Content for documentary

- Interviews

• Foot specialist, about the damaged caused by heels, to the foot
• Shop assistant/manager, about the sales of heels in the past years
• Shoe designer/maker, about the change in heels over the years
• Doctor, about teh damage doen to poisture from heels
• Drag queen, about why they wear heels, how it makes them feel, why they started wearing them
• Woman who wears shoes everyday, about why they do and how they feel
• University textiles/art student who's focusing on shoes, about what they study, their view on heels

- Cutaways

• Films about shoes, women wear/walk about shoes alot (e.g. Sex and the city, 13 going on 30, Wizard of Oz)
• Victoria Beckham's trouble with her feet (bunion removed) due to excessive wear of heels, since she first entered teh media in The Spice Girls
• Shoe shops, outside and inside, both designer (Kurk Geiger, Jimmy Choo) and high street (Office, New Look)
• People walking in heels, feet in heels

- Voxpops in Liverpool One, outside different shoe shops, designer and high street

- Quality of shoes to the price and the design of heels over the years

- Woman voiceover, informal tone

Target Audience Results

We tried to question a variety of ages but just over 1/4 asked were 16-20 years old, therefore the results may not be as reliable, however that is the age our target audience starts at.

Just under half of the participants only watch documentaries occasionally, therefore we would have to make the advert attention grabbing and look interesting so that there are more viewers.

Over 1/4 of the females own 10 or more heels so we could interview a heel wearer about the amount of shoes they have.

Up to £50 was the most popular answer for the amount spent on heels, we could therefore film about the prices in popular shoe shops.

As most of the females told us they only wear heels on the weekend, we may involve the reasons for people wearing heels, and why they wear them when they do.

The most popular brand of heels were New Look, so in our half an hour documentary we will involve New Look heels and possibly an interview with a sales assistant from the shop.

Over 3/4 of people do not have a lucky pair of shoes, therefore we will probably not involve anything about this into our documentary, as it doesn't apply to most people.

As most people asked said that their highest pair of heels were 6-7 inches, we will involve how the higher the heel the worse it is, into the documentary. We could also use heels this size for cutaways and archive material.

Black is the favourite colours of most of the females asked, therefore we could involve the colour black into the documentary, and also maybe show black heels, and find out if they are most popular as there are more black heels in shops.

Most of the females surveyed told us they only buy heels every so often, which shows that it is almost like a treat or something to look forward to.

The majority answered that they feel more confident in heels therefore this may help us with what we include in our documentary, about why people wear heels and how each person feels in them.

Over half of the participants answered 5-9pm however we have scheduled our documentary for 9pm as that is when all the popular soaps are finished, and also the watershed, as some pictures may not be suitable before the watershed.

Most people said they didn't have a preference to the songs in the documentary, yet all the songs said were popular pop songs. Therefore we will use popular chart songs for music in our documentary.

We are going to have an interview with a university student who is focusing on shoe design in our half an hour interview, as thats what most people thought the best interview would be.

As a vast amount of the participants said they would like to hear about the history of heels, we are going to include it into our first 5 minutes of our documentary.

As most people answered female we decided we would use a female voiceover as it relates to the topic of the documentary, being about heels.

Questionnaire

1. How old are you?
16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46+

2. How often do you watch documentaries?
Everyday Most days A few times a week Just weekends Occasionally Hardly Ever Never

3. How many pairs of heels do you own?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10+
If more, how many?

4.How much money would you spend on a pair of heels?
Up to £10 Up to £20 Up to £30 Up to £40 Up to £50 Up to £60 £60 or more
If more, how much?

5. How often do you wear heels?
Everyday Most days A few times a week Just weekends Occasionally Hardly ever Never

6.What's your favourite brand of heels?

7. Do you have a lucky pair of shoes?
Yes No

8. What are the highest pair of heels you own?

9. What's your favourite colour of heels?

10. How often do you buy new heels?
Daily Weekly Fortnightly Monthly Every so often Rarely

11. How do you feel when you put on a pair of heels?

12. At what time would you expect a fashion documentary to be scheduled?
Before 12pm 12-5pm 5-9pm After 9pm

13. Are there any particular songs you would like to hear in a documentary about shoes?

14. What experts would you like to see interviewed in a fashion documentary about heels?
Sales assistant Shoe designer Shop manager Other

15. Would yo like to hear about the history of heels?
Yes No Don't mind

16. Would you prefer a male of female voiceover in a fashion documentary?
Male Female Don't mind

Initial Plans

Topic: Fashion - Heels
- Different heels for different occasions.

