This document summarizes key elements from the provided documents: 1) It provides context on BBC Three as a TV channel aimed at 16-34 year olds in the UK that leverages new talent and technology. 2) It outlines common documentary conventions like hand-held cameras, voiceovers, interviews, and archive footage that construct meaning. 3) It summarizes the BBC Three documentary "Escaping Gangs" which follows a former gang leader now pastor trying to persuade members to leave gangs and find redemption.

1. GENERIC RESEARCH 1

2. BBC 3
• BBC Three is a British free-to-air television
channel operated by the British
Broadcasting Corporation.
• It was launched on 9 February 2003 as a
replacement for BBC Choice
• the service's remit was to provide
"innovative programming" to a target
audience of viewers between 16 and 34
years old, leveraging technology as well as
new talent.
• BBC is funded by the tv license and
therefore had to adhere to a public service
remit

3. COMMON
CONVENTIONS OF
DOCUMENTARIES
Hand-held Camera - encoding realism and 'truth
Omniscient narrator voice Over - leading the audience into a preferred reading.
Spontaneous Vox Pops and Interviews with experts / witnesses / participants.
Use of Archive footage to support filmed scenes
Low key lighting – social realism/ mood/ tone
Intercutting / Parallel Editing linking key scenes
Use of Archive footage to support filmed scenes
Selective editing crucial to constructing meaning

4. ESCAPING GANGS:
DEATH, JAIL,
REDEMPTION
• “Former gang leader, Kevin, has just
become a pastor.
• He is now trying to persuade high
ranking members of his former gang to
leave the gang and turn their lives
around.
• We see Kevin’s struggles, as he tries to
bring Beckton drill rapper and gang
leader, Young Dizz, reputed to be one of
the most dangerous young people in
London, into the church. Young Dizz
finds it hard to give up the violent music
and lifestyle, which Kevin is trying to
help him escape from. Meanwhile the
Church are worried about new recruit
16-year-old Jahiem being sucked
deeper into drug dealing in Brixton.”

5. SHOT TYPES
• It is very important to take into consideration the importance of shot types as it is
firstly stated in the brief that there should be a range of shot types. However, a variety
of shot types is also very important as it is a key convention in specifically BBC 3
documentaries. This documentary uses intimate shot types such as extreme close ups
and over the shoulder shots for the voice overs of the people telling their story

6. OPENING
SEQUENCE
• Brief – three-minute opening
sequence.
• The first three minutes of the
BBC 3: escaping gangs: death,
jail, redemption documentary
Opens up with an aerial
shot/drone shot of East London
– common convention of
documentaries as it sets the
scene
An Establishing shot is used in
most Documentaries to set the
scene.

7. EXTREME CLOSE-UP OF NARRATOR
• We are immediately introduced with a voice over
• The shot connotes intimacy between the narrator and the audience – to evoke pathos
for the person
• “ This is London” , “This is home” – Short, simple sentences grab the audience’s
attention

8. MID-SHOT OF
SUBJECT
• Shot from behind the
narrator allowing the
audience to also get a wide
shot of the london skyline
• He is alone – intimacy – just
the audience and the subject
as he tells his story as an ex-
gang member - evokes
pathos

9. EDITING
• Example of Intercutting /
Parallel Editing linking key
scenes as we have a new
location.
• Same subject at the church

10. INTERVIEW
• Interviews are a key element of Documentaries, they
bring the story together, usually Talking
heads/Interviews with eyewitnesses, experts and
persons related.
• camera remains mainly static so the audience aren't
distracted away from the interview by any movement.
• Interviewee looks at interviewer not the camera.
• Graphics are just two lines and in a simple font not to
distract the audience
• Graphics is used on screen to note down an
interviewee's name and relation to the subject.