Task: Conduct primary and secondary audience research/market research into the viability of your concept and present findings on your blog post under the post title 'Research Dossier' and using the three subheadings below:
1. Conduct secondary research
This may include:- reading and other initial secondary research about your chosen subject (keep detailed notes on your findings)
- researching other archives for information on your chosen subject
- finding and watching existing documentaries that are similar to your idea
- looking at existing news stories based around your idea
2. Conduct primary research
This must include:
- creating and collecting responses from a survey / questionnaire which focuses on gauging interest from your primary and secondary target audience
This may also include:
- arranging interviews with experts/witnesses/key persons as appropriate (create a contact sheet but don't publish on your blog) and holding pre-filming meetings
- collating/presenting findings of these interviews and meetings on your blog post
3. Conduct production research and answer the following questions:
- initial consideration of the logistics/costings of practically realising your idea (eg., travel to locations, etc.) and complete budget sheet
- scout locations and complete recces (collect accompanying photographs)
- obtain permissions for locations and complete releases
- approach relevant interviewees and complete releases
- complete your production schedule whilst deciding what equipment you will need and when, then book it through the AV library
- what are the current UK laws on filming in public? (you can get information from other sources too!)
- do you need to consider libel or defamation?
- are you risking infringement of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code?
- read the Viewer Trust Guidelines from the Channel 4 website and highlight any key points that you find interesting or that might impact your production.
REMEMBER THAT ALL OF YOUR SOURCES SHOULD BE LISTED IN YOUR RESEARCH DOSSIER
AND YOU SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THE HARVARD SYSTEM OF REFERENCING.
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| Anglia Ruskin University, 2015. Quick Harvard Guide 2015. [pdf] Available at:<http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/files/QuickHarvardGuide2015.pdf> |
What makes a good questionnaire?
- always ask for age, gender and occupation - this will allow you to analyse that data in greater depth but it also helps when particularly looking at how your target audience responded. The most important thing however, is to ask the right people; there is no point handing out a questionnaire about horror films to a 10 year old as their knowledge will likely be limited and their responses won't be helpful. Find and target your proposed audience in order to get the most useful data
- before writing your questionnaire, make sure you know what you want to find out
- work out the best way to gather responses; you may find that people react differently when responding face to face as opposed to completing a survey online
- survey questions must be relevant; a few well-worded questions are a lot more useful than a long list of poorly-worded questions. Try to ensure that you don't ask leading questions but also ensure that you are specific and you ask a question that will provide you with useful and usable information
- ask a range of open and closed questions but ensure you allow the respondent to leave detailed responses when you need them
- proof your own work first and then ask someone else to check it - mistakes make you look unprofessional. You should also write formally and not include any slang or colloquial language; you want those who fill your questionnaire in to be mature and sensible so you should be too.
