Analysing the Competition

1) High Altitude

High Altitude is a programme derived from the original show Ski Sunday when it was found that although there was a fanbase for the big adventures there was also a call for more racing events to be shown. This split meant that the racing fans could watch Ski Sunday and get to watch the races and results which may have not been on any mainstream sports channel and the people more interested in the large, over the top adventures the prersenters took part in could watch the new prgramme High Altitude.
It was first broadcast on BBC2 on Sunday 1st March but information from BARB found that on the 19:50 showing the next day 1.97 million people watched the programme.
Both this and my idea will centre around winter sports providing information on the topic, also both programmes have at least one presenter, theirs with 2 and mine with a narrator/presenter throughout. Another similarity is that both shows will display both skiing and snowboarding increasing its appeal to a relativly niche audience.
Mine will differ from High Altitude as it will not last as long due to the fact that my project is a documentary where as High Altitude is a magazine show. Also my documentary will focus one one part of skiing, the sefety element of helmets, where as their show has multiple topics and so doesn't always go into enough detail. Another way they differ is that as my presenter and some of my interviewees will be roughly the same age as my target audience it will increase its appeal.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fYPpmrE9r0
http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30

2) Winter Olympics 2010

The last Winter Olympics in Vancouver first aired on a british broadcast on the 12th February at 9:30pm which was a training session for the mens downhill. The final broadcast was the closing ceremony on the 12th on February at 2:00am. There were no defined scheduling hours for this programme as many of the events were on at the same time or took place very early in the morning and so were not shown until later in the day on the BBC.
Both my programme and this one show a variety of winter sport disciplines if in a slightly different way. Also both are quite factual as mine is a documentary and the olympics is a sporting event and so apart from some opinion from commentators/presenters it focuses on objective information like times and scores, again both programmes will have a minimum of one presenter or commentator.
Mine will differ from the olympics as I will only cover the relevant sports like skiing and snowboarding and will not go into more specialise events such as th Skeleton run. I think mine will appeal to a younger audience as some people may find certain events uninteresting  where as my topic directly applies to the younger members of the audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZz5YQr-pg
http://winterolympics.external.bbc.co.uk/event-results-schedules/index.html

3) Winter X Games 2012

The 16th annual Winter X Games started on Thursday 26th January with the Men's Ski Slopestyle at 12:30pm on ESPN, and the final broadcast was on the fourth day of the event with the Men's Snowboard Superpipe Final at 9:45pm on ESPN. As with the olympics the scheduling for this programme was quite vague as it depended on when one event finished which could have been much quicker than planned if one or more competitors fell or did not take part in the event. Also as the event was taking place on the west coast of the US many of the events were only shown on british television very early in the morning. My programme will be similar to this in the fact that they will both show clips of some of the best winter sports men in the world and will also have feature interviews with experts in the field. 
The main way in which mine will differ will be that where as the X Games is a completely score based programming event mine will be more about informing the audience about the specific role of helmet usage when skiing or boarding. I think mine will appeal to much of the same audience as the X Games but with a smaller size as not all people interested in winter sports will be interested in the safety aspect of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8tdz-SII_Q
http://espn.go.com/action/xgames/winter/2012/

Constraints

Possible Vox pops questions:

Do you wear a helmet when skiing?

Do you think it should be mandatory?

(If yes what should the age limit be)

Should this mandatory law be implimented to resorts across the world or more select locations?

Do you think children should have to wear one?


Possible Interview Questions:
(1st interview)
Did you wear a helmet when you started skiing or not?

Have you noticed an increase in the amount of helmets worn on peiste?

Can you explain the accident you had & how your helmet helped you?

What could have happened if you weren't wearing one?

Would you encourage people to wear helmets?

(2nd interview)
Do you think that helmets should be compulsory for children?

What age do you think it should become their choice?

Do you find it difficult with the difference in laws between Europe and the US?

Do you feel better knowing they are protected on peiste?

(3rd interview)
Do you think helmets are a hinderance or helpful?

Can you explain how these helmets work please?

Have you noticed any changes in the technology?

Do you think function will ever lose out to form?

Have you noticed an increase in helmet sales recently?

Is this due to new skiers starting out or experienced skiers feeling the need for a helmet?

Do you think there is enough public knowledge about the importance of helmets?

Final Proposal

My final idea is to produce a documentary covering the issue of ski helmets becoming mandatory in ski resorts around the world and how this impacts different groups of people.

