Types of documentaries
- 2. THE MAFIA WITH TREVOR MCDONALD
- 3. meanings of how the mafia are represented. However, the most common forms are close ups, mid shots and flash backs. The particular episode that I watched did this to show the life story of the characters. The use of close ups was mainly to focus in on the characters facial features. This is because the documentary was based on crime and violence it shown the effects to this. The use of flash backs represented video evidence of real life events that happened when these people were part of the gangs and it shows the audience the reality of this and how serious and dangerous being part of the mafia was. Mise en scene Throughout the documentary the way that people are dressed represent there status’ in the mafia. Besides this, Trevor McDonald, who is the presenter is dressed formally in a suit which shows he is a powerful figure in this documentary. The first guy that he meets, John Alite, is dressed more casually in a tracksuit which suggests he was low down in the mafia and is in everyday clothing. Whereas, Mikey was dressed in suit which shows that he was high up in rank of the crime family he was part of. Editing The most common form of editing at the start, used in this documentary is long takes. This is important in crime documentaries because there are normally certain places that represent the genre. This is used through the establishing shots which shows the area of the people Trevor interviews. Also, the use of handheld camera is important because it shows that they are being followed and it shows them two walking together and talking which gives a real life perspective. Sound There is music at the start of the clip which sets the scene for the type of genre the documentary is going to be about. This is because the sound is slow and can be seen as quite dark. This shows that the documentary is going to be an eye-opener which is presented well. Throughout the documentary
- 4. the documentary involves some serious scenes. This is because the documentary is based on crime which suggest there will be some gruesome scenes in the programme which would not suit younger audiences. However, this could also be suited to older teenagers. This is because this documentary is about the mafia at its prime. It focused in on previous events and this could be informative to teenagers, because they may want to know more about the mafia because it was an intriguing subject. The documentary helps to portray a message of how life was in the mafia. This is done by interviewing different members of different gangs who all had different positions and showed what there life was like. Its shows that the mafia was a dangerous place and there could be serious consequences taken if the mafia was betrayed and let down. Also, the documentary shows the life of the most famous organised crime network. This is informative to people who were unaware. This shows views of those who were actually part of this and what it was like to be in the mafia. The institution that created this was ITV. They are a widely known UK television channel. There is quite a few documentaries released by ITV that are mostly factual ones. This is released by having the documentary aired at a certain time, dependent on the type of documentary, on British television and can be watched by the public. ITV also have a catch up website that people can go on and watch the documentary if
- 5. THE MAKING OF RONALDO
- 6. A use of camerawork that is shown is two shot. This is used when there are two people sitting down talking about Ronaldo. This is used to show similarity between the two people, they clearly know each other and are being interviewed together to show this. Also, a common camera shot used throughout the documentary is a mid shot. This is because there are mostly interviews in this documentary so it shows a shot of one person being interviewed. Mise en scene The Mise en scene is mostly costume and props. This is because the documentary is based on a footballers carer and life and therefore the kit that he wears is focused on and then what the interviewee’s wear is important also. It is clearly visible who the documentary is about due to the amount of flashbacks. There is a lot of flashbacks that show him playing football at a young age and then when he is playing professionally. The interviewees are known to Ronaldo and some wear suits and others wear tracksuits. This is because it shows which were old teammates and who were coaches or are part of his managing staff. Editing There is one main editing technique used in this documentary which is cutaway. This is used a lot when it shows the flashbacks of Ronaldo in his football career. This is used to demonstrate further what the interviewees are talking about. This is because they are talking about his career. One person is talking about him as a youngster and how he was better than everyone else, then it cuts to him playing as a youngster and celebrating a goal. Also, another editing technique used was the fade. I found that this was used to separate different parts of his story. For example, the fade would be shown when they ended talking about his early life and then they were talking about him in the academy. Sound I found that the voiceover was the most common part. This was because he was the one explaining the story, because there were people being interviewed about their story of Ronaldo but the voiceover would explain further and then talk about the next important scene in the documentary. Another use of sound was non diegetic. I found that this was used mostly over the interviewees when they were talking. One example was when Nelio Cardoso was talking about his own son doing the same as Ronaldo, which was
- 7. This documentary is targeted towards football fans. This is because this documentary is based on the life of the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. Therefore the most common audience for this documentary is football fans and fans of him and his work. This is because the documentary goes through key aspects of his life in the more recent years so it is quite informative and gives a perspective of his life from him himself. Also, this is appealing to the target audience because he is a very popular player and is popular outside the football world, therefore he attracts more crowds which would lead to bigger audiences. The main message behind the story is how he came from being an ordinary person to the best footballer in the world. This is because it shows him growing up and what he came from and then what he has turned into. It is his life story shortened into a documentary. It uses interviews with past players and coaches to give their opinions and what it was like to play with or coach him. Also, there is voiceover which describes his story as it goes along. The institution that released the documentary was Sky Sports. Even though this is a big sports industry they released it as a documentary on their channel to get wider
- 8. NATURE/WILDLIFE: BEAR GRYLLS – MAN VS WILD
- 9. Camerawork Then most common for of camerawork in this type of documentary is handheld, and this is shown in this documentary. This is because the documentary is based on an adventure into the wild with Bear which means he is being followed around. Therefore, the handheld camera is the best suited because it gives a perspective of what type of are he is exploring. Another type of camerawork used throughout the documentary was the use of aerial shots. This was used to demonstrate the surroundings Bear was facing. Also, it is done to show the severity of what Bear has to go through throughout the documentary, it shows the difficult conditions which exaggerate the challenge he is facing. Mise en scene The main focus on this documentary was Bear Grylls. This was because the purpose was to see how he faces while tested in certain situations and different environments. Therefore the way that Bear was dressed didn’t really matter. This is because he was dressed quite casually so that he would be comfortable when walking and climbing through the forest. He wore hiking boots which were essential so that he could get good grip and comfort whilst walking for long periods of time on unstable flooring. Bear also had a backpack with him throughout the video. This was so that he could pack necessities for survival with him like a bottle and a knife. Editing An editing technique that I found quite common in this documentary was the use of eyeline match. This was done a lot because throughout, Bear was talking to the camera and discussing ways of survival and things he spotted. This was shown when he talks about climbing down to a ledge so that he can descend further, the camera then went straight to the ledge to show what he was talking about. This is done to overstress and explain further what he is talking about. Sound
- 10. This documentary is an observational mode. It is based on an adventure into the wild and how Bear Grylls survives a period of time living there. This is done to give viewers a sight into a completely different habitat to see how to survive and what to do in those circumstances. The target audience that this documentary is more aimed towards is people who like going outdoors, adventurous people. There is no specific male or female. This is because this is a survival documentary so people who are interested in survival and living in the wild will be most attracted to this documentary. Also, it gives tips and techniques of living in the wild that could help someone if they wanted to try the same thing. The main message that this documentary is portraying is how to live in the wild. Bear Grylls has numerous documentaries out about different places and environments where he goes and explains how to live there. He is trying to show people tips and methods on how to live in the wild and how to survive if you are in that situation.
