SPP3 - Assignment 1 Evaluation

I thought that this assignment was challenging, interesting and useful. Whilst doing the client and the research project it is easy to forget what use all the studying will be once university is finished and I have graduated. This assignment forced me to think about myself as a Multimedia Practitioner, my current position, how I would like to represent myself and how this representation will effect my career prospects.

I found that creating a logo and colour scheme was the most useful exercise and helped me form and identity for myself which I can continue through the course of the final year, use in the exhibition and also use after graduating. I have also realised however that my showreel is a working creation and will always have scope to be expanded on or improved. This is also applicable to my logo, however consistency can prove to be effective especially in the industry.

I would like to continue adding to my showreel as I will collect material from other projects. In addition to this I would like to develop my online portfolio into a hosted website with a personal domain and access to upload videos. I feel that this project can be expanded further by creating business cards with contact details and my web address. This can be seen as a form of easily distributing access to myself and my work as well as portray a professional working practise.

SPP3 - Showreel December 08

This is my final showreel:



I submitted the showreel as a fully authored DVD and also created a label and a case for it. I think that the presentation of the final product has as much of an impression as the product itself as it is the first thing an audience (or an employer) will see. This not only shows a sense of professionalism but also emphasises my brand and logo.

SPP3 - Editing the Showreel

I found compiling and editing the showreel the most difficult part of the assignment. A showreel wholely reflects the artists' work and personality and also sets an impression to whoever sees it. I began with deciding on the sound to accompany and compliment the image montage. It was also difficult to represent my organisational and production management skills. As I already had a brand identity I incorporated the colour scheme and the logo.

I wanted the final showreel to have a professional and creative feel so I used a combination of still frames and videos. This was challenging to edit and ensure the timing was right. I found that establishing a rhythm in time with the music made the videos flow. It is important to keep the viewer engaged but also show enough of a particular video in order to show off skills and style. Therefore I continuously showed friends versions to make sure all the aspects were appropriate and not too long or short.

The beginning and end of the showreel are essential and leave a lasting impression. I felt that my logo and a photo of myself would introduce my personality. The last frame of the showreel had to include contact details. I decided to include my logo again to emphasise the continuity of my brand.

SPP3 - Rationale & Catalogue Text

My rationale included the following sections:

- Introduction
- The Producer's Role
- My Skills
- Routes into employment
- Importance of Brand Identity
- My interests - Women & Children
- Research focus - Representation of women
- Case studies - Mira Nair, Kathleen Kennedy
- Importance of final year exhibition
- Catalogue entry

I inserted the catalogue images into the text and referred to them when appropriate as justifications to why I chose those particular images and how they relate to my current position in the industry and my future career objectives.

Catalogue Text:

"Visualize this thing you want. See it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental
blueprint and begin. Climb high; climb far. Your goal is the sky; your aim is
the star " [Robert Collier & Inscription at Williams College]

Outgoing effective communicator and a lover of people and places around
the world. Key believer in respect, hard work, planning and action.
Experience and skills range in audio-visual production, image manipulation,
administration and researching.

SPP3 - Catalogue Images

As part of the assignment we were required to submit 8 or more images that may be used in the Multimedia Exhibition catalogue. These images would structure how I am trying to portray myself as a Multimedia artist. I decided that I wanted to reflect various skills through projects I have carried out. I also wanted the images to reflect the kind of subjects I am interested in.

I submitted 11 images and compiled them in Photoshop with a common colour and font theme in relation to my brand identity. The final images can be seen on my Online Portfolio at

http://bindnikaria.carbonmade.com/

The online portfolio can be used as a professional tool to advertise myself and my work. Ideally this would be more efficient as a fully hosted website with facilities to upload videos and my showreel. Although this would require personal funds and additional commitment and skills it would be very useful and valuable. I can set this is a target for the next assignment. Furthermore this would be more professional if I had my personal domain, like I do with my blog.

Live Client Shoot 1 - Preparation

Playworks held a re-launch of the Play Action Network (PAN) which was a social event and debate on ‘the state of play today’. PAN exists to bring people interested in play together; providing a forum for debate on current issues affecting children and young people’s freedom to play, highlighting good practice and mobilising action needed to preserve and promote play at a grass roots level. This was an extremely valuable opportunity to capture some footage of the launch presentation of the Street Play project by Alice and Paul and also gather information and research from the variety of people connected to play in Nottingham.

