Advertisement Production Background Research

Idea Development and Pitch

Brief:

As a group this semester, we are required to produce a one-minute advert about a non-fiction book of our choice. We were presented with a fictitious scenario; the client, who is an international publishing house, wants to launch a new advertising campaign to promote individual non-fiction books and not the actual publishing house itself. These adverts will be broadcast on diverse television stations and everyone can buy the books since those advertised are distributed worldwide and also sold online. The publishing house is organizing a competition for the best 1-minute advert and asked students who are currently studying media related courses to produce these adverts.

The criteria set by the client is that the adverts must not be more than 60 seconds in length and the book must be a non-fiction one. The advert must fall under the ‘G’ rating criteria as regards to regulation and it should be short, fun and entertaining.

The non-fiction book I have individually chosen to produce an advert about is "The Encyclopedia of Hollywood; An A-Z Guide to the stars, stories, and secrets of Hollywood" written by Scott Siegel and Barbara Siegel. It is a book which gives concise information about Hollywood artists, films, jobs and also technical terms that have to do with filming and editing such as 'final cut' and 'master shot'. It is the perfect guide to anyone who wants to become part of the film industry and also to those who are interested in what happens in Hollywood and want to broaden their knowledge about film. 


Client:


The client of the book “The Encyclopedia of Hollywood; An A to Z guide to the stars, stories, and secrets of Hollywood” is Checkmark Books/Facts on File under Infobase Publishing.

Infobase Publishing: Infobase Publishing is one of America's leading providers of supplemental educational materials to the school and library markets. Product formats include books, eBooks, online databases, eLearning Modules, videos, and digital products under such well-known names as Facts On File, Films for the Humanities & Sciences, Cambridge Educational, Chelsea House, Bloom's Literary Criticism, World Almanac®, and Ferguson Publishing. With thousands of titles and numerous award winners, Infobase provides students, librarians, and educators with authoritative, reliable resources supporting the curriculum across a wide variety of subject areas from history, science, and literature to careers, health, and social issues.

Facts on File: Facts On File is an award-winning publisher of print, eBooks, and online reference materials for the school and library market. We specialize in core subject areas, such as history, science, literature, geography, health, and more. Their print titles are authoritative references geared toward the high school, academic, and public library markets. Their highly regarded, curriculum-based online products include reference and news service databases, eLearning Modules, and streaming video. Facts On File has nearly 70 years of service to librarians backing our editorial content and decisions.

http://www.infobasepublishing.com

Budget:

With regards to budget, we did not spend much. We found almost all the props with the help of friends and family and we did not pay anything for the location or the actors. The only costs we had was travelling costs, being it petrol or bus tickets, and the DVDs and cases to distribute to our actors as a Thankyou when the advert is finished.


Deadline:

Technical Resources:

• HD Camera
• Tripod
• Chroma Kit
• SD Card
• D-SLR Camera
• Red Head Set
• Editing Software

Technical Constraints:

One technical constraint we encountered during filming was that as we switched on the camera, all that we could see was a black screen. Turned out that all we had to do was open the iris since it was closed. With regards to the other equipment, everything worked perfectly.

Target Audience:

It is a book that appeals to anyone who takes interest in the subject, be it for pure curiosity or studying, regardless of one’s socio-economic status. It is also targeted at both males and females as both genders can work in the media industry and may be interested in it. Furthermore, the cover of the book does not have any particular colour that may appeal to a particular gender rather than to another. This book is targeted at anyone from young teens to adults; it is not targeted at children because it has a lot of text and lack of images. In fact, one can only find occasional photos of Hollywood stars in the book. The target audience of this non-fiction book is a mainstream audience since a broad range of people are likely to be interested in buying it. The audience would expect brief biographies and explanations of subject terminology in simple terms that everyone understands, especially those who are new to the film industry.

Legal and Ethical Issues:


Before producing our advert we must also take into consideration various legal and ethical issues. We should not invade anyone's privacy and the copyright law must also be taken into consideration. Furthermore, it is of great importance that we have release forms for all the talents involved and also a release form for the location which we will be using.


Regulation:


G — General Audiences. All Ages Admitted. 

A G-rated motion picture contains nothing in theme, language, nudity, sex, violence or other matters that, in the view of the Rating Board, would offend parents whose younger children view the motion picture. The G rating is not a "certificate of approval," nor does it signify a "children’s" motion picture. Some snippets of language may go beyond polite conversation but they are common everyday expressions. No stronger words are present in G-rated motion pictures. Depictions of violence are minimal. No nudity, sex scenes or drug use are present in the motion picture.

http://www.mpaa.org/ratings/what-each-rating-means