A history of documentaries
Just because a documentary feature facts, does not always mean that it is accurate
Documentaries can use either actual footage, or reconstructions using actors depicting the events
The purpose of a documentary is actuality
“What portrays documentary are recorded sound and images of actuality”
Actuality is existing conditions or facts
Documentaries are factual accounts of real life
Some documentaries add drama, in order to make it more appealing/interesting to a wider audience.
Not all documentaries have analysis
There are different aspects of documentaries: political, historical, religious, economic, social.
Tensions between aspects are art documentaries and reported documentaries
Art documentaries are attractive, entertaining and usually pay more attention to how they look.
Scheduling is important in documentaries to help them achieve a greater audience.
There are several techniques used in the scheduling of a documentary
Pre-Echo – this is when the documentary is put on before a popular programme, with hopes that some people may put the channel on earlier and will catch the show.
Hammocking – This is when a documentary is put between two popular programmes.
Inheritance – This is where the documentary is placed after a popular programme, in hopes that viewers will not turn over and will watch the documentary.
Here is an example of one of the above:
This is an example of Hammocking, Carry on working: Tonight has been placed between the two parts of Emmerdale.
Tabloid documentaries are sensationalised, or the makers try to make them emotional, this is so that there are people’s opinions and there are balanced views, other documentaries leave it to the audiences speculation.
Tabloid documentaries are renowned for their investigative styles, they generally oppose government views.
Dramatization, mise-en-scene and sound are heavily used to create dramatic footage to keep the audience entertained and interested.
The more creative a documentary is, the less realistic.
Recording reality is always effected by the presence of a film crew
Creative development over the years has meant the term documentary now covers a large range of different production methods. It has become increasingly harder to define a documentary. Despite disagreements it has been agreed all documentaries should include recorded sounds of actual reality or through lived experience. Documentaries are not just about facts, though facts are used to create social critic arguments including the audience to allow conclusions. Documentaries should be about facts using real subjects.
Current affairs
Midway between a documentary and the news are current affairs programmes such as Dispatches, offering searching analysis and commentary. They offer a more in depth probing of the news, current affairs are always 30 minutes long, and longer and It’s classed as a documentary.
Current affairs are important in exploring often confusing or deep issues, there is growing convern that these type’ of programmes are ratings driven, therefore in order to make it popular they sensationalise the programme.
Features of documentaries, as stated by John Corner
He suggest there are 5 control elements.
Observation – The camera is unseen, it’s the role of the eye witness and works for the documentary to create an argument, the camera turns participants into objects.
Interview – Documentaries rely on interviews, no matter what the subject. There are two different types that structure the document in different ways, one is straight on camera, and the other one is intercut with a montage. Interviews can be supported by observations. No questions should be posed on screen; the interviewee should say the questions back before they answer them.
Voxpops generate diverse views and opinions. Voxpops are interviews that are done randomly in the street with the public, were everyone is asked the same question
Dramatization – Through observation the audience is the eye witness of the dramatic events, it conflicts the audiences involvement. For things the makers can’t get access to they use reconstructions which should be based on facts.
Mise-en-scene – documentaries are carefully composed e.g. the makers have to create the backgrounds for the different topics.
Exposition – This is the argument of the documentary, They are plain and direct or indirect or hidden, there will be some narration which will tell the audience what to think.
Truth and reality is an argument in documentary.
Documentaries are not created to boost ratings, they generally not popular with programmes. The general public prefer documentaries about sex, violence and law and order. Documentaries play on the public’s right to know things, this can often lead to documentaries being controversial. Controversy is not popular with TV channels.
Public service may have more documentaries than commercial channels. There is a complex relationship between documentaries, the people in them and the audience, this is called triangulation.
There are six types of documentaries
Fully narrated – There is a directed mode of address and voice over
Fly on the wall – Rely on observations, e.g Police Camera Action, there is no narration and the audience can come to their own conclusion, sometimes the cameras are left on ‘chilling’ when the audience make up their own mind. Sometimes the presence of a camera will change the behaviour of the people being films, editing makes more meaning for the audience.
Mixed – Collaboration of observation, narration and interview to advance on argument, this is a modern take on reporting.
Self-reflective – How the documentary maker may be in the documentary. Talking to the camera can be confusing because it becomes about them.
Docudrama – Re-enactment of events that should of actually happened, some elements of fiction e.g Hillsborough. Critics say docudrama claim to represent truth but can only ever represent fiction e.g airline.
Docusoaps – a phenomenon of recent years. Some film makers say are they really documentaries because they are eves dropping and are not exploring anything. They are cheap and popular.
Disneyfication – How it appeals to the audience. Stephen Barnet says its about being glossy and safe, the quality has had a dramatic decline in different subjects, political documentaries are based on rating and are given way to things that are popular.
Every documentary should have a beginning, middle and end. In the beginning there should be something that sets the audience ready for the question. In the middle this is where it gets complicated and then has to have a conflict so there is an unbiased view and you would need evidence to support it.
