Documentary Mini-task
Introduction
What is a documentary? / How would you define ‘documentary’?
A documentary is a genre in media that can be presented in various ways such as film and programmes which are based upon factual subjects (for example, a documentary could be about a crime that's either solved, unsolved or still being investigated). On defining a documentary is that how compared to other genres within media, it takes real-life scenarios or a theme and presents that to the audience in a way that intrigues, like how people could like or be interested into a certain topic a filmmaker has made.
Expository
Identify the key features of expository documentaries + Provide your own example of an expository documentary
The key features seen in expository documentaries are that there is a voice-over/narrator present (not on screen but instead over the top of the documentary) who directly presents information based from the images shown on screen to the audience.
A example of a expository documentary is from an episode of Natural World where it follows a leopard and her cubs and presents their everyday movements within Botswana. A narrator is present in the documentary as it is narrated by well-known nature filmmaker, David Attenborough with some additional commentary from the production crew. The narration is over the top of the programme, describing what is happening on screen to the audience (with the example being when the narrator is describing the actions of one of the leopard's cubs when eating).
A example of a expository documentary is from an episode of Natural World where it follows a leopard and her cubs and presents their everyday movements within Botswana. A narrator is present in the documentary as it is narrated by well-known nature filmmaker, David Attenborough with some additional commentary from the production crew. The narration is over the top of the programme, describing what is happening on screen to the audience (with the example being when the narrator is describing the actions of one of the leopard's cubs when eating).
(Africa's Fishing Leopards)
Observational
Identify the key features of observational documentaries + Provide your own example of an observational documentary
The key features seen in observational documentaries are that none of the production crew primarily the filmmaker/director are seen throughout the documentary which also shows more of a everyday life that is not interrupted by them. The audience is also left to decide of what to think about from the text so they can give their own opinion on what it was about.
A example of a observational documentary is the television programme, Ambulance as the show it focused around the ambulance service and how it shows the deals with emergency calls. The episodes mainly consists of various accidents or incidents and how the paramedics would receive the calls which would then be passed on to the other paramedics to the help whoever is in need to get to the hospital. The programme includes a voice-over which can briefly talk about what has happened on screen but other than that, the programme is mainly untouched by any interruptions by any of the production crew/the people who are filming, they only observe what is happening. The audience is also given insight of what it is like to have a job like the ones within the programme.
The key features seen in observational documentaries are that none of the production crew primarily the filmmaker/director are seen throughout the documentary which also shows more of a everyday life that is not interrupted by them. The audience is also left to decide of what to think about from the text so they can give their own opinion on what it was about.
A example of a observational documentary is the television programme, Ambulance as the show it focused around the ambulance service and how it shows the deals with emergency calls. The episodes mainly consists of various accidents or incidents and how the paramedics would receive the calls which would then be passed on to the other paramedics to the help whoever is in need to get to the hospital. The programme includes a voice-over which can briefly talk about what has happened on screen but other than that, the programme is mainly untouched by any interruptions by any of the production crew/the people who are filming, they only observe what is happening. The audience is also given insight of what it is like to have a job like the ones within the programme.
Interactive
Identify the key features of interactive documentaries + Provide your own example of an interactive documentary
The key features seen in interactive documentaries are that the filmmaker/director is present and participates throughout the documentary. They also interact with people (or the interviewees) along with the presenter and audience, these can cause and present arguments within the documentary (this can be through the main message being talked about and through people's views). Criticism can be present in these types of documentaries as some could contain misrepresentation or manipulation on which the filmmakers or directors defend because of the image projected being more important than the tiny details within it.
A example of a interactive documentary is the television documentary film, America's Most Dangerous Pets. The documentary is presented by Louis Theroux who is both present in the documentary and also does a voice-over to comment further on what happened in that particular part (example of this is when). He also interacts with people within the documentary on the topic of the film's main focus on America's issue with owning exotic pets like big cats to chimpanzees, the way he interacts with them is by asking general questions about what they think it right to have the animals like the average domestic pet which is most likely then followed up with the person's opinion on that statement.
