Documentaries make drama just because its factual doesn’t mean it’s actuate. The purpose of a documentary is to document actuality. It can be documented with actual footage or reconstructions.
The dramatics of documentaries are made up of tension and art. The art of the documentary is based on the looks, how it’s attractive and the reportage of the story.
“What portrays documentary are recorded sound and images of actuality” - John Corner
John Grierson defined documentaries. He made a documentary called ‘Housing Programs’. Documentaries are based on real life situations to give the public a look of what’s happening. Throughout the years documentaries were made and used in different ways.
One of the first types of documentaries was made to tell people to join the army and that war was right. The documentaries were bias and propaganda was used.
There are many things that help and make a documentary. Pre echo means to put a documentary on before a popular program, this is done so people who might be waiting for the popular program to get sucked in and watches the documentary and that brings the viewings up. Inheriting means putting the documentary on after a popular programme which could get a lot of views if people don’t turn the channel over. Most documentaries are on at 8-9 at night.
Documentaries play on peoples feeling through the programme to make the viewers feel a certain way. Sensationalise means emotional and the producers of the documentary sensationalise. Most documentaries give a balanced view on things to so they are showing both sides.
Many film makers argue that all films are fake because of there reconstruction. The documentaries may be factual but they aren’t always exact and precise.
“Everybody who makes a film is putting their truth on the screen.” Diane Tames
Most documentaries contain an observation sequence where the camera looks unseen. The camera is placed in the role of the eye witness
Interviews are a big part of documentaries. 5 or more different people that are interviewed in the documentary are good; the interviews should be supported with observation. No questions should be posed on camera and the interviewee should read the question you asked them back in their answer so it isn’t confusing. When interviewing mise-en-scene should be thought of.
“It is critical that film makers be rid of fantasy that documentary can be unproblematic representation of reality that ‘truth’ can be conveniently disposed and received like valium” Dennis O’Rourke
Most documentaries are based on things like sex, violence and law and order, this is because the public are more interested in these things.
There are six types of documentaries:
-Fully narrated: these are documentaries that are directed to the audience. That includes a voice over to let the audience know what’s happening in the visuals this is called “Voice of God”
-Fly on the wall: the camera are left to record the subjects leaving the public/viewer to come to their own conclusions. An example of this is ‘Cops’
-Mixed: the documentary is made up of narratives, observations and interviews.
-Self reflective: it’s confusing for the audience because it’s trying to be factual but normally the narrator that is present in the documentary draws attention to themselves, making them the main focus. Ross Kemps documentaries are a big example of this.
-DocuDrama: they are based on facts but become fictional, they also become misleading and dangerous. The documentaries are done to represent truth but only represent fiction. ‘Itv Hillsborough’ is one of these programs.
-DocuSoaps: people argue that they are even documentaries. The programme is almost ears dropping on conversations and subjects to create easy drama. They are cheap and popular. ‘Airport’ and ‘Airline’ are two examples of these.
-Disneyfacation: a documentary dumbing down for the audience.
“Quality of television has reached a dramatic decline” Stephen Barnet
