2. Current Affairs
• These are different from documentaries.
Journalists programs aim to address mews in
more detail and depth.
• Some differences between documentaries and
current affairs documentaries are that
documentaries take months to make
• Current affairs have to be up to date.
3. Structuring A Documentary
• Documentaries rely heavily on traditional
conventions of narrative. In other words there
is a beginning a middle and an end
• There is also a focus on character and conflict
and other conventions of narrative forms are
also used including music special settings and
lighting.
4. Beginning
• At the beginning of a documentary a central
question can be posed in a integrating way
alternatively the most dramatic piece of action
footage can be there or quick interview cuts in
conflict with each other can gain audience
attention.
5. Middle
• Other wise known as the complication stage
often examines issues in human forms with
focus on people and there opinions conflict
strengthen to provide blockades for fulfilment
of exposition
6. The End
• Makes exposition fully apparent by resolution
stage the audience has no doubt what the
programme is saying.
• Conflict Stage in more detail: can be between
people with different
beliefs, goals, circumstances or ambition it can
also be with in individual with the surrounding
or generations or society. Conflict must be
shown in action usually in confrontation.
7. Sense of movement
• Can add strength to a documentary. There are
three types of movement
• Physical: change of location.
• Change in time: a season change.
• Psychological: Ex prisoner adjusting to the
outside world
8. Effects
• Music and SFX: Sound is effective in producing
an emotional response in an audience.
• Lighting: to achieve realism and authenticity
you must ensure good lighting is used because
poor lighting gives the game away.
9. Construction of reality
• When watching a documentary you need to
ask not just what they show but what they
don't show you.
• Due to bias or performance along with a
selection and rejection of information this is
known as ‘gate keeping’.
10. Types of narrative structure
• Open – make up your own mind
Closed – definite ending and out come
Single strand – one main plot
Multistrand – more than one narrative run
linear – goes in chronological order
non linear – doesn't go in order.
circular – question at start revisited at end
vox pop – voice of the people consists of street
interviews and general public answers.
