The Everyday Object

The Memory Stick is a removable flash memory card format, launched by Sony in October 1998. A memory stick comes in many different forms; Memory Stick, Memory Stick Select, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick Micro (M2) and a Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HXMemory Stick XC. The idea of a memory stick is that it is something which all files can be put onto and then removed and put into any computer. 

The look of a typical memory stick. 

The reason why I chose my topic to be a memory stick is because it is something that I use everyday, in college it is very important that we look after all of our own work and keep it safe, therefore memory sticks are very important. I think that memory sticks are quite hard to make look interesting because since all they are used for is organisation. 

Synopsis 

In my documentary what I plan on doing is treating the memory stick as though it’s the most important thing in the world. To filmmakers a memory stick is incredibly important because it is a way of putting all your work into one place. The way in which I intend to make this interesting is by trying to make it funny and make it look as though the memory stick is the hero. The way in which I will do this is by frankly looking for the work on the computer and not being able to find it, I then realise that I saved it onto my memory stick and I have it all with me. 

Production 

The idea for this was easy enough to come up with, however the filming was really difficult. The reason why was because I did it on my own for the first time and trying to be in it as well as film and make sure everything look right it was a lot harder than I had planned. I think that it turned out well in the end considering it was only me. However I do think this was the most problems I have ever had during one project. 

The way in which we were told to structure our documentary. 

For the planning I drew up quite a detailed storyboard, the reason for this was so that I had something to follow when I was filming, Along with the storyboard, I wrote up a basic script, the reason why was so that I have some idea of what to say when documenting. I think that it is always important to have a some sort of planning behind you because you can look back and follow what the plan had originally said. 

Proof of my editing sequence. 

When it came to the editing it took me a little over two hours because I had to get all the clips and sounds together in order for it too work. The soundtrack that I put behind it was 'Story of My Life' the reason for this was because I felt like the song was fitting for the documentary. I did all of the editing at home however it didn't save but I managed to do it again at college and it worked. 


I think if I were to do this project again, then I wouldn't do it on my own. I also think I just had a lot of bad luck on the particular day and I think that maybe I shouldn't work by myself for a very long time again. I think for this one, two people were needed in order for it to be a complete success.

This is my final video. 

Critiquing someone else's work

The work that I decided to critique was Jade Popham and Katie Patrick's. I really like their work because I felt like it was really fun and a great simple idea. The everyday object that they used was an 'Aglet', an aglet is the part on the end of the shoelace. I thought the bits where they asked people what they thought an aglet was, was really usual. It's kind of funny because people had no clue what it was although people use them everyday. I thought it was a very clever everyday object because this is something that everyone uses yet nobody realises it. This is the irony of it because when asked about it we wouldn't have a clue yet everybody owns a pair of laces therefore everyone owns an aglet. 

The way in which they showed people's shoes and broke up the shots was really good because it gave the documentary a more of a fun feel than it would have been if it was just talking about the object in a normal short documentary. I think Jade does really well in capturing the audience and keeping them interested in the way in which she speaks. This is important especially when the documentary is so short. 

However I think that the best thing about this documentary is the way in which it is edited. The editing techniques in this are really simple yet are so effective. I think that the way it switches between Jade talking to the camera about an Aglet, people being asked a question about 'What an Aglet is?' and the way in which loads of people show their laced up shoes. 

The one thing that I think could be improved on is that they could use people showing their shoes more often and put a voice over on. I think that this could have worked better than Jade directly talking to the camera every time. However I think that in a documentary it is important to talk to the camera, I also think it is necessary that there's a voice over as this is something that is seen in every documentary. I think overall it is very good and there is a lot of hard work that has gone into it.