Introduction (from AS to A2)
In the past
year of doing AS media, I was required to produce and create a five-minute
radio news bulletin that includes the criteria of having an OB (outside broadcast), SFX (special sound
effects), specialist reporters, an interview, vox pop and title music. I
worked in a group of three other candidates and we used different platforms and
digital programmes like 'Audacity', 'Camtasia' and 'Garage Band' to complete
the bulletin. In AS there was a lot of primary research to be conducted in
order to find the codes and conventions of a radio news bulletin. I understand
that I will need to have extensive amounts of research
into the genre, narrative,
representation, an insight into the audience and media language. This year
the task for A2 is to create a short documentary on a
real life place or person, this requires learning about camera work and about
angle shots, but the task involves the engagement and excitement of the
audience watching the short
documentary.
Another short documentary that I found dramatic, exciting, yet real is “Patriot”. From the title alone, it provides the audience a brief message into what the documentary is going to be about and the message it holds. This short directed by Eva Riley touches the issues on patriotism in Britain and the prejudice some people hold against gypsies and foreigners. We follow a young girl called Hannah and her adventure to the forbidden part of town where the gypsies stay. There she meets a young boy traveller who follows her and aims to be friends with her, after the two become closer from interacting over playful punching and similar interests. Hannah’s older brother comes in and shouts abuse at the young boy, and he criticises Hannah for being in the same proximity as the boy and being friendly with the foreigner. After her interaction with her brother she gets rattled up and returns back to the boys home with intentions of wrecking the caravan in which he lives, when the boy confronts her over her destructive behaviour she uses a plank of wood and hits the boy, knocking him on the floor in a bloodied state, she leaves the unresponsive boy and returns back to her patriotic family.
This documentary touches down on issues on racial tensions in rural England and the prejudice people have for travellers. It also shows the influence that elders have on young children, as Hannah was filled with false truths and hate towards people she never met, resulting in her having violent interactions and clouded judgement.
From the experience I managed to get a first hand experience of watching a documentary with a niche audience at a specialist facility, and I got to talk to individuals that specialise in the genre of documentaries. This experience helped me understand in more detail the codes and conventions of a real documentary.
Even though, 'Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World' is a documentary film, the codes and conventions of a film documentary still applies to a TV documentary.
The use of search engines are essential in researching about documentaries. However, I wanted a search engine that is not biased and can give me trustworthy pieces of information.
A subtle slider move in an interview can continuously draw the viewer in on the interview, if it is too fast of a slider then it can distract the viewer from the content of the footage. For this move to be executed correctly there will need to be multiple camera men, an assistant will be useful to operate the slider.
2. Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)
This shot is used by documentary filmmakers, most of the time the viewer can hear the interviewer, but the interviewer can also be in the shot.
The over the shoulder shot allows the interviewers back to be seen, but the subject is still the main focus for the viewer, and this shot emphasises the focus on the subject and not the interviewer.
This shot is used in 'Grizzly Man' and film maker Werner Herzog's back can be seen as he is listening to the clip of Timothy Treadwell's audio when he got attacked, his previous girlfriend is in the rest of the frame. Just from the back of Herzog the audience can interpret how he felt towards the audio and his reaction towards it. However, Herzog mentions that she should burn the audio and never listen to it, when he says this the audience can fully see the reaction of the girlfriend. This is a powerful piece of footage and the shot used suits the emotional footage and causes visceral viewing pleasure.
A mid shot shows the subject, but not in full detail, it can be from the torso up. This shot is commonly used in interviews as it gives the viewer the experience of talking to the person in the flesh. Unlike a close up, this shot does not show a lot of emotion, and it works well if the subject is delivering information.
Again this shot is used in 'Grizzly Man' when introducing a new person like Sam Egli. The background he is in represents his role in the film but also his profession. Sam Egli does not show a lot of emotions as he is not close to Timothy Treadwell, therefore the mid shot is the right shot to use as he is simply delivering information.
6. Cutaway (CA)
This is similar to a cutaway, however, it specifically refers to a cutaway of the subject in detail. This can be used to emphasise emotions, like hand movements to show enthusiasm or nervousness.
In the Savile documentary, a victim of Savile is retelling the story of how she got abused by Savile as he crept through her hospital windows when she could not defend herself as her hands were bound. There is a cut in of her hands, both to represent how her hands were bound, but also to represent how she felt at the time. The cut in of her hands show how, still to this day, she is affected by the abuse of Savile, making the audience sympathise with her.
My conclusion is that there are no big differences between
film and TV documentaries, especially in the technological world that we live
in. The one main difference is that the institutions for these two fields are
different. A film documentary might have the institution ‘Lionsgate Films’
supporting it like the documentary ‘Grizzly Man’ had. While a TV documentary,
might have the institute BBC behind it.
This time round Theroux has shown the accounts of multiple victims of Savile and those who knew him, as first time round he failed to represent those who knew Savile and could possibly unveil the truth. Theroux has interviewed countless people who personally knew Savile and worked for him, but he has also shown those who were a victim to his deeds. In one interview with Savile's personal assistant, Theroux asks if she believes that he raped and molested the girls, and she says no. Theroux is seem confused and argues back all the statements from these girls, however, she replies back that they are lies and rumours. This represents how Savile has set up a good and charitable persona in order to hide his malicious intentions, and that even after his death he still has people believing. This represents the two sides of the arguments, even though the narrative of the documentary is mainly based around the character that Savile was.
This is how the TV documentary, print advertisement and radio advertisement were constructed. Construction is the creation of a structure, for example schedule meetings, script writing, drafts and final productions.
Production Team
Jacob Mechan (5074) - camera operator, co-director
Hany Tahir (5119) - director, editor
Niomie Wogan (5124)- interviewer, narrator, co-editor
Audience feedback about documentaries:
From our research we found that documentaries are commonly watched, and that some would be interested in housing documentaries like our own. Some features that interested the audience was having interviews that allowed more insight into housing, but also captivating shots about the housing. We will keep this in mind when filming our TV documentary.
Before filming with Nick, we had to create a brief description of what we wanted the outcome to be in our TV documentary. We came up with a storyboard to portray our ideas and the flow and direction we wanted to take. By having this planning document it allows for a productive and a work driven production group.
First Initial Storyboard
In our first initial meeting, before meeting up with Nick we had a production meeting about what we wanted the documentary to look like. We had a discussion and then presented our ideas out in a common storyboard layout, with illustrations to demonstrate the camera techniques we would like to use. As we have no knowledge of what Nick's estate looks like, we created a brief and simple foundation, that we can later build on with every shooting.
This time instead of primarily just adding the documentary on Youtube, we also uploaded the documentary on the social media platform of Reddit, it is a discussion website where members can submit any content, and ask for content rating. By having two different platforms, it means that more of the target audience will be able to view it and leave feedback about their opinions.
By reviewing the comments it was still clear in the summative feedback that the zooms in were still a problem, and the production team does agree with this problem of the overuse of the zooms in. We first thought of using zooming in and out to emphasis the emotions of the subject, however, the overuse of zooming in can lead to distraction rather than isolation of emotion.
Here is a video that I constructed about the codes and conventions present in our documentary, 'Lifestyle: Guardian'.
I used the basic codes and conventions I had previously found in some existing TV and film documentaries, and have implemented it into our own documentary.
Establishing shot
Cutaways
Cutaways were also used frequently. This was to minimise the use of the zoom ins, but also add a different scene to the audience, creating adversity in the footage.
The two shot
I had some previous experiences with radio, as in AS it was required to create a local radio news bulletin. This means that I know the basic techniques of the sound editing software ‘Audacity, and how to cut away or distort the audio. How to record via a portable microphone, and how to import relevant sound archives. However, this was based on local news and it lasted five minutes, this task requires a 30-40 second audio advertising the main features of the documentary.
Following the code and convention of a documentary film, a key feature in the final production of a film is to advertise it. Advertising allows the film to be broadcast and spread out to the target audiences; this will subsequently mean that more people will want to watch the film, meaning an increase in revenue and profit. Advertising can be done through many forms of media, either word to mouth, or on social media websites like Twitter and Facebook. On the other hand, a more conventional method of print newspapers and radio advertisements can be used.
Key features of a radio advertisement:
I conducted research into the possible approaches to take when recording a radio advertisement, the website www.strategicmediainc.com gave me some information on what to include in the radio advertisement.
Voice over talent- a voice needs to be used that is suited to the topic and the ambiance of the documentary. As radio is a blind medium, this stresses more importance on using the right voice for the film advertisement.
Emotion- a film portrays an emotion, whether that be sadness, shock, or happiness. The advertisement needs to convey this emotion over to the audience; listeners are often reeled in to the emotion of the film, and the ambiance of the advertisement. The listener is also more likely to listen and watch the film if they can relate to the topic, they might want to see an insight into the problem, or the different perspectives available that the documentary film is providing.
Articulation and simplicity- the radio advertisement is limited in time, with a 30-second limit. This means that we need to find ways to convey the message and make an impact with fewer words, the language can be simple in order to broadcast the film, or it can have impact words that correlate with the film.
Interviews and sound archives- the listener wants an insight into the film, especially since the film is a documentary it means it is featured around a topic close to people’s hearts. The listener would want to listen to other people’s view, meaning that short interviews can be conducted to get an opinion. Sound archives from websites or even from recording the natural world can be used to intrigue the listener, and to add other layers of sound to the audio.
Before constructing our own radio advertisement, research was conducted in order to find an example of a radio advertisement. With this example, basic codes and conventions can be formed and can help shape our own 30-40 second radio advertisement.
However, while doing research it was difficult to find any documentary shows that were advertised on radio. Therefore, we took a BBC trailer for Doctor Who, converted the file from an mp4 to an mp3 file. We also found another example of a radio advert on BBC 4, however, this again was not specifically about a documentary show. It was in fact a BBC radio advert about the BBC 4 radio drama 'Tumanbay'.
Example 1: BBC 1 Doctor Who
It is essential to write up a script and run through of the radio advert. This is not only efficient, but it makes it clearer if the script is too wordy, and unable for the listener to follow. We used the website 'Celtx' which is a media pre-production software, and it organize productions.
Draft Script:
A problem with the draft was that it was too long, and ran over the requirement of a 30-40 second radio advertisement. The advertisement also had too many facts in a short amount of time, this can overwhelm the listener, eventually meaning that they will not listen or tune to another station. Unlike other radio advertisements, this draft did not actively involve the listener. Instead of rhetorical questions being used to engage the listener it only gives out statistics. The point of a documentary is to involve the audience, and to make the listener understand the problem or view point of the documentary. It needs to either have emotion or evoke a reaction.
However, a good segment in the draft advertisement was the segment of Nick talking. He is talking about his experiences and the difficulties in his living situation. This segment of the protagonist speaking can add some curiosity to the audience, making them want to find out more.
Final script:
This time round, we changed the script almost completely. Instead of overpacking the short radio advertisement with facts, we changed it to rhetorical questions. This creates the feeling that the advertisement is directly talking to them, and it evokes a reaction and thought. The first couple of questions makes the listener curious and involved. Then we discuss the main protagonist and his living situation, however, we do not reveal too much about the topic of the documentary, this adds a layer of curiosity, which can lead the listener to find out more about the documentary.
Like the draft, we also included a segment of Nick talking. This is because he is the main protagonist and the basis of the documentary. The segment of him speaking is almost emotive as he talks about the difficulties in finding a home, and again can cause the listener to become curious about the topic, as Guardianships is not well known among the majority.
As we are making a print advert, and we decided that it was going to be shown on Channel 4's network, I took some examples and analysed them for key features that not just Channel 4 print adverting uses, but overall the features that can be found in print advertising overall.
Example 1:
Example 2:
Example 3:
documentary.
Primary Research Method
1. Visiting the East End Film Festival
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| The Genesis Cinema where the 'East End Film Festival' took place |
On June 29th, 2016 I visited the Genesis cinema to go to the ‘East End Film Festival’, I attended an event called the “The Mess We’re In” which featured nine short documentaries on topics of “political correctness, modern art, the rise of the EDL and the sexualisation of pop culture”. This event gave me insight into what short documentaries can look like, and the touching topics and hidden messages within the documentary. These filmmakers took different approaches to advertise a message or raise awareness on certain subjects that are being kicked aside and being hidden from the public. Not only was this event insightful but it also gave me a skeleton framework on the topics that I can touch on in my own documentary.
