Unit 27: Factual Programme Production Documentary Task 1b

For this part of the assignment, I will be analysing different type of documentary mode in a range of documentary. For an example, ‘Top Gear’ which was a TV series about cars and the other factual programming that I will be also looking at is ‘Making a murderer’ which is a documentary about a man who had served 18 years in prison for the wrong conviction. Finally, I will be analysing a famous documentary named ‘Plant Earth: The Complete Collection’, which is a nature documentary.

Expository –  This mode also known as ‘The Voice of God’ is a technique used in documentary to narrate the factual programming. It also allows to address directly to the audience while explaining the act in the programming. For an example, in ‘Making a Murderer’ the audience isn’t seen to this, but in ‘Plant Earth: The Complete Collection’ it mainly uses voice-over to explain the story. As an example, this documentary beginnings with a voice-over by David Attenborough “A hundred years ago, there were one- and – a half billion people Earth.” I believe that expository documentaries are seen to be arguing point or focusing the narrative around worldwide issues like nature, or even politics. This could see as spreading awareness. The Voice of God allows the audience to understand what they are seeing visually and it allows to add effect on them. For an example, in ‘Plant Earth’ when an animal is about to be killed the voiceover inform the audience what’s going to happen. This adds emotion for the audience from the narrator. This main code and convention for expository documentaries is rhetorical question, facts, opinion, and persuasive techniques, which makes this documentary an expository documentary.

Observational- Observational documentaries is often when the filmmaker is following the presenter around to witness the events that is happening. This normally including having hand-held cameras and doesn’t the behind the scene crews, which also mean there isn’t interviews and voiceover. However, ‘Top Gear’ is an observational documentary as the crew follows the three presenters around the world reviewing different types of cars. They mostly use GoPro when they’re in the cars, but they do some interviews in the studio and sometimes includes voiceover in the purest form.  This factual programming has long takes of the reviews of the cars, which is a code and convention for observational mode. The editing technique used is having a range of different cuts to keep the audience entertained throughout the programme.

Interactive & Reflexive- An interactive documentary is a production that uses a range of different forms of video, audio, photography to explaining narrative or even an event. This interactive programme allows to provide a unique way to create non-linear production for the audience. For an example, in the ‘Making a Murderer’ they use most of these techniques to present a clear factual programming. As an example, one of the ways they represented a flashback was by using old audio or photography for the audience to understand what happened. When Steven Avery was on a trail they used photography and video to present the situation at that time. For this reason, ‘Making a Murderer’ is an interactive documentary. Reflexive documentary (awareness of the process) is when the audience engages with the content of the factual programming as it happens. This often includes the recognise of realism and the representation. This mode allow acknowledges the constructed nature of the documentary so the viewer see how it is made throughout the production. Louis Theroux is filmmaker who often creates reflexive documentary and he has a controversial method as he stands in centre of the camera and have casual interviewer. This mode usually uses re-enactment in the factual programming to explain the narrative, but also includes dramatic music to create tension for the audience.

Performative – A performative documentary mode contains the emotional and subjective feature of documentary. One the codes and conventions are that the makers would comment on the process of the making of the programme such as the camera shot and movements used. I believe this type of documentary address the audience in a clear direct and emotional course, which allows to have a connection between the audience and the documentary.

 Dramatisation, Narrativisation & Realism– Dramatisation is normally seen in documentary that are bias and prejudge, which can see as an exaggeration that increases the built up within the factual programming. Sometimes it is known to be negative as it presents to be strong toward a particular opinion and being over exaggerated about it. Narrativisation is always seen or heard in factual programming. It is an effective way to address to the primary audience and telling the narrative in the documentary. Realism?