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. 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. 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. In this expository documentary, narrativisation is used as it address to the primary audience and
telling the narrative in the documentary, which is always seen or heard in
factual programming.
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. In
this observational documentary, dramatisation narrative is as the presenters
only inform the audience with their own opinion about the cars and it 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. 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.
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.
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. For an example, in this documentary we as
the audience recognise is ‘real’ on screen by the flashbacks and from the
actually narrative as many of the audience can relate to it, which allows to
add more emotion and thoughts to the documentary. 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.
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