P2 Proposal

Hannah Monaghan
 Executive Summary
Aims:
As my programme will be aired on E4, I must have an understanding of what the aims of
Channel 4 are to ensure I create a show suitable for this channel. I did this by researching
the Channel 4 Remit (2), a document which sets out the expectations and aims of the
channel. After this I considered the different elements of the remit and how I can
incorporate them into my programme. For example, the channel 4 remit states that through
their shows they aim to champion unheard voices. I feel I achieve this in my show by
including relationships of multiple different genders and sexualities, trying to create
characters that people of any identity can relate to. Additionally, the channel 4 remit states
that Channel 4 aim to stand up for diversity across the UK which I feel I achieved by
including characters with different ethnicities. For instance, one of the main focuses of the
show is Jacks religion and how he embraces his culture showed through the episode where
the characters celebrate Diwali.
My main aim of this show is to entertain people and created a programme which people
enjoy and like watching. I am to do this by creating an interesting and dramatic plotline
which my audience will be invested in. I also aim to educate people on serious topics, such
as bereavement, which some people might not be previously aware of. Hopefully, I can
teach people how to deal with these issues and give them an understanding of what its like
to deal with them.
Synopsis:
The show is centred around a group of friends in the university of York, following them as
they go through different struggles. The main characters are Sophie, Elanor, Charlotte and
Jack. Sophie and Charlotte are best friends ever since they met and shared a uni
accommodation the previous year. Elanor knows Sophie as they are doing the same
university course and it was Elanor who introduced Jack to the other girls. As it is a romance
genre the main focus of the show are the two relationships Sophie & Henry and Elanor &
Libby who all study languages at university, hence the name. It is this focus on romantic
relationships which makes it suitable for the target audience.

Statement of Needs
Target Audience
This programme has a target audience of 15-21 years old. The fact I am setting this at a
university with main characters of 19-21 would appeal to this age group as it will allow them
to relate and connect with the characters (as they are a similar age). Additionally, this
demographic is suited for the programme because the content and themes I include will be
relevant and appropriate for an audience of 15-21 year olds. Although my show is aimed
towards the older end of this age group (as 18-21 year olds will be university age) I feel my
show will be popular with any age from 15 onwards as people in high school and college will
be thinking about what they do with their life, and this will show them what they have to
come.
I think my main target demographic will be women as stereotypically they will watch more
television/films of a romance genre than men.
Although this is a sweeping generalisation and not all
women will enjoy romance programmes, typically this
is the case for example this graph reflects women
prefer the genre ‘romantic comedy’ over men.
Additionally, sexuality will be a significant factor to my
target audience as my programme will include
characters from the LGBTQIA+ community in. Finally,
the show is set in the north of England meaning the
majority of my target audience will be northern. While I
hope my show will be enjoyed by a large target
audience no matter someone’s location, the show will
include colloquial slang and references which some
people (for instance southerners) might not
understand.
Medium Chosen
This programme will be aired at 9pm on Thursday nights. This is suitable for my target
audience as by 9pm school will be finished and most teenagers will be winding down and
relaxing for bed. Additionally, Thursday is mid-week meaning the majority of people will be
free and have the time to watch the programme compared to the weekend when more
people will be busy. People will be able to access this show through a wide range of devices
such as: smart phone, computer and I-pad. Furthermore, channel 4 is a free view channel so
it can be watched after being aired, this allows more people to watch the programme.

Product Description
Programme Information
This programme is made up of nine episodes with each one being thirty minutes long. I
decided to do this as sometimes with long episodes you can get easily bored and lose focus
but if they are only 30 mins then people can enjoy the show without getting tired.
Additionally, shorter episodes take up less time which gives people the chance to watch the
show, which is particularly important for my target audience as they will be busy with
school, studying and social lives. There will only be 9 episodes as it is a pilot series (the first
one) which means me and E4 don’t know if it will be a successful show. This way if the
programme is not as popular as we anticipated Channel 4 aren’t wasting too much money
on the show for it to flop.
Finally, the show will be introduced with a short recap of the previous episode which will
help the audience get hooked straight away. Not only will a recap feature help get the
audience invested but it will also ensure no one is confused of what is going on in each
episode. Then there will be a short section of the programme before the title sequence, I
have chosen to have a short title sequence as including advertisement I will only have just
under 30 mins for each episode.
Marketing and Distribution

Budget
As the client brief states, the budget for this project is ‘quite low’ so it is vital I keep the cost
as low as possible and try to save money as much as I can. As this is a new show the budget
will be relatively small because we don’t know how successful it will be, making company’s
hesitant to invest lots of money. Typically, people have smaller budgets on pilot series and if
the show turns out to be popular this will increase, for example the inbetweeners film had a
budget of £3.5 million. Additionally, the fact this programme is British means the budget will
be smaller in comparison to American shows as they are less popular. For instance, season 2
of stranger things cost $8 million per episode.
Budget consideration
There are many different aspects to my budget that I must consider whether they are
necessary and how I can reduce the costs, including locations. When filming my show there
are different decisions I could make to ensure I save money on locations such as whether to
film in a studio or on location. If you film the show in a studio it means you can design it
specifically for your needs however renting the studio space can be expensive. On way to
save money is to repurpose sets for multiple scenes and you will also save money as you will
not have to transport the equipment and crew. On the other hand, you could film on
location which would be beneficial as the scenes would look more authentic and certain
venues such as parks or beaches would be free to use. Another factor I should consider
when budgeting is the actors I use in my programme as if they are too famous it will be
costly however if they are to armature they may not be great performers, making my show
of a lower standard. One way I will save money is due to the genre as a romance
programme will not require lots of special effects yet one aspect that will be costly is the
equipment and staffing. My show will require lots of equipment e.g. for filming and lighting
so I must consider what is necessary and how I can reduce the cost, for instance if I hire
equipment rather than buying it. Additionally, if you are filming on location at night you will
require more equipment so the cameras can pick up the scenes in the dark so when possible
film as much in the day. Budget regarding staffing is also a vital aspect I must consider
because in order to create a high quality show I want the characters to look as professional
as possible. One way I can save money here is by using people for multiple jobs, for instance
having one person do both hair and make up.
Budget Development
One way I can generate money is through product placement which is when business give
you their products to promote through exposure in the show. For example, Costa Coffee
uses product placement in Coronation Street through the characters drinking cups which
clearly have the costa logo on them. The company will pay for this coverage and additionally
they will provide the products so you don’t have to spend your own budget. Furthermore, I
could use crowdsourcing to save money which is when people volunteer their time and skills
in return for no monetary rewards, such as a chance to work on a set. For example, I could
use this if need extras for a scene. Finally, one way to generate money is through
crowdfunding. This is when people donate money if they believe the product is worth while
and this happens through a website called kick starter. In return they get no money, instead
gifts such as a signed photograph or a copy of the script. By not having to give anything in
return I save money and this allows me to use the donations for other vital tasks.

References
1. https://www.statista.com/statistics/254115/favorite-movie-genres-in-the-us/
2. https://www.channel4.com/corporate/about-4/what-we-do/channel-4s-remit