Pre Production: Preliminary Research

 Here is my preliminary research.

Weekly Progress

 Here is my weekly progress.

My Team

 Here is my team.

Brief

 Here is my brief.

Final Documentary and Thumbnail

 Here is my teams final documentary and thumbnail.

Thumbnail

Final documentary opening

Critical Reflection

 Here is my critical reflection.

Q1 - How do your products represent social groups or issues?

Q2 - How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of 'branding'? 

Q3 - How do your products engage with the audience? 

Q4 - How did your research inform your products and the way they use or challenge conventions? 

We were asked to create a crime documentary opening, so after research and discussion, my group chose to do a murder crime documentary. The concept is about unhealthy teenage relationships, involving obsession, substance abuse and mental illness. The name of our project is "Sweet Poison: A love that kills". Our demographic is teenagers, adults (16+) and it's for all genders.

When creating our documentary opening, we strived to have originality in it, but we also wanted to include some recognizable aspects of other popular existing crime documentaries. Throughout our footage, we stuck to the same aesthetic that reinforces the genre. Some examples are the muted color palette and the use of grainy textures, contributing to the tone of many known documentaries on Netflix. The way we edited our thumbnail, a coffee mug set against dark lighting, as well as pills scattered beside it (Fig 1), introduces the audience to the threat that will occur and gives them an idea of what kind of dark exploration they will see. The title "Sweet Poison: A love that kills" is a direct link to the documentary's core message. We used a font that shows sophistication, so it later on subverts to show that there is something more disturbing beneath the surface. Through conventions like these, everything we chose is representing something and has meaning, which links to Stuart Hall's representation theory. This creates a cohesive brand for our film.

Fig 1

Analyzing various crime documentaries on Netflix such as; "Worst roommate ever", "What Jennifer did", "American nightmare" and "The deadly American marriage" helped me drastically in understanding genre techniques. It taught me how different conventions can work together to guide the audience to what you're trying to get them to understand. Unsettling non diegetic sound, grainy effects, investigative narration, etc. Including these in our documentary ensured recognition from our audience. How we differentiated ourselves from typical documentaries was by slightly changing our demographic. It's common to see toxic relationships and medical coercion with adults,  but what you don't expect is it happening in a teenage relationship. This makes the film unexpected and gives it many opportunities to show our message, which is to trust your gut and remember that danger can hide in plain sight. 

The editing of our documentary is a mix between traditional crime conventions, as well as modern digital culture. We tried to create a story that audiences could find different readings to, tying into Stuart Halls reception theory, that meaning is interpreted by the audience depending on different factors, such as background, experience, etc. Some may focus on the toxicity of the couples love, while others may focus on the depth of the characters. Since we have a younger demographic, we tried to incorporate Gen-Z elements. The use of the suspects Instagram account being shown, the victims friends dialog including slang words, and of course, teenage actors. This makes it engaging for our audience. Correlated to the Blumler and Katz, uses and gratification theory, the documentary caters to all of the audiences needs. Personal identity (relating it to their own lives), surveillance (teaches them about real life dangers), social interaction (discussing about control and obsession) and diversion (entertainment). 

Toxic relationships, specifically coercion, obsession and control disguised as love is the focus of our documentary. Instead of portraying our main character, Ava, as a villain, we show her as a very layered and complex person. There are images shown of her smiling, as well as what seems to be the fun and innocent life she lives. This being shown as well as images of her mugshot, and footage of her being aggressive will create a bigger sense of confusion and shock for the audience. This documentary addresses how toxic behavior can go unnoticed as it has been normalized in todays culture. Ava's role is to show our audience that the line between charm and control can be blurred and she's not just a stereotype, but a representation of how the media can shape ideas about relationships. Gender narratives were an important topic during discussions, because we often see the males committing a crime in most documentaries, but to subvert that traditional expectation, the woman is the one exerting control. 

Edit

 Here was our editing process. Maxine created these slides.

Media Studies Editing by ss

Behind-the-scenes

 Here is a our behind-the-scenes footage and images for the project. Maxine created this document.

BTS media doc by ss

Filming Schedule

 Here is our filming schedule.

