Documentary Genre

Codes and Conventions of TV Documentaries

·         The purpose of documentary is the document, to report with evidence something that has actually happened. It can show this by using actuality footage, or reconstructions

·         It can use a narrator’s voice over to anchor the meaning or rely on the participants themselves with perhaps occasional comments from an unseen narrator

·         Documentaries are important for radio and TV for the target audience, therefore have a specific time and channel. Scheduling is important

·         Documentaries have different styles, e.g. Panorama is serious

Different techniques

·         Fly on the wall (verité) – appear as truthful as possible

·         Current affairs (topicality) – in depth look at a news item

·         Observation – pretend the camera is unseen

·         Interview – don’t look at camera, look at interviewer – Mise-En-Scene is very important

·         Exposition – line of argument, what is the documentary saying?

·         Fully-narrated – off-screen voice ‘Voice of God’

·         Narrative – builds dramatic conflict – definite beginning, middle and end

Ø  Beginnings – gets audience’s attention. Dramatic footage? Montage?

Ø  Middle – more detail, more conflict

Ø  End -  resolves the exposition

·         Vox pops – street interviews with the general public – use all the same questions

·         Mixed documentary – combine all the techniques

Topics

·         Think small, think local

·         Good visuals

·         Conflicts (2-sided debate)

·         Music and sound effects and lighting

Construction

·         Situations and location

·         Individuals

·         Camera

·         Time

·         Music and sound

·         Edit

Filming

·         Cut away/cut ins

·         Variety of shots

·         Vary shots

Open narrative – leaves questions unanswered – loose ends which aren’t tied up

Closed narrative – clear resolution with no questions – no loose ending