Branding: Logo planning/first drafts

Own general research: A failure to regulate?

A Failure to Regulate? The Demands and Dilemmas of Tackling Illegal Content and Behavior on Social Media
'The proliferation and user uptake of social media applications has brought in its wake a growing problem of illegal and harmful interactions and content online. In the UK context, concern has focused in particular upon (a) sexually-oriented content about or directed to children, and (b) content that is racially or religiously hateful, incites violence, and promotes or celebrates terrorist violence. (I will take this into account, and use this to focus my points and ideologies on) Legal innovation has sought to make specific provision for such online offences, and offenders have been subject to prosecution in some widely-publicized cases. Nevertheless, as a whole, the business of regulating (identifying, blocking, removing, and reporting) offending content has been left largely to social media providers themselves. This has been sustained by concerns both practical (the amount of public resource that would be required to police social media) and political (concerns about excessive state surveillance and curtailment of free speech in liberal democracies). However, growing evidence about providers’ unwillingness and/or inability to effectively stem the flow of illegal and harmful content has created a crisis for the existing self-regulatory model. Consequently, we now see a range of proposals that would take a much more coercive and punitive stance toward media platforms, so as to compel them into taking more concerted action. Taking the UK as a primary focus, these proposals are considered, with a view to charting possible future configurations for tackling illegal social media content.'

Own general research: Internet regulation

February, 2020

'The government is to outline new powers for the media regulator Ofcom to police social media.

It is supposed to make the companies protect users from content involving things like violence, terrorism, cyber-bullying and child abuse.

Companies will have to ensure that harmful content is removed quickly and take steps to prevent it appearing in the first place.

They had previously relied largely on self-governance. Sites such as YouTube and Facebook have their own rules about what is unacceptable and the way that users are expected to behave towards one another.'

This is interesting for me, as this sets guidelines for social media sites that I am not going to be touching on in much detail. This regulation applies more to streaming sites such as Youtube and less to the more popular sites, such as Twitter and Instagram, which are the most popular within my demographic. Therefore, this article tells me that not much is being done towards the censorship of the particular sites I will focus on, which is an idea that I can incorporate into my website/documentary.

Own general research: Illegal activities on social media

Illegal or restricted content

Like other media, content placed on the internet may be illegal, infringing or prohibited content under various state or Commonwealth laws. Certain online content may also be classified as 'prohibited' such as: Child pornography. Instructions in Crime, violence or drug use. - These are the main topics that I will be touching on in my doscumentary, as I personally find it incredible how easily these things can be accessed, especially on Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram, which are the top-used social media sites of my target audience.

Twitter, I believe, is the most problematic. I find it too easy to access content that should be restricted, but users have found loopholes and way to get past the rules and regulations. 

Twitter rules/guidelines/policies:

Safety

Violence: You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence. Learn more about our violent threat and glorification of violence policies. 

Terrorism/violent extremism: You may not threaten or promote terrorism or violent extremism. 

Child sexual exploitation: We have zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation on Twitter. 

Abuse/harassment: You may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so. This includes wishing or hoping that someone experiences physical harm. 

Hateful conduct: You may not promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.

Suicide or self-harm: You may not promote or encourage suicide or self-harm. 

Sensitive media, including graphic violence and adult content: You may not post media that is excessively gory or share violent or adult content within live video or in profile or header images. Media depicting sexual violence and/or assault is also not permitted. 

Illegal or certain regulated goods or services: You may not use our service for any unlawful purpose or in furtherance of illegal activities. This includes selling, buying, or facilitating transactions in illegal goods or services, as well as certain types of regulated goods or services. 

Privacy

Private information: You may not publish or post other people's private information (such as home phone number and address) without their express authorization and permission. We also prohibit threatening to expose private information or incentivizing others to do so. 

Non-consensual nudity: You may not post or share intimate photos or videos of someone that were produced or distributed without their consent.

I have, using the information above, conducted a poll on my social media to see how many Twitter users have been subjected to viewing any of the activities listed above. I will share the results when I have put them altogether.

Statement of Intent: Second draft

Website

I have chosen to base my media products on the issue of social media and whether content needs to be, in the modern day, more closely monitored and filtered, therefore reducing the amount of harmful material that audiences are exposed to. I intend to construct a unique and[VC1]  fresh-idea[VC2]  brand, through use of an edgy, distinctive website and a highly realistic, dramatic but short documentary clip. I found it extremely difficult to find suitable websites to use as research, as websites and documentaries rarely accompany each other. However, I overcame this error by looking extensively at BBC websites that accompany documentaries, such as the Stacey Dooley webpage. I intend to use a close-up establishing shot of the interviewer as an establishing shot, archived on the home page, as this appeared to be a common theme throughout the websites I looked at. As you scroll down. the page will be full of links to other ‘media texts’ featuring the same interviewer, all accompanied with thumbnails to entice audience engagement. The interviewer will therefore be represented as someone with an increased cultural competency and someone as they have a widened knowledge on global issues, therefore upkeeping the adventurous representation of the BBC industry. The dramatic element of my website will be furthered through use of visual icons and codes, such as pop-up questionnaires, to give the audience some extra information on the topic and to gain what their opinion is on. This is interesting in terms of Clay Shirky’s End of audience theory, as it could give an insight into whether audiences seize the opportunity to ‘speak back’ to producers.

