Cassie Writes. annotated tangents from the RMIT Bachelor of Communication (Media)

The Inbetweeners – Narration research

I've been thinking a lot over the past few weeks about what Paul said in regards to narration.

It's true that I always had my scepticism when it came to using a narrator in our film, and this was one of the main reasons why I initially did not want to do Office Grinch. However, it was the only film that everyone else in the group seemed to settle upon, so for the sake of choosing a story idea I gave in and we went with it.

Paul's idea was that we scrapped the narration completely, or did two versions (one with the narration, and one without). We had a meeting with him and I didn't say much because I think this project has just taught me to shut up sometimes (since my first outburst in class where I announced that I didn't want to work with Alex). Alex and Ellie enthusiastically defended their ideas about having Ellie's friend Adam perform the narration.

I don't know if either of them really wanted to listen to what Paul was saying, because a) Alex already had his heart set on the concept and b) Ellie already had her heart set on the actor. This isn't a criticism towards them, it's just how it was. Frankly I think the meeting was unproductive except for the fact that it got me thinking. Watching The Inbetweeners (on recommendation from my brother, who said it was "like Skins and Misfits, you know?") brought this home to me, once again.

The fact is that this show (although produced by the same channel in England) was DIFFERENT from Misfits and Skins - vastly different, and I think this boiled down to the narration. This is a show obsessed with showing and not telling. Sure, there are snippets of action, but narration was overused as an easy way to connect scenes and not have to do anything very interesting visually. I did start enjoying the show once I got to Episode 5 of the 1st season, but with other shows it doesn't take me this long. I think it was also because the story wasn't too riveting (although Skins pulled off 'average teenagers' quite well).

I've always been worried that Office Grinch won't have that oomph that we want, and now, it's doubly worrying considering that the guy who wrote it is also turning it into a short film (which is quite annoying, honestly, because we were told that we weren't allowed to do that. If we were, I would have voted for one of the stories from our group, which I liked a lot better).

However, I guess we've just got to plod on with it. With the way it was shot on the day, I don't think it'll make much sense without narration. Besides, I don't really want to fight about it now because I just want it to be done.

On a side note, when we got our folio back Paul made a note about how it was the Producer's job to choose a more achievable script. I don't think this was really that fair. If we were allowed to choose our own groups, then maybe. But with things the way they were, with groups chosen for us - I mean, everyone wanted input into what we chose, because it was a group assignment. In the real world, the producer would hire everyone and tell them what to do, but that wasn't how it was.

I think Alex was right when he said we were all trying to be too friendly to each other, and that maybe it stood in the way of creativity. However, this was the only option we had. What we wanted was too different and the only way to move forward was to compromise. Sure, the finished product might not be exactly what each of us had in mind, but there's also no point in only one person getting their way while others are bitter and resentful about it. We did what we had to do and that is that.

We just have to keep going.