IMC 693G Digital Storytelling
Professor Jason Flynn
September 20, 2010
J. Mark Yencha
Assignment 3, Week 4
The Marketplace:
The marketplace for our client is Pittsburgh Steelers fans of any age, sex, religion and background. By presenting the Steel City Mafia as the premiere fan club of the worldwide Steelers family, we are welcoming prospective new members into the “family.” We are focusing on the domestic market in terms of our ad market. The project will be available via the SCM website: www.SteelCityMafia.com for the foreign markets which are beginning to take hold. There are hundreds of domestic SCM Official Hangouts across the US, with new ones in Italy, Russia and on several military bases in places such as Afghanistan. We will primarily focus our attention to airing our ads during Pittsburgh Steelers games, highlight shows and coach or player interview shows.
Our audience wants to share their passion for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they want to belong, belong to a family, a fan club and a presence. Such a presence or demonstration of team spirit defines the strength of the Steeler Nation, a phenomenon that occurs in virtually every U.S. city on Steeler Sundays. We’ve all seen it and witnessed it firsthand. No matter who you are or where you live, you see them everywhere … Pittsburgh Steeler fans! We are the most passionate, dedicated, knowledgeable, vocal, and widely represented professional fan base on the planet. We live and breathe Steeler football. We believe in fundamental football, a smash mouth style of play, pounding the rock, and making you sore in the morning. We love cheering for a team that is Family owned, that prioritizes a hard work ethic, and that doesn’t overpay the flashy players. We take pride in our players who play as a team and don’t stoop to off- field antics. We fans are not content simply to watch a football game; we want to be involved. Geographical distance does not limit our level of commitment to our team. We take over every bar; restaurant, city, or stadium on Steeler game days like no other team can even hope to do. Steeler bars can be found in every major U.S. city, a claim that no other professional football team can make. We don’t die; we multiply! Fans in rival stadiums just scratch their heads, wondering where all those towels come from. One fact will always remain: all Steeler games are home games!
The target will want to connect with our client for the following reasons:
A. A strong sense of belonging
B. They will want to be a part of a rapidly growing family.
C. The opportunity to meet current and former Pittsburgh Steeler players and coaches.
D. The opportunity to suspend reality and to become a “Made” member or a boss in the Steel City Mafia. It represents a chance to dress the part (In Steelers colors, preferably) at the group’s annual Sit-Down banquet.
E. Sharing a passion for the Pittsburgh Steelers with other like-minded devotees.
F. Making connections with fans from all over the world, connections which include ticket opportunities, travelling to Steelers away games and Steelers SCM events all over the US.
Genre:
Crime & Gangster
Setting 1: Where and when does the typical project take place?
The typical project will kick-off with the opening of the Pittsburgh Steelers annual training camp. Most NFL training camps begin in mid-July. The Steelers’ training camp is based out of St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Steel City Mafia holds an annual “Sit-Down,” or meeting of the bosses which coincides with the first weekend of training camp. In true mafia-hierarchy, the Sit-Down is an elaborate dinner with former Pittsburgh Steeler greats as the keynote speaker. Newly “made” members are then pinned by the guest. The Steel City Mafia is not just a fan club, but more importantly, they also serve as a charitable partner with Jerome Bettis’ “Bus Stops Here Foundation”, the Andy Russell Charitable Foundation and the Mel Blount Youth Home. Due to nature of this client, our project will take place with the onset of training camp (July 15) through the end of the NFL season (Feb 1). This project will be presented as a recruiting genre toting the benefits of the membership and charitable functions.
Setting 2: What visual images are associated with the typical setting?
Our project will feature fancy Italian-style dining to illustrate the “Sit-Down” with members in attendance in pin-striped suits, zoot suits and fedoras with women in dresses or suits. Steel City Mafia logo is silhouette of Godfather. Other visual images to include former Steelers players who are associated with SCM, which include: Andy Russell, Mike Wagner, Frenchy Fuqua, Jerome Bettis and Mel Blount. Recent events also included Hall of Famer, Terry Bradshaw who won four Super Bowls for the Steelers.
Characters 3: Describe the typical heroes or protagonists.
Our hero is the organization as an entity, the Steel City Mafia. SCM is a very rapidly-growing fan club of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steel City Mafia: One World, One Team, One Family!!! Our hero is portrayed as a family, a family of devoted Steelers fans. The Steel City Mafia’s logo calls itself the premiere fan club of the worldwide Steelers family.
Characters 4: What types of supporting characters would you expect to find?
Current and former Pittsburgh Steelers players who are “Made” members will be our supporting cast.
Characters 5: Are the roles in these generally more masculine or feminine?
Generally, the roles would be seen as masculine. Traditions associated with the mafia feature a strong Godfather and his bosses are also seen as very strong and powerful males. The mafia tradition features women as matriarchal and behind the scenes.
Plot 6: What are the conflicts you would expect to find in this genre?
The negative connotations associated with the word “Mafia, “ which will be addressed with a disclaimer stating: we see it as a metaphor that represents the strong following of the Steeler Nation and the close camaraderie that exists within our Family of fans.
Plot 7: Describe typical plot structures in this genre
Crime and gangster films are developed around the sinister actions of criminals or mobsters, particularly bank robbers, underworld figures, or ruthless hoodlums who operate outside the law, stealing and murdering their way through life. Criminal and gangster films are often categorized as film noir or detective-mystery films – because of underlying similarities between these cinematic forms. (P I Reed, 2010) The nature of our subject, Steel City Mafia will naturally have the undertones of a crime & gangster film; however we are presenting it in a recruiting manner. We want to present it to potential members as an opportunity to join our family, the Steelers family of devoted loyal fans who share similar interests, likes and desires.
Iconography 8: What objects and images do you expect to see in a film of this genre?
Godfather, fedoras, pin-stripe suits amid a large family gathering will be featured. The family gathering in question is a large dining table with an open seat for our potential new member.
Mood/Tone 9: Is the typical project optimistic or pessimistic?
While the mafia undertone will be naturally a bit dark, our project will be presented in a very optimistic manner.
Mood/Tone 10: Light or dark?
This project will be presented in an upbeat and light manner.
Mood/Tone 11: Comedic or serious?
This project will be presented in a serious yet friendly manner.
Mood/Tone 12: Eerie or wholesome?
This project will be presented in a very wholesome manner; we are presenting a warm and friendly atmosphere. We are projecting a familial setting and an offer to become a member of our family.
Cinematic Style 13: What are typical shots (framing) and camera movements?
The opening of this project will be a (WS) wide-shot and will gradually go to a (MCU) medium close-up shot. Once we have established that we are recruiting new members to join our family (The Steel City Mafia family) we will go to a (POV) point-of-view shot of the open seat at the table (our prospective member). For our project we will use a mounted camera pan to allow us move the camera horizontally from left to right so that we may allow the viewer to see more of the scenery and imagery.
Cinematic Style 14: What is the typical lighting like?
Typical room lighting such as windows, lamps and doors will be our choice. We are presenting this as a homey and warm setting.
Cinematic Style 15: What editing techniques are typically used?
A. Removing noise and adding narration and music.
B. Adding Title slides.
C. Adding effects: brightness and contrast.
D. Cropping techniques.
Cinematic Style 16: How is sound typically utilized?
Dialogue or Voice Over, Ambiance, Sound Effects and Music.
References:
P.I. Reed School of Journalism, WVU (2008, August, 23). IMC 693G Lesson 4: Market as a genre. Retrieved on September 20, 2010 from the website: https://ecampus.wvu.edu.
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