Documentary research

Documentary techniquesObservational:  – This is a technique where you just let the camera roll and let the action speak for itself. There is no narration, no “talking heads”, no interviews telling the

story. The camera is basically a “fly on the wall”. There is still editing involved to set the tone and pacing, but the filmmakers allow the action and people in the situation reveal the story in their own timing. I worked with a friend on such a project where we set up a camera in a barber shop and just quietly filmed as one character after the next walked in to reveal a fascinating patchwork of stories. The footage was later edited down into a 20-minute documentary short.

Reportage: The act or process of reporting news or other events of general interest (Journalism & Publishing) a journalist's style of reporting (Journalism & Publishing) a technique of documentary film or photo journalism that tells a story entirely through pictures

the act or technique of reporting news.Reconstruction: Reconstructions are a relatively recent addition to documentary film. They are artificial scenes of an event which has been reconstructed and acted out on film

based on information of the event. Reconstructions have become an almost essential element of documentary film and can even make up the entire filmed footage of the documentary. (e.g. Days that Shook the World, BBC, 2003) Reconstructions generally provide factual information and give the viewer a sense of realism, as if the event really happened in front of them live. This can be very powerful and/or entertaining. Film makers often (but not always) indicate that the footage is not real by using techniques such as blurring, distortion, lighting effects, changes in camera level, and colour enhancement within the footage. Reconstructions are one of the most expensive aspects of modern documentary film making.

Interviews: The interview is a traditional documentary technique. It allows people being filmed to speak directly about events (talking heads), prompted by the questions

asked by the filmmaker. The setting of the interview is carefully chosen to reinforce the message of the interview. Expert historians are a common feature of historical documentaries and are typically filmed in front of book cases or at historical sites. The setting reinforces the authority of the views expressed. Interviews in a documentary give the viewer a sense that the documentary maker’s views are mutually shared by another person or source, and thus more valid. To achieve this, much detail from what may be a one-hour interview has been edited out, so that clips of only a few minutes are shown. The interviewer will only ask questions that support the main theme presented within the documentary, and thus the viewer is given the impression that this is the only view. 

Is it OK for a documentary to be subjective, or even biased

Objective: of a person or their judgment) not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. a thing aimed at or sought; a goal.Subjective: based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.Biased: unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something.It is ok for an documentary to be either subjective or biased as it depends on the situation and topic of the documentary for example target audiences could have biased thoughts of a sector of an documentary such as “Life at Death Row” etc.

Advertising ResearchPersuasive techniques

Repetition: The action of repeating something that has already been said or written. This is often used in the advertising industry

for example the repetition of an slogan from a brand. “Just do it” is meant to stick in the target audience head.

Reward: Promotions Coupons, sweepstakes, games with prizes and gifts with purchases create excitement, and participation encourages

customers to build a relationship with the sponsoring product or service. The attraction of getting something "free" or earning "rewards" makes promotions successful. Limited-time offers and entry deadlines add urgency to this advertising technique's call to action.

Slogans: A catchy phrase or statement often used to sell a service or a product. This is helpful in the advertising industry as

many brands have become very successful of an slogan such as McDonalds, Nike, Burger King, BMW etc.

Taglines: A catchphrase or slogan, especially as used in advertising, or the punchline of a joke, this could be used to bring the

audiences attention

Guilt:

Guilt is used in media eg. images of a starving child persuades you to send money, the advertisement forces a connection towards the audience.

Aspiration: a hope or ambition of achieving something.Sympathy: Feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else's misfortune.

Popular TV advertOne of the most popular adverts I have come across is the Cadbury advert. Featuring a gorilla playing the drums while listening to music. This may come across as very entertaining and funny towards the audience, as in reality we wouldn’t see a gorilla playing any music instrument. This attracts and spreads attention towards the chocolate brand “Cadbury”.