Research into Documentaries
Purpose of a documentary:
To document i.e. report with evidence something that has actually happened. It can show this by using actuality footage or reconstructions.
Documentaries are mediated information – main purpose is to inform.

Types of documentary: There are six main types

Fully narrated – most common type e.g. David Attenborough.The have an off screen voice over, this makes sense of the visuals and anchors their meaning. The voice over
links everything together to create the narrative.

Fly on the wall e.g. Katie Price & Peter Andre
The camera is just observing real life and not interfering (like a fly on the wall)

Mixed – combination of an interview, observation and narration to advance the narrative.

Self reflective – When the subjects of the documentary acknowledge the presence of the camera and often
speak directly to the film maker.

Drama documentary/Docudrama
Reconstruction of events as they are supposed to have happened.

Docusoap These are a recent type of documentary and follow a group of individuals.

Construction of realityDocumentaries are edited for an audienceGatekeeping – Selection and rejection of information to convey a constructed reality.

Narrative structure
Open vs. Closed Open – These have loose ends and unanswered questions. The audience are left to make up their own minds.
Closed – All loose ends are tied, no questions are left remaining.

Single strand vs. Multi-strand
Single strand – One narrative running throughout.
Multi-strand – More than one narrative which sometimes crosses over and converges.

Linear vs. Non-linearLinear – Follows chronological order and events follow order of time.
Non-linear – Doesn’t follow any particular order
E.g. Use of flashback and flash forward.

Circular narrative
The documentary usually begins with a question and throughout the programme you get answers (often two
sides) at the end of the programme the question is returned to. This is a common form of documentary.

