Wednesday, 30 September 2009

Documentary Research

We talked about our coursework which will take place throughout the year and started to make notes on the main types of documentarys found on TV.

  • Fully narrated – A non-diegetic voice over is used to make sense of visuals and anchor their meaning.
  • Fly on the wall – The camera is observing real life as it happens. Participants are ‘unaware’ of cameras presents.
  • Mixed – using a combination of interview, observation and narration to advance narrative.
  • Self reflective – When the subjects of the documentary acknowledge the presence of the camera and often speaks straight to the film maker.
  • Docudrama - a re-enactment of events as they are supposed to of actually happened.
  • Docusoap – usually occupation based e.g. airline.

Types of Narrative structures documentaries can follow;

  • An open narrative is were there are unanswered questions
  • A closed narrative is were all questions are answered and there is no loose ends.
  • A open narrative in a documentary is were a question is asked but does not get answered.
  • Single strand narrative, one narrative thread
  • Multi-strand narrative, more than one narrative thread
  • Linear, documentary narrative is structured to follow chronological order
  • Non-linear, documentary narrative does not follow in chronological order for example, flashback.
  • Circular narrative, the start and end point of the narrative

Documentary Analysis: 'The devil made me do it'

Type of documentary;

  • Mixed documentary, actuality footage is used.

Themes;

  • Religion (contrast of religions)
  • Binary oppositions (Good vs. evil)
  • Murder
  • Power of the media

Narrative structure;

  • Single strand
  • Open narrative
  • Non-linear (crime is followed in chronological order however the program is not)

Camerawork;

  • Handheld camerawork - camera needs to react quickly
  • Close up, Medium close ups during interviews, framed to left or right of screen
  • Manson filmed in low angle. Lighting focused on half the face, half the face is dark - representing good vs. evil
  • Slow pans across the town in day and night
  • Lots of shots showing religious iconography matching interview with Manson
  • Camerawork in press conference shows cameramen and through their camera's showing the documentary as impartial

Mise-En-Scene;

  • Shows poor surroundings
  • Teens filmed in cafe and smoking in relaxed settings
  • Adults filmed in office or place of work
  • Interviews - shows persons personality. Police in office and behind a desk, in full view is police mans hat showing authority
  • Contrast in Manson's personality, he seems to be shown to be against the government however he is shown eating from McDonald's, showing him conforming within society.

Sound;

  • Music played while build up to what happened, building suspense
  • Drums played over confession representing heartbeats
  • Religious/Symbolic music played reflecting subject
  • Narrator - standard English, no clear accent
  • Voice overs have accents, to anchor the person talking, their age and gender

Editing;

  • Cut aways to religious symbols
  • Original speaking is left on with voice over as well
  • Cut aways used
  • Montage of shots
  • Fade to/from black to signal end of scene or to take audience from one place to another
  • Juxtaposition with image and sound (good vs evil)

Archive Material;

  • Marylin Manson concert
  • New footage Italian and American
  • interview with Manson
  • headlines from newspapers shown
  • Marylon Manson's music video's

Graphics;

  • White over black writing
  • Subtitles on Manson's concerts to re-enforce his lyrics
  • Provide information on murders but not narrative of the story
  • During interviews - name of person and relevance to topics
  • Anchors period of time
  • Celtic cross on 'devil made me do it'. Gothic overtones

Documentary Analysis: Marketing Meatloaf

Clip from Documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8drBafBphXg

Type of Documentary;

  • Factual Documentary

Themes;

  • Behind the scene of meatloaf and music industry

Narrative Structure;

  • Non-linear

Camerawork;

  • Handheld camerawork
  • Panning over archive footage
  • Fast cuts matching the music
  • Single Interview filmed side of head and also looking at camera

Mise-En-Scene;

  • Meatloaf posters used as background in interviews
  • Recording studios anchors music

Sound;

  • Meatloaf's music played under narrator
  • Familiar music played

Editing;

  • Music Magazines such as 'Q' and 'Kerang'

Documentary Analysis: That Thing

Type of Documentary;

  • Mixed

Themes;

  • Virtual games
  • Popular Culture
  • Representation of gender/feminism

Narrative structure;

  • Closed narrative
  • Single strand
  • Non-linear

Camerawork;

  • Handheld camerawork
  • Interviews - Medium close ups, big close ups of inventor of character also in tilted frame to gain interest
  • Point of view shots into cafe and tracking

Mise-En-Scene;

  • Chromakey used (blue/green screen)
  • Backgrounds were extracts from the game, anchors what interview is about
  • Projection over and behind the interview
  • Inventor of game tilted frame and put in a computer giving the effect he has been 'put into the game'

Sound;

  • Music played from game
  • Dance music-pop culture
  • Voice over is male, young, using standard English

Editing;

  • Interviews filmed through computer
  • Moving backgrounds on interviews
  • Cut most common edit, speed ups

Archive Material;

  • Footage of game
  • Fan forums
  • Interview of Angelina Jolie
  • Nike advert

Graphics;

  • All white and sans cerif
  • No caps which makes the text modern
  • Graphics link ot interview

Codes and Conventions of the documentary genre;

Camerawork;

  • Varied shot types and movement to keep the audience interested.
  • Handheld camera work is used for actuality footage were necessary.
  • Interviews have conventionally close ups or medium close up shots, big close ups or extreme close ups can be used, a tripod is always used, and the eye line of the person being interviewed is always 1/3 down the screen, they are always framed to either the left or right of the shot.
  • Establishing shots are used.
  • Pan and Zooms are used when shooting a still image, to keep the audience interested.
  • Point of view shots are sometimes used to position audience in the action.

Mise-en-scene;

  • Behind interviewee's the mise-en-scene is either relevant to the subject, for example if it anchors their job or relation to subject.
  • Archive material from a variety of sources for example; films, Tv, websites, newspapers, magazines, still photo's.
  • Graphics used to translate were necessary.
  • Title must be unique and creative.
  • Graphics used to name and put relevance to subject, anchors who they are.
  • Credits - scrolling, all achieve material is credited.

Narrative Structure;

  • Open / Closed / Circular.
  • Single Strand.
  • Most documentaries are non-linear.

Sound;

  • Voice over to tell a story; Standard English is used, age and gender should relate to either audience or subject. Voice over must be emotionless on the topic.
  • All questions are edited out.
  • Music is used which is relevant to the topic.
  • Interviews; there must be no background noise.

Editing;

  • Interviews; all questions are edited out
  • Editing creates the pace of the documentary
  • Cuts; Most common edit, no editing effects are used unless it is relevant, sometime a dissolve may be used.
  • Cut aways are used frequently and are always relevant
  • Fade to and from black are sometimes used to convey a passing of time or end of a chapter.