Documentaries

By Jordan Potsig-Simpson

Documentaries

• Report something (PROBLEMS) with evidence (actual footage or reconstruction)

• Can have a narrator to anchor the documentary (they can also be unseen)

• What distinguishes a documentary is the portrayal of sound and images of ‘Actuality’.

• (John Corner 1995)• Facts about real life• Don’t have to contain analysis• About Political, Cultural, Religious, Social and Historical issues• Should NOT be a current affair

Documentaries

• Documentaries were being defined in the 1930’s by ‘John Grierson’ and his team at the post office.

• ‘Coal Face’/’Housing Problems’ – John Grierson’s Documentaries (Some of the first ever)

Documentaries• They give people an insight into other people’s lives (Real life situations

and environments)• Old style documentaries had a sense of persuasion included (But this is

not the aim in modern day documentaries)• Genres are important for documentaries (Schedules and Target audience)• British documentaries are renowned for investigative journalism which

usually opposes the government’s views (‘the creativity of actuality’)• Real ‘thing’ manipulated for T.V to make it interesting• Arguments range on how ‘Creativity’ should be used – “The more

creativity, then loses the point of a documentary”• Reconstruction becomes more inevitable, as it is impossible to capture

‘Raw Material’ – As the effect of a camera, changes peoples mentality, and breaks the reality

Documentaries

• “I think the truth is what you come away with at the end of a seeing a film. I mean it’s your truth that you’re seeing. Everybody who makes a film is putting their own truth on screen” – ‘Diane Tammes’ (Film Maker)

Documentaries• Creative development over the years means that the term documentary covers a huge range of

production methods• Some analysts have argued that the term ‘Documentary’ should be replaced by non-fictional

programming• Although people disagree about the styles of documentaries , there is a common thread across all

documentaries• It is recorded sound of actuality• Not just about facts (facts are used to create socially critical arguments, provoking the audience to

make critical decisions)• “Peter mayeux” says that documentaries present facts about subjects using real events, persons and

places and then interpret or comment on these realities• Current affair programmes are midway between documentaries and news (A more in-depth

programme of the news) – Items on these programmes range from a couple of minutes to 15 minutes. This is also what distinguishes the difference between a documentary and a current affair program , as anything after 30 minutes + is usually classed as a documentary

• Current affair programs are good for ‘Heavy’ issues and social development• However there is a growing concern that these are becoming popular demand programs (Rating

Driven). For e.g. - Football (I.T.V’s Trevor McDonald has been accused of this (Sensationalist)• Current affair programs have also been accused of blurring and misinterpreting the truth

Documentaries• According to ‘John Corner’ from the University of Liverpool, documentary features should include:• Observation:• -Sequences – ‘Pretend Camera’ – Acting like the camera is not there – (Not addressing it) - As if the audience become eye

witnesses• -People become participants instead of subjects• Interview:• -Relies on documentary• -Interviewer can be seen/unseen, heard/silent• -Pictures are dubbed over the response of the participant (Voice), to anchor/support what is said• -You can either intercut interview with observation or just let it run, although it is commonly intercut with observation• Dramatization:• -Dramatic event• -Build up through the narrative to create conflicts• To people in an event (Reconstruction)• Mise en Scene:• -Where/When filming• Exposition:• -Point/Purpose of an argument• -Description + Argument• The answer to the argument can either be plain or direct (Unhidden), or it can make the audience make the decision

themselves (Hidden)• (Although it may vary depending on the type of documentary)

Documentaries

• “It is critical that the film makers be rid of the fantasy that documentaries can be unproblematic representations of reality and that the ‘Truth’ can be conveniently disposed and received like valium” – ‘Dennis O’Rourke’ – Documentary film maker

Documentaries• Since the beginning, documentaries have struggled with truth/reality• ‘John Corner’ believed that we need evidence• Documentaries are real, but have an element of fiction for aesthetic appeal• They are not good rating boosters• They are the first programmes to be cut when money is low• They are commonly about sex, violence and law and order (“Violence in America” is the most

popular documentary in the U.S.A)• Controversial documentary are not popular, and so because advertisement is what pays for

the documentaries, it is a risk to make one)• There are complex relationships between documentaries, producers and audience =

Triangular• Are normally about societies victims• Use humans as evidence in the exposition (exploit and explore)• ‘Ken Loach’ was a documentary maker - “Cathy come home” (His documentary), changed the

law on homeless people) – Documentaries can be very powerful• Documentaries give the people’s right to know (Investigate) issues• Documenters expect the audience to write the wrong of what they portray in a documentary