Aims

The Aims of my documentary are to find out whether the people who will be directly effected feel that changes to legisloation are justified and to what point these changes should extend, for example should it just be all skiers and boarders or just those under 18 or even younger? I hope to get the target audiences view on this subject as well as the opinions of experts as well as information backed up by research studies and tests.

Content

I will include interviews with ski proffesionals such as instructors, ski fitters from the retail sector as well as representatives from ski clubs and possibly the British Ski Association. I will use vox-pops of people the same age as the target audience, both skiers & snowboarders, to gain their perspective on the changes. Also I will include some actuality footage for use as cut-away shots and fillers which I have shot myself whilst on a trip to Banff, Canada. The Point Of View shot will help to maintain the audiences attention as it mkaes the audience feel as though they are part of the experience. I will have a voice over throughout the documentary and at certain points the narrater may appear on screen in a presenting role to make it more informal in order to help it relate tothe younger members of the target audience.

Target Audience

My target audience for this project is 16 - 24 year olds, i feel that my topic will suit this demographic well as the issue being discussed is one which will effect people within this age group directly. Also because at the lower to middle stages of this age range the individuals are old enough to begin taking some resposiblity for them selves but are stil restrained by laws in some cases such as with the proposed manditory ski helmet law for all under 18's. Getting their point of view on this through the vox-pops will give my documetnary more appeal as they will be able to relate to the people being interviewed as they are the same age.

Format

I will produce a Documentary in an Expository mode but with an element of Participatory as I want to have a presenter for some sections of the film in order to prevent the voice over becoming to over-bearing or monotonous for the younger section of my target audience. I chose this mode because it is the most recognisable format and so the audience will be able to concentrate on the content and not have to think about the way in which they are being shown this information.

Initial Contact List

Neil: Snow + Rock Ski Salesman
Phone No. 017xx xxxxxx
email: xxxxx.romford@snowandrock.com

Liz Allum: Mother of young skier
Phone No. 0208 xxx xxxx

John: Experienced skier
Phone No. 0208 xxx xxxx
email: xxxxxx67@live.co.uk

Jamie O'sullivan: Trainee ski instructor
Phone No. 078 xxxxxx
email: xxxxxxxsullivan@gmail.com

Ben: Level 1 ski instructor
Phone No. 074 xxxxxxxx

Alsion Redford: Premier of Alberta, Canada 
Phone No. 7804272711

Rick Cook: Level 4 ski instructor
email: xxxxxx@snowproab.com

Lake Louise ski resort office
Phone No. 403 522 3555
email: info@skilouise.com

Mount Norquay ski resort office
Phone No. 403 762 4421
email: admin@banffnorquay.com

Sunshine Village ski resort office
Phone No. 403 762 8421

Lynn Bowers: Calgary Ski Club President
Phone No. 403 282 4122
email: president@calgaryskiclub.org

Tim Carter: Head Instructor at High Wycombe Snow Dome
Email: timcarter@thesnowdome.co.uk

Steve: Owner of Brentwood Dry Slope
Phone No. 01277211994

Secondary Research for my Final Idea

I have chosen to produce my documentary about the dangers of skiing and what measures are being taken to change this, such as changes in legislation in order to enforce the wearing of helmets for all skiers. I will also look at how technology has effected the development of equipment and the sport in general.

1) What changes in the law about wearing helmets when skiing have occured in recent years?

The most recent changes have been the introduction of mandatory helmet laws in countries across the world. These laws involve making it compulsory for skiers under a certain age to wear a helmet whist skiing on any resort in that country or region, the set age differs from country to country although in those which have adopted this law the general feeling seems to be aimed at protecting children the most with the lowest age in western Europe being 14 in Italy. As these are laws in some countries it means that the ski resort gets penalised by the government if skiers are found without helmets in those areas and so the resorts have begun to introduce penalties themselves for skiers found to be breaking the law.

http://www.skiholidayextras.com/ski-equipment/helmet.php

2) Where are these laws concerning skiing implemented?

In most of western Europe these types of rules have already been introduced in countries around the Alps such as Italy and Austria and some states in the U.S such as New Jersey and California but other states such as Colorado are under pressure to implement similar laws aswell, also the province of  Nova Scotia in Canada has set these laws. Some other countries have introduced alternative safety regulations such as a speed limits this has been done for a section of the pieste in the ski resort of Grindelwald, Switzerland.

http://www.skiholidayextras.com/ski-equipment/helmet.php

http://www.ehow.com/list_7240227_ski-helmet-regulations.html
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_15968389

3) Why are these rules being introduced to ski resorts?

