Thumbnail Research + Development

Final Documentary + Thumbnail

 Here are the final submission and thumbnail for my documentary project.

Self-Reflection:

I've submitted this assignment late and I admit that I'm contributing very less to the group, theres nothing much to say. 

Critical Self Reflection

 Here is the critical self reflection for my documentary project. 

This project centered on politicians and political activists, specifically exploring a failed assassination attempt on a political leader Campbell Newman, the head of the National Party. Documentaries often portray politicians as figures of authority and influence, but this one represented them as victims. By using formal settings and speeches, the documentary emphasized their seriousness and respectability, aligning with its goal to present these leaders as good people unjustly targeted by hate.

The technical aspects of the documentary Lighting, camera work, and editing played a crucial role in shaping this portrayal. Wide and establishing shots showed the politicians in formal environments, symbolizing their power and stature. Additionally, elements like formal attire reinforced their importance and the gravity of the situation. In contrast, the would-be assassin was shown negatively, with framing and editing emphasizing their actions. This approach supported the documentary’s narrative, which sought to cast the politicians as people in need of support.

Stereotypes were used to convey broader social messages effectively. The politicians were depicted in a traditional light as authoritative and serious, while the assassin remained shrouded in mystery. These stereotypes helped simplify the narrative, making it easier for audiences to distinguish between "good" and "bad" characters. Hall’s representation theory suggests that media often relies on fixed stereotypes to quickly communicate complex ideas. By employing these familiar depictions, the documentary reinforced dominant ideas about power, authority, and deviance.

Branding also played a key role in the documentary's identity. For example, the thumbnail a striking image of the politician in a formal setting with a mysterious statue in the background highlighted the tension between authority and danger. This imagery intrigued potential viewers, drawing them into the story.

Dyer’s ideas on branding further explain how audiences interpret media. The thumbnail’s abstract design encouraged viewers to explore the complexities of the political narrative. This aligns with Altman’s genre theory, which argues that successful media blends familiar conventions with unique twists. The documentary did this by including traditional crime documentary elements, such as interviews and live footage, while focusing on a lesser-known political figure rather than someone high-profile like John Howard.

Audience engagement was another important factor, as suggested by the uses and gratifications theory. Viewers often seek media that entertains, informs, and sparks social discussions. This documentary met those needs by delivering a gripping story about political violence while prompting viewers to reflect on its broader implications. Suspenseful sound design and thought-provoking interviews with politicians added depth and kept the audience intrigued.

Sound design, in particular, was essential in building tension. For instance, one scene leading up to the assassination attempt featured heartbeat sounds and tense music to heighten suspense. Research shows that sound is a powerful tool for guiding emotions and shaping the narrative. By gradually increasing the intensity of the music during critical moments, the documentary heightened the emotional impact of the story.

Looking back, I see that a stronger grasp of crime documentary conventions could have improved the project. While many genre staples were included, there were areas where better use of sound and editing could have enhanced the narrative. For instance, incorporating more dynamic camera angles or creative soundscapes might have added more depth to the portrayal of the political figures.

Self - Re

Editing

Here is the development of the editing stage - completed by Giorgio

Behind the Scenes

Here are the behind the scenes of creating our documentary project - completed by Jaden

Title Research & Development

Here is the research and development of possible titles for our project - completed by Giorgio, Carrick, and Jaden

Research

Here is a list of the episodes produced by Four Corners with regard to politics and crime. All of them have a catchy short title that either rhyme or are easy to remember. Their target audience is very similar to ours so that is why we picked Four Corners to base our research off of.

Development

Genre: Crime

Sub-genre: Political Crime

Name Suggestions:

• The Plot
• The Assassin
• Newman's Escape
• Kill Newman
• Bumping Off the New Man
• Attempted Disposal
• Neutralise Newman
• The Newman Plot
• Sitting Duck: The Attempt on Newman
• Newman's Plot
• A National Tragedy: Newman's Edge
• Plotting to Win: Labor's Attempt on Newman
• Goss' Gamble

After having consulted with our teacher and sought valuable feedback from him, we learnt about cultural code. In this context, the cultural code is that people already know who Newman is as he's a leading political figure. Therefore, we don't need to explain Newman's background as our target audience will already know who he is. Titles like "The Plot" and "The Assassin" were too general according to our teacher and others like "Kill Newman" he just straight up said no to. After the discussion, we were able to bring down the choices to just a few:

• Attempted Disposal
• Newman The Idiot
• Neutralise Newman
• The Newman Plot
• Newman's Plot
• Sitting Duck: The Attempt on Newman

From these titles, we discussed how each one of the titles would work. We looked over them one by one and what the plot of the documentary would be if we used each title. Each title has its own uniqueness about it and cannot fit in all circumstances. We discussed how it would either be "The Newman Plot" or "Newman's Plot". The plot around "The Newman Plot" would be about how a crazy lunatic came to want to plot an assassination attempt against Newman whereas "Newman's Plot" would be about Newman staging the even to make it as if he was looking for sympathy points.

