[P2] Create a Proposal and Client Documentation to Support the Pitch

 

LO2 - Be able to create a proposal and pitch for an original media product based on a given brief.

My Questionnaire

I have chosen to research my desired audience of people aged 15-25 through a google form including open and closed questions in order to gain audience feedback about the plan for my soap opera.  My Google Form

Target Audience Research

I have chosen to research my target audience of age 15-25 year old people via online survey in order to gain lots of quick responses into how to proposed soap opera idea would be taken. 

My online survey has targeted my age range accurately and found out that in general my age group does not watch soap operas generally because they feel that they are aimed towards an older audience due to the issues shown within them along with the characters feeling unreliable. This will help me to develop my ideas on my soap opera further as it allows me to make sure my issues and characters represent a younger audience so that they will find it interesting and want to watch it. Furthermore, my research shows that in general, people like the crime drama genre in general and specifically within soap operas people would enjoy watching one related to love/cheating and murder very highly - therefore giving support to my idea for No Body No Crime.

I will further develop my research by asking a small number of interview questions in order to gain more detailed data and reasons as to why people feel certain ways towards soap operas.

1. Why do you feel that people your age do not watch soap operas?

2. Would you be more likely to watch a crime hybrid soap rather than just a normal soap? Why?

3. Do you often sit down at a specific time to watch a program? If not - would you?

Treatment for my Soap Opera

Soap Opera Title - 'No Body No Crime' 

Log Line - A soap opera based in the small town of Evermore in rural England in which a group of friends suffer from cheating, lying, murder and revenge.

Format Description - 4 episodes a week lasting between 20-30 minutes - an ongoing series originally shown for 1 month (16 episodes) to begin before developing out if successful.

One Paragraph Description of the Programme - Within 'No Body No Crime' the lives of 4 friends and one boyfriend who met at Cornelia St. High school but are now home from university several years later are going through high school drama all over again - suffering from cheating within friendship groups, the drama it creates and the mysterious disappearance of Este after she calls out John for cheating on her. How will they find her and who made her vanish?

Character Biographies - Este is a popular character, the pretty and friendly one of the group who has friends elsewhere and lights up a room. John was lucky to have Este yet pushed his luck by cheating on him. She has brunette long hair and is tall. John is much shorter, a dirty blonde average looking boy who has a easily changing personality and several enemies. He cheated on Este with Alana, her original best friend, slightly two faced and obsessed with social media and the image she gives off. Taylor is supportive, the friend that is always there - blonde, tall with blue eyes. Danielle is the suspicious one within the friendship group, she never seemed to like John and her suspicious prove to be true. 

Sample Scene Outline - The last five minutes of my episode. They know John made her go missing. They don't know how and they don't know where but they know he did it? No amount of police questioning can get down to the bottom of where Este has gone. Their search changes from them trying to find Este to trying to get revenge. The episode ends on a cliff hanger as they decide to get John back for what he did to Este. Danielle and Taylor continue the search for Este after speaking to the police and spying on John. They are outside and discuss what could've happened - deciding it was John and that they should take it into their own hands to get revenge. A walk by the river, bleach and a boat.

The Central Message - After watching a typical episode, I want the message of my soap to convey that friends should always stick together after drama happens and that if you have the right friends, they will always have your back no matter what.

A Unique Selling Point - My unique selling point of 'No Body No Crime' is that it is a crime-soap hybrid meaning it will appeal to my audience more than a typical soap opera. Furthermore, as it is based on a Taylor Swift song it will specifically appeal to a younger audience that are fans of Taylor Swift.

Costs of a Soap Opera

Actors - I will need 5 main actors with 2 of them being much more prominent therefore being payed more. Soap opera actors can earn up to £400-£1200 per episode depending on how much they appear. Assuming this, lets say 3 of my actors earn £400 per episode with the other 2 earning £1000 therefore working out at £3120+ per episode with background extras.

Cost of Staff - Assuming that the BBC will provide some sets, cameras and editing tools therefore covering the cost of them staff - I will require camera and microphone operators - costing £24k a year so therefore £65 per day of filming per camera operator. I will also require a director and script writer - costing £200 per day. I will also need a costume designer and a make up artist - costing £10 per hour for makeup and £70 per day for a costume designer - overall staffing should cost around £700-£1000 per day of filming - which could include several episode production. While the BBC may not be able to produce some of these staff - they may be able to recommend some for a cheaper price. 

Cost of Advertising - The BBC is a PBS meaning that money can be saved as they can advertise on the BBC for free as there is no commercial adverts. They can also advertise on TV, radio and iPlayer for free as it is their own platform. Therefore previewing costs should be virtually zero but other costs such as the cost of producing advertisements such as videos and billboards can range from £25,000+.

Storyboard of Draft Script

Draft Script Example