These rules are being introduced to ski resorts around the world as studies have shown that wearing a helmet during an incident involving a collision with the head can significantly reduce the amount of damage done to the brain. In order to reduce the amount of injuries requiring professional intervention on the mountain such as blows to the head resulting in loss of consciousness or severe back/leg injuries, it also makes it safer for both individuals if there is a collision between two skiers. One study showed that when wearing an approved helmet the difference in deceleration of the brain when involved in a collision compared with no helmet, showed that the amount of G force exerted on the brain as it slowed was significantly less and so there is less chance of severe brain damage.
http://www.wildsnow.com/4713/ski-helmets-backcountry/

4) Are these rules making it safer for skiers and boarders?

Studies have shown that wearing a helmet during a collision can reduce the amount of damage to the brain but there are counter arguments stating that helmets can reduce the amount of peripheral vision an individual has whilst skiing. Also some people have mentioned that individuals wearing helmets may feel more inclined to ski dangerously as they feel they are fully protected, thus resulting in more accidents then would have previously happened.

5) Who would be effected by these changes in the law?

New laws are being implimented across Europe and the United States making it manditory for children to wear helmets, Josef Schmid from the Austrian Skiing Federation has shown his support for the manditory wearing of helmets for people of all ages and has been quoted as saying "It's not just young children - adults also need protection. With the new carving skis, people tend to ski faster and overestimate their abilities. The slopes are very busy; it's safer for everyone if you wear a helmet".

ITALY:
In Italy it is compulsary for all children under the age of 14 to wear a helmet at all times when skiing/snowboarding. Failure to adhere to this can result in a fine of up to 150 euros, parents are responsible for children under their care.

AUSTRIA:
Authorites are set to make it manditory for children under the age of 15 to wear a helmet, although each province makes its own decision. At this time only the province of Lower Austria has introduced this rule.

CANADA:
There are no country-wide rules rgulation the wearing of helmets although the province of Nova Scotia has recently brought in and going into effect on in November 2012 will force people of all ages to wear helmets or incure a fine of $250.

UNITED STATES:
The states of New Jersey and California are set to introduce law requireding all those under the age of 18 to wear a helmet whilst skiing or snowboarding, with New Jersey implementing a $25 - $100 fine for people found flauting this law and California starting with a $25 fine.

http://www.skiholidayextras.com/ski-equipment/helmet.php

http://www.international-academy.com/News/being-a-ski-instructor/lifting-the-lid-on-ski-helmets-in-canada.aspx

My Rationale

Open publication - Free publishing - More ideas

Initial Ideas & Feedback

Initial Documentary Ideas

Open publication - Free publishing - More ideas

Documentary modes

Nichols Modes:

The theorist Bill Nichols has split documentaries into five different groups each of which shows how the documentarian attempts to impose their idea of what the 'truth' is on the audience.

Expository:

The Expository Mode is most likely the one which we as the audience will most identify with, it  traditionally uses a vioce over to narrate the film sometimess known as "Voice of God". Usually presented with an argumentative logic meaning that there is no 'grey area' within the topic of discussion there is only fact i.e. it can only be right or wrong. This is used in conjuncture with direct address to maintain the audiences attention.
An example of this is Natural World voiced by David Attenborough:

The use of a voice over or "voice of God" by David Attenborough in this film shows that this is a documentary filmed in the Expository Mode. Using this mode it presents the facts without compromising the audiences views by imposing an opinion, thus enabling them to form their own conclusions about the topic. The documentary uses realism by showing footage of actual monkeys in their natural environment it also shows a variety of species as well as providing the audience with facts e.g. at 3:32.  There is very little dramatisation involved as there is no way to control the outcome of events when dealing with wild animals, although the use and type of music has ben chosen to evoke a specific response from the audience such as at 0:26 the music matches the movement of the monkey on screen.

Observational:

In this mode of documentary the filmaker does not appear on camera and also tries to limit their involvment and interaction with the subject of the documentary so as not to influence them in any way. Traditionally none of the footage is staged and so the the camera movments are that of a handheld camera which makes it possible to capture as much of the action as possible it also allows the individual being filmed to forget about the presence of the camera and the documentarian and act normally thereby allowing the audience a more naturalistic view of the subject. 