The motivation for going to this Genesis Cinema is to review both film and TV documentaries. Genesis Cinema featured some short TV and film documentaries. A new filmmaker cannot make a contract with TV channels like BBC or Channel 4 without any previous experience. Therefore, previewing their work in events like the 'East End Film Festival' allows them to open up their experiences, but also to gain the opinions of the audience.
The motivation for going to this Genesis Cinema is to review both film and TV documentaries. Genesis Cinema featured some short TV and film documentaries. A new filmmaker cannot make a contract with TV channels like BBC or Channel 4 without any previous experience. Therefore, previewing their work in events like the 'East End Film Festival' allows them to open up their experiences, but also to gain the opinions of the audience.
A Short Guide To Re-Entry
One of the short documentaries featured was called “A Short Guide To Re-Entry” directed by Anwar Boulifa. This short documentary brought light into the serious and harsh reality of prisoners coming back into society and their ‘normal’ life. The documentary featured one main character named Khalid, after being released from prison he attends classes to educate him on how to get back into the community and “fit in”. However, as the camera follows him it is made clear that Khalid feels foreign in his own community, to the point where he results to murdering a man just so that he could feel at home again in the prison, rather than facing the harsh and difficult reality of living his life out in the community.
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| "A Short Guide To Re-Entry" |
Not only did this story entice me due to the story writing and the amazing performance, but also it opened my eyes to the issue that getting out of prison is not always the best solution for some. The skilful camera work captured the moments that Khalid felt the most estranged going back to his own life before prison. The moment that was the most compelling was when Khalid got high after realising that he cannot survive in this world, and the reality that killing another person would reassure his future in prison. The scene where he murdered another man, the camera pans up to the ceiling, saving the audience from viewing the horrors going on. However, the audience did not need to watch the scene going on to know what was happening, it was made clear to the audience Khalid’s actions- this is an example of clever story writing and smart camera work.
Patriot
Another short documentary that I found dramatic, exciting, yet real is “Patriot”. From the title alone, it provides the audience a brief message into what the documentary is going to be about and the message it holds. This short directed by Eva Riley touches the issues on patriotism in Britain and the prejudice some people hold against gypsies and foreigners. We follow a young girl called Hannah and her adventure to the forbidden part of town where the gypsies stay. There she meets a young boy traveller who follows her and aims to be friends with her, after the two become closer from interacting over playful punching and similar interests. Hannah’s older brother comes in and shouts abuse at the young boy, and he criticises Hannah for being in the same proximity as the boy and being friendly with the foreigner. After her interaction with her brother she gets rattled up and returns back to the boys home with intentions of wrecking the caravan in which he lives, when the boy confronts her over her destructive behaviour she uses a plank of wood and hits the boy, knocking him on the floor in a bloodied state, she leaves the unresponsive boy and returns back to her patriotic family.
This documentary touches down on issues on racial tensions in rural England and the prejudice people have for travellers. It also shows the influence that elders have on young children, as Hannah was filled with false truths and hate towards people she never met, resulting in her having violent interactions and clouded judgement.
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| "Patriot" poster |
The background of this documentary was captivating; it not only interested the audience physically in the view, but also mentally and emotionally. This short brought more light into racial tensions, but also the interactions of Hannah and the young boy allured the audience into thinking that it would have a happy ending, however, the dramatic ending left the audience wanting more, and to me, that is what makes a good documentary. A good documentary to me is something that can pull the audience’s attention and heartstrings, make them captivated by the beauty of the film, but also wants them craving for more and asking questions, after all a documentary is something real- not fiction, therefore it should leave the audience thinking.
What does a documentary mean?
A documentary consists of/or is based on official documents. There is also the use of pictures or interviews with people involved in real events to provide a factual report on a particular subject.
Primary Research Methods
2. Visiting the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)
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| The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) |
On November 3rd, I visited the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) to watch the new documentary from filmmaker Werner Herzog called “Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World” where he explores the past, present and future of the Internet, and how it affects the modern society we live in.
The ICA is an artistic centre that specialises in experimental visual art, performances and films that are shown in the two cinemas and theatre that are in the building. It supports radical art and culture through the use of exhibitions, events, debates and even talks where specialists come in.
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| The niche audience present at ICA |
Even though, 'Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World' is a documentary film, the codes and conventions of a film documentary still applies to a TV documentary.
Target Audience
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| A niche audience is associated with a specific topic |
When visiting both the ICA and the Genesis Cinema, we looked at the audiences at these events. We found that there was a difference in a niche audience and mass audience. A niche audience is a smaller market of audience, and it is very specific to the production.
A mass audience, on the other hand, is diversified and large and popular TV and film documentaries attract these types of audiences.
Secondary Research Methods
1. Search Engines
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| The search engine 'DuckDuckGo' |
Although ‘Google’ is the most commonly used search engine with 1.17 billion users, I wanted to extend my horizons and look for another search engine as “Google tracks you” by the use of cookies and using a 'filter bubble' . In my research I found the internet search engine ‘DuckDuckGo’. This certain search engine emphasises on avoiding filter bubbles of personalised previous search results, which can affect the information that is given to me, limiting my research into the topic.
In order to analysis documentaries I needed a platform that provided me a wide range of documentaries that vary in genre and content. This is why I used the popular social platform and video- sharing website of YouTube. YouTube is an open platform that allows users to upload their content, this benefits me as I can watch and analysis content produced by different people, with different topics and of different expertise.
Not only can I learn filming techniques, but I can also look at the comments section and communicate to other users and what they like or dislike about the video. This allows upcoming filmmakers to gain knowledge and real time feedback from users on their content.
Netflix is another platform that I can use as a source to find documentaries. Netflix is an entertainment company that was founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. It streams media and video on demand online. It has different genre categories and the genre I will be focusing on is the documentary category.
Like YouTube, Netflix will give me an in depth knowledge of the different styles of documentaries and the approaches that these documentary film makers take to produce and edit their footage. It will also show me how these film makers interpret the protagonist or topic of their film, and how they will present it to the audience. Unlike YouTube, I feel that Netflix will have a higher quality of documentaries as most of the films on the website come from reliable sources, whereas in YouTube any person can upload content.
2. YouTube
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| YouTube is a useful platform for searching different documentaries |
Not only can I learn filming techniques, but I can also look at the comments section and communicate to other users and what they like or dislike about the video. This allows upcoming filmmakers to gain knowledge and real time feedback from users on their content.
3. Netflix
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| Netflix is one of the platforms I will be using to research documentaries. |
Like YouTube, Netflix will give me an in depth knowledge of the different styles of documentaries and the approaches that these documentary film makers take to produce and edit their footage. It will also show me how these film makers interpret the protagonist or topic of their film, and how they will present it to the audience. Unlike YouTube, I feel that Netflix will have a higher quality of documentaries as most of the films on the website come from reliable sources, whereas in YouTube any person can upload content.
Secondary Research Methods
4. Research into existing documentary directors
In order to create my own documentary on real life or a real person, I first need to analyse and have in-depth knowledge on documentaries and the filmmakers behind these documentaries.
Reggie Yates- TV documentary director
Reggie Yates, who was born on May 31st 1983, he is not only an actor, but also a television presenter and a television director. He has recently established himself as a documentary filmmaker, and has worked alongside BBC creating multiple one hour-long TV documentaries.
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| Just some of Reggie Yates TV documentaries available on BBC |
Instead of the common filmmakers who hardly appear on screen, Yates is the opposite and instead immerses himself into the subject. He has been in prisons, like his TV documentary “Reggie Yates in a Texan Jail”, or “Reggie Yates in the Mexican Drug War” where he joins the Infantry Battalion in Acapulco to investigate the drug cartels.
This is unlike any other documentary filmmaker as he risks his life and there is no barrier between filmmaker and the audience, and it creates verisimilitude. He shows emotion, and adds his own perspective into the story, like “Reggie Yates: Hidden Australia” where he expresses his hatred for the drug ‘Ice’ and how it has ruined people’s lives. He immerses himself into the documentary, and it is clear to see the emotions behind every person he interviews. The production he does is not only engaging but also factual.
Yates also explores different real world problems, he does not focus on a protagonist, instead he focuses on the whole story, and how hate, drugs or violence can affect people. I find Reggie Yates engaging, as he is the new brand of documentary filmmakers- he is young and black, which is a different look to other filmmakers like Louis Theroux, he adds youth to his productions, something that young adults like myself can relate to. Although, Yates does not focus purely on one main protagonist, he still does focus on real life and he does interview people, while using codes and conventions that are relatable to my production, of creating a documentary on a real person.
Werner Herzog- Film documentary director
Werner Herzog was born on September 5th 1942 in Munich Germany; he is a director, producer actor and narrator. The focus of Herzog’s documentaries are people who are in conflict with nature, individuals with unique talents and their journey to follow their dream, or even heroes with impossible dreams. One of best-known documentaries is “Grizzly Man” which is about Timothy Treadwell and his days before he was attacked and killed by a grizzly bear.
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| Documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog |
The reason I have researched into Herzog is that he was quoted saying, “The boundary between fiction and ‘documentary’ simply does not exist”. I find this quote fascinating since the purpose of a documentary is to show real life events and real people with the essential archive or interview for the audience to realise that this piece of work is real and authentic. However, Herzog believes that there is some fiction involved in documentary making, there has even been stories where Herzog would point a gun on the actor Klaus Kinski in order for Kinski to follow directions.
There is also no doubt that Herzog has risked his life in order for his documentaries to continue, in 2005 there was a case where Herzog was being shot by an air rifle, while in an interview with BBC about his recent documentary, ‘Grizzly Man’. Even though this event happened, Herzog believes that risking his life shows effort to the audience and that makes risking his life worthwhile.
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| A still taken from 'Grizzly Man' of Timothy Treadwell, the man who was attacked by the grizzly bear |
However, Herzog does have a commendable trait, and that is brutal honesty. Although, honesty in his field of work does have its positive and negatives, for example, in ‘Grizzly Man’ the individual- Timothy Treadwell- who lost his life to a grizzly bear attack accidentally recorded audio of when he was attacked, Herzog himself listened to the audio and told the ex-girlfriend to never listen to the audio and to burn it. Even though it would make film more exciting, he listened to his heart and not his documentary mind-set.
This concludes my research into Werner Herzog, he has a commendable trait, which is honesty in his field of work, which can sometimes be a vulnerability, but it can also come to his advantage. Herzog’s work is also mesmerising, as he includes long shots of nature with the back sound track of cellos and violins, which is both pleasant for the ears and eyes of the audience. He also focuses on stories that are entertaining and gives an insight into other people and their ambitions in life, or their life story and how committed they were to their dreams or even nature.
What is creativity?
When creating a documentary there is a large aspect of creativity involved. However, it does conclude the question of what is creativity?
Psychologists and theorists Kaufmann and Sternberg came up with theories in which to answer this question. They called it the three-point definition of creativity:
Novelty is involved in creativity, the creative work has to be original and somehow distinctive with the respect to the work it is compared to.
Quality is another aspect. The ideas need to be both original, yet still stick to the genre within it. Although, the ideas are original they still need to be of good quality. This links to the next point of creativity where the ideas need to also be relevant, meaning that the ideas need to useful.
Secondary Research Methods
5. Using theories to understand audiences
As documentary TV film making is for the entertainment of the audience, I first need to understand the audience I am giving the information to and how they will react to the information. Therefore, I have researched into theories of how the audience perceive information.
Stuart Hall: Encoding and Decoding
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| Stuart Hall's model of "Encoding and Decoding" |
Stuart Hall was a sociologist and a cultural theorist that did research on audiences and he came up with theories on how to decode audiences. He developed the model ‘Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse’. This model is on communication and us the theoretical approach into how media messages are produced, publicised and interpreted by the viewer. He later improved on that model and presented a new model, this was based on how the public decodes media messages depending on the individual’s personal experiences, cultural background, ethnicity, and their social and economic standing.
Dominant Reading
This reading is also called the preferred reading. This reading is the most common and widely accepted view on the media message and there are very little misunderstandings between the media station (sender) and the viewer. The viewer agrees completely with the sender without questioning the information given.
