Tag Archives: film&tv

Creative Business, Film

Screentest Festival: Freelance Panel

March 10th & 11th 2017 saw the UK’s national student film festival; Screentest host a weekend of film screenings, panels and workshops at the University of Greenwich Stockwell Street building. For students wanting to get into the film festival circuit Screentest is a valuable event.

During the weekend, Screentest hosted a Freelance panel which involved four young freelancers from various aspects of filmmaking discussing their personal experiences as freelancers in today’s film industry.

Panellists:
Taz Fairbanks (@tazfairbanks) Freelance Location Sound Recordist and Boom Operator
Zak Harney (@zakharney) Freelance Director and Assistant Director
Ciaran Obrien (@ciaranobrien) Freelance Director of Photography
Zoe Alker (@zoealker) Freelance Director and Writer

Top Tips for Being Freelance:
Although the following tips revolve around freelancing in the film and television industries, the advice can be applied to other professions in the creative industries.

  • As a freelancer you need to be a person who isn’t satisfied with a nine-to-five job. The hours will be long and you won’t get typical holidays or a specific amount of working hours a week. You will be flexible, able to work early mornings, late nights and weekends.
  • Don’t be afraid to try your luck when it comes to making contacts and working on a particular project. Make sure you call [a production company etc.] and talk to the person you want to work with. It is better than letting your email get stuck in an unread inbox.
  • It takes sacrifice and determination to be a freelancer but there is a potential to have a very rewarding career.
  • Don’t be afraid to sell yourself as a service. Make sure to tell people what is great about you and specifically say what you can provide if you work for them.
  • Figure out your day rate and stick to it. When you are studying, it is a great time to get work experience and learn technical skills. However once you have graduated and possibly have begun to invest in your own kit, it is time to figure out how much you are worth so you don’t get exploited! If you are using your own kit for a shoot, make sure you are charging for the use of your kit on top of charging for your working hours you will be putting in. Remember that kit would cost a certain amount from a kit hire facility so look into their rates and bare this in mind when working out your day rate.
  • Face to face interaction is very important as busy working professionals don’t get time to look at their emails all of the time, so ensure you make an impression on people when you can. A way to do this could be by supporting fellow filmmakers at industry events or getting involved with local events and projects. If you go out of your way to support people, it won’t go unnoticed. Supporting projects, events and people is a great way of networking too. You are more likely to be remembered if you meet and talk to people rather than emailing or calling.
  • Value your own work. Enjoy what you do and take pride in your work.
  • Don’t let people expect you to work for free. Working for passion projects may be an exception but consider how much time you can allow to give up for free before making commitments.
  • Don’t underestimate yourself. Respect your own technical skills and talent. Use your instinct when making business decisions.
creativity, transmedia

A Transmedial Tale: Beauty and the Beast

“I think the core of it, is confidence in storytelling.”– Chris Sizemore Editor at the BBC [1]

Storytelling is the creative’s greatest tool. Everyone and everything has a story, but it’s the way in which a story is told which gives it the ability to capture our imaginations. A great story can make you laugh or cry. It can bring us together or make us feel alone. The most important stories are the ones we learn at a young age. They teach us right from wrong, and how to behave in this new and exciting world we find ourselves in. Transmedia is a form of multimedia storytelling conceptualised by Henry Jenkins [2]. It is defined by the way creators use technology to expand upon their narratives [3], using ‘multiple delivery channels‘ to create ‘a unified and coordinated entertainment experience [4]’. With storytelling entering a digital age and Disney’s new live adaptation of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ arriving in cinemas soon, it’s important to ask how transmedia could be used to better educate children and adults, why ‘Beauty and the Beast’ would be a perfect vehicle for this and whether Disney should be taking a greater advantage of transmedia storytelling?

Written by French author Madame de Villeneuve in 1740[5], ‘La Belle et la Bête’, tells the tale of a handsome prince who is transformed into a beast, due to his spite and hubris. The curse can only be lifted if, before his 21st birthday, he finds someone who loves him despite his appearance. Constructed through magical realism, the narrative conveys a warning of the danger of preconceptions. The beast becoming the physical manifestation of his own prejudices taught the reader a cautionary tale [6] of the consequences of prejudice towards others. Such moral questions provide the perfect foundation for expansion through transmedia storytelling. The immersion and interactivity of apps, social media and VR, combined with this universal tale could create limitless learning opportunities.

Transmedia Literacy is a programme set up precisely to explore this potential. Funded through Horizon 2020, the programme is headed by Carlos A. Scolari[7], Associate Professor at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra[8]. The author of 15 books on digital media, Carlos wants to explore the possibilities of immersive educational tools. The project aims to bridge the, ‘cultural and technological gap between today’s youth and [the] school system[9]’, which has been caused by advancing technological integration in our lives, as well as to encourage schools to do more to implement, ‘transliteracies’ into the classroom. The programme is a collaboration piece with scholars all over Europe working together to develop a greater understanding of child learning behaviours through technology. The program will redefine classic storytelling blurring the lines between ‘offline and online’.