An example of an Observational Documentary is Armadillo by Janus Metz:

As the documentarian is not seen on camera it gives the feel of a 'fly on the wall' type of film, as though we are simply observing the events but the filmmaker has no influence on events this helps to convey the reality of the films subject. Realism is also conveyed through the use of handheld camera footage and seemingly unnecessary camera movement, such as at 0:12 in the video above, complying to the standard conventions of the Observational Mode. One criticism of this is that although the filmmaker does not influence the footage directly, they are responsible for what is used in the final cut and so can manipulate the footage so as to make it in their image. This also makes the film more enjoyable for the audience as cutting from scene to scene and the music as well as any graphics used help to maintain their attention. One aspect of this film which doesn't comply with the conventions of observational documentaries is the use of a personal recall of events through a voice over present during the entire clip, as it connotes that the filmmaker must have interacted with an individual and asked them a question.

Participatory:

In this mode the filmmaker takes on a far more interactive role within the production of the documentary by engaging directly with the subject of the film, this often leads to the filmmaker becoming an integral character. This aspect of participatory documentaries is primarily based on the used interviews throughout the film, sometimes the filmmaker takes a more hands on approach by becoming the presenter as well.
An example would be Bowling for Columbine by Michael Moore: 

In this example Michael Moore is the filmmaker, camera operator, narrator and interviwer. One of the techniques he uses to make the film seem less set up is by using a handheld camera to film some parts instead of having one set up on a stable tripod, but as this is not necessary it does appear as he only did this for aesthetic reasons. The use of archive footage and images increases the dramatisthough ed feel of the film. The film has a biased feel to it as we only hear the questions Michael moore asks and the response to those questions from the interviwee's. This means that we only hear those responses and are not nesseccarily getting the entire story. Ultimatly this combined with the opinion of the Michael Moore voiced throughout influences our feelings and opinions about the topic of the film.

Reflexive:

This mode openly releals the opinion of the documentarian which may not necessarily be truthful but is put across to us the audience as reconstructions, meaning that they may be telling the truth but it is a heavily manipulated and subsidised version of real events. It also includes parts of the post production stage as the addition of music and other aspects like cutting, making the audience aware of the editing used.
An example would be Biggie & Tupac:

One way we can tell hat this is a Reflexive documentary is that there re reconstructions used meaning that we, as the audience, are only getting the  parts of the truth the filmmaker wants to show. It does incorporate aspects from other modes such as the documentarian being present on camera in some of the interviews giving it the atmosphere of a participatory documentary like at 0:05:56 in the video. There is a lot of archive footage used to get across the full story, there is very little current footage as both Tupac and Biggie are dead apart from some voice overs used as they are more current then some of the video footage. A lot of dramatisation takes place in the form of music throughout the film as well as the transitions used between pieces of footage. 

Performative:

In this mode the filmmaker is an active participant in the documentary, using this mode shows that they wish to evoke an emotional response from the audience through the use of the filmmaker giving a direct address at times and giving their own subjective view on the situation. It can be used to make the audience think about a specific topic and can skew their own opinion as the film does not present an impartial view.
An example would be Catfish by Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman:

The film is a Performative documentary as the main character is one of the filmmakers, in Catfish we follow the filmmaker "Nev" as he begins a relationship which started on a social network site and we follow him as he explores the people he has become involved with. The use of hand held cameras gives it a realistic atmosphere, maintaining the conventions of this mode. Although they attempt to give a non-biased view of events, as we are seeing the reaction of 'Nev' as he discovers the truth it evokes an emotional response from the audience and we feel sympathy for him. Some music is added to increase the Dramatisation and provide a sympathetic mood but other than that there is far more realism as all the footage used is first hand and not scripted.

Video of Factual Programme Rules

Conventions of a News Package

We created this video in order to show the different elements that should be included in most news packages in order to keep it looking proffetional.

In the video we have covered:

-How the news anchor must address the audience

-How the presenter must be ready as we begin filming

-The repetative gestures used by field reporters

-The types of camera movement used


The Presenter:
At the start of the news package we had Morgan finishing her makeup which should never happen in a news package as this makes the programme appear less proffetional and may lose the audiences trust in what the news chanel is presenting. Also our news anchor had a heavy regional accent which may be difficult for some audience members to understand, we also chose to highlight the way a news anchor should present themselvesw to the audience e.g. sitting at a slight angle whilst facing the camera in order to give a direct address to the audience watching at home.