Although I did not intend to begin filming until early February, I decided to shoot the re-launch of PAN as a form of research. Considering many important people were going to be attending it would have been a shame to shoot the event with only research objectives. This forced me to think about the narrative of my documentary and capture particular shots as well as research. This meant I would need to prepare various pre-production documents. To start off with I found this difficult to put into context as I had not planned the rest of the shoots or set the story in stone. Therefore I approached this task by looking at the basics – I considered what foundations would be required for the client project as a whole. Below is a list of the preparation I carried out:

1. Find crew for the shoot – E-mail 2^nd and 3^rd Year students

2. Book equipment

3. Create posters to inform guests of filming

4. Location Release

5. Talent Release

6. Shot List – shots that will be used in documentary

7. Location plan and Recce

8. Shoot day schedule

9. Call sheets for crew

10. Brief client on what will be filmed

11. Brief crew on what is required of them

12. Risk Assessment

13. Buy Tapes

14. Interview questions for particular guests

SPP3 - Creating My Brand

The objectives of this module are based around how this degree can be put into practise after graduating. I see it as a way of forcing you to think of what you will do after university. This particular assignment is about branding yourself and compiling material that can be used as tools to sell yourself. Critical ingredients of a brand include a logo and a colour scheme and in order to design these I first needed to establish what I want this brand to say. What connotational messages do I want my logo and colour scheme to send to my audience - potential employers? I wanted to say the following things:

- Organised
- Creative
- Multimedia
- Management
- Professionalism
- Cultural
- Belief in respect
- Belief in reaching for the sky
- Strong and bold
- Technical - production skills



These were aspects that I wanted to be reflected throughout the assignment - in the showreel and on-line portfolio. Amanpreet Budesha is on the Online Environments pathway and is focusing her final year around Brand Identity. Through consultations with her and experimental designs I established a colour theme and also designed a personalised logo.



I felt that this logo represented me as a person, my values and what I believe in. I think that it also portrays a creative and professional persona that can be carried through my creations as a brand identity.

Live Client - Playworks

My live client is going to be Playworks – is an independent citywide voluntary organisation that exists in order to support and promote children’s right to good quality / freely chosen play opportunities.


Playworks is funded by the National Lottery for various projects and is launching a new ‘Street Play’ project. I will be producing and directing a documentary about the project assistant Alice Sidwell, how she is involved in the project and what she intends to do with it. The final multimedia product will be an authored DVD and will also act as a promotional video for Playworks. I intend to make a character lead authored documentary with a strong stylistic approach.

The research process had begun from the first meeting with Alice and the Project Co-ordinator Paul Booth. They have given me an overview of the project, how it fits into the Play Action Network (a larger project) in Nottingham and what their intentions are in the coming months with regards to Street Play.

Holding Pattern

ISIS Application

ISIS is a programme being offered to Women Film Makers from the Documentary Filmmaker’s Group. I had made an application to this programme which included a proposal for a 5 minute short film on a Human Rights subject.

I had chosen the subject of a child’s right to freely chosen play opportunities as this was an area I had already looked into for my Live Client project. The proposal included outlining a summary of the film, the structure, style and scenes that would be included. Unfortunately I was not successful and was not short listed for an interview. However the application was a big learning curve and improved my application skills as well as my CV.

I had worked on my CV extensively to make it more subject-specific and to show my multimedia skills, experience and qualifications. This was difficult and I did not realise how irrelevant many sections in my CV were. Overall I really enjoyed the application process and I am sure it will help me develop my skills in the SPP3 module.

SPP3 – Assignment 1

Showreel
- Camping
- Boy
- Holding Pattern
- Virtual Water
- India Documentary
- Sketching in the Nature
- Indian Women Installation
- Name
- Logo / Brand
- Producer & Director
- Contact information

Online Portfolio – Website
- Domain (bindni.com / bindnikaria.com)
- Logo / Brand
- About Me (biography, main skills, aspirations)
- Showreel
- My Work (images, stills, installation)
- CV
- Contact Information

Catalogue Entry 75 words
- Who am I
- What do I do?
- What are my main skills
- Goals and aspirations
- Contact information

Rationale 1000 words
- What images I have chosen
- Why I have chosen these images
- How am I a practitioner
- How I position myself in the audio-visual industry

SPP – End of Year Exhibition & Electronic Portfolio

As part of our final year we are given the option to take part in an end of year exhibition. The main purpose of this is to showcase ourselves and our work to professionals in the industry. This will create networking opportunities and also a chance to ‘sell ourselves’ to potential employers.

