This document provides codes and conventions for editing, mise-en-scene, graphics, music, narration, and interviews for documentaries. It recommends that editing should be subtle and not draw attention, that the background always be relevant to the topic, and that graphics identify people and make names more prominent than jobs. Music and narration should be relevant to the topic, and interviews should frame subjects off center in medium closeups or closeups with cutaways between responses.

1. Codes and Conventions

2. Editing
● No “fancy” or over the top editing
● The editing should not be noticed - quick
cuts
● Cut is the main edit
● Dissolve should be used
on cutaways

3. Mise-en-scene
● The background should always be relevant
to the person or topic
● Always use creative camera work
● Use actuality footage
● Use cutaways

4. Graphics
● Must be relevant to the topic
● Anchor who the person is
● Name must be bigger than their “job”

5. Music
● Music should be relevant to the topic
● Can reconstruct sound effects
● Vox pop
- voice of the people

6. Narration
● Voiceover can be used to link things
together, its the “glue” that holds it together
● Use standard english, no slang!
● Age and gender of voice
over is relevant to topic

7. Interviews
● Main aspect of the documentary
● Interviewee framed off centre
● Medium close up or close up only
● Questions edited out
● Cutaways to avoid jump cuts,
must be relevant to the content