Description
Beyond the Horizon is a travel television series that aims to explore different cities throughout the world. The series will touch on various types of travel: ecotourism, adventure, cultural, and luxury tourism. My thesis project consists of the production of the pilot episode on Puerto Escondido, a quaint surfing town full of culture and adventure in Oaxaca, Mexico. Discovering the world through travel allows a tourist to explore different cultures, lifestyles and customs. The series will create an escape for the viewers as they experience the unique culture of each city and gain an appreciation for the natural beauty being showcased. In the pilot episode the locals describe what they think of the city and how they are connected to it. The locals walk the audience through the main tourist attractions, what differentiates that city from other cities and secret getaways only locals know about. The locals' interviews narrate the episode. This is my attempt in creating a personal appeal to the viewer. Someone that knows the city will give the viewer an insider's look. Interviews and narration are important elements to any television show because they are communicating directly to the viewer and can capture or deter viewers' interest. Working with non-actors was my main challenge. In order to work successfully with non-actors and best format Beyond the Horizon, I researched various documentary modes and their characteristics in this research proposal. Breaking down the observational, participatory, performative, and expository modes helped me better define the techniques that were useful for my project. I also researched various interview and directing techniques commonly used within each mode. By doing so, I gained an understanding of important and useful techniques and was able to apply them to my project. The footage that is captured and the editing style used in the series are just as important and fundamental to the structure of the show as the narration and interviews. The combination of all these elements will ultimately define the success of the show. In order to capture each city in a creative and appealing way I researched poetic documentary filming and editing techniques. Poetic documentaries convey meaning and sometimes a narrative without narration or voice over. Poetic style editing techniques not only capture the beauty of each city but also subtly convey an underlying message of conservation. Researching poetic editing techniques enabled me to apply techniques that are both visually appealing to the viewer and convey a subtle message of conservation. The driving force behind Beyond the Horizon is to create an escape for the viewer as well as promote tourism and conservation. Through my research and finalizing the pilot episode on Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, I was able to create a structure for the series which I will use for future episodes. The Blu Ray DVD, an appendix to the thesis, is available for viewing at the Media Center of Library & Information Access.
