Justification

I believe that the subject matter that I have chosen is suitable for an info graphic. This is because, while I obviously cannot keep animating different women to represent my chosen topic of the progression of female filmmakers in the industry, I can make my point with other aspects. For example, I am bound to find out interesting statistics while researching the matter, as well as finding out some quotes, either from books, online resources, or interviews that I have done. Mixed with the right animation technique, sound, and text, I believe that it will be appropriately informative, and although it may not even have an obvious conclusion, it could pose a question about equal rights in the industry. The way that the subject is presented will depend on the research I have found, as it may show that there is no longer a problem in the film industry, although in either instance it could present facts that not many people know. If I do manage to contact one of the organizations for women in film, it could also be appropriate for them to put my info graphic on their website, to further promote their cause.

Research Plan and Production Schedule

11th November: Receiving assignment

11th November- 24th November:

• Presenting and justifying a planned proposal
• Setting up a blog to write this, and the ongoing log, on

24th November- 1st December:

• Looking at what websites would be useful to this investigation
• Noting down what the websites are, and why they are useful
• Looking in the college’s library and online to see if any books are useful
• Noting down what the books are, and why they would be of use
• Identify what libraries I can look in

1st December- 8th December:

• Contact anyone to interview that could be helpful
• Design questionnaires and distribute them
• Collate the information found in the questionnaires and begin to examine what this means

8th December- 15th December:

• Begin to decide on what quantitative research found can be included in the info graphic
• Begin to decide on what qualitative research found can be included in the info graphic
• Calculate the costs of this project

15th December- 22nd December:

• Final evaluation of research to be included
• Identify which information is worth including and which isn’t
• Identify why this is
• Identify exactly what will be included in the info graphic

22nd December- 5th January:

• Investigate storyboard and script varients
• Choose sound effects and music to use and justify this
• Choose and justify what animation variants with sound will be worth using
• Choose what animation to use from what has been researched

6th January: Hand in research

7th January- 21st April:

• Create infographic

Available technologies

There will be computers already available to me, due to the fact that I own a computer as well as the fact that there are many computers available to access in the college. However, should this not be the case, I would have to purchase a similar computer to the ones in college, such as an Apple iMac, which would cost between £899.00 and £1,999.00 (Apple Store (UK), 2014) depending on the type of Mac I decided to buy. However, the price would likely be closer to the latter option as the more powerful the iMac the better. On top of this I would also have to purchase After Effects software, which on its own costs a total of £714.19 (eBay, 2014) , although if I were to sign up to the Adobe Creative Cloud service, it would instead be about £27.34 a month, as it is currently on special offer (Creative.adobe.com, 2014). Another available technology is myself, as a researcher and the person who will be creating an info graphic. In the wider industry media companies would need to pay me for these services. As a researcher, the salary would depend on the individual company and amount of research being done for the company; however it is thought that it would roughly be a weekly rate ranging “from £350 for junior researchers to £600 per week for covering senior research roles” (Myjobsearch.com, 2014). On top of this, the work of designing an infographic as a freelancer, would generally mean that I would be paid around £30 per hour (Peopleperhour.com, 2014).

Reference List:

Apple Store (UK), (2014). iMac. [online] Available at: http://store.apple.com/uk/buy-mac/imac [Accessed 16 Nov. 2014].

Creative.adobe.com, (2014). Adobe Creative Cloud. [online] Available at: https://creative.adobe.com/plans [Accessed 16 Nov. 2014].

eBay, (2014). Adobe After Effects CS5. [online] Available at: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/311150932100?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108 [Accessed 16 Nov. 2014].

Myjobsearch.com, (2014). Media Researcher Career Guide – Media & Creative Jobs. [online] Available at: http://www.myjobsearch.com/careers/media-researcher.html [Accessed 16 Nov. 2014].

Peopleperhour.com, (2014). PeoplePerHour – infographics freelancers, freelance professionals & consultants. [online] Available at: http://www.peopleperhour.com/freelance/infographics [Accessed 16 Nov. 2014].

Available resources

I believe that I have many helpful resources available to me when working on this research project. For example, in terms of secondary research, there are many websites available informing of the history of film, and if I go deep enough into these websites I am bound to find some information on how women in the film industry have progressed over the years since film began. As well as this, there are certain websites dedicated especially to the subject of female filmmakers, which would likely provide vital information. There are also books available on the topic, which I will likely either purchase or take out from a library. The college has a library with a media section which could provide some information, although if I was to find that this did not provide enough information I could go to one of the libraries near me and request that they order in any books that I need. As well as this, I could buy some books or even ebooks online. Finally, if none of these routes were to be fruitful, which realistically they would, I could even visit the British Library as they are bound to have many resources. In terms of getting online, I would use computers either at home, as I have a macbook and a laptop, or one of the many apple or windows computers available to access in the college. If I could not get onto any of the computers in the college’s new “Mez” space, I would go to their library or a classroom and use one of the computers there. The computers are also useful for creating the info graphic on, as well as contacting anyone I should find online that would be worth interviewing on the topic and typing up questionnaires and interview questions on. Finally, they are essential in using to learn how to create info graphics on, by the use of websites such as Redgiant.com, videocopilot.com, and various YouTube videos instructing on the subject.

Proposal

The topic that I will be making an info graphic on is the progression of female filmmakers in the industry. This is because up until 2010 a female filmmaker hadn’t even won and Oscar, and they were much less recognized in the media industry than men. However, now there are even organizations specifically set up to help women working in the film industry. My method for researching this will first begin with identifying aspects such as available resources and technologies, and a plan of when to undertake the research. After this I will look at the secondary research I can get from the internet and books, as well as undertaking primary research of my own, which could possibly include interviews with people from the organizations that help women working in film, and questionnaires on the general public’s opinions on the matter, and whether it is something that should be reevaluated. As well as this, I will try to include as many statistics as possible on the matter, so as to make it as informative as I can. Finally, I will begin to make the info graphic. This will entail researching other info graphics that have previously been made, and how I can use any of the techniques in my own work. For example, if I see a font that I like, or the way that some of the work has been animated, I will take note of that and see if I can learn how to do something similar.