We ultimately decided on the more fun option of "Newman's Plot" as it would fit in perfectly with the cultural code and would definitely stand out to an audience of people who would want to click on it as it's a nationally recognised name and a dark scandal that lies beneath the surface.

Self-Reflection:

This helped me stay organized and create a clear plan for filming. My friends agreed to stick to the schedule, which made it much easier to get the project done efficiently. The quicker we handled small tasks like this, the more time we had for the bigger ones, like filming, editing, and discussions. What I found tricky was trying to format the spreadsheet to look neat and readable. I'm used to working with Excel, but for some reason, I decided to use Google Sheets for this. I had to rely on the search function to find the tools I usually use in Excel.

Filming Schedule

 Here is the filming schedule for our project - completed by Carrick

No.	Scene	Date	Location	People	Props	Equipment	Other
1	1 Church (at convention)	31st August 2024 (Subject to Change)	Hillsong Bali Campus	Giorgio - Director and Cameraman	Fake Pistol	Camera Microphone Light	Time to get to location is 1 hour +
				Carrick - Actor and Ast. Director
				Kaka - Actor	Suit and Tie		Traffic is a big issue
				Jaden - Ast. Cameraman
2	2 Interview 1	25th August 2024	Ps. Brian's House	Carrick - Director and Cameraman			Have to adjust around Pastor's work schedules and church schedule
				Ps. Brian - Actor
3	3 Interview 2	25th August 2024	Potter's House Bali	Carrick - Director and Cameraman			Have to work around private arrangements and church schedule
				Jeremiah Tui - Actor
4	4 Interview 3	25th August 2024	Carrick's House	Carrick - Director and Cameraman	Police Uniform
				Ed - Actor
5	B Roll 1	24th August 2024	Lapangan Renon	Giorgio - Director and Cameraman		Camera
6	B Roll 2	26th August 2024	Regents School	Giorgio - Director and Cameraman	Australian Flag

Self-Reflection:

This really helped me stay organized and create a solid plan for filming. My friends also agreed to follow the schedule, which made it easier to complete the project efficiently. The quicker we handle simple tasks like this, the more time we’ll have for the bigger tasks like filming, editing, and discussions. One thing I struggled with was formatting the spreadsheet to look neat and easy to read. I usually use Excel, but for some reason, I decided to use Google Sheets for this task. 

Location Scout and Risk Assessment

Here are a few locations we've looked at as well as the potential risks of these locations - completed by Carrick, Kaka, and Jaden

Hillsong Bali Campus

Jl. Sunset Road No.555

https://g.co/kgs/9cw8NGa

LOCATION ASSESSMENT
Location:	Hillsong Bali Campus
Events in scene:	Main event, interviews
Pros of location:	easy access, safe and secure, air conditioned
Cons of location:	once a week, very far from home
Alternatives:	Living World Mall Jl. Gatot Subroto Timur https://g.co/kgs/8UYqdnb
RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Overhead projector - Earthquakes - Faulty electrical equipment - Exposed electrical wiring
Evaluate risks:	- Projector may fall due to flawed installation - Earthquakes are unpredictable, which may cause the projector screen to fall over - Faulty electrical equipment and exposed electrical wiring may cause fatalities to young children and adults
Control measures:	- Checked and double checked projector instalment - Trained participants on the correct Eathquake drill https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/plan-and-stay-safe/emergencies/earthquake - Blocked off access to faulty electrical equipment ad exposed wiring
Responsibility:	Jaden and Kaka
Time frame:	August 20th 2024
Other notes:	-

Potter's House Bali

Jl. Batur Sari No. 20SB

https://maps.app.goo.gl/sxyvjKaKDtm6MEZG9

LOCATION ASSESSMENT
Location:	Potter's House Bali
Events in scene:	Interviews
Pros of location:	easy access, safe and secure, air conditioned
Cons of location:	once a week, a bit far from home
Alternatives:	GPdI Shoshannim Pering Jl. Segara Willis https://g.co/kgs/jD1HpkT
RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Overhead projector - Earthquakes - Faulty electrical equipment - Exposed electrical wiring - Smashed glass from windows or doors - Stairs being a trip hazard - Slippery floors due to mopping
Evaluate risks:	- Projector may fall due to flawed installation - Earthquakes are unpredictable, which may cause the projector screen to fall over - Faulty electrical equipment and exposed electrical wiring may cause fatalities to young children and adults - Smashed glass will cause cuts and bleeding - Stairs are a trip hazard to vicually impaired people - Slippery floors may cause minor or serious injury
Control measures:	- Checked and double checked projector instalment - Trained participants on the correct Eathquake drill https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/plan-and-stay-safe/emergencies/earthquake - Blocked off access to faulty electrical equipment ad exposed wiring - Ensured floor is dry before participants enter
Responsibility:	Carrick
Time frame:	August 20th 2024
Other notes:	-

