A-level Research post #3

 We've made it to our last 2 research posts, enjoy! 

(Victoria Beckham, 2023)

"Victoria Beckham", released in 2025 on Netflix shows Victoria Beckham's long way to fame (Victoria Beckham, 2025). This documentary series highlights her long journey from being a Spice Girl, a popular girl group in 1990s, best known for there catchy tunes and beats to being fashion designer (Victoria Beckham, 2025). She also balances her personal life with being a mother and wife. Netflix showcases her life through a 3-episode sequel and shows the good, the bad and dramatic events through her life (Netflix, 2023).

When reviewing the Victoria Beckham documentary, I really enjoyed the aspects of the roll footage and voiceovers to capture the concept of her life (Netflix, 2023). It shows how long she’s been within the media industry and where she is now (Netflix, 2023).  To show this, we see magazines and video footage from past events dated back all the way when she was a kid (Netflix, 2023). Overall, these technical elements came together to create an overall good documentary. 

 (The Nacelle Company, 2017)

"The Toys That Made Us", released from 2017-2026 on Netflix showed how toys shaped society (The Toys That Made Us, 2017–2019). This Netflix documentary series specifically highlights, the incredible minds behind some of  the most memorable and iconic toys that people know today (The Toys That Made Us, 2017–2019). These include specific toy franchises and it commonly discusses some Positive and negative things that happened during the toy industry(The Toys That Made Us, 2017–2019).

On a technical note, I really like how it starts off showing multiple different logos And recognizable toys to capture and entertain the audience (ERiKC3000, 2018, 0.02). I really liked how the subjects are placed and interviewed in the back of a room where there’s various  amount of toys and a variety of different types of toys (ERiKC3000, 2018, 0.03). For example you have Legos, Barbies and transformers, etc (ERiKC3000, 2018, 0.05).Another important aspect that I really liked is that they use historical b-roll footage to provide context and clarity. Lastly, I really liked how there was a variety of subjects interviewed to provide a varied perspective.

                                                                       References 

Victoria Beckham. (2025). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33241853/

Victoria Beckham. (2023). Netflix. https://www.netflix.com/

Netflix. (2023, October 4). Victoria Beckham | Official Trailer [Video]. YouTube

The Toys That Made Us. (2017–2019). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7053920/

ERiKC3000. (2018, June 9). The Toys That Made Us Season 2 Trailer Netflix [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iABClQiLUuc

The Nacelle Company. (2017). The Toys That Made Us promotional poster [Image]. Netflix. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7053350/

A-level research post #2

Welcome back Cambridge! Let's continue exploring and researching about documentaries that pertain to my chosen genre!

(In Vogue: The 90s, 2024)

The next documentary I research is called "In Vouge ", released in 2024 on Hulu and Disney Plus (In Vogue: The 90s, 2024). This documentary further explores the deep-rooted history of the well-known fashion industry throughout the 1990's  (In Vogue: The 90s, 2024). But specifically, puts it through the perspective of 5 incredible Vogue editors  (In Vogue: The 90s, 2024).. Throughout each episode, you get a different perspective of these icons and what rally went behind the screens while becoming the worlds top fashion magazine during this time. This is shown through the duration of 6 episodes  (In Vogue: The 90s, 2024).

On a technical note, I really enjoyed the variety of shots and angles that was used to capture different angles of each subject (Hulu, 2024) . As well as the up-beat and fast paced choice of music to overall commit to the main theme of the desired brand which is something I want to achieve in my piece (Hulu, 2024). The various interviewee's was a nice touch considering how niche this topic is (Hulu, 2024). On that note, I enjoyed the dramatic effects and technical elements that contribute to this piece. 

 (Dark Side of the 2000s, 2022)

  Moreover, the next documentary  " Dark Side of the 2000s", released in 2023 examines the untold histories during the 2000s decade (Dark Side of the 2000s, 2022). This documentary reviews a personal insight for people who were there when these terrible events happened within society and pop culture for the duration of 10 episodes (Dark Side of the 2000s, 2022)..  Specifically, showing how popular cultural has affected celebrities and people apart of the industry (Dark Side of the 2000s, 2022).Technically, I really enjoyed how the trailer used historical b-roll footage to add additional context (VICE TV, 2023) . The use of saturation and lighting effects contributes to the overall feel of this documentary which is something I want to engage in (VICE TV, 2023). Finally, the use of various perspectives throughout the documentary to show a broader perspective and provide important context (VICE TV, 2023). 

 

                                                              References 

In Vogue: The 90s. (2024). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28338483/

In Vogue: The 90s. (2024). Disney+. https://www.disneyplus.com/

Hulu. (2024, August 21). In Vogue: The 90s | official trailer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ksN_8zPJR0

Dark Side of the 2000s. (2022– ). Vice TV. https://www.vicetv.com/

Dark Side of the 2000s. (2023– ). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27880409/

VICE TV. (2023, June 21). Dark Side of the 2000s (Trailer) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAj2Lwvawqw

A-level Research Post #1

 Hello blog! Today I'm going to begin looking at some inspiration and researching documentaries that fall under the same genre that I wanted to further explore. These posts are a pretty important part of the brainstorming and developmental process when thinking about my project for various reasons. One of the reasons being is to evaluate the technical elements of the production and examine how common genre conventions is portrayed through stylistic choices made by the director. Without further ado, let begin! 

