Deconstruction of a documentary for A2 media studies coursework.

1. Deconstruction of ‘Don’t Stop the Music’
Documentary

2. Close-up, over the shoulder view and focus pull in left third of the presenter to begin to
introduce him. Aesthetically pleasing city background and stylistic focus pull. Deep instrumental
music to create anticipation.

3. Low angle mid shot revealing presenter’s face, ducking of music, presenter’s voiceover
introducing himself begins.

4. Cinematographic extreme close up of presenter playing the piano. Angelic looking, sophisticated
artificial lighting – soft and professional style. Introductory voiceover and music continues.

5. Cut between two short takes: extreme close-up and high angle extreme wide shot. Interesting
contrast.

6. Zoom cleverly framed by appropriate tyre play equipment. Shot of a school as he said ‘school’ in
the voiceover – sound and video is fluid; professional and flowing.

7. Previews of content later in the documentary using the diegetic sound of the scenes. The
introduction of the documentary seems to introduce his investigation as a whole and keeps the
audience interested in the rest of the documentary by creating an enigma using some of its
most shocking/emotive scenes. Simple mid shot to focus on the scene rather than it’s aesthetic.

8. More framing between playground equipment, wide shot of main setting for documentary to
introduce it, back to non-diegetic voiceover.

9. Mid shot of the presenter with the diegetic voiceover to reveal the source of it. Sitting in
relaxed interview style room – his opinion being interviewed. Appropriate props which relate
the documentary investigation based on schools and music; desks, books, journal. Background
soft, similar light colour tones, muted and out of focus; aesthetically pleasant and focuses
audience’s attention on the presenter. Long/medium shot take. Costume: simple, represents the
theme slightly – setting free the creativity of music (bird) which is trapped in our mind (cage).

10. Cinematographic extreme close up of child’s writing, focus pull – stylistically attractive and
appropriate for voiceover discussing school subjects at this point.

11. Preview of different settings for more of the scenes to come, which continues to create an
enigma to entice the audience with, and to introduce the path for the rest of the documentary.
High angle wide shot of an escalator going upwards in time with the voiceover saying ‘up and
down the country’.

12. Symmetrical extreme shot of one of the settings later in the documentary. Voiceover discussing
the aims for the investigation.

13. Revisiting similar shots to link the documentary together. Pace of music increases to indicate the
end of the documentary introduction, to build excitement for the main parts of the
documentary and to reflect the more positive discussion in the voiceover as he is talking about
his solution rather than the issue.

14. Capturing similar actions of opening and turning instrument cases using different angles
(tracking, mid shot, close-up etc.) Flows the documentary and the similar short takes build
tension by repetition.

15. Voiceover from this new interviewee followed by a similar interview style mid shot in
appropriate school setting to reveal them. Appropriate interviewee as she is one of the subjects
for the investigation.

16. Title of documentary fades in, written in house style font in vertical layout. Muted greyscale
colour scheme for this simple extreme close-up. Out of focus with lens flare in the left third to
focus on the title in the right third. Cinematographic style. Title links to the shot – ‘music’ and
piano keys.

17. Hashtag for the documentary to generate audience participation though social media discussion
and below the line online advertising. Still of a high angle extreme wide weather shot along with
a view of the city which the documentary is based in.

18. Birds eye extreme wide pan of the location for the documentary using a helicopter.

19. Action match of children reacting to the sound of an orchestra, mid shot. Explains why the
investigation is important by including positive reactions to music by children. Lots of tracking as
the experiment parts of the documentary are less scripted and documentaries generally do not
have lots of cameras filming at once unlike films as they are produced on a much smaller scale.
Therefore, different shots and angles are less planned and usually filmed by 1-2 cameras, and
following the subject by simple tracking is most important.

20. Close-up in right third of presenter travelling to the setting of the documentary, back to the
beginning of the investigation but explored in greater depth – non-linear narrative. Voiceover is
the main focus, simple shot to maintain this focus to non-diegetic sound. Soft music during
voiceover, but not during most of the diegetic shots in the school location.

21. Wide shot of a landmark of the documentary setting to assist the voiceover with introducing it –
fluid together.

22. Mid shot pan of the documentary location when the voiceover names it – fluid and clearer to
understand.

23. Mid shot of the interviewees in the same location, alternating between right third and left third.
Name edited onto shot in the documentary’s house style font. Background soft and out of focus
to bring attention to interviewees.