The title of our series will be called, 'How to make yourself a fashion icon.' With a subtitle for this particular documentary as, 'Heels...Diva or disaster?' Therefore we have a question to answer within our documentary.

Scheduled on Channel 4 some time in the evening, maybe 8-9pm.

The target audience will be for all women aged 16 onwards, however for the majority, the women will have to be interested in fashion, and have worn heels/own them.

Our documentary is going to be on Heels. The documentary will be based on different heels for different occasions and how they have changed throughout history.

A continuing documentary series, with a different subject every week eg. heels, skirts, dresses.

Brainstorm of ideas for our documentary

• Make up
• Fashion
• Beauty
• Self image
• Shoes
• Heels
• Hair
• School
• Music
• Food
• Chocolate
• Sweets
• Clothes
  

Genre Analysis - The Lost Film Of Dian Fossey

The Lost Film Of Dian Fossey

Type of Documentary - Mixed

Themes

• Nature
• Animals
• Death

Narrative Structure

• Closed narrative
• Linear

Camerawork

• Interviews
• Codes and conventions of an interview
• Eyeline third of the way down
• Framed to left or right of the screen
• Handheld with tour of house
• Stock footage of African communities
• Extreme close up of letter writing
• Close up of moon

Mise en Scene

• African jungle
• Interview with jungle in the back
• Jungle out of focus keeps attention on interview
• Shadow of reconstruction, mystery
• Stock footage of Washington DC
• Dead gorilla with camera sound showing Bob took the photos

Sound

• Voiceover
• Woman
• Calm
• American accent
• Music
• Tradition african
• Pop influences
• Camera sounds when pictures show

Editing

• Editing of pictures of maps
• Camera tape with interview and archive footage both related
• Interviewee talking over footage as well as voiceover

Archive Material

• Dian Fossey's old programmes
• Maps
• Pictures of Bob filming
• Pictures of Bob's life and family
• Letters
• Magazines
• Photos of Dians grave

Graphics

• Green sans serif font
• White sans serif font to introduce interviewees

Genre analysis 'The 9/11 faker'

Narrative Structure
The documentary begins explaining/remembering the twin tower disaster and explains the tragedy. It then goes on to interview survivors of the tragedy and explains the programme they all put together to help them to get over it. The documentary starts to conclude with how it was a fraud and the truth coming out, then ending with how the woman allegedly committed suicide.

Camerawork
Still steady camera work used on interviews and own material to not annoy the audience, and handheld camera work is used on archive material, such as the news reports. Point of view camera work is also used when traveling down the road, the establish the road.

Mise-en-scene
A blurred background is used to the keep the focus on the interviewee, and also a dark room with light just on the interviewee, which keeps the audience intrigued as its unusual to see this on a documentary. A interview also takes place in a cafe, which reinforces the fact that they are still going about everyday life even after their ordeal.

Sound
The voice of God used is male to match the serious approach to the subject of the documentary. An actor is also to read out emails that are involved in the documentary.

Editing
Cutaways are used during interviews to reinforce the subject of the documentary and helps the audience to understand what is going on. The interviewees swap sides from one interview to another so that the audience can see that it's a different person's interview.

Archive Material
Videos from eye witnesses on the street when the disaster happened are used throughout the documentary, to remind the audience of the horror of the situation. News reports are used and politicians speeches that have been filmed by others for earlier reporting, to explain in more details to the audience. Still images of newspaper articles are also used in the documentary too to help the audience to understand.

Graphics
The name of the programme is under the interviewees name, to remind the audience of the documentary that they are watching.

Genre analysis 'That Thing- Lara Croft'

Type of documentary
Expository

Narrative structure
The documentary starts with introducing the audience to the video game, and it then progresses on to compare the character to barbie. The documentary finishes with the success of the game.

Mise en scene
The game being played is used as the mis en scene, and this is done by the use of blue/green screen with the game put on in the editing process.

