Sunday, 26 June 2011

Narrative Structure of Documentaries

An Open Narrative Structure: Questions left unanswered at the end of the documentary. The audience is left to make their own minds up about said issue. e.g assisted suicide, abortion

Or

Closed:
 No loose ends, everything is tied up at the end of the documentary, there is a definate ending. e.g 9/11 documentaries.


Linear: The programme is in chronological order (order of time/ events)

Or


Non Linear: When there is no chronological order time is disrupted in some way, e.g flashback.


Single Strand: Most Documentaries- There is only one narrative thread (storyline), e.g poilce drama.

Or


Multi Strand:More than one thread, threads may overlap. Central Theme within a theme.


Circular Narrative Structure: At the start a question is poised and the narrative explores the question and returns to it in the end, e.g assisted suicide- explore both sides.


Linear and Non Linear
Open and Closed
Single and Multi
Circular
They cannot mix together. 





Television is a visual medium- The programme needs to be visually stimulating and maintain audience interest.

Archive Material: This would include stock footage depending what the structure is called. Imagine it like a library. This could be historical footage, extracts from other media, films, radio, newspapers- a variety of archive material.

Interviews: The most important part of any documentary. Can be held anywhere but the mis-en-scene is important in relating the interviews to the topic, e.g scientist. The background of an interview is important.

Vaux Pop: The voice of the people. Ask one question to alot of people then choose the most interesting answers for use within the programme. It can be a good cross-section of the audience, reflecting aimed audience.

Voice Over: Can effect/alter meaning. It anchors the meaning of the visual. The Voiceover acts as glue holding the narrative together.

Gatekeeping: The selection and rejection of information. Works as a editor.

Construction of Reality: By editing and gatekeeping, media producers create an artificial picture of reality.

Friday, 24 June 2011

Documentary Genres

What is a Documentary?
A documentary is something being documented that has actually happened providing the audience with an insight into a topic they may not know about and can educate an audience on said topic. This must be done in an entertaining way to sustain the interest of the audience. Entertainment is a huge factor in Documentaries via the audience now having more choice due to audience fragmentation through digital. In addition to this there are more specific channels devoted to documentaries, for example, 'Eden', this is narrowcasting. 

Type of Documentary:

Fully Narrated:
Offscreen voiceover used so the narrator is in charge, 'the voice of god'. The voice also makes sense of the visuals and dominates their meaning, e.g Natural History Documentaries

Mixed Documentry: Uses a combination of interview observation and narration to advance the argument archive material. Documentary focus for coursework. 

Fly on the Wall: The camera is unseen and ignored. Simply record real events as they happen. Often no narration leaving the audience to their own conclusion, 'Cinema Verte'(Truth of Cinema).

Self Reflective: When the subject of the documentary acknowledges the presence of the cameras and often speaks directly to the camera/documentary maker.

Docusoap: These documentaries follow the lives of individuals usually with designated occupations.

Docudrama: A re-enactment of events as though they actually happened.

THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX, MADE IN CHELSEA, GEORDIE SHORE, JERSEY SHORE, THE HILLS ALL SCRIPTED

Thursday, 23 June 2011

Introduction to Coursework

Today we were given a breif introduction to what we are expected to produce over the A2 Media Course. We were given a 'breif' explaining that we are expected to proudce a five minute extract from a TV documentary programme, a radio trailer promoting the documentary and A Newspaper Advert(Advertisement of Programme). Thus, we will be put into set groups and choose a topic of our choice and create the production.