2. Life is a nature documentary series
made by BBC television, first
broadcast as part of the
BBC's Darwin Season on BBC
One and BBC HD from October to
December 2009. The series takes a
global view of the specialised
strategies and extreme behaviour
that living things have developed in
order to survive; what Charles
Darwin termed "the struggle for
existence". Life is produced by
the BBC Natural History Unit in
association with the Discovery
Channel and the Open University.
The original script, used in the
British and Canadian versions of the
series, was written and narrated
by Sir David Attenborough.
3. Mode
Life is produced in a reflexive mode with the
recognisable narrative of Sir David Attenborough.
During the narrative Attenborough is either on
screen amongst the animals or providing a voiceover.
This is a technique that I plan to
incorporate into my own
documentary because it creates a
relationship between the audience
and narrator.
4. Camera Angles
BBC’s Life documentaries use a variety of camera angles,
shots and positions. Incredible two-shots which contain
the narrator and the animal he is detailing are the most
well known shots used in the documentary series. Slow
motion tracking shots of animals in motion are also well
known in the Life documentaries.
For my documentary I plan to
include a master shot which will
comprise of a panning or tracking
shot, similar to those used in Life.
5. Documentaries
BBC documentaries are produced with an
educational aim. The BBC are mostly known for
their documentaries on animals, nature and
earth’s inhabitants although sometimes produce
documentaries on current social issues.
