A documentary is a film or television
or radio programme that provides a factual report on a particular subject, using
pictures or interviews with people involved in real events to provide a factual
report on a particular subject. Most documentaries include location shooting to
follow the action, archive footage and interviews, to give a sense of realism.
A simple code and convention of a
documentary is a voice over, this will normally be authoritative encouraging the
audience to think they have specialist knowledge. The commentator is usually
unseen and explains or tells the story during the documentary. Other specific
sounds are used to give off a certain effect, this may include music at the
beginning and throughout the documentary, the genre, tempo and key of the music
depends on the nature of the programme.
Narrativisation is used in order to
gain a better understanding by communicating in narrative form. Documentaries also
consist of actuality footage; this is footage that is recording the actual
event with real life characters not actors. However, dramatization can be used
within a documentary. Dramatization is a reconstruction
of the event played by actors to give the audience further insight into the
real event that occurred.
Interviews are included in
documentaries to allow the people being filmed to speak
directly about events prompted by specific questions, this gives a sense of
realism for the viewers. The interviewees commonly answer questions looking at
the interviewer to gain emotion.
When editing the documentary in post
production the team will aim to keep the graphics simple and minimalistic to
ensure the audience isn’t distracted from the key events. Graphics will include
text, inserting information such as times, dates and locations. There will also
be end credits at the end of the documentary crediting everyone involved in the
production.
6 Modes of Documentary –
Bill Nichols
‘The Expository Mode’ is the mode most of us
identify with documentaries, first appearing in the 1920’s. It emphasises
verbal commentary, often using a narrator. It also addresses the viewers
directly and is commonly associated with television news programmes.
‘The Poetic Mode’ is a subjective
representation of reality; the footage is arranged in an order to evoke an
audience association.
‘The Observational Mode’ focuses on just
using one camera and observes using location shooting. There is commonly no
interviews and voice-overs and this mode allows the camera to capture its
subjects uninterrupted.
‘The Reflective Mode’ is based on real life
moments and objects and is not focused on the relationship with the filmmaker
and the subject but focuses more on the relationship between the filmmaker and
the audience. It is based more on opinions and suggestions rather than facts.
‘The Performative Mode’ is based on emotion
and the filmmaker and crew may interact with the subject. It emphasizes truth
as relative favouring a person take over the objective lens.
‘The Participatory Mode’ invites the subjects
to participate with the filmmaker, usually by being interviewed. The filmmaker
also participates in being on screen as well as being the voice over for the
documentary. An example of this is ‘Louis Theroux: Behind Bars’.
