Documentary.

The purpose if the documentary is to document, that is to report with evidence somethin that has actually happened. It an show thisby using ACTUALITY FOOTAGE or reconstruction. It can use narrators voiceover to anchor the meaning or rely on the participants themselfs with perhaps the occasional interjection by the narrator.

Actuality footage is 'real' footage of actual events.

John Grierson - General post office film unit in 1930's.
Defined documentary as : "the creative treatment of actuality." (or reality)

Features of documentaries.

John Corner of university of Liverpool. There are 5 centeral elements of the documentary.

Observation - The programme makers pretend that the camera is unseen or ignored by people taking part in the events. Audience is like eye witness observing, ignoring the camera.

Interview - People give opinion/information. They are relied on by documentary.

Dramatisation - all documents use a scene of drama through the observation element or dramatic reconsruction.

Mise-en-scene - Put in the picture. documentary makers carefully construct shots.

Exposition - The line of arguement in a documentary. Start with an idea the an exposition (the way the story is told.) It is what the document is 'saying'.

Different types of documentary.

1. Fully narrated - a voice over is used to convey the exposition. The voice over is used to make sence of the visuals and dominates their meanings. eg, wildlife, natural history documentaries.
2. fly on the wall - Draws in the french film movement 'cinema verite'. The camera is unseen or ignored and simply records real events as they unfold.
3. Mixed - combination of interview, observation, acuality and archive material and narration to advance the arguement/narrative.
4. Self - flexive - when the subject of the documentary acknowledges the presence of the camera and often speaks directly to the programme maker.
5. Docudrama - re-enactment of events.
6. Docusoap - documentary and soap opera. A group of centeral protagonists. Eg, airport.

Structure of documentaries.

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE.

Open - loose ends which are not tied ip at the end.

Closed - there is a definate conclusion to the narrative.

It is either open or closed it cannot be both.

Linear - follows cronological order.

Non-linear - things are not in time order. eg, flashback or flashforward.

Circular - starts and finishes on the same thing.

Visuals - television is a visual medium. The programmeneeds too be visually stimulating to maintain the audience intrest.

Archive material - Street sceens, open countryside and close up of faces are all stock footage.

Interview - an interview can be held anywhere but the setting (mise-en-scene) can effect the meaning.

Vox pop (vox populis) - voice of the people. Get random people off the street ans ask them all the same questions. To get a representation of the audience.

Construction of reality.

Gatekeeping - The selection and rejection of information/content for inclusion in a media text.

editing - process is where gatekeeping happends in a documentary.

Voice over - can effect and alter meanings. It anchors the meaning of the visuals.