Post #64 -Critical Reflection

      The process of constructing this documentary required extensive research, planning, editing, marketing, and further refinement. When researching other products labeled as sports documentaries, I was able to identify what conventions would and would not be included in my products which in return links to audience engagement. Conventions are elements that are commonly used within a specific genre, and audience engagement refers to the interest, involvement, and emotional connection someone has to a piece of media. I also identified what social groups and issues I would be targeting. During the research phase I studied the documentary "Starting 5". When studying the micro elements within the film, I recognized that the documentary failed to address the emotional aspect of basketball. Instead, the practices and principles of the sport were explored. This encouraged me to oppose this convention and explore the emotional aspect of cheerleading.

      With this in mind, I represented young athletes and coaches in my documentary and mental issues they may face. For example, athlete Karlie Wannamaker, explains that she would be lost without cheer and that it acts as a second home to her. This represents the peace that the sport brings to athletes struggling with mental health issues like depression. Depression is common amongst young student athletes as well as coaches and throughout my documentary excerpt, athletes and coaches explain that cheer positively affects their mental state. When I decided to represent this social group and issue, it created a beautiful identity for my brand. I was able to use the exploration of emotions within sports as my unique selling point and expressed it across my social media platform as well as my magazine. This can be seen in the captions of Instagram posts where I state, “...exploring the challenges and passion of cheer!” This sets the tone for further products made by my company and makes Pridgen Productions different than other companies who produce sports documentaries.

      By using this unique selling point and representing this group, audiences are encouraged to relate to the content and therefore engage with it. In my film I include interactive b-roll that makes the content intriguing. This also helps audiences connect the previous dialogue given by the interviewees, to the videos and photos that shortly follow. The meaning that is to be connected is demonstrated as passion and hard-work that the athletes and coaches put into every practice and competition. I allow audiences to understand this through micro elements such as sound included over b-roll. I used intense scores to demonstrate intense passion, intense skill, and intense hard-work. This aided me in representing the athletes and coaches' dedication accurately. This also encourages audiences to remain engaged because using harsh scores is something my audience requested during my research phase. When investigating sports documentaries, I noticed that many include scores that guide the viewers' emotions. For this reason, I conducted a survey asking audiences about their preferences on scores within sports documentaries. My audiences expressed that they thoroughly enjoy scores resulting in heavy usage of them throughout Full Out. This will keep audiences entertained and encourage them be active consumers. 

   

     This can be connected to Uses and Gratification theory, created by Elihu Katz, Jay Blumer, and Michael Gurevitch. This theory states that audiences consume specific media based on their needs. To connect this back to my film, audiences preferred scores which fill their desire or need of emotional guidance throughout the documentary, allowing them to emotionally engage with my content. By fulfilling this request, I presented my brand as professional and engaged. Through this survey, viewers were able to see that I am aiming to create content that meets their standards but also displays ideas and meanings I am wanting to exert into the world. This makes my brand appear hands-on, which acts as further promotion for my brand. I then took this further and used consistency to establish my brand identity throughout my Instagram posts. This is done by including my logo in the corner of most posts.

     This also can connect to Henry Jenkins' Fandom theory. This theory explains that fans aid in shaping and expanding media by engaging with the content and collaborating amongst other fans. To link this back to my documentary, by providing engaging tools that viewers requested, they feel encouraged to actively consume the content and share ideas with other viewers. This leads to consumer-created content that helps distribute my product even further. My Instagram also aids in creating fandoms through the comment section availability. This comment section allows consumers to communicate with one another and spark debates or in-depth converse regarding the meanings of the film. This helps spread my content and allows active viewers to change passive viewers' mindset into understanding the deep meanings of my products. The comment section also allows fans to engage with my content by expressing their opinions and excitement underneath the post. 

     To continue establishing my brand identity, I included a heartfelt slogan in my magazine. This slogan reinforces the idea that my brand enjoys focusing on the minor, deeper meanings of sports and specifically for this documentary, cheer. Not only did this phrase further the establishment of my brand, it enhanced audience engagement. This is because the catchy saying states, "One team, one goal, full out". This pulls the readers in, making them excited to indulge in the content. By generating excitement, readers feel obligated to become active participants. Slogans are also a genre convention seen in many magazines that are promoting a sports documentary. When researching magazines, I concluded that catchy phrases are a major convention that I would follow in hopes of attracting my target audience. My target audience is young athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts. Recognizing that these viewers tend to be attracted to magazines consisting of slogans, due to the emotion that it constructs, inspired me to include one in my own magazine. This phrase also allows me to conduct the hypodermic needle theory, invented by Harold Lass well. This theory explains that producers have the ability to "inject" their intended meaning into passive audience's brains, constructing a desired response. After researching and understanding this theory, I understood its power and took advantage of it. This is shown by the slogan used in my magazine as well as other small powerful messages in Instagram Posts and dialogue in my documentary. This short saying is simple yet powerful, allowing close-minded or passive audiences to be injected with the idea that cheer is about uniting athletes and providing a stable and passionate environment. This allows me to have an impact on a vast amount of audiences, meaning I successfully used micro elements and representation to construct meaning. 

     Another reason I included this was to continue representing coaches and young athletes who struggle with emotional distress illnesses like depression and anxiety. Throughout my products, athletes and coaches can be heard giving raw emotionally connected advice, information, or opinions. This implies that they are emotionally attached to the sport, acting as an escape from their problems. The slogan helped readers understand that each team has their own goal that as a team they will achieve in one full out. This aids viewers in connecting the idea that being a part of a close-knit team builds second homes for athletes who are struggling, and achieving such victory brings them peace that they aren't able to find elsewhere. This can be seen on Instagram post number two where the post includes this statement, "hardwork in every rep, peace in every cheer". This establishes the idea that young athletes and coaches can lean on the sport to bring them peace and provide a break from any mental illness they may be facing. This post also continues to present strong branding by using my unique selling point as promotion. My products explore the emotional depths of cheer, and I have built my brand around this idea. To continue expanding on this identity for my brand I subtly implemented elements in every post, magazine, blog, and documentary to enforce the idea that Pridgen Productions is different than other companies and focuses on the deeper meanings behind sports like depression and anxiety amongst student athletes.