x

2.  Start = introduce ideas and arguments
 Middle = develops point of view
 End = conclusion, summarises and concludes or summarises and
leaves open.
 Purposes = Inform, Educate, and Entertain or can be used as
propaganda.
 Single stranded
 Linear
 Open or closed
 Shorter than films

3.  Rely on audiences bringing their own
experiences.
 Targeted at Niche = specific, smaller
 Mass audience – everyone
 Hegemony = dominant ideology in society.
The distributor of the documentary can affect
the content.The BBC is more likely to show
things that support dominant ideologies.

6.  High key vs low key lighting
 High key = positive = bright, morally right
 Low key = negative = duller/darker, morally
wrong, or can be used to represent social
realism.
Low key lighting is used here to show social realism
as pollution and factories/farming is an issue in our
society, it is represented as negative as the shot is
quite dull and dark
On the other hand, high key lighting is used here to
represent how cows should be allowed to graze freely in
fields etc, instead of being forced to live in tiny spaces to
produce milk/be reared for meat. The lighting highlights
how this is morally correct.

8.  Handheld camera – adds realism and shows us their point of view
– appears less staged. Documentaries can also be filmed with a
stedicam for more professional looking shots.

9. This technique can put pressure on a person when
answering difficult questions.

10.  These shot types reveal emotions and
feelings. It can also show us important
people/things.

11.  Tell us where something is, they set the
scene.

13.  Slower paced, engaging with people.
 Smooth, seamless editing – suspends reality –
becomes one narrative
 Intercutting or parallel editing = cutting between
interviews to show aspects of the same topics from
different interviewees.
This gives even more credibility to the narrative as if two experts are shown giving the same or similar
opinion, as viewers we are a lot more likely to believe it.

14.  Cutaways are used to stop people from getting bored
and switching over. They can be close ups, graphics, or
shots of anything else in order to anchor what the
interviewee is saying.

15. o Subtitles are sometimes used if someone is speaking in a different
language, speaking unclearly or with a strong accent. This can highlight
how important what they are saying is as they could’ve got someone who
spoke clear English, however if there is an expert who doesn’t speak like
this, it shows how what they are saying needs to be understood.
o All text is in simple typography – this is so the viewer isn't distracted from
the storyline.
o Text can also be used in graphics

16.  Name of interviewee and occupation/relevance below.
 Top line is usually bigger – tells us their name and title e.g Dr.
 This is very important as it gives the documentary more
authenticity, as there are professionals giving their opinions on
subjects that they are clearly knowledgeable in, therefore the
audience is more likely to believe them.

18.  Mostly diegetic sounds – increases realism
 Exaggerated sounds

19. Interviewing people on the street – showing multiple people’s answers
which are normally short, responding to the same question.

21.  Controlled by the director as they are
wanting to convey a message, they want to
make the documentary realistic.
The images shown on the screen are deliberately there, chosen by the
director in order to make the consumer feel a certain way, for example here
the shot of the cows confined in a short space would make the viewer
understand how cruel farming can be.

22. Archive material is used, this is material that will support their argument/points
that has not been filmed by the documentary makers themselves. This
provides something interesting in order to support their narrative and also to
entertain the viewer and prevent channel surfing.

23.  Mediated documentaries are someones opinion, therefore they
aren’t necessarily ‘true’. (intentionally or unintentionally)
Gatekeeping – This is only showing what you want to be shown.
This links to Stuart Hall’s encoding and decoding theory – the
meaning the director wants the consumer to take – preferred,
negotiated or oppositional. These are views/opinions that are
influenced by experience.
 Andrew Hart – “the meaning is not in the text, but in the reading”.
 2 step flow theory – opinion leaders and followers
 Hypodermic syringe – passive audiences (could channel surf)
 Uses and Gratifications – surveillance and diversion