Unit 1: Responding to the Brief

 Unit 1: Responding to the Brief

In response to the brief, my task is to plan and create a drama TV show pitch for BBC3 Studios; its target audience will be between ages 16-21 (most common age rating for BBC Broadcasts) and will be aired from 19:00pm to 04:00am. The BBC3 executives have asked me to plan ideas's for this brand new television drama series and given me this specific age group target audience in order to appeal to more younger audiences and tempt them to watch this on TV. 

Moreover, the production budget will be low for this series however I must ensure that that the programme pitch fits the BBC3's content, this including: ethos, style and target audience. To elaborate, 'ethos' is the persuasive technique that appeals to an audience by highlighting credibility; it's overall aim is to convince the audience that the advertiser or the superior/main character is reliable and ethical. Again, the 'style' recommended by BBC3 will need to fit into its target audience, as this is mostly within the demographic group of teenagers and young adults,  the show will benefit from more relatable content; conventions of this could be 'edgy', 'indie' characters in the target audiences age group and important themes that are relatable to the target audience such as high school, mental health, friendships, relationships, etc. The setting again will need to be suitable for it's audience, this possibly being a high school, a home setting, a party, etc.

To complete this unit I will need to:

• Generate ideas from the client brief
• 'Flesh out' and produce original ideas 
• Create a proposal and client documentation to support the pitch
• Create a formal pitch
• Pitch my idea's to the client 
• Adapt/change my idea's according to questions/feedback and critical criticisms from the client(s) 

I will present my work using a range of medium's for the planning, production and post production stages; this can/will include photographs, audio commentary, and or written notes to evidence my progression and development of the production through it's stages. 

To understand more about my target audience I have researched the most popular TV drama's within this age group of 16-21 year olds, the gender being both male and female as this is not an aspect of the demographic I have decided on yet. 

'Normal People' -- The show was adapted from Sally Rooney's award-winning novel, following a young couple in an emotional Irish Drama. From this I have learnt that this target audience watches narratives based around couples and relationships; this being something I could include within my pitch.

 'My Left Nut' -- The show is based on an award wining play of a young boy coming of age in this comedic, drama on friendship, family and grief. From this show I have found that this similar target audience likes to watch comedic drama that surrounds family and friendships.

'In My Skin' -- This drama follows a young teenagers through their journey of coping with anxiety's, insecurities and mental illness. From researching this show I have found that this target audience has liked watching journeys of their own age group on their journey of coping with mental illness.

Furthermore, other popular shows on BBC3 (some that may not be drama's) include: 'Fleabag', 'Killing Eve', 'Normal People', 'We are who we are', 'Stacey Dooley', 'RuPaul's Drag Race' and more. 

Codes and conventions of drama will include: 

• Mise-en-scene (lighting & colour, costume & makeup, setting and props)
• Editing
• Cinematography 
• Characters
• Narratives
• Music
• Audio
• Iconography
• Drama should exhibit real life situations with realistic characters, setting and stories
• Portray journeys of character development 
• Intense social interactions
• It's purpose is to move the audience emotionally

Main points within a Drama:

• Many drama's include conflict (heart of the drama)
• Conflicts will include inner/outer struggles depicting relationships, difficulty and pain
• The audience can relate to the characters - this will then follow the Halls Theory
• The narrative is structured with climatic events and anti climax to keep the audience emotionally attached and keeps the tension going
• A form of catharsis or realisation at the conclusion of the series 

To make the show relevant and consistent within today's times I could include the current situation of COVID 19 and many of the struggles society faces in this pandemic, this could include the struggles of isolation, quarantining, feeling lonely, relationships with others and more. Again, to make the show appealing it needs to fit within the target audiences likes and preferences within TV, the most popular shows (that may not be on BBC3) are shows such as:

• Riverdale
• Euphoria
• The society
• On My Block
• Baby
• The 100
• 13 Reasons Why
• Looking for Alaska
• Daybreak
• Sex Education
• Trinkets
• The end of the f**ing world
• Atypical 
• Everything Sucks
• Fate: The Winx Saga
• I am not okay with this
• Teen Wolf
• Skins

From this I have learnt that main conventions within these series/programmes are: relationships and their struggles, mental health, friendships, murder, politics, societal problems, sex and love, fantasy, drugs, partying, alcohol, high school, education, etc. However, I have found the main competitor for BBC3 within this genre of TV and target audience is Netflix, a main and conglomerate company that dominates a lot of teen drama as produces it itself or buys other works.

Production Costs:

To ensure the production costs are low I will plan the story to be in a near by and accessible setting/location, low amount of characters, accessible and easily used props, relatable and casual fashion/outfits. I will need to do this as I am currently creating this on a one women team and so the production of the Drama will need to be accessible for one person to produce, pre-produce and create post production as well as this, the equipment that is going to be used is moderate but not high end camera equipment. 

Legal Requirements:

Legal requirements for the production and final product will need to include an approval from 'Ofcom' (The Office of Communications), this office has wide-ranging of powers across the television, radio, telecoms and postal sectors and is the regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day, such as: broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as keeping an eye on TV and radio. To get an approval from 'Ofcom' is to demonstrate that the show and pitch is suitable for its target audience and the content within the series is also suitable. As well as this, I will need a BBC Remit, meaning that, in return for a payment of a license fee that all viewers will need to pay, the BBC and or BBC3 provides it's audience with a service of programmes with wide appeal that also conforms to it's public service remit to 'inform, educate and entertain'. My pitch will then need to conform to this by following it's regulations of informing, educating and entertaining its audience, thus meaning my show needs to inform a certain opinion or theme, educate on a matter or subject and entertain this audience well on conventions aimed towards them.