This document outlines several conventions of factual television programs and documentaries. It discusses the roles of anchor/newsreaders and field reporters in factual programs, as well as conventions like linking to other studios, addressing the viewer, and using interviews and footage. For documentaries specifically, it notes the use of handheld cameras, narrative voiceovers, vox pops, archive materials, and creative editing. Overall, the document provides an overview of common techniques used in factual television programming to inform audiences and tell true stories.

1. Conventions of Factual
Programmes & Documentaries
Jonathan Vianello

2. What is a factual programme?
Factual television is a genre of non-fiction television
Documents actual events and people
Educates/informs or explores a topic/issue or
situation
Contains the use of FACTS or OPINION to justify and
support arguments/information

3. Factual programme conventions
Anchor/Newsreader or Studio Reader
 Is the person who reads out the news
 Is also involved in the researching and writing of the news
(not just a pretty face)
 Will use specific language and should always appear impartial
 Keep eye contact with the camera and appear professional at
all times

5. Field Reporters
 Report from a location outside of the main studio
 Usually called a Correspondent
 Will provide more detail on the story they are reporting
 Spend their time living in the location or close to it in order
to be able to present back to the studio
 Are qualified journalists
 Are sometimes involved in dangerous situations

7. Links to Studio
 Cutting to another TV News studio or location for more information
 More frequent in high end, important stories
 Special witness accounts
 Live interviews

8. Mode of Address to the Viewer
 How is the information communicated to the audience
 Unbiased and impartial
 Tone of voice
 Language used
 Speed of delivery
 Construction of show (Overview of headlines, greeting,
progress into each story, sign off)
 Hard news then soft news
 Domestic vs International
 Local news branch after national news

9. BBC News at 10pm 09/06/14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt_uvf9Xq3M

10. Interviews with Experts & Witnesses
Help support a point or comment in a story
Allows the story to become more real/serious
Important to allow stories to have justification and
standing
Allows different sides of the story to be presented
Can explain difficult issues or topics

11. Actuality footage
Allows viewers ‘to see’ what's happening
Makes stories seem more real
Can allow specific elements of a story to be
understood
Is sometimes the only way to explain a story
Engages the viewer more

12. Documentary Programme Conventions
Hand Held Camera
Realism and truth
Shaky cam
Very common in documentaries
Heighten tension
Allows access to areas/situation and people
easier

13. Narrative Voice Over
Acts as a guide/lead to the documentary
Is sometimes a character from within the
documentary or a known celebrity
Allows certain pieces of information to be explained
Thoughts and feelings can be expressed
Sometimes required in order to help documentary
story progress

14. Louis Theroux in Vegas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNAqNwD8BJ4

15. Vox Pops & Interviews
 Quick insights into peoples’ opinions
 Help gather a range of opinions or outlooks
 Common among community based issues/topics.
 Also known as ‘Talking Heads’

16. Archive Footage & Still Images
 Some documentaries rely on archive footage as the issue/subject/topic is in the
past
 Often brings new light onto evets/people
 Needs permission to be used
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGsczwEKnOI

17. Editing
Editing is vital to the delivery of a documentary
The collision of shots (editing) can change the
meaning of information
Tend to be more creative as technology develops
Cutting can be rough and not so clean, to add
impact
It’s what creates the story

18. Excerpt from ‘Bowling for Columbine’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYApo2d8o_A

19. U27A2
 Consider all the previous slides when discussing the
convention of factual programmes.
 You may use the examples in this presentation within your
discussion
 Try and locate your own examples as well
 To achieve distinction you must explain COMPREHENSIVELY
the convention within factual programmes.