2. An ordinary convention of Documentary’s is the use of A-Roll footage which
is interviews with people important to the subject which is usually filmed
with a tripod, so movement of the camera in minimized which gives the
interview a more professional look. The rule of thirds is commonly used
here as shown in the example below to also guide the eye more easily
around the screen for a professional style interview. As shown in the
image below the interviewer is not usually featured and questions are
edited out to keep focus on the subject and to make the interview look
more organised and better put together. The image also shows how the
subject also looks post the camera and not directly into it.
Mise en scene,
Rule of thirds props in relation to
subject to the the subjects role in
left of screen the production of
the documentary
Headers to add
visual information
3. The ordinary convention for the lighting of the subject is that the their face is lit
from the front, and not from behind and never in front of a window as this will
cause shadowing over the persons face. Different interviews are usually shot
from different sizes such as the two below the first is just an ordinary medium
close up but the second is a higher angled medium close up showing more of
the woman's body. This is to provide variety through interviews, so that
viewers are not just looking at the same thing all the time. In the first screen
shot the background shows the ordinary convention of a documentary as the
Mise en scene (blue screen, props) also relate to the topic which a lot of
documentaries use to make the interviews visually relevant.
4. The convention of using graphics at the bottom of
the screen to add additional visual information is
often used so that the interview is made
relevant to the topic as it will reveal information
about who is being interviewed and what their
role in the production/contribution of the
documentary is.
5. B-roll footage is used to supplement the main interview
footage to relate the interviews to the topic more directly
and to make the documentary have more variety and be
more professional. Cutaway shots are often used here
especially during narration to show what the subject is
talking about clearly. Montages can be used here to make
the interview more interesting. Establishing shots may also
be used as B-roll footage as it may be used to identify
locations or events that are in question in the
documentary. Still photographs are often used as well as
Vox pops which are handheld interviews with ordinary
people to add additional content to the documentary.
Vox Pops to show the Cutaway shot of the
diegetic music being Simpsons to relate to
played in the clips topic
6. Another convention of B-roll footage used In documentaries is the
use of a presenter who speaks to the camera and/or does voice
over narration throughout the documentary to give additional
information about what is happening the documentary. The
presenter helps guide the viewers understanding throughout the
documentary. A convention of a presenter/narrator is that they
usually have a very well spoken voice and have a authoritive
voice so that it is clearly understood and in some cases adds
seriousness to the theme of the documentary.
Also being smartly
dressed is a regular
convention to
presenters of
documentaries to not
distract from the
topic
7. Non diegetic music being played during narration Is also a
convention of documentaries and may rise and fall in volume in
specific points in the documentary when necessary in some
examples it may be to added for dramatic effect. In the example
of the Simpsons documentary the volume of diegetic music is
very high at the start as it shown to the audience how it is played
in the Simpsons theme tune almost as if to introduce the show. In
parts when the presenter is talking the volume decreases of non
diegetic music so that the audience can concentrate on what he
is saying but there is still some background noise being added to
prevent the documentary from sounding flat.
