ddf

1. FEATURES AND TYPES OF
DOCUMENTARIES

2. Features of Documentaries
 The features of a documentary must
include 5 central elements according to
John Corner from the University of
Liverpool
 This includes
• Interview
• Observation
• Dramatization
• Mise-en-scene
• Exposition

3. Observation (fly on the wall)
 This put the audience in a role of
eyewitness, this is where the camera
appears to be unseen. It indirect
addresses to audiences which is
speech that is overheard, a common
factor or this en-scene observation.

4. Interview
 Television Documentaries use
interviews to make a contrast
between observation sequences
 They are structured in 2 different
ways:
Intercut fragments of observation
A completely uninterrupted sequence

5. Dramatization
 Even though all documentaries use a
sense of drama, it is used to portray
people and events the film maker
cannot gain access to in real life.
These sequences used are said to be
based on fact.

6. Mise-en-scene
 This is what the directors and
producers put into the frame. Such as:
Lighting
Props
Initially, whatever is used in interviews
that we can see on screen.

7. Exposition
 This means the line of argument
in the documentary which is what
the documentary is saying.
Sequences like this lead the
audience to make their own
conclusions.

8. Types of Documentaries
 There are 6 types of documentaries
which are:
Fully narrated
Fly on the wall
Mixed
Sled reflexive
Docu-Drama- possible addition of
Docu-Soaps.

9. Fully Narrated
 Direct Address documentaries use
of the screen voiceover to
illustrate the exposition.The
narrator seems authoritative
about the topic which allows
them to make sense of visuals. For
example the voice of god.

10. Fly on the wall
 They rely almost totally on
observation.The cameras are
left to record without
interference and viewers come
to their own conclusions

11. Mixed
 This uses a combination of
interview observation and
narration to advance the
argument.The narrator is
within the frame and this style
is most common in news
reporting.

12. Self- Reflexive
 The subjects of a documentary
acknowledge the presence of
the camera and speaks directly
to the film maker.This creates
a point of drawing attention to
the film maker to create a view
of reality.

13. Docu-drama
 This shows re-enactments of
events as they are supposed to of
happened with fictional narrative
combined including elements of
the exposition. However, critics
claim that Docu-dramas will only
ever deliver fiction.

14. Docu-soaps
 A phenomenon of recent years
which follow the daily lives of
particular people. For example,
Airport.
 Some may dispute whether
these are real documentaries
in any sense.