This presentation delves into the conventions of documentaries, includes examples from educating essex, louis theroux and planet earth live.

1. CONVENTIONS OF A
DOCUMENTARY
By Roy
Evans

2. Educating Essex Clip

3. Educating Essex
• Main Protagonist (Mr Drew)
chosen because of personality and
appeal to audience.
• Felt as though documentary
followed Main Protagonist around
due to ‘likeability’ factor.
• Senior position gave insight into a
teacher’s life more than if the Main
Protagonist was a student.

4. Conventions of Educating
Essex
• Camera always had the ‘fly on the
wall’ approach with no significant
presenter or interviewer of sorts.
• The interviews were against the
same backdrop and the questions
asked were never heard by
audience.
• Voiceover of interviewee continues
in smooth motion whilst relevant
footage is being shown to audience.

5. Louis Theroux
Clip

6. Louis Theroux Documentaries
• Louis Theroux ‘throws’ himself into action
as presenter.
• Constant stream from single cameraman,
there is hardly any editing.
• Presenter in difficult situations with
dangerous people, constant wariness
shown through presenter.

7. Louis Theroux Conventions
• The ‘answers’ are mainly provided
through interviews of which there
are an abundance.
• Any voiceover is heard whilst
relevant footage or an establishing
shot is being shown to audience.
• Use of one camera sets a mood for
what actually being there would
feel like, example would be the
handheld movement portrayed by
cameraman.

8. Planet Earth Live Clip

9. Planet Earth Live
Conventions
• Due to wildlife documentary,
the answers are provided in
voiceover by presenter whilst
relevant footage is played.
• Cameramen and Directors talk
to camera to explain
information from their point of
view, not afraid to ‘throw’
themselves in too.
• Relies heavily on the ‘beauty’
and ‘appeal’ of animals they
shoot footage of for audience
appeal.