Documentary (Section 1)
· The purpose of a documentary is to document an event, something that has happened.
· Actual footage can be used during a documentary to portray actual facts
· Also reconstructions and voice overs can also be used to create meaning and express feelings.
· They can be based on the truth but not everything is always the truth.
· If a documentary is ‘real’ we should question it.
· ‘What distinguishes documentary is the portrayal of the recorded sounds and images of actuality.’ John Corner 1995
· Factual accounts of an event, it is possible to use staged footage by actors to portray feelings to the watching audience.
· They can be based on the truth but not everything is always the truth.
· If a documentary is ‘real’ we should question it.
· ‘What distinguishes documentary is the portrayal of the recorded sounds and images of actuality.’ John Corner 1995
· Factual accounts of an event, it is possible to use staged footage by actors to portray feelings to the watching audience.
· A high level of construction takes place during documentaries.
· Documentaries were defined by John Grierson in the 1930’s.
· ‘The creative treatment of actuality.’
· Examples of these were documentaries such as Housing Problems and Coalface.
· These impacted Britain and the government and as a result and housing situations improved.
· During the war time action documentaries were used to boost morale and help create a positive attitude.
· They tend to be emotional or sensational to gain a bias opinion from the viewer.
· Yet some offer a balanced view, leaving the audience to make up their own mind.
· British documentaries are renowned for their investigative journalism against the government and society.
· Taking into account that authenticity is important.
· Although some things do have to be faked and dramatised and used with narration and the dubbing of sounds.
· ‘Truth is what you actually come away with at the end of seeing the film. I mean it’s your truth you are seeing. Everybody who makes a film is outing their own truth on the screen.’ Diane Tammes
· Many people still argue with the truth of documentaries.
· All documentary makers know that there must be recorded images and sounds in order to form the bases of a good successful documentary.
· Documentaries were defined by John Grierson in the 1930’s.
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| John Grierson |
· Examples of these were documentaries such as Housing Problems and Coalface.
· These impacted Britain and the government and as a result and housing situations improved.
· During the war time action documentaries were used to boost morale and help create a positive attitude.
· They tend to be emotional or sensational to gain a bias opinion from the viewer.
· Yet some offer a balanced view, leaving the audience to make up their own mind.
· British documentaries are renowned for their investigative journalism against the government and society.
· Taking into account that authenticity is important.
· Although some things do have to be faked and dramatised and used with narration and the dubbing of sounds.
· ‘Truth is what you actually come away with at the end of seeing the film. I mean it’s your truth you are seeing. Everybody who makes a film is outing their own truth on the screen.’ Diane Tammes
· Many people still argue with the truth of documentaries.
· All documentary makers know that there must be recorded images and sounds in order to form the bases of a good successful documentary.
· A type of film related to documentaries are called Current Affairs, they are halfway between documentaries and news.
· With relation to Current Affairs, they are made on a shorter deadline than documentaries.
· Whereas a documentary takes a few months to make.
· Documentaries have a range of sub genres that fit into their category;
· With relation to Current Affairs, they are made on a shorter deadline than documentaries.
· Whereas a documentary takes a few months to make.
· Documentaries have a range of sub genres that fit into their category;
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| John Corner |
· Most documentaries contain at least some Observation.
· The camera is totally ignored.
· As a result it becomes an eye-witness.
· Overall it works as a witness to what is happening.
· They rely on Interviews to contrast with the observation shown.
· Pictures can be dubbed over to anchor meaning to what is being implied or said.
· They are usually placed between segments of observation.
· All documentaries have at least a hint of Dramatisation.
· The audience always becomes an eye-witness.
· Mise-en-scene is considered to allow the documentary to flow.
· Exposition is the line of argument.
· It can be direct, indirect, plain or hidden.
· A narrator may tell the audience what to think and do.
· Documentaries that rely on observations are said to have weak exposition.
· With all these taken into account and practised properly documentaries can be very influential and successful.
· Ken Loach’s, ‘Cathy Come Home,’ aided the change in many legislations and laws to do with housing at that time.
· ‘It is critical that film makers be rid of the fantasy that the documentary can be unproblematic representation of reality and truth can be conveniently dispensed and received like Valium.’ Dennis O’Rourke.
· Ideas of truth and reality can be conflicting a times, they can often attract counter claims and lies.
· Corner believes evidence rather than truth would help this.
· Documentaries represent the ‘transformed world.’
· There are many documentaries that are very popular and pull in many ratings. They are the following; Sex, Law and Order and Violence.
· Documentaries that are controversial aren’t very popular with networks as they can offend advertisers.
· All documentaries have a 3-way process; Who they are aimed at, Who is in it and finally The reaction of the audience.
· The camera is totally ignored.
· As a result it becomes an eye-witness.
· Overall it works as a witness to what is happening.
· They rely on Interviews to contrast with the observation shown.
· Pictures can be dubbed over to anchor meaning to what is being implied or said.
· They are usually placed between segments of observation.
· All documentaries have at least a hint of Dramatisation.
· The audience always becomes an eye-witness.
· Mise-en-scene is considered to allow the documentary to flow.
· Exposition is the line of argument.
· It can be direct, indirect, plain or hidden.
· A narrator may tell the audience what to think and do.
· Documentaries that rely on observations are said to have weak exposition.
· With all these taken into account and practised properly documentaries can be very influential and successful.
· Ken Loach’s, ‘Cathy Come Home,’ aided the change in many legislations and laws to do with housing at that time.
 |
| Dennis O'Rourke |
· Ideas of truth and reality can be conflicting a times, they can often attract counter claims and lies.
· Corner believes evidence rather than truth would help this.
· Documentaries represent the ‘transformed world.’
· There are many documentaries that are very popular and pull in many ratings. They are the following; Sex, Law and Order and Violence.
· Documentaries that are controversial aren’t very popular with networks as they can offend advertisers.
· All documentaries have a 3-way process; Who they are aimed at, Who is in it and finally The reaction of the audience.
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