Video

In my video, I will depict, through a range of camera angles, shots, low and high-key lighting and additional visual codes, a female interviewee who discovers and brings to light issues on social media, adhering to BBC Three’s remit to ‘introduce new talent’; her. In 2017, 95% of UK citizens aged 16-24 used some form of social network. Due to this, I have casted the interviewer as a female, aged around twenty years old, who will fit perfectly within the target demographic, therefore representing the interviewer as approachable and down to the earth, aiding audience engagement. I would like my video to have high levels of authenticity and realism and I will attempt to adhere to Bill Nichols’ participatory documentary theory – which is when the encounter between filmmaker and subject is recorded and the filmmaker actively engages with the situation they are documenting. I would like to depict multiple situations of confrontation between street on-goers and the interviewer, which not only is a common convention of BBC Three documentaries, but involves audience participatory, allowing the interviewer to be seen as any other person and allowing the audience to engage and relate with them more. I will also use visual codes such as drawings/illustrations, accompanied by texts/facts and figures to get across some of the dangers of the internet, to entice the audience to think individually about the social media topic I have chosen. I would like to expose the audience to as much information as possible which’ll make them think – ‘Should social media sites be more monitored?’ but I would still like to execute this in an engaging manner.

How do you intend to link your media products to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the digitally convergent nature of your media production? (approx. 100 words) 

It is extremely important that I utilise convergence and synergy in order to successfully engage and maintain the audience’s interest. To do this, I must create a strong brand identity through use of an interesting three-colour palette of orange, green and grey colour, hidden easter eggs leading to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the main character(s) (an interviewer) in my documentary, and more common codes and conventions that run throughout all platforms, all media texts and is successful in differentiating my brand from other brands. Throughout both media products, I intend to utilise pop-ups which when clicked, will take the audience to an extra tab where they can purchase online merchandise or access exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of out-takes of the interviewer.

Statement of Intent: Original ideas/First draft

I am going to be planning out some of the ideas I have for my statement of intent, referring to my previous blog post in which I laid out some tips to help me write it after looking at the moderator’s report for the previous NEAs.

Things I must remember to include:

·         Digital convergence itself is 10 marks so I should have a clear mention of how I utilised this and how it’s effective

·         Focus on the website as well as the documentary

·         Include the shooting of behind the scenes footage to act as a strengthener of brand identity

·         Mention the use of easter eggs and the effect of this

(This is a draft – I am aware I will have a lot of cleaning/fixing up to do and I may need to add more information/refine some of the information down in order to fit the desired length)

I intend to introduce a fresh, unique brand, through use of an edgy, distinctive website and a highly realistic, dramatic but short documentary clip. It is extremely important that I utilise convergence and synergy in order to successfully engage and ease in the audience. To do this, I must create a strong brand identity through use of an interesting colour palette, hidden easter eggs leading to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the main character(s) in my documentary, and more codes and conventions that run throughout all platforms, all media texts and is successful in differentiating from other brands.

I must be selective when choosing which codes and conventions that my audience are exposed to as I am aiming my documentary/website at a 16-24 year old socially conscious audience. I will engage the audience with a subject that is, stereotypically, a big part of that target audience’s life; social media. The codes and conventions will expose to the audience the extent to which the internet exposes us and other generations to dangers. The documentary, in particular, will adhere to the BBC’s remit to ‘inform and entertain’, where I will depict, through a range of camera angles, camera shots, lighting, mise-en-scène and additional visual codes, a female interviewee who discovers and brings to light issues on social media. However, the website will conform more to BBC Three remit; ‘to introduce new talent’. Whilst the website will have similar conventions of any BBC Three website (i.e. the website will still promote the documentary and other related videos/images/articles), I am going to use the website as a marketing technique to allow the audience to gain more information on the interviewee, with multiple easter eggs, hyperlinks and buttons, thus as a result, introducing the star as a person who the audience can get to know rather than a commodity.

