Different types of documentaries

Today we learnt about the different types of documentaries.

Purpose of documentaries: To document/report with eveidence. Something that has actually happend. It can show this by using actual footage or reconstructions. It can use a narrators vouce over to anchor the meaning or rely on paritcipants themselves with perhaps the occasional interjection by an on scene narrator.

Documentaries are not just about facts, instead the facts are used to create socially critical arguments, thereby inviting the audience to draw their own conclusions.

Features of documentaries: Observation- Most documentaries contain sequences of observation and the program makers pretend to the camera is on scene or ignored by the people taking part.

Types of documentaries
Fully narrated- They use an off screen voiceover and the voice ober is used to make sence of the visuals on screen. The narrator always seems authoritative.

Fly on the wall- No commentary or narration. The cameras are left to record the subjects. No interference which allows viewers to come to their own conclusion.

Mixed documentaries- Use a combination of interivew observation and narration to advance the argument. The narrator will appear in front of the camera.

Self reflexive- Subjects of the documentary acknowledge the presence of the camera and often speak directly to the film maker. They make a point of drawing attention to the film makers role in constructing a view of reality.

Docudrama- Reinacment of events as if they have actually happend.

Docusoaps- Programmes that follow the lives of particular individuals with designated occupations.

Visuals
Archive footage, street scenes, open countryside and close up of faces are just some of the stock materials used to suggest the intended meaning or emotional qualities of a particular theme.

Interviews
An interview can be held anywhere but the setting does affect the meaning. They normally begin with factual questions first to put the interviewee at ease, and the interviewer usually saves the emotional gripping questions for later on in the interview.

Vox pop
Technique consists of street interviews of the general public with each person being asked the same question. The answers are then strung together in a fast sequence. There good for suggesting a general agreement or else the opposite of diversity opinion.

Narrative of conventions
Documentaries relies heavily on traditional conventions of narrative i.e theres a beginning, a middle and an end.
The beginning: Central question of the ddocumentary can be posed at the beginning in an intreuging way. The most dramatic piece of action footage can be placed at the start or some qucik interview cuts in the conflict with each other can get the audiences attention.
The middle: Often examines the issue in human terms focusing on people and their opinions and conflict is strenghtened in the middle section however apparently conflicted evidence but all complications must eventually support the exposition (line of argument).
The end: The exposition is fully apparent at the end. The audience has no doubts to what the programme is saying and there may even be a course of action the audience can take to address the problem.