the typical codes and conventions of interviews within documentaries

1. CODES AND
CONVENTIONS OF
INTERVIEWS

2. The mise-en-scene of the interview
area
 The mise-en-scene of the interview area depends
on the topic of the documentary. For example a
serious documentary such as the baby P untold
story documentary has a very plain background
during the scenes of interviews. This is done to
reinforce how horrible the act was.
 Other ways in which mise-en-scene is used to
show the overall subject of a documentary is the
setting, the documentary super size me expresses
this as an interview is carried out in a McDonald's.
By using the space around them allows Spurlock
to use the props of the McDoanld's restaurant
(such as a Ronald McDoanld statue) to his
advantage.

3. Super size me, interview setting = Informal
Baby P untold story, interview setting = serio

4. The lighting used
 The lighting used for interviews can also vary
depending on a series of things. One being the
theme of the documentary, as serious interviews
tend to have lighting that is more harsh. Another
way in which the lighting can vary is in terms of
where the lighting is positioned compared to the
interviewee.
 A harsher lighting would emphasise the
interviewee in a way that would make them look
like they have done something wrong. In baby P
the untold story documentary that I analysed,
Maria Ward the social worker of baby P was
subject to harsh lighting.

5. Harsh lighting of Maria Ward suggests that she may be guilty.
Although the
lighting for this
interview is in no
way harsh and
the interviewee’s
are in prison so
obviously guilty.

6. Positioning of interviewee
 Through analysing the three documentaries
that I have, I have been able to compare the
interview scenes and take note on where the
interviewee has been positioned.
 In the majority of the documentaries that I
analysed I was able to notice that where the
interviewee was positioned would often swap.
 So for example in The baby P untold story
documentary there was multiple interviews
that were carried out and a pattern became
clear.

7. Interviewee positioned more to the right Interviewee positioned more to the left
Rule of thirds

8. Shot types used
 Typically, an interview will use a mid-shot to show
the viewer the interviewee.
 This is the most suitable shot type as we can see
the persons face, however we can also see the
setting and what is around them.
 However in one of the documentaries that I
analysed (baby p untold story) an interview with
Peter Connelly’s grandmother we saw a close up
being used.
 This could have been done to show her emotion is
a better way to the viewer.

10. Music
 Interviews consist of diegetic sound and music
would be non-diegetic.
 It is not uncommon for there to be quiet mood
music in the background of the interview,
which could create tension.
 In the documentaries I analysed I didn’t find
any mod music being played in the
background of the interviews.

11. What is cut from the interview?
 A reoccurring problem with interviewing is the
idea of getting the interviewee to respond to
the question in a way that includes the
question because in the documentary the
audio of the question being asked is cut out.
 Occasionally when the interviewee has failed
at including the question in their answer the
question has to be left in.