We made our filming schedule on an app called "Notion". It was very quick and easy for our group to get organized. 

Location scout & Risk Assessments

 Here is my teams location scout and risk assessment. Arnold was in charge of this.

(Max’s House)
Location Link:	Google Link
Events in scene:	Interviewing
Pros of location:	Versatile, easy to set up lighting, nice quiet place to record and focus
Cons of location:	There are dogs which might ruin the audio background
Alternatives:	Kellie’s House
Risk Assessment
Potential hazards:	dogs
Evaluate risks:	Dogs could bite
Control measures:	Put the dogs in a cage
Responsibility:	Maxine
Time frame:	When we reach max’s house
Other notes:

(School)
Location Link:	Google Link
Events in scene:	What will happen?
Pros of location:	Its large, multiple options where we could record
Cons of location:	Noisy, Crowded, limited time, may interrupted
Alternatives:	No alternatives
Risk Assessment
Potential hazards:	Could get hit by a ball or crash into something
Evaluate risks:	Might interrupt student
Control measures:	Be aware of surrounding
Responsibility:	Arnold
Time frame:	By the time we reach school
Other notes:

Storyboard

 Here is my teams storyboard. Maxine drew them and I scanned it using Camscanner.

Thumbnail storyboard:

Thumbnail Research + Development

Here is the thumbnail research and development. Arnold completed the research and Maxine created the slides.

Research

The thumbnail above is half an image of a child in black and white and half an image of a grown man with the title “Making a Murderer” in bold. I think the title and the image works together to imply how a seemingly innocent child, could turn into a ruthless maniacal murderer. I think my team could take the mirroring contrasting image idea and input it into one of our sketches.

The thumbnail above shows a feminine silhouette with a masculine figure overlaying her head alongside the thumbnail “Worst EX Ever”. I think this implies how the male figure presumably her ex boyfriend, invaded her life in a bad way and made it hard for her to escape him since he is always in her head. I think the gothic, gritty, disturbing tone of this thumbnail could be implemented in our thumbnail since it

The thumbnail above shows a mirrored image contrasting between two person whom I believe is the same person, the other half of the image is a woman overlayed with red tint which connotates evil, paired with the ominous title “what Jennifer did” it leaves the audience wondering if she aka “Jennifer” did something bad. I think we could take inspiration from the title and how the image is set up

Media Studies Thumbnail Research & Development by ss

Script/Screenplay

 Here is my teams script. Maxine and I completed this together.

PROJECT TITLE: The Illness That Wasn’t

GROUP MEMBERS: Maxine, Arnold & Kellie

DATE STARTED: 08/12/25

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SCENE HEADING

(INT. BLACK SCREEN -   911 CALL - NIGHT)

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SHOT NUMBER: 1

DESCRIPTION:
[The first and opening scene starts off with a recording of a disturbing 911 call. A man, struggling to get his words out, is trying to call for help because he’s trying to get away from his girlfriend. The conversation over the phone goes back and forth for about 30 seconds, before he gets cut off. His girlfriend overhears and finds out what he’s trying to do. We can hear the couple begin to argue and fight for the phone, when all of a sudden, the line ends. We hear the officer try to call out for him but no response is given.]

DIALOGUE:

Paula W (Police officer):	“911, what is your emergency?”
Daniel (boyfriend):	“S-something’s not right. I can’t move, I can’t get up…SHE’S TRYING TO KILL ME!”
Paula W:	“What is your location sir?”
Daniel:	“I’m gonna die, I need help, please! Quick!” [heavy breathing, muffles]
Paula W:	“Help is on the way to you right now okay? Just stay calm and keep talking to me on the phone, can you do that for me?”
Daniel:	“I can’t make it…she’s here I can’t” [shaky voice, sniffling]
Paula W:	“What’s going on? hello?”
Ava (girlfriend):	“What the hell Daniel?! Give me that phone” [wrestle noises] [phone ends]

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SCENE HEADING

(INT. DARK OFFICE ROOM -  DETECTIVE ROBERTSON INTERVIEW - NIGHT)

SHOT NUMBER: 2

DESCRIPTION:
[The next scene cuts to an interview with detective Robertson. He begins to briefly assess the situation for the audience, as well as providing information regarding Daniel’s girlfriend. He explains how he’s never seen a case this crazy before and this was a huge breakthrough in his career. He talks about how this generation continues to commit unthinkable acts. How concerning their mental health is. He says his colleagues all were astonished by the case.]

