Documentary Conventions

Defining the Documentary

  • Documentaries tell stories about real events and people.
  • They record current events, explore the past, and speculate about the future.
  • Documentaries introduce different perspectives and may challenge viewers' beliefs.

Purpose of Documentaries

  • Record important events and ideas.
  • Inform viewers about a topic.
  • Convey perspectives.
  • Create public interest or raise awareness.

Constructed Nature of Documentaries

  • Documentaries are constructions based on biased decisions by producers and directors.
  • Decisions include:
    • Selection of what and who to film.
    • Representation of events, people, and places.
    • Editing decisions (selection, order, and omission of detail).

Film Conventions

  • Symbolic codes (body language, color, lighting).
  • Written codes (captions).
  • Audio codes (music).
  • Technical codes (camera shots, editing, framing).

Narrative Conventions

  • Character, setting, conflict, narrative structure, theme.

Documentary Conventions

  • Voice-over, actuality footage, archival footage, interviews, selection of detail.

Voice-over

  • Commentary by the filmmaker added to the soundtrack.
  • Explains or comments on visuals.
  • Offers information, explanations, and opinions.

Types of Footage

  • Actuality Footage: Footage taken specifically for the documentary to create realism and make it seem unscripted. Includes natural sound and lighting.
  • Archival Footage: Previously filmed footage or photographs from other sources.
  • Reconstructed Footage: Scripted footage using actors to reenact a prior event. Techniques such as blurring, distortion, lighting effects, changes in camera level or colour enhancement might be used to indicate that the footage is not real.

Interviews

  • Real people speak about events or issues.
  • Used to make the filmmaker's views appear mutually shared.
  • Often include experts for credibility.
  • Can be edited to support the filmmaker's argument.

Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Sound

  • Diegetic Sound: Sound whose source is visible on-screen or implied (e.g., voices, object sounds).
  • Non-Diegetic Sound: Sound whose source is not visible on-screen (e.g., narrator commentary, mood music).

Written Codes

  • Captions outlining titles, qualifications, dates, places, facts, statistics, definitions, or authentic text.

Montage

  • Series of short clips arranged in a specific order, with music or voice-over.
  • Presents a progression of ideas or indicates changes in time and place.

Charts, Graphs & Statistics

  • Add credibility but can be manipulated to support the filmmaker's view.

Sequencing

  • The order of events is not necessarily what happens in the real world.
  • Filmmakers can change the order of scenes, misrepresent people or events, and shape viewer perspectives.

Editing Process Definitions

  • Selection: Deliberately including certain footage.
  • Omission: Deliberately leaving out certain footage.
  • Foregrounding: Showing something more than other things.
  • Naturalisation: Assuming something is normal or natural due to foregrounding.