The document discusses various codes and conventions used in documentary interviews. It notes that interviews typically use a stationary medium close-up shot of the interviewee in focus on one side of the frame. Cutaways are often used to emphasize points or transition between topics, and archive footage may be incorporated. Graphics with the interviewee's name and details typically appear in one corner. Mise-en-scene elements like costumes, lighting, and settings are also used to relate to the interviewee or documentary topic.

1. Codes and conventions of a
interviews

2. Cinematography
• The codes and conventions of an documentary interview is that the video of the interviewee is
stationery(due to a tripod used), also a medium close up shot and has a shallow focus on the
interviewee. With the interviewee either positioned on the left and right hand side of the
frame
• In most documentary interviews the interviewee doesn’t look into the camera directly, which
can make the audience watching uncomfortable. Instead they are looking at the interviewer
outside of the frame, usually positioned next to the camera

3. Rule of third
• The rule of third is another code and convention that is used in most, if not all
documentaries. The framing of the interview is clearly established in many
documentaries since it follows this rule.
• The framing is 1/3 either on the left or right hand side and never in the middle
of the frame – since the central frame may seem uncomfortable to the audience
it also allows more room for the background to be seen.
• The interviewee and the camera shot is eye level, so the audiences can view
the shot naturally

4. Editing
• Editing, predominately cutaways are used in the clips of the interview to either emphasise or
anchor the interviewee’s meaning and also used to move on the subject by using it as a
transition. In addition to this cutaways keep the audience interested whilst showing footage
of relevance. Furthermore editing is used to hide jump cuts the interview may have due to
cutting out the interviewer asking the questions
• Transitions between other interviewee’s can also use other techniques like having a
object/image that relates to the subject of the documentary cleverly going in and out of
frame
• Archive material is a main cutaway which emphasises what people are saying during the
interview e.g. the Simpsons documentary Matt Groening talks about drawing/creating the
Simpson family

5. Graphics
• Graphics is another code and convention in all documentaries which are usually located at
the bottom of the screen either framed to the left or right
• Graphics for documentary interviews only appear from the first appearance of the
interviewee
• Graphics are used to inform the audience with two lines of text. The first line is used for
the name of the interviewee on screen, which is bigger than the second line of text but
keeps the same font
• The second line for graphics is used for extra information or relevance of who they are
• Many interviews graphics have a banner/background that relate to the subject e.g. The
simpsons has the chalkboard from the opening Simpsons scenes whilst the Jaws
documentary has a moving water behind the text
• Animation for these graphics tend to move into frame and then out. Some graphics for
interviews have a small image that is relevant to the documentaries topic e.g. Jaws has a
small shark image before the text (on next slide)

6. Mise-en-scene
• The mise-en-scene codes and conventions has 6 main points –
• Costume, lighting, actors, make up, props and settings
• The costume of an interview is usually casual clothes or relevant to the subject which can relate to audiences
• The lighting for most documentary interviews use a soft box or use natural light to show the facial expressions on the
actors/interviewee’s.
• Interviewees/actors of the interview use their facial expressions to get their responses over to the audience, including
movement like hand gestures. Make up is used to make interviewee’s look how the director of the documentary want
them to look.
• The props of a interview also relates back either to the interviewee relevance or relevance/topic of the documentary.
Most interviews also have a chair that interviewee are sat on which may seem more open to the audience. Some
documentaries can also use vox pop as well.
• The setting of the interview also links back to the subject of the interview or relevance to who the interviewee is. For
example Nancy Cartwright setting is inside a cinema room with a cardboard cut out of the character she plays. Another
example is Steven Spiellberg has the film poster behind him.