Genre Analysis

The purpose of the documentary is to document, that is to report with evidence, something that actually happened. It can show this by using actuality footage or reconstruction. It can use a narrator's vioceover to anchor the meaning or relys on the participants themselves.





Actuality footage- 'real' footage of actual events





John Grierson (General post office film unit)- In the 1930s defined documentary as " the creative treatment of actuality."



Features of documentaries

John Corner ( University of Liverpool)- There are 5 central elements of the documentary.

1. Observation- The programme maker pretend that the camera is unseen or ignored by the people taking part in the events. The audience are eye wittnesses of the event.


2. Interview- Opinions and information given. Documentaries rely on the interview.


3. Dramatisation- All documentaries use a sense of drama through the observation element or dramatic reconstrustion.


4. Mise-en-scene- Documentary makers carefully construct shots.


5. Expostion- The line of argument in a documentary. It is what the documentary is "saying".

Different types of documentary

Fully narrated

A voice over is use to convey the exposition. The voice over is used to make sense of the visuals and dominates their meaning e.g. natural history

Fly on the wall

Draws on the french film movement cinema verite. The camera is unseen or ignored and simply records real events as they unfold.

Mixed

A combination of interview, observation, actuality and archive material and narration to advance the argument/ narrative.

Self- reflection

When the subject of the documentary acknowledges the presense of the camera and often speaks directly to the programme maker.





Docudrama

Re-enactment of events.





Docusoap

Combo of documentary and soap opera. A group of central protagonsts.







Structure of documentaries

Narrative structure

*open-loose ends which are not tied up at the end.

*closed-definate conclusion to the narrative.



*linear-follows chronological order. Events the order of time.

*Non linear- Things are not in time order e.g. flash back or flash forward



*Circular- Start and end are the same.





Visuals

Televiaion is a visual medium. The program needs to be visually stimulating, got to maintain the audience interest.

Archive material- Street scences, open countryside, close up (stock footage)

Interviews- An interview can be held anywhere but the mise-en-scene does effect the meaning.

Vox pop (voice of the people)- Set up and ask passers by the same question. This is a good representation of the audience.





Construction of reality



Gatekeeping- The selection and rejection of information/content for inclusion in a media text.





Editing process- Is where gatekeeping happens.