Sound
The tune off the game is used whilst interviewing and the male voice over matches the target audience of th documentary.

Editing
The editing of the documentary is fast paced and action packed, by use of lots of short clips one after the other, which symbolises the fast pace of the video game. Blue/green screens are also used on the talking head interviews so that they can change the mise en scene to match the documentary well. Cutaways of the video game are also used, which help to illustrate the points put across in the documentary.

Archive material
Game and film footage are used in the documentary that help the audience to understand the voice over and/or interviewees.

Genre analysis 'The music biz - Marketing Meatloaf'

Type of documentary
Expository and it gives the audience an opinion instead of letting them think fo themselves.

Narrative Structure
The documentary starts talking about the music industry and then moves onto introducing Meatloaf. It then goes on to the making of his video, finishing with his success.

Camerawork
Handheld camerawork is used in the documentary, such as on the red carpet in the opening, this makes the audience feel as if they are there. Point of view camerawork is used in the press conference which helps to engage and involve the audience.

Mise-en-scene
Meatloaf and a Meatloaf cd are imposed onto the background, so that the mise en scene relates to the interview. The journalist is interviewed in an office which shows chaos and makes it look hectic.

Sound
A male voice is used for the voiceover as it is more authorative and it also helps the audience to understand what is being shown on the documentary, such as the archive material. The sound helps to keep the audience excited by using clips of the famous song up to the chorus.

Editing
Cross fades are used to change what the audience sees without confusing them, this is also helped by the interviewees swapping sides from one interview to another, so that they understand it's a different person speaking.

Archive Material
A lot of archive material is used throughout the documentary, such as Meatloaf's performances, music videos and still pictures.

Graphics
The opening sequence is like a music magazine introducing the audience to the documentary and what it is about. 'The Music Biz' also comes up next to the interviewees name/identity, and also displays quotes across the screen.

Genre analysis 'The Devil Made Me Do It'

Type of documentary
It is an expository documentary as it uses the 'Voice Of God' and images that match what is being sad. It is also on after the watershed.


Narrative Structure
The documentary begins with Marilyn Manson and informing the audience of the nun being killed. A quarter of the way into the documentary, the enigma code is answered, and there is also a wide range of interviews. The documentary ends with a closed narrative and it leaves the audiences with no questions.


Camera Work
It begins with an establishing shot of a woman in the graveyard which signifies thatthey have started a new scene. The handheld camera work used symbolises realism e.g. coming cut of the court when a decision hasn't been made.


Mise-en-scene
The mise en scene, when serious journalists are being interviewed, is book and a religious poster. The police officer is interviewed in his office showing that he has authority, and to also reinforce how important he is and his job. The street lights are red, which can connote death. The friends of the three girls are interviewed lounging around and smoking, which reinforces that they aren't as important and how informal they are.


Sound Non diagetic music is soft and mellow to make the audience feel sympathy and the non diagetic sound of a heartbeat adds tension. Sound effects are used whilst the girls are confessing of the sounds that would be heard during the commitment of the crime. The voiceover is male and is low tone which reinforces the seriousness of the documentary and shows authority.

Codes and conventions of documentaries

What is a documentary?

Focuses on and questions actual people and events.Social Context places the audience in a position to form an opinion about who or what we are seeing. Documentaries claim to present factual information about the world. Documentaries use on screen lables such as a person's name to allow the audience to believe that the people they are watching actually exist and the information being conveyed can be trusted.

Documentary makers use many devices when presenting information, such as:

• Record events as they actually occur.
• Information may be presented using visual aid. such as charts and maps.
• Some events may be stages for the camera, e.g. historical.

A documentary crew usually consists of only one camera operator and a sound person, so that they can remain mobile when filming.

Documentary Techniques

There are three main types of documentary:

• Compilation Film - Where the film is made up of an assembly of archive images such as newsreel and footage.
• Interview or "talking heads"- where testimonies are recorded about people, events or social movements.
• Direct cinema- where an event is recorded "as it happens" with minimal interference from the film-maker.

Documentaries often use a narrative form and tell us a story, and need good characters, tension and a point of view. They can be planned or improvised; use a voice-over, use interviews or 'observe'. Modern documentaries are less scripted and appear more observational, resulting in the audience being placed in the position of a voyeur, e.g. watching Big Brother.