The Walt Disney Company was built upon the foundation of redefining storytelling, adapting classic fairy tales like Robin Hood and Snow White into new and exciting animated films, with unforgettable musical numbers and vibrant artworks. By using tried and tested analogue devices Disney encouraged ‘participation,’ and, ‘loyalty’ [11] from its audience. These early adaptations, and this era of Disney we will call ‘analogue transmedia[10]’.

The 1991 animated film [12] introduced Beauty and the Beast into the Disney cannon. As an instant success it lead to the Broadway adaptation which ran from 1994 to 2007, becoming Broadway’s 10th longest running show. The new live action adaptation [13] is once again another opportunity for Disney to expand upon this story. The retelling provides a chance to update the original, for instance the casting of Emma Watson, an actress known for challenging traditions and subverting gender roles, is a sign of societal progression.

Disney’s ability to retell classic literature and develop pre-established worlds with care and attention, provides the perfect foundation for expansion through contemporary transmedia. The Beast feels he needs to act like a monster because of his appearance, but it’s only when he realises that Bella loves him despite his looks that the curse is lifted. These are contemporary issues. In an age where the fundamentals of identity can alter within the merits of social-media, it’s easy to become manipulated by social expectations.  With social media’s heavy focus on appearance it’s easy to feel we need to be someone else, someone more successful, someone more loved. Looking at Beauty and the Beast through a transmedial lens would allow Disney to use multiple delivery channels to deliver a story critiquing society’s perceptions of appearance. They are well set up to do this. The Marvel and Star Wars acquisitions should have shown them how to expand a universe to have cross media potential, since these properties were already well established in popular culture. Star Wars before its acquisition in 2012 was regarded as one of the largest transmedial cannons of any franchise [14].

As Disney steps into a new year it would be exciting to see them use these modern transmedia techniques to expand age old stories, deconstructing these messages and applying them within a modern context. Disney has confidence in storytelling, but do they have the confidence to innovate it?

Frederick C Lampen

Links:

For more on Transmedia:

http://blogs.gre.ac.uk/creativeconversations/2015/09/03/the-hyper-connected-audience/

For more on Writing:

http://blogs.gre.ac.uk/creativeconversations/2016/07/25/the-writer-as-collaborator/

 

[1] Smith, S. Transmedia storytelling, BBC Academy (BBC 2017)

[2] Jenkins, H. Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture (Postmillennial Pop). NYU Press (January 21, 2013)

[3] BBC Academy, Transmedia storytelling 101, BBC Academy (BBC 2017)

[4] Jenkins, H. Transmedia Storytelling 101, Confessions of an Aca-Fan, the Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins. March 22, 2007

[5] Madame de Villeneuve’s. The Story of the Beauty and the Beast: The Original Classic French Fairy tale CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; Unabridged edition (27 Oct. 2014)

[6] Dr Tehrani, J. Durham University News, The Department of Anthropology (Durham University, 4th February 2016)

[7] Associate Professor at the Department of Communication at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, in Barcelona  and author of 15 books on digital media

[8] A. Scolari, C. Transliteracy – 645238 / Horizon 2020 – Research and Innovation actions (2017)

[9] Castells, M. The Rise of the Network Society (Oxford, Blackwell, 1996).

[10]  Lee, N. Madej, K. Disney Stories: Getting to Digital. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012 (Page 72)

[11]Beuder, P. People’s Insights Annual Report. (he MSL Group’s Annual Report, 2013)

[12] Woolventon, L. Chapman, B. Beauty and the Beast (1991) (The Walt Disney Company, 1991)

[13] Chbosky, S. Spiliotopoulos, E. Beauty and the Beast (2017) (Walt Disney Pictures, 1991)

[14] Hood, B. Why Disney Blew Up More Than 30 Years of Star Wars Canon (Bloomberg 1th 2015)

 

Cinematography, Film, Past Events

A Dialogue with Billy Williams OBE, Vanessa Whyte 22nd Feb

Cinematography: A dialogue with Billy Williams OBE, BSC
& Vanessa Whyte

22nd Feb 2017

Billy Williams OBE, BSC shooting The Manhattan Project

Billy Williams OBE, BSC is an award winning cinematographer with a distinguished career in film. At just 14 years of age he started out as an apprentice to his father, working on training films for the Ministry of Defence. From there he went on to become an assistant cameraman with British Transport Films, making documentaries and developing his skills until he was given the opportunity to become a cameraman. Billy was 38 when he got his first big break with the feature film Billion Dollar Brain (1967). Since then, he has worked his way to the top of the industry with film credits such as Women in Love (1969), On Golden Pond (1981) and Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971). Notably Billy received an Academy Award for his cinematography on Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi (1982). In 2015 BAFTA paid tribute to his outstanding contribution to cinema. As a major influence in British cinema, it will be an honour to host Billy as he shares his wealth of knowledge in cinematography and the processes of working on film.

In conversation with Billy; we will also be welcoming Vanessa Whyte.

Vanessa was the Director of Photography on the 2016 BAFTA award-winning short film Operator and her drama projects have been screened worldwide, winning awards at Raindance, Vancouver, Berlin, LA Film Festival, Mofilm, IMDB and London Film Festival. She recently appeared on Woman’s Hour discussing women, cinematography and the new UK female cinematography collective illuminatrix.

