The document analyzes how stories are told in documentaries. It discusses how reality shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians have an overarching theme and genre established by the title. Each documentary filmmaker has their own style of storytelling through techniques like transitions, camera angles, music, and narrative structure. The document then examines the documentary 16 and Pregnant specifically, noting how it uses a teenage girl's journal and personal photos to tell the intimate story of her pregnancy journey in a creative, relatable way for young audiences. Finally, it outlines how the documentary 24 Hours in A&E blends observational footage and voiceovers to give viewers a realistic look into the normal operations of a hospital's emergency department

1. DOCUMENTARY
NARRATIVE RESEARCH Charlotte Martin

2. NARRATIVES/HOW IS A
STORY TOLD
Like most documentaries, there is an ultimate genre and theme of the
documentary as a whole which is given away by the title, for example
Keeping up with the Kardashian’s is based upon the lives of the
Kardashian family. In reality shows like this there is a different story
and basis every time but originally is based upon the same type of
thing each episode.
Each documenter has their different ways of telling a story whether
that is by the transitions they use, the type of characters or
narratives. The major necessity for a documentary are different
camera angles and shots, possibly some music that fits well with the
current theme/emotion and typically telling the story in different
parts and ways.

3. 16 & PREGNANT
I chose this particular documentary as I like the way the story is told,
the documentary starts off with the opening of a journal, which looks
like a typical young American girls diary where she stores all her
secrets, immediately targeting the audience of young people. There is
a sketch type picture in the journal that soon turns to the real life of
the current pregnant young girl, the sketch really shows the feelings
of the girl due to her love hearts drawn later on with the father of the
child, like this is her gossip.

4. 16 & PREGNANT
After this her childhood is shown as she still lives at home
playing in the swimming pool with her friends whilst
relaxing and playing with floats. A voice over is used to tell
the story as the girl explains how she got pregnant and the
current whereabouts of her life so far. Old pictures are
shown within this of her old life before the pregnancy, the
internet is involved to meet up with the father of the child
as it was a one time ‘hook up’, this type of slang targets
the audience.
The whole basis of the show is based upon a girls journal
and journey of her pregnancy which is very personal and
the story is shown in a very creative, childish way.

5. 24 HOURS IN A&E
This combination of the observational and interactive types
both forming in this documentary is how I would like my final
coursework to be told like. The story starts off with sounds
coming from the hospital machines (the beeping being at the
same time the digital clock goes up each second). The time
shows the start of the day, at this time starting from midday.
This then soon fades into the scene of the helicopter showing
the action from a camera being on the ground and looking at
the helicopter landing on
the ground with the patient needing the treatment inside.

6. 24 HOURS IN A&E
The story carries on as there are cameras in the corners of the rooms
shown, almost acting like security cameras- this shows the observational
side to the documentary as the staff and everybody involved are ignoring
the fact they are being filmed. There are also close ups of machinery and
different typical things you would see in a normal hospital, creating a real
and natural approach on a normal day on the ward.

7. 24 HOURS IN A&E
The main purpose of this story is told by a voice over briefly explaining the
accident whilst the patient is being rushed into the ward. There is music that
sounds intriguing yet is subtle which fits nicely with the normality this
documentary is aiming to possess. As well as this music there is ambient
sounds surrounding the scene involving babies, machines and light chatter
which is common for hospitals. The outside of the hospital is shown to set the
scene and there is a shot from the perspective of the gurney wheel showing
the dramatic side to the accident, with dramatic music also to add tension and
wonder.

8. 24 HOURS IN A&E
There are a few Ariel shots to tell the story also of the patient on the
gurney. The interviews with the staff are next told in the story which
explains in more depth yet more simply what exactly is wrong/going
to happen to this particular patient. The staff look directly into the
camera. Close ups of the girls face and the staffs reactions are shown
to represent the pain and seriousness, with the slight hint of
saddening music in the background to show the hospitals nature
environment.