Negotiated Reading
Unlike dominant reading, negotiated reading is when the viewer decodes the media message by using their own views on society and the culture around them. The viewer decodes the message in a more personal way, which means that the message decoding is biased. As the message is being decoded more personally compared to dominant reading it means that it can lead to the viewer agreeing or disagreeing with the message.
Oppositional Reading
An oppositional reading is when the viewers decode the message due to their own social beliefs. As the viewer is decoding the message with their own beliefs it results in the viewer disagreeing with the message, or even seeing an unintended meaning of the message, meaning that they reject the message.
Hypodermic Needle Theory
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| The Hypodermic Needle Theory and how it is brainwashing the audience |
This theory was first developed in the 1920s and 1930s because of the World War 1. Propaganda was widely used to corrupt and mold the minds of people in this era. The war is a perfectly good example of the hypodermic needle theory as propaganda was widely used to ‘brainwash’ people into certain beliefs.
Overall, the hypodermic needle theory is a model of communications that suggests that the audience is very passive to the information given to them and that the information is being injected straight to their minds, as the viewer is not active with the information they are given and does not question it.
Cultivation Theory
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| The Cultivation Theory and how it has an influence on the audience which can alter reality |
The cultivation theory was first researched in the 1960s as people were getting concerned with the amount of TV people were consuming, Gerbner and Gross were curios if the amount of time spent in front of the TV affected everyday life and activities. Their results concluded that those who were heavy viewers of TV believed that TV was an accurate depiction of the real world. For example, theorists have used the popular example of studying television violence and how it had a direct correlation to how the viewers viewed the world as a negative and violent environment.
To conclude, this social theory suggests that TV does posses a small amount of influence on the viewers, and that it can influence the viewer’s opinions on society and the people in the real world.
Secondary Research Methods
6. Theorists in Genre Research
a. Stephen Neale
Neale says that “genre are instances of repetition and difference” and that “difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre”. What Neale is trying to say is that genre is defined by how much it conforms to a genre’s stereotype and conventions, it should conform to these conventions enough to be identified in that genre of film. On the other hand, Neale also talks about how a film should also subverts the genre’s stereotypes and conventions. He believes that a film should subvert some stereotypes of the genre so that it is seen as a unique film, and not just a generic film in that genre.
Secondary Research Methods
6. Theorists in Genre Research
a. Stephen Neale
Stephen Neale is a British analytic philosopher born on January 9th 1958. He is also a specialist in the philosophy of language and has written studies on meaning, information, interpretation and communication. Although Neale has written up on multiple theories and studies, the most relevant theory that is useful to documentary filmmaking is his theory on genre.
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| Stephen Neale the analytic philosopher |
b. Rick Altman
Rick Altman is a professor of Cinema and Comparative Literature; he proposed a theory, which had a semantic and syntactic approach to genre in film, which can relate to TV.
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| Rick Altman- professor who came up with genre pleasures |
Semantic in media is about how characters are presented in films through the clothing, speech or even the background music involved in the character. These characters and how they are presented in film adds to the storyline. Syntactic describes the relationship between the character and the setting, but also the structure of narrative in the genre of the film and TV. Furthermore, Altman furthers his research into genre and delves into institutions. He says that some institutions, for example Universal produce and specialise in certain genres. It is well known that Universal has a reputation for creating more family orientated films. However, institutions does dwell into other genres as they need to cater to mass audiences and some genre may be out of date, like Western films.
He also comes up with the theory that genre offers the audience a ‘set of pleasures’. He called these the ‘genre pleasures’ and he came up with three categories. The first being an emotional pleasure, this is the emotional response of the audience from a piece of footage. Visceral pleasure involves how the audience emotionally reacts to the footage and the deep feeling connected to it. Finally, there is an intellectual puzzle, which gives the audience a thrill and pleasure from the unexpected footages.
Secondary Research Methods
7. Theorists in Narrative Research
a. Jean Rouch
Another theorist that is relevant in filmmaking is Jean Rouch who aims to reveal the truth of something via a camera. He combines improvisation and a camera to reveal the subject, which is masked by reality. It’s characterised by reality such as documentary filmmaking which typically avoids artificial content, and is produced with simple equipment such as a single held camera.
Todorov developed a theory on narrative which states that most stories, written or in film and TV follow the same structure and steps. He has created a five-part structure to represent his findings.
1. The first part of the structure is equilibrium. The story starts off happy and the majority of the characters seen are content with their lifestyle.
2. However, equilibrium is then broken, and a disruption occurs, this disrupts the peace and happiness in the beginning.
3. Realisation is next where the characters realise that there is a problem present, causing panic and distress.
4. As the characters realise the problem, it then leads to the mends of it, and restore equilibrium.
5. The final part of the five-part structure is the restoration of equilibrium. After the problem is resolved the characters can go back to happiness and peace, giving the story a happy ending, and normality is restored.
Here is a diagram, explaing Todorov's theory. It is a full cycle theory.
This theory is useful to the production as it analyses the genre of films in general, and it allows thought into the simple structure that our TV documentary can follow.
Barthes was a literary theorist, and he developed a theory on narrative and created a series of narrative codes. He used these codes to interpret media narratives, and that media texts and productions uses this code at least once.
Proairetic Code- this is known as the ‘empirical voice’ as it builds up suspense, leaving the audience wondering about what is going to happen. This is traditionally used for escapism to entertain audiences.
Semantic Code- the ‘voice of the person’, are elements of a media text that can be implied or suggest additional meaning. These are called semes, and they connote extra meaning aside from literal denotation.
Symbolic Code- this is similar to semantic code, however, it organises semantic meanings into more in-depth meanings. Symbolic codes are called signifiers and are used to convey meaning by emphasising either tension or contrast. This code is most commonly called as ‘the voice of symbols’.
Cultural or Referential Code- this code is ‘the voice of science’ as it looks at the scientific, historical and cultural reference to a media text or production. It looks at the audience’s wider ideology and morality.
Roland Barthes narrative theory. He describes the structural analysis of the narrative by
viewing it as being reflective of linguistic structure. The syntagmatic x-axis is the relationship
between two or more linguistic units used to make formed structures. The paradigmatic y-axis
denotes the relationship between a set of linguistic items that form mutually exclusive
choices in syntactic roles.
7. Theorists in Narrative Research
a. Jean Rouch
Another theorist that is relevant in filmmaking is Jean Rouch who aims to reveal the truth of something via a camera. He combines improvisation and a camera to reveal the subject, which is masked by reality. It’s characterised by reality such as documentary filmmaking which typically avoids artificial content, and is produced with simple equipment such as a single held camera.
b. Tzvetan Todorov
Todorov developed a theory on narrative which states that most stories, written or in film and TV follow the same structure and steps. He has created a five-part structure to represent his findings.
1. The first part of the structure is equilibrium. The story starts off happy and the majority of the characters seen are content with their lifestyle.
2. However, equilibrium is then broken, and a disruption occurs, this disrupts the peace and happiness in the beginning.
3. Realisation is next where the characters realise that there is a problem present, causing panic and distress.
4. As the characters realise the problem, it then leads to the mends of it, and restore equilibrium.
5. The final part of the five-part structure is the restoration of equilibrium. After the problem is resolved the characters can go back to happiness and peace, giving the story a happy ending, and normality is restored.
 |
| Here is a diagram, explaing Todorov's theory. It is a full cycle theory. |
Todorov argues that this narrative constitutes a transformation as the characters are transitioning through the story, and resolving the disruption allowing the characters to develop. This structure is very traditional and can be seen in most movie productions, and it is applied to mainstream film and TV narratives.
This theory is useful to the production as it analyses the genre of films in general, and it allows thought into the simple structure that our TV documentary can follow.
c. Roland Barthes
Barthes was a literary theorist, and he developed a theory on narrative and created a series of narrative codes. He used these codes to interpret media narratives, and that media texts and productions uses this code at least once.
Hermeneutic or Enigma code- this is a number of mysteries that can be solved by/ for the audience. It provokes curiosity and unanswered enigmas frustrate the audience. This can also be known as ‘the voice of the truth’ as it avoids telling the truth, creating mystery.
Proairetic Code- this is known as the ‘empirical voice’ as it builds up suspense, leaving the audience wondering about what is going to happen. This is traditionally used for escapism to entertain audiences.
Semantic Code- the ‘voice of the person’, are elements of a media text that can be implied or suggest additional meaning. These are called semes, and they connote extra meaning aside from literal denotation.
Symbolic Code- this is similar to semantic code, however, it organises semantic meanings into more in-depth meanings. Symbolic codes are called signifiers and are used to convey meaning by emphasising either tension or contrast. This code is most commonly called as ‘the voice of symbols’.
Cultural or Referential Code- this code is ‘the voice of science’ as it looks at the scientific, historical and cultural reference to a media text or production. It looks at the audience’s wider ideology and morality.
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| Roland Barthes narrative theory. He describes the structural analysis of the narrative by viewing it as being reflective of linguistic structure. The syntagmatic x-axis is the relationship between two or more linguistic units used to make formed structures. The paradigmatic y-axis denotes the relationship between a set of linguistic items that form mutually exclusive choices in syntactic roles. |
Secondary Research Methods
8. Camera Angles and Techniques
As we are creating a documentary, there are new skills that need to be learnt. The essential skill that needs to be learnt is camera work. As a group we need to understand different camera angles in order to create visually stimulating content for the audience. However, learning camera angles are not only visually interesting and stimulating, but it is also essential that we learn why filmmakers use certain angles, and the meanings behind it, as camera angles are used in film and TV productions in order to express emotions of the individual, but it is also used to express ideas and movement.
Techniques
Sliders
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| The use of a slider for a more stimulating interview |
There are handheld sliders, but there are also dollys that allow for the same movement, and does not need to be operate by someone, it is also more precise and shaky with the angle, however this type of operation is expensive for independent filmmakers.
Using a b-camera
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| The use of b-cameras allow for more content and use of transitions |
A b-camera is shooting with two different cameras; however, this depends on how comfortable the interviewer is with the cameras. If a b-camera is not used then there will need to be more shooting and editing to do in order to create cohesive and fluid content. However, if there is a b-camera then there can be multiple angles taken at the same time, which allows for more content and alternative angles to be taken. For example, if the interviewer uses fillers like “um” then these fillers can be edited out, and a b-camera can be used to replace the original shot, so that the footage is fluent and it does not distract the viewer.
Camera Shot Types
1. Close Up (CU)
The subject takes up the whole frame, this allows the viewer to see the emotional state of the subject as it exaggerates the facial expressions of the subject. This draws the viewer in as they are in the subject's personal space where the subject can share their feelings.
2. Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)
This shot is typically used as the establishing shot, it shows the location of the filming, and it takes up the whole frame, the subject is not visible. This can then lead to a very wide shot (VWS) that emphasis on the location but the subject is barely visible, allowing the viewer to look at the surroundings.
3. Over the Shoulder Shot (OSS)
This shot is used by documentary filmmakers, most of the time the viewer can hear the interviewer, but the interviewer can also be in the shot.
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| Over the shoulder shot from 'Grizzly Man' |
This shot is used in 'Grizzly Man' and film maker Werner Herzog's back can be seen as he is listening to the clip of Timothy Treadwell's audio when he got attacked, his previous girlfriend is in the rest of the frame. Just from the back of Herzog the audience can interpret how he felt towards the audio and his reaction towards it. However, Herzog mentions that she should burn the audio and never listen to it, when he says this the audience can fully see the reaction of the girlfriend. This is a powerful piece of footage and the shot used suits the emotional footage and causes visceral viewing pleasure.
4. Weather Shot
This specific shot can be used as a transition between frames or even an establishing shot. This shot creates fluid content and it is also visually stimulating for the viewer because the sky takes 2/3 of the frame, and it can create a general mood for the documentary.
5. Mid Shot (MS)
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| Mid shot still taken from 'Grizzly Man' |
Again this shot is used in 'Grizzly Man' when introducing a new person like Sam Egli. The background he is in represents his role in the film but also his profession. Sam Egli does not show a lot of emotions as he is not close to Timothy Treadwell, therefore the mid shot is the right shot to use as he is simply delivering information.
6. Cutaway (CA)
A cutaway can be used to show something else rather than the subject, or it can be shots that are relevant to what the subject is talking about, this creates interest for the viewer as the footage is more stimulating.
