Project Brief
For this collaborative project, we have been assigned into 2 teams based on our Belbin test results and then chosen our roles in the group. I am leader of my group, so it will be my roles to the team is working together smoothly and completing their assigned role tasks. My team consists of Keith (Videographer and video post production), Kayleigh (in charge of Research), Megan (risk assessments and photography post production) and Ade (equipment acquisition). For this project, we will be working with clients, in this case the Brighton base charity RISE - a charity who works to support women suffering from domestic abuse. Both groups have been given a case study of specific survivor along with a poem written by the survivor about their experience. Me and My group will meet shortly to come up with our group idea in a meeting together. We have also created a group chat together to make it easy for any of us to contact one another, and I have made sure the group knows I am available for contact.
Initial Research
Setup in 1994, RISE is a charity that aims to support people affected by violence and domestic abuse. Active in the Sussex area and based in Brighton, they work heavily with the community and offer safe and careful support for women going through domestic abuse. They focus on women supporting women with these issues, with a significantly female support network, working with the concept of women rising up to support one another. RISE stands for Refuge, Information, Support and Education, the ideals at the heart of the charity. |
Group Research Update
Kayleigh, the group researcher, has collated a large selection of research on Rise, the cycle of abuse and survivors stories.
Group Call
To start off the project and in preparation for the client meeting, I have organised a group call with the other group members of my group to talk through our video idea as well as our individual role tasks going forward. We have decided to produce a video focusing on the poem and shoot visuals to go alongside a narration of the poem. It will be split into the three sections of the poem: The Café, the Hospital and the Phone. For each part of the video, we will shoot in either the actual locations or in a mock set of each location.
Client Video Meeting
Today, we had a video conference with the RISE clients, explaining the idea for our project and looking for feedback based on their expectations.
They were pleased with our overall idea and its straightforward nature. They also praised our focus on the video being about the strength of surviving abuse rather than the abuse itself. They did express some concerns on the video possibly being too literal a response, with the people simply in a café etc, so its important the group reevaluates to explore a way to fix that issue. They were also kind enough to offer to send us RISE's brand guidelines for us to have a specific colour scheme for our work (see below). ![]()
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Second Group Call
Working forward from the feedback given to us from the clients, we have reevaluated our shooting concept. We have modified the idea so that the shooting will now take place in the infinity curve studio at uni. We chose this as it will provide a more surreal "these are the things going on in her head" feeling as well as will be far more easily organised and safe than an actual café given the current pandemic.
Update
Update
Test Shoot
Covid-19 Re-Group Meeting Update
During the Christmas holidays, the pandemic did indeed worsen and we have lost access to university studios as well as losing the ability to be together when shooting. We then decided a group meeting together would be best to regroup on our future plans. In the meeting, we (the group and the course tutor) decided that the test shoot clips would have to be used with Keith, the group lead videographer, will continue to do what shoots he can from his home and will keep us updated as the video develops.
Work in Progress Client Meeting
Today we had our work in progress meeting, showing them the video in its current state. Taking into account we used footage from our test shoot and what Keith has been able to shoot in lockdown, the clients were suitably impressed with the video, praising the shots used and the transitions chosen. They had some notes on the video too. For example, they wanted to ensure the diamond art from the poem is included as it is a central point, something we are sure we will include. Another point was that the café scene should be two women, not a man and a woman. This may be more difficult to change and we will discuss any work arounds in our next group meeting. |
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Audio Update
After I found a voice actress who fit the ideal role type we needed, we have recorded the necessary audio for the videos narration and Keith is editing it along side the visuals to complete the video.
Mock Pitch
In preparation for the final pitch to the clients next week, today we had a mock pitch to our tutor as a run through. The mock pitch has proven especially helpful to the group in order for us to get a smooth running in terms of the ordering of the video and what each group members have to say. Megan and Kayleigh both expressed confusion over what they have to say, so I have planned some 1-1 calls with them to talk through exactly what they need to say and do in the pitch. |
Update
The 1-1s I had with Kayleigh and Megan have proven extremely helpful for them. We have also had a final group meeting to ensure everyone is up to date on what is happening for the pitch tomorrow.
Final Pitch and Project Evaluation
The final video has been done to a very high professional standard, with Keith excelling in his further shots and the overall edit, especially considering having to work around the current pandemic situation. The lockdown did mean however that the man/woman shot couldn't be redone and will have to remain, although we will clearly state to the clients the current situations prevention of reshooting.
The call with the clients showing them our final video went very well, with them being really impressed with the quality of the video, as well as the overall camaraderie of the team supporting one another. One of the two issues they pointed out were the man/woman rather than woman/woman issue raised before, but understood that our ability to change that was hindered by the current pandemic. The second issue was that the parts of the narration that were read by RISE should be read by another voice, |
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but again they understood how it was difficult to get another voice in the current pandemic situation. Ultimately they had significant praise for our group and the video produced and asked for these issues to be fixed as they really wanted to use the video for their community. Overall, this project has been very successful, with the team working very well together as well as each group member successfully fulfilling their required role within the group. The final video has been produced to a professional level, even considering the current pandemic, with the group taking the necessary precautions to ensure work is completed to a level fulfilling the brief. I am satisfied I have fulfilled my roles aptly as leader, ensuring work is completed and the team working well together, with me making myself available for any concerns any group member might have, as well as the group knowing I am available for one to one contact at any time in case of personal issues, something multiple members of my group used during this project and as such were able to address any concerns, both personal and professional, about the work so they felt comfortable working around such a sensitive issue that was deeply personal to many of them.