This links in with the first SPP3 assignment which includes an electronic portfolio and a written catalogue entry that can be published in an exhibition handbook. Considering most of my work is in an audio-visual format a digital Showreel would be the most ideal and appropriate format of an electronic proposal. An online portfolio would also complement this and can be targeted to a wider audience through the World Wide Web.

Although I lack skills in web developing there are many programmes and online avenues through which I can create an online portfolio with minimum programming experience. This has really made me think about how I want to brand myself as a multimedia practitioner and what how I want to represent myself.

PRP – The Conclusion & the Question

Part of the conclusion was to define what I had found out from the process and what I intended to test in the second part of the project – Research Via Practise.

How have successful women multimedia artists managed to enter the industry and what provoked them to avoid or overcome the limitation commonly characterised as ‘the glass ceiling’?

How can women Multimedia artists be encouraged to develop their education into successful carreers?

What are the limiting factors that prevent women from developing their education into practise and succeeding in the workplace? What can be done to encourage women to overcome these limitations?

PRP – Writing the Document

I found that beginning to write the document was very difficult. Although I had looked at a wide variety of sources it was a challenge to place them in a linear and coherent manner. So I decided to make a table or a form of database which I could constantly refer to and also put all the sources in one place and into perspective. The table consisted of the following fields:

1. Area (Multimedia, women, representation, technology?)
2. What is being said in the source (main points)
3. Who said it (author, title, section, page number)
4. How does this relate to my topic
5. Is it ‘for’ or ‘against’ my argument

This process not only gathered all the sources into one document but also gave me a clear idea of what my argument is and what I can use to back it up in the discussion. I began with writing the Literature review followed by the discussion. As I wrote the conclusion the question that will be tested in the second part of the project also became clearer. The Research Method, Introduction and Abstract were straight forward sections.

To improve my project I could have concentrated on time management, as I found that having a draft to constantly work on and revise would have benefited me further. However I spent more time researching rather than actually writing the document. I would have been able to develop the final document if I had allowed myself more time between versions of the drafts to reflect on what I had written. In addition to this I also found that referencing the document as I wrote it would have also saved me time. I learnt how to personalise and use the Refworks software package which proved to be very efficient.

Simulated Client – Presentation and Feedback

The final stage of the simulated client project was to present the multimedia product in your tutorial group. The following are the main points of feedback I received:

- Message not so clear – what virtual water actually is
- Message could have been stressed further by voiceover
- Video quality not so good – could have been improved by lighting
- Sound levels needed to be adjusted
- Voiceover was very effective
- Graphics were good – could have been slightly bigger and bolder
- Concept was really good, the idea made sense
- Good subject choice – something that people don’t really know about
- Could have been improved through better technical skills

I felt the feedback was well justified, and agreed with what my peers and tutor advised. My specialisation within the AV pathway is producing and directing and therefore the final product lacked high quality standards although the concept was really strong. By concentrating on my skills and using other specialised people for the actual production I could drastically improve my future projects. For example someone with camera operation skills and specific sound skills would know the technical aspects better than I would and I could therefore concentrate on directing them towards what I want to achieve.

Overall I thought the concept of Virtual Water was quite strong, however due to my lack of technical skills I was unable to deliver the idea effectively through the advert.

Simulated Client – The Final Multimedia Product

This is the link for the final Multimedia product:

Simulated Client – The Edit

Unfortunately the editing process began with my tape being wound up in the editing machines, resulting in loss of some footage and sound. This really stressed the importance of cleaning tape machines and backing up footage. Luckily I hadn’t lost too much to require a re-shoot.



As the total footage was only 5 minutes I was able to capture it all at once. In addition to this I had decided the sequence of shots in my storyboard, so it was very straight forward to prepare the first edit. I showed this version to various people and received the following feedback:

- slow down the part where food is thrown into dustbin so you can see the product
- Improve graphics
- Add a voiceover to accompany graphics
- Increase the pace of the advert

I recorded the sound separately on an Ediroll which gave clear quality and enhanced the image. During the shoot I had made the error of recording the sound in mono and this not only created further work during the post production but also resulted in clipped audio which decreased its quality. I used Adobe Sound Booth to master the final sound mix.

