Queen & Country

Ok, this isn't exactly an outline, but more of a pitch. I will attempt to expand and improve later today but this is a little something for the time being. I'm just being distracted by all this snow :D

Fictional Idea:

A series of comedy programmes that will run over 20 programmes in a series, it will also be in the centre of prime time TV on either Friday at 9pm or Saturday at around 7/8pm, On BBC1. The idea is to have a series of sketches involving 3 – 4 impressionists. The sketches will cover all era’s from when the British Empire ruled the waves to the present day. Impressions will include Gordon Brown, The queen, Trafalgar commanders, old style King’s and Queens, World Wars and with further research more sketches will invite more sketches to be done. The programme will be no longer than 30 mins.

Tuesday - Idea Generation from Newspapers to pitch

Despite missing out on Monday, I really felt I had missed so much. I don't really know how to write a treatment in full. However today was simply to generate an idea for either a Documentary / Drama programme from news.

I looked at a few meterials:

Private Eye: - Political Mockery

• It talked about the ipad, being a bigger version of the iphone and ipod Touch. They went on to advertise Private Eye as the new ipad.
• Illegally Blonde - Idea was to have a Mock-umentary into blondes - looking in depth to Dr. Aaron's research and his way of life.
• [x] Prime Minister Dodge - NI Talks - with the IRAQ Inquiry, MP's expenses, I feel he is running Briton into the ground. The PM takes a break to try and sort out NI's troublesome past - where previous PM's and NI leaders have failed.

Then looked at the Daily Mail:

Ideas:

• Corrupt Police Commander
• [x]Queen - Why am i becoming common?
• Food - Eating proper at the table with family cuts child obesity
• Microwave 'Man Boobs' - How Microwaves can make 'Man Boobs' smaller.

Sun:

• [x] How we are losing our British Identity?

         -Multi Cultured Society

         - More UK jobs going to foreign workers  

         - Cheap foods / take away's

         - SLOB

• Health and Safety going mad!

         - Tesco - go banans at mums in pyjams
                      - Ban on parents carrying children

WHY DO WE NEED GUIDANCE ON EVERYTHING WE DO? OR THEIR IS A LEAFLET FOR EVERYTHING WE DO! (Government we are not stupid - please stop treating us like one!)

In the end I decided  on the ideas about PM's Dodge, The Queen and British Identity. I felt this all linked in with each other.

This is my Pitch:

Three part Documentary running over three weeks, perhaps on channel 4 / BBC 2. With elements of a Mock-umentary / sketches about the issues at hand. This three part doc has been described as controversial. The first Doc is titled "Brit-ish: Are we losing our identity" that came from being an empire that ruled the waves.

The second Doc is titled "Brit-ish: The Queen - Why am I becoming common?". This will explore the Queen's rein and how she has become less involved in our lives over the years.

The final Doc is titled "Brit-ish: Prime Ministers Joke". This will follow Gordon Brown's time in office, (the truth will prevail). This may have have a snowball effect running up to the General Elections and could quite possibly influence the Elections.However, overall I would hope the Doc's will help those that are lost find their British roots again.

MORE EXCITING NEWS:

I received a call from Radio 1's production team for Greg James for me and a group of friends to be the audience for Feet Up Friday. I wish I didn't say could you call me back in a couple of hours. You NEVER say that to the beeb as they obviously stick to deadlines. However i did call back and I pray to god they call me back tomorrow to let me know, if not I'm sure their will be other opportunities.

"The Short"

Firstly I really pleased we are working with some cracking high end cameras, in the past I have worked with Sony Z1's and Z5's. It does however feel good to behind the camera again as I haven't really done much camera work in the past year. 

My partner for this project was Dylan, on our free day we called each other and exchanged ideas and slept on them. On Thursday after our intro to the cameras, we discussed our ideas and came up with "Monies Life". In the titles it had to have the word "Life" in it. We then discussed what scenes we could have and did a little research, (Good old Wikipeidia).

The idea behind "Monies Life" was that money is universal and us humans can't live without it, we depend on money. Life would be so much different if we didn't have money, just imagine the advances we would have if we didn't have to pay for anything, things would progress without having to worry about funding.

I had forgotten how long 3 mins is to fill and I found it difficult to think about ideas to expand the film in time for the deadline, but we managed to get on with it. The titles and credits was easy to do with Powerpoint and just pointing the camera at the computer screen. We did however try a bit of stop motion but I couldn't get my head around how to go about it, (I think a bit more playing around and research will help).

I think the idea was sound, but wished I spent a bit more time to get the finished product the best it could of been. However, with the time being short it went well as it could of.

Idea's for our short film

Our short film has to have the word "life" in the titles. I came up with a couple ideas:

• How we got to the studios, getting our security passes and meeting everyone for the first time. (This would have a slight twist, by showing our inner excitement).
• Using one of the galleries as a control room/space shuttle/ big thing. (highly doubt we would get permission)
• Miming?
• Random people in random places that you wouldn't normally see them.
• Corridor mayhem, which would link in with miming.
• Rushed cooking (cakes) while being distracted by all sorts of things i.e. Cream.

I spoke to Dylan today, he came up with doing something about:

• Body parts
• Receptionist lfie
• Life of a keyboard/mac present to camera.

After watching the news I got inspiration from a report about, not enough money is being budgeted for other areas of medical research with the majority going to cancer research. I thought about Money and came up with the idea of "Monies Life".

You can do so much with money and seem a good idea to to talk about money with a couple of short sketches to make it more interesting. Meeting Dylan tomorrow morning at around 9.30 to discuss the idea further.

First Day

I was surprised to find out the course will be running at the Maidstone Studios. I was impressed with all the facilities and really looking forward working there. We received our first project "Story Telling" - must start thinking about what I have to do. We have also got a short project for this week to make a 3 minute short. I have a few ideas but all will be revealed.