unit 1: research techniques

Unit tasks:

1.1 Know about technologies ownership and funding in the television and film industries!

Market research is when a specific target audience is asked questions, to find out information on what they like, or if a new programme would appeal to them. Audience data- is the number of people taking part in the market research, for example a big quantity or a small quantity.

Audience awareness-To make people aware of your show you will need to advertise it. You will produce posters, adverts and even go on television shows to talk about it.

Product reach- is how many people will receive the programme/show, if it is regional only a small audience will see it compared to the show being shown all over England, where a huge audience will view it. BARB (Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board) is the organization responsible for providing the official measurement of UK television audiences used throughout the television industry. BARB has a weekly and monthly summary report which shows how many people watched certain channels. This is an example of a weekly report posted on the BARB website (see above).

Audience profiling-Another key part to market research is an audience profile. If your aiming a show at teens you will find out what they like and dislike and put it in a profile, this will help you sort out what to put in your show.

Consumer behaviour/attitudes- these are vital when creating a new show so you can relate it to your primary target audience; by making your characters say and do things like the target audience.

Competitor analysis-this is very important, so your company can stay one step ahead of other companies and their shows, if the BBC recently created a drama at sea you will make something different so the audience gets variety. Advertising placement is when a company researches the best way in which to advertise their show.

Production research includes a lot of information needed in order to create your show. When a company starts to think of a show they need to be aware of the content to put in it, such as what the character’s say and do or what the show is about.

Resources such as:

Personnel- Are the people working for you, for the best quality show you want the best people working for you, such as skilled editors and a good well-known director.

Talent- Talent are the actors in the show people will tune in to the show if an actor they like is in it, or if they are well known with acting awards.

Finance/cost- Before the company start hiring actors and personnel, they need to work out a budget from finance and costs, there is no point in making half of it and t hen running out of costs and funding.

Suppliers- To make a show, a company will need equipment such as cameras, tripods, objects for the show, they will need to find a reliable supplier, who is close to the location and fast at giving the correct equipment.

Facilities/Locations- If the show needs some shots in a forest, the crew will need to find a suitable area and get permission to film their this will make the show more realistic then shooting it all in a studio.

Logistical support- this is how the equipment used will be transported, between sets or locations, in television there is a list of people’s different responsibilities and what they have to move. If I have a tripod I might need three people to carry it.

Placement is also used in production research.

Broadcast- this is where and when a show will be broadcast and on what channel. If your show is aimed at children it wouldn’t be suitable to have it on after the watershed but in the morning and during the day would be suitable as young children wont be at school and will watch it.

Web cast- a web cast will be used so if people missed a show they can watch it online. Though it cannot be downloaded to an I-pod

Pod cast- a pod cast can be downloaded to an I-pod so the viewer can watch it where ever and whenever they want

Audience- this can vary on the intended target audience for example teens could be the primary target audience and early teens the secondary target audience.

applying a rang of research methods:

Resource procedures- i have used search engines, such as google to gain information such as in the single camera unit, to find lists of dramas and find out if they were single or multi camera format.

Types of research-

for my advertising unit i had to do a survey/questionnaire to find out what my target audience like in advertisements, this piece of quantitative research enabled me to apply to my advert. This is also a primary source of research as i carried it out myself.

I have also taken part in a focus group to discus what adverts are currently liked and why we like them, this helped me to look at my advert to make it better and likeable.

Secondary sources: I have looked at published statistics such as on the BARB website to used in my work, such as numbers of people who watched a certain program.

Consumer categorization- See my table in unit 21 task 6 for my audience classification.

interpreting results: This is where you evaluate your work i often evaluate my work such as my evaluation for single camera drama in unit 21.

presenting research:

Technigues: i have mostly written or word processed my work, though i have done a few presentations and brainstorms as an alternate method. I have also done a group presentation on rockstars for ...

Quotation and reference- i have had to referece the internet sites i have gained information from at the end of each unit, i decided this would be my bibliography.

here is a link to this work that i did for my radio blog.