Dispatches

1. Dispatches – Salt: Are you eating too much?

2. Type of Documentary
Mixed documentary - Includes interviews
from cardiologists about salt intake,
narration to explain problems with some
aid of the visual e.g. showing cereal with
the amount of salt in graphic text

3. Themes
Nutrition – Getting message across that
we may eat much more salt than
expected
Diet change – Salt intake is increasing

4. Narrative structure
Closed narrative – Getting message
across that Salt is increasing in food and
is getting worse for health
Single stranded – Plot based around the
salt intake problem
Non-linear – Isn't a chronological story of
events

5. Camerawork
High angle shot of beans on toast
- Expresses People wouldn't have
thought such a small meal has
such a large salt count
- All food can be unpredictable
Medium close up shot in interview
- Thought that interviewee is professional
because the documentary is conducted
professionally and formally
- Gives viewers thought of belief in what
he is saying “reduce salt and not taste
the difference in bread”.
Low angle close up shot of University
to talk to Cardiologist
- Used to show how important this
scene, the information given from
the cardiologist is because it looks
like a ‘large’ impacting organisation

6. Camerawork continued
High angle-Big close up shot of a
salty product
- Used to convey the thought that it
is notoriously bad, supported by
non-diegetic soundtrack
Extreme close up shot of bottom
right of a pizza
- Used to show the amount of salt, to
be seen as “unacceptable”
Big close up on Peanuts
- Used to express that food that
people wouldn’t have thought,
may still have massive amounts
of salt

7. Mise-en-scene
Test on foods for salt – shows most have much more than what is
explained on the packet
- Also, it is explained that some have amount of Sodium, which is
2.5x less than ‘salt’ amount
- Presenter takes a 1 week high salt diet experiment, Doctor
explains she has gained 4lb’s in 1 week, used to portray the
effects of salt
- All this has been used to express that salt overall is bad and
that people need to watch what they eat

8. Mise-en-scene continued
The documentary is based around
researching in to salt;
- what it does bad for people
- the inaccurate labelling of foods with
salt
- The affects and possible future for
younger generations with high
amounts of Salt
- Natural lighting is used – to express
the thought of neutral opinions from
people to make their own decision

9. Sound
Non-diegetic voice over narration used when
looking at foods or presenter is studying
effects on Computer
- Used to show the amount of study going into
this, makes it more believable
Diegetic narration from presenter with visual aid
- Used to show that it is realism, and it is
happening NOW

10. Editing
Flash dissolve from mid shot to close up, showing more foods
- Used to show that any food can be unpredictable
Cuts used to move from scenes
- This is to show the programme is serious and professional, using large amounts of moree
extreme editing may put viewers off the actual information being given.

11. Graphics
Overlay graphic showing amount of salt in
children's breakfast
- Used to give a clear message that
these foods have high salt
- Colours used and salt theme to relate
to the topic
Overlay graphic showing amount of sodium
in general snacks however needs to be
‘x2.5’
- Expresses that brands can be
misleading due to fact they aren't
giving the actual salt amount
- Seen as misleading – bad brand image
- Graphics in interview, banner with
name and role. Used to add sense of
professionalism and to be informative.
- Credit graphics at the end of the
Documentary. Used to give information
on cast and crew, this is the case for all
documentaries and/or films.