Section 1: Project Analysis – Project Approval
Deadlines: Material from videographer by June 15; final delivery by July 1
Budget: $12,500 for videographer. Executive producer can amend budget if needed.
Audience: Public
Demographic: young adult viewers ages 18-29, education ranges from high school grad to postgraduate degree
Background: Bear Mountain is one of the most beautifully offbeat locales that I have ever had the opportunity to visit. What with the wild proliferation of reality television programming highlighting more and more unique places, this is a no-brainer as far as instant success. What with the unusual shops, the unique town history, and some of the creative architecture featured in the town's homes, this will be a program that draws in viewers from a wide variety of backgrounds. I am highly interested in taking this topic to production, because based on what I have seen in the travel genre for these sorts of towns, this will be a hit. This program fills the need in the reality television genre for more programming about the quiet corners of the United States, bringing them to the attention of the wider culture at large. I could see this being used by several secondary audiences, such as educators looking for top-notch expository programming to show their students in addition to writing assignments. I could also see this episode picking up some atypical followers, because of the intrigue in the topic at hand (exploding open an empty torpedo shell that was simply out there, hanging out next to the ocean until it entered this story). Because the purpose of this is more expository than analytical, there is no post-research survey necessary.
The goal of this program is primarily to show the audience the unique treasures inside the town. As a result, this means that the objective of the show is to entertain by showing viewers the great things about living in a different part of the world; this sector of the entertainment industry – namely, by exposing the audience to cultural and geographical opportunities for diversity of expression. We want the audience to feel like it knows more about the town when the show is done. We want them to feel positive about the town, remembering both the offbeat elements that appeared in the shows. This is done in the format of several different reports from the events that are shown to the viewing public. The style is that of a series of news results on camera. Humorous or documentary treatment would give the video crew the leeway they need in order to produce a top-notch series of news “reports.”
Information for Video Subcontractor:
The piece about Bear Mountain will be a feature rotating through the Local 12 lineup and be the main segment in a "Your Neighborhood" half-hour aimed at general viewers. I'd like the deliverables to be in 1080 HD with a Dolby 5.1 sound mix. You'll be responsible for equipment rental, but you can post in our edit suites, though the sound mix will have to be done by a sound editor you bring in. We'll add the bumpers and lead-in graphics, and your content should be in a standard news format; you can decide if
you want an onscreen reporter or offscren narrator. We'll need the deliverables by June 15; I'll pay $1250/minute for an 8-10 minute piece. Everything has to be cleared for local cablecast with upscalable
options for wider viewing, i.e. prenegotiated fees for outside Local 12, nationwide, and network); I'll have final cut and so determine the final length of the piece. I'll pay $1000 on signing; $4000 at the
beginning of principal photography and the remainder upon acceptance of the deliverables, which must include originals or copies of all contracts, agreements, releases, insurance policies (with Local 12 named as a covered party), and receipts.
Section 2: Research
The format of this project is a series of stories to appear on news broadcasts that are neighborhood overview features. To research Bear Mountain, I will need to drive the streets carefully, identifying any new businesses and other areas of local interest. I will research different local events using local message boards and event websites, in order to bring them up for production. I'll talk to local business owners and customers to get a sense of what is important in the neighborhood.
Section 3: Treatment
The title of this series of news reports will be “Escape to Bear Mountain.” This series is about the little touches, the personalities, the quirks, that set this neighborhood apart. I think that my audience will have heard of the neighborhood, if they live in town; however, even if they do not live in town, it should still have the sort of content that will be appreciated by viewers in the demographic. Our hope is that the audience will learn about that the elements that set this neighborhood apart. The twelve-minute
Part 1: The Town's Best Teacher
This is a section about Edna Stanton, who has been teaching school in Bear Mountain since 1951; this year, she is an aide in a second-grade classroom, although she has taught grades K-12 and was the principal of the elementary school from 1992 to 2001.
This feature covers her life, including her perspective on the way that school has changed, the town has changed, and education has changed. This should take 3:30 – 4:00.
Part 2: The Most Romantic Tree in Bear Mountain
This feature will tell the story of the Love Oak, a tree that has stood in Bear Mountain for at least 98 years, when it was part of a tract of land set apart by the U.S. Forest Service. This piece will include interviews with a couple who got married beneath that tree in 1940, not long before the groom enlisted in World War II. Other couples who have married at the tree appear in the feature too, which will last between 2:30 and 3:00.
Part 3: The Meeting of City and Country
There are many areas in the nation that are encountering the oddities of the meeting of city and country, what with the continuation of urban sprawl (and exurbian sprawl) through tareas that, not too long ago, were deserted, left to the wild. This feature begins with some footage of animals that are finding their way into the more inhabited parts of Bear Mountain and holding their own. An interview with the county agriculture agent discusses the impacts of these animals, finishing up with interviews with homeowners on the edge of the developed areas of the community who are experiencing some of the more colorful effects of this phenomenon. Estimated time: 5:00 – 6:00.
Section 4: Script
VIDEO
AUDIO
Feature #1:
Black
Fade up to the Local 12 Logo
Local 12 Music
Fade to the first still picture of Ms. Stanton
Narrator
Progress through other pictures
Narrator continues
Cut to: Interview with daughter
Interview
Cut to: Reporter
Transition to second interview
Cut to: Interview with student
Interview
Feature #2:
Black
Fade to picture of tree
Wife of older couple telling story
Husband continues story
Cut to video of reporter at tree with couple
Interview continues
Fade to picture of first additional couple
Reporter narrates names of other couples
Other pictures
Narration continues
Feature #3:
Black
Fade to footage of native animals in the
Narrator describing the situation, animals and
Neighborhood
wildlife intersecting with people
Cut to interview with architecture professor
Interview
Cut to reporter setting up next interview
Narrator
Cut to interview with family
Interview
Cut to reporter wrapping up features
Narrator
Section 5: Breakdown
SEE ATTACHED SHEET
Section 6: Schedule
Shoot's principal photography to take place by June 1, to send to the videographer for inclusion in the final video. Because of the flexibility of the deadline, cover sets should not be needed, but just in case, we have located a photography studio in a nearby town that has a backdrop of an oak tree that strongly resembles the Love Oak. The other still photographs are all indoor shots. Ideally, the photography will take place on a bright day, for both the second and third features, so that the photographer will have the most flexibility as far as filtering. We want the mood of this piece to be upbeat, rather than somber, so keeping things bright will be optimal.
Section 7: Staffing and Legal Issues
We will need releases from all of the subjects that we are interviewing, and anyone on whose property we will be to shoot outdoor scenes. The videographer is the only outside professional that we will use; we plan to use one of our project members to act as the reporter. The videographer will carry his own insurance, and we will use a standard contract when dealing with him. Because there will be narration behind the still photographs, there will not need to be any music recording.
Section 8: Post-Production and Output
Other than titling for the beginning and ending, and for the names of the interviewees, this will be minimal. Editing will be the province of the videographer. For all of these items, we should be able to hold the budget under $17,500. Music and special effects use will be minimal – we want the content to speak for itself. The final format can appear as the full feature, or split into the three parts if that fits better for Local 12's preferences.
