Flying Start: BTEC Creative Digital Media

LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

Welcome to BTEC Creative Digital Media at TRCThank you for showing such a strong interest in studying with us. Your commitment to completing this work will not only get you off to a flying start in BTEC Creative Digital Media, it demonstrates to us that you are a highly motivated student who is able to take responsibility for their learning and take the steps necessary to achieve your goals.

The following activities will enable you to:

Develop an understanding of BTEC Creative Digital Media (if you have not studied it at Level 2).

Identify and consolidate what you already know about Media from wider Level 2 Courses (if you have studied them) such as Film Studies, Media Studies, IT, Art and Design, English or even Languages.

Develop knowledge, understanding and skills related to the BTEC Creative Digital Media course.

We are very much looking forward to meeting you in September and supporting you to develop your psychological literacy and creativity and achieve your best.

Creative Digital Media is a vocational and creative Level 3 BTEC – equivalent to 1 A Level – in which you will combine your ability to write factual copy in a journalistic capacity with your ability to produce page layout and design media products including magazines, newspapers, and leaflets. You will study how to produce factual copy for a range of publications and audiences as well as using your creative skills including photography, image manipulation and desktop publishing to produce a variety of practical digital media products.

You will learn to structure and develop articles to appeal to a variety of audiences in different styles such as soft news, hard news, opinion pieces and interviews. In addition to this you will learn how to analyse how digital media products create meaning for audiences as well as apply this understanding to your own practical work. 

You can follow the TRC Film and Media Department on YouTube and Instagram.

@trcmediaandfilm

TRCMEDIASTUDIES

If you have any questions, or require any support, you can email at: simon.carter@thomroth.ac.uk

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LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

The following plan is meant as a guide to help you structure the activities in this flying start pack between June and August.

However, if you would like to complete this at a different pace and/or spend less or more time on each activity this is entirely your choice.

Week Activity Page

Time Allocatio

nCompleted

?3 Photojournalism and Shot Type Task 12 2 hours4 Photojournalism Article 16 3 hours7 Interview Task 20 2 hours

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LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

Task 3: Photojournalism and Shot Types TaskThe right photographs can have a huge impact on the way a piece of journalism is perceived and interpreted by its audience. It can help a writer solidify the meaning they want the reader to take away from a piece of writing. Roland Barthes called this Anchorage.

ScenarioYou are a freelance photojournalist working for The Guardian. You have been given a stimulus for an upcoming article which you need to collect a series of photographs for to potentially use to support the article that is being written. Your editor wants a selection of photographs so they can choose the one that fits their angle.

The stimulus for the article is:

“The problem with being a young person in the U.K. today is…”You will first need to collect a series of photographs using either your mobile phone or a camera that could be used for the above-mentioned stimulus. The content of the images is up to you, as long as there is a connection between the stimulus provided.

You can collect as many images as you want – the more the better – however you must collect at least one of the following shot types to ensure there is plenty of range; extreme close-up, close-up, medium close-up, medium shot, medium long shot, long shot, extreme long shot, over-the-shoulder shot, point-of-view shot, high angle shot, low angle shot, Dutch tilt, two shot, three shot. Some of the shots can be combined if you want.

Use the guide below to help with your shot types.

Once you have completed the task you need to complete you should either; save your photos to a USB stick or email them to simon.carter@thomroth.ac.uk

Shot Type Image DescriptionExtreme Close-Up

A shot where the image is very tight to the subject often focusing on miniscule or specific parts of the image, for example someone’s eye.

Close-Up A shot that primarily focuses on a person’s face allowing audiences to see their facial expressions and emotions. Close-ups are very common in magazines and newspapers.

Medium Close-Up

A shot which shows a subject’s face and upper part of the body, such as shoulders and torso though still close enough to see facial expressions and emotions. Medium close-ups are very common in magazines and newspapers.

Medium Shot

A shot which shows a subject’s face, upper body and some of the waist too as well as a significant amount of the background of the image. Medium shots are very common in magazines and newspapers.

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LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

Medium Long Shot

A shot which shows a subject’s face, upper body, some of the waist, and part of the legs as well as a significant amount of the background of the image.

