documentary research

1. Research into other
documentaries
Ellie Francis

2. Documentary 1: How Social networks
have changed the world?
Within this short documentary there are various conventions
which could be followed to our documentary.
One thing within this documentary which worked well was the
on screen presenter. The on screen presenter added a personal
affect and make the audience feel more involved. When the
presenter is not seen on screen, a voice over is still used. This
can be heard over footage which has been filmed of both the
public as well as other documentary or online footage.
This then lead onto the use of interviews within the
documentary. Both professional and vox-pop interviews
throughout. When interviewing a professional the mise-en-
scene represented the profession of which the person was in.
eg. A social media expert, was in a professional office based
environment including computers, books etc. Within the
interviews, its important the camera is setup in the correct
place in order to look professional. Lighting and camera angles
can impact on the look of the documentary so getting this right
is key.

3. Documentary 2: how social media is
affecting teens? YouTube clip
One thing this documentary did effectively
was the use of archival footage. This was
used at the beginning of the clip and helped
set the scene for the programme. This footage
included various well known screen shots
which have happened in the social media,
including famous celebrity arguments etc.
The archival footage then led to a voice over.
The voice over was clear and easy to
understand. This is essential for the
documentary as the audience need to be able
to hear clearly else they are likely to
unengaged with the documentary. The sound
levels are also very good, meaning it was
filmed in the correct environment- something
which we need to make sure is done in order
for our documentary to sound professional.

4. Documentary 3: Impact of Social
Media
This documentary was different to the other
documentary which I have viewed. This clip was
based around facts and statistics, no archival
footage, a presenter or interviews etc were used.
This is part of the codes and conventions of usual
documentaries however, this would only be used in
a minority part in order to back up footage or
dialogue which the presenter says. The statistics
and facts do play a big part in documentaries as this
can really engage the audience, as they can be
shocking and unexpected.
Although this documentary does not follow what
most documentaries do. One thing which is followed
is the use of back in music. Yet, this is used
throughout the whole of the clip. The music is tense
and exciting- likewise to what can be seen on
screen(the facts and statistics).