Identify the key features of interactive documentaries + Provide your own example of an interactive documentary
The key features seen in interactive documentaries are that the filmmaker/director is present and participates throughout the documentary. They also interact with people (or the interviewees) along with the presenter and audience, these can cause and present arguments within the documentary (this can be through the main message being talked about and through people's views). Criticism can be present in these types of documentaries as some could contain misrepresentation or manipulation on which the filmmakers or directors defend because of the image projected being more important than the tiny details within it.
A example of a interactive documentary is the television documentary film, America's Most Dangerous Pets. The documentary is presented by Louis Theroux who is both present in the documentary and also does a voice-over to comment further on what happened in that particular part (example of this is when). He also interacts with people within the documentary on the topic of the film's main focus on America's issue with owning exotic pets like big cats to chimpanzees, the way he interacts with them is by asking general questions about what they think it right to have the animals like the average domestic pet which is most likely then followed up with the person's opinion on that statement.
(America's Most Dangerous Pets)
Identify the key features of reflexive documentaries + Provide your own example of a reflexive documentary
The key features seen in reflexive documentaries are when filmmakers or directors attempt to exposes areas of the documentary to the audience. On how the documentary is constructs it's texts, they are experimented and exposed with. They also use everyday life on how they use them as bricks for shots to make it a experimental or a different film.
The key features seen in reflexive documentaries are when filmmakers or directors attempt to exposes areas of the documentary to the audience. On how the documentary is constructs it's texts, they are experimented and exposed with. They also use everyday life on how they use them as bricks for shots to make it a experimental or a different film.
A example of a reflexive documentary is the documentary film, Anima Mundi. The documentary is focused on nature and the wildlife within different environments (like the jungle to the ocean). The documentary film is directed by Godfrey Reggio. The documentary uses shots to experiment with as like Reggio's previous works, uses the shots to sync and compliment with the documentary's original soundtrack. The lack of any narration/voice-over adds to the fact that the documentary doesn't need that to present what it's showing and just letting the audience have their own message to give other than the filmmaker's message and to fully immerse the audience into it's content.
(Anima Mundi)
Identify the key features of performative documentaries + Provide your own example of a performative documentary
The key features seen in performative documentaries are more to represent the audience indirectly and is more focused on it's presentation rather than the content unlike the other documentary types. They also use re-enactments, exaggerated camera positions and the use of a soundtrack (at times being an original, meaning songs are made exclusively for that film or programme.) which helps the audience to be engaged more into the story being shown in the documentary. And using the subject matter in a more stylistic, expressive and subjective manner compared to the other documentary types.
A example of a performative documentary is
Conclusion
Which format is your favourite? + Which format presents information in the most objective / unbiased way?
Do you feel that documentary producers have a contract with the viewer to show them honest, unbiased and accurate information or are documentaries purely entertainment?
Conclusion
Which format is your favourite? + Which format presents information in the most objective / unbiased way?
Do you feel that documentary producers have a contract with the viewer to show them honest, unbiased and accurate information or are documentaries purely entertainment?
In conclusion, my favourite format would be either interactive or observational as I think with interactive documentaries, the interactions between the filmmaker and the people who they talk to seems genuine and presents more of a untouched/non-scripted environment to the documentary which to me adds more of a realistic tone. Also with observation documentaries, I like how seeing something without any interruptions from any cast or crew and more of a general look at something/someone's daily life adds to the realism of the content but overall, the formats to me seems more to unbiased when it's presenting it's information to an audience.
On how I feel about how documentary producers have a contract with the viewers to show them honest, accurate and unbiased information is that I think the filmmakers/producers should be truthful to what they are presenting on-screen because I think it's misleading as documentaries are mainly labelled as being factual and also showing of real life. Though I think with some documentaries, they can be for entertainment like for example documenting something that is not so serious but taking something that can be a more mature/serious topic should be fully truthful and taken in the same way the topic is spoken about anyways then it's not that bad.
Comments
Post a Comment