Third Group Meeting-Treatments

On the third group meeting we completed the two treatments and settled on the name 'Change The Record' for the record store idea and 'City Canvas' for the street art idea. 

Change The Record treatment City Canvas

Change The Record is a 5 minute investigative documentary following the journey of one of Liverpool’s most iconic record stores, The Vinyl Emporium, from its peak times as a once well loved record store to the current day when it has been closed down for almost a year, with all of its stock having recently been sold via eBay. With famous faces such as Quentin Tarantino and Noel Gallagher once being among customers who positively commented on the store, the documentary will delve into the highs and lows of the history of a once loved Liverpool independent record store, and through telling the tale of this one store will investigate where the future lies for independent retailers now that we live in a digital age.

The first part to the documentary will be primarily focused on introducing Liverpool as a city filled with music and introduce the history of the Vinyl Emporium. Interviews will be shown and used as the main driving force of the documentary, with stock footage and our own captured footage showing the contrast between what was once there and what remains today. A series of interviews held with local ex-customers, passers by to where the store once stood, and local Liverpool musicians will capture a number of different experiences of the store and explore memories of what the store meant for both them personally as well as for the Liverpool independent music scene on the whole. The documentary will question the impact that the store has left on Liverpool and will discover the reasons behind selling the whole stock in one large collection on eBay specifically. The story has recently been covered across social media networks and local Liverpool newspapers, however telling the story through film will capture a sense of the place as well as the experience of the stores journey in a different, visual format.

The documentary will be stylistically shot in a classic cinematic way to reflect the store’s history, and the idea that the records as items have a history of their own. Low key lighting as well as cinematography that will be carefully composed and reflective of this will be used throughout to show this idea visually. The main themes that the documentary explores are uncertainty of the future, loss, in the sense of the art form of records and contrast; that where once a well loved and iconic record store stood, nothing physical remains now that the stock has been sold on eBay, but memories. 

The documentary will wrap up with a theme of ongoing uncertainty for the future of independent music retailers on the high street, via recapturing the interesting story of this one particular iconic store. Visually, a record player will be shown playing a record, which will be very gradually moved in onto. The documentary will end on a moving tone as the film delivers the final question of what the future will hold for the independent music scene in Liverpool as well as independent retailers elsewhere. 

City Canvas

City Canvas is a short documentary, which focuses on people perceptions on street art/graffiti. While some people see it as art and a way to express them selves, others see it as kindles acts of vandalism. The documentary hopes to delve into the unknown world of a Liverpool street art and tackle people's perception of the art form. 

Liverpool, the former Capital Of Culture, is renowned for its street art. Even the most prolific artists like Bansky and Sick Boi have been said to use the city of Liverpool as they canvas.  Our documentary intends to guide the viewer around Liverpool street art and challenging misconceptions as the story progresses. 

The film will start off with a montage of graffiti, from the sublime works of Bansky and other talented street artist, to the ridiculous works of vandals. The intro will showcase both sides of graffiti, the good and bad in a certain extent.   While the montage plays through, as well as an upbeat sound track we will have the thoughts and opinions of local residents to see what they think. Is it art or is it vandalism?  We intend to set up a vox pop interview style in the location where Bansky iconic Rat portrait once stood. This was classed as one of Liverpool's famous landmarks. 

The documentary then slightly shifts focus, as we delve deeper into the unknown. We follow Kieron from local organisation Zap Graffiti for the day as he shares the difficulties he has faced in expressing his emotion and artist flare through this art form.  As well as been quite a stylistic and modern film will also be quite personal as we get a real insight to the man's life and the troubles he has faced. Although after endless phone calls and emails sent to numerous street artists it’s hard to find someone who is willing to share their story. At this moment in time no one has got back to us. 

When researching we came across a business called Zap Graffiti who run events to promote graffiti as a positive art form. Each weekend they run workshops in Liverpool to help develop the skills of upcoming graffiti artist.  The story of Zap Graffiti will be a great way to carry our documentary as it shows the positive side of street art, instead of vandalism the street artist have a place to go to express them selves.  Even local business are getting on board and hiring people from Zap Graffiti to design window displays. Although seen as a positive is this company just producing the next wave of vandals or the next wave of artist? 

 The target audience for the documentary will be primarily people aged 15-36 since this is the most likely range of people that will relate to the subject matter and theme of the film.