included some Guitar playing which I recorded in the Kitchen ! For the finished project I then explored and used the Digital Effects within Soundtrack Pro to enhance the Tracks and try to create a piece that conveyed a mood.

For the Group Audio project we recorded interviews with a number of my friends in the Tribute Artist Business then basically had a lot of fun adding incidental music stabs and stings to try and keep the interviews interesting. For the "John Lennon" Interview I had to use Original Tracks as Martin couldn't provide any good quality mp3's to use with the piece. The Track used with the "Elton John" Interview was recorded and sung by the subject (Marcus Andrew) and was excellent so I used it to underline the whole Interview. (There was a slight pun in using "I guess that's they call it the Blues" - Marcus is currently not performing due to a broken ankle.....)

These Projects also gave experience of other Roles ;

(non-Technical) Editing - there was a wealth of material that was left out due to it not being interesting, relevant, likely to cause offence - or, if edited and used, it may have changed the context of what was originally said. Also we had to ensure that the edited piece flowed and made sense.
Researching - We had to contact each Artist, ask for agreement to be in the Programme, set up Interview dates & locations and provide advance copies of Questions along with Release Forms for the Interviews and keep all of the information within the Production Portfolio.
Producing - We had to take on Producers Roles to ensure the Programme was made to the Original Treatment, that the Interviews achieved usable material and also to ensue that Production meetings were held to keep everything on track.
Presenting - We Scripted and Presented the Programme (I hope we get more experience of this because we need it !)
Interviewing - I found that Interviewing someone is not just a matter of pointing a Mic at them and asking them to talk - you have to guide them and explain what you're hoping to get from them. Also you need to be prepared to step in with a question or comment if they are wandering off on a Tangent.

All in all I've really enjoyed the first Semester and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into Filming.