Year 11 English

An Introduction
to Documentary
Part 1: Documentary Conventions
 Learning Goals

1 2 3
Define what a List the conventions Identify these
documentary is and used in documentaries conventions in short
explain some of the and briefly explain clips and explain their
various purposes. their general function. effect in positioning
audience response.
Contents
1 Defining the Documentary

2 Documentary Genre

3 Documentary Conventions

4 Editing Processes
Defining the
Documentary
Think, Pair, Share

Watch the three documentary trailers then discuss the following

with a partner:

1. What topic or issue does each documentary focus on?

2. How do they engage the viewer? (Consider techniques used)
3. What are some of the similarities between the three trailers?
 What is a documentary?
Documentaries are films that tell stories about real events and real people
using, for the most part, footage of real people, places and objects.

They might record what is currently happening in the world or explore what has
already taken place in the past. Some can even speculate about the future.

They introduce viewers to ideas, people and experiences they otherwise might
not have encountered in real life and sometimes challenge them to question
what they already know.

Like fiction films, documentaries can be funny, moving, disturbing, thought-

provoking or entertaining, depending on the topic.
Purpose of
Documentaries can be created for a variety
of reasons. Their purpose might be:

Documentaries to record important events and ideas

to inform viewers about a topic

to convey particular opinions

to create public interest or raise awareness

A number of common techniques or

conventions are used in documentaries to
achieve these aims.
All films are constructed
When studying documentaries, it's important to remember that
despite the fact they focus on real people and events, they are
constructed based on decisions made by producers and directors.
They decide things such as:
The initial selection of what to film.
The conditions on which consent is given or withheld.
How the event is framed, staged, or the ‘angle’ in both senses
of the word.
Editing decisions, including order of information and selection
and omission of detail.
So, are documentaries 'real'?
Documentaries might be based on real events, issues or people but they alway
present a version of reality as they are created and shaped by an individual.

Therefore, just like fictional films, the audience is positioned to feel or behave in a
certain way through the way in which the documentary is constructed.

The film maker can sometimes go to great lengths to convince the audience that what
they are watching is authentic. The use of particular documentary conventions make
us feel part of the action and put us at the heart of the event whilst making us also
feel we are detached enough from the situation to ‘make up our own mind'.
Genre and
Conventions
Documentary Genre
The documentary is a complex genre containing aspects of many others. It is
considered an interpretive text which is a text whose primary purpose is to
explain and interpret personalities, events, ideas, representations or concepts.

It has some features of the report genre, with its relationship to news
reporting.

It also shares some of the characteristics of the narrative genre, particularly

its heightened sense of drama and conflict as well as various story-telling
elements such as an involvement with characters, conflict and settings.

There are many styles of documentary within the genre including nature,
historical, biographical, current affairs etc.
 Conventions of Genre
As documentaries blend various genres, the conventions we can refer to might fit into any of the
following categories. For the purpose of this presentation, we will be focusing on the third category:
documentary conventions.

Film Conventions Narrative Conventions Documentary Conventions

Symbolic codes e.g. body Character Voice-over

language, colour, lighting, Setting Actuality footage
setting, props. Conflict Archival Footage
Technical codes e.g. camera Plot Structure Reconstructed Footage
shots, camera angles, Theme Interviews
camera movement, framing, Focaliser
composition etc. Selection of Detail
Exposition
The exposition occurs at the beginning of a
documentary.
It's purpose is to shape the viewers first
impressions, establish expectations and introduce
important themes. Activity:
It needs to capture our attention through
dramatic segments so we continue watching. View the exposition to the documentary and
answer the following questions:
It is sometimes in the form of a montage.
It is deliberately constructed to persuade the
1. What do we see in this segment?
viewer to agree with the filmmaker’s views 2. How are we positioned to feel about the
topic?
3. What techniques does the filmmaker use to
hook our attention and engage us?
The Focaliser
The focaliser is the persona or character that guides the viewer through the
documentary.

They can take the form of an on-screen presence or simply act as a voice-over narrator.

The focaliser may be an outsider, such as a reporter figure, or they may be a player in
the issue, such as the victim.

The focaliser fulfills several functions:

They are a familiar presence for the viewer amidst all the competing visual information.
They can provides continuity throughout the documentary, linking segments together.
They can offer a particular interpretation of the information presented, persuading the
viewer to side with their perspective.
 Voice-over Narration
This is commentary by the film maker added to the
soundtrack during production to accompany the visuals.
In this way, the film maker or focaliser can speak
directly to the viewer.
Activity: The voice often explains or comments on the visuals.
Its purpose is to offer information, explanations and
View the short clip and answer the
opinions, ultimately swaying the viewer to agree with
following questions:
the film maker's perspective.
1. How is the voice-over used for the
construction of this documentary?
2. What kinds of things does it tell
us?
 Types of Footage
There are four main types of footage in a documentary film.

Actuality Archival Constructed Reconstructed

Footage Footage Footage Footage

Footage taken Previously filmed New scripted or New deliberately

specifically for the footage or non-scripted scripted and
documentary to photographs footage shot constructed footage
create realism and retrieved from other specifically for the shot using actors to
make it seem sources. documentary (not of reenact a prior
unscripted. a prior event). event.

Activity: After reading the detailed descriptions on the following three slides, watch the excerpt from the
documentary and try to identify which categories the footage fits into.
Actuality Footage
This refers to raw film footage of real life events, places and people (as
opposed to fictional films which use actors, scripted stories and artificial
sets).

Film makers want all events presented to us to be seen as ‘real’ by the

audience - they will often go to great lengths to convince us that the
footage is real and unaltered in any way.