Lapangan Renon

Jl. Basuki Rahmat

https://maps.app.goo.gl/c8hRcqo5vCuwdE5r9

LOCATION ASSESSMENT
Location:	Lapangan Renon
Events in scene:	BRolls
Pros of location:	easy access, safe and secure, open air, plenty of space
Cons of location:	lots of other people making unnecessary noises
Alternatives:	Pantai Segara Ayu Jl. Segara Ayu https://maps.app.goo.gl/r8CN1zJt35naohPD6
RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Stabbings - Faulty electrical equipment - Exposed electrical wiring - Lightening strike - Fire hazards - Falling trees
Evaluate risks:	- Stabbings may occur due to open public area - Faulty electrical equipment and exposed electrical wiring may cause fatalities to young children and adults - Lightening strikes may cause serious injury and damage to equipment - Fire hazards may cause serious burns or death - Falling trees may cause serious injury or death
Control measures:	- Requested police presence - Blocked off access to faulty electrical equipment ad exposed wiring - Requested fire brigade be on stand-by - Requested ambulance stand-by - Ensured all equipment comply with the fire safety code https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/safety-education/using-fire-outdoors - Ensured distance from trees - Ensured rain not present
Responsibility:	Kaka
Time frame:	August 20th 2024
Other notes:	-

Regents Secondary School

Jl. Waribang No. 20

https://maps.app.goo.gl/WJSj8Kv4Kkdtv3YGA 

LOCATION ASSESSMENT
Location:	Regents Secondary School
Events in scene:	BRolls
Pros of location:	easy access, safe and secure, open air, plenty of space
Cons of location:	lots of other people making unnecessary noises
Alternatives:	Regents School Bali Jl. Badak Agung https://g.co/kgs/LU3pCys
RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Stabbings - Faulty electrical equipment - Exposed electrical wiring - Lightening strike - Fire hazards - Falling trees
Evaluate risks:	- Stabbings may occur due to open public area - Faulty electrical equipment and exposed electrical wiring may cause fatalities to young children and adults - Lightening strikes may cause serious injury and damage to equipment - Fire hazards may cause serious burns or death - Falling trees may cause serious injury or death
Control measures:	- Requested police presence - Blocked off access to faulty electrical equipment ad exposed wiring - Requested fire brigade be on stand-by - Requested ambulance stand-by - Ensured all equipment comply with the fire safety code https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/safety-education/using-fire-outdoors - Ensured distance from trees - Ensured rain not present
Responsibility:	Kaka
Time frame:	August 20th 2024
Other notes:	-

Brian's House

Jl. Sekuta

https://maps.app.goo.gl/vw4QN59uYryzJbjs7

LOCATION ASSESSMENT
Location:	Brian's House
Events in scene:	Interviews
Pros of location:	easy access, safe and secure
Cons of location:	limited working space, lighting may be insufficient
Alternatives:	Carrick's House Jl. Permata Pering https://maps.app.goo.gl/qMky2i7mLwkuTHPz5
RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Earthquakes - Faulty electrical equipment - Exposed electrical wiring - Smashed glass from windows or doors - Stairs being a trip hazard - Slippery floors due to mopping
Evaluate risks:	- Earthquakes are unpredictable, which may cause the projector screen to fall over - Faulty electrical equipment and exposed electrical wiring may cause fatalities to young children and adults - Smashed glass will cause cuts and bleeding - Stairs are a trip hazard to vicually impaired people - Slippery floors may cause minor or serious injury
Control measures:	- Trained participants on the correct Eathquake drill https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/plan-and-stay-safe/emergencies/earthquake - Blocked off access to faulty electrical equipment ad exposed wiring - Ensured floor is dry before participants enter
Responsibility:	Carrick
Time frame:	August 20th 2024
Other notes:	-

Carrick's House

Jl. Permata Pering

https://maps.app.goo.gl/qMky2i7mLwkuTHPz5

LOCATION ASSESSMENT
Location:	Carrick's House
Events in scene:	Interviews
Pros of location:	easy access, safe and secure
Cons of location:	limited working space, lighting may be insufficient
Alternatives:	Brian's House Jl. Sekuta https://maps.app.goo.gl/vw4QN59uYryzJbjs7
RISK ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards:	- Earthquakes - Faulty electrical equipment - Exposed electrical wiring - Smashed glass from windows or doors - Stairs being a trip hazard - Slippery floors due to mopping
Evaluate risks:	- Earthquakes are unpredictable, which may cause the projector screen to fall over - Faulty electrical equipment and exposed electrical wiring may cause fatalities to young children and adults - Smashed glass will cause cuts and bleeding - Stairs are a trip hazard to vicually impaired people - Slippery floors may cause minor or serious injury
Control measures:	- Trained participants on the correct Eathquake drill https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/plan-and-stay-safe/emergencies/earthquake - Blocked off access to faulty electrical equipment ad exposed wiring - Ensured floor is dry before participants enter
Responsibility:	Carrick
Time frame:	August 20th 2024
Other notes:	-

Self-Reflection:

I found this part of the project was the mosyt exciting for myself since me and my team needs to meet up in a certain location in order to do the shooting. And given that I live quiet far away from our shooting location in Sunset Road, everytime me and my team arranged an appointment for shooting I got super pumped and excited cause I've got the chance to drive using my car to the location which is quiet far away and I love driving.