Documentaries- Conventions of similar documentaries.

Online Video: The new TV?

Documentaries

• The documentaries that I chose to look at were: The Creators-YouTube, Netflix-Game changers, The Culture Show- YouTube, the future of TV? And finally, 2020 vision.

The Creators, YouTube• First of many of the documentaries, it starts off with an image of the YouTube logo or

something relating to YouTube which is useful to help introduce the subject matter to the audience.

• The formal interviews have the mise-en-scene to link with it which we will definitely think about as this is what gives the documentary an educational feel as well as making it trusted content.

• If there is any non-diegetic sounds, it is either quite subtle in the background, or is used where some of the audio is quiet which could be a good effect of editing to use.

• They have little snippets of them scrolling through the YouTube which shows connotations to the subject matter and I would like to implement this into our documentary as it shows a more visual perspective to the audience.

• The subject or whoever is being interviewed is placed to the left or right of the frame which means they’re not in the middle of the frame as if they were, there would be more space around them in the frame, looking like they aren’t utilising the space in the frame.

• Sometimes have captions when introducing professionals which is good as it shows there importance in the documentary and what they are representing.

• Have a few Vox Pop interviews. These tend to be quite handheld camera with poor sound levels but this adds to the raw side of the footage which can make it more realistic which is something that we would want to achieve.

Netflix- Game changers• Have little snippets from some of the interviews like a preview which is used in the introduction

which people may prefer as it may be more interesting and gage their attention more than someone just talking which may be a useful effect to use.

• They use small animations to back up factual and statistical information that they’re providing. This visual presentation may be preferred by the audience as they may be able to understand it easier and retain the knowledge a lot better.

• Again, they also use captions and titles to introduce the expert in the formal interview. • All the interviewee’s are looking at the interviewer but not straight at the camera, which seems to

be something that’s quite common in documentaries but is effective as it means they aren’t fully manipulating you which allows the audience to have their own opinion as well which is essential.

• In the formal interviews, the shots they use which we would be looking to use as well are medium close up’s, mid shots and close up’s. I would use these as they already used frequently throughout the documentary genre and show a lot of the thoughts of the experts whom the audience mainly trust due to them being a ‘professional’.

• They use real life footage as well as footage from the internet showing a mix of both which would be useful as it shows the ability to get both types of footage.

• For a more factual documentary like this, they seem to use an off screen presenter which may be something we may have to keep in mind when deciding what type of presenter to have.

• Sometimes interviewee can be talking over background footage. But this can only really be done with an off screen presenter which will be something we will have to consider.

The Culture Show- YouTube: The future of TV

• The documentary starts with archival footage as well a slight narration. The documentary still includes an on screen presenter but this shows that you can have some narrations which may offer some more variety in terms of ideas we may have.

• They use internet sources like Skype to direct one of the interviews which shows a different way of conducting the interviews and shows the variety of digital technology used.

• When talking about technology, has an Ipad in the scene and uses this as convergence to help link this with the subject matter at hand which is a clever way of linking these.

• Get a noddy shot of the interviewer. This is where the camera has a series of shots showing the interviewer nodding to the interviewee which is very rare but can sometimes be useful.

• Show both sides of the argument of the subject which may be useful as then not seen as manipulating any decisions that people make.

2020 Vision

• Get side angles of both the interveiwer and interviewee which is good as it shows a wide array of different camera angles and shots.

• All the formal interviews have captions, similar to a lot of the other formal interviews in the other documentaries.

• Have a panning shot of a shop and outside, similar to the effect of a wide shot which can be useful for utilising space.

• Get an over the shoulder shot of the interviewer.

ConclusionsOverall, there are a load of different conventions and techniques used in these

documentaries and there are many of these which I think we coudld implement into our documentary. One of these conventions are the typical shot types which were the mid shot, medium close up and close up shot. The reason that I would use these specifically is that they convey a lot of the thoughts of the experts which audiences seem to trust, adding to the educational aspect of the documentary which we are trying to achieve. There use of background and archival footage is something I would also like to replicate and this shows the different types of digital technology used as well as showing these types of online video in real-life. They also have a good setup of there interviews. There formal interviews always include captions and titles to introduce the experts as well as using mise-en-scene to connote with the subject matter and how appropriate they are to what’s being said. Finally, there use of sound and editing is also very good and something I would like to use as they use selective editing to show the particular points of view as well as having things diegetic sound for originality and diegetic sound to fill in quiet gaps of sound which is also an effective feature.