More Updates...

Ok, so since my last post I have been working really hard on this project. (I haven't even had time to post on here so there is a lot of news!) Firstly my interviews are done! I shot all 4 interviews on the same day. (This took a really long time but I was glad to get it all done). I shot them all in front of green screen which I think worked really well. I did 2 double interviews and 2 singles. I think the doubles worked really well as the interviewees were able to bounce off each other which added a bit of comedy. The singles were also really successful. Although I originally planned to do 10 interviews, I feel that 4 is plenty. 10 would be too much to edit down. Also, having a smaller number allows the audience to relate to the people more as they get more screen time.

Next - I have actually finished editing! This literally took weeks.Overall I did about 6 full days of non stop editing so it's been a long process. First I editing down the presenter scenes and put them in order. I noticed that these looked a bit pink on screen (probably a reflection of the red walls) so I edited the colour to make it look more natural. Next, I edited down my interviews. This was the most difficult part because there were so many bits I wanted to keep but I knew I only had a 30 minute show to fill so I had to cut out quite a lot. I am pleased with the parts I chose though. I narrowed it down and selected the best parts. Once all this was in place, I had to put in the green screen backgrounds (pictures to come). As I had never done this before, it was quite a task, although I think the results are great! Every interview had a different background which reflected my 90s toy theme.

Next I recorded my presenter's voice over. This was to go over the found footage. This only took about 10 minutes to do and I think it's really effective. After this was edited and put in place, I needed the found footage. I had to source these from youtube so the quality is not great. I don't think this is a problem though because it is footage from the 90s so it is bound to look a little old. I also sourced my music from youtube. I chose theme tunes to accompany the interviews. For example, when talking about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the television theme tune would be playing in the background. I think this worked quite well.

Next I needed graphics. I had help from two of my tutors with this. We sat together and came up with ideas that we thought would work well and created it on photoshop. We chose a chalk board name graphic with a small red logo. I think this turned out really well. This graphic comes up through out the show to introduce the interviewee's.

Finally, I went through and made small tweeks here and there and made rolling credits for the end of the show.

Overall - really pleased with my show!     

Set Decorating Photos!

Here are some photos that we took a couple of weeks ago before the shoot. I wanted to know what the set looked like on camera so we took some photos to give me an idea.

This is the stripey wall, (above) which is the main feature of my set. I was worried that it would have a strange effect on the camera due to the stripes but as you can see from the photo, the wallpaper works quite well.

These photos are of the purple wall which I used to break up the stripes and the red wall. As you can see, at this point I hadn't finished tacking it to the wall (thats why it looks like its hanging off!) Once I did finish tacking it, the lines between the wallpaper were really clear to see. So my posters that I bought helped to disguise this. Since the shoot, I have looked back on the footage and you can still see a couple of the lines but the posters draw away most of the attention so it's not a problem.

This is the first coat of red paint I did. I think the colour worked really well and matched the stripes perfectly.

Updates!

Since my last post, I have made a lot more progess with this project so I need to update you again!
I finished decorating my set, brought it all the props and managed to film all of my presenter scenes on the 1st May! The shoot took me all day from 9:00 - 5:00 but I think it was very successful. Before shooting, I did a sound check and a camera check (videos to come). This helped me to get an idea of what worked best. Then I set up the lighting equipment. This was actually very difficult because I found that no matter where I put the lights, there was a constant shadow on the back wall. This was something that I had to live with, but looking back on the footage, I realise that it isn't that obvious so I don't feel it affects the quality of the piece. I will upload screen shots soon!

Since the shoot I have arranged my second shoot date. This coming Thursday I will shoot my interviews in front of the green screen. Once these are done, it will simply be a case of editing!

Today, I have completed my pre-production folder.

Overall, I am very pleased with my progess over the last 2 weeks.

Studio Set Posters

Today, I have been thinking about the design of my set. My original plan was to put 90s toys on the wall as a way of displaying them (as well as using the plinths). But the more I think about it, the more I realise how difficult that is going to be. So this morning I have been searching for cheap 90's toy posters to put around the set instead. I bought these two:

 

 

Although Toy Story was a movie, it was also a massive toy franchise so I think this is appropriate for my set. It is not one of my top ten toys but I don't think that matters because I want to put all kinds of 90s toys around my set such as scooters and playstations. It doesn't matter that they aren't part of my top ten, they are still appropriate.

 

I chose this TMNT poster because I have found it very difficult trying to get hold of TMNT action figures. Again, this poster is appropriate as TMNT toys were massive in the 90s.

Interview Questions

I have now finished writing up my interview questions. (below). I have picked very specific questions because I already know the sort of answers I want my interviewees to give. Looking at the size of the interview, I am worried about having the time to get through all 10 of my interviewees. However, it is very important for me to ask so many questions to so many people because when it comes to editing, I will have a large selection of answers to choose from.

Interview Questions

Troll Dolls

1)      Using only 3 words, describe a Troll Doll

2)      How many did you have as a child? Did you collect them?

3)      What colour hair did yours have?

4)      Why do you think children liked them?

5)      Why did you like them?