Although I have used Adobe Premiere before to edit video I found it difficult to get used to the new version CS3. To overcome this I made use of the online tutorials through which I learned about new features only available in CS3 like ‘Time-remapping’. In addition to this the integration with other Adobe software packages was a lot easier through Adobe Bridge. This was especially beneficial for creating the graphics in Illustrator, developing the graphics into a frame in Photoshop and then finally transferring them to Premiere. With CS3 I didn’t have to save the frame or graphics in particular formats to import them into the other software. This could be done directly through the ‘Export to ….’ Feature.

Sheffield International Documentary Festival

On Thursday Atif and I went to Sheffield for the International Documentary Festival. We didn't actually see any screenings but attended the New Comer's Day held by the DFG (Documentary Film Group). I found the whole day an extremely useful and valuable experience. It opened my eyes to the Industry as well many other aspects of filmmaking that I didn't realise. The day included four 90 minute sessions led by industry professionals from the DFG, Current TV, and Channel 4 amongst others.



Session 1: The ABC's (and XYZ's) of Getting into Television

Many things were covered in this session, below are a few of the ones I found really interesting:

• Access - knowing a character, having an amazing story. Relationships with the subject matter can be used as a USP (Unique Selling Point).
• Broadcasters: Channel 4 , BBC, Channel 5 - visit the commissioning sections on their websites for further information.
• Commissioning Editors - the people that give you the money - funding!
• Determination is key - you must keep going!
• Executive Producers are the first point of contact - their job is to help you pitch your idea and make it work. You must have trust between each other.
• Film Festivals are an excellent method to showcase your work - IDFA Amsterdam, HotDocs, South by South West, DocFest Sheffield.
• Knowledge - know what's on TV; be aware of the media on a day-to-day basis.
• Multi-skilling - learn to shoot yourself, have a high standard of aesthetics, and make sure you know about other areas of the filmmaking process.
• Pitching - have titles, pictures and most importantly a STORY. Tell them what they will see i.e. scenes, shots. Pitch to your friends first to test your idea.
• Rejection - is a part of the process, learn to accept and move on.
• Taster Tape - always a good idea when pitching, it shows you have already thought about it and shows what the film might look like as well as your skills as a filmmaker!

Session 2: Who Do You Think You Are?

This session was led by Olly Lambert (Documentary Film Maker), Peter Dale (Commissioning Editor) and Kerry McLeod (DFG).

• A commissioning editor looks for someone who can be their eyes and ears outside the building.
• The ability to hold a conversation or dialogue is key
• You must understand and watch TV and have a critical but positive take on it. This creates a common language which is reassuring.
• You must want to engage with the world - know what's going on
• You must have ideas but want them to be collaborative. You should have the ability to see that you are part of an industry.
• Find your voice and your distinct signature - what kind of films do YOU want to make?
• Smuggling - finding the balance between what you want to do and what the commissioning editor wants you to do

Session 3: Making the Most of the World Outside Broadcast

This session was led by Lisa Salem an independent film maker ('Walk LA With Me'), Danielle DiGiacomo (Head of Documentary Acquisitions at IndiePix), Kerry McLeod (DFG) and Isis Thompson (Student Film Maker). They covered the following points:

• Build an audience
• Use your audience to support your funding
• Outreach and distribution also costs money
• Look at the following artists who created their own funding: Franny Armstrong, Rob Greenwell, Liz Rosenthal, Tracy Rooster.
• Visit following websites:
• http://www.indiepixfilms.com/
• http://www.workbookproject.com/

Session 4: The Current TV Pitch

This session was a 'Mini Meet-Market' where six individuals were given the opportunity to pitch live to a panel of Current TV Executives. The winner received a commission from current TV for their documentary which would be part of their Crime Season in March 2009. I found this session very practically useful as I got to experience how pitches are made, what kind of feedback the panel gave and also how they came to deciding the winner. I found the following points very interesting:

• The pitch should include your idea, structure, style, characters, scenes and access
• Something visual to accompany the pitch is very useful and attractive
• Keep it short, concise, simple and clear
• Ensure you have a STORY!!!
• Know your subject - do the research
• Having unique access is a bonus

Simulated Client: Production - The Shoot

Virtual Water - Film Shoot 05/11/2008

Overall the shoot went really well and we finished ahead of schedule. I picked up the equipment on Tuesday 4th Nov and tested it that evening to make sure everything was working properly. This also gave me a chance to set up the lighting and tripod in advance to save time on the day of the shoot. Whilst testing the lights I found it very difficult to position the lights correctly to achieve a balanced shot.

