Pitch

My documentary

The Secrets Of A Serial Killer

Problems I may encounter

Logistics

Information from recces/location scouting sheet

The problems I may face is if I am not allowed to film At Bedford prison because that is the most local and convenient prison I am near. Although, I can research other prisons reasonably close to me that allow filming. Also, another problem is if it gets too dark while filming at my house or at the prison as it will prolong filming schedule. The cast may not be available other times, I will resolve this problem by preparing in advance, I will ask the cast beforehand what times and days they are free and if they can do overtime in case the shooting goes over scheduled time. In advance, I will ask the prison (if permission is needed) whether I can film multiple times for unlimited/limited time in case filming goes over.

I am not sure yet but I may be filming a bit in the school canteen so I may have to ask the staff what days are free after school.

For the interview shots I will be filming at my house for 2 hours in 2 sessions. It should take around 4 hours in total to film the interview shots. For the location shot, I was going to be filming at around 4.30 but I think it will be too dark so, I am going to film midday.

Requirements of lighting- For filming at my house, I want the lighting to be natural so I will use the light from the windows but it if gets too dark I have spotlight lamps I can use. When filming at HM Prison Bedford, I want natural lighting and want it to be quite dark and dingy to match the tense and gloomy atmosphere.

Clearance for shooting- I don't need any permission for the interview part as it will be filmed at my house but for filming at HM Prison Bedford I have sent a letter asking for permission to film there, explaining my coursework and why I want to film there. I may film at a old building that looks like a prison nearby me that doesn't need permission, this is perfect for my documentary because it is big and scenic for location shots.

Insert sheets here.

Equipment- For the location shots, I am going to use a Steadicam for smooth handheld shots and a digital camera. For the interview shots, I am planning to use a digital camera with an attached microphone, tripod and black green screen.

Costumes- the prisoner is going to wear a plain grey jumper, black leggings/jeans and white trainers. The narrator will wear casual clothes- top and jeans.

Props- Stall

Transport- I will get to Bedford prison by car, it is really easy and convenient as it's close to where I live. I don't need any transport for the interview shots as it will be filmed at my house. If I film at the potential other location, I will get there by car and it is only 5-10 mins away from my house.

Who are my target audience? What institutions will your documentary be suitable for? How will you ensure it is appealing to them?

I think my target audience will be both male and female from the ages 16-50+. I think my documentary will appeal to a younger audience because of the gripping storyline which appeals to teenagers who are interested in crime. I think the sharp and snappy cut transitions will appeal to a teenage audience as the flow is consistent so, makes them more interested. Also, I think it will appeal to a older audience because of the factual psychological side of the documentary. The narrator discusses the killers timeline and unstable mental state which led to this violent act. I think the non-diegetic and digetic sound appeals to all ages as it is used to build up dramatic tension.

I think the institution I may use for my production company is ITV because it appeals to a target audience of all ages, genders, races and interests as it works with diverse TV that presents everyday themes and stories that people are drawn to or can relate to. Also, they have produced many factual crime documentaries that are about very controversial topics which is perfect for my documentary.

For my distribution company, I think I would use 20th Century Fox as they are hugely popular and successful working internationally. Also, they have worked with TV and film that include real-life stories and themes that are harsh and upsetting for a mature audience. This is what my documentary is focused around as it presents suffering and distress of how much pain someone can inflict on other people's lives.

Examples: what is my documentary going to be like?

Piers Morgan: Killer Women- I took ideas and inspiration from this documentary as the style is a mixture of talking heads and direct cinema. I think the mix of diverse shots of scenic and interview shots are appealing. I really admired the sound effects of electrical volts and dramatic music building up tension which I may use over the top of the location shots. I think the sharp cut transitions were really appealing as it matched the tense atmosphere. I'm planning to use cut transitions between interview shots so the flow is quick and consistent.

Interview with a serial killer- I decided to use this documentary as one of my main examples as the style is very similar to what I'm planning to do for mine. I think the variety of shots and angles is really appealing as it used for a dramatic tool. It shows close ups of the prisoner the long and ariel shots of locations which makes it highly interesting to watch for the target audience.

Other examples: Young Kids Hard Times, Lockedup, Missing Johnny, The Case of Jonbenet Ramsey, Amandaknox, Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends.

Marketing

What will happen in my documentary extract?

I am planning to mirror the start and end of the documentary because I am going to start with shots of the location of the prison and a tracking shot of the prisoner walking into the canteen. Then, I am going to show a section of the interview with the prisoner which will be in a talking heads style. I will gradually mix location and interview shots as it get more intense. At the end, I will use a panning shot to pan up and down the prisoner which will cut to a mise en scene shot of the prison.

I think I am going to advertise on a large scale on major social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram by making accounts and digital posters. A large proportion of my target audience will use these apps regulary so, this way more people will see and promote if it appeals to them. I will make a main website to dedicate all information, synopsis of the storyline etc... so there is a source where people can read into depth about the documentary. As well as digitally I want to advertise by billboards and magazines as this will cater for the older mature audience who may not use social media.

Pitch: My idea

My documentary is in a talking heads and direct cinema style as it is going to be a interview with a prisoner who has randomly killed 11 strangers on a random killing spree. The documentary is in a interview, factual and crime genre. The talking heads scenes will be the interview shots and the direct cinema will be shots of the mise en scene and locations. The interviewers aim is to get the prisoners true perspective of the story and to get a real insight in the killers mind.

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