6)      Do you remember their popularity? Do you remember them in the shops?

7)      What do you think of the fact that most Troll Dolls are naked? Does it affect children?

8)      What different types of troll merchandise do you remember? Did you have the T-shirt?

Polly Pocket

1)      How would you describe the character of Polly Pocket?

2)      What did Polly represent to young girls?

3)      Do you remember the different types of houses Polly had?

4)      Did you have a Polly pocket? Describe the ones you had?

5)      Do you remember how popular Polly was?

6)      Did you prefer the old Polly to the new larger Polly?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

1)      Who/what were Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

2)      What was their purpose?

3)      Do you remember their names?

4)      What kind of merchandise did you have?

5)      What were their weapons?

6)      How popular were they in the 90s?

7)      Why do you think they were so popular?

8)      Why do you think kids could relate to them?

9)      Do you remember the theme tune?

Tamagotchi

1)      Describe a tamagotchi.

2)      What kind of virtual pets did you have?

3)      What was the importance of children caring for a virtual pet?

4)      Did you have/want one? How popular were they?

5)      What would happen if you didn’t care for your pet?

6)      Did it teach responsibility?

7)      Describe your memories of Tamagotchi?

Pogs

1)      What were pogs?

2)      Do you remember the rules of the game?

3)      Do you remember them being banned from schools?

4)      Do you agree that pogs resemble a form of gambling?

5)      Do you remember any particular design or patterns that they had?

6)      Why do you think they were so popular in the 90s?

Power Rangers

1)      Who/What were power rangers?

2)      How were they identified? Did they have different powers?

3)      What were zords?

4)      What was their purpose?

5)      What merchandise could you get?

6)      What did you think of them?

7)      Why did they appeal to children?

8)      Do you remember the theme tune?

Gameboy

1)      Tell me what a Gameboy was.

2)      What games could you get?

3)      What was the first/your favourite game you played on Gameboy?

4)      Why was it so appealing for 90s kids?

5)       Do you remember their popularity? Did most kids have one?

6)      Why was Gameboy the start of hand held computerised games?

Furbies

1)      Describe a furby

2)      Would you class this as an educational toy and why?

3)      Do you remember the fictional language of ‘Furbish’ (Examples).

4)      What commands could you give your furby?

5)      What would happen if you didn’t look after your furby?

6)      Why was it so popular?

7)      Who was this toy aimed at?

Beanie Babies

1)      What were they? Why were they different from conventional stuffed animals?

2)      Did you collect them? Why were they so collectable?

3)      What was the significance of them having individual names, DOB, and poems?

4)      Name a few you remember. Which ones did you have?

5)      Buyers were led to believe they would one day be worth money, why was this not the case?

6)      Beanies weren’t sold in large retailers, they did not have TV adverts, and do you think this made them more desirable?

7)      Who were they aimed at?

Pokémon

1)      What does Pokémon mean to you?

2)      What different types of pokemon were there? E.g. trading cards, toys, tv show.

3)      What do you remember about the characters? Names? Powers?

4)      What was Pokémon? What was the ultimate aim of the game?

5)      Did you play the trading card game? What was the aim?

6)      Why were the cards so collectable?

7)      Why did Pokémon appeal to children?

8)      Do you remember the theme tune?

Final Design

A few weeks ago I created this studio set design. (Below). Although my design has changed slightly, I thought it would be a good idea to show where my initial thoughts came from. I have kept the stripey feature wall but it now stretches over three walls instead of one, I have also kept the red painted walls but have added purple walls in between to break up the colour. I am no longer having a tv screen or sofa, I am simply having white plinths dotted around the set, displaying 90s toys. I think my new set design is more interesting and works better.

Script

As you can see, I have done quite a bit of research into my top ten toys, and now my script is finished! (see below).

STUDIO: Hi there and welcome to ‘You Know you’re a 90’s Kid’ – The show that relives the good times of your youth and reunites you with some of the best loved toys of the 90’s!

To kick us off, we got something that can only be described as small, scary and just plain ugly! This strange fad of the 90’s had people buying in their thousands. So what was it about these weird little creatures that had us kids hooked? At number 10, it’s none other than the bizarre Troll Dolls!

VOICEOVER: Originally made in the 1950’s, troll dolls became an instant hit with kids. However, the fad quickly died out and it wasn’t until the early 1990’s that we once again saw the popularity of these little creatures hit an all time high. In addition to the dolls, manufacturers also made troll key rings, jewellery and clothing.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

Coming up next we’ve got something that the 90s girls went mad for! They were less than 1 inch tall, made of plastic and lived in tiny little houses big enough to fit in your pocket. You’ve guessed it... Polly Pocket is at number 9!

VOICEOVER: Distributed in the early 1990’s, Polly Pocket stole the hearts of many kids around the world. Originally sold by Bluebird Toys in the UK, Polly Pocket was hugely popular from 1990 all the way up until 1998 when Mattel took over the toy, changing its appearance to a much taller doll. Polly represented the confident, cool, popular blonde girl who loves having fun, adventures, and most importantly, friends.   

