Research Blog: Commercial Conventions

Hello everyone! My group decided to do a School PSA for our commercial. To gain  understanding of what a PSA typically contains, my group and I watched a few on youtube to help guide our filming. After watching multiple videos we found that school PSAs typically use filming techniques, such as tracking shots and wide shots. These are used to demonstrate student life and establish the different school scenes. Editing techniques like a shot/reverse shot are also used to record dialogue and interactions between students. 

In school PSAs, there are multiple codes and conventions used. For example, PSA will always end with some kind of message or warning. This is used to encourage students to do the right thing and enjoy their time at school as much as possible. The costumes used are what you’d expect to see in a high school. Items like hoodies, t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers can be found on the actors. These actors are often shown doing basic activities like walking to classes and socializing in hallways. When it comes to props, things like backpacks, school supplies, sports equipment, and cell phones can be found throughout the film, as they are typically found in a school setting. 

Depending on the type of PSA, the non-diegetic sounds that are used can vary. For instance, a more serious PSA may use slow and sad instrumental background music. On the other hand, a more entertaining one may use fast, light-hearted, and energetic music. Ambient sounds of the school bell ringing and students chattering are not uncommon either. 

For my group, we plan to do a school PSA on extracurricular activities, and more specifically Fort Lauderdale High School’s Mock Trial Team. We would use the other members of our team as actors and film in various locations around the school like the courtroom, media center stairs, and in front of the cafeteria. We plan on dressing in courtroom attire and using different props like books, pens, and a gavel. Finally, we would end with a message on joining the mock trial club and being active within the school.