For the main shoot I used 3-point lighting (image below) that involved a key, fill and back light. At first I attempted to position the key and back lights towards the subject, however after altering them slightly they worked better pointed up at the cieling. Therefore all three lights acted as fill lights, I think this was due to the bright white background behind the dustbin.

The position of the camera didn't change much and there were many scenes that ivolved various shots with the same framing but different props. As I had extra time I also took some different angled shots for choice during post-production, even though I hadn't planned to in my storyboard.

Amanpreet helped me with the sound and the actress Nina Richardson was from MA Fashion. She had also had some experience with lighting for her photography shoots and gave her creative input at some points.

Simulated Project: Risk Assessment

Simulated Project: Call Sheet

A call sheet is a very efficient tool in Video Production and filmmaking. It outlines all the necessary details of the production so that everyone involved knows exactly where to be and when. It not only acts as a schedule for the day/days but also becomes a checklist to ensure that nothing is missed out.

Risk Assessment: What is Required?

What are the steps for carrying out a risk assessment?

Step 1
Identify the hazards

Step 2
Decide who might be harmed and how

Step 3
Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions

Step 4
Record your findings and implement them

Step 5
Review your assessment and update if necessary

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf

Simulated Project: Shoot Schedule

Virtual Water Advert: Shoot Schedule

Bindni Karia 2008 ©

Simulated Project: Floor Plan

Virtual Water Advert: Shoot Floor Plan

Bindni Karia 2008 ©

Research - The Document

I have now decided on a sub-topic for my research project, which outlines the following issues:

• Employability of Women in Multimedia
• Multimedia as an industry
• Contemporary – Women in Multimedia – the representation, under representation, roles and issues
• Education of Multimedia / Technological subjects to Women
• Is it a male dominated industry? Roles for men and women

I have also made a start on the research documentby writing bullet points on what I intend to cover. The document will have the following sections:

Title Page
Contents
Acknowledgements
Abstract
Contents
List of illustrations (or figures)
Chapter 1 Introduction and context
Chapter 2 Research Method
Chapter 3 Survey of literature & works
Chapter 4 Discussion
Chapter 5 Conclusion
References
Bibliography
Appendices

My next objective is to actually write the document and carry out more focused research as required within the field of the topic. I think writing the document will direct me to researching certain aspects of the topic, rather than reading a wide range of materials and then trying to define them into a document.

Client Tutorial - 28/10/08

We had a tutorial today and discussed what we have done so far on our simulated project and what we plan to have achieved by next week. My goals for next week's tutorial are to have the following things:

1. Booked equipment
2. Sorted out crew members
3. A draft edit of the advert with the text
4. Location photographs
5. Floor Plan
6. Shot list
7. Date and time of shoot
8. Live Client Project - draft of agreement

Proposal Presentation Feedback

Below is the feedback I recieved for my Proposal Presentation:

- Strong facts about chosen topic - Virtual Water
- Decision on final shots not clear i.e. exactly what products will be thrown away in the dustbin
- Visual images, audio-visual items or photograpghs would have improved the presentation
- Good delivery of presentation
- Good justifications for decisions
- Client liaison needs to be included in the schedule of works
- Consider cast
- maybe introduce male character
- Clearer direction of location
- Clearer direction on who will be part of the cast and crew

Since the presentation I have been looking for an actress for my advert. Although I have found someone that fits the profile she is not available until the middle of next week, which means I may be delayed on my schedule. However it is still possible to shoot the advert and have a final edit by the end of next week.

Independent Charity Work

I was approached by a friend who is organising a charity Fashion show in Leicester. She required some marketing material to advertise the event. I took this as an opportunity and did a mini client project with her. She gave me a brief with requirements and all the information that needed to be advertised to the target audience. She gave me the following details:

Even Name
Date and time
Location
What the event will include
Contact details
Logos
Colour theme: Cream and Red

From this brief and a few e-mail conversations I decided to produce an A3 poster design, an A6 Flyer and an A6 ticket design. In the beginning I gave her 6 options, 3 of them were according to her colour theme and in three of them I had added another colour to the theme – black. Below are a few of the options I gave her, she decided with design 2.

