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We was given the task at the start of A2 to create a 5 minute opening to a documentary of our choice. Along with this we were given 2 ancillary task. These tasks were to create a radio trailer to promote the documentary and an article in a TV listing magazine to attract viewers. To make sure our documentary was interesting and accurate we had to do a lot of research into the topic, target audience and the genre we chose and into the codes and conventions of documentaries so our documentary looked professional.

Typical conventions

Actuality

Expert interviews

Archive Footage

Voice over

Realism

Reconstructions

SoundUse of text

Mise En Scène

Narrative

Dramatization

Modes of Documentaries

(Bill Nichol)

Expository

Participatory

Reflexive

Performative

Observational

Poetic

According to Bill Nichols’ theory of documentary modes, our documentary is most similar to Expositional mode. Just like documentaries of expository mode our documentary speaks directly to the viewer through the voice over and proposes a

strong argument from both sides. The argument in our documentary was “Are you born gay or is it developed over

time?”

COMPARING DOCUMENTARIES

Super size me is an investigative documentary but was created in a expositional mode. This is done by filming using first hand footage. The documentary also features montages, VOX pops, expert interviews and archival footage. The main aim of this documentary is to send a message to the viewer just like my documentary has a meaning behind it.

Here is our interviews. We used the rule of thirds always while filming. The rule of thirds is guideline which applies to the process of composing visual images such as design, film, paintings, and photographs. This makes it more professional looking and pleasing to the eye.

As you can see Super size me also uses the rule of thirds while filming. We have both used the same camera angle of a medium close up because this Is the best camera shot when filming interviews. We have both followed the same convention of a documentary.

In our documentary we wanted to use a range of camera shots. Here is an example of a close up. While this shot was playing the voice over would be telling the audience statistics about homophobia. The purpose of shots like this is to keep the viewer entertained and not get bored.

Here you can see in Super size me they have used extreme close ups like we have in our documentary. While this shot was playing the voice over is talking bout the amount of calories in each product.

This is one of my favourite shots from the documentary.

In this interview we took into consideration of the mise en scene. Here you can clearly see that the interviewee is a student. We made sure we filmed this in a class room to give the impression he is a student. This is a useful thing to do because student can relate to the interviewee

In our documentary we used the convention archive footage to create a sort of montage for the beginning of our documentary. We did this to show the topic of our documentary (Homophobia/Homosexuals) is global and a well known topic. We put together 2 iconic celebrities who are known for being homosexual and used the footage of themselves talking about being gay.

In Super size me they have used the same technique in a way. The beginning shows children singing about fast food. This introduces the topic very well and is clear.

I really like how we have used this technique because it shows we have done our research into the topic and because our documentary is expository it shows there are a lot of conflicting opinions from ‘normal’ people to celebrities.

We present a reason argument and address the viewer directly through the voice over and the on screen presenter. This means our narrative structure of your documentary is rhetorical. I like how we have used an onscreen presenter because it makes it more personal to the viewer and creates a side of realism. The voice over speaking directly to the viewer also keeps them entertained and helps get the argument of the documentary across well.

Here you can see that Steven Spurlock is shown as the presenter on screen. Our documentary is similar by the way we talk to the audience.

Here we have challenged a convention that Stephen Spurlock does not use in Super Size me. We have created a reconstruction. In one of our interviews we featured someone who was victimised because of their sexuality. To be more creative we filmed people acting out what the interviewee was saying. This helps the viewer understand what the interviewee is going through.

I like that we have challenged this because it doesn’t let the viewer get bored of more interviews in our documentary. I feel this was a nice touch for the ending of our documentary.

To conclude I feel that our documentary has followed the typical conventions of real documentary's and has followed Nicholls mode of ‘expository’ very well because we give a strong argument and show different ranges of opinions for and against the argument. We have used a wide range of camera shots from extreme close up to an establishing shot. This makes the filming look more professional.We have used statistics to show we have researched into the homophobia argument. This keeps the documentary up beat and interesting. We have used conventions that Stephen Spurlock has used in Super size me like the rule of thirds and extreme close up.

If I was re-doing our documentary I would like to use more graphics like Stephen Spurlock uses in super size me because this make it more interesting.