7. Cut-In
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| Cut In taken from 'Savile' where a victim is recalling a story |
In the Savile documentary, a victim of Savile is retelling the story of how she got abused by Savile as he crept through her hospital windows when she could not defend herself as her hands were bound. There is a cut in of her hands, both to represent how her hands were bound, but also to represent how she felt at the time. The cut in of her hands show how, still to this day, she is affected by the abuse of Savile, making the audience sympathise with her.
Analysing TV Documentary and Documentary Film
Before analysing and watching TV documentaries, I need to
ask myself what is a TV documentary. At first the answer to this question is
simple, with it being content that is uploaded onto television. However, film
documentaries appear on TV schedule, which complicates the line between film
and TV documentaries. There is also the added layer of confusion as the
Internet has remodelled the idea of TV. Now, TV programmes and documentaries
can be accessed through online platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
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| Lionsgate Films supported "Grizzly Man" making it a film documentary |
My research has shown that documentaries can vary in the
length time, for example there are short documentaries like “I Was Born On One
Born’ on Channel 4, which only runs for under 8 minutes, on the other hand,
there are documentaries like “Making A Murderer” which has a running time of
around 10 hours in total, as it is episodic. However, a typical TV documentary can run
for about an hour like “Reggie Yates: Hidden Australia” on BBC.
However, it can be argued that because a film documentary
appears on a TV format, it does not entirely make it a TV documentary. This is why
I have used both online platforms, specifically Netflix, where I found some TV
documentaries like “Grizzly Man”, and I have also used the typical TV channels
like BBC and Channel 5 to find other documentaries. This means that I can
analyse both TV and film documentaries and compare the differences and
similarities.
Overall, there's no real distinction between either TV or film documentary. Both share the same codes and conventions of using archive footage or images, having interviews, using diegetic and non-diegetic sound, having a narrator guiding the story, and capturing interesting content- whether that be a main protagonist or how a topic is affecting a vast number of people. Although, some key differences is that the budget is different. In TV documentaries the budget is relatively lower, while film documentaries have a relatively higher budget and a bigger production value.
Overall, there's no real distinction between either TV or film documentary. Both share the same codes and conventions of using archive footage or images, having interviews, using diegetic and non-diegetic sound, having a narrator guiding the story, and capturing interesting content- whether that be a main protagonist or how a topic is affecting a vast number of people. Although, some key differences is that the budget is different. In TV documentaries the budget is relatively lower, while film documentaries have a relatively higher budget and a bigger production value.
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| The documentary Blackfish |
Film Documentary - Blackfish
Gabriela Cowperthwaite directs Blackfish, and it focuses on the story of an orca named Tilikum who is held captive at SeaWorld, and the killings that took place. It was premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2013 and was later released on a wider scale by Magnolia Pictures and CNN Films, which led to the nomination of the documentary for the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary. I found this documentary on the internet platfom 'Netflix' but it can still be applied to TV documentary, even if not shown on a convention TV set.
Genre
This type of film documentary is a science and nature documentary, because it focuses on aspects of the nature and biology of a killer whale, but also the psychological side of these whales especially Tilikum and what led him to kill.
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| Kelly Clark lying about the behaviours of Tilikum |
However, it is also arguable that this documentary has multiple political arguments. For instance, one of the main topics of ‘Blackfish’ are the lawsuits against SeaWorld, and how Kelly Clark, who is the SeaWorld Head Trainer, lied about the involvement of SeaWorld when the death at Loro Parque submerged. In addition, Kelly Clark, while in court also stated that Tilikum was not violent and could never harm or kill a trainer, even though there were several cases that showed otherwise. There were also several news stories that stated that Dawn Brancheau, a trainer at SeaWorld who lost her life to Tilikum, died as she slipped and drowned. Then there were new stories that said that Tilikum grabbed her ponytail and that it was evidently Dawn’s fault, placing the blame on her, as SeaWorld did not want to stop selling the image of friendly orca and have declining sales in tickets. When in fact, Tilikum grabbed her arm and pulled her down, eventually killing her.
This documentary not only documents the history of Tilikum and his reasons for killing, but it also focuses on the bold lies told from SeaWorld in order to cover their reputation and their image. This means the documentary also features political standing, about nature.
Narrative
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| One of the interviews that took place showing the opinions from a former trainer |
Throughout the whole film, Cowperthwaite shows her narrative of the film. The beginning scene is a trainer from SeaWorld calling the police about the death of a trainer who was eaten by the whale. This lets the audience know from the beginning the common thread that is running through the film. It later goes on to multiple interviews with former trainers at SeaWorld and how they were first interested in that lifestyle, while the interviews are going on she uses appropriate images and videos that correspond to what the trainers are saying to make the footage visually stimulating and to keep the audience interested.
The change of topic is presented through the three-second plain black screen. The narrative of the film goes from focusing to the former trainers, to the story of how orcas are captured and the inhumane methods used. It then goes on to some deaths and incidents where Tilikum has injured and killed trainers, to the appropriate lawsuit and cover up by SeaWorld of these violent events. There is a clear pattern and narrative involved throughout.
In addition, Cowperthwaite has cleverly displaced any wrong information with the right. For example, an orca researcher states that in the wild orcas can live up to 100 years old, while in captivity they only live up to around 25 years, and it cuts to footage of SeaWorld workers telling the touring public that even in the wild they live up to 25 years. The filmmaker scribbles out the false information for the audience and instead uses legitimate figures to say otherwise. There is also a clear message that SeaWorld is not a good organisation as it abuses these animals to their will, and reports incorrect information to both the public and media.
Representation
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| Trainer Dawn Brancheau who was killed |
The main death that caused uproar and change was Dawn Brancheau, SeaWorld tried to depict that it was in fact her fault when it wasn’t, this is why the film maker has gotten footage taken from the moment of her death, but also colleagues of her that are able to give credible information. Also, there is representation that SeaWorld is not a humane place as there are interviews and accounts of abuse shown to the animals, and the conditions they are placed in that cause to the premature death of orcas. There is also clear information that SeaWorld has tried to mask incidents by lying about it, or denying involvement, for example with the death at Loco Parque even though they supplied the orcas. This shows to the audience that SeaWorld is not a trusted place.
Furthermore, there are multiple background music playing to represent the tone of the footage, for example, during the extraction of the young orcas from their natural habitat violins are heard in the background giving a certain atmosphere and feel of the footage. Music is also used to distinguish between the USA and Spain where the death at Loco Parque took place, the transition from US to Spain was represented through the Spanish background music.
Audience
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| Teeth marks from other orcas showing the abuse of whales |
Learning from Rick Altman’s theory on pleasures, I am now able to identify the pleasures present. Throughout the whole documentary, there is emotional pleasure. This is shown through the story of how a mother whale gave birth to her calve in captivity, however, the calve was disturbing the show from going on so it was decided by management that the calve would be separated, even though in the wild they would be side to side constantly. Once the calve was removed the usually non-verbal mother starting to verbally scream for her calve and was giving long distance calls, the only way to call this emotion is grieve. This is emotional for the audience as they can physically see the sorrow in the mother’s body language, but also the tears and emotion present in the trainers reporting the story, this is visceral pleasure, as there is footage available of the distraught mother shown.
There is also intellectual pleasure which gives the audience a thrill form unexpected footage, as there are footages of near to death experiences of some trainers, or the death and blood of an orca, which the audience has probably never seen before.
Media language
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| Close up shot to show emotion |
The filmmaker has used a wide variety of shots and camera angles to represent emotion to the audience. During the interview with the wife of a deceased trainer, there are close ups of the crying wife to represent her emotions of her husband. The interviews also take a normal mid shot and the interviewer is shown in two thirds of the frame to create for more visually stimulating footage. Following the codes and conventions, the name and profession of those being interviewed are shown on screen to represent to the audience their role in the film. This is an example of the use of texts.
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| Animations used to picture it out to the audience |
Animations and graphics were also used to show certain stories, for example, the separation of whales that have children and do not in order to fool those hunting them down. Newspaper clippings and animation of flipping papers were used to show the multiple pages of incidents where whales have attacked their trainer.
TV Documentary- Savile
Documenter Louis Theroux has uploaded a newer version and insight into the entertainer Jimmy Savile. In 2000, he documented his experience with the then alive Savile and the relationship that they shared. However, with the passing of Savile, stories surfaced of his paedophilic tendencies. I found this documentary on BBC 2, a so-called convention TV channel.
Genre
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| Opening title screen to BBC documentary by Louis Theroux |
From watching the Savile documentary, I found it odd that Louis Theroux, a documentary filmmaker and interviewer is in front of the screen, rather than behind the camera, which follows the common code and convention of documentaries. In addition, Theroux took another odd perspective into documentary filmmaking; he redid his documentary on Jimmy Savile. In 2000, he made a documentary with Jimmy Savile called “When Louis Met Jimmy” but his recent documentary focuses on new aspects of the man he thought he knew, and how he actually was. Overall, Theroux’s documentaries focuses on following him through his adventures and meeting people, it is a more personal level of documentaries where the filmmaker is seen interacting with the individuals.
Narrative
 |
| Archive audio of BBC Radio Show to help narrate the story, and use it as a transition from one topic to the next. |
From the beginning, Theroux focuses on how he previously released a documentary about his time with Savile, and how his death triggered the release of stories about his paedophilic and disturbing past. There is a clear narrative throughout of how Theroux wants to displace the lies told by him through Savile with the truth revealed after his passing.
Theroux has multiple voice-overs running through the film depicting how the world saw Savile and the clean image that Savile tried to broadcast, however, these lies were soon addressed and Theroux seeks out the truth, using footage from his previous documentary with Savile to try to show the monster he truly was.
Representation
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| The true representation of Savile and how he broke down physical barriers |
As a documentary filmmaker, it is their responsibility to present true information to the public in order to inform the public correctly. However, with Theroux’s first documentary, he failed to represent to the audience the true nature of Savile, as the man himself told him lies. This is why he felt the duty to carry out another documentary, in order to represent Savile as the man he truly was.
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| Shown is Savile getting undressed in front of office women, and using inappropriate sexual language when talking to them |
Audience
 |
| Close up shot of one victim and the emotional trauma caused |
In relation to falsely representing Savile, he is accidentally doing an injustice to the audience watching, as he is feeding them lies. This is why second time round he has fulfilled his role as a documentary filmmaker. In addition, this documentary focuses on victims of Savile and they provide Theroux with personal details of how they were sexually assaulted, and even to this day, two decades later, there is a clear sign of how they are affected.
One victim gives an account of how Savile ran into her hospital room and proceeded to assault her with his mouth, while she was defenceless. There has been edited pictures of Savile where is he seen looking directly at the screen, almost giving the audience member an account of how the victim felt when Savile scoped her out, this is an example of visceral pleasure. There are also times where a victim is giving a detailed account to Theroux but he asks, “Are you okay?” “Do you want to stop?”, and it is clear how disgusted and emotionally hit Theroux feels towards the stories given, giving the audience emotional pleasure. But it also shows how affected the interviewer, who is usually distant with the interviewee, feels towards the story, and if the interviewer is asking for the interview to stop then it shows how even those who are supposed to be unconnected and professional are affected, indicating to the audience how real these stories and emotions are.
Media Language
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| The sources of the archives shown in the credits |
In the film, there are multiple examples of a variety of shots used. There are countless close ups of both Theroux and those he is talking to as they are both seen emotionally distraught, this gives a clear view of the emotions broadcasted. Theroux also dives into footages from his previous documentary, but also unseen footages that show Savile in more light with the accounts given. This is a code and convention of documentaries to use archives as relevant cut screens to interest the audience into what they are saying.
Theroux has also used voiceovers and audio from interviews, overlaying the audio onto either photos or videos. He has also used the BBC archive to pull out clips of radio show broadcasts relevant to Savile. Theroux does not use the popular interviewing technique of the interviewer behind the camera, or only the back of the interviewer to be shown, but instead Theroux is in front of camera, and it is a two person shot. This is because Theroux shows a more personal side to his documentaries, he does not only observe them, but he also becomes close to them over time, and connects to them on a personal and intimate level.