Design 1

Design 2

Design 3

Design 4

Design 5

Design 6


I developed her chosen idea into three promotional pieces: poster, flyer and ticket. Although the layout, design and theme were exactly the same on all three each one had slight differences to fulfil its purpose, for example, the ticket design had a small box to writ in ticket numbers and also detailed information on the address of the location. The poster and the flyer were very similar, below is the ticket and flyer designs that were sent to the printers.

Through this project I had built a relationship with the client, as this was voluntary I had to fit it in with my other commitments such as a part-time job and university. However my client understood my circumstances and was flexible about how quick I delivered the designs, even though she needed them urgently.

Verbal Proposal - The Presentation

Below is an outline of what I have included in my presentation in my tutorial:

Slide 1: My name, ID, Module, Title and contents of presentation



Slide 2: Introduction, what is my piece of multimedia, my category, concentration

Slide 3: Research, what is virtual reality, facts about water crises and virtual reality

Slide 4: My Idea, plot summary, the message, aims and objectives of advert

Slide 5: Production Plans, advert length, location equipment and props

Slide 6: Gantt Chart Image

Slide 7: References and any questions from group

Simulated Project: The Proposal

The proposal is divided into two sections, the written proposal and the verbal presentation. Below is an outline of what I included in my Written Proposal:

Introduction: What I am going to do, what the Multimedia problem is, the project and client requirements, what is my topic and what research I have done.

Treatment: An outline of my final idea to include plot, message, cast, mise-enscene, resources, etc.

Production Plans: Schedule of works (Gantt Chart - below), sound, lighting, equipment, post-production and editing techniques.

Click on the Image to see a clearer view of the Gantt Chart

Visualisations: A detailed storyboard explaining and showing what the AV will look like and feel like.

References and Bibliography: References that relate to the research and further reading material.

Simulated Project: Advert Concepts

Idea A:
Fact about water usage in the UK followed by a visual montage. First someone brushing their teeth and suddenly the water stops, second someone washing the dishes and once again the water stops coming out of the tap. The same scenario occurs whilst someone is in the shower. The message would be to inform people of the water crises in the future and to turn off their taps.

Evaluation: Easy to shoot, simple and concise however not so unique and effective.

Idea B:
Fact: It takes 3400 litres to produce 1kg of rice
Shot: 1kg bag of rice next to 3400 litres of water
Fact: It takes 40 litres to produce 1 slice of bread
Shot: 1 slice of bread next to 40 litres of water
Fact: It takes 2700 litres to produce 1 cotton t-shirt
Shot: 1 cotton t-shirt next to 2700 litres of water
Etc

Evaluation: Easy to shoot no actor – maybe voice over needed, simple yet message may not be clearly delivered.

Idea C:
A young woman pours a large bucket of water into a dustbin. A fact about the water consumption in England is shown on the screen. The character then throws daily household products in the dustbin one after the other (each shot is accompanied with statistical text on its virtual water). This is to imply how much virtual water each product comprises and how much is wasted when these products are simply thrown away. The advert finishes with a question / statement about how much you as an individual can have an impact on the virtual water consumption of England. This will be followed by a website for further information.

Evaluation: Fairly simple to shoot, message is concise, may require too many props and could become too lengthy for brief but is effective as it could be shocking.

Idea D:
Marks & Spencers style spoof:
‘Its not just 1 slice of bread it is 40 litres of water used to grow the wheat.’ Etc
the same kind of dialogue with various other products followed by a website to visit for more information.

Evaluate: Humorous approach, many other M&S spoofs already on Youtube. Simple to shoot, no actors required only voiceover, however good production qualities difficult to achieve. Also difficult to gain legal access to original music score of M&S!

In the end I decided to develop idea C as I thought it would be the most effective and achievable keeping the brief and the client requirements in mind.

My Ideas - Part 1

Below is a summarisation of my ideas and what my final product is going to be. This brainstorm helped me to put my final ideas into perspective.

Virtual Water - What Is It?

'The way we use the planet's resources makes up our ecological footprint.'

http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/

Through my research I was lead to the following website:

www.waterfoorprint.org

This website clearly explains what virtual water is:

‘…an assessment of the way that food, bio-fuel and cotton production can drive the over-abstraction and pollution of freshwater ecosystems. UK lifestyles are dependent on water from many nations, making British lives inextricably linked with what happens elsewhere.’

