The purpose of a documentary is to document that is to repeat with evidence something that has actually happened it can show this by using actuality footage or reconstruction. It can use a narrators voice over to anchor the meaning or rely in the participant themselves with perhaps the occasional injection by the narrator.
The term was first used by John Grienson he ran a team called general Post Office Film Unit in 1930's. he defined documentary as: The creative treatment of actuality (or reality)
Features of Documentaries.
John Corner of university of liverpool.
There are five central elements of the documentary.
Obstruction- The programme matters pretend that the camra is unseen or ignored by people taking part in the events. Audience seen as an eyewitness. events as they unforld.
Interview- Most important aspect. Information, oppinion, documentaries rely on the use of interviews.
Dramatistation- All documentaries use a sense of drama through the observation element. Editing convery's drama. Reconstruction.
Mise-en-scene- Everything you see an hear on screen. Documnarty makers actually construct the shots and were they put teh camera.
Exposition- The line of argument in a documentary. it is about what the documntary is saying.
Different types of documentary.
Fly on the wall- Draws on french film movement of cinima. The camera is unseen or ignored and simply recprds real events as the unfold.
Mixed- A combo of interview, observation, actuality and archive material and narration to advance to argument/ narrative.
self-refliective- When the subject of the documentary acknwledges the presence of can and speaks to the person behind the camera.
Docudrama- Reacnacment of events.
Docusoup- Combo of documenary and soupa opera, A group of central protaganist. Eg. Airport.
Structure of Documentary
open- Loose ends which are not tied up at the end
Closed- There is definite coclusion to the narrrative.
Linear Structure- follows chronological order
non- linear - none chronological order. Eg flash backs or flash foward.
Circular structure- start and end point the same.
Visuals- Television is a visual medium, the programme needs to be visually stimmulating- keep audience interest.
Archieve material, street scenes, open country, close up of faces is all stock footage.
Interviews
An interview can be held anywhere but the sitting does effect the meaning.
Voxpop- voice of the people
Construction of reality
Artifically created, is constructed reality.
Gatekeeping- select certain things to go in a documentary, the selection and rejection of information in a media text. This happens in the editing process.
Voice over- effect the meaning of the visuals.
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