Tuesday 12 July 2011
Monday 11 July 2011
Codes and conventions of documentaries
Type of Documentary
Fully narrated/ expository
Fly on the Wall/ observational
Mixed
Self reflective
Docudrama
Docusoap
Narrative Structure
Open
Closed
Non-linear
Linear
Single strand
Circular
Camerawork
Wide range of shots used
Interviews are either framed to the left or right and eyeline is in the top third
interviewee looks at interviewer rather than the camera
Vox pops- street interviews- general public
Close ups- show emotions
External shots- set scene
PAN/track
Hand held- create shakey feel, audience feel like they are there
Framing on interviews
Interviews often in medium close up/ close up
Mise-en-scene
Creates the mood of documentaries
Adds to the story of the documentaries
Lighting changes the feel and mood of the documentary
Low-key/ high-key lighting
Chiarascuro lighting- see half of the face
Chromokey- moving background in interview
Background can reinforce the content of the interview/ gives more information about the interviewee's personal life/ occupation
Sound
Voiceover- holds the narrative together- holds story together
gender of voiceover normally fits/ suits the theme (Voice of God)
Voice usually speaks standard English with calm clear delivery, gender/ age is occasionally relevant to the topic
Ambiant sound
Buzz track
Background music
Incidental music
Editing
Zoom in/ out
Slow/ fast pace
Fade out/ fade in/ dissolve or wipe
Depth of field
Superimposition used to show the story- extra images
Cuts are most common as it doesnt distract the audience
Cut aways- voiceover whilst relevant images are shown- relevant to what
the person being interviewed is saying. Avoids jumpcuts- doesnt flow
Questions are usually edited out of interviews but we get what the question
is by the way the answer is given
Archive Material
Can be still images/ video clips
Sometimes shown in cutaways
Camera movement used when filming still archive material, for instance zoon
Relevant music- should not interfere with voiceover or visuals
Graphics
Subtitles
Names of people being interviewed
Simple details usually 2 lines- name and what they do usually
Anchors who the person is on the screen
Gives relevance to the topic
Fully narrated/ expository
Fly on the Wall/ observational
Mixed
Self reflective
Docudrama
Docusoap
Narrative Structure
Open
Closed
Non-linear
Linear
Single strand
Circular
Camerawork
Wide range of shots used
Interviews are either framed to the left or right and eyeline is in the top third
interviewee looks at interviewer rather than the camera
Vox pops- street interviews- general public
Close ups- show emotions
External shots- set scene
PAN/track
Hand held- create shakey feel, audience feel like they are there
Framing on interviews
Interviews often in medium close up/ close up
Mise-en-scene
Creates the mood of documentaries
Adds to the story of the documentaries
Lighting changes the feel and mood of the documentary
Low-key/ high-key lighting
Chiarascuro lighting- see half of the face
Chromokey- moving background in interview
Background can reinforce the content of the interview/ gives more information about the interviewee's personal life/ occupation
Sound
Voiceover- holds the narrative together- holds story together
gender of voiceover normally fits/ suits the theme (Voice of God)
Voice usually speaks standard English with calm clear delivery, gender/ age is occasionally relevant to the topic
Ambiant sound
Buzz track
Background music
Incidental music
Editing
Zoom in/ out
Slow/ fast pace
Fade out/ fade in/ dissolve or wipe
Depth of field
Superimposition used to show the story- extra images
Cuts are most common as it doesnt distract the audience
Cut aways- voiceover whilst relevant images are shown- relevant to what
the person being interviewed is saying. Avoids jumpcuts- doesnt flow
Questions are usually edited out of interviews but we get what the question
is by the way the answer is given
Archive Material
Can be still images/ video clips
Sometimes shown in cutaways
Camera movement used when filming still archive material, for instance zoon
Relevant music- should not interfere with voiceover or visuals
Graphics
Subtitles
Names of people being interviewed
Simple details usually 2 lines- name and what they do usually
Anchors who the person is on the screen
Gives relevance to the topic
Types of Documentaries
Documentaries are there to inform the public and express an opinion. Illustrates the truth/ allows the expression of a point of view.
Documentaries:
History: John Grierson 1926 - Documentary
Purpose: To document something that has happened
Showing actual footage or reconstruction
Narrators voiceover/participants anchor meaning
Features:
Observation: Camera is being ignored
Person being filmed does not know the camera is there
Interview: Allow options/views to be voiced
(documentaries rely on interveiws)
Dramtatisation: Show drama by observation
Reconstruct scenes
Mise-en-scene: Everything that is in the shot
Props, constumes etc
Exposition: Tells the audience exactly what is happening and going on
The arguement/purpose of documentary
Types:Fully Narrated: An off screen voiceover to make sense of the visuals
Tells audience the meaning of the images e.g. Nature documentary
Fly on the wall: Camera is unseen or ignored and captures what wouldnt be seen otherwise
Does not need voiceover or narration
Mixed: Uses a combination of different interviews/observations
To advance the arguement the narrator is normally infront of the camera
Self-reflective: When subject of the documentary acknowledges the camera
Person in the documentary looks and speaks into the camera
Docudrama: A reinactment of events as though it has just happened or is happening
Using techniques of documentaries to create realism
Docusoap: Follow the lives of individuals to get to know there character more
May contain:
Visuals- Archive footage to suggest meanings and emotion
Interviews- Mise-en-scene effects the meaning, can contain factual/emotional questions
Voxpops- Street interviews of general public all asked the same question, then strung together in a fast sequence. May show general arguement or diversity of options
Narratives:Open: No answers given, audience make their own decision as no conclusion given
Closed: All questions are answered and there is a definite output/ending
Single strand: once plot/story/theme throughout the whole documentary
Non-Linear: Information given not in chronological order and has flashbacks
Linear: Has a beginning, middle and an end
Circular: Starts and finished in the same way, question is asked at the beginning and end
Documentaries
Completion film- eg. news reel/ footage
Talking heads/interviews
Direct cinema: an event is recorded as it happens
Good documentaries need characters, tension, etc.