The organisation has done extensive research and studies into the consumption of virtual water in the UK. I found this particular aspect within the water crises very interesting as it is an issue that is not publicised as in issue in mainstream media. I therefore decided to make ‘The Government’ my client and ‘The General Public’ my target audience to produce an informative piece of multimedia to create awareness of the growing issue.

My Category: Climate Change

Topic: Water Crisis

Below is some research I did on the water crisis forecasted for the future. Included are some very interesting facts and also some links to websites that I looked at as part of my research on this area:

• More than 2.7 billion people will face severe water shortages by the year 2025 if the world continues consuming water at the same rate, the United Nations has warned

• The UN body says wasted water is costing Europe around $10bn a year

• at least 120 million people living in Europe - one in seven of the population - still do not have access to clean water and sanitation

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/1887451.stm

• Within 25 years, half the world’s population could have trouble finding enough freshwater for drinking and irrigation

• Nevertheless, one in six people still have no regular access to safe drinking water

• The cost of providing safe drinking water and proper sanitation to everyone in the world by 2025 will be US$180 billion a year, two to three times greater than present investments

• On average, individual daily domestic use of freshwater in developed countries is 10 times more than in developing countries. In the UK the average person uses 135 litres of water every day. In the developing world the average person uses 10 litres

• On current trends, over the next 20 years humans will use 40 per cent more water than they do now

• Water problems are more related to mismanagement than scarcity.

http://www.unep.org/wed/2003/keyfacts.htm

• Already one person in five has no access to safe drinking water

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2000/world_water_crisis/default.stm

• As WWF's new report on the UK's water usage explains today, virtual water is the volume of water that is required to produce a particular product. A can of fizzy drink might contain 0.35 litres of water, for instance, yet it also requires around 200 litres to grow and process the sugar that goes into it. A pair of leather shoes may contain no water at all, but it requires 8,000 litres to grow the feed, support the cow and then process its skin before you start wearing the shoes. Add all this virtual water together and you have a water footprint for a person, a business, a community or a country

• a typical British household uses 30 times as much virtual water as the amount it obtains through the taps for washing, cooking or drinking.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/20/water.food

• The UK has become the sixth largest net importer of water in the world

• Average household water use for washing and drinking in the UK is about 150 litres a person daily, but we consume about 30 times as much in "virtual water", used in the production of imported food and textiles;

• Different diets have different water footprints. A meat and dairy-based diet consumes about 5,000 litres of virtual water a day while a vegetarian diet uses about 2,000 litres

Other Reading:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/20/water.food1

http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/UnitedKingdom

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2008/aug/19/water.food?picture=336718164

Simulated Client: Proposal Introduction

After being given the brief I made a brainstorm of what this project is about, the options I have, and what factors will influence the decisions I make with regards to the final Multimedia product. Below is a summarisation of all my ideas, which will hopefully lead me to a more defined idea and proposal.

Click on the Image to see the Mind Map clearly.

Final Year Intro - Client Project

The client project has two parts and we were immediately introduced to the first simulated project brief:

Produce a piece of multimedia that can be used to support a public information campaign. Cover ONE of the following categories.

1) Climate Change
2) Sexual Health
3) Sustainability
4) Healthy Living

At first instance, being on the AV pathway, I imagined and presumed my final product would be an advert. Also the ‘Climate Change’ category appealed to me the most. As a general subject I was interested in the ‘Water Crisis’ predicted for the future.

Final Year Intro - Research Project Ideas

We had an induction into the final year of Multimedia to prepare us after coming back from the Gap Year. Jools explained what the final year will be about, the three modules and what will be expected from us.

As I had moved to Nottingham earlier I made a start on deciding on a research project. We were advised to research something in a field that we would like to enter after graduating from university. Documentary work and Producing are two careers that I am really interested in. On the other hand I was also interested in the development of Inidan Cinema in terms of technology, globalisation and crossover into the west.