Documentaries also use parallelism, asking audiences to draw parallels between characters, settings and situations.

Narration

Documentaries will often have a narrator, a device that enables the audience to receive plot information. The most commonly used is the non-character narrator also known as the "voice of god" who the audience never meet, only hear.

Many documentaries use an "authoritative voice" , who's voice we are already familiar with. Listening to a voice we recognise has the effect of making the audience trust the information that are being given.

Lighting

The source of lighting in a documentary usually originates naturally from the environment its being filmed in.

Camera Work

The most commonly used camera is the hand-held camera - removing the need for a tripod or dolly. The operator does not necessarily want a smooth shot and so using a hand-held camera makes the documentary appear more real.

Editing

Editing is a vital part of any film, but documentary films rely on it. There are several types of edit available:

• Fade out - when an image gradually darkens to blackness.
• Fade in - the opposite of above.
• Dissolve - when the end of the shot is briefly superimposed with te beginning of the next.
• Wipe - when a shot is replaced by another using a line which moves across the screen.

Editing is a way of interpreting an event in an understandable form. It is during the editng process that material is selected, ordered and placed into sequential form.

Sound

Documentaries contain both diegetic sound and non diegetic sound. Diegetic sound is sound present in the recording, and non diegetic sound is edited in e.g. a soundtrack or a sound effect. Documentaries rely heavily on non-diegetic sound to prompt the audience to respond in a certain way.

Documentary Genres

Expository

Characterised by a "voice of god". This directly addresses the viewer. The voice over anchors the meaning of the images being shown and explicitly states the text's preferred meaning.

Observational

This style began with the "Direct cinema" techniques first used in America, where lightweight camera equipment allowed crews to film right where the action was taking place, creating dramatic excitement.Observational narrative avoids voice-over and the camera i as unobtrusive as possible (although it is not hidden).

Docusoaps

The development of the observational genre, docusoaps are a hugely popular hybrid, and a long running documentary, similar to a fictional soap opera. Docusoaps were made possible by light camera equipment which means that the intrusion is minimal and the film-maker becomes part of the story.

Reality TV

This term has become used to describe the most high-impact of the new factual television. The term was first applied to news magazine programmes based around emergency services activities and has subsequently been used to describe talk shows, docusoaps and constructed documentaries such as Big Brother.

Reality Tv is a mix of "raw"m "authentic" material with the seriousness of an information programme and the commercial success of tabloid content. Reality Tv is characterised by:

• Camcorder, surveillance or observational camera work
• First person or eye witness testimony
• Studio or to camera links and commentary from presenters.

Interactive

• This style of documentary acknowledges the presence of the camera and crew.
• It allowed the film maker to speak directly to her/his subjects, generally in the form of an interview. This interaction means that the focus is on the exchange of information.

Drama-documentary

• Reconstruction and re-enactments are as old as documentary itself.
• Reconstruction continues to play a role within much documentary programming. "Crimewatch" is based on reconstructions.

The following distinction may be useful when discussing this genre:

Docudrama - A fictional story that uses the tecniques of documentary to reinforce its claim for realism e.g. The Office.

Dramadoc - A documentary reconstruction of actual events using techniques taken from fiction cinema.

Current Affairs

These are journalist-led programmes whose aim is to address the news and the political agenda in greater depth than the news bulletins allow, e.g. Newsnight.

Documentary Dilemmas

Documentary footage is rarely broadcast unedited and once they have given permission to film, documentary subjects are inthe film maker' hands.

The relationship betweej programme makers and their subjects varies: They can be reporting on their subjeects, investigating them, or observing them where they could either be interpreting what they do and have to say, or arguing their subject's cause.

BBC and ITC guidelines affect the final edit of any programme.

Documentary genres

Expository- 'Voice-of-god' narration directly addressing the viewer. The voice-over anchors the meaning of the images being shown, which are used to illustrate what the narrator is saying and can appear to make the voice-over seen more objective nd honest. They are usually centred arund a problem that needs solving.

Observational ('fly-on-the-wall')

The style began with the 'direct cinema' techniques, where by a lightweight camera equipment allowed crews to film right where the action was taking place creating dramatic excitement.