Both cinematographers will be able to answer questions following their conversation.

This event is organised through the Creative Conversations initiative at the Department of Creative Professions and Digital Arts at the University of Greenwich and features as part of the Film and TV Production UoG programmes.

This is definitely an opportunity not to be missed. Interested academics, practitioners and members of the Creative Conversations network are welcome to attend.

Time & Date: 22nd February 2017, 5:00PM.
A drinks reception will follow the talk.

Venue: Lecture Theatre 004, University of Greenwich, Stockwell Street Building, 10 Stockwell Street, Greenwich SE10 9BD

Tickets for this event are free and can be booked on our Eventbrite page here.

creativity, Past Events, The Future of TV

Gub Neal on Producing & Storytelling

Well known for his work on Cracker, Band of Gold, Prime Suspect, Queer as Folk and current series The Fall, starring Gillian Anderson, Producer Gub Neal shares his in-depth knowledge of the creative process and the business of television drama past, present and future in these video clips from  his Creative Conversation with us in March 2016.

see all clips here

creativity, Past Events, The Future of TV, Uncategorised

The Future of Television with Gub Neal 16th March

gub nealGub Neal is a producer with a wealth of experience in television, known for ground-breaking, award winning and hugely popular shows, such as Cracker, Band of Gold, Prime Suspect, Queer as Folk and current series The Fall, starring Gillian Anderson.

He will be sharing his in-depth knowledge of the creative process and the business of television drama past, present and future.

Gub has worked in a commissioning role within television (Head of Drama, Channel 4 & Controller of Drama at Granada) and also as an independent producer, co-founding the production company Artists Studio in 2009. His career has spanned many developments in production and distribution in the sector: from the opening up of independent production in UK TV in the 90s, through the rise of satellite, cable and pay TV and into today’s digital landscape, catering for global audiences. He will be drawing on his knowledge and experience of television past and present and considering current trends, to lay out his vision of what the future holds.

This talk is organized through the Creative Conversations initiative at the Department of Creative Professions and Digital Arts at the University of Greenwich and features as part of the Film and TV Production UG programmes. Interested academics and members of the Creative Conversations network are also welcome to attend.

Time & Date: 16th March 2016, 5.15PM. A drinks reception will follow the talk.

Venue: University of Greenwich, Stockwell Street Building, 10 Stockwell Street, Greenwich SE10 9BD

 

Research

New Directions in Film and Television Production Studies

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The New Directions in Film and Television Production Studies Conference last week put the focus firmly on collaborations between academics and media industry workers and addressed some of the questions that arise from such research. These include questions about confidentiality and ownership, about who funds the research and whose interests it serves. In a particularly interesting panel about research methodologies, Hanne Bruun examined some of the  issues faced by researchers using qualitative interviews in their research. She raised questions of access and power and also the difficulties involved in researching problems and failures in media industries. Since people are understandably more willing to be interviewed about successes than problems or failures, the range of research that a researcher might carry out using this method is potentially threatened. Eva van Passel discussed some of the challenges involved in a project in Flanders to analyse remuneration for screenwriters, directors and actors, using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. What existing data is useful and how can it best be used to establish such a variable and context dependent measure as what constitutes ‘fair’ remuneration? Van Passel suggested that the best way to proceed might be to start from establishing what is definitely ‘not fair’.

In another panel on Changing Technologies and Practices, discussion centred on the breaking down of boundaries between marketing and core content, focussing on Channel 4 as a case study.

In an industry panel discussion on research, Kate Ogborn of Fly Films said that she would be most interested in  research into what makes an independent production company successful. Laura Marshall of Icon Films agreed.

Final Keynote John Caldwell returned to the themes of concealment and disclosure, official, informal and unauthorised (such as the Sony hack) and their role within production studies research.  He explained how he has examined both the information exposed by the Sony hack and the reaction to the hack, as well as social media presence and other data sources and what they might reveal about the media industries. He pointed out that academia was part of, not separate to, the same corporate culture and neoliberal political economy in which media industries exist and stressed the importance of academic researchers clearly defining their relationship with media industry workers and organisations within any research project.  Are they discussants, investigators, collaborators or co-authors? However he also gave examples of ways that these roles can in fact shift and collapse and highlighted the number of researchers in this area whose personal background and identity straddle the boundaries between academia and production.

Caldwell also elaborated on his concept of para-industries (the ‘subterranean levels’ of media production that go into producing pitches and other development and promotional materials, such as ‘look books’ and ‘pre-script novels’, in order to get a project into production). He pointed out that it was important to recognise what is not being researched and aspects of production that remain invisible. He said he was particular interested in the way that every media production was a link in various chains of individual and organisation brand production and how creative labour on any particular production, rather than being supplied simply in exchange for financial compensation, was therefore often part of complicated deals and exchanges that exceeded the context of that particular production. Caldwell proposed collective creativity and consensus building and opposing forces such as dissensus, downsizing and outsourcing, as fertile areas of research, suggesting that studies of incoherence, as well as coherence, are potentially of great use to media organisations, as well as of interest to academics.