Broadcast Media - Spaced Synopsis

Spaced is a series predominantly following the life of two characters in there 20’s, Tim and Daisy; however along with these two there are a few more central protagonists, Mike, Brian and Marsha.  The character Tim has recently split from his long-term girlfriend Sarah, who has left him for one of his old ‘friends’ Dwaine. He is an aspiring young graphic artist who works part –time in a comic book store. Whilst homeless, he goes to a café and meets Daisy, an aspiring journalist, who is also nearly homeless – she lives with a group of crack addicts and is desperate to move out. Together while flat hunting, they find a cosy 2 bedroom flat in North London where the Landlord is looking for a professional couple to move in. They decide to lie and apply for the flat, and end up getting it and living there. Whilst there they meet their Landlady, Marsha, the only character who is not in her 20’s, although she does act it. A chain smoking strange lady, she adds to the comedic element of the so far mismatched group. Living downstairs in the basement of the house, alone in his flat is Brian, an aspiring artist, who is a very strange and reserved man. Also in the mix is Tim’s best friend Mike. He is a weapons expert who used to be in the army, and has never left his experience there behind.

The majority of the show takes place in the urban North London flat, and follows their individual (and sometimes intertwined) life adventures as they go about their daily antics. It is designed as a sitcom come drama that contains much slapstick humour, many atmospheric situations, and realistic circumstances that the audience may have found themselves in before, which makes it quite relatable. There are also many pop-culture references found in the show, which makes the show more relatable, whether you get the references or not – it works each way.

The show lasts half an hour and is designed as a series with seven episodes per series, which there are two of in total, making a grand amount of 14 episodes altogether.  Watching their lives and stories come together, fall apart and mix in with each other, it is a show that hooks you into wanting to find out what comes next.  Still a cutting edge show for its time, this is a story of life, love and laughs and can not be missed!

Broadcast Media - Spaced Pitch!

Yesterday we had our first lecture on our course. We started out the day by watching 2 episodes of Edgar Wright's tv programme Spaced. I have watched all 2 series before so it was a good exercise to do, as I already know a fair bit about it.
After we watched the second episode, we were taught how to write a pitch. I was not aware, but a pitch has to be done in around 25 words, and has to properly sell the idea for a show you have. I thought it had to be a fair bit more than 25 words, so the learning curb has begun!
Once going through all of the main elements of Spaced, we had to write a 25 word pitch over lunch. Afterwards we all read our individual pitches out and discussed ways to improve them. This was my first attempt:

Spaced is a half-hour Sit-com series about the lives of 5 Twenty-Something’s. It’s a contemporary and atmospheric show, featuring progressive relationships between characters and includes pop-culture references.

The advice I was given on this was to make it less descriptive as what it is, but to include words and phrases that would actually sell it more. After thinking about it, I gave it a second attempt, which is as follows:

Jump in to the lives of 5 Twenty-Somethings, as they embark on their individual life adventures which intertwine creating slapstick atmospheric mayhem. Set in a North London flat, the show is filled with Pop-Culture References.

We then discussed how to write a synopsis. This has to be at least one page long (around 500 words) and were told to write one for Spaced as a training exercise, so we understand how to do so in future. I am still writing mine so I shall post it later tonight when it is finished!

Ciao for now!

Hello!

Well hi! Not gonna lie, I've never written a blog before, but there we go. I'm heading to University and thats all about doing new things, so this is one of many new things I am sure to do!
So anyway, I'm Sam! 20 years old and off to UCA Maidstone tomorrow to start my Broadcast Media course and I couldn't be more excited. I'm all packed now, ready to go and arrive at my halls of residence at noon tomorrow.

I guess I should put a little bit about myself here. Over the past year and a half or so, I have been on a gap year and working as a Supervisor in a pub, although all of my responsibilities practically made me assistant manager, just without the official title! It was actually a really enjoyable year, without having gone travelling or anywhere on holiday, but I have enjoyed time out of education and spent in the real world! I play the guitar and the piano, having been in a band a few years back. I have also spent the best part of my life on stage, either with theatre companies or within my old school/sixth form college.

I am very much looking forward to every aspect of University. Meeting new people, living by myself grants me proper independence, which is probably one of the most exciting things of all. Although, nowhere near as exciting as starting my course on the 30th, which I am so psyched about.
It's one thing just being at University, but what stood out for me most about doing Broadcast Media at UCA, is the fact that I get the majority of my course taught in a real life proper TV Studios! And not only that, apparently we can work on any show filmed there for experience, all we need to do is go and ask at reception. It is literally a dream come true!

I haven't actually done anything really Media related at all before, but as I mentioned before, new things and learning! I am eager to sink my teeth into the course, give it a real good go and hopefully come out on top.

I have however done a lot of acting and directing in my time, but only for stage. The way I see it, having directed a few plays over the past couple of years, I can always use some of my skills that I have developed from that, and directly apply them to directing behind a camera. I can imagine it is quite different, but at least I have that bit of related experience!

We have been given the title of our first project a couple of weeks in advance to starting our course. It's called 'The Meeting' and we must write a ten page script based on that title. I do have a few ideas for this floating around in my head, but as soon as I develop them more I shall write them in a separate post in the next couple of days!

Ciao for now!