2. • Features of Documentaries:
• There are 5 central elements of the
documentary according to John Carner from
the University of Liverpool.
3. • Observation (Fly On The Wall) - putting the
audience in a role of eyewitness where the
camera appears to be unseen. Indirect
address to the audiences i.e. speech
overheard is a common factor of this en-scene
observation.
4. • Interview - Television documentaries use
interviews to make a contrast between
observation sequences and are structured in 2
ways: either intercut fragments of observation
or a completely uninterrupted sequence.
5. • Dramatisation - Even though all
documentaries use a sense of drama, it is
specifically used to portray people and events
the film maker cannot gain access to in real
life. These sequences are said to be based on
fact.
6. • Mise-en-scene - Literally what the directors
and producers put into the frame, so for
example lighting and props in interviews.
7. • Exposition - Simply means the line of
argument in a documentary which is what the
doc' is 'saying'. Sequences that lead the
audience to make their own conclusions.
8. Types of Documentaries
• There are at least 6 types which include: fully
narrated, fly on the wall, mixed, sled reflexive
and docu-drama, with the possible addition of
docu-soaps.
9. Fully Narrated
• Direct address documentaries use of the
screen voiceover to convey the exposition.
The narrator seems authoritative about the
topic allowing them to make sense of visuals.
A.k.a 'Voice of God'
10. Fly on the Wall
• Rely almost totally on observation, as the
cameras are left to record without
interference and viewers come to their own
conclusions.
11. Mixed
• Uses a combination of interview, observation
and narration to advance the argument.
Narrator is within the frame and this style is
most common in news reporting.
12. Self Reflexive
• The subjects of a documentary acknowledge
the presence of the camera and speaks
directly to the film maker. Makes a point of
drawing attention the film maker to create a
view of reality.
13. Docu-Drama
• A reenactment of events as they are supposed
to of happened. Fictional narrative is
combined with elements of the exposition,
however critics claim that docu-dramas will
only ever deliver fiction.
14. Docu-Soaps
• A phenomenon of recent years which follow
the daily lives of particular people. E.g.
'Airport'. Many dispute whether these are real
documentaries in any sense.
15. Current Affairs
• These are different from documentaries. Journalist based programmes that aim to
address news in more depth. Differences include the pressure of deadlines, i.e.
documentaries may take several months to create, therefore allowing them to be a
lot more in depth, where as Current Affairs must have new stories daily, so each
story will only be examined in 5-10 minute slots. Audience is a varied one for
current affairs, i.e many watch for pleasure as well as information.
