Cue/Signifiers in Documentary
This is a specific visual or audio presence, sequence, transition or edit that is inserted in to a documentary which is a common convention through out for an audience to be able to recognise what is about to be said or done. This is almost a USP in terms of how people differenciate between documentaries and can tell where or what the docuemtnary is from. For example the BBC uses a numerous amount of visually pleasing aesthetic images whilst the narrator is speaking over the top explaining and almost spoon feeding the audience to simplify what was just said by the expert to let us digest the information better.
Hybrid Documentary
This is the combination of the documentary genre and merging its conventions alongside lets say the genre, drama. Resulting in a hybrid genre e.g. docudrama. These are getting more and more popular with the digital age because of the use of the being able to film high quality footage with a small enough camera which enables the film maker to have a freedom to do pretty much what they want. The technology therefore allows people to be more creative for much less money, for example Paranormal Activity.
The 4th Wall
This is the space between you, the audience and that of the camera lense. We as an audience observes what is going on and unconsciously accept this as right. We look upon the subject in documentary with out consequences, and without us being there we watch it in ignorance about how it is filmed. The breaking of this is when the documenter looks out to the audience and addresses them thus breaking this barrier between these two realities that the camera has built up and can result in making the audience feel uncomfortable. It also can be used to emphasise a point to the audience as well.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs After reading a few theories and studies, I have researched and have concluded that these needs are why people want to watch what is being the development of the documentary at this present day. Like reality documentaries for example Big Brother. The new digital age has resulted in people being able to be much more mobile and creative in how people think what audiences want in terms of what they want to watch. This is a hierarchy explaining what people want and need. The relevance is by using this you can play on what people want and need and incorporate this in to your documentary and thus being able to have a level of control of manipulating how your audience emotionally reacts to your documentary. |
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As some of our footage will be filmed in the night we will be in need of a source of light in order to get a decent image without putting the gain up in the camera settings. So I have conducted some research triyng to solve this issue and have found some lights that will be able be fitted in the cab door frame to create a glow that will be able to cast light on our subjects.
I also have a list of lights that might be necessary:
Paglight: These are very small and inconspicuous and will be able to create a subtle light on the subject that will not alter his or her reactions and will look less intimidating so the subject might open up more making better footage, these are also advantages to microlights however they have a much harsher light that can make the area look quite artificial. http://www.paglight.com/paglight.htm
F for Fake
Made in 1974 by Orson Welles this was a documentary about Elmyr de Hory, a Hungarian painter who forged famous paintings. However the film was much more than just that. It followed several people including Clifford Irving who interviewed Elmyr de Hory and then went on to write a book about him. However then published a biography about Howard Hues which sold thousands of copies worldwide but then it was found out that it was indeed a fake itself. The documentary reflects on this and speculates constantly on fakery, forgery, experts and magicianship. The editing is very interesting and I found out that many of it was filmed in 35mm and 15mm. Much of the documentary was poetic however it was also expository, reflective and performative mode. This is because Orson Welles is seen in a few scenes of the documentary and evaluates but also discusses the theme of the documentary to the audience. Much like an essay.
The Power of Nightmares
A politically driven and very controversial documentary from Adam Curtis. The documentary's themes include mainly on terrorism and how politicians have exploited an idea planted by the government about a threat that is not really there and is only there to keep certain power over the people. It is a political reflexive mode driven documentary with a huge part of it being expository. The voice of god being constantly used throughout combined with the use of primary resources being experts help drive the documentary however at the same time Adam Curtis almost influencing peoples political view point to agree with him. Because of the well edited the perfect combination of facts and visual stimuli of footage creates a subject for the audience to relate to on nearly every level as nearly everyone in the world was effected by the issue of terrorism and that of politics.
Century of the Self
Edward Burnays. The 'godfather' of public relations. This in effect was propaganda. This was by using societies subconscious and inner desires to control them. Businesses do this to get you to buy something you do not need. The documentary itself is similar to how The Power of Nightmares is filmed and edited. It is a expository mode documentary and uses this to persuade the audience think and spoon feed it to us through the use of experts. The documentary uses aesthetic signatures which are common in Adam Curtis' documentaries which involves a lot of archive footage to reference back to the past (speech by Martin Luther King) and get across his idea that this issue started a long while ago right under our noses and is almost saying that we cannot trust the government because of this.
Man Bites Dog
Such a mind blowing and very engaging documentary. This is done very well using questions that we almost ask when watching what he does. The camera is handheld most of the time and it seems that the whole hour and a half is spontaneous filming. This has elements of breaking the 4th wall. This is seen in a number ways by which the 'serial killer' asks the camera questions all the time. And references his questions to the actual viewers sometimes. The documentary itself is that of the reflective mode and per formative. This is very unusual for the audience especially because you get attached to the killer himself, because you are with him this whole documentary. You almost get emotionally attached to his character especially when you meet his family and he talks about his values. This leaves the audience confused with what they feel and is very good in how it provokes thought and emotion with the help the camera being in such a way that you feel part of the crew documenting this killer.
The Battle of Algiers
As an alternative to watching documentaries I was intrigued in my research in coming across a film called the battle of Algiers . This was a film about the Algerian war in Africa and the french military occupation. The film is shot like a documentary using hand held camera movements however has sequences which has makes it very cinematic. This makes it very engaging to the audience and draws the audience into the characters and story line.
Salvador
A film by Oliver Stone, made in 1986 is a film about a war photographer who wants to go to El Salvador to photograph the civil war happening there however finds it difficult to find work and decides to go free lance. The film is getting behind the camera of an actual war photographer and shows them as being a kind of hero however this is far from the truth as the character in the film who is the war photographer is shown in a much more realistic view to the audience and making the character a lot more 3d. This gives the audience a realisation of what a war photographer can go through if he goes out to take photos of the truth. Maybe a bit more dramatised to keep it a bit more interesting however around the time this was made was a time where photographers like
Cathy Come Home
A story about a woman living in the 1960s and demonstrating an issue to the population at the time about how hard it was being the role she was in a the society it was then. It was shot in a documentary style format and has a kind of expository mode about the whole film. This was a kind of narration/inner thoughts from the main character Cathy. This added to the realism and thus the audience becomes more engaged with the story much more. This film went on to cause massive efforts from the public to get the government to create more housing for families and could be said that it helped mold Britain.
Exit Through The Gift Shop
This is about a man called Thierry Guetta who documented the allusive street artist Banksey. Made in 2010, it is journey film about the underworld of street art and how this person Thierry, a french immigrant living in Los Angeles who ended up following Banksey and documented his adventures with him. It is very performatively driven. However has many conventions of particapatory and that of obersrvational. This is because the docuemtnary is of Thierry Guetta but he is also filming and its observational because it is almost at time in the docuementary that you just simply observing what is going on which plays a large part in the first half because he is always filming the street artists at work during the night.
Living With the Amish
A expository model moc-umentary about 6 teens living an Amish lifestyle with the an Amish community. The narrator is also the primary source as well in the film and constantly reviews and reflects constantly what is being done. This creates a kind of further engagement with the audience and involves them much more it feels like. Because not only is he the one guiding us through the narrative but also he is also the one that is in narrative which results in a between the audience and what they are seeing to be slightly more stronger and more intimate relationship for the viewer.
