1. Amy Longworth
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK(Including Possible
Contingency Plans If Problems Anticipated)
September 2012
(Detailed Monthly Summary)
At the beginning of the course, we were given information on
each of the 3 coursework briefs and I decided on making a
Short Film. I decided on the people I wanted to work with
dependant on what brief other people had chosen to work
on. We made a group of 3 and then set up our Advanced
Portfolio Blogs and began research for our ancillary tasks.
Over the next month, I plan to continue research
into my Ancillary 1 task which includes analysing
film posters. This will help me to construct Ancillary
1, a poster for my own short film. I will also begin
research for Ancillary 2, which is planning and
designing a film review layout for a magazine.
October 2012
(Detailed Monthly Summary)
In October I continued research into Ancillary 1 which was
analysing film posters from different genres in order to help
me design my own poster using connotations of the genre
and elements of theories. I analysed film posters from
different genres and used these to study conventions to use
on my own ancillary tasks. I began research for Ancillary 2,
which is to design a review for my own short film. However,
without creating the short film I couldn’t review it so I
studied the layouts and colours used on film reviews based
on my chosen genre.
Over the half term and when we return to college
after the half term, I will begin to create my
Ancillary tasks using Photoshop, based on the
market research I have gathered over the previous
weeks. Because my Ancillary task2 is a review
based on my own short film (which hasn’t been
made yet) I will create layout plans using existing
film reviews to plan the layout.
November 2012
(Detailed Monthly Summary)
I completed my Ancillary task 1and uploaded itto my
Advanced Portfolio blog. I then moved on to Product
Research tasks where I analysed existing short films looking
for genre conventions that would eventually help me when
producing my own film.
I will complete my ‘Analysis of existing products’
work by using websites relevant to my chosen
genre and analysing short films using screenshots
as evidence and Lacey’s repertoire of elements to
justify my analysis
December 2012
(Detailed Monthly Summary)
I continued with the product research of analysing existing
short films and genre conventions. Studying these
conventions will help when it comes to planning the film as a
group and will be effective to guide us on knowing what to
include in our own short film.
Over the Christmas break I will complete analysis of
existing short films and begin to design a Market
research questionnaire to hand out and develop
our ideas on target audience and what the
audience expect from our short film.

2. Amy Longworth
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
Mon W/B 07/01/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
When I returned to college after the Christmas break I had
questionnaires to hand out for people to complete. I gave
these out around college and asked people to fill them in as
part of my market research task. The questionnaire included
questions such as ‘What is your preffered genre?’ and ‘What
is your preffered ending to a film?’. This helped us to gain an
idea of who we would be aiming our film at in terms of age
and gender groups and what they expected to see from the
film.
Over the next week I will use the questionnaire
results to create a market research report featuring
qualitative and quantitative data and pie charts so
that the results are clear to read.
Mon W/B 14/01/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week I completed my market research report using
Microsoft word to create charts for each question so that the
results were clearly laid out. I used my knowledge on
audience theory to write a conclusion on the report and how
I will apply the results when it comes to creating my own
short film.
Now that the research tasks are completed, as a
group we are able to move on generating ideas for
our own short film and move on the planning stage
of the project.
Mon W/B 21/01/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
As a group, we used Mind Genius software to plan and create
a mind map of ideas e.g. genre, camera, costume, mise en
scene, character etc. Using this software means that ideas
can be planned and expanded on in a clear and simple way
and can be uploaded straight to our blogs.
When our ideas generation mind map is complete,
we can begin to start writing the script for our short
film. The script should be written in a professional
way using camera movements, location and any
sound effects.
Mon W/B 28/01/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, we used software called Celtx to create the script
for our short film. This software allowed us to create a
professional style script. However, when we completed our
research tasks we had based our ideas on horror as our
chosen genre but when it came to planning and creating our
own short film, we changed our minds and decided to create
a rom-com. This meant that as we were writing the script we
had to research into the romance/comedy genre.
Once the script is complete, the storyboards for our
film can be designed and scanned in to be uploaded
to our blogs. The storyboards must include shot
numbers, a still image/drawing of the scene and a
brief summary of what happens.

3. Amy Longworth
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
Mon W/B 04/02/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Once the storyboards were completed, I scanned them into
the computer and uploaded them to my blog. As half term
was approaching we made sure as a group that we were
prepared for filming e.g. completed script and storyboards.
We also hired out recording equipment from college (video
recorder, tripod and sound kit)
As a group, we have decided that over the half
term we will try and complete the majority of our
filming so that when we return to college we can
start editing the final film.
Mon W/B 11/02/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
HALF TERM: Due to the people who were supposed to be
starring in our film being unable to attend the sessions we
had planned to film, we were unable to complete the filming
like we had planned to. As a group, we had to ensure we had
a backup plan to make sure that our filming was completed
for the deadline we had been set and so that we didn’t fall
behind with our coursework.
Because we were unable to film this week, filming
will be done next week instead.
Mon W/B 18/02/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, we got back on schedule and began filming. This
will take a while to gather enough shots and footage to
create a successful film.
Continue filming for the final production
Mon W/B 25/02/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week we continued filming. Filming is the work that has
taken the longest amount of time over the whole project so
far because we have to use different locations and different
people and these aren’t always available at the same time.
Continue with filming for the final production
Mon W/B 04/03/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Over the last couple of weeks we have managed to complete
filming and now feel that we have enough footage to begin
editing and putting together the final piece. Some shots had
to be re-taken due to poor quality but some of this is down to
limited equipment.
Next week I will upload all of the footage from the
video camera to a computer and create a project in
Adobe Premiere so that the editing process can
begin.
Mon W/B 11/03/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
As a group, we began basic editing on the footage such as
cutting shots, ordering them together in the right sequence
based on our script and storyboarding and adjusting the
Over the next week I will continue with the editing
and begin more complex editing such as scene
transitions and cuts.

4. Amy Longworth
A2 Media Studies
Advanced Portfolio
Production Diary
lighting/sound so that it was a better quality.
Mon W/B 18/03/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
This week, editing was completed and our group met the
deadline. We were able to upload our work to YouTube so
that when it came to the evaluation stage it was easier to
create a focus group and for people to watch our video.
The deadline for a first draft of our evaluations has
now been set therefore over the half term I will
complete my first draft for the evaluation so that it
can be upgraded when I return to college.
Mon W/B 01/04/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Over half term I completed half of my evaluation and brought
them back into college so I could upgrade them and produce
them on my blog in different formats e.g. PowerPoint, Prezi
and Word document.
The evaluation stage is taking a while because my
answers are required to be presented in different
ways. Over the next week I will continue my
evaluation and make sure the other 2 questions are
completed.
Mon W/B 08/04/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
Over the last week I have found that I didn’t have as much
time as I hoped therefore wasn’t able to present my
evaluation in four different ways. Therefore I used 2 different
ways (Microsoft Word and PowerPoint) to complete all 4
questions on my evaluation.
Over the final week before the deadline I will
upload my evaluation to my blog and use the
coursework checklist to ensure all work is
uploaded.
Mon W/B 15/04/13
(Detailed Weekly Summary)
I have ensured that everything is uploaded to my blog to the
highest standard ready for the final deadline.
Now that the coursework deadline is over I will
focus on revision for the exam.
PROGRESS UPDATE PLAN FOR NEXT MONTH / WEEK (Including Possible
Contingency Plans)