I started off reading through various journals and articles through the online catalogue. I found that the areas were really broad and I found it extremely difficult to decide on a research topic. Here are the titles of some of the journals and articles I read:

‘Film Co-operation Agreement Between India & UK Will Increase World Audiences for Indian Cinema – Hindustani Times – 6 December 2005

Bollywood in Britain: Sight & Sound vol.ns8no.8 (August 1998) p.20-2

New Cultural Technologies & the Fading Gliter of Indian Cinema – Quarterly Review of Film & Video V.11 (October 1989) p. 69-78

An Investigation into the Use of Multimedia for Electronic Learning – Dissertations – Thesis MPHIL/2005/OLE

I then did a few brainstorms and mind-maps to see what areas I could research into. Below is a summarisation of the process:

After all the research and reading I decided on my Research Project Topic

'The Representation of Women In Multimedia'

I feel that the "Multimedia" aspect is very broad yet a very fresh and new area that has more scope rather than simply film making. However I think 'film making' will be the particular method I will use for the second part of the project - Research in Practise (Artefacts).

Gap Year Part 2

I started working as a Youth Leader again and doing some temporary jobs along side creating the installation project for the Belgrave Playhouse. I had now decided to save up and travel South America.

The Inca Trail - Dead Woman's Pass - June 2008

In May 2008 I left the UK with a friend and started off the adventure in Ecuador. After that we spent almost three weeks in Peru which included an extremely challenging expedition to Machu Picchu through the famous Inca Trail. We travelled through many countries including Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uraguay, Brazil and Paraguay. I came across many interesting people and different cultures and lifestyles. It was an amazing experience and really improved my organisation skills as sticking to the itinerary was a key factor in the success of the trip.

Documentary - Finding a Story

To make a documentary was a personal aim which I incorporated into the project during my free time. I had taken a Sony MiniDV Camera, a tripod and some blank tapes. Before I left I had a meeting with Deborah and Jools who suggested I should have a story in mind before I begin to shoot, otherwise I will end up with too much footage. This advise proved to be extremely helpful and practical.

I literally spent the first few weeks of the 8 weeks I was there talking to people – researching for my story. By the second week things were really not looking good, I had not shot anything and I thought my aim would not be achievable. However I hadn’t realised that all the talking was collating to form a subject that linked to me, the village and the school. All of a sudden I had a great concept, which started from a conversation with one of the trustees of the school. I discovered that support for village children in terms of further education after primary school was very small or didn’t exist, especially for young girls. This idea developed into an interesting subject matter about the importance of education (English and IT), the restrictions of social and cultural traditions in India that limit further education and the economic growth of the country that influences the educational system.

By the fourth week I had many notes and ideas on what could develop into a documentary. I then started planning shots and interviews. I had expected to start shooting in the 2nd week, however majority of my shots were taken in the last three weeks of my stay in the village.

I came back with a lot of footage, however due to access and working circumstances I was unable to develop the footage and edit it into a documentary straight away.

Belgrave Playhouse - Freelance Client Project

The Belgrave Playhouse is a charity that provides care for children and young people in Leicester. In conjunction with the foundation I was set a broad brief to follow and produce an installation to be placed in their play setting.

My brief was ‘Indian Women’ and stretched through the 3 months I spent in India as a whole (including the volunteer project and travelling North India). Although I was set a brief I had the freedom to develop this into any product, which I decided would be photography based.

I had collected almost 250 photographs that were based around the brief of ‘Indian Women’. The next step was to liaise with my client (the Belgrave Playhouse) to produce the finalised project. I started with filtering the photographs to what I thought were effective images that met the brief exactly. I then took a collection of 30 photographs to a Committee Meeting where I did a presentation on what I did in India, what I had collected and what I intended to do with the material. The Committee in return gave me their feedback which I used to refine the photograph collection further to 12 images.

I placed the images in different orders and kept in contact with the director of the charity on a constant basis as I was also working there at the time. She would give me critical feedback in the various meetings we had, which developed the project further. These client meetings were essential as the communication ensured the client’s needs were met and also gave me ideas on how to improve my work. I learned that working with client is not simple and you can be restricted to their creative ideas instead of implementing only your perspective and opinion.

Below are some of the options that came out of meetings with the Client:

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

As you can see the options are very similar, however the smallest details would make a difference on the impact. For example how much space is left between the images and the order/placement of the image.

After many meetings and discussions as well as various changes to the design we decided on a final product which was then printed on a large canvas. The delivering of the product involved me researching different print companies and to get the best possible price for the print. Below is the final installation which is now placed in the ‘Homework Room’ at the Belgrave Playhouse.

Indian Women - Printed on Canvas 48" x 40"

Bindni Karia 2008 ©