Long Shot A shot which shows the subject in full, from head to toe with a significant emphasis on the surroundings too.

Extreme Close Up

Sometimes called an ‘establishing shot’ and is primarily used to establish the certain location/time of the image.

Over-the-shoulder shot

Shot from ‘over-the-shoulder’ or a subject, usually used to emphasize the relationship between the person whose shoulder we are looking over and what they are looking at. Often used to show conversations.

Point-of-view shot

A shot literally from the ‘point-of-view’ of a subject putting the audience in their shoes, so to speak.

High Angle shot

An image shot from a high or in some cases vertical angle over the subject. Often used to make the subject appear inferior and weak as we as audiences are looking down on them, making them appear smaller.

Low Angle shot

An image shot from a low angle underneath a subject. This has the oppose effect as a high angle shot as it creates a sense of dominance and power in the subject as we are being looked down on as audiences. It creates a sense of authority in the subject.

Dutch tilt A Dutch tilt is where the camera is tilted to one side at an askew angle. This is not often seen in print media however when used, it creates a sense of unease and disorientation. It is also referred to as a ‘canted angle’.

Two shot A shot that contains two subjects – usually a medium shot.

Three shot A shot that contains three subjects – usually a medium shot. This is often called a group shot.

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LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

Turn over the page for Task 2…

Identify the shot types used in the following print media products:

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LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

Task 4: Photojournalism ArticleThe Guardian newspaper is holding a competition for junior writers to get a piece of writing published in their newspaper during an event celebrating young talent. This is an opportunity for young writers to have their say on issues that are important to them – a side that can often go unheard in print media.

They would like writers to submit a 500 word Opinion Piece with a focus on the following stimulus; The Problem with Being a Young Person in the U.K. Today is…

The specific focus of the Opinion Piece is completely up to you however it must focus on the stimulus set by the publication and be on an issue considered to be important.

As it is an Opinion Piece you’re encouraged to choose a topic that is of a personal issue to you, however it must be backed up with relevant evidence to support your claims in order to bring

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LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

readers over to your way of thinking. Sources should also be from reliable sources and referenced accordingly.

Your Opinion Piece should:

Include a Headline. Include a Standfirst paragraph that sums up the entire article at the very beginning

of your piece. This will allow audiences to understand your point of view immediately. Focus on a relevant, up-to-date topic. Use reliable sources/evidence to back up your points (for example statistics, quotes,

etc). Ensure the register (writing style) is suitable for The Guardian – higher level of

vocabulary and challenging to the reader. Stick to the issue you’re focusing on – don’t waffle. Make it personal if necessary. Challenge the writer. Rhetorical questions, perhaps? Consider the other side of the argument – but use this to strengthen your own

arguments. Include a killer closing pay-off – this should be done in a way that essentially ends the

argument/debate once and for all.

You should use the images you took for last week’s task in your article too.

The word count for this article is exactly 500 words, though 10 words either side is acceptable.

Task 7: Interview TaskOne of the Units studied in Year 1 is Interview Techniques. The ability to undertake an effective interview is a key skill of journalists including the ability to ask a range of challenging questions.

Types of Questions

Closed Questions (aka the ‘Polar’ question)

Closed, or ‘polar’ questions generally invite a one-word answer, such as ‘yes’ or ‘no’. For example, ‘do you drive?’ or, ‘did you take my pen?’ They could also include answers to factual

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LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

or multiple-choice questions, such as ‘what’s your name’, or ‘would you like tea, coffee, or water?’

They’re popular as icebreaker questions in group situations because they’re easy to answer. Of course, most questions can be opened for further discussion, including closed questions — but more on that later.

Useful for: warming up group discussions, getting a quick answer

Open Questions

Open-ended questions require a little more thought and generally encourage wider discussion and elaboration. They can’t be answered with a simple yes or no response. For example: ‘what do you think of your boss?’ Or ‘why did you choose that car?’

Useful for: critical or creative discussion, finding out more information about a person or subject

Probing Questions

These questions are useful for gaining clarification and encouraging others to tell you more information about a subject. Probing questions are usually a series of questions that dig deeper and provide a fuller picture. For example: ‘when do you need the finished project, and is it ok if I email it to you?’

