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Documentary Analysis- That Thing.. Lara Croft on Prezi

Codes and Conventions of Filming and Editing Interviews

During my lesson we watched both 'The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special' and 'In The Teeth of Jaws' and made notes on the similarities of interviews featured in both; I then produced a video highlighting the codes and conventions of filming and editing interviews:

Codes and Conventions of Documentaries

In today's lesson we produced a list of the codes and conventions of documentaries based upon the real media products we have recently viewed:

Type of Documentary
-Fully narrated/ expository
-Fly on the Wall/ observational
-Mixed
-Self reflective
-Docudrama
-Docusoap

Narrative Structure
-Open
-Closed
-Single strand
-Non-linear
-Linear
-Circular

Camerawork
-Wide range of shots
-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
-Close ups- show emotion
-External shots- set scene
-PAN/track
-Hand held
-Framing on interviews
-Interviews often in medium close up/ close up
-Rule of thirds used in interviews
-Interviews are no longer than 2 minutes- fast pace
-Camerawork is varied and creative to suit the topic
-Conventional framing is used

Mise-en-scene
-Creates the mood of documentaries
-Adds to the story
-Lighting changes the feel 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
-Interviews aren't filmed with a light source behind interviewee

Sound
-Voiceover- holds the narrative 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/ wipe/ dissolve
-Depth of field
-Superimposition
-Cut aways- voiceover whilst relevant images, etc. are shown. Sometimes edited into interviews- breaks up interview and illustrates what is being said (filmed after interview/are archive material)
-Jump cuts are avoided
-Questions usually edited out of interviews

Archive Material
-Can be still images/ video clips
-Sometimes shown in cutaways
-Camera movement used when filming still archive material, e.g. zoom
-Relevant music; however it should not interfere with voiceover/ visuals
-Variety of archive material used
-May use sound underneath

Graphics
-Subtitles
-Names of people being interviewed- tells audience who they are/what they do
-Simple details usually 2 lines

Genre Analysis: Types of Documentary

Types of Documentary
Fully Narrated- off screen voiceover that makes sense of the visuals (tells the audience the meaning of images), e.g. nature documentary

Fly on the Wall- camera is unseen/ignored and captures things that would not be seen otherwise; unfolds real events and does not require voiceovers/narration

Mixed- uses a combination of interviews, observation, etc. to advance the argument- narrator is often infront of the camera

Self-reflective- when the subject of the documentary acknowledges the camera and speaks to it directly

Docudrama- a reinactment of the events as though it has just happened/is happening; like a fictional story, using techniques of documentaries to reinforce realism

Docusoap- the camera follows the lives of individuals so we get to know the characters

Documentaries may contain:
Visuals- e.g. archive footage- intended to suggest a meaning/emotion

Interviews- mise-en-scene affects the meaning; can contain factual/more emotional questions (usually closer to the end)

Voxpops- street interviews of the general public; asked the same question. Then all strung together in a fast sequence- can show general agreement/diversity of opinions

Documentary Narratives
Open- no answers have been given; there is no conclusion made so audience have to make up their own mind about what happened

Closed- all answers are given and there is a definite output/ending
Single-strand- one story/plot/theme throughout the documentary

Non-linear- the information is given in a way so time is disrupted and is not given in chronological order- contains flashbacks

Linear- the information is given in chronological order (there is a beginning, a middle and an end)

Circular- begins and ends in the same way (question is asked at the beginning and the end)

Beginning: includes dramatic footage to get the audiences attention
Middle: focuses on peoples opinions/examines issue of documentary; conflict shown in beginning may be strengthened
End: exposition- the answer is there at the end and the audience has no doubt about the argument- may be an action that the audience can take

Genre Analysis: Documentaries

The term 'documentary' was thought up by John Grierson in 1926. The purpose is to document something that has happened, showing actual footage or reconstruction, and often using a narrator's voiceover to anchor meaning.

Features of Documentaries
Observation- watching someone, the camera is ignored/ people do not know they are being filmed.

Interview- allow for opinions/ views to be voiced (documentaries rely on interviews)

Dramatisation- show drama by observation/ re-construct scenes

Mise-en-scene- everything in the shot, e.g. costumes, props

Exposition- tells us exactly what is going on (argument/purpose of the documentary)