DOCUMENTARIES

C O D E S A N D C O N V E N T I O N S

VOICEOVER

The voiceover usually takes an authorities tone and is the narrative of the documentary

The voiceover should be informative and have good knowledge on the topic of the documentary

Specialist knowledge and expertise shared to extend understanding and engage audience.

REALISM

Natural sound and lighting No manipulation like in films, where the director is positioning the

viewer Highlights the non fiction context as there is not story telling

REAL LIFE FOOTAGE

Many debates surround the interpretation of a documentary being ‘Non Fiction’

However, the convention of a documentary is that all ideas presented to the audience are as to be seen as ‘real’ and ‘factual’

The makers behind documentaries go through great lengths to ensure footage is perceived as realistic and unaltered to the audience, although use of voiceovers in terms of editing, can affect the way the audience view the footage.

PICTURES

To aid authenticity, including pictures that are a temporal signifier of the time that the documentary is documenting

For example, vintage photos of people or family when going into the history of something

INTERVIEWS

Including real life interviews with people involved in the subject of the documentary

Ensures authenticity Informative Reliable source

SET-UPS

Setting up acted out scenes that are the closest representation of what happened

Used when there is a clack of footage of the event Used to portray a scene that is too explicit to be shown

VISUAL CODING

Aspects of mise-en-scene such as costume.

In summary, would an individual playing the role of a doctor appear tothe audience as any less of a doctor, if not wearing the stereotypical white coat and stethoscope which has become most recognised throughout media interpretation of real life scenarios.