Codes and Conventions of documentary genre

• Mise-en-scene always relates to the subject
• Voiceover always used to hold the narrative together
• Graphics always used to anchor the person to the theme
• The music used is relevant to the main subject
• Single strand narrative
• Cuts are the most common edit, so that it does not distract from whats on screen
• Editing techniques may be used on actuality footage and archive material
• Gender and age of voiceover is a relevant depending on the topic
• Standard english with calm and clear deliverance of voiceover
• Creative and varied camera work
• Conventional framing of interviews
• Usually camera is on a tripod and not handheld (but handheld used for interviews not pre-arranged)
• Interviewee on a static chair
• Still images usually have camera movement
• Variety of relevant archive material
• If chromakey used it shouldn't be distracting from the interview
• Music used as a music bed
• Graphic's used to anchor time and location
• Graphic's not over the top, usually two lines
• Editing is well pasted, never to long
• Visuals used over sound of interview