Understanding the Codes and Conventions of Documentaries
Before creating my own documentary, I first need to understand the codes and conventions of a documentary, and the features that are most commonly used in a documentary. After analysing the TV documentaries like 'Reggie Yates Hidden Australia' and film documentaries like 'Making a Murderer', and conducting my own research I came up with some basic codes and conventions used.
Interviews
To create an authentic documentary there needs to experts involved in the particular field, this adds authenticity to the documentary as a legit profession is talking about it, this gives more truth to the topic they are discussing. Interviews can also involve people or passers by in a certain event, this is still legitimate since they were involved in the situation.
Real footage of events/people
A documentary features real people and events taken place; this means that there can be no fabrication of the footage as it defeats the purpose of a documentary, as it is a non-fiction genre. However, some techniques can alter the realism of the footage as the footage can be edited by using voice overs to manipulate the footage.
Technicality of realism
This includes the use of ‘natural’ sound and lighting. This is when the camera operator uses the environment around them to shoot with; this immerses the audience into the scene due to its authenticity and realism. This is an example of visceral pleasure because the audience feels deeply connected to the scene as it is authentic and real, there are no fancy effects involved in the footage that can distract the audience from the realness of the footage.
Archive footage or pictures
There are instances in shooting where the filmmaker cannot record the shot they need, therefore, they can look at archives of the footage or pictures they need in order to assist them in the production. An example of this code and convention in action is in Werner Herzog's documentary 'Grizzly Man'. Throughout the voice overs and duration of the documentary Herzog uses the footage shot from Timothy Treadwell as he wonders through the land of the grizzly bears. By using Treadwell's archive footages it creates visceral pleasure viewing as the audience feels emotionally connected to the footage as it was Treadwell's last footage before he was attacked.
Graphics
Graphics are used as a code and convention of documentaires as it makes it an easier viewing pleasure for the audience. Graphics include text and pictures that feature information about the documentary, or name tags to identify characteristics. For example, in 'The Carter' Lil Wayne documentary there are graphics used throughout to represent names and dates that are essential and relevant to the footage.
Voice overs
In many documentaries, voice overs are used to create a more obvious narrative throughout the production. The voice over is commonly more authoritative which encourages the audience to think in a certain way and direct the audience into the mind-set of the filmmaker and the message they want to portray.
Sound
In the editing process, there can be non-diegetic sounds included, for example music to create a bridge through scenes, taking the example of ‘Grizzly Man’ by Werner Hezorg he uses the sounds of violins and cellos to accompany Timothy Treadwell through the wilderness, this creates a very ambient sound experience and viewing.
CONSTRUCTION
Documentary
For our documentary we have to create a short documentary on a real life place or person. First we assigned roles. The basic roles we knew were camera operator as this was a physical and visible production, therefore the shots need to look good. There also needs to be an editor who can put the shots together to create a fluent piece of work. A director is also necessary for structure and for a visual transition from storyboard to screen. An interviewer and narrator are also necessary in TV documentary for narrator and guide during the production.
Production Team
Jacob Mechan (5074) - camera operator, co-director
Hany Tahir (5119) - director, editor
Niomie Wogan (5124)- interviewer, narrator, co-editor
Initial Ideas
Before filming the production and the 5-minute segment from
our documentary, we first thought of ideas that the film could be based on.
My idea was about a man called Nick that my family knew. My mum
knows his mum and frequently talks about how odd his lifestyle is. He is
constantly moving from one location to the other, and has moved houses multiple
times. This sparked my interest as to why this middle class white man is
constantly moving, and living- in the opinions of others- an unstable
lifestyle. I pitched this across, and at first, the production team was hesitant,
as we did not know if he would agree to be filmed.
After getting his email from my mum, and after a few emails
were sent back and forth about Nick’s living situation, I found that he lives
the lifestyle he does to save money, but also to explore London.
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| Email sent to Nick asking about his living situation |
He called
himself a ‘guardian’ as he is part of the association called ‘Live in Guardians’.
I researched more into this and found the website www.liveinguardians.com. I
found some interesting information about the cost of housing as a guardian
compared to regular housing prices and this intrigued my group and me, as we
had never heard of this association before, meaning that we can inform the
audience of this different style of lifestyle.
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| Nick's email back describing briefly about being a guardian, and agreeing to be filmed |
I asked Nick if we could film
his unique style of living and he agreed, so we set up a date to film and
constructed some questions to ask him.
Understanding Audience
After we found an idea of what the TV documentary could be based on, which was the issue of housing, we thought it necessary to find a target audience. Housing does interfere with everyday living, and has no one population that isn't affected by housing. This is why we picked the target audience of 18 year old to over 50 year old.
The reason why this age group was suitable was because young adults are venturing into the university lifestyle and will soon need to find housing, however, with the rising costs of tuition it might make it difficult to afford housing. For 50 year old, the majority of this age group would have settled down, however, there is still the issue of a rising economy and this does effect the housing prices. We wanted to inform these age groups of the housing issue, and hopefully an alternative to a conventional living home.
The production team asked some members of the audience about documentaries, and there were also some questions about specially their feelings towards housing documentaries.
Questions asked:
The reason why this age group was suitable was because young adults are venturing into the university lifestyle and will soon need to find housing, however, with the rising costs of tuition it might make it difficult to afford housing. For 50 year old, the majority of this age group would have settled down, however, there is still the issue of a rising economy and this does effect the housing prices. We wanted to inform these age groups of the housing issue, and hopefully an alternative to a conventional living home.
The production team asked some members of the audience about documentaries, and there were also some questions about specially their feelings towards housing documentaries.
Questions asked:
- Do you watch documentaries
- How often do you watch them
- Would you feel interested in watching a documentary that finds an alternative for expensive housing prices?
- What would make it interesting?
Audience feedback about documentaries:
Storyboard
Before filming with Nick, we had to create a brief description of what we wanted the outcome to be in our TV documentary. We came up with a storyboard to portray our ideas and the flow and direction we wanted to take. By having this planning document it allows for a productive and a work driven production group.
First Initial Storyboard
 |
| The original storyboard |
In our first initial meeting, before meeting up with Nick we had a production meeting about what we wanted the documentary to look like. We had a discussion and then presented our ideas out in a common storyboard layout, with illustrations to demonstrate the camera techniques we would like to use. As we have no knowledge of what Nick's estate looks like, we created a brief and simple foundation, that we can later build on with every shooting.
From conducting our research into TV documentaries, we found that most of them either had a stationary camera, with the subject in 1/3 of the frame, this sets for a serious piece of footage. The other common feature used in TV documentaries was a follow around camera, following the subject, creating for a lighter tone, and a more friendly one. We decided on the first technique, as we wanted to talk about housing, and the impact it was having in today's society.
These are the questions we decided on when we had the production meeting before meeting Nick. Apart from my knowledge from the website www.lifestyleguardian.com, and the transaction of emails between Nick and I, I had little idea of what to base the questions on.
In the first encounter with Nick, I decided to stick with brief and basic questions, when listening to his answer I would play off his words and come up with questions that fit well with the topic at hand. This means that I would have some foundation about what to talk about with Nick, but otherwise it would be off script.
Creation of planning documents were key as it allowed for an efficient working environment and organisation. We planned out filming dates, and what we would be filming, alongside production meetings about the progress of our productions, and what we can involve on.
Having these production team meetings were essential, as we all had different ideas and direction about the narration of the documentary. These meetings allowed us to talk through the ideas and decide whether they were do able or not. Not only was it effective and efficient but it also allowed for more flow of creativity.
Planning Document 1
Nick was more than willing to shoot again with us, and we worked around his schedule as he was going away that month, so we constructed an idea around him.
Before our first initial ideas we had already given production roles out. As the only female in the group, it was fitting for me to interview Nick, and overall to voice over the documentary. The reason why we had my voice narrating and asking the questions is because Nick is male, while I am female. The combination of our voices create balance, and a woman's voice adds a tone of warmness.
As I interviewed Nick, and my voice can clearly be heard in the documentary behind the screen, it would only be fitting to have my voice narrating the documentary. This would create synergy and it allows for continuity between the on screen production and the off screen editing.
A narrator is a code and convention of a TV documentary, and majority of the time it is used to explain more of the story, fill in cutaways and give direction to the documentary, and the views presented. The narrator plays a big role in a documentary, and sets a tone throughout the documentary.
Voice over script
Draft Storyboard
Before our draft storyboard, we created a first initial storyboard. However, when it came to filming, we found that we didn't agree with the storyboard, and it did not convey the protagonist Nick, in the light and spirit that he is. In the first initial meeting with Nick, he was very talkative and light hearted, but by having him stationary throughout the majority of the documentary, it did not link with his character.
After meeting and getting to know Nick and the subject of housing,we changed the storyboard to adapt this new knowledge.
Since we knew the estate more, we wanted to play around with the different locations, and this time, instead of Nick being stationary- confiding him to one location- we instead made him stand, so that he would be more at ease and natural. The editor and I also thought that more cutaways could be used, in order to create a professional look, but to also create an engaging piece of work.
I emailed Nick again about re shooting in order to capture more the essence of Nick, and what he believes in, but also to capture more cutaways from the first initial shooting.
Draft Documentary
After our first edit of the documentary on the software 'Premier Pro', we uploaded the draft of our documentary online on the platform 'YouTube'. Youtube is video-sharing platform, and 1.3 billion users, with amost 5 billion videos being watched daily. We thought that YouTube was a suitable platform to first reveal our documentary and let users comment on what they like or dislike about it. This can then be used to improve the documentary and any faults with it.
Feedback is information about reactions to a media product, people give information out on how they feel about that specific media product. The information given back will be used as a basis for improvement of the product. Feedback can be given through social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube by commenting, or through print newspapers.
The type of feedback we received was formative feedback. This is because the documentary is still yet to be completed. We read all the comments and used it to improve our documentary to make it both visually stimulating, but also educational, and to inform the audience with the right amounts of information.
Final Storyboard
Due to filming with Nick a total of two times beforehand, we had a good understanding of what shots worked with Nick, and what footage and questions portrayed the subject of housing effectively.
However, after reading the formative feedback, it was clear that there were some issues with the zooming in and out. Therefore, I emailed Nick again to ask him to reshoot in order to gain more footage. When Nick emailed back he discussed how the current estate he was living in ‘The Clipper’ had been knocked down and he had moved away to a new property.
Due to this problem it meant that we could not record any more cutaways or footage, so with the footage that we had Hany and I tried our best to minimise the use of zooming in and out with relevant cutaways.
This is how we changed the storyboard, it wasn't through new footage as we could not obtain anymore footage, but instead it was through the change of the editing. As zoom ins were a big problem, we tried our best to counteract this by using cutaways. More information was added to the storyboard in relation to the addition of voice overs, and the overall editing flow of the documentary.
Final Documentary
In this final production, Hany and I thought that it would be fitting to include a colour gradient. As we filmed footage both outside and inside, it means that the colour and lighting are different in footages, as it was external light. However, as the production team decided that this would be a serious topic about the rising costs of housing and also homelessness, we thought that a colour gradient would be needed.
Having a colour gradient means that all the footage looks like same, creating synergy throughout the whole piece. After experimenting with the saturation we picked was a blue tone. A tone is a basic underlying colour of the primary colour blue, but it has grey added, creating for a less vibrant colour- something that we wanted.
The colour blue has connotations of intelligence, which Nick does have, but it also has connotations of trust, which is something that the audience can do when they watch our production, as we have given the correct statistics.
A keyframe is used to change or alter the properties of both audio and video effects. A keyframe allows for a change in balance or volume, and can create a more desired effect.
In our documentary, this was effectively useful as it meant for the adjustment in the audio, especially when outside, as there were some other noises present. Both J-cuts and L-cuts were used, a J-cut is used when there is no audio playing in the clip, while an L-cut is for the creation of an audio drop before a clip starts, it creates flow and smoothness for the audience.
Filmstro is a feature of Premier Pro and it creates soundtracks, something that we found useful when creating our track for the production. Music sets a tone from the start, and can be a sound signifier to the audience about the documentary.
On Filmstro there were some pre assigned categories that Hany and I listened to. However, we found that the section named 'Science and Documentary' was the most useful. There was some conflict between Hany and I as I thought the sound track named 'Franklin' was suitable to the documentary as it had violin strings that emphasised the struggle of Nick, and others who can't find housing. In the end, we agreed to 'Dinlas' which had a more gentle bass foundation. 'Franklin' was not picked as it was too serious and almost set an eery tone, which was not the intention of the documentary.
