1) The document discusses key conventions for successful documentaries such as narration, interviews, real footage, and facts. 2) It analyzes an episode of the documentary series "Educating Yorkshire" which observes student and teacher behavior through these conventions. 3) The author concludes that interviews were their favorite part and inspired them to include strong interviews in their own documentary, as interviews provide authentic perspectives that engage audiences.

1. A2 Media Joe LAYFIELD
Documentaries
(Research)
Once the filmingof mydocumentaryhasreachedthe filmingstages,particularconventionsare vital
for anydocumentary’ssuccess.The mainconventionscruciallyrequireconsideration,any
documentarythatyouwatch presently will include the followingkey elements:
1. Narration(Voice over)
2. Interviews
3. Real footage
4. Facts
A documentarythatI have watchedthoroughlywasanepisode of ‘EducatingYorkshire’. Educating
Yorkshire wascreatedforone purpose,forthe observationof humanbehaviour.Inthis
documentaryseries,the behaviour,attitudesandoutlooksof studentsandteachersare researched
deeply. Idecidedtowatchandobserve thisspecificsortof documentaryforI believe thatinthe near
future whenfocussingon the creationof myowndocumentary,thisisthe documentarythatI am
goingto lookto forinspirationandcreate a similardocumentaryclip becauseitwill be rathersimple
consideringIamin a school alongside teachersandstudents5days a week.
In thisone episode whichIdecidedtowatch,the conventionspreviouslylistedare clearto
experience throughout.Forexample,the narratingwasvoicedoverfootage throughout.The
narratingin thisdocumentarywasvoicedparticularlytopointoutrelevantfactsandhistoryof the
school,teachersandstudentsinvolved.The audience enjoyslisteningtothe voice overaswell as
any otherconventionpurelybecause itallowsthemtograspan understandingof anysituation.Also,
theyexpandtheirintelligence andknowledgetothe factswithinthe story.
Secondly,real eventsare crucial,because the pointof adocumentaryisthat ispresentsrealism.The
audience wanttoexperience the real eventsthathave occurredindifferentsituations.Inthis
episode,differentlivelyfootage ishighlighted, suchasdomesticsbetweenthe deputyheadteacher
and the students. If real footage of eventsthathave tookplace isportrayedinthe documentary,this
allowsthe viewerstounderstandandnotforgetthat thisbasedonthe realityof the school.
Lastly, the thirdand final importantconventionof asuccessful documentaryisthe interviews.Much
like the footage of the true events, isallowsthe audience tonotforgetthatthisdocumentaryis
basedon pure realitywhichintereststhemfurtherandtheninfluencesthemtosee how the
school(inthiscase) candevelopthroughoutthe restof the series.Also,the interviewsvoice the
viewsandportraysthe true personalitiesof some maincharactersinthe documentary.The
interviewspresentingdifferentindividual’sperspectivesof situations,thiscomplimentsthe true
facts aboutthe school.
The documentarytargetsvariousaudience groups,howeverone inparticularisstudents.Withthe
documentarybeingpurelybasedaroundaschool environmentsandyoucan experience the
studentsandteachersfeelings,otherstudentslike myself,enjoythe documentarybecause we can
relate tothe scenariospresented.Forexample,rulesinplace bythe school,we cancompare our
educational systemtotheirs.Furthermore,we can thoroughlyobservethe attitudesportrayedfrom
all of the individualsincludingparents,studentsandteachers.Anothertargetaudiencewouldbe
adultswitha house andchildrenof theirown,theycanexperience the educationsystematpresent

2. day andperhapsgrasp an understandingof whatthe childrengothroughdaybyday for theyare
unable towitnessthe issuesthatoccurinthe school environment.
In conclusion,afterwatchingthe episodeof ‘EducatingYorkshire’Ienjoyedthe interviewsinvolved
mostly.Thishasinspiredme alreadyatthisstage to ensure thatthe existence of interviewsinmy
documentaryisstrongand thorough.Withoutthe interviews,Iwouldhave notenjoyedthe episode
because Icraved the opinionsof the charactersinthe documentary. Furthermore,the footage
presentedseemsoauthenticandrealistic,therefore Istruggle tobelievethatanyfilmingoccurredis
of a reconstructedorigin.Thissupportsthe backgroundof adocumentaryfortheyare rightfully
supposedtobe basedon true eventsandreal footage.Forinstance,JoshGriersonfirstcreatedthe
termdocumentary.Hiswordswhenreferringtoadocumentarywere;“the creativityof actuality.”