The Devil made me do it
Type of documentary: Mixed – use of interviews, actually footage and archive material.
Themes: Religion, youth culture, power of the media. Did Manson’s music/videos influence the behaviour of teenagers? Good V Evil.
Narrative structure: Open structure, single strand and non-linear.
Camerawork: Interviews – filmed in close-up or medium close-up and framed to the right or the left of the screen. Manson filmed in low angle in his interviews to make him look powerful compared to everyone else in the programme. Half of Manson’s face is lit to fit in with the theme of good and evil. Long shots of deserted streets are used, high angles and slow pans, also various shot of religious iconography is shown e.g. shots of angels and Jesus. The shots of Jesus are filmed in low angle to also make him look powerful to the audience. Handheld camerawork is also used in the actuality footage so the camera can respond quickly. A tilted frame is used for a point of view. The camera also observes other media not giving the audience any particular position.
Mise-en-scene: Interviews are used to provide information about the topic. E.g. teenagers are filmed in the bedroom. Religious iconography is used.
Two sides of the town are shown, it is shown to be quiet and then shown to be loud and full of teenagers. Naturalistic lighting is used.
Sound: Music-Religious choral music & Manson’s music.
Sound effects-Heartbeat and whispering.
Voice over-Male, young, speaks using Standard English.
Translating Italian voice over-Each voice over used reflects age and gender of the Italian person.
Editing: Cut & cross cutting were the main techniques so the viewer didn’t become distracted. Fade to and from black used to signify parts of the story. Montage – bits of the programme.
Juxtaposition-Gothic make-up & rude behaviour contrasted with choral music in the background.
Editing used to create pace.Archive material: Mansion music videos
Italian T.V talk show
American news coverage
Newspaper cuttings
Graphics: At end the programme text is used to close the narrative.
Used to show name of person and relation to topic within interviews, anchored what audience was viewing.
Indicated time.
All graphics were white and a sans serif font.
Opening title-Gothic appearance, used to be symbolic.
Marketing MeatloafType of documentary: Mixed-Use of interviews, actuality footage and archive material.Themes: Marketing and the music industry, image creating and manipulation of audience and the power of the media.
Narrative structure: Non-linear, single strand, closed, circular.Camerawork: Interviews framed to left or right of the screen in close-up or medium close-up, some
interviews filmed in profile.
Handheld camerawork used do camera can react quickly – point of view shot used.
Pan used on still images to make it look interesting.
Mise-en-scene: Interviews – chromakey used as background, these are relevant to what is being spoken of or to person speaking.
Sound: Male voice over used – standard English, used to hold narrative together. Voice over had an opinion – sarcastic, this was unconventional. Sound effect – heartbeat. Choral music used to create tension.
Editing: No questions in interviews. Cut – most common feature. Dissolve; spin effect, montage, fast motion and slow motion used.
Archive material: top of the Pops, music videos, Brit awards, grammy awards, magazines.
Graphics: Logo for “Music Biz”, graphics used to anchor who the people were in interviews and their relation to the topic. Super imposed on screen and sans serif typography used.
That Thing… Lara CroftType of documentary:
Mixed – archive material, interviews and actuality footage.
Themes: Video games, icons, feminism, representation of women, power of the media.
Narrative structure: Non-linear, closed, single strand.
Camerawork: Over the shoulder shot of people on computer. Writing focuses in, mainly close-ups on interviews, big close-up used. Tilted frame used, point of view shot and tracking, panning and zooming.
Mise-en-scene: Interviews shown on top of game graphics, also to left or right of screen. Green lighting used in interviews. Chromakey of game and film footage. Front projection put over face, puts interviewee in the game.
Sound: Constant background dance music, male voice over - Standard English
Editing: Cuts between interviews and fast motion used.
Archive material: Tomb Raider computer game & film, websites, Nike advert & interview with Angelina Jolie.
Graphics: Name of person and relation to topic super imposed upon screen, plain white sans serif fonts, title in speech bubbles.
9/11 Phone calls:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/911-phone-calls-from-the-towers/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1
Type of documentary: Mixed - interviews, archive material ad actuality footage.
Themes: 9/11, greivence of death, phones/technology.
Narrative structure: Single strand,linear & open.
Camerawork: Camera films from behind trees as if it is hidden. Birds eye view shots of America shown and world trade centre & surrounding area. Fast motion of cars and New York city. All interviews filmed to the left or right of the screen. Shot of explosion shown on T.V to make it more real and show it was world wide. Part reconstructions used, e.g phone ringing.
Mise-en-scene: Interviews filmed in interviewees homes to give audience a sense of empathy. One interviewee filmed in trees saying this is where he grieves regularly & also to represent peace.
Sound: Soft piano music used to relate to anchor sadness of the topic. Male voice over used in standard English, use of a sympathetic tone.
Editing: Dissolve and fade from black used frequently to represent death and dissapearence. Cut - most common technique so audience did not become distracted.
Archive material: American news programmes, news footage from around the world of explosions, still images.
Graphics: Sans serif, white font used to show persons name and anchor relation to the topic.
Osama bin everywhereType of docuumentary:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/osama-bin-everywhere/4od
Mixed - archive material, actuality footage and interviews.
Themes: Religion, terrorism, culture.
Narrative structure: Single strand, non-linear, circular and open.
Camerawork: Interviews filmed to left or right of screen, handheld camera work used so camera can react quickly in actuality footage.
Point of view from camera man shown view finder in some vox pops.
Shots of other cameras filming the same thing.
Mise-en-scene: Cultural backgrounds and religion shown through objects.
Sound: Cultural Muslim music used to represent themes of religion.
Female voice over - used of Standard English.
Editing: Cut - main technique so the audience doesn't become distracted.
Archive material: Bollywood films and British news footage of London bombings.
Graphics: Subtitles (no voice over for foreign language)Sans serif fonts super imposed on screen to show person and anchor relation to the topic being spoken.

Codes and conventions of a documentary:
Narrative structure: open of closed, linear or non-linear, single stand.

Camera work: Interviews - framed to left or right of screen in CU or MCU.

Handheld actuality footage - actuality footage, variety of shot types and camera movement.
Pan and zoom used on still images.
Mise-en-scene: Background of interviews are important - chromakey, back drop and location.

Anchors person to subject matter.
Lighting can be used creatively.
Sound: Voice over (narrator) using Standard English - holds narrative together.- Introduces topic and concludes narrative- Music used as a soundtrack (music bed), relevant to topic or to heighten emotion
Celebrities used as voice overs.
All questions are edited out, background noise on interviews is kept to a minimum.
Editing: Cutting is most common edit so audience don't become distracted.
Dissolve, editing effects kept to minimum, fade to or from black.
Montage used to give audience and idea of what the programme is about.
Archive material: film, music videos, T.V, newspapers, audio, websites, still images, magazines, all relevant to what is being spoken about.
Graphics: Titles, always unique.
Name and relevance to topic anchoring who interviewees are.
Tpyography + colours are simple.
Credits scroll up - including to tribute to archive material.
Logo: super imposed over archive material, anchor a period of time, subtitles used where necessary.

