The purpose of a documentary is to document, that is to report, with evidence, something that has actually happened. It can show this by using actuality footage or reconstruction. It can use a narrators voice over to anchor the meaning or rely on the participants themselves with perhaps the occasional interjection by the narrator.
(ACTUALITY FOOTAGE = 'REAL FOOTAGE' OF ACTUAL EVENTS)
John Grierson - He ran a team called the 'General Post Office Film Unit in the 1930s. He defined documentaries as 'the creative treatment of actuality' (or reality).
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Features of Documentaries
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John Corner - From the University of Liverpool. He said there are 5 elements of the documentary: observation, interview, dramatisation, mise-en-scene and exposition.
1) Observation - The programme makers pretend that the camera is unseen or ignored by the people taking part in events. The audience is positioned as an eye witness observing the documentary unfold.
2) Interview - The most important aspect, people give opinions, information in the interview. They are relied on by the documentary.
3) Dramatisation - All documentaries use a sense of drama through observations. Editing conveys this drama. Reconstruction is used dramatically too.
4) Mise-en-scene - (put in the picture) Everything you see and hear. Documentary makers carefully construct shots.
5)Exposition - This is the line of argument in a documentary (the exposition of the narrative is the way the narrative unfolds). In terms of documentaries it is what the documentary is 'saying'.
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Different Types of Documentary
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1) Fully Narrated - A voice over is used to convey the exposition. The voice over is used to make sense of the visuals and therefore dominates their meaning. (e.g. natural history docs).
2) Fly On The Wall - It draws on the French film movement of cinema verite. The camera is unseen or ignored. Simply records real events as they unfold.
3) Mixed - Combination of interview, observations, actuality, archive footage/material and narration to advance the argument or narrative.
4) Self-reflective - When the subject of the documentary acknowledges the presence of the camera and often speaks directly to the programme maker.
5) Docudrama - (drama documentary) It's a re-enactment of events
6) Docusoap - (Soap documentary) It revolves around a group of central protagonists (e.g. Airport, The Cruise and Driving School)
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Structure of Documentaries
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Narrative Structure
Open Narrative Structure - Questions are left unanswered which leaves loose ends at the end of a programme/documentary. An example is a fox hunting documentary.
Close Narrative Structure - There is a definite and final conclusion to tie all strings and therefore conclude the narrative. An example is a trial documentary.
Linear - Follows chronological order (events follow order of time).
Non-Linear - Things are not in time order (flashbacks and flashforwards)
Circular - Starts and finished the same (often same topic).
Visuals
Television is a visual medium. A program needs to be visually stimulating as it has to maintain the interest of the audience. It also has to entertain.
Archive Material - (not able to film yourself) Street scenes, open countryside shots, close ups of faces, are all examples of stockfootage.
Interviews - An interview can be held anywhere, but the mise-en-scene does effect the meaning.
VOXPOP - (Vox Populis = Voice of the People). Set up a camera in the street, ask the same questions to different and random people. This will give a representation of a target audience.
Construction of Reality
Gatekeeping - The selection and rejection of information or content for inclusion in a media text
Editing Process - Be creative, chop up an interview, construct a reality of someone, this is what the gatekeeping allows media to do.
Voice over - Can alter and effect meaning or anchor the visuals.
Propaganda - Advertisement. Deliberately want to influence people's opinions.
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Codes and Conventions of a Documentary
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Single strand narrative
Cut is the most common edit
Editing -> well-paced, interview is cut into short clips, other images are used over the sound of an interview
Editing should be invisible. There should be no distraction from the documentary, unless editing techniques are used on actuality and archive footage (for example: spinning news headlines)
Voiceover -> ''The glue that holds the narrative together''. Gender and age is sometimes relevant depending on documentary. The use of Standard English and a calm, clear delievery is common
Creative and varied camerawork -> conventional framing on interviews, it is usually static on a tripod, interviews sat still on a chair so they do not move
Archive material -> still images (websites, photos, CDs, mags) -> use camera movement (zoom and pan). A variety of relevent archive material can be used
If chromaky is used, it shouldn't be distracting or detract from the interview (either out of focus or still)
Relevant music that doesn't obstruct the voiceover, it is used as a 'music bed on which the visuals lye'
Graphics -> anchors time and location, anchors the relevance of somebody/something. They should be clear, no obstructive and simple
