WEEKLY JOURNALS

This is where you think about your FMP learning journey and development.
Don’t simply describe what you did - consider what you have learnt and how this has benefitted
your project. What do you need to improve?

THIS IS JUST GUIDANCE THAT YOU NEED TO ADAPT TO YOUR OWN PROJECT. YOU HAVE CREATED YOUR
OWN PRODUCTION SCHEDULES AND YOUR WEEKLY BLOGS SHOULD REFELCT THAT.

THESE QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE WEEKS YOU COMPLETED THEM. DO NOT JUST SUBMIT THIS
FORM FILLED IN FOR YOUR WEEKLY BLOGS. THERE SHOULD BE 11 WEEKLY BLOG ENTRIES (INCLUDING
EASTER).

Week Two - Research

RESEARCH

What did you learn from your From my research I learned that popular radio dramas such as
research? the archers are successful because they have been airing for a
long time and they have grown to be quite popular as people
say they have heard about the archers through family members.
Another thing I learned from doing research was that some
productions are successful because how many different sounds
they use, for example two radio dramas I looked at were good
because the characterisation was convincing and there were a
lot of sounds which were used in the background to help the
listener focus and imagine the story that they are being told.
Overall from the research I learned that radio dramas use a lot of
different Foley sounds and characterisation techniques in order
to make them engaging and interesting I also learned that this
helps them to be more successful and popular as people will be
interested.

How has the research for your I sent out a survey where I asked peers questions about radio
medium helped you improve your dramas and what they like and dislike. For example people like
ideas? the fact that there are different Foley sounds implemented into
the piece and they also like an engaging storyline, I found out
that they don’t like a piece when It is boring and not really
engaging. This has helped me because I know how to improve
my idea and make it engaging for an audience. In my
production I will, try to make it quite unique and interesting using
different Foley sounds and an engaging story. I also found that
my peers wanted the radio drama to be around 10 minutes long
which I think I will do as I can make the story longer and
engaging for an audience

How has the research for your genre From doing research into my chosen genre I have been able to
helped you improve your ideas? improve my ideas as I have learned what type of things can be
 found within them. I looked at two radio dramas from The Truth
Podcast on sound cloud and they are good at characterisation
and background sound effects I have learned that they are
good at making the story convincing because I noticed that
they used a lot of Foley and aural signposting. Personally, as a
listener I was engaged with both of the radio dramas as they
were interesting and there was always something to listen to so I
will try to include the same techniques into my piece.

How has researching the conventions I think that the most important conventions I will need to use in
of your chosen genre helped you my production are background music, sound effects and aural
understand what is required from you signposting as they help the audience understand what is about
in order to meet a distinction grade? to happen and they help to make the production seem a lot
more interesting and it helps to keep the audience engaged
with the narrative

How has including a variety of sources I feel like this has helped me because I was able to understand
(primary and secondary) helped with the information I read and I feel like this research was helpful in
your understanding of your medium / terms of helping me understand the genre a bit easier.
genre?

What sources of information did you I didn’t look at anything different because I originally planned to
look at that were different from your look at radio dramas by ‘The Truth Podcast’ because I think that
proposed project? they release good quality radio dramas I dint change idea which
would mean that I would change sources of information in the
end.

How will this be useful to your This will be useful in my planning because I can incorporate what
planning? I have learned and this will help me with my planning I can use
what I have learned from the codes and conventions in my script
because I will know where to input Foley sounds and background
music, also I will be able to understand where I would put aural
signposting.

How has the research for your When I was researching into the content, I came across an
content/topic helped you improve article which to me was quite mysterious as the person came
your ideas? across some people living in a space that was only accessible
from as small crawl hole. I liked this article as it was similar to my
idea because there were people living in an abandoned area
which comes across as being quite eerie which is what I’m trying
to go for in my production.

How has the research into After looking at professionals I have felt like I can be more
artists/producers helped you improve creative in terms of what elements I need to implement. Orson
your ideas? Welles created a nationwide panic purely because he made is
radio drama creative.

What work do you need to complete I need to complete work from the medium and the genre in
outside of lessons to stay on track? order to stay on track

High Grade Tips

Research
● ‘Thorough research’ - include plenty of sources and detailed analysis of this information
● ‘relevant & coherent’ – make sure your research sources are not just the same as the Media
product you hope to make - and talk about how they inform your planning
● ‘sustained’ – continue your research throughout the eleven-week project and don’t just limit it to
the first two weeks
● ‘accomplished & considered’ – all of the above referred to in your daily/weekly reflections