We wanted to create a more muted sound track that was not distracting to the audience, but instead accompanied the narrative of the documentary.
After Effects was used for the creation of graphics. However, we did not have a lot experience and expertise with this software, therefore we were limited in our creativity. In addition, TV documentaries do not commonly have a lot of graphics, and if there are any graphics it is simple and easy.
In the opening scene of the documentary, Nick is walking around in his garden and then it stops to a still image of Nick and the title screen. We wanted to emphasis who Nick was so we masked out the background and cut him into a blue background. Blue was an appropriate colour to pick as it matched the colour scheme of the 'Live In Guardians' sign, and we wanted to introduce this link.
The title is in big bold letters to allow the audience to know the name, and the burst of colour leaves more for the audience to remember. When creating the title screen, I thought of instead of using the letter A for Nick's last name, I thought to incorporate an icon of a house to add to the mise en scene of housing, and the lifestyle Nick lives.
Interview Questions
- How did you first find out about Live In Guardians?
- How long have you been a guardian?
- Why did you chose to be a guardian?
- What are the advantages of being a guardian?
- What are the disadvantages of being a guardian?
These are the questions we decided on when we had the production meeting before meeting Nick. Apart from my knowledge from the website www.lifestyleguardian.com, and the transaction of emails between Nick and I, I had little idea of what to base the questions on.
In the first encounter with Nick, I decided to stick with brief and basic questions, when listening to his answer I would play off his words and come up with questions that fit well with the topic at hand. This means that I would have some foundation about what to talk about with Nick, but otherwise it would be off script.
Schedule Meetings
Creation of planning documents were key as it allowed for an efficient working environment and organisation. We planned out filming dates, and what we would be filming, alongside production meetings about the progress of our productions, and what we can involve on.
Having these production team meetings were essential, as we all had different ideas and direction about the narration of the documentary. These meetings allowed us to talk through the ideas and decide whether they were do able or not. Not only was it effective and efficient but it also allowed for more flow of creativity.
Planning Document 1
Date
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Time
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Location
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Description
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7/09/16
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10:00 - 14:00
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The Clipper pub - 562
Rotherhithe St, London SE16 5EX
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We’re going to meet
Nicholas Garcia to interview him and find out more about his area.
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15/10/16
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11:00 - 13:00
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The Clipper pub - 562
Rotherhithe St, London SE16 5EX
|
We’ve scheduled a reshoot
with Nicholas as we found audio issues and felt that a lot of our shots were
either out of focus or not suitable for TV documentary.
|
23/01/17
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10:00 - 16:30
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The Clipper pub - 562
Rotherhithe St, London SE16 5EX
|
We’ve scheduled once more
with Nicholas as we felt that we didn’t have a great variety of shots to
improve the quality of our documentary.
|
Planning Document 2
We also set up a whatsapp group chat, which a social media platform, where we communicated and scheduled a table on what we would be doing in the our production. This involves meetings about when we will be presenting our pitch ideas, and meetings about reviewing our progress with the documentary. Overall, this was a planning document that we kept adding to as the production went on.
Having this added on communication, both inside and outside of school meant that we could keep discussing issues or arrangements when the idea struck us. The whatsapp group chat meant that we could openly discuss our ideas, or any worries. It was an added platform to improve our production.
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| The whatsapp group chat we set up to communicate ideas |
Having this added on communication, both inside and outside of school meant that we could keep discussing issues or arrangements when the idea struck us. The whatsapp group chat meant that we could openly discuss our ideas, or any worries. It was an added platform to improve our production.
Date
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Time
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Location
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Description
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3/09/16
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11:20
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St Georges RC School – Lanark Road, Maida Vale, London W9 1RB
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We decided to have a meeting before we film as we were deciding which TV documentary pitch would be the best to produce. We also came up with ideas, like a storyboard, shots, equipment to use, questions to ask and emailing the protagonist Nicholas for permission to film.
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13/09/16
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11:30
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St Georges RC School – Lanark Road, Maida Vale, London W9 1RB
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We met after filming our first shoot as we wanted to review our shots, audio, questions and storyboard.
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1/10/16
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14:00
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Mayfair Library – 25 South Audley Street, Mayfair, London W1K 2PB
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We decided that this meeting would focus on audio and shot variety as we felt that we didn’t use the road microphone to the fullest extent and didn’t try to challenge any sort of TV documentary.
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20/10/16
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12:00
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St Georges RC School – Lanark Road, Maida Vale, London W9 1RB
|
We felt that there were still flaws in the filming of our TV documentary as the grading of the shots between the inside and outside were extremely different.
We also came to a conclusion as to who the host/interviewer of our TV documentary should be, which was Niomie and therefore include her in the voiceovers for our TV documentary.
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13/01/17
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11:45
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St Georges RC School – Lanark Road, Maida Vale, London W9 1RB
|
This was our final shoot for our TV documentary where we came to a conclusion as to how we can resolve the grading issue which was through editing the master saturation on Premiere Pro.
|
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| A picture taken from the first shooting. Nicholas was stationary with a classic 1/3 shot- something that we felt needed to change to allow for creativity and casual interviewing |
After we had found the appropriate story line, and we got
consent from the protagonist Nick, we later constructed a schedule. This
schedule was a work of progress, and we first went to visit Nick and his home.
We had previously constructed some suitable questions to ask him, and we had a
brief idea of how we wanted the filming to go as we had constructed a
storyboard.
From the results of the first shooting, we had collected
some good footage, and we tried our best to vary the shots, with the camera
operator, Jacob, having a professional backdrop and positioning of Nick. However, after reviewing the
footage, we thought we needed more layers to the 5-minute documentary, but also
the footage did have audio issues as I, the interviewer, could not be heard
clearly, meaning the addition of subtitles- something that we felt did not fit
our documentary. Some of the footage was also out of focus, which led to the re-shoot about a month later.
By the time of the second shooting, we had developed our
idea of the documentary we would like to create. Coming to the location a
second time, we tried to vary the locations by also asking Nick to stand
outside, and we tried to add more shots of the bedroom of Nick, as it portrayed
him very well, and we wanted that human side to come out of the production, as he is the protagonist and there should be snippets about Nick's personal life involved. The questions
the second time were less structured, but more of a conversation between Nick
and I. This created the feeling of friendliness; something that we hope came
across from the screen, and made Nick feel more comfortable, which is visible on screen.
Communicating to Nick was essential, and he was happy to re shoot and participate with the production team and our developing ideas.
Communicating to Nick was essential, and he was happy to re shoot and participate with the production team and our developing ideas.
 |
Email to Nick regarding re shooting
|
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| Email received back from Nick about which dates he was free to film |
Nick was more than willing to shoot again with us, and we worked around his schedule as he was going away that month, so we constructed an idea around him.
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| Hany and I editing the production, and I giving criticism to the production about what could be improved |
The reason why we shot the third time, three months later is
that after Hany (editor) and I (co-editor) had reviewed the footage and
constructed a draft of the footage we found that the shots were still too
plain. It did not embody Nick and his freedom. He was constricted to one or two
locations, and we wanted to get the audience to physically see the building he
was living in, creating feelings of verisimilitude, but also to better the
understanding of the company ‘Live In Guardians’. The final shooting we were happy with, as we had a sufficient amount of shots, with Nick being in four locations overall. There were personal experiences from Nick about his life, and also a taste of his personal life as we delved into his bedroom, where it was evident that he had a passion for music.
Voice over
 |
| Doing the voice over for the documentary |
Before our first initial ideas we had already given production roles out. As the only female in the group, it was fitting for me to interview Nick, and overall to voice over the documentary. The reason why we had my voice narrating and asking the questions is because Nick is male, while I am female. The combination of our voices create balance, and a woman's voice adds a tone of warmness.
As I interviewed Nick, and my voice can clearly be heard in the documentary behind the screen, it would only be fitting to have my voice narrating the documentary. This would create synergy and it allows for continuity between the on screen production and the off screen editing.
A narrator is a code and convention of a TV documentary, and majority of the time it is used to explain more of the story, fill in cutaways and give direction to the documentary, and the views presented. The narrator plays a big role in a documentary, and sets a tone throughout the documentary.
Voice over script
Voiceover
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Script
|
Narrator
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In 2015, in the UK alone more than 13 million lost their accommodation. In spite of this, there are alternatives and Nicholas Garcia manages this instability of the housing market through housing agencies like live in guardians.
With 12000 applicants in the last 4 years, guardianships seem to be the answer for Nicholas Garcia
|
Narrator
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Guardianships has given Nicholas more time to enjoy and pursue his passion for music. He works as a DJ and has a rich history with music.
|
Draft Documentary:
Draft Storyboard
Before our draft storyboard, we created a first initial storyboard. However, when it came to filming, we found that we didn't agree with the storyboard, and it did not convey the protagonist Nick, in the light and spirit that he is. In the first initial meeting with Nick, he was very talkative and light hearted, but by having him stationary throughout the majority of the documentary, it did not link with his character.
After meeting and getting to know Nick and the subject of housing,we changed the storyboard to adapt this new knowledge.
 |
| Draft storyboard that was changed after meeting and shooting with Nick |
Since we knew the estate more, we wanted to play around with the different locations, and this time, instead of Nick being stationary- confiding him to one location- we instead made him stand, so that he would be more at ease and natural. The editor and I also thought that more cutaways could be used, in order to create a professional look, but to also create an engaging piece of work.
I emailed Nick again about re shooting in order to capture more the essence of Nick, and what he believes in, but also to capture more cutaways from the first initial shooting.
 |
| The third time re shooting with Nick |
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| Nick's email agreeing to re shoot for more footage like cutaways |
Draft Documentary
After our first edit of the documentary on the software 'Premier Pro', we uploaded the draft of our documentary online on the platform 'YouTube'. Youtube is video-sharing platform, and 1.3 billion users, with amost 5 billion videos being watched daily. We thought that YouTube was a suitable platform to first reveal our documentary and let users comment on what they like or dislike about it. This can then be used to improve the documentary and any faults with it.
What is feedback?
Formative feedback- is feedback that is acquired during the production of the film. By broadcasting the media product it means that people can comment on what they dislike and like about the product. This leaves the producers time to think and reflect on the comments, and to improve on the weaknesses of the product.
Summative feedback- is given after the production has finished. This could be when the film is being aired or broadcast, as the commenting section is still in works people can comment on what they like and dislike about the film. For example, when a film is being released, there are critics who watch the movie and give their opinion on what they personally thought about the film.
Formative Feedback
 |
| Formative feedback received on YouTube |
The type of feedback we received was formative feedback. This is because the documentary is still yet to be completed. We read all the comments and used it to improve our documentary to make it both visually stimulating, but also educational, and to inform the audience with the right amounts of information.
Final Documentary:
Final Storyboard
Due to filming with Nick a total of two times beforehand, we had a good understanding of what shots worked with Nick, and what footage and questions portrayed the subject of housing effectively.
However, after reading the formative feedback, it was clear that there were some issues with the zooming in and out. Therefore, I emailed Nick again to ask him to reshoot in order to gain more footage. When Nick emailed back he discussed how the current estate he was living in ‘The Clipper’ had been knocked down and he had moved away to a new property.
 |
| The email sent to Nick regarding for the re shooting for more cutaway footage |
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| The response back from Nick about his relocation and the estate being taken down, meaning that the production team could record more footage |
Due to this problem it meant that we could not record any more cutaways or footage, so with the footage that we had Hany and I tried our best to minimise the use of zooming in and out with relevant cutaways.
 |
| The final storyboard that was constructed, after receiving formative feedback and |
This is how we changed the storyboard, it wasn't through new footage as we could not obtain anymore footage, but instead it was through the change of the editing. As zoom ins were a big problem, we tried our best to counteract this by using cutaways. More information was added to the storyboard in relation to the addition of voice overs, and the overall editing flow of the documentary.
Final Documentary
Editing
Hany and I were the editors for this production piece. Editing allowed us to review the raw footage and manipulate the footage by cutting it, allowing for a different flow, there was the addition of music and graphic to add a different depth to the production. The main editing software that we used for our production was Premier Pro, Filmstro and Abode After Effects.