Modern documentaries are often more observational
Narration often used: audience will then understand the plot of the documentaries (can be known as the voice of god)
May use a voiceover that the audience is familiar with/ will recognise so they may trust the information that is being given to them
Lighting is generally natural
Most commonly used camerawork is handheld, may use shaky shots-look more realistic creates intimacy between audience and the film
Editing is a vital component of documentary and is relied on: fade outs, fade ins, wipe, dissolve, selecting, ordering and placing images into a sequence
Editing makes the footage understandable.
Sound:
Diegetic sound: sound in the shot, actually there
Non diegetic sound: sound added into the documentary
Documentaries rely on a lot of non diegetic sound as it prompts the audience
Current affairs:
Midway between documentaries and the news
Journalist led programmes; discussing current affairs
Address the news and political agendas in more detail and in greater depth
Investigation looking at political scandals; programme is organised around a journalistic report.- May be arguing a case/ proving it wrong. Reporter may be infront of the screen, but may also be a voiceover. -BBC2 newsnight, channel 4's dispatches, tonight with trevor Mcdonald.
Reality:
Where real events take place
A mix of raw authentic material with the seriousness of and information programme
Suveillance programme
Combination of entertainment and useful information (informative)
Used to be based around emergancy programmes but now has widened to ordinary people- audience find this appealing
Documentaries:
History: John Grierson 1926 - Documentary
Purpose: To document something that has happened
Showing actual footage or reconstruction
Narrators voiceover/participants anchor meaning
Features:
Observation: Camera is being ignored
Person being filmed does not know the camera is there
Interview: Allow options/views to be voiced
(documentaries rely on interveiws)
Dramtatisation: Show drama by observation
Reconstruct scenes
Mise-en-scene: Everything that is in the shot
Props, constumes etc
Exposition: Tells the audience exactly what is happening and going on
The arguement/purpose of documentary
Types:Fully Narrated: An off screen voiceover to make sense of the visuals
Tells audience the meaning of the images e.g. Nature documentary
Fly on the wall: Camera is unseen or ignored and captures what wouldnt be seen otherwise
Does not need voiceover or narration
Mixed: Uses a combination of different interviews/observations
To advance the arguement the narrator is normally infront of the camera
Self-reflective: When subject of the documentary acknowledges the camera
Person in the documentary looks and speaks into the camera
Docudrama: A reinactment of events as though it has just happened or is happening
Using techniques of documentaries to create realism
Docusoap: Follow the lives of individuals to get to know there character more
May contain:
Visuals- Archive footage to suggest meanings and emotion
Interviews- Mise-en-scene effects the meaning, can contain factual/emotional questions
Voxpops- Street interviews of general public all asked the same question, then strung together in a fast sequence. May show general arguement or diversity of options
Narratives:Open: No answers given, audience make their own decision as no conclusion given
Closed: All questions are answered and there is a definite output/ending
Single strand: once plot/story/theme throughout the whole documentary
Non-Linear: Information given not in chronological order and has flashbacks
Linear: Has a beginning, middle and an end
Circular: Starts and finished in the same way, question is asked at the beginning and end
Documentaries
Completion film- eg. news reel/ footage
Talking heads/interviews
Direct cinema: an event is recorded as it happens
Good documentaries need characters, tension, etc.
Modern documentaries are often more observational
Narration often used: audience will then understand the plot of the documentaries (can be known as the voice of god)
May use a voiceover that the audience is familiar with/ will recognise so they may trust the information that is being given to them
Lighting is generally natural
Most commonly used camerawork is handheld, may use shaky shots-look more realistic creates intimacy between audience and the film
Editing is a vital component of documentary and is relied on: fade outs, fade ins, wipe, dissolve, selecting, ordering and placing images into a sequence
Editing makes the footage understandable.
Sound:
Diegetic sound: sound in the shot, actually there
Non diegetic sound: sound added into the documentary
Documentaries rely on a lot of non diegetic sound as it prompts the audience
Current affairs:
Midway between documentaries and the news
Journalist led programmes; discussing current affairs
Address the news and political agendas in more detail and in greater depth
Investigation looking at political scandals; programme is organised around a journalistic report.- May be arguing a case/ proving it wrong. Reporter may be infront of the screen, but may also be a voiceover. -BBC2 newsnight, channel 4's dispatches, tonight with trevor Mcdonald.
Reality:
Where real events take place
A mix of raw authentic material with the seriousness of and information programme
Suveillance programme
Combination of entertainment and useful information (informative)
Used to be based around emergancy programmes but now has widened to ordinary people- audience find this appealing
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