This document analyzes the student documentary "The Price of Your Future" and discusses its codes and conventions. It examines several scenes and interviews from the documentary, analyzing the mise-en-scene, shots, and stylistic elements used. It notes how aspects like clothing, backgrounds, and camerawork are used to portray different types of speakers and represent various groups. The document also reflects on distinguishing between types of interviews and creating a clear style for its own documentary.

1. BaldeepGahir
In thispiece of work,I will be analysingastudentdocumentarycalled“The price of yourfuture”
whichisabout the debtthat pupilshave topayand the strugglestheyface.Iwill be lookingatthe
codesand conventionsof the documentary,analysinghow well
theyworkand pickingoutfeaturesthatcouldpotentiallybe
appliedtomyown documentary.The openingscene startsoff
witha quote,the writingisblackandit`s on a white background
to make it standout to the viewer.Itlastsapproximatelysix
secondsandusesthe fade out transitiontomove onto the next
clip.
A mediumshotisthenusedtointroduce a newsreportinwhichthe womanisspeakingabout
studentdebt.The nextshotisa short take of graduationstudentsusingthe mis-en-scene of propsof
a graduationrobe and hat. A pan fromleftto rightis shownand
the camera usedis handheld.This almostgivesthe clipan
“uncomfortable/uneasy”feel toit,andcouldconnote ideasof,
studentsbeingsohappyandcelebratingtheir successes of
graduating,thattheyare oblivioustothe factthat theirstudent
debtsstill needtobe paidoff.
The nextclipisof anothernewsreport,andshowsa female
reporter. She iswearingacream blazer,a yellow topandthe
mis-en-sceneof the background showsaprojection of planet
earth.Herself andthe backgroundlookneatand organizedand
the prop of the penandthe notebookonherdesksuggestthat
she has knowledgeof whatshe istalkingaboutandconnotes
authority.The nextseencutstoa mediumlongshotof a man
whois givingaspeechaboutstudentdebt,he usesthe diegetic
soundof speechand is“shouting”hispointstothe
audience.This connotesthathe isalsoa figure of authority
and that he isperhapsseenasmore dominantandpowerful
than the female newsreporterInthe previous clip.The
male makesmore statementsandcanbe seenassounding
more “aggressive.”Anotherfemalespeakerandanother
male speakerare thenshownafterthisscene.

2. BaldeepGahir
In the nextscene we are introducedtoa studentcalled
“Wyatt” and he is wearingglassesandcouldrepresentthe
social stereotype of atypical “nerd.”He is of a white
ethnicityandappearstobe perhapseighteenyearsof age.
The glassesthat he wearsconnotesthathe is educatedand
cleverandwe wouldassume thathe is a studentinhigher
education,butthe brightneongreenshirtthathe is wearing
couldconnote that he isstill a studentandisfull of livelinessandenergy,asthe colourisnot “dull”
and “boring.”Withthisinterview,itmakesme realize how importantmis-en-scene isinportraying
and representingdifferentgroupsof people, butitalsomakesme aware of the codesand
conventionsof atypical documentary andwhatto use and whatnot to use. Forexample,withthis
interview Icouldn’t tell if itwasa vox pop(as the intervieweeisacollege student,andhisfull name
wasn’tusedandthere was noprofessional background/props/outfit andahand heldcamerawas
usedwhichmade the footage shaky) oran expert
interview (asthe use of atitle wasincludedand
there wasn’tanydiegeticsoundinthe backwhich
made it seemmore professional.)Inmyown
documentary,Ineedtomake sure that I am clear
aboutdifferentiatingbetweenthe codesand
conventionsof avox popand an expertinterview
so that the audience are clearwithwhatisgoingon
and whoisspeaking. Thisissue isthe same withthe nextinterview of anothercollegestudent
“Hannah.” There isn’tthe use of her full name inthe title,the footage isshakydue tothe handheld
camera butthere isthe use of a title whichmakesitseemasthoughitis an expertinterview. The
mis-en-sceneof the scene showssome artworkbehindher,whichconnote ideasof herbeingina
college/school environment.The nextcoupleof clipsshow amontage of differentstudent
interviews.
One of the expertinterviewsisof “Mr Brown.”The mis-en-sceneof the backgroundshowsa
bookshelf andhe isusingthe propof a penbehind hisearwhichsymbolizesintelligence,andthe use
of hisoutfitwhichisa suitandtie also supports this.Also,MrBrown hasshort hair whichisseenas
smart and tidywhichonce againfitsinwiththe professional image.

3. BaldeepGahir
The nextclipisof the headteacher,“Mrs Dave”,a mediumshotisshownof her. There is notan
interestingbackground,ora backgroundthatsuggestsshe isfrom an authoritative positionasitisa
plain/dullwall withapatchof lightinthe lefthandcornerand there are wiresalsopresentinthe
backgroundwhichmakesthe scene lookuntidyand
unprofessional.Thisisincontrastto her highstatus,
so the twoelementsof the mis-en-sceneof the
settingandthe headteacherdo not fittogether.
Movingon fromthisscene,a montage of
“professional”lookingshotsare usedandgive the
documentarymore of a polishedfinish.Forexample,
a pan is usedfromlefttorightand there isa shallow focusonone of the shotswere a pencil isbeing
usedto write with.Thiscouldconnote ideasof the emphasisbeingputoneducationandlinksto the
mainideaof the documentary:studentdebt.Anoverthe shouldershotof a girl at a deskisalso
includedandshe isshowntobe writingsomethingata desk.