Documentary genre and features

Documentary genre and features

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  Documentary Genre and Features EllieMoran
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  Brief • The purposeis to document i.e reporting with evidence of something that has actually happened. • It can show this by using actuality or reconstructions • It can use a narrators voiceover to anchor the meaning or rely on the participants themselves with the odd interjection by the unseen narrator
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  Types • Fully narrated-off screen voiceover is used to make sense of the visuals and dominates their meaning e.g Natural history • Fly on the wall- has its roots in cinema vente. Camera set up to be non intrusive and the participants don’t acknowledge the presence of the camera E.g Educating Yorkshire. • Mixed- Using a combination of interview, observation and narration to advance the argument or the narrative • Self reflective- When subjects of documentary acknowledge the presence of the camera and often speak directly to the documentary maker. • Docu-drama- Re-enactment of events as they are supposed to happen E.g Nightmare next door. • Docu-soap- follow the daily lives of particular individuals within an organisation E.g easy jet. Combines elements of doc and soap opera. • The celeb presented docs are most recent in a post digital age – work harder to attract.
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  Features • Observation- Mostdocumentaries contain sequences of observation. The program makers ‘pretend’ that the camera is unseen. Places the audience in the position of an observer or an eye witness to events. • Interview- Documentary's rely on interviews. The interviewer is either seen or unseen. • Mise- en- scene- All shots are carefully composed so that they only contain images that they want the audience to see. • Dramatisation- Documentary’s use a sense of drama in the observation element. Sometimes dramatic reconstructions are used. • Exposition- The line of argument in a documentary. Exposition is made of description combined with commentary.
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  Construction of documentary’s •Even when actuality footage is used people are directed and sets organised so there is still a high level of construction taking place. • Documentary’s do not necessarily contain analysis. • They may just be descriptive and may leave it to the viewer to reach conclusions.