2. What is a tv documentary?
The purpose of a documentary is to document, i.e. Report with evidence of
something that has happened
It can show this by using actuality footage, or reconstruction; e.g. 9/11 attack
recording, etc.
It can use a narrators voice over to anchor the meaning, or rely on the
participants themselves, with occasional interjection by the narrator
The term documentary was coined by film director John Gearson in 1936
about the South Sea Island
He defined documentary as the creative treatment of actuality or reality
Documentaries are not just about facts. Instead facts are used to create
socially critical arguments, making the audience come to there own
conclusions
3. Types of documentaries
Fully Narrated:- when the voice over is used to make sense of the
visuals, and dominates there meaning; e.g. National History Documentaries
Fly on the Wall:- where the cameras film the subjects without interference;
e.g. 24 hours in A+E
Mixed Documentary:- this uses a combination of interviews, observation and
narration; e.g. The devil made me do it
Self-Reflective:- where the subjects of the documentary acknowledge the
presence of the camera, and often speak directly to the film maker; e.g.
Directly to the film makers role in constructing a view of reality – Teen Mom
Docudrama:- a reconstruction or a re-enactment as they gradually
happened; e.g. Crime watch
Docusoaps:- these programmes follow the daily lives of particular individuals
within an organisation; e.g. Airline
Reality TV:- is a combination of information and entertainment, and was first
used for news magazine programs; e.g. Miami Ink
4. Features of documentaries
John Carner – there are five central elements to documentaries which are:
Observation:- the programme makers pretend that the camera is unseen or
ignored by the people taking part in the events; e.g. It places the audience
as an “eye witness” to the events
The Interview:- TV documentaries rely on interviews. The interviewee
addresses the unseen interviewer instead of the audience. Interviews are
intercut with images of observation to illustrate what they are talking about
Dramastation:- All documentaries use a sense of drama throughout the
observation element
Mis-en-scene:- documentary makers carefully compose shots so that they
contain images they want the audience to see
Explosion:- The line of argument, and the way the argument “unfolds”
Gatekeeping
Gatekeeping is about the selection and rejection of information
5. Types of Narrative Structure
Open vs. Closed
Open – where there are questions left unanswered (soap opera)
Closed – where no questions are left unanswered (finding nemo)
Single Strand vs. Multi-Strand
Single Strands – there is only one narrative thread (finding nemo)
Multi-Strands – more than one thread, and sometimes they do converge but
not always (soap opera)
Linear vs. Non-Linear
Linear – chronological order; e.g. Order of time – adverts
Non-Linear – doesn’t follow chronological order; e.g. Flash forward /
backward; e.g. The time travellers wife
Circular – at the end of the narrative has gone full circle; e.g. Dead of Night