Observational narrative avoids voice-over or commntary and the camera is as unobtrusive as possible.

Techniques used:

Indirect address to the audience
Diegetic sound (including music)
Relatively long takes, demonstrating nothing has been edited out.
Observational documentaries tend to focus on specific individuals, often durin a crisis or drama.
Events often unfolded infront of the camera and the film-makers have no knowledge of the outcome.
The style dominates television documentaries.
Docucoaps

Docusoaps are a hugely popular hybrid; a long-running documentary series that follows a group of characters chosen for their quirkiness and entertainment value. Their prioritisation of entertainment over social commentary, sets them apart from their predecessors.

They were made possible by lightweight camea equipment.

They have an episodic, soap-like structure, with several interweaving plot lines, involving different characters, which tend to be given about three minutes of air time before moving on to the next. There is a relationship btween characters, film makers and the audience that was new in the history of documentary.

Reality TV

-characterised by a high degree of hybridisation between different programme types.

-factual programming increased between 1989 and 1999, mainly at the expense of sitcoms, game shows and quizzes.

Reality TV is characterised by:

Camcorder, surveillance or observational camera work
First person or eye-witness testimony
Studio or to-camera links and commentary from presenters.
Interactive

The style acknowledges the presence of the camera and crew. It allows the film-maker to speak directly to her/his subjects in the form on an interview mainly, meaning that the focus is on the exchange of information rather than the creation of an objective view.

Drama-documentary

-reconstruction and re-enactments are as old as documentary itself. Drama documentaries arouse much debate because unless based on transcripts, they are even more open to bias and interpretation than other forms of documentaries.

'docudrama'-fictional story that uses techniques of documentary to reinforce its claim for realism.

'dramadoc'-documentary reconstruction of actual events using techniques taken from fiction cinema.

The purpose and effect of the techniques used is more important than the labelling.

Current Affairs

-journalist-led programmes whose aim is to address the news and the political agenda in greater depth than the news bulletins allow. Programmes are organised around a journalist report.

Documentary Dilemmas

-Documentary footage is rarely broadcaste unedited.

-The relationship between programme makers and their subjects varies: they can be reporting on their subjects, investigating them, or observing them.

-Editing is another area of difficulty because any documentary can only be a representation of a particular subject.

Factual accuracy is vital for current affairs documentaries: responsibility to the audienceoutweights responsibility to the subjects of the programme.

Codes and Conventions of a Documentary


Documentaries focus on and question people and events often in a social context making the audience form an opinion about it.

They present factual information about the world.


Documentaries use on-screen labels.

Devices used:

Recorded events as they atually occur

Information presents using visual aids, charts, maps etc.

Events stages for the camera when neccessary.


Three types of documentary:

Compilation film-film is made up of an assembly of archive images such as newsreel and footage.

Interview/'talking heads'-testimoniesare recorded about people, events or social movements.

Direct cinema-where an event is recorded 'as it happens', with minimal intereference from the film-maker.


Documentary techniques:

Narrative form-telling us a story with characters, tension, and a point of view, using improvisation. Modern situations consist of Big Brother.

Parallelism-asking the audience to draw parallels between characters, settings and situations.

Narration-helps the audience receive plot information.

Authoritative voice-Audience listens to a voice they already know, and trust. Normally documentaris use male voices, but recently, specifically with the younger audience, documentaires have introduced the female voice-over.


LIGHTING

The source of lighting in a documentary usually originates naturally from the environment being filmed. Unlike a feature film-maker using additional and manipulated light.


CAMERA WORK

Hand-held camera work is the most commonly used in a documentary, removing the need for a tripod or dolly, using their body for support. This creates a subjective point of view aiming at an intimacy between the audience and the film.



EDITNG

Fade-out-image darkens into blackness gradually.

Fade-in-image lightens from blackness gradually.

Dissolve-end of the shot is briefly superimposed with the beginning of the next.

Wipe-a shot is replaced by another using a line moving across the screen.

Material is selected, ordered and placed into a sequential form ('Mediated').



SOUND

Diegetic sound-comes from within the documentary

Non-digetic sound-comes from outside the film/documentary e.g a soundtrack or narrator