They might include ‘natural’ sound and lighting while shooting on

location e.g. birds chirping, sound of cars driving past.

They might also use camera techniques to create realism e.g. shaky
handheld camera work.
Archival Footage
This refers to old film footage or photographs obtained from a film
library or archive and inserted into a documentary among the other
footage.

It might include footage of historical events, home movies, newsreel

footage or other media footage from the past.

The purpose is to aid authenticity and to enhance understanding of the

issue through adding further background information which the film
maker may be unable to obtain themselves.
Reconstructed Footage
This includes staged and scripted footage recreating real events that
the film makers might not have direct footage of. Sometimes they include
the people who experienced the events originally to re-enact their
experience, but usually they use actors to play the parts.

Film makers often indicate that the footage is not real through using
techniques such as blurring, distortion, lighting effects, changes in
camera level or colour enhancement within the footage.

Their purpose might be to create drama, tension or suspense to

engage the viewer or to generally provide factual information and give
the viewer a sense of realism as if they are watching the events
happening in front of them.
Interviews
This is where real people speak directly about events or
issues prompted by questions asked by the film maker.
Activity:
They are used to make the film maker's views appear
mutually shared – authenticating their perspective by View the short clip and answer the
showing that other people agree with them. following questions:
They often include experts in the field to give credibility
to the film maker's argument. 1. Who is interviewed in this clip?
Sometimes, interviewees might disagree with the 2. What is the purpose of this
interview?
message of the documentary, although the film maker will
3. What information do they
usually disprove them in some way.
provide about the topic?
Some interviews are heavily edited with only the 4. Did you notice any other
comments that support the film maker's argument documentary conventions at
included. Some comments might even be taken out of work?
context.
 Music and Sound Effects
There are two main types of sound in a documentary film. They are:

Diegetic Sound Non Diegetic Sound

This is sound whose source is visible on This is sound whose source is not visible
the screen or whose source is implied to on screen nor has it been implied to be
be present by the action of the film e.g. present in the action e.g. narrator’s
voices, sounds made by objects etc. commentary, sound effects, mood music.

The purpose of this type of sound is to This type of sound is used to create
create realism. emotion. It also helps create atmosphere
and mood.

Activity: Watch the short clip from the documentary and identify examples of both diegetic and non
diegetic sound used. Consider their effect.
Written Codes &
Captioning
This refers to words used on screen to reinforce the images. These
tend to be believed unquestioningly and are a quick and cheap way
of conveying information.

They might include:

The title of person being interviewed as well as their
qualifications, occupation or relationship
Times, dates and places of events
Facts, statistics or definitions
News headlines and article excerpts
Other comments from the film maker written on screen
Montage
A montage is a series of short clips arranged in a specific
order.
It usually has music or a voice-over played in the background to
create a continuous flow.
Its purpose might be to visually present a progression of ideas
on screen.
The planning of sequence of shots can also be used to indicate
changes in time and place within a film.
They are often used as structural features such as during the
exposition or transitions between segments of the documentary.
Charts, Graphs &
Statistics
These can be used to depict ideas visually, making it easier for viewers
to digest the information provided.
They also work similarly to expert opinion in that they look scientific
and add credibility, making the film makers appear knowledgeable and
unbiased, further positioning us to agree with their perspective.
It's important to remember that they can also be manipulated to
support the view of the film maker. Film makers will usually only select
research that supports their argument.
Editing
Processes
Editing
Although some films can be edited in-camera by shooting the film in
the exact order in which the shots will be seen by the viewer, this is
not usually the case. Most editing is done post-production. That is, it
takes place after the physical filming.

The film makers will often have hours of footage that they need to cut
down and rearrange in order to create their desired effect.

This post production process is critical in positioning audience

response as the editing process can shape or alter the meaning of
what has been filmed.
 Sequencing
Even in the most factual documentary, the sequence of events is not necessarily what
happens in the real world. The film maker can only show one thing at a time but in the
real world many things happen simultaneously.

In addition, a film maker can choose to change the order of events. Some scenes that
were filmed at the end of the filming process, may be presented at another point in the
documentary. Sometimes two scenes will be edited so they are presented one after the
other as if they were connected, but they may not have actually been connected at all.

In this way film makers can actively decide to misrepresent people or events, ultimately
shaping the viewer’s perspectives. This is why it's important to consider the order in
which footage is arranged and how this affects meaning.
Selection of Detail
As we've discussed previously, documentaries can be very one-sided.

Film makers can choose to only put in footage, arguments and

interviews that support their perspective and can deliberately leave
out those that do not.

Leaving out a piece of action or information can significantly influence

a viewer's perception of truth. This is why we consider the editing of
documentaries, rather than just considering the content, as what a
film maker chooses to select and omit ultimately affects our
understanding and opinion on the topic.
 Definitions
These are some words we might use when discussing the editing process of a documentary.

Selection Omission Foregrounding Naturalisation

When the film makers When the filmmakers When something is As a result of
deliberately include deliberately decide shown to the viewer foregrounding, when
or select certain to omit or leave out more than other we see something
footage (implying certain footage things or seen occurring frequently,
that it's important). (implying that it could noticed by the we tend to assume it
weaken their viewer more than is normal or natural
argument or other elements. thus accepting it
perspective) without thinking or
criticising.
Your Turn
As we have now understood the function of documentaries, we
will begin viewing one as the focus of our next unit.

As we view each section of the film we will consider:

The topic, issue and/or ideas conveyed
The film maker's overall purpose
The documentary conventions that have shaped or
influenced audience response
The editing processes that have influenced the meaning we
make from the film

Hope you enjoy!

Elements Used: