Beekeeping Documentary. By Hannah Isherwood

Synopsis. My documentary is about the world of bee keepers specifically the Leamington and Warwick branch of bee keepers, also about Jephson Gardens where the Leamington and Warwick branch have a beehive for the public to see and learn about.  In my documentary, I will be talking about the history of Jephson Gardens, what the beekeepers do and who they are as well as the bees themselves and how they make honey and how the function in their little societies. What I want to get across to the audience is that this is a happy subject and for people to realise what the beekeepers do for the bees around them and the wildlife. My documentary is going to be filmed in a very main-stream way as its going to be shown professionally, I may put in an abstract way of filming but it will be all facts and footage to back up said facts. My target audience doesn’t have a general age but as the documentary will be shown at Jephson gardens it will be targeted at people who go there (whom are of all ages).

Primary Research. I did a survey to find out what people really know about bees.  Here is what I found. Question 1 – Do you know what a bee keeper is? Yes. 90.91% No. 9.09% Question 2 – How many bees are in an average hive? 300-800. 45.45% 3000-8000. 45.45.% 30,000-80,000 9.09% (correct answer) Question 3 – What year was the Warwick and Leamington Beekeepers association? 1879. 36.36% (correct answer) 1965. 63.64% 1994. 0.00% Question 4 – How many queens are in a hive? 1.  81.82% (correct answer) 2. 9.09% 3. 9.09% Question 5 – only the queen lays eggs in the hive. True. 45.45% (correct answer) False. 54.55% Question 6 – The honey bee has been around for millions of years. True. 81.82% (correct answer) False. 18.18% Question 7 – A honey bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip. True. 90.91% (correct answer) False. 9.09% I found that people mainly know the simple facts about bees so what I want to do in my documentary is to explore more unknown facts for people.

Secondary Research. I went on a few website to find out what Jepson Gardens is and about but also the link between the gardens and the Beekeepers Association. Jepson Gardens. https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/info/20312/jephson_gardens Bees Warwick and Leamington Beekeepers are creating a video about bees and beekeeping. When complete, it will be on show in the Glasshouse. The video will highlight the importance of bees and inform our visitors about the beehives in the Glasshouse and East Lodge Garden. Warwickshire Beekeepers Association. The Association was founded in 1879 and consists of eight branches covering the original county area of Warwickshire. Currently we have a growing membership with over 550 members. Our Association is affiliated to the British Beekeepers Association. We are an overseeing Association and do not handle memberships directly. Please contact your local Branch for information on becoming a member. History First laid out in 1831 as informal riverside walks along the River Leam, the land was renamed Jephson Gardens and developed into formal gardens after 1846. They were named in honour of Dr Henry Jephson, a famous doctor who had promoted the town as a spa. Originally the settling beds for the town’s water supply, Mill Gardens was landscaped as part of improvements to the River Leam in 1901-03, which created an improved riverside landscape. Like many parks, Jephson Gardens and Mill Gardens fell into slow decline after World War II. They were restored by Warwick District Council in the early 2000s with help from a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of over £3 million. Jephson Gardens and Mill Gardens are part of the Spa Gardens, a ribbon of riverside parks in Leamington that are listed as Grade II on the English Heritage register of historic parks and gardens.

Influences. One of my influences are David Attenborough Planet Earth.  I’m using this as my influences because of the ways it is filmed and how they get even the tiniest of animals and insects to look absolutely spectacular.  For example, in his most recent documentary (Planet Earth II) there was a notorious scene where a baby lizard was being chased by a lot of snakes, it was shot so simply and narrated equally simply but it has everyone gripped and shocked, I want that in my documentary, I want people to gasp at facts they didn’t know and be blown away by the visuals. Another one of my influences is The Wild West – America’s Great Frontier.  I’m using this as my influences because if the amazing filming and facts, I’m interested in documentaries that are serious and factual, in this documentary you don’t see the narrator at all unlike in planet earth where David Attenborough appears on screen a few times, this documentary is all visuals of what it is reporting on.  It’s a very factual documentary so no jokes that some documentaries have with in and that’s why it’s one of my influences.

Production Schedule.

Interview Questions. What does the beekeeping association do? How many hives do you have? How many bees do you have in your hives? How did you get set up with Jephson gardens? How many swarms do you get calls to collect each month? Why did you get involved in beekeeping? What would you say to someone who is interested in beekeeping? How is beekeeping helpful to local communities? Are you hoping to expand the hives at Jephson gardens? If so how? How much honey do you get from a hive each year?

Risk Assessment. The organisation are supplying me with a risk assessment, which I should have by the beginning of my filming.

Location Recce. I'm going to be filming all around Leamington Spa and Kenilworth but mainly at Jephson Gardens.  I've been here multiple times and its going to be easy to film here I will also be aloud in the gardens when they are closed. I’m also going to be filming at a Dale House Lane location is where the main apiary for the Leamington and Warwick beekeeper's association is.