Adobe Premier Pro
Adobe Premier Pro is a video editing app that allows for professional video editing. We had already collected the raw footage from the day of shooting, and now Hany and I had to decide which narrative to take, as there were four different locations that were used. On our previous production of the draft, we experimented with the editing, but not to a vast extent. There were still some difficulties in the amount of zoom ins, the colour grading, and there was a lack in graphics, images, and voice overs which adds layers to the production.
Colour Gradient
 |
| The first step to colour grading was to create an overall dull, grey colour |
Having a colour gradient means that all the footage looks like same, creating synergy throughout the whole piece. After experimenting with the saturation we picked was a blue tone. A tone is a basic underlying colour of the primary colour blue, but it has grey added, creating for a less vibrant colour- something that we wanted.
 |
| The final conclusion of using an overall blue tone |
The colour blue has connotations of intelligence, which Nick does have, but it also has connotations of trust, which is something that the audience can do when they watch our production, as we have given the correct statistics.
Keyframes
A keyframe is used to change or alter the properties of both audio and video effects. A keyframe allows for a change in balance or volume, and can create a more desired effect.
 |
| How J-cuts and L-cuts help improve the audio spikes and falls |
Filmstro
Filmstro is a feature of Premier Pro and it creates soundtracks, something that we found useful when creating our track for the production. Music sets a tone from the start, and can be a sound signifier to the audience about the documentary.
On Filmstro there were some pre assigned categories that Hany and I listened to. However, we found that the section named 'Science and Documentary' was the most useful. There was some conflict between Hany and I as I thought the sound track named 'Franklin' was suitable to the documentary as it had violin strings that emphasised the struggle of Nick, and others who can't find housing. In the end, we agreed to 'Dinlas' which had a more gentle bass foundation. 'Franklin' was not picked as it was too serious and almost set an eery tone, which was not the intention of the documentary.
 |
| The tracks and categories that were available on Filmstro |
We wanted to create a more muted sound track that was not distracting to the audience, but instead accompanied the narrative of the documentary.
Adobe After Effects
After Effects was used for the creation of graphics. However, we did not have a lot experience and expertise with this software, therefore we were limited in our creativity. In addition, TV documentaries do not commonly have a lot of graphics, and if there are any graphics it is simple and easy.
In the opening scene of the documentary, Nick is walking around in his garden and then it stops to a still image of Nick and the title screen. We wanted to emphasis who Nick was so we masked out the background and cut him into a blue background. Blue was an appropriate colour to pick as it matched the colour scheme of the 'Live In Guardians' sign, and we wanted to introduce this link.
The title is in big bold letters to allow the audience to know the name, and the burst of colour leaves more for the audience to remember. When creating the title screen, I thought of instead of using the letter A for Nick's last name, I thought to incorporate an icon of a house to add to the mise en scene of housing, and the lifestyle Nick lives.
Summative Feedback
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| Summative feedback received back from Youtube |
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| More comments reviewing the documentary from the Reddit |
This time instead of primarily just adding the documentary on Youtube, we also uploaded the documentary on the social media platform of Reddit, it is a discussion website where members can submit any content, and ask for content rating. By having two different platforms, it means that more of the target audience will be able to view it and leave feedback about their opinions.
By reviewing the comments it was still clear in the summative feedback that the zooms in were still a problem, and the production team does agree with this problem of the overuse of the zooms in. We first thought of using zooming in and out to emphasis the emotions of the subject, however, the overuse of zooming in can lead to distraction rather than isolation of emotion.
Codes and Conventions in 'Lifestyle: Guardian'
Here is a video that I constructed about the codes and conventions present in our documentary, 'Lifestyle: Guardian'.
I used the basic codes and conventions I had previously found in some existing TV and film documentaries, and have implemented it into our own documentary.
Camera Shots Used
These were screenshots from our final production of ‘Lifestyle:
Guardian’. From my previous research about camera shots and techniques used, I already
had a brief idea of what camera shots were there for us to utilise. These were
some camera shots that we adapted into our own documentary.
Establishing shot
 |
| The establishing shot we used |
This shot of the estate that Nick lived in- The Clipper-
establishes the location of the scene. This shot is shown very early on in the
beginning to inform the audience where the scene will take place. It allows the audience to see the estate to its overall potential, to give the audience more of an idea into where Nick lives, and the property that 'Live In Guardians' can obtain.
This shot is commonly used in both documentaries and films, as not only does it fill in the time, but it adds a degree of knowledge for the audience about where the scene is taking place.
Cutaways
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| Cutaway to the name of the pub |
Cutaways were also used frequently. This was to minimise the use of the zoom ins, but also add a different scene to the audience, creating adversity in the footage.
For example, in one scene Nick is talking
about the estate and the falling letters of ‘The Clipper’, this cut aways to
the name on top of the estate to inform the audience in more depth of what Nick
is trying to describe.
Medium shot
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| Mid-shot of Nick and his friend, waist up having a conversation |
This is referred to as the mid-shot, and involves two
individuals from the waist up having dialogue. Nick and his friend is having a conversation
and Jacob decided to keep rolling the footage, but both are visibly in shot.
Having
a mid-shot captures facial expressions, with the combination of body language
and the surrounding environment around them.
The two shot
 |
| The two shot of Nick and his friend - establishing a relationship |
This is again a mid-shot, with two individuals. Having two individuals
like Nick and his friend in it, it establishes the relationship these two share.
This shot was included in as it featured another side of Nick- a more personal
one that the audience can relate to, but the topic that Nick and his friend was
talking about was a serious one about the demolition of the estate.
Over the shoulder shot
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| Our version of the over the shoulder shot |
Typically, an interview in a documentary is conducted behind
the scenes, meaning that the interviewer is behind the camera, pulling in more
attention to the subject. However, we thought an over the shoulder shot would
add something to the footage, as it gives some sort of image as to what the
interviewer looks like, but it also focuses on the conversation that Nick and I
are having at hand.
It can be argued however, that this is not a fully
exterminated over the shoulder shot, as only my head is in frame, but with the
same room we were in, and the height difference of Nick and I, this was our
best attempt and adaption of the shot.
Close up
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| Close up used to express Nick's emotion |
This shot is above the shoulders, and it features the protagonist of the documentary which is Nick. Having a close up shows facial expressions, and can emphasis Nick's facial expression.
For example, I asked Nick a question about what he would do without guardianship around, and there was a close up of his face to dramatise and emphasis his answer, about how he would have to pay the normal expense to a house.
Wide shot
 |
| Wide shot to reveal the background |
A wide shot usually has the subject in the frame, but it shows the environment around them.
In the opening scenes, Nick is in his garden, and in the back of him there is a big sign about 'Live In Guardians', we wanted to show this to its full extent so a wide shot was used. Nick is still clearly in the frame, but it gives the audience an opportunity to look around him and his environment.
Health and Safety
A risk assessment is examining the risks that could take
place in a specific location, after examining the risks; the production team
then needs to decide on how to prevent any harm for everyone. The website https://www.filmsourcing.com/film-production-risk-assessment/
was useful in listing out some risks that could take place.
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| This website was useful in informing me about any risks that could take place |
When filming, we did acknowledge that there were some risk
factors in filming. Here were some of the safety issues when filming, and how
we came up with the solution.
1.
In the estate, there were some cables and wires
present on the floor, that could result in tripping over with the camera
equipment, or someone injuring themselves. We resolved this by moving all the
wires and cables to the side before filming took place.
2.
In the top counter of the pub, there were nails
that were not properly screwed in, resulting to them sticking out. This could
mean that there could have been cuts for the crewmembers or the subject,
causing harm and wounds. This was resolved by finding a large rock in which to
hammer down any loose nails that could cause injury.
3.
In one of the scenes we filmed outside the
location. This was a risk as pedestrians could have been hit with the camera equipment,
meaning that there was one of our production team members always at the back of
our camera operator ensuring the safety of passers by.
4.
As filming was outside, it meant that we had to
cross the street, so we took precautions when crossing the road by looking at
both sides of the streets before crossing to ensure safety. Precautions were taken,
as we did not want to get hit or injured by any cars passing by.
5.
Once inside, there was some unstable equipment. For
example, there was an old chair that was very fragile, meaning that there could
be no added weight. We informed everyone of this chair, and left it to one
side, therefore meaning that there were no injuries by the result of this
chair.
Radio Advertisement
I had some previous experiences with radio, as in AS it was required to create a local radio news bulletin. This means that I know the basic techniques of the sound editing software ‘Audacity, and how to cut away or distort the audio. How to record via a portable microphone, and how to import relevant sound archives. However, this was based on local news and it lasted five minutes, this task requires a 30-40 second audio advertising the main features of the documentary.
Following the code and convention of a documentary film, a key feature in the final production of a film is to advertise it. Advertising allows the film to be broadcast and spread out to the target audiences; this will subsequently mean that more people will want to watch the film, meaning an increase in revenue and profit. Advertising can be done through many forms of media, either word to mouth, or on social media websites like Twitter and Facebook. On the other hand, a more conventional method of print newspapers and radio advertisements can be used.
Key features of a radio advertisement:
I conducted research into the possible approaches to take when recording a radio advertisement, the website www.strategicmediainc.com gave me some information on what to include in the radio advertisement.
Voice over talent- a voice needs to be used that is suited to the topic and the ambiance of the documentary. As radio is a blind medium, this stresses more importance on using the right voice for the film advertisement.
Emotion- a film portrays an emotion, whether that be sadness, shock, or happiness. The advertisement needs to convey this emotion over to the audience; listeners are often reeled in to the emotion of the film, and the ambiance of the advertisement. The listener is also more likely to listen and watch the film if they can relate to the topic, they might want to see an insight into the problem, or the different perspectives available that the documentary film is providing.
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| Simplicity is key in a radio advertisement. As the advert is short, it means that the message needs to be clearly portrayed to avoid confusion of the audience. |
Articulation and simplicity- the radio advertisement is limited in time, with a 30-second limit. This means that we need to find ways to convey the message and make an impact with fewer words, the language can be simple in order to broadcast the film, or it can have impact words that correlate with the film.
Interviews and sound archives- the listener wants an insight into the film, especially since the film is a documentary it means it is featured around a topic close to people’s hearts. The listener would want to listen to other people’s view, meaning that short interviews can be conducted to get an opinion. Sound archives from websites or even from recording the natural world can be used to intrigue the listener, and to add other layers of sound to the audio.
Voice over Auditions
A voice over is needed in order to find the right voice to narrate the documentary advertisement. First a short script was written, this featured some basic information about the documentary. This was done in order to have the voice overs read the same material.
The right person needs to be found who can portray the right emotions and articulation of the script, allowing the audience to be able to hear the advertisement clearly without confusion. This is the reason why voice over auditions were held.
A voice over is needed in order to find the right voice to narrate the documentary advertisement. First a short script was written, this featured some basic information about the documentary. This was done in order to have the voice overs read the same material.
The right person needs to be found who can portray the right emotions and articulation of the script, allowing the audience to be able to hear the advertisement clearly without confusion. This is the reason why voice over auditions were held.
After conducting the voice over auditions we chose the first person on the audio file 'Radio Advertisement- Voice over Auditions'. This person had control over his tones and pitches, it was a strong male voice that was clear and coherent. We also felt that he had a strong and informative voice, and took nice short pauses for effect. The other candidates had tone and pitch changes, and were either too loud or quiet. We also felt that the female voices did not portray the right ambiance as, stereo typically, a woman's voice is soft and used more for uplifting sounds.
Radio Advertisement Example
Before constructing our own radio advertisement, research was conducted in order to find an example of a radio advertisement. With this example, basic codes and conventions can be formed and can help shape our own 30-40 second radio advertisement.
However, while doing research it was difficult to find any documentary shows that were advertised on radio. Therefore, we took a BBC trailer for Doctor Who, converted the file from an mp4 to an mp3 file. We also found another example of a radio advert on BBC 4, however, this again was not specifically about a documentary show. It was in fact a BBC radio advert about the BBC 4 radio drama 'Tumanbay'.