- 12. Camerawork There were different camera angles used for the documentary but the majority was a high angle shot. This was because there were cameras fitted into the classrooms, corridors everywhere so that everything is seen. This is good because it shows a wide shot of the room and shows mostly everyone in shot. This was shown when two pupils got sent into the headmasters office and the shot was quite high which you could then see everyone's reaction to the event. Another common camera technique used was over the shoulder shot. This was mainly for interaction between the pupil and the teacher. This shows one side of the conversation whilst the other part is speaking which showed their reaction. Mise en scene The separation between the pupils and teachers was evident. This was because the pupils were all in uniform which showed they belonged to the school and that they were pupils. Whereas the teachers were all dressed formally. This was to show who was in charge and the difference between the children and teachers. Also, the audience could easily tell that the rooms were classrooms because of the way they were set out. There were tables with chairs and the walls were decorated with school work which looked good. Editing A form of editing that was used in this documentary was shot reverse shot. This was used through the conversations with the pupils and the teachers. This is good because it show the two people in the conversation. This is shown when they are in the headmasters office and they are both speaking to each other and the camera shows both people when they are each speaking. Sound The different sound techniques used showed mostly conversations between teachers and pupils. The
- 13. This documentary is an interactive documentary. This is because it is about a school and how they are in every day. Also, they are interviewed by a speaker who is not shown and is not heard by an audience. This is common in interactive documentaries because the interviewer is not shown because they are not so important, the main focus is on those who are being interviewed. The target audience for this documentary would be aimed towards school children, even though this is of school children it is intriguing to watch from a school children's point of view because you can relate to it. Also, it is to show a view of what everyday life would be like in that school. This gives different perspectives of different people in the school like the headmaster or pupil or a teacher. It relates to the audience because some things that happen in the documentary could happen to them. The message in this documentary is to show the life of teachers but more about the school children. This is to show how they act in the class and what struggles and successes that are mixed into school life. Also, it shows how the teachers play a role into his to help the children. The institution that created this documentary was channel 4. They have also
- 14. REALITY TV: LOUIS THEROUX AND THE NAZIS
- 15. Camerawork An example of camerawork used in this documentary is tracking shot. This is because Louis is the one of the main focus points in the documentary and he needs to be shown throughout. This is why this camera angle is good because it shows Louis’ journey and where he is going. This helps engage with the audience because it feels like you are there with them along the journey. An establishing shot was used a few times to set the scene for when Louis went to different places during the documentary. This is good because it shows the area that is being described by the narrator. Also, the use of two shot is very common because Louis travels with Tom and his family and the camera shows them together. This is shown when they are in the car and it shows Louis with Tom’s wife. Mise en scene The mise en scene used in this shows the surroundings that they are in. This shows that what they are going into before the video shows what they are doing. The common message shows racism to play a key part and this is shown further. This is shown when it shows the woman and her daughter in the garage and there is a Nazi flag in the background. This shows that they are followers of Nazi's which can be considered racist especially in the placer that they live in. also there is shown to be Editing The editing techniques used in this documentary a lot is shot reverse shot. This is because the documentary follows Louis around California where he is talking to Tom and his family. This is where Louis has interviews with different people and they are having a conversation together and the camera shows everyone in the conversation’s facial expression and how they react to when Louis is asking them questions. There is a lot of continuity used in the documentary. This is showing long takes of different scenes which is uncut and is all natural.
- 16. This documentary is a narrative documentary about the travels of Louis to California to meet “the most racist man in America” who is Tom Metzger. The documentary goes through Tom’s lifestyle and how he is living a day to day life. Louis follows him round and meets his family and sees what it is like to live like them. This documentary can also be classed as a reflective and expository documentary. This is because he is frequently in front of the camera and is talking which reflects the narrative side. As well as expository because he is showing the audience what Nazi’s are like and who they are. The target audience for this documentary would be aimed towards people that are interested in history. This is because the documentary takes the audience through a journey showing the man who is known as the most racist person in America. This shows the time in 2003 where his views seemed sinister and disturbing which caused controversy in America. Therefore this topic is good for people that want to research into Nazi's and the history of what someone's opinion of them was. The message this documentary is showing is how the man was displayed in the time of conflict and how he is being portrayed. This is why his family is being followed around which shows his day to day life and what he gets up to. The message shows that there is still Nazi groups around and what they do to follow on