The Reporter:
We had Raees make very exagerated and repetative hand gestures to highlight similar hand movements made by most reporters, this is used in conjuncture with a change in tone on certain words in order to create emphasis for specific points of the story. Also we chose to include a long panning shot of the environment, this was to exagerate some of the camera movments used in real news reports to provide the audience with a good idea of the location. Finally during the interview with the witness Raees finishes by facing the camera directly, making seem as if he is making eye contact with the audience. This adds emphasis to his last comment of bringing more information when it is received as it is a direct address to the viewing audience.

Analysing a News Package

A News Package

A news Package is a completely self contained, pre-recorded news story/report introduced by the lead anchor. These reports are usually 1:15 - 2:00 minutes long and contains footage of the news editor standing in front of the camera giving their report.

Conventions of a News Package:

Field Reporters: They have a specific contract with a channel or news programme
Correspondents: Usually work free-lance without a set contract and only report on the news events close to their location
News Editor's: More often the head of a department, e.g. political, and provide more of an overview
These are all generally well dressed in smart clothes although their costume does depend on their environment as well as their involvement in the story an example would be when there is a reporter or correspondant embedded in a military unit and in a Active military zone then they are very likely to wear personal protection such as body armour and a helmey. Their dress may also change depending on the weather an example would be a reporter wearing full waterproofs when on location covering a hurricane.

Mode of Address:
The mode of address is the way in which the reporter presents themselves to the audience through their tone of voice, any regional accents, the complexity of their language and whether they only present facts or provide an analysis of the news event.

Tone of Voice: Do they vary the pitch of their voice to add emphasis to some words and keep the audiences attention or do they keep a monotone voice throughout.

Accents: Does it impair the audiences ability to understand the reporter? Does it have any relevance to the news event?

Language: Does the terminology they use make it difficult for some members of the audience to understand?

Facts or Analysis: Do they simply provide the audience with the facts about the event or do they analyse the facts as they give them providing an opinion on  the story as well?



Links to Studio:
This is when a news reporter/correspondent appears live on a screen in the studio and the presenter then talks with them about the news event which they are reporting from on location. It s usually a Mid-shot of the reporter and is being filmed continuously and it would cut between that shot and the presenter responding to the information being patched through and asking the reporter questions.

Actuality Footage:
This is when primary, usually ammeter footage, from mobile phones or hand held cameras, is used during a news report usually because it was shot as the event was occurring and before any news crews could get to the location. This is then used in conjuncture with a voice over from a reporter and is becoming more frequent in news programmes as so many of the general public have the capability to film events as they unfold in front of them. It also helps to convey the emotions of an individual who was present during the story and guides the audience as to what they should be feeling whilst watching.

Report Structure:
The report structure is how the report is set out, what order each of the conventions for a news report are placed in.
The first is the Sign In this is how the context of the report is put across to the audience and the story is introduced. There are also the Interviews and/or Vox Pops which provide the opinions of either the general public or and expert or witness. Another convention is Archive Footage this is footage that has been shot previous to the report being made and is usually used because it shows the news event from a different point of view or because its the only available footage. Cut Aways these are used to fill out the report and often have no relation to the story but are used in conjuncture with a voice over. Also whether the reporter is On Location and are they a safe distance from any dangers or are they reporting from a different location that may or may not have some relevance to the story. Also how they Communicate Facts is an integral part of any report, does the reporter or an expert give them or are they displayed as a graphic for the viewers to read themselves Finally the SIgn Off which is how they summarise the report thy have given and usually give their name and the broadcaster they are reporting for e.g. "Nick Robinson, BBC News".

Interviews with Witnesses/Experts:
By interviewing an expert the facts or opinions given have more of an effect as they are coming from someone who has qualifications or a large amount of knowledge in that specific area. Also a witness can give a very personal account of the event and help the audience to empathise with them and see it from their point of view. These interviews can be filmed in a location relevant to the story but with some witnesses the location is of a neutral setting so as not to distract from their account. During interviews there is often a camera shot showing the reporter nodding in response to the witness/experts statement these shots are called 'Noddies'.