Example 1: BBC 1 Doctor Who
This example is from the BBC 1 science fiction show called ‘Doctor
Who’, it is the series trailer. It has the iconic sound intro from the show
that frequent viewers will recognise, and in the first couple of seconds, the male
announcer mentions that it is a BBC 1 show. The use of the male voice adds a
serious and almost adventurous tone to the beginning. It then runs to dramatic
music from the creation of drums, and this runs throughout the syntagmatic
axis. Through the paradigmatic axis there is the main characters voice ‘Clara
Oswald’, a voice well familiarized to frequent viewers. This voice then cuts to
a males voice, but this time another character from the show, and it can be
assumed that this is the villain to the story.
The final 10 seconds is the announcer mentioning when and
where the show will be aired on, for the listeners to watch it. This is key to
mention the name of the show, the date and what channel the show will be aired
on as radio is a blind medium. By mentioning all the key information at the end
it means that the listener will more likely retain the information and the dramatization
beforehand will create a feeling of wanting to find out, again dragging the
audience to watch the show.
Example 2: BBC Radio 4 Tumanbay
In the radio advert for ‘Tumanbay’ it begins with classical
music that runs through the syntagmatic axis, and on the paradigmatic axis
there is a characters point of view, which is an extract from the show, and can
reveal what the next airing will be about. After there is a woman’s external
voice, it is made obvious that she is not one of the characters, and she is
almost giving commentary about the show and what the episode is going to be
about, this adds effect and drama to the show, creating suspense about what the
episode is about.
Again, it runs to another cut of a character from the radio
drama, but this time a woman’s voice, before going back to the external voice
and the announcer. The announcer then mentions where and when the drama will be
aired, informing the listener over the blind medium. Overall, in this 40-second radio advert it
includes about four different voices that creates variety for the listener, in
both the context of gender and accents, and this creates an acoustically
pleasant piece.
It is quite evident that there are some codes and conventions present in these two examples. One main feature is that there are layering of tracks. It is not only one track present, but instead multiple, from the range of voices that vary in gender and accents, to the background music that runs through the syntagmatic axis throughout. This creates for an acoustically pleasant sounding advert, something that can interest the audience.
Another feature is that there are more than one voice present, whether it be the announcer or the main character. It is also essential to mention where and when the show will be aired, particularly this is mentioned near the end so that the listener can retain that information after listening to the advert.
Radio Advertisement Script
It is essential to write up a script and run through of the radio advert. This is not only efficient, but it makes it clearer if the script is too wordy, and unable for the listener to follow. We used the website 'Celtx' which is a media pre-production software, and it organize productions.
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| The draft script for the radio advertisement |
However, a good segment in the draft advertisement was the segment of Nick talking. He is talking about his experiences and the difficulties in his living situation. This segment of the protagonist speaking can add some curiosity to the audience, making them want to find out more.
Final script:
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| Final script for Lifestyle: Guardian radio advertisement |
This time round, we changed the script almost completely. Instead of overpacking the short radio advertisement with facts, we changed it to rhetorical questions. This creates the feeling that the advertisement is directly talking to them, and it evokes a reaction and thought. The first couple of questions makes the listener curious and involved. Then we discuss the main protagonist and his living situation, however, we do not reveal too much about the topic of the documentary, this adds a layer of curiosity, which can lead the listener to find out more about the documentary.
Like the draft, we also included a segment of Nick talking. This is because he is the main protagonist and the basis of the documentary. The segment of him speaking is almost emotive as he talks about the difficulties in finding a home, and again can cause the listener to become curious about the topic, as Guardianships is not well known among the majority.
Newspaper Advertisement
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| 'FourDocs' which is part of Channel 4 allows viewers to create short documentaries, paving the way to a new generation of documentary filmmakers |
For our documentary print advert, we decided that we wanted
our documentary to be broadcast on Channel 4. Channel 4 is a British public service
television broadcaster. It has a feature called ‘FourDocs’ which is online
based where viewers can upload their own short documentaries between 3-5
minutes. This feature has guides to creating a short documentary, interviews
with documentary filmmakers about tips on camera work, and it includes some
archive clips from classical documentaries.
Overall, Channel 4 does focus on documentaries, but not just
primarily on documentaries, it also has drama and comedy shows. However, the
documentaries Channel 4 range from medical stories, to light hearted follow around
documentaries, to cultural documentaries and to factual documentaries about societies.
Not only does Channel 4 have variety from all sides of the spectrum but it also
appeals to young adults- the audience that we are targeting. In 2014, it
reached 10 million registered viewers and half of the 16-24 year olds in the
UK. Channel 4 is also both the conventional TV set, and has also transferred to
an online platform, adding options to the audience.
Examples of print advertising:
As we are making a print advert, and we decided that it was going to be shown on Channel 4's network, I took some examples and analysed them for key features that not just Channel 4 print adverting uses, but overall the features that can be found in print advertising overall.
Example 1:
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| Example 1: the colour scheme of print adverts |
This newspaper Channel 4 advert about ‘Cutting Edge: Meet
the Foxes’, a documentary about the clash of foxes in the urban environment,
has a primary colour scheme. The main colours represented in this print advert
are the primary colours of blue and a dash of red shown from the boy’s collar. These
colours add a statement to the print with hue of blue running across-
interesting the reader’s eye. Colour is
key when creating a print advert, there needs to consideration of colours and
what they represent to the reader, for example red is associated with danger.
Our print advert needs to consider what colour we want to
set the tone of the documentary, and what emotion it is portraying. However,
there needs to be a limitation of colours picked as too many colours can blur
the tone, but can also overwhelm the reader and distract them from the content.
Example 2:
The second print advert I looked into was another Channel 4
advert called ‘Disarming Britain’. This documentary talks about the rising
issue of knife and gun crimes within young adults. This documentary is also
based on a FourDocs ‘Knife Crime: It’s Not a Game’ created by Amienata Sillah,
whose friend passed due to knife violence. From assessing this print advert, it
has a strong image. A young man on the right who looks frightened, and another
male on the left whose hand looks like gun and he is pointing it to the young
males head. It is clear what this documentary is about from the image. It conveys
the message of the documentary very well.
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| Example 2: the use of imaging |
Image selection is also important, when it comes to print
adverting. An image represents the whole documentary and whether it is enough
to pull the reader in. a strong image like the ‘Disarming Britain’ advert
clearly states the seriousness of the documentary, and how heavy the content
is. We need to consider the image used in our print advert, and if it is enough
to portray the message across, or even the tone and emotions in our
documentary. Yet the image needs to be attractive and set a tone. Like this ‘Disarming
Britain’ advert, it has a strong image but the colour scheme is also very plain
with grey and dark shadowing, but this again sets for the seriousness portrayed
and pulls the attention to the concept and image of the advert.
Example 3:
All of these print adverts are from Channel 4, and all
channels have their own brand logo, and set up. From looking at all these print
adverts, no matter the genre there is the same layout that we can use as a
template for our print advert. In ‘This Is England ‘86’ the Channel 4 logo is
clearly shown on the right hand side, in the middle of the picture. In all of
the previous print adverts, this is the same. The logo is large enough to be
seen, and it is made clear to the reader what channel the show will be on.
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| Example 3: Channel 4's conventions of a brand logo and key information |
Another convention of Channel 4 is that there is a block
coloured background for the text, this is so that the text is not suffocated in
the image, especially the crowded advert of ‘This Is England ‘86’. The blocked
colour for ‘This Is England ‘86’ is a white background, which follows the
colour scheme of white, red and blue for this print. Under the title of the
print, which is on the bottom left corner, there is the key information. The key
information states what day and time the show will be aired. It is kept simple
in order to not engulf the reader with information. A print should be
straightforward and easy for the reader to obtain the information.
Draft Advertisement
We had
production meetings about what image we wanted to use, and the message that
came across. We knew the codes and conventions for a Channel 4 print advert so
we implemented this into the process of creating our print advert. During our
production meetings we had some rough ideas and sketches that we wanted to try
to see if it fit the tone and mise en scene of our documentary.
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| Version 1. First draft of the advertisement |
In the
first version of our print advert we wanted to make Nick, the subject, stand
out. Therefore we thought of creating a very plain background in which Nick
would be in the front of. This would also contribute to the subtle colour
scheme. A brick background was used as Nick was constantly moving houses, and a
brick wall symbolises a home, but it still leaves ideas to the imagination
about what the next home is going to be.
In the
bottom right we had the Channel 4 logo, following the convention of a typical
Channel 4 print advert. The name of the production is centred and easy for the
reader to see. Nick, the subject, is also front and centre as the documentary
revolves on him.
After
constructing the first draft of the newspaper advert we saw some problems, one
was that the brick background drowned Nick, and also the advert did not follow
the convention of a typical Channel 4 print advert. Therefore, we developed our
ideas and came up with another idea.
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| Version 2. Second print of the newspaper advertisement |
This
second idea draws all the attention to Nick as we had added a plain black
background. The use of white texts contrasts with the black background and adds
a sense of professionalism ad sophistication. We stuck with the same concept of
having Nick and the image of the housing estate of the pub in his body. This
embodies how Nick is close to the subject of a guardian, and it gives an idea
to the reader of what the show could be on.
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| Version 3. A portrait version of version 2, which challenges the codes and conventions of a typical Channel 4 newspaper advertisement |
W
e developed this print advert, and decided to challenge the codes and conventions of a Channel 4 advert. A typical Channel 4 advert is landscape, therefore we challenged this and created a portrait advert- something that is not typically shown, but it has been done before. We also included the Channel 4 logo, and followed the convention of a plain white solid background with the texts on top, creating an easier reading content for the readers.
e developed this print advert, and decided to challenge the codes and conventions of a Channel 4 advert. A typical Channel 4 advert is landscape, therefore we challenged this and created a portrait advert- something that is not typically shown, but it has been done before. We also included the Channel 4 logo, and followed the convention of a plain white solid background with the texts on top, creating an easier reading content for the readers.
A problem
with the print advert is that we thought it was too plain, and was too serious.
Although, the topic of our documentary about housing does have serious aspects,
it is more to do with the other housing options and can provide a better and
lighter option for young adults, compared to a conventional living home.
Audience Feedback
We asked some teachers who ranged from age and gender to pick which newspaper advertisement they liked the best and why. Here were there responses.
Final Print Advertisement
The final print advert we decided on was a bit different to the rest. The drafts had a very plain and basic background that drew attention to the reader. This does add a sense of mystery to the reader, but it does not convey what the documentary is about. Apart from the housing estate inside Nicks body, there is no sign of a documentary about housing. We took ideas from our previous drafts and represented it in a different way.
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| The final print advert that we agreed on |
We instead included plain and neutral coloured background of
a kitchen. This plain coloured background still draws attention to Nick, but it
is not plain and simple, instead it allows the reader to look at something and
interest them. Another reason why we have included this specific background is
because Nick is the subject of the documentary, but it is not all based around
him, he is just sharing his experiences.
The reason why we have used the background of a kitchen is
because Live in Guardians allows for comfort rather than living on the streets.
It also adds some warmth to the print, and the documentary. We also included the typical codes and
conventions of a Channel 4 print advert, with the brand logo, the time and date
present, an also the texts having a clear coloured background. The font used was the OCR A STD font, and this font is similar to the texts used in Channel 4, and we wanted to create a similar feeling to a Channel 4 print advertising.
Evaluation
1. In what ways
does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
We answered question 1 by using the editing software Camtasia. We have used this platform as it allows images, video and voiceovers to run through coherently. This software was sophisticated enough to include video proof from our documentaries, and other documentaries. Images have been included to provide backing support for our print advert. Finally, it allowed for the addition of our radio advert, along with other radio adverts.
The production team also includes a voice over that runs through the syntagmatic axis, adding extra information to the evaluation question.
2. How
effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
For this question, the online software 'PowToon' was used which creates animated presentations, and explanation videos. By using this software it creates a space where the main production (TV documentary) and the ancillary tasks (radio and print advert) can be explained about how effective they are with the documentary, but in a creative way.
3. What have
you learned from the audience feedback?
Prezi was used to present question 3 about audience feedback, as Prezi is an alternative to tradition slide based presentations. Also, most of the audience feedback are pictures, and there was feedback received back in a video format. Prezi allows for creativity and also has the technology to allow the embedding of both pictures and videos.
4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
The hyperlink below features evaluation question 4:
https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/1515990
This question was answered by the online website 'Timetoast'. We chose to present this question as a timeline as we wanted to show how we progressed our technology use, and the information we learnt over the course of a year, in a creative but also compressed way.
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