T.V Scheduling-The schedule for each day can be broken down into clear segments:
BreakfastTV
Daytime TV
Peak Time TV
Post Watershed TV-
The target audience for each of these segments are:Breakfast- may differ according to different channels.
Daytime- housewives, elderly, unemployed and students.
Peak Time- families.
Post Watershed- adults.
The peak time audience is the most important, it is where TV channels pull in their mass audience.-
The most popular genres on television are:
Soaps which is by far the most popular genre and there is at least one on across the channels every day.
Dramas, reality TV,sitcoms, gameshows and cookery programmes are also popular.
News is a compulsory genre, as are children, religious and local news programmes, they have to be televised on every channel.
-The target audience for each terrestrial channel are:
BBC1 - Caters for all audiences (public service broadcaster)
BBC2 -Minority audiences
ITV1-Caters for all audiences
Channel 4- Minority audiences
Channel 5- All audiences-There are hardly any repeated programmes on BBC1 and ITV1.
Channel 5 have the most repeated programmes because they don't make any of their programmes.
Channel 4 also have a high perecentage of repeats, they are a publisher broadcaster and also don't make their own programmes.
BBC2 have slightly more than BBC1 and ITV1 but not a lot.
-Channel 4 and Channel 5 make none of their programmes, they find it cheaper to buy programmes in and import them, for example channel 5 has Home and Away imported from Australia.
-The term 'Watershed' is the term used for programmes that are not suitable to be shown to children, it is after 9PM and it is techincaly the time where children should be in bed,
Adult only tv.
Inheritance - scheduling a programme immediately after a popular programme in the hope i will inherit some of it's audience.
Pre-echo - scheduling a programme before a popular programme.
The hope is that the audience for the popular programme will tune in early before it starts and catch the end of the new programme which might grab their attention so they watch the whole programme next time.
Hammacking - scheduling a programme between two popular programmes so it benefits from inheritance and pre-echo.
Inheritance makes more sense, however in T.V scheduling programmes don't start when they are supposed to. This is entirely deliberate.
Channel loyalty - people sticking with the same channel all evening. Each channel used to have it's own viewers, however it is not the same today because there is more channels.
we gave out thirty of the following questionnaires to our target audience:

How old are you?

30-39 □ 40-49 □ 50-59 □ 60+

Are you male or female?

Male □ Female □

Are You A Parent?

Yes □ No

What is your favourite colour?
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What are your main music tastes?

Pop □ Rock □ Indie □ R n B □ Rap □

Dance □Classical □ Other □

Please specify: ______________________

What terrestrial TV channels do you regularly watch?

BBC1 □ BBC2 □ ITV1 □ C4 □ Channel 5 □

At what time in general do you watch these channels?

Between 7am – 10am □ Between 10am and 12pm □

Between 12pm – 3pm □Between 3pm – 6pm □

Between 6pm – 9pm □ After 9pm

Do think ‘graffiti’ is art or vandalism?

Art □ Vandalism □

Have you or anyone you know ever done any ‘graffiti’?

Yes □ No □

In three words describe your thoughts on ‘graffiti’?

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Thank you for your time!

Results






This shows the more of the people we asked were female and therefore the results are biased toward this gender.



This will be taken into consideration when making important decisions about our programme.















Are you a parent?



Yes: 20bNo: 10b



These results are biased towards parents; this will also be taken into consideration when making our programme.

The three main music tastes in the audience were rock, pop and classical. So these types will be used in the documentary. The choice of music will also be influenced by the content of the programme.






The graph shows that the two most popular colours of the people asked were red and blue, therefore these colours will be used in the documentary, because they will attract our target audience.

The main channel watched within our audience is BBC1, however the documentary we are creating does not have a mainstream audience therefore it will be shown on channel 4 because it caters for minority groups.

6pm-9pm and after 9PM are the most commonly watched time of television by our target audience. Therefore our documentary will be scheduled for after 9PM because it contains adult content.