Alexander's Creative And Media Blog: Organise A Focus Group

Our focus group had 4 people take part in it. It was done today (19th October 2010).

Today was very difficult doing this as we needed a quite location and we needed 3 to 5 people to watch it in a group then we had to interview them. It took us a very long time to find a location where we could record it in quite. We searched all over the college and most rooms were taken and the only free rooms that was available, were at the time we found them and we was not ready as we did not have our people who would participate in it. When we found a room that is not used now, we tried to find someone so that we could get permission to work in it, but it is a separate key that the site managers have, and we could only use it if we had supervision for the time that we was in it. Then we found a group of people out side and we asked them if they could participate and two of them was willing to participate. Then we came across a small room in the D Block and we filmed it in there. We was still one person shot, so as went out to find Charna, an old course pupil, she saw me. (we had previously seen her and she said that she would like to do it). She was with her friend and asked if he could take part as well so we said yes, so then i took them to the room where were going to film. The room was very small and we all only just fitted in so we was lucky.

Once in the room we set up the laptop so that we could play them the video and then we had a problem. We could not find the video. So Alison loaded up Final Cut and the created another video copy. Once that was done, Sophie then got into position ready to film the 4 people watching our webisode, then we played it.

Once the video has finished playing, Alison then sat down and asked them a set of questions 1 by 1. This was also recorded by Sophie. All the footage was recorded handheld as the tripod was missing a part and there was no other tripods. Once this was completed, we thanked them and then they went and we went back to the classroom and put away the laptop to charge and put the tripod back and put the camera in a safe place so that no one would use it while we was on our lunch break.

After our lunch break, all the footage (them watching the video and interviews) was uploaded onto the Macbook and each part is now being edited by Alison. Not much editing should have to be done as we only have one camera shot view and we only recorded the footage that was needed. The first person that Alison Interviewed said a few words that was not suitable and this might offend some people, so hopefully Alison will edit those words out.

The answers to the questions were all expected as we have had feedback from class member and they have brought up the problems. Same with everyone else, the storyline was not clear enough and people did not really understand it. This is a big problem with our video.

Here is the questions that was asked by Alison:

Focus Group Interview Questions

Webisode Genres: Psychological thrillers, Mystery, Vampirism

1. Would you agree that the chosen genre’s for the webisode are being represented?

2. How does the webisode make you respond (emotions)?

3. Would you continue to watch the second episode? And why?

4. Does this webisode entertain you? And why?

5. Does this webisode meet your expectations?

5 questions were asked.

Here are some screen shots form editing the footage. I shall be uploaded at the end of this post.

All the footage will be processed as one video as this makes it quicker and it all is in one place and it will be much easier to watch as you don't have to keep going back and forwards to watch each interview with the footage with them watching the webisode.

The video of the group watching our webisode and interviews have now been uploaded to Vimeo.com

Here is the focus group video: