The theory of Documentary
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Documentary - to report something real with evidence.
Documentaries contain actual footage and/or reconstructions of events and situations to provide evidence or contrast with the interviewee's account. They also include narration to anchor meaning, sometimes relying on the unseen narrator. They can cover a wide range of genres from political, historical, social, religious and cultural.
'I think that the truth is what you actually come away with at the end of seeing a film. I mean it's your truth that you're seeing. Everybody who makes a film is putting their own truth on screen.' - Diane Tammes, Film Maker.
Reconstructions of events - must be based on the real events and stay true to the actions from the past. Those help the audience to vidualise what is being said through an interview or the narrative voice.
'What distinguishes a documentary is the portrayal of sound and images of actuality' - John Corner 1995.
Some analysts argue that the term "documentary" should be replaced with the term 'non- fiction programming'.
Peter Mayeux says that 'documentaries present facts about a subject using real events, people, places then creatively interpret all comments on those realities and peoples concerns'.
Documentary maker John Corner, a professor at the University of Liverpool, believed that there are 5 central elements to documentaries:
1. Observation
Most documentaries will include observations. Usually pretending that the camera is unseen which places the audience as an eye witness. Observations are also used as evidence for interviews. However, they have been criticised for portraying participants as objects instead of subjects.
2. Interview
Interviews are used to support or contrast with the observation. The intervewee/interviewer can be seen or unseen. Images and videos, may be played to show the meaning of what is being told and make the interviews more interesting. Interviews may be shown in fragments with other material or beplayed bt its own.
3. Dramatisation
It is used to create a sense of conflict and build up the arguments. The audience is placed as an eyewitness and they portray people in the events based on fact.
4. Mise en Scene
It is used to construct reality.
5. Exposition
It shows the topic of the documentary. It is done through description and commentary. Exposition can be obvious, direct or indirect and finally it can be hidden. Documentaries can also leave it up to the audience to make up their own minds.
Mostly documentaries are used to tell the stories of society's victims. They use human beings as evidence and exploit and expose people's lives.
The most popular documentaries are the ones that look at topics such as sex, violence and law and order.
Controversial documentaries are not popular with television as it is difficult to get advertisers to play their adverts in the middle of the documentary since they don't want to be associated with the controversy.
'It is critical that the film makers be rid of the fantasy that the documentary can be unproblematic representation of reality and that the 'truth' can be conveniently dispensed and revealed like valium.' -Dennis O'Rourke.
Documenties can be very influential, because of the amout of evidence that they provide.
For example:
1. Cathy Come Home
Ken Loach
Binary Oppositions - Levi-Strauss
The 12 Stages of The Hero's Journey
1. Ordinary World
The safe place for the hero. We meet they there and we learn about them, their everyday life, their personality and theyway they look at things. It helps the viewers with identify with them.
2. Call To Adventure
The adventure begins when they receive a call to action.
It might be direct threat to their safety, their family, their way of life or to the peace of the community in which they live. It starts the challange, where they must do something to be able to go back to their ordinary life.
3. Refusal Of The Call
Hero may accepts the quest although they will need to face their fears They wll daubt in themselves. When this happens, the Hero will refuse the call and as a result may suffer somehow. They rather go back to their normal lives even if it is not possible for them at the moment.
4. Meeting the Mentor
The hero will be given something. A lesson, a object or anything that will help them to go back to the thought of completing the quest. They will feel ready to face the challenge.
5. Crossing The Threshold
This action signifies the Hero's commitment to his journey. They cross the line between their ordinary life and the world or actions they have not meet with before. Something that they were scared of before or somethingthey they have not had done before.
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
Documentary - to report something real with evidence.
Documentaries contain actual footage and/or reconstructions of events and situations to provide evidence or contrast with the interviewee's account. They also include narration to anchor meaning, sometimes relying on the unseen narrator. They can cover a wide range of genres from political, historical, social, religious and cultural.
'I think that the truth is what you actually come away with at the end of seeing a film. I mean it's your truth that you're seeing. Everybody who makes a film is putting their own truth on screen.' - Diane Tammes, Film Maker.