Types of documentaries

• Fully narrated:• -Direct mode of address • -Voice over (Anchors the ‘stuff’ on screen• -(Voice of God), whatever the presenter says,

we (Audience) believe• -An example of these programs, are space and

wildlife. For e.g. “Life”

Types of Documentaries• Fly on the wall:• -Rely on almost all observation• -The voice over is not usually in the specific profession shown in

the documentary (Seems to have very little knowledge• -The audience usually make the conclusion of the documentary

themselves• -It portrays horrible things like crime (“Police, Camera, Action”)• -It is shown as if we (Audience) are there (Eye Witness) - As it

happens• -It appears to be the truth - Although people usually act differently

in front of a camera (Distorting the truth)• -Heavily edited (To just show all of the ‘action’ parts of the filming

Types of Documentaries

• Mixed:• -Includes… Interview, Observation and Narration• - (Voice of God), whatever they say, we (Audience) believe• -More ‘news report’ narration (Formal)• -It portrays criticism, but still represents objective reality• -Selective editing to make the documentary seem more

balanced• -This is also the most common type of documentary (For

e.g. “Big Reunion”)

Types of Documentaries

• Self-Reflection:• When the subject acknowledges the camera• It becomes more about the presenter than the

subject and it loses the point of the documentary

• Critics say it can become confusing• Narcissism (Self Publicity)• For e.g. “Ross Kemp on gangs” and “Louis

Theroux”

Types of Documentaries

• Docu-Drama:• -Re-enactment based on facts• -Fictional narrative• -T.V companies (Popular) – It looks like a T.V drama• -Critics say that they (Documenters) claim to represent

the truth but can only help to deliver fiction• -It is not filmed actuality – at best it is misleading, but

can be very dangerous ( Because it looks so real)• -For e.g. “Hillsborough”

Types of documentaries

• Docu-Soap:• -It has become popular over the last 10 years• -For e.g. “Airport”, “Katy Price” and “Peter Andres• -Its origin is the U.K• -The Mise en Scene is typically mundane

environments, but people (Subjects on the show) become ‘stars’ from them

• -They ‘eavesdrop’ (Don’t seek to explore topics• -Low production cost

Documentaries

“Stephen Barnet’s” theory of “Disneyfication”…• Is the need for televisions to show popular

mainstream programs, not for controversial government opposing issues (Safe, as T.V advertising is more likely to fund them – because it is more popular)

Documentaries

Narrative convention:• -Rely on traditional narratives – • -They create conflicts between characters

through the tension building score and sometimes motifs

Documentaries

Start:• -Central question is posed• -Dramatic action footage to draw the audience

in straight away• -A montage of cuts between interview

answers

Documentaries

Middle:• -It portrays peoples/subject opinions,

arguments and conflicts• -It delays the ending and ‘blocks’ each of the

arguments, to build suspense and to entice the audience

Documentaries

End:• -Exposition should be fully apparent• -You (Documenter) have to resolve the

argument/conflict

Conflicts in Documentaries

• People• Beliefs• Religion• -It should also be portrayed with evidence (Re-

Constructions are a good example of how to portray evidence)

Music and Sound

Music and Sound:• Is used to…• To create emotional effects and is also used in

reconstructions to exaggerate the ‘issue’

Selection and Construction• Type of documentary• What is it about? Who are you going to interview? (Minimum of five different people) – It is also crucial that

the interviewee trusts the interviewer to make the interview look professional, and to make the response look natural and not forced

• Time (Length of the documentary and also the production time)• Editing (As this can alter the appearance of how somebody says something)• You (Documenter) also need have knowledge of the subject (research)• While filming the interviews, use the rule of thirds, and think about the Mise en Scene of the interview also

(Does it correspond to your documentary) to make the documentary look professional• During the editing of the interviews either use the use the full question in the final cut, or don’t use it at all

(To make the documentary look professional)• You can also not story board a documentary as you don’t know what interviewees Reponses will be, but you

can story board the beginning sequence• Use cutaways after or even during interviews to reinforce the response of the interviewee (So it relates)• There should be three key roles during the filming of the interviews too, to maintain good organisation

during the production…-Interviewer-Cutaway Writer (Someone who writes ideas for cutaways while listening to the interviews responses)-Filmer