modes of documentary: conventions
Post on 13-May-2015
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Modes of Documentary
Typical Conventions
Expository Conventions
• Voiceover, addresses the audience directly.
• The voiceover may either be a ‘voice of God’ commentator (heard but not seen); or ‘voice of authority’ (seen and heard – usually an expert in the relevant field).
• Images are used to illustrate (or sometimes counterpoint) the voiceover.
Expository Conventions...• Editing is used for continuity, to link together images
that support the argument put forward in the voiceover.
• A variety of footage, interviews, stills, archive material is assembled to support the argument.
• Attempts to persuade the audience of a particular point of view, often by appealing to logic and the idea of a common-sense response.
Observational Conventions• Location shooting – using hand-held cameras.
• Long takes dominate.
• Synchronous (direct) sound recording.
• No voiceover (in its purest form).
• No interviews.
• Documentary-maker’s presence is hidden.
• Subjects pretend that they are not being filmed.
Reflexive Conventions• Borrows techniques from fiction film for an emotional, subjective
response.
• Emphasises the expressive nature of film; anti-realist techniques e.g. re-enactments, expressive lighting, dramatic music.
• Voiceover (when present) is likely to be questioning and uncertain – rather than authoritative.
• Reliance on suggestion and implied meaning rather than fact.
Performative Conventions• Documentary-maker (and crew) interact with the subject.
• Documentary-maker comments on the process of making the documentary.
• The documentary is often shaped into the narrative of an investigation or search, possibly without a satisfactory conclusion.
• The audience is addressed in an emotional and direct way.
• Subject matter often concerns identity (gender, sexuality) – rather than ‘factual’ topics.
Participatory or Interactive Conventions
• Documentary-maker (and crew) interacts with the subject.
• Interviews dominate but tend to be informal – literally ‘on the run’ questioning.
• Use of archive material – stills, news footage, newspaper headlines, letters etc.
• Location shooting; hand-held camera.
Participatory or Interactive Conventions...
• Long takes dominate.
• Synchronous (direct) sound recording.
• Voiceover, usually by the documentary-maker.
• Documentary-maker is visible to the audience – intervenes and participates in the action.
Poetic Conventions
• Documentary-maker gives subjective view• Not in typical narrative structure• Particular mood/tone is created – enhanced by music• Some light rhetoric but not always• Events are under-developed and situations can be left
unsolved • Unrelated shots edited together - linked by a mood/music• Perceived as Avant-garde (innovative, experimental,
pushes boundaries)
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