The documentary examines plus sized women through interviews and observational footage. It focuses on the themes of social media, body positivity, retail/business, and female empowerment. The narrative structure is singular in focusing on plus sized women, non-linear in its presentation, open-ended as the subject is ongoing, and segmented into multiple topics. Interviews use mid and close-up shots to see faces and surroundings. Establishing shots provide context and handheld footage aims for realism. Clothing and work environments are featured in the mise-en-scene. Music and narration inform the audience, while ambient sounds capture busy events. Cutaways and edited questions create flow. Archive footage shows historical contrasts and graphics include names
2. TYPE OF DOCUMENTARY
• THE DOCUMENTARY WAS A MIXED DOCUMENTARY BECAUSE IT INCLUDED
INTERVIEWS, OBSERVATIONAL FOOTAGE, NARRATION AND ARCHIVE
FOOTAGE.
3. THEMES
• THE THEMES THAT RECURRED THROUGHOUT THIS DOCUMENTARY WERE
SOCIAL MEDIA, BODY POSITIVITY AND BODY IMAGE, RETAIL AND BUSINESS,
FEMALE EMPOWERMENT AND MODELLING AND BEAUTY. THESE LINK TO THE
MAIN FOCUS WHICH IS ABOUT LARGE SIZED WOMEN.
4. NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
• THE NARRATIVE IS SINGULAR BECAUSE THE DOCUMENTARY FOCUSES ON
ONE SUBJECT WHICH IS ABOUT PLUS SIZED WOMEN. THE DOCUMENTARY IS
NON LINEAR BECAUSE THERE IS NO MOVEMENT IN TIME AS IT STARTS AND
ENDS IN THE PRESENT. ALSO IT IS AN OPEN DOCUMENTARY BECAUSE THE
SUBJECT IS STILL ON GOING AND FINALLY IT IS SEGMENTED BECAUSE THE
MAIN SUBJECT BREAKS DOWN INTO MULTIPLE TOPICS.
5. CAMERA WORK
• IN THE INTERVIEWS MID SHOTS, MID CLOSE-UPS AND CLOSE-UPS ARE USED BECAUSE IT
ALLOWS THE AUDIENCE TO SEE THE INTERVIEWEES FACE AS WELL AS THEIR BODY AND
THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. THE RULE OF THIRDS IS USED TO POSITION THE
INTERVIEWEE OFF CENTRE AND TILTED TO ALLOW THEM TO LOOK INTO LOOKING SPACE IN
THE OTHER TWO THIRDS. THE CAMERA IS AT EYE LEVEL TO ALLOW THE AUDIENCE TO SEE
THE INTERVIEWEES FACE.
• ESTABLISHING SHOTS ARE USED OUTSIDE THE SHOP TO GIVE CONTEXT AND
UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE.
• IN OBSERVATIONAL FOOTAGE HANDHELD SHOTS ARE USED FOR CONVENIENCE AND
REALISM. SOME EXAMPLES ARE WHEN THE MILK LADY IS FOLLOWED, TESS DOES THE MEET
AND GREET AND WHEN IN THE WAREHOUSE WITH THE MAN. AS A RESULT OF THE
HANDHELD CAMERA, THESE SHOTS SEEM REAL WHICH GIVES A FACTUAL ELEMENT.
6. MISE EN SCENE
• CLOTHES ARE ON RAILS IN THE BACKGROUND OF INTERVIEWS WHICH RELATES TO THE
TOPIC DISCUSSED SUCH AS FASHION AND THE PERSON WHO IS BEING INTERVIEWED. SOME
INTERVIEWS ARE SHOT IN STUDIOS BECAUSE THAT IS THE INTERVIEWEES PLACE OF WORK.
FOR EXAMPLE ANNA SHILLINGLAW WHO WORKS AT THE MILK MODELLING AGENCY IS
INTERVIEWED IN THE MILK STUDIO. GEORGIANA HORNE IS INTERVIEWED IN THE GYM
BECAUSE HER AIM WAS TO BECOME HEALTHIER SO THAT SHE IS A SUITABLE MOTHER.
• SKETCHES OF CLOTHES DESIGNED IN FASHION PLACES ARE SEEN IN OBSERVATIONAL
FOOTAGE TO SHOW THE AUDIENCE THAT THE LOCATION IS IN A FASHION STUDIO. ALSO IN
THE STUDIO, CAMERAS AND LIGHTING EQUIPMENT IS SHOWN TO CREATE AN
UNDERSTANDING FOR THE AUDIENCE THAT THE LOCATION IS AGAIN IN A STUDIO.
• PICTURES ON SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS ARE SHOWN TO LINK TO THE TOPIC DISCUSSED. IT
SHOWS THE AUDIENCE THAT THE INTERVIEWEES ARE SUCCESSFUL ONLINE.
7. Sound
Non-diegetic
The music was used because it was
relevant to the topic. ‘All about that
bass’ was played because the song
is about large sized women. Narration
also known as the voice of god was
used in an authorative style but was
informal. The narration informs and
gives the audience a clear
understanding of what is happening.
Lisa Riley was the narrator because
she is a plus sized icon and so she is
relevant to the programme. The
music fades out to softer to hear the
person speaking so that the audience
can observe the buildup of emotion.
Diegetic
The interviews and ambient sound
are used in observational footage to
create meaning and understanding
for the audience. The ambient
sound is off lots of people when
Tess has her meet and greet event.
The ambient sound shows the
audience that the place is busy and
therefore Tess is popular.
Sound bridge is used from one clip
to another to allow flow between the
clips. They link together using
cutaways to other clips which makes
the documentary more interesting.
8. Editing
•The questions in the interviews are edited out because it creates a nice flow and it looks
like the interviewee is talking freely without prompt. Some questions are left in to help
create understanding as the answer on its own may not make sense. An example of this
is when the fashion designer for Evans is asked if he thinks Tess Holiday is attractive
and he replies saying “it is not his place to answer”.
•Cutaways to other clips helps to cover jump cuts creating a more freely flowing
documentary.
9. Archive Material
•Footage of women in Evans decades before shows that Evans has been around for
along time. It also shows that Evans used to be for middle aged women which differs
from the present as it is aimed and young women as well.
•A mail cutout show controversy over size of models and health and body.
•Fashion show videos are used to show skinny models which shows contrast to the plus
sized models in the documentary.
10. Graphics
•The names are on the screen for the interviewees.
•The credits are at the beginning and end.
•A recurring hashtag appears which is used to keep audiences involved and emphasise
the use and importance of social media.