This document discusses some basic conventions of documentary filmmaking. It explains that background mise-en-scene can include objects reflecting the documentary's subject. Graphics are often included at the bottom of the screen with names and information about subjects. B-roll footage, such as cutaway shots, are inserted to illustrate what subjects are discussing. Archive footage from old films can provide historical context.

1. Basic
Conventions of
Documentary
Kate Morris

2. A-Roll
Footage

3. The background mise en scene
can sometimes have
memorabilia of the
documentaries subject, for
example in this picture there
are some objects that reflect the
topic or personality of the
subject.
This is usually done to show
how the person on screen
relates to the topic.
Graphics showing the names of
the subjects and other relevant
information that the audience will
need to know.
This box is usually positioned at
the bottom of the screen so that it
isn't blocking the person who is
speaking on screen.
This box will have the person’s
name and usually how they relate
to the documentaries subject.
I have found two example of this
in both of these pictures.

4. These are both good
examples of how a
documentary uses
the ‘Rule of thirds’.
Below is an
example of how the
rule of thirds looks.
This rule is also
applied to
photography and is
used to align the
subject on the
screen. In filming it
is used to align the
body up with one of
the vertical lines.

5. B-Roll
Footage

6. These are examples of
cutaway shots and they are
inserted into the
documentary to show what
the subject is talking
about, for example the
picture on the left is showing
us some on the drawings
used in the making of the
Simpsons and it gives the
audience an idea of how
what the illustrations look
like.
Here is another
example of a cutaway
shot where the subject
is taking about a
Simpsons ride, so this
shot it edited in to
show the audience
what they are taking
about.

7. These are both
examples of
Archive
footage, and
they are used to
illustrate
historical facts
These shots can be
taken from an old
film and they can
give information
about a family or
institution, or a
historical fact that
has happened in
previous years.