Documentary.

The purpose of the 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- General Post Office Film Unit in 1930's. Defined documentary as: "the creative treatment of actuality"(or reality)

Features of documentaries

John Corner of university of Liverpool. There are 5 central elements of the documentary.

Observation

The program makers pretend that the camera in unseen or ignored by the people taking part in the events.

-People observing at home don't see camera's.

Interview

Give opinions and info through out question. Documentaries rely heavily on the use of interview.

Dramatisation

All documentaries use a sense of drama through the observation element.

-or dramatic reconstruction.

-Mise-en-scene

- Put in the picture

Documentaries makers carefully construct shots.

Exposition

The line of argument in a documentary this is what the documentary in 'saying'.

Fully Narrated

A voice over is used to convey the exposition. The voice over is used to make sense of the visuals and dominates their meaning e.g. natural history documentaries.

Fly on the wall

Draws on the French film movement cinema verite. The camera is unseen or ignored and simply records real events ad they unfold.

Mixed

A combination of interview, observation, actuality and archive material and narration and advance the argument/narrative.

Self reflective

When the subject of the documentary acknowledges the presence of the camera and often speaks directly to the programmes makers.

Docudrama

Re-enactments of events

Docusoap

Documentaries and soap opera.

A group of central protagonists e.g. Airport (easyjet)

Structure of documentaries

Narrative structure

Take on different forms:

• Open-loose ends which are not tied up at the end. (Questions are left in answered)
• Closed- there is a definite conclusion to the narrative.

Linear structure-follows chronological order.(Events follow the order of time)

Non Linear structure- things are not in time order e.g. flashback or flash forward.

Circular structure- The beginning is the same as the end.

Visuals

Television is a visual medium

-The programme needs to be stimulating.

Archive material-Street scenes, open countryside, close up of faces = stock footage

Interviews

An interview can be held anywhere, but the setting does affect the meaning

Vox pop (vox populis)- voice of the people.

Go on the street and ask people all the same question and film their answers.

Construction of reality

Gate keeping (media theory)

The selection and rejection of information/content for inclusion in media text.

Editing process

• Where gate keeping happens in a documentary.
• Voice over (voice of god)-never seen.
• Propaganda- deliberately set out to change the opinion of others.