1. Conventions of
documentaries
Purpose of this presentation is show the conventions of documentaries and
my understanding of it.
Rianna Johnson

2. Short clip from ‘Bowling for Still shot showing the main
Columbine’ to show a opening of a TV documentary
method of providing the
audience with information • The uniform shows equality
in a film documentary. between all the people
• The superimposed background
hints to this being about nature
Youtube video from: Justingrnr9 Still shot from BBC iPlayer

3. Archival Footage and Talking Heads
Photographs • People interviewed to
explain or offer opinion
• Demonstrates the points made by the voiceover
of the documentary
• Cheaper than shooting new material
topic.
• The footage/photos may not have been shot for
the purpose of the documentary but are used to
add to the documentary
Conventions of Wobbly Camera
documentaries • To add a realism to what’s
being filmed there is a light
camera shake when
following action.
Real People
• The people interviewed or extras in the
documentary are real people not actors.
Example, a documentary about Juilet’s
in Harlesden you can go to Harlesden
and meet the same owner seen in the
documentary.

4. Archival footage Talking heads
Wobbly camera Real people
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVSKHq7yA04 – stills taken from youtube channel ‘YungDreem’

5. Text
• Captions are often used Voiceovers
to inform the audience Example of text
Voice of God: Commentator that is
of who the person or use in Fry’s heard not seen
thing is, generally this is World Planet Voice of authority: Seen and
heard, usually someone who
done in a white clear
knows a lot about the topic.
font
Conventions of
documentaries
Set-ups
• Re-enactments stage real events that have happened.
• Might be done because the footage is needed and wasn’t filmed.
• Set-ups are staging things to show the ‘real’
• Example: filming a class and telling them to put up their hands

6. Set ups Text
Voiceover
Images taken from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir2swCcM1lM
Voiceover taken from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbp-HSXrZuQ&feature=related

7. Effect
Convention on audience
Archival Footage and • Might provide a feeling of nostalgia
Photographs • Gives an insight to life back then
Talking Heads • Reinforces the point made by the voiceover or recently in the
documentary
Real People • Adds realism to the piece.
• Builds rapport with the audience & documentary maker
Wobbly Camera • Makes it seem amateur and real life-like.
• Shows there wasn’t a big production team staging things
Text • Generally written in white in the bottom corner, it introduces
the audience to the person on screen
Voiceovers • Provides the audience with a lot more information and
is usually said over images or muted video
Set-ups • Provides a clear introduction to a point and gets the
main idea across.

8. Modes of a documentary
Fry's Planet Word (2011)
Performative Mode
Documentary maker Fry speaks over the
interacts with the subject matter.
subject

9. Modes of a documentary
Expository:
• The ‘normal’
way in which
we are used to
seeing
documentaries
The Swenka’s (2004)–
Observational Mode
• No voiceovers – text on
screen
• Lots of long shots
• No interviews
Example: Twincredibles BBC2

10. Modes of a documentary
Biggie and Tupac
Participatory/interactive Mode
Formal Interviews
usually
dominate the
Archival footage
documentary
Voice of authority
On location shooting
http://youtu.be/ADdcDHTZfgY - stills from ‘musicspace’ YouTube channel

11. Modes of a documentary
Crimewatch (2011)
Reflexive Mode
• Voice of God: questions things rather than being certain.
• Presented in a fictional way, story like.

12. Differences
• Same narrator for similar
TV topics
• Voice if God
• Uses the reflexive
Film mode, opening is story like
• Voice of Authority

13. Still shots to show
examples
Opening shots fade into one another while
the voice of God says ‚it was the morning of
April 20th…‛ gives it that once upon a time
feel
The voice of authority tells us
about his life and how his past
relates to the documentary.
*hindsight

14. Similarities
•Both have talking heads

15. Still shots to show
examples

16. Possible reasons why they
are used
• This is done to add weight and
creditability to the argument
• to make it seem that the people who
are talking are relevant
• The people seen must know what
they are talking about or they
wouldn’t be there.