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Planning: First ideas/Shot list

Here is the first brief storyboard of what my documentary will consist of:

This storyboard has been mostly inspired by Stacey Dooley's three minute documentaries. She is frequently in shot and the establishing shot is frequently her, which I've decided to incorporate into my own documentary. Dooley's documentaries also frequently feature the interviewer going onto the streets in order to interview the public and give them a say, which I've also decided to incorporate into mine as I would like the audience to feel like the main 'star' figure is no different to them as the audience may gain gratification from relating to the interviewer in some aspects.

For each clip I film, I would like to get a shot of each:

• Close-up shot
• Medium shot
• Medium-close-up
• Full shot
• Wide shot
• Long shot

I am aiming to get this many shots and perspectives because I do no want to get home and find that I only have one rubbish clip that I cannot use, and will have to go out and shoot all over again. I would like to have plenty of shot types and clips to choose from. 

Generic research: language and digital convergence

Convergence and language from CMacaulay1

Generic Research: Websites Research 2

Website research 2 from CMacaulay1

Generic Research: Websites Reasearch 1

Website analysis 1 from CMacaulay1

Revision of Pitch

My original pitch/ideas:
 

I had an original focus on the app tiktok. Since then, I have become more in touch with my target audience, and I realised early on that tiktok has a much younger average age. I needed to cater more to the specific interests of my target audience. Through research, I discovered that my target audience’s most used social media sites are Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. I have evolved my main focus to be on these apps.

Whilst I have discovered that each member of my focus group have come across some form of crime on social media, there are few crimes that were common within all of them. This gave me an idea to focus on serious crimes which are very easily accessible on these sites.

After reviewing their documentary interests, I learnt that a common interest in my focus group appears to be a sense of danger/thrill. I think that by addressing multiple crimes and showing audiences how easily accessible these are, particularly for younger children, I will be addressing this particular desire and inflict a sense of thrill into my documentary.

I have learnt not to be so narrow-minded a focused on my own particular interests, and to look at wider needs/wants, even if they are not mine in particular. I know that now all of the target audience will enjoy my documentary and website, but I just thought that the new generation in particular are glued to their phones and so I could inform them of unknown dangers and shock them, thus reeling them in.

Audience Research Summation

I asked my target audience the following questions:
1. How often do you watch documentaries?
2. Are you interested in any particular genre when watching documentaries?
3. Do you have a favourite documentary?
4. Do you have any suggestions for where I could shoot some of my own footage?

These were their responses:
Sky
1. I watch documentaries maybe twice a month
2. I like true crime and missing people cases
3. Abducted in plain sight and black fish
4. Find a grimy old pub down the seafront!

James, 17
1. Quite often – I find them really interesting. They are quite intriguing with everything from it relating to real life occurrences
2. Definitely music based because I find the culture of it interesting and appealing to watch
3. Reincarnated
4. N/A

Hazel
1. Occasionally
2. Serial killer documentaries
3. Probably inside the criminal mind
4. Shots of the city/town, teenage bedroom

James, 31
1. Whenever I have any time – about a few times a month
2. Serial killer documentaries, natural disaster documentaries
3. I don’t really have a favourite – I just watch whatever I can find
4. Urban areas – maybe places in London towns

From this, I have gathered that there a wide range of consumption in terms of documentaries – ranging from weeks to months. As a result, I need to make my documentary a unique thrilling edge to catch the audience’s attention and continue to engage them. From my focus group’s range of documentary interests, I think there is running theme of documentaries depicting some kind of danger or mystery. This has given me the idea to touch on multiple crimes that occur through social media and I may even conduct experiments to show the audience just how easy it is to access dangerous content. I am hoping that this will engage the audience as their need for danger/thrill will be satisfied. Most were a bit hesitant when asked about their favourite documentary. From this, I can gather that they are not fussy in terms of which industries from which they consume. Should I fully utilise the use of cross media convergence and create a sense of brand identity, then I think the documentary will be engaging to a wide range of audiences, including my own. I believe that I need to establish a strong linear narrative, considering that serial killer documentaries were the most popular type of documentary in my focus group, which have clear and easy-to-follow narratives. I do not want to overload my audience with too much information all over the place. I want my documentary to be clear, structured and linked. It is a common theme that mature content is consumed heavily. For example, the most common documentary genre was crime/murder. Before, my pitch was originally focused around the app TikTok but I have now revised my pitch to change this. By focusing on social media sites as a whole and including specific apps that are used heavily by my target audience, I will be tending more to the audience’s wants and needs. I will utilise multiple visual and auditory codes in order to create an increased sense of realism, not to offer my audience a sense of escapism, but to offer them important information an educating them so they are more knowledgeable. Gaming was quite a heavy part of my focus group’s leisure activities, so I do not think that offering them a sense of escapism is as important as informing and educating them.

Generic Research Summation