Teeside University

Marcus Miller Production Diary

Wednesday 24th September:

Teeside University:

On the 24th September I went from Middlesbrough college to Teeside university with the rest of my group of creative media students. The specific building that we walked to was the centurion building where we were expected by 2 teachers of media production in a room on the ground floor.

The teachers had given us a challenge where we were paired in groups of three or four and had to record a 90 second long video to test us on filming without pre-production and without proper film equipment. This was done to test our skills in coming up with film idea's when given one title for the idea.

In these photo's you can see me taking notes on the subject and using them towards coming up with idea's for the group which could help us towards our filming.

I wanted to gain experience in idea's that I could use and increase my skills in the area of filming and storyboards, this way I would be able to contribute more to the groups i would be in the near future and serve a more useful purpose.

I've learned that it is hard to even do a film with the little equipment we have and that I need to manage my time better towards coming up with idea's and following them to the letter so I can use this information for other work.

After a university course I looked up the course I want to take if I get into Teeside University. The course is computer animation and I am working on my current grades to get into this course, this will allow me to work in editing and animation in the media industry which is what I want to do as a career.

Sunderland University:

At Sunderland university, we learned about filming and were asked to get into groups in order to come up with a improvised version of the Jeremy Kyle show.

https://youtu.be/vNKnTtZF6Ig

I was paired with Ethan, Matthew and James Larvin, the group worked well on both sides of the assignment which is creating our show and filming the other groups shows. I was given the role of actor in this and I think I did well with my performance and the rest of the group were by far better in their performances.

On the lines of opportunities I looked on the universities website and I discovered a placement in film and media, a full time course that is full-time and has duration for 3 years. That will provide much time for me to develop filming skills and become a better cinematographer.

What I wanted out of this workshop was to learn how to work in-front of a crowd and operate film equipment to a proper measure, because of the level I was at. With my own filming experience I wasn't the best so this gave me a chance to put everything I had learn't from the start into action. With what I have learned I could possibly sign up for another workshop with the BBC and learn more about camera operating.

Especially if going to this college would give me access to these facilities which we did get to use on the trip there.

BBC Offer:

11th Wednesday 2015

Basically last Thursday a representative from the BBC came in and talked about his own experiences with the BBC's media sector and what he can do for a few students who sign up for the BBC for a weeks and work around BBC in Edinburgh for 4 days. 

Those who would attend would gain work experience and possibly a job with the BBC in the future, such as filming, camera operating and would also have a chance to work with those who make everything on the BBC happen.

What I wanted to gain from this workshop was to learn of what would be in store if I did want to work for the BBC and what I heard was not what I was looking for as I am awaiting a career in graphic novels.

I have looked into this course and I have realized that it is just not what I am looking for. I've been to many universities and I've found several careers to embark upon that do not require me to go into business with companies like the BBC, but The work I aim to do may require some filming experience, so I am still thinking about it.

Teeside University Interview: Wednesday 14th January 2015

I went to Teeside university for an interview during a trip to Teeside university to take a look around, I had received a email recently that allowed me to ask the teacher if I could leave a few minutes before my interview so that I could attend it to talk over my sills with a university teacher and decide whether or not I was prepared for their lessons and the skills I would require to get in. When I walked in I went straight to the center of the college to await my turn for my interview, when it was my turn I talked to the teacher on concept art and digital storytelling and I was told that my skills lack certain aspects for the work required and I needed to think about other things at Teeside university that I could do or other options I had at the university.

I wanted to apply for concept design and digital storytelling so I was a bit crushed when I found out I couldn't do that, So I realized that I would have to find what I was good at and apply more work towards getting into that line of work through the university. What I learn't from this is that I need to be more prepared on interviews, learn to sell myself better when interviewing with a teacher and make it so why they would want me on their course as a student.

The opportunities that are available to me now is that have learned that I am more suited to work in the graphic novels and comics sector, so its a good thing I got an offer from them that is a 3 year and full time,it requires 280 UCAS points that I am now working towards now.

Middlesbrough college Cinefest 1st of May 2015

Cinefest was announced weeks before attendance to all media students in level 2 and 3, in order to view the various films that were  created. The job is to watch these various videos, review them and also be there for the other film makers who took part to witness them receive an award based a quality or skill that they have shown in the films they have either made or took part in. I attended the same time as everyone else and watched all the films and a few that were played during break as well, such as one created by my fellow students, Ethan, Andy and Tom known as Ventriloquism, which I had also taken part in as a voice actor.

Now what I wanted to gain from attending isn't really difficult, I have been filming at this college for 3 years now and I have helped produce some good work in filming, so there are many reasons than just wanting to see this competition. One of them is too see how other people who have been at the college as long as I, have progressed in the ways of making films so I can compare the two and see who's is superior and see whether or not I need to start improving upon my filming technique. Also I wanted to see who if the group I was with in making a puppet movie would win an award.

The impact this experience has had on my own practice is that from the looks of everyone else's films I need to take part in acting more as people liked my voice over scene and found it funny and also I need to try to learn more skills around the ways of editing and adding in additional effects so that when I make another video it can be better than what I have done in the past. The way I will use this information is so I can better my work in filming and intern this will not also just help me get better grades in filming, but will also give me better experience towards getting a job in filming, editing or even as a voice actor. This experience in this workshop has taught me that many people can come to respect film makers and their idea's, so I must better myself through this experience if I hope to work in the creative media industry.

There are many opportunities for me along the lines of filming that can help me along the lines of filming such as signing up for more filming competitions such as with a company I have worked with to make an advert with a group. the company is called Mo film and it works on giving briefs to various groups as part of a competition to make actual adverts for actual advertisement companies.

These can give me experience in working by my self on a project and using the skills I gained in production management and also filming as well, this can be used to give me some credit in solo work if I work hard enough at it and make many videos. The entry requirement are simple to act within the constraints of the assigned brief and to hand in the work upon it's completion, as I have said this can also get employment opportunities as working with many of these brief's can give me prior credits if they are a success and if any of this doesn't work I can sign up for more work experience with the college on filming with other groups.

Multimedia Talk (Teeside University)

Here is the entry for another workshop provided by Middlesbrough College in the multimedia talks from Teeside university, the talk is about trying to get more people invested in the news and other forms of communication of information in media, such as journalism and news reporting. Throughout the talks we learned that we could sign up for various news reporting such as going along with actual news reporters and actually going abroad for global talks as well. After that they asked us questions on hat we thought of the news today, I answered the question and said that the news is best sticking to important issues and not talking about trivial matters or human interest stories.

What I wanted to gain from attending this multimedia talk was to learn more on the subject of the news and multiple forms of journalism from people who have had experience in this field of work and are quite informative when it comes to their stands on what should be on the news and I mean that in a good way as they make a good point. So I learned that I can gain experience if I decide to invest my time in these opportunities that the talks are offering.

The impact this has had on my own practice is that I need to learn what are the correct questions to ask when interviewing anyone in any form of interview, since if I want to work in the media business I will need to learn how to ask questions correctly in case I need to conduct an interview for work purposes or hiring. I will use this information in my next interview so that I may keep all questions asked to a professional standard, this will surely help further my current practice further.

There are also many opportunities that can be offered through this and many other related offers as well. I have researched a previous BBC workshop up above and that offers work into the radio as well, so there are many opportunities in that line of work with the BBC and I can learn to operate equipment and their requirements are simple, such as just signing up for the workshop, Basically I could learn how to news report and ask the correct questions when gathering information.  This could lead to me getting a job in news broadcasting and journalism and would contribute to this workshop as well.