Example:

Subgenres of Factual Programming

Docu Drama

A Docu Drama is a dramatised version of real events, in which some aspects have been overly dramatised in order to make it more appealing to a wider audience. Some examples of Docu Drama's are:

• A Special Relationship
• The Pacific
• Banged up Abroad

A Special Relationship:
This is a film adaptation depicting the relationship between Tony Blair and Bill Clinton during the time when they were both in office. It dramatises how Clintion supported and advised Blair when violence broke out in Northern Ireland and how Blair forced American intervention in the Kosovo crisis. This film is a good example of a Docu Drama as it is based on a real relationship that existed between the Prime Minister and the President of the U.S during a period when the bond between the U.K and America was strengthening. Also it uses events that were occurring at the time to display the relationship. 

Docu Soap

A Docu Soap is a series of Documentaries which are based on the style of a Soap Opera, in which we follow normal people and their actions in relation to the show presented as drama.

• Deadliest Catch
• Whale Wars
• Emergency Bikers

Emergency Bikers:

This is a series of programmes during which we follow paramedic and police bike units as they go to a variety of call outs. This is a good example of a Docu Soap because one of the main filming techniques is small cameras that are mounted to both the bike and rider. Also all of the video is real footage of the incident, with real people, no actors. Another reason would be that we see the same bike units each episode giving it the feel of a soap opera rather than a documentary series.

Infotainment

This is an information based programme which is presented in an entertaining way in order to achieve higher popularity and viewers.

• Gadget Show
• Horrible Histories
• An Idiot Abroad

An Idiot Abroad:

This show chooses to alter the accepted conventions of a travel show as it has at not very knowledgable presenter going to places and doing activities which he has no interest in doing this creates a far more humorous programme. This is a example of infotainment because it has a single presenter who is present every episode and the show is based around. Also it has a very biased point of view because he doesn't want to go to the places he travels to there is always a negative feel to his opinions.

Educational TV

This is a form of programme or even channel who's purpose is to educate the audience

• Deadly 60
• Bang Goes the Theory
• Dora the Explorer

Bang Goes the Theory:

This show is a science based programme where three presenters conduct different experiments each episode, these are sometimes based on events that have occurred during the week. This meets the conventions of a factual programme as it has three permanent presenters who are there every episode. It also uses experts when exploring events from the news e.g. when the icelandic volcano blocked air traffic for days they talked to experts about the likelihood of it happening again.

Wildlife

This style of documentary which is solely focused on elements of the natural world from plants/animals to the landscapes and natural wonders.

• March of the Penguins
• Blue Planet
• Yellowstone

Blue Planet:
This series of documentaries explores how life varies from one ocean to the other and the differences between freshwater and saline as well as rivers and lakes. This show is narrated by David Attenborough who provides a voice over throughout the the programme. Also all of the footage is real and shot on location, some of th footage is of slightly lower quality because of the type of camera they had to use in order to get the shot.

Reality TV

This type of programming is supposed to be unscripted and is always melodramatic in order to gain more interest from audiences.

• Teen Mom
• American Restoration
• Auction Hunters

Teen Mom:
This show follows the live of young girls in their teens who have gotten pregnant and wish to keep the child. There are usually conflicts between either the teen and her parents or the teen and the father of the baby which supposedly provides good T.V. This is based on real people and their lives as well as using real footage.

Special Interest Documentary

These documentaaries are about specialised subjects and are usually aimed at niche audiences instead of the mainstream.

• SENNA
• Scratch
• Daughter From Danang

SENA:
This is a movie about the life and tradgic death of Ayrton Senna a Brazilian Formula 1 driver during the 80's. This complies with many conventions f a factual programme such as interviews with actual witnesses and people who knew him. Also almost all of the footage used is archive footage filmed during his career.

Make Over Show

The concept of these programmes is to take a person or object and transform it/them to make them look better, traditionally aired during Daytime television.

• Extreme Makeover
• Overhaulin'
• 60 Minute Makeover

Overhaulin':
The premace of this show is to take a persons delapidated old car and transform it into a highly desirable car. They use a lot of hidden camerasin order to get some of the shots as well as hand helds. There is one main presenter with the addition of a second presenter ocasionally which has changed during the life of the show. Another convention they adhere to is the use of voice overs during sections of the show where they ar watching the 'target'.

