The documentary Supersize Me, directed by Morgan Spurlock, examines the health effects of eating only McDonald's food for 30 days. It uses a linear, chronological structure to follow Morgan's experience over this time period. Various camera shots, locations, and sounds are employed to immerse the viewer in the experiment. While the editing and use of archive footage is not overly complex, it effectively conveys the documentary's message about the dangers of overconsumption and lack of control when it comes to fast food. Graphics and maps are also utilized to demonstrate obesity rates increasing over time in the United States.

1. Supersize Me-
Documentary
Analysis

2. Directed by Morgan
Spurlock

4. Themes
• There where six main themes that I spotted
throughout the documentary.

5. Narrative Structure
Linear
This documentary is linear as it is in chronological order,
sticks to one time period rather than jumping between
tenses.
Open V closed
There was a closed structure as we seen Morgan finish
the 30 day experiment and learnt what the consequences
where of eating fast food.
On the other hand it had an open structure as we were
not informed on what McDonalds decided to do after
watching the documentary and what actions where taken
to reduce the obesity across America.

6. Camera
Zoom out Two shot
Low angle shot Close-up

7. Wide shot Zoom in
Mid shot
The camera shots where used
throughout many times. using the right
shot when relevant. For example, a wide
shot was used when the mise-en-scene
needed to be shown to understand the
point being made.

8. Mise-en-scene
Doctors Home
McDonalds Work

9. In his car
The mise-en-scene is very broad as he is always on the move throughout his
investigation. When he is in work he appears to be isolated as he is in an office
alone which suggests to the viewers that he's independent. The documentary
shows many different McDonalds which emphasises to the viewer how many
there actually are which is one of the key aspects to the scenes. The mise-en-scene
is important as it touches on the main themes. Doctors suggests health,
obesity and addition. Being in his car shows the laziness of society. Then the
main theme of course, McDonalds.

10. Sound
Throughout the documentary songs related to
‘supersize me’, ‘fat’ and ‘McDonalds’ are
played so it keeps to the themes that the
documentary is based on. However, there is a
juxtaposition of non-diegetic music during
surgery as operatic music is played which
highlights the difference. Then there is digetic
sounds such as the unwrapping of food which
makes it more realistic to the viewer.

11. Editing
There is not a complex use of editing techniques used as that is
not what the documentary needs to get across its point.
However as there are videos edited into it of people eating
food and fat people walking the streets its used to send a
message that your not in control of your body as much as you
think. Also, there are cartoon animations which are used to
show the viewers what they are really buying. There are many
jump-cuts so that it is a clean watch through without it
jumping from place to place, images are inserted to make
sure the theme is kept the same for that topic of
conversation. Clips also, fade in and fade out.

12. Archive material
There is archive material throughout the documentary. It is mainly used so there are
not so many jumpstarts throughout. It can be placed between two scenes, for
example an image of a fat person walking the street so the material is something to
do with the topic allowing the two scenes to flow through. The archive material is
also used to be inspiring to those who watch as there are clips of speech's, one
being from Jared Fogle who tried to inspire Americans. A piece of archive material
that was also inspiring was a clip of a man holding his old pair of pants after loosing
a large mass of weight.

13. Graphics
Graphics are used throughout. Most subtitles are written in Sans
Serif making it clear for the viewer to understand what has been
said. The use of days, states, time and maps are used through the
documentary emphasising the chronological order to the
documentary. Below there are two maps, one showing the rate of
obesity in 1985 and the other in 2002, showing the public that
obesity is a new and popular thing in the U.S, hoping to scare the
viewer into realising that things need to change.

14. The use of off putting propaganda
is used throughout the
documentary, imitating different
famous paintings such as ‘The Last
Supper’ showing how McDonalds
manipulate the population into
buying the food they serve to the
public.