Useful for: seeing the bigger picture, encouraging a reluctant speaker to tell you more information, and avoiding misunderstandings

Leading Questions

These questions are designed to lead the respondent towards a certain desired positive or negative route.

In the workplace, you might encounter leading questions such as: ‘do you have any issues with the project?’, or ‘did you enjoy working on that project?’ The former subtly prompts the respondent towards a negative response; the latter towards a positive. Asking ‘how did you get on with that project’ will get you a more balanced answer.

Leading questions could also involve an appeal at the end that’s designed to coerce the respondent into agreeing with the speaker. For example, ‘this project is going well, isn’t it?’ encourages the respondent to say ‘yes’. This works particularly well because psychologically, we prefer saying yes over no. So when we’re put on the spot, we’ll usually opt for the former.Useful for: building positive discussions, closing a sale, steering a conversation towards an outcome that serves your interest

A word of warning: It’s important to use leading questions carefully; they can be seen as an unfair way of getting the answer you want.

Loaded Questions

Loaded questions are seemingly straightforward, closed questions — with a twist: they contain an assumption about the respondent. They’re famously used by lawyers and journalists to trick their interviewee into admitting a fundamental truth they would otherwise be unwilling to disclose.

For example, the question: ‘have you stopped stealing pens?’ assumes the respondent stole a pen more than once. Whether she answers yes or no, she will admit to having stolen pens at some point.

Of course, the preferred response would be: ‘I have never stolen a pen in my life’ But it’s not always easy to spot the trap. These questions are quite rightly seen as manipulative.

Useful for: discovering facts about someone who would otherwise be reluctant to offer up the 9

LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

information

Funnel Questions

As with a funnel, these questions begin broadly before narrowing to a specific point — or vice versa.

When meeting someone new, we usually begin with specific, closed questions, such as ‘what’s your name?’ and ‘what do you do?’ – before broadening out into more open-ended questions, such as ‘why did you choose to be a firefighter?’ as you become more comfortable talking to each other.

The reverse — beginning with a broad question before homing in on something specific — is often used when questioning witnesses to gain the maximum amount of information about a person or situation. For example, ‘what do you do for a living? Do you work nights? Did you see a break-in? Was there more than one person?’ And so on.

Funnel questions can also be used to diffuse tension: asking someone to go into detail about their issue distracts them from their anger and gives you the information you need to offer them a solution, which in turn calms them down and makes them think something positive is being done to help them.

Useful for: building relationships, discovering very specific information, diffusing arguments.

Recall and Process Questions

These are a different beast altogether because they don’t really require an answer. They’re simply statements phrased as questions to make the conversation more engaging for the listener, who is drawn into agreeing with you.

For example, ‘isn’t it nice working with such a friendly team?’ is more engaging that ‘this team is friendly’, which doesn’t require any mental participation from the respondent.

Rhetorical questions are often used by coaches or public speakers for effect to get the audience thinking and agreeing. In this way, they’re a not-too-distant cousin of the leading question.

Useful for: persuading people, building engagement.

Task

Imagine yourself a journalist for a magazine or newspaper who has arranged an interview with a well-known celebrity, politician, sports star, etc of your choice on a certain topic.

Using the above question types, come up with 30 questions to ask your subject during your interview. You must ask at least 3 types of each question type.

Subjects don’t often like being drawn into challenging questions straight away. Your questions should start off more light and ‘easier’ to answer before moving on to more challenging, in-depth questions. Keeping things light and easy at first gets the subject comfortable and you’re more likely to get more detailed answers later on down the interview.

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LEVEL 3 NATIONAL EXTENDED CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCTION

Your questions should also stick to the topic you’re discussing.

You should research your subject before you create your questions as a professional journalist would do their research.

Your questions could end on more light-hearted, unrelated questions.

Don’t forget you can follow the TRC Film and Media Department on YouTube and Instagram.

@trcmediaandfilm

TRCMEDIASTUDIES

If you have any questions, or require any support, you can email at: simon.carter@thomroth.ac.uk

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