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: Next up is the massively popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Originally starting out as a comic book and then leading on to a television show, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were a team of 4 anthropomorphic turtles who fought crime from their home in the storm sewers of New York City.

VOICEOVER: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures, vehicles, costumes and accessories were produced in their thousands, becoming one of the most successful merchandising franchises of the decade. It brought in millions across the globe.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: Do you remember the hours you spent looking after that little digital pet that needed your constant care and attention? The Tamagotchi, first invented in 1996 was a global phenomenon, selling in its millions. For those of you that don’t know, the Tamagotchi was a small hand held virtual pet simulation game for kids. Since their invention, over 76 million Tamagotchis have been sold worldwide.

VOICEOVER: The concept of Tamagotchi was simple – your virtual pet is a small alien species that hatched on earth to see what life is like on our planet. The characters are colourful, simplistic creatures based on animals, objects and people. It is the player’s job to raise the egg into an adult creature. The more you care for your creature, the smarter and happier it becomes.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: Number 6 on our list is a game that was inspirited by bottle caps – Pogs. Pogs were small round pieces of decorated cardboard that players would collect in order to compete against their components. The aim of the game was for each player to build a stack of pogs and then use the ‘slammer’ to hit the stack and make the pogs scatter. Each player keeps any pogs that land face-up after their throw. The player with the most pogs at the end is named the winner!  

VOICEOVER: Inspired by a Hawaiian game which consisted of bottle caps rather than cardboard, Pogs returned to popularity when the World POG Federation and the Canada Games Company reintroduced them to the public in the 1990s. The pog fad soared, and peaked in the mid 1990s before rapidly fading out. Pogs were so popular with children they quickly became banned from schools, as teachers felt the pogs represented a form of gambling.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: We’re halfway through our countdown now and at number 5 we have the infamous Power Rangers!  Catapulting onto our screens in August 1993, Power Rangers were a team of 5 teenagers who were trained to morph into Rangers with special powers in order to defeat evil forces that threatened humanity.

VOICEOVER: This popular TV show inspired the making of numerous action figures and other Power Rangers merchandise. Action Figures came in all the colours of the shows characters and were complete with Zords – their special crime-fighting machines.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: At number 4 it’s the revolutionary Gameboy from Nintendo! This hand-held video game device was first released in Europe in September 1990. It was the first of its kind in the Gameboy line of hand held consoles. As one of the worlds’s best selling game systems, the Gameboy and its successor the Gameboy Colour sold over 118.69 million units worldwide.

VOICEOVER: Gameboy was originally sold in a bundle with the popular puzzle game, Tetris. The aim of the game was to rotate falling shapes in order to fit them in to a horizontal line with no gaps. Other popular games included Baseball, Tennis and Super Mario Land.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: We’re about to enter the top 3 toys of 90’s, as voted for by none other than us 90’s kids! At number 3, it’s the cute, fury, and incredibly annoying Furbies. The Furby was the first ever successful attempt at creating a domestically-aimed robot. This small electronic creature that resembled a cross between a hamster and an owl became a must-have toy in the 90’s.

VOICEOVER: This popular toy sold over 40 million units and was available in 24 languages. Furbies started out speaking the fictional language of ‘Furbish.’ The more you played with your Furby, the better its English would become. The idea was to create a toy that resembled the process of learning English.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: At number 2, we have the incredibly popular and massively collectable Beanie Babies. These stuffed animals were filled with plastic pellets rather than conventional stuffing, hence the name ‘Beanie Baby.’ Made by toy manufacturer, TY INC in 1993, Beanie Babies flew off the shelves and became one of the most collected items of the decade.

VOICEOVER: TY Warner, the founder of TY INC came up with many marketing strategies in order to sell these popular cuddly toys. Personification was one way in which he did this. Every Beanie Baby had a Ty tag with a unique name, a background story to include a birthday, and a poem. This increased the product's appeal by adding a personal connection with the buyer. It was no longer just a stuffed animal.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: So, we’ve seen everything from Troll Dolls to Polly Pocket, from Tamagotchis to Power Rangers but now it’s time to reveal number 1 of our top ten most popular 90’s toys! It’s one of the most successful media franchises in the world. It’s none other than Pokémon!

VOICEOVER: From video games to anime to trading cards and toys, Japanese media franchise, Pokémon, is one of the world’s most successful toy merchandisers. Originally starting out as a video game for Nintendo in 1996, the concept of Pokémon, in both the video games and the general fictional world, stems from the hobby of insect collecting. Players of the games are designated as Pokémon Trainers. The aim of the game is to collect all the available Pokémon species and to train them to compete against teams owned by other trainers. The ultimate aim is to become the Pokémon Master! These themes of collecting, training, and battling are present in almost every version of the Pokémon franchise, including the video games, the anime and manga series, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

INTERVIEWS AND FOUND FOOTAGE

STUDIO: So that’s it! We’ve brought back the nostalgic 90’s to you in this top ten countdown of your favourite kids toys! Join me next time, on ‘You Know you’re A 90’s Kid’ when we’ll be reliving some of the greatest 90’s musical hits of your youth! Thanks for watching!