MDA1400 - Third Class

After critiquing the observation documentaries, we looked at Campaign Films, and started to think about the causes on which we would like to base our own campaign films on in our groups.

the main aspects we had to consider were WHO the audience for our film would be, and WHERE it might be distributed, as each of these would affect the form and style as they'd affect the audience and how we need to reach them

I was paired with Matt, and we decided he would be producer, and I would be director, and we decided that the issue we would raise is Alcohol Awareness, and drinking excessively in students.

We started out by looking at similar ad campaigns and how they reach their audiences.

Our target audience was students aged 18 to 25, who regularly go out drinking as it is the social norm.

Our initial plans were to show the students drinking at a party with friends, and initially showing them as being popular and 'cool' people, then show the shocking reality in which they are drunken messes, being mocked and taken advantage of.

This is similar to an existing alcohol awareness campaign, in which what a girl thinks is happening is shown simultaneously alongside what others are observing.

I am excited to start this project, as I feel that with planning we have gotten off to a good start, so as long as we keep organised we should have no problem making a successful campaign film.

MDA1400 - Brief 02 - Observational Documentary - 'Cig Break'

This is the observational documentary made by Mayang and I.

While we initially set out to observe the social aspects of people on a cigarette break, due to a lack of planning on our behalf, and mistakes during filming, the best footage we had was of a person on their own on a cig break.

While most of the footage, I can safely admit, was quite boring, there was the one moment on here, in which a group of students walk by, one of whom is bragging about his collection of designer shoes.

This random event is really what makes it a natural observational documentary, as it shows that while just observing events different things happened which weren't influenced by us.

The minimal titles and lack of sound editing also adhere to the 'conventions' of observational documentary.

MDA1400 - Second Class

After critiquing the group's variety of responses to the 'Space' brief, we discussed the film form of 'documentary', and looked at the different approaches to documentary, including:

• Poetic
• Expository
• Observational
• Participatory
• Reflexive
• Performative

I found the session interesting, as I honestly hadn't thought much about the different types of documentaries, so it was interesting to see some examples and learn about different types and their main (but not the only) characteristics and themes.

The main type we focused on was the Observational Documentary, and we watched Molly Denevue's 'The Heart of Angel' and Mark Isaac's 'Lift'.

out of these two, I found Lift the most entertaining, as while both had relatable character's and were interesting, I really enjoyed the humour in 'Lift' and the huge range of characters.
Also, the fact that it was set in one block of flats with the same people living there, and not a busy London tube station, meant that the same people were seen repeatedly, so you became attached to some of the characters, as you would in a narrative film almost.

This weeks brief is to make a short observational documentary.
While I am excited about the opportunity to do this, I feel that as it's a new genre I am working with I may find it difficult to come up with workable ideas, so I will have to start discussing possibilities with my parter for this week, Mayang, as soon as possible.

MDA1400 - Brief 01 - '(no) Space'

No Space from Adam Amini on Vimeo.

This our (mine and Chris Salisbury's) response to the first brief for MDA1400 - to create a 2 minute video with the theme of 'space'.

while we were initially thinking of ideas to do with 'outer space', in the end we decided to take 'space' to mean 'personal space' or when a person feels they have no space in their lives, emotionally, not physically.

as director, I really enjoyed pitching the creative aspects of our idea to the producer, as I have always enjoyed and been interested in art films, arthouse films and avant garde-style films, yet in my studies I had never had much of a chance to put my interest into practise, so I found the chance to exercise creative control with a high standard of equipment very fun and interesting.

I also edited the piece so it was also the first piece of work I had created in which I feel I left a creative mark, and even though there are technical faults and issues, it is probably the piece so far I am most proud to have worked on.