Final Major Project: Meeting the Owen Family

Today we met with Flo and Ivor Owen at the Maidstone Branch of The Royal British Legion. we met at their centre at 7 Marsham Street, Maidstone, to discuss our documentary ideas.

We found out some really useful information about the work they do from the local branch and spoke a lot about how they are struggling to  recruit new members to their branch.

We also found out that...

• to become a member of a branch it costs a £6 annual fee for anybody aged 12-17 and a £16 annual fee for anybody aged 18+
• Each branch has to raise its own funds to keep themselves running and all money they collect unless specifically donated to the branch will go to the 'Poppy Appeal'
• 4 members of the Owen family are officers at the Maidstone branch.
• Ivor has given 25 years of his life working voluntarily for the RBL
• The branches no longer take care of Welfare (distribution of money) which used to be run from each separate branch, which is now run from the Kent county office for the Kent Area and determined by caseworkers who work from a specific branch.
• Maidstone has 93 members.
• Maidstone Branch raises £30,000 - £40,000 each year towards 'The Poppy Appeal'.
• The Maidstone branch are represented each year at the remembrance day parade as well as often attending the county and civic parade.
• Each month, the branch produces a newsletter/magazine called 'The Emblem' which contains information about the Branch and any events coming up including fundraisers and events which is sent out to each member.

We asked Flo and Ivor what they would like to get from our documentary and how they would like to benefit from it. There were two main points which they would like our documentary to highlight which were; 

• Raise awareness on their work for Welfare (helping people face to face who are ex-service personnel or their dependants).
• The importance of recruiting new members for each branch (Branches are closing down as they are not recruiting new members. This means that their expertise will not be passed on to younger members - this may lead to the closure of a branch which will affect the money raised for the Poppy Appeal in that area).

Using this information, we are able to ensure that our script will reflect the needs of the local branches of the RBL. 

Final Major Project: IDEAS - The RNLI

So for our initial idea, we have decided to make a 30 minute documentary based on the everyday running of the RNLI. 

"The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea

We provide, on call, a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service and a seasonal lifeguard service. Our Values reflect the way we do business as an organisation. 

Purpose:

The RNLI saves lives at sea.

Vision:

To end preventable loss of life at sea.
 

Values:

Our work is based on and driven by our values. Our volunteers and staff strive for excellence and are ...

Selfless: willing to put the requirements of others before our own and the needs of the team before the individual, able to see the bigger picture and act in the best interests of the RNLI, and to be inclusive and respectful of others. Prepared to share our expertise with organisations that share our aims.

Dependable: always available, committed to doing our part in saving lives with professionalism and expertise, continuously developing and improving. Working in and for the community and delivering on our promises.

Trustworthy: responsible, accountable and efficient in the use of the donations entrusted to us by our supporters, managing our affairs with transparency, integrity and impartiality.

Courageous: prepared to achieve our aims in changing and challenging environments. We are innovative, adaptable and determined in our mission to save more lives at sea."

The purpose of our documentary would be highlight the life of a crew member at different stations across the southeast and show how they work, how they save lives and the day to day running of each station.

We have made contacts at two different stations, one being in Hastings in Sussex and the other in Sheerness in Kent. The Hastings station has agreed to us filming with them on their boats and on training procedures which would give our documentary a real insight into the danger of working on the lifeboats. The Sheerness station has agreed to allow us to film with them, specifically looking at the SS Richard Montgomery, a ship which run aground  in the Thames Estuary just a mile off the sheerness coast, with a load full of live explosives which still lie dormant today.

Along with my colleague, Melissa, we would produce, direct and edit the documentary together, her taking the role of Producer, and my self becoming the Director and Editor.

Production Concept: Puppet Design

After receiving quotes from a professional puppeteer which were way out of our budget, I decided that as part of our package I definitely wanted to build a puppet as  production design and prop making was something which I would definitely like to specialise in in the future. This was going to be a mammoth task but was something I wanted to do.

I started to do some research into what sorts of materials I might need. I wrote up a list of the materials I would need to build Sally.