Discussion Show

On these programmes there is uaually a different topic of conversation for every episode which the cast will debate, also there are sometimes guests, who are in the public view, to add to the conversation and a differeing point of view.

• Question Time
• The Wright Stuff
• Loose Women

Question Time:
This is a political discussion show where polititians from each of the major parties and other public figures who talk about issues from the day/week and has a live audience who also participate. One convention they adhere to is having a permenant presenter, in this instance David Dimbleby. Also the sound used in the intro has a very serious tone similar to the BBC new intro.

Review Show

This type of programme is based upon the presenters giving an opinion of a new product as well as testing them, usually incorperating an element of entertainment as well.

• Gadget Show
• Will it Blend
• Top Gear

Top Gear:
Although the basis of this show is to review new cars they aremore popular for the presentation style and entertainment factor. The standard test for any car they review is to perform a lap of the track and set a time which is then compared to all of the others they have tested, this is made objective by using the same driver e.g. The Stig. There are three presenters who give well educated opinions on each car, although another element would be how bias each of them is in their evaluation of cars. Another convention would be the intro montage they use at the begining of every show. 

Chat Show

These programmes are usually hosted by very opinonated and sometimes abrasive hosts who set out to resolve the issues presented by the people appearing on the show that episode.

• Trisha
• Jerry Springer
• Dr. Phil

Jerry Springer:
This show focuses on bringing in familes/couples with relationship problems and attempting to reslove them on air. The convention of a main presenter is present in this show with Jerry Springer, as well as almost every other Chat Show currently aired. There is supposed to be an element of truth in the show with the people being members of thev public although it has been made clear that on some occasions paid actors have been used. An aspect of drama is added with the introduction of somew form of test usually a lie detector.

Magazine Show

This type of show which presents a variety of topics usually concerning current events as well as interviewing guests and having presenters who made some of the VT's on as well. 

• Celebrity Juice
• The One Show
• T4

The One Show:
This show is on dailey at 7pm and deals with current events from that week or day, the show typically lasts 30minutes but has been extended if/when a major event occurs. There are always two presenters with at least one guest per episode, voice overs are also used during the VT's. Another convention they keep to are the pre-recorded footage used in the VT segments.

10 Factual TV Programmes

• Top Gear: I enjoy watching this programme because I love cars and like to see all of the new models and get an informed, if slightly biased, evaluation. I also enjoy the comedic style in which the show is presented and the 'Epic Journeys' that take place in a few special episodes.

 

 

 

• Human Planet: I enjoy almost all of the documentaries that David Attenborough narrates because of his delivery when speaking and the enthusiasm he displays on all of his projects. Another aspect I liked was seeing how human beings have adapted to live almost anywhere in the world.

•  Deadliest Warrior: This programme pits two individuals, or teams of, from different military groups or tribes from across history against each other, I enjoy seeing the unique skills that each brings to the fight as well as some of the specialised weaponry. 

• Wheeler Dealers: I enjoy learning how to repair and restore cars, and I like the way the two presenters joke with each other as it makes it far more interesting. Another aspect that I find useful is seeing where they purchase some of their cars e.g. from an auction house and what are the best ways to restore cars in order to gain the maximum return, as it will help me in the future.

 

• Inside Natures Giants: On this programme they perform autopsies on some of the largest animals on earth. I enjoy how they display the mechanics of body movments by manipulating the exposed tendons, ligaments and organs.

 

• Yellowstone: This series shows how animals across the Yellowstone national park cope with the extreme weather conditions through all the seasons filmed over a year. I like the style in which it is narrated and some of the camera shots that they get take a lot of skill and patience to get.

 

• Hunter Hunted: This programme takes an indepth look at how a variety of predators have adapted to become the dominant killers in their ecosystem. Again I like this programme because it uses modern technology to examin and scrutenise the adaptation that have taken place inside the body and, mechanically, how they work.

• Wild China: I appreciate the difficulty in aquiring some of the camera shots that they use and am interested in how long they waited and what equipment they use on these large filming expaditions.

• Northern Wilderness: In this series outdoors expert Ray Mears goes across Canada exploring the cultures and skills of earky pioneers from several of the countires provinces. I like learning about how these europeans learnt to adapt the skills of the natives in order to survive.

• Bear Grylls Born Survivor: I enjoy learning all of the survival techniques that he uses as i enjoy camping and the information will be very useful. Also I like that the camera man does almost all of the same stunts as Bear whilst also filming.