Modes of documentaries
- 2. Bill Nicholas’ modes of documentary are significant as the different modes allow for us to recognize the different types of documentaries, making it much easier to identify all of the different codes and conventions. This research would be essential when it comes to making our documentaries.
- 3. Poetic Mode Conventions Lyrical and Emotional Filmic conventions Artistic Continuous editing Audience is shows abstract subjective representations of reality this is usually achieved through the use of continuous editing throughout the documentary. Documentary Evidence Leni Riefenstahl’s Olympia (1938) - low camera angles and slow pace editing. Transitions included a lot of also fading and merging between the images – glorifying the Aryan athlete's Camera Shots – Extreme close –ups , long shots ,close-ups and lot of low angle shots. Regen | Rain (1929) | Joris Ivens Slow paced editing “moves away from the ‘objective’ reality of a given situation or people, to grasp at an “inner truth” that can only be grasped by poetical manipulation. – Nicholas
- 4. Expository Mode Conventions Voice Of God Narration Archive footage Verbal commentary Interviews Evidentiary editing Documentary Evidence Taxi To The Dark Side: Archive footage, evidentiary editing to show George W Bush hypocrisy archive footage from newspapers and news reports. Interviews with the prison guards at the camps. Voice of God Narration throughout the documentary
- 5. Participatory Mode These films usually take the form of a series of interviews or other forms of even more direct involvement from conversations to provocations. ∆ Archival footage to examine historical issues Man on Wire
- 6. Observational Mode Observe historical events as they happen and can also use the observations of an unobtrusive camera to create direct engagement with the everyday life of subjects. ∆ No voice overs ∆ No interviews ∆ No supplementary music ∆ Social actors behave as if the camera is not there
- 7. Reflexive Mode This mode, which includes the mockumentary format, calls attention to the assumptions and conventions that govern documentary filmmaking to increase our awareness of how films construct representations of reality Voice of God Narration Land Without Bread Transitions – Fade to black , This is Spinal Tap
- 8. Perfomative Mode Highlights the subjective or expressive aspect of the filmmaker’s own involvement with a subject. ∆ Reject Objectivity, Favour Emotion ∆ Non-diegetic music ∆ No Narration ∆ Voice- overs ∆ Archive footage Tongues Untied Subject was Marlon Riggs who was also the filmmaker Favours emotion through the use of archive footage showing gay males getting attacked Voice-over of poetry/ spoken word written by Marlon Riggs A lot of close -ups and medium shots Non-diegetic music