This documentary examines the video game Tomb Raider and themes of gender representation in media through interviews, archival footage, and narration. It analyzes Lara Croft's influence as a female character in gaming by comparing her to icons like Barbie. The documentary utilizes techniques like tilted camera angles and green-screen effects in interviews to emphasize important figures in the franchise's creation and highlight its themes of technology and gaming. Through close-ups of gamers and gameplay footage, it aims to show the game's impact on some players. With fast-paced editing and electronic music, the documentary reflects the topics of gaming and gender in a short film.

1. That thing is a mixed documentary consisting voice of God
narration, interviews and archive footage. It is also has a
single-stranded, non-linear, closed narrative structure.
*

2. *
The opening title screen shows the title
inside of a speech bubble, similar to the
speech bubbles seen in chatrooms and
text messages, suggesting that the
documentary will be discussing
technology and that the topic could be
something greatly talked about.
The following screen which shows Lara
Croft instantly shows one of the main
themes of the documentary which is
gaming. The flowers and hearts in the
background also emphasise another main
theme which is gender representation in
media.

3. *
There were a lot of archive footage of the gameplay which gave he audience a small
insight into the game and the main topic of the documentary. There were also archive
footages for the interview with Angelina Jolie, the Tomb Raider movie, images of websites
and Barbie adverts when they were comparing Lara Croft to Barbie. This comparison also
helps highlight the theme of gender representation in media.

4. *
On a few of the interviews, a projection was projected against the interviewee, making it
appear like they were a part of the game. The lines of the projection against their face
and the colour green have connotations of computer technology which reflects the
documentary’s main themes.

5. *
This documentary does follow the conventions of interviews because the interviewees are
all people who are relevant to the topic of the documentary (as seen through their names
and titles at the bottom added post-production) and the camera sizes are either close-ups
(left) or medium close-ups (right). It also follows the rule of thirds as the interviewees are
positioned more towards a third of the screen. Their clothing, hair and make-up also look
well presented, making them appear professional and well educated.

6. *
They have also challenged conventions through the interviews of the creator of Tomb
Raider (left) and Angeline Jolie (right) which were shown on a canted camera angle.
Firstly, for the creator, they have edited it to appear inside a computer software window
which relates to the main themes of technology and gaming. The tilted angle of these
shots also make it stand out against the other, more conventional interviews, emphasising
their importance in the Tomb Raider franchise as the creator and actress.

7. *
The close-ups of the gamers’ faces (right), hands, keyboards, monitor screens and over-
the-shoulder shots of them gaming (left) help the audience get a visual understanding of
the effect this game can have on some people.

8. *
The overall pace of editing of the
documentary was rather fast, especially
when they were showing the gamers playing
the game. This may be due to the fact that
it was a short documentary, but it does also
reflect the main topics of the documentary.
Most of the non-diegetic sound were
funky and electronic, relating to the
fast pace of the editing. There was
also a short segment which had a
Madonna song playing in the
background, showing the similarities
of her, as a female icon, to Lara Croft.