1. CODES AND
CONVENTIONS OF A TV
DOCUMENTARY
Rachel Louise Jones

2. There are 5 central elements to a documentary:
1. Observation – The programme makers
pretend that the camera is unseen or ignored
by the people taking part in events. It places
the audience as an “eye witness” to the
events.
2. The Interview – TV Documentaries rely on
interviews. The interviewee addresses the
unseen interviewer rather than the audience.
Interviews are intercut with images of
observation to illustrate what they are talking
about.

3. 3. Dramatisation – All documentaries use a
sense of drama throughout the observation
element.
4. Mise-en-scene – Documentary makers
carefully compose shots so that they contain
images they want the audience to see.
5. Exposition – The line of argument. The way
the argument unfolds.

4. Gatekeeping
Gatekeeper
Ie. Producers
Sheep = Facts
Gatekeeping is about the selection and rejection of inform

5. Types of Narrative Structure:
Open ClosedVs.
Questions left
unanswered (loose
ends) ie. Soap Opera
all questions
answered (no loose
ends) ie. Finding Nemo

6. Single Strand MultiStrandVs.
One Narrative
thread. (one
storyline)
More than one narrative
thread. sometimes these
do converge but not always.

7. Linear Non LinearVs.
Follows chronological
order.
Doesn’t follow time order.
Use of flashback and flash
forward

8. Circular Narrative
 At the end of the narrative it has gone full
circle returning to the beginning.