DIALOGUE:

Detective Robertson	This case.. is quite unique, to say the least. I’ve never seen a case quite like it.
Detective Robertson	To say that this case astounded us would be an understatement. I mean, this is complete.. unstable… psychopathic behaviour, and she hasn’t even graduated yet!
Detective Robertson	It’s hard to grasp that a woman of this age could even think about doing something this cruel, to someone she claims to be in love with. It’s terrifying really..This case is like something you’d see out of a horror movie!
Detective Robertson	What we’re dealing with here is borderline personality disorder, dependent personality disorder,  and Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIA).
Detective Robertson	Ava couldn’t handle the thought of Daniel ever leaving her, so she took matters into her own hands.
Detective Robertson	The night of the 911 call was the first time Daniel was ever aware of what Ava had been doing to him for a long, long time.
Detective Robertson	Because he decided to confront her, she thought that in that moment, there was no choice but to end it ...end him essentially.

SCENE HEADING

(INT. OFFICE -   DR MORROW INTERVIEW - DAY)

SHOT NUMBER: 3

DESCRIPTION:
[This scene will be an interview of a psychiatrist, Dr Morrow. She will assess Ava’s behaviour and mental health, giving the audience context and answers some of the confusion in this case.]

DIALOGUE:

Interviewer (Voice-Over):	“We are consulting Dr. Matilda, a criminal psychologist, to unpack the behavior of the young woman at the center of this case.
Interviewer:	Dr. Morrow, from your perspective, how would you characterize her attachment style based on her behavior?”
Dr. Morrow	She definitely shows traits of anxious attachment. People with this pattern often struggle with self-worth and live in constant worry that their partner might leave them. Even minor conflicts or separations can feel catastrophic to them
Interviewer	So when she resorted to drugging him, what was driving that?
Dr. Morrow:	It was a misguided attempt to keep him close. It’s an extreme expression of dependency — using control to secure closeness rather than risking abandonment.”
Interviewer	Beyond attachment, her behavior also appears controlling and manipulative. Can you explain what it means in this case?
Dr. Morrow:	Yes, she used psychological tactics to maintain dominance in the relationship. Things like guilt-tripping, twisting the truth, or making him doubt his own judgment — those are manipulation strategies we often see when someone feels desperate to hold onto control.”
Interviewer	Based on her patterns, could she meet criteria for a personality disorder?
Dr. Morrow:	The combination of anxious attachment, manipulation, and emotional volatility can align with traits we sometimes see in borderline personality disorder or other Cluster B personality patterns. Of course, a formal diagnosis requires detailed clinical evaluation, but the behaviors do suggest significant instability
Interviewer	How would you summarize her psychological makeup?
Dr. Morrow:	She’s someone who fears abandonment so strongly that she crosses moral and legal boundaries to prevent it. Her need for control masks deep insecurity. With proper intervention — therapy that addresses attachment and emotional regulation — she could learn healthier ways to relate, but untreated, these patterns can be dangerous both to her and those close to her

SCENE HEADING

(INT. LAYLAS ROOM -   LAYLAS INTERVIEW - NIGHT)

SHOT NUMBER: 4

DESCRIPTION:
[In this scene, we interview Layla, Daniel's best friend. She talks about her point of view on their relationship, and how she felt about it all along.]

DIALOGUE:

Layla	You know, I never had a doubt in my mind that there was something off with their relationship.
Layla	Daniel’s my best friend, all I've ever wanted was for him to be happy…that’s why I stayed quiet.
Layla	I’m just glad he’s safe now, I knew eventually something like this would happen.
Interviewer	What do you mean when you say you knew something like this would happen?
Layla	It’s Ava…She’s always been psycho
Layla	Not once have I ever trusted that girl, I never wanted Daniel near her.

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A script was made for 2 psychologist but due to poor audio quality and disorganization, we did not end up using the scenes.