Documentary Film
Definition: A term used to describe films which deal with factual topics. John Grierson, a British film-maker, defines documentary as "the creative interpretation of reality" so, we should remember that they are a constructed text and therefore only offer a particular version of reality. Filmmakers may work to persuade an audience to accept the version reality they offer; to do this they will use persuasive techniques.
Aims: To record important events and ideas, inform viewers, convey opinions and/or to create public interest about a topic.
Aims: To record important events and ideas, inform viewers, convey opinions and/or to create public interest about a topic.
Techniques
Unlike fictional films, documentaries often have to convey large amounts of factual information. Over the years documentary film-makers have developed a range of techniques for presenting people, ideas and events on-screen.
Actuality: Actuality is the term for film footage of real-life events, places and people. This is unlike fictional film which uses actors, artificial sets and scripted stories. Actuality footage is a record of real events as they unfold.
Voice Over: The voice-over is a commentary by the documentary maker, spoken while the camera is filming or added to the soundtrack during production. Through this commentary, the film-maker can speak directly to the viewer and offer information, explanations and opinions.
Activity: Watch the opening of the documentary below. The footage used is "actual" footage of the streets of Rio De Janeiro. What effect do these scenes have on the audience? The initial voice over is given in subtitles as it is not in English. What kinds of things are said and what effects is this meant to have on the audience?
Actuality: Actuality is the term for film footage of real-life events, places and people. This is unlike fictional film which uses actors, artificial sets and scripted stories. Actuality footage is a record of real events as they unfold.
Voice Over: The voice-over is a commentary by the documentary maker, spoken while the camera is filming or added to the soundtrack during production. Through this commentary, the film-maker can speak directly to the viewer and offer information, explanations and opinions.
Activity: Watch the opening of the documentary below. The footage used is "actual" footage of the streets of Rio De Janeiro. What effect do these scenes have on the audience? The initial voice over is given in subtitles as it is not in English. What kinds of things are said and what effects is this meant to have on the audience?
Music and Sound FX: Music is often used to create mood or atmosphere. It might also tell a story which is relevant to the topic or have some symbolic meaning. Sound FX are added in post-production to enhance the effect of a particular scene.
Interviews: Interviews are a basic documentary technique.They allow people being filmed to speak directly about events, often in response to questions asked by the film-maker. Interviews may take place on or off-screen with one or both of the speakers shown.
Activity: Watch the extract from BraBoys below. There are several interviews with people from the Maroubra and wider surfing community. What sorts of things are they saying? Why have these interviews been included in the documentary?
Interviews: Interviews are a basic documentary technique.They allow people being filmed to speak directly about events, often in response to questions asked by the film-maker. Interviews may take place on or off-screen with one or both of the speakers shown.
Activity: Watch the extract from BraBoys below. There are several interviews with people from the Maroubra and wider surfing community. What sorts of things are they saying? Why have these interviews been included in the documentary?
File Footage: Material obtained from a film library or archive, inserted into a documentary to show historical events or to add detail without the need for additional filmin.
Captioning: Captioning means placing written text on the screen to give additional information to the viewer. Captions may be used to give names of people interviewed, to give the time or location of an event, or to provide other relevant information.
Graphics: Images designed to convey an idea visually. They may be simple, such as lists of names, graphs, maps or written documents Or they may be very complex, such as computer generated images of a difficult scientific concept such as gravity. Do not confuse these with captions!!
Captioning: Captioning means placing written text on the screen to give additional information to the viewer. Captions may be used to give names of people interviewed, to give the time or location of an event, or to provide other relevant information.
Graphics: Images designed to convey an idea visually. They may be simple, such as lists of names, graphs, maps or written documents Or they may be very complex, such as computer generated images of a difficult scientific concept such as gravity. Do not confuse these with captions!!
Re-enactment: When real events cannot be filmed as they happen, film-makers will sometimes re-create the event.Re-enactments can be minor (eg. Asking someone to repeat an action so it can be filmed more clearly) or major (eg. Hiring actors and building sets to imitate an historic event or occasion).
Montage: A montage is a technique used in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information. Watch the documentary extract from Wal*Mart: The High Cost of Low Price and suggest reasons why a montage is used in this scene.
Montage: A montage is a technique used in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information. Watch the documentary extract from Wal*Mart: The High Cost of Low Price and suggest reasons why a montage is used in this scene.
Not all documentary film-makers use these codes in the same way, or to the same extent but most documentary films contain some combination of these basic elements.
Activity: Imagine you are making a documentary about your life. Remember that documentaries are versions of reality so, you choose what to include and what to omit.
Consider:
–What would you include?
–What would you omit?
–What impression of you and your life would you want the audience to be left with?
–Detail how you would use three of the techniques mentioned in this presentation