Body - 

1/2" Foam
Felt (Skin, Mouth, Nose)
Wadding (Stuffing)
Eye Materials
Wool (Hair)


Costume -

Suede Fabric (Waistcoat)
White Shirt


Accessories -

Glasses & Chain
Jewellery for Costume


Stages of Puppet Building -

1 - Building the Foam Head

After Cutting out the shapes in foam for the necessary parts for the head, I began to glue each part, moulding it to the correct shape. Getting her the right size meant enlarging some templates I had drawn up.

2 - Sewing the Skin

Once the foam head was complete, I then had to cut shapes to build the skin of the puppet. I then began to sew each shape together using a sewing machine to ensure that the stitches were neat and professional. The final skin shape had to be just the right size to house her head, making this too small would mean that the skin would have to be completely re-made and sewn again which is very time consuming.

3 - Inserting the Head

Once the skin was finished, it was then time to insert the head which was extremely tricky to do with stretching the felt skin as it was such a tight fit. Once it was in, it was then that I had to glue the skin to the mouth plate leaving ample material for the puppet to be used without stretching or tearing the felt.

4 - Building the Arms

This part of the process is extremely difficult as it means sewing in reverse and turning the sewn arm inside out. After cutting the shape from the template, it was then time to double up and sew. This is a very difficult part to the process as it is so tricky to sew neatly around the fingers of the puppet. once, reversed, the arm is then ready to be stuffed. I have stuffed Sally's arms stiff as she is a prototype. If she was to be used professionally, her arms would be looser for flexibility and movement.

5 - Making the Clothes

The clothes for Sally were something that were essential to her character. We had to purpose built her  a tan waistcoat and sourced a shirt suitable for her style and size. although time consuming, it was also very satisfying knowing that she had the perfect clothes that she needed.

6 - Finishing her Features

Once the clothes for 'Sally" were finished, I had to start adding her facial features, her hair and eyes and nose really brought her to life, adding eyelashes and mascara to make her more feminine. I added the brooch to her collar and finally her glasses. I am really pleased with the final outcome of the puppet and she's exactly what we wanted for the show.

Production Concept: Alternate Artwork - Fusing the logos

Looking at the samples I received from matt for logo design, I really liked one of the typefaces he had created for me. It really suited the project and the audience. I was really happy with the final logo which I had already chosen but wanted to experiment with the new font for an alternate logo I could include within my package. I sent the font to my contributor Rio, who was able drop in the puppet cartoon for sally and incorporate it into the text. I really liked this logo and if been given it earlier, I would have probably chosen to use it instead of the one I have chosen. Nevertheless, I am happy with the design I have chosen and still believe it suits the show perfectly! The final version of this logo is printed my Alternate Artwork book. Here are some different version which Rio made for me, One with layers within the text, one without, one in colour and one faded to white with the image.

Production Concept: Alternate Artwork

As I already had my logo finished and set to be printed, I was sent some sample logos from a friend of mine who is a graphic designer. He was only able to mock up some ideas quickly for me as he is very busy working full-time as a freelancer designer. luckily he was able to create some text designs for me which as samples for me to use. His name is Matthew Pomorski. Here is a link to his website which shows some samples of other work he has created. http://www.matthewpomorski.co.uk


These are some of the PNG Samples he created for me...

Production Concept: Getting the Designs Printed

As part of the presentation of the project, Gabby and decide dot buy a suitcase which would look like an authentic prop from the set. Gabby is going to present her scripts in a hardback book, so I wanted to present my designs in a different way.

I went and spoke to a designer and printer at a local shop 'Absolute Creative Print' in Maidstone. They were more than happy to help me print some of my artwork for my package. I decided that I wanted 3 A2 posters printed each focusing on the three main design parts I had finished - Set design, Puppet design and Logo design. These three posters would be printed on high gloss quality paper and I would present them as three scrolls within the suitcase. I also wanted some of the original sketches to be delivered as part of the package so had some small A5 prints made of the Set Design, Puppet Designs and also some text design.  Also I wanted to have some merchandise printed as part of the package to mock-up some ideas which could be used or branding. I decided to have a children's T-sirt printed with the logo and also a keyring with the brand image on it. Also, I had some alternate artwork which was designed for me very last minute by a graphic designer. these were really lovely text ideas for the logo so didn't want them not to be included in the package. I designed a small 8 page book with the alternate artwork in that I could also present with my package. And finally, of course, Sally herself.

Production Concept: Final Designs

Here are the final designs for all three aspects... Set, Logo and Puppet Designs!