Reconstructions of events - must be based on the real events and stay true to the actions from the past. Those help the audience to vidualise what is being said through an interview or the narrative voice.
'What distinguishes a documentary is the portrayal of sound and images of actuality' - John Corner 1995.
Some analysts argue that the term "documentary" should be replaced with the term 'non- fiction programming'.
Peter Mayeux says that 'documentaries present facts about a subject using real events, people, places then creatively interpret all comments on those realities and peoples concerns'.
Documentary maker John Corner, a professor at the University of Liverpool, believed that there are 5 central elements to documentaries:
1. Observation
Most documentaries will include observations. Usually pretending that the camera is unseen which places the audience as an eye witness. Observations are also used as evidence for interviews. However, they have been criticised for portraying participants as objects instead of subjects.
2. Interview
Interviews are used to support or contrast with the observation. The intervewee/interviewer can be seen or unseen. Images and videos, may be played to show the meaning of what is being told and make the interviews more interesting. Interviews may be shown in fragments with other material or beplayed bt its own.
3. Dramatisation
It is used to create a sense of conflict and build up the arguments. The audience is placed as an eyewitness and they portray people in the events based on fact.
4. Mise en Scene
It is used to construct reality.
5. Exposition
It shows the topic of the documentary. It is done through description and commentary. Exposition can be obvious, direct or indirect and finally it can be hidden. Documentaries can also leave it up to the audience to make up their own minds.
Mostly documentaries are used to tell the stories of society's victims. They use human beings as evidence and exploit and expose people's lives.
The most popular documentaries are the ones that look at topics such as sex, violence and law and order.
Controversial documentaries are not popular with television as it is difficult to get advertisers to play their adverts in the middle of the documentary since they don't want to be associated with the controversy.
'It is critical that the film makers be rid of the fantasy that the documentary can be unproblematic representation of reality and that the 'truth' can be conveniently dispensed and revealed like valium.' -Dennis O'Rourke.
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For example:
1. Cathy Come Home
Ken Loach
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It was so influential that the laws were changed about homeless people.
2. The thin blue line
Errol Morris
Errol Morris
▼△
Some
documents that Morris had unearthed in his research, and videotaped
interviews used in the film—which allowed Adams to finally be released
after serving a life sentence for 12 years.
The Conventions
Steven Barnett's Theory of Disneyfiction.
He believes that documentaries have been 'dumbed down' for audiences since this is what people have become used to. There are claims that this shows television being 'cheap' and being more concerned about getting 'ratings' instead showing useful or important documentaries.
Disneyfiction - Documentaries rely heavily on narrative conventions.
They have a definite beginning, middle and end also they have a strong focus on conflict. They are also mixed with sound effect and soundtracks to make them more interesting.
Todorov's Narrative theory
1. Equilibrium - the setting is established , key characyer(s) are introduced and the storyline is set up.
2. Disruption - oppositional character(s) appear and the story takes a particular direction.
2. Recognition of distruption - the lives of characters and events are interwoven. Tension builds.
3. Attempt to repair distruption - the highest point of tension after which there is a change in dynamic.
4. Reinstatement of equilibrium - problems are solved and questions are answered. Equilibrium might be different.
Propp's Characters
1. Protagonist (hero)
2. Antagonist (villain)
3. Hroine (reward for the hero)
4. Helper (sidekick)
5. Donor (give the hero something)
6. Mentor (teaches/guides the hero)
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Steven Barnett's Theory of Disneyfiction.
He believes that documentaries have been 'dumbed down' for audiences since this is what people have become used to. There are claims that this shows television being 'cheap' and being more concerned about getting 'ratings' instead showing useful or important documentaries.
Disneyfiction - Documentaries rely heavily on narrative conventions.
They have a definite beginning, middle and end also they have a strong focus on conflict. They are also mixed with sound effect and soundtracks to make them more interesting.
Todorov's Narrative theory
1. Equilibrium - the setting is established , key characyer(s) are introduced and the storyline is set up.