(Kunhardt McGee Productions, 2014)

The first documentary I decided to research was "Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr", released in 2012 on PBS ("Finding Your Roots," 2026) . Documentary series highlights how various celebrities throughout the episodes are presented with a specific book that holds special paths and findings of their specified ancestry and familial lineage ("Finding Your Roots," 2026). These celebrities explore family connections and discover new findings. Gates Jr. throughout these episodes commonly guides the celebrities through there fascinating discoveries ("Finding Your Roots," 2026). 

 One aspect of this documentary I really enjoyed was how Gates Jr explore how they show specific documents and certain Significant moments to capture the certain essence of emotions and drama which is something I want to show with my documentary. On a technical aspect, I really enjoyed the variety of shots and angles they used (Ancestry, 2025). I also really enjoyed the distribution and the placement of the different shots which made it feel more flowy and sequential (Ancestry, 2025).

 

                                                                (Banger Films, 2016)                 

The next one I explored is called " Hip-Hop Evolution", released in 2016 on HBO in Canada ("Hip-Hop Evolution," 2025). This documentary is about specific and personal interviews with rap's hottest producers, DJ's and promoters ("Hip-Hop Evolution," 2025). The interviews consist of talking about how hip-hop has evolved through decades and it may be a large turning point for society. As well as the change in overall hip hop culture and familiarity that people may know today. Each episode highlights different aspects of the hip-hop's importance and significance ("Hip-Hop Evolution," 2025). This can include pin-pointed location where hip-hop was generally listened to, specific music icons, etc. ("Hip-Hop Evolution," 2025)

Additionally, some technical elements I enjoyed was the use of b-roll footage to highlight the historical aspect of hip-hop and what it has evolved to (Hip-Hop Evolution, 2016) . I also really enjoyed the thrown-in animation sequences (Hip-Hop Evolution, 2016). It adds creativity and develops the overall plot that you want to be portrayed throughout the film (Hip-Hop Evolution, 2016). Lastly, I really liked how there were multiple subjects interviewed for each episode. It adds a variety of perspectives which makes the production overall more appealing and entertain to watch.  

                                                                                                                             

                                                                          References 

Ancestry. (2025, October 15). Finding Your Roots | Season 12 Official Trailer | Ancestry [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUKA3DPYkgc
Finding Your Roots. (2026, January 7). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Your_Roots

Kunhardt McGee Productions. (2014). Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. title card [Image]. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Your_Roots

Banger Films. (2016). Hip-Hop Evolution promotional poster [Image]. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6053070/

Hip-Hop Evolution. (2025, September 25). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip-Hop_Evolution

Hip-Hop Evolution. (2016, December 5). Hip-Hop Evolution Series Trailer [Video]. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm3J5640jXo

A-level- Genre Research

 Hi blog! welcome to this weeks blog posting for my portfolio project! last week i discussed possible ideas, plans and inspirations for what I want to create. Today I be analyzing and discussing what genre I choose and the research behind it. The remainder of the posts this week will be dedicated to researching different documentaries that are within the same genre. 

  Since this is the first time I'm doing a documentary, independently I needed to conduct research on specific genres that could work for a documentary. Some of the options I researched are Expository, Observational, Participatory, Reflexive mode, Poetic Mode and Performative Mode documentary (Grand Canyon University, 2024, paras. 1-6). The actual documentary category would fall under Social and Cultural.

  Additionally, the genre I decided to choose is a blend of Expository and Observational approach. The reason why I choose to unify these two selections is mainly to create a complex balance between educational, and factual information, while adding room for direct and personal interpretation from the audience. For example, Expository highlights dense research and the main purpose of this is to educate and to clarify (Grand Canyon University, 2024, para. 1).  While an observational documentary illustrates interpretation and visuals (Grand Canyon University, 2024, para. 2).  

Furthermore, I want to explore deeper into social and cultural aspects of film. This is because I enjoy how social and cultural films highlights different features of a culture. It shows how different communities can be represented within society using various conventions (Seminole Cinema, n.d.). Cultural films can also include aspects such as religious beliefs, social issues and Language (Seminole Cinema, n.d.). 

 (Quality Compliance Systems, n.d.)

                                                                   REFERENCES 

Grand Canyon University. (2024, October 21). Types of documentaries: Categories and styles. GCU Blog. https://www.gcu.edu/blog/performing-arts-digital-arts/types-of-documentaries

Seminole Cinema. (n.d.). Relating cultural context to film elements (Criterion C). Weebly. https://seminolecinema.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/9/1/29919671/relating_cultural_context_to_film_elements__criterion_c_.pdf

Quality Compliance Systems. (n.d.). Culture wheel diagram [Image]. QCS. https://www.qcs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cultural-diversity.png https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/culture-avandhika-sruthi-yxpvf

A-level project schedule/timeline

 Scheduling for A-level project

I'm so glad I'm taking the time to create a set schedule for myself to manage my time properly since it's something I struggled with for the AS-level portfolio project. 

Here is my sample schedule for my A-level project

Week 1: (2/17-2/22)

• Blog postings 
• Choose which option I want to do 
• Begin thinking about genre 
• Explore some inspiration and research about genre

Week 2: (2/23-3/1)

• Blog postings 
• Choose final option for genre 
• Research media productions with same genre 

Week 3: (3/2-3/8)

• Blog postings 
• Research social media pages 
• Start shooting schedules, outlines  
• Choose actors/ subjects inform them and confirm a date 
• Create media page 

Week 4: (3/9-3/15)

• Blog postings 
• Create detailed planning sheet 
• Outline production process 
• START FILMING 
• Reflect post production process
• Post on media page 

Week 5:(3/16-3/22)

• Blog postings 
• outline production process 
• CONT. FILMING/ FINISH 
• Reflect post production process
• Post on media page 
• start magazine article 
• Start editing 

Week 6: (3/23-3/29)

• Blog postings 
• CONT. editing 
• CONT./ FINISH magazine article 
• Ponder critical reflection
• Post on media page 

Week 7: (3/30-4/5)

• Blog postings 
• Finish/ Finalize editing
• Finish critical reflection
• Post on media page 

Week 8: (4/6-4/10)

• Blog postings 
• Create project reflection 
• Post all project components 

 Creating this schedule really helped me visualize and confirm what I am doing for this project. Outline and planning a project that has multiple components such as this one is crucial to a successful and well-put together project. One adjustment I made with this scheduling this time around was giving me more time to editing and more time to choose my actors. I really struggled last year with my actors since I runned into a last minute issue which I mentioned in previous post. 

 Additionally, editing has never been my strongest suit. But this time around, I wanted to step up my game and use a professional camera that I have in my house as well as using a professional editing software system. My plan is to play around with the editing system to get the hang of things, but just to be safe I gave myself an additional week to edit just incase if I run into bumps in the road. I'm excited to learn!! I'm excited to see what I can create!! See you guys next week!!

A-level portfolio project- Let's try this again!

 Hello everyone!! I'm finally back doing my weekly blogger post. But this time, it for my A-level portfolio project! 

 There's a couple reasons why I wanted to join A-level media studies. The first reason being I overall enjoy learning about these newly introduced topics. Topics include postmodern techniques, script writing, viewing productions, writing essays and much more. The second reason I wanted to take this class again is to challenge myself. In my past media studies production, I was still very new to the " media studies world". This includes, editing, writing on higher level and professional filming.  Due to this, I was not very pleased with the overall outcome of my AS-level portfolio project. So I'm taking this opportunity to redeem myself and overall improve the quality of my work. 

 With that being said, let's dive into the A-level portfolio project. We have various of options of choose and for the most part, 100% creative freedom. The options include a  short film, two trailers for a new film, music video promo and a documentary that is apart of a episodic documentary. I have decided to choose the documentary option and I will be working by myself. I wanted to choose a documentary because I generally enjoyed working with that project that we were given in the beginning of the year and I want to take the critiques that we were given by our classmates and our teacher and apply it to my documentary. 

As of February 8th 2026,  I gained immense inspiration from the super bowl halftime time performance by Bad Bunny. He has always been an artist that I have listened to and what he decided to do with the 13 minute he was given. For those who don't know, Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican-American artist who has been releasing music for years. He was recently recognized for album of the year for " Debi Tiras Mas fotos". He broke history as it was the first time an all Spanish record won the award ( Freiman, 2026, Para. 5). His super bowl halftime performance highlighted themes of unity, culture and love through cultural traditions and lively music. What really inspired me was at the end of his performance he mentions 25 countries and regions to unify the super bowl performance after so much controversy (The Athletic Staff, 2026, Para. 1). What I wanted to do was a documentary that highlights different cultures each episode. This would include various countries, cultures and traditions. 

If your interested in watching the super bowl halftime performance, go check it out! : 

 Bad Bunny's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show

( Mazur, 2026)

REFERENCES 

Freiman, J. (2026, February 8). Who performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2026? Here's a full list of performers. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-performing-super-bowl-halftime-show-2026/

The Athletic Staff. (2026, February 8). Super Bowl halftime show: Bad Bunny performance, music, and highlights. The Athletic. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/super-bowl-halftime-show-bad-bunny-music/60RkQ6ZzUvD4/olbbpL6ZXZ7k/

Mazur, K. (2026, February 8). Bad Bunny performing with dancers and flags during the Super Bowl LX halftime show [Photograph]. Getty Images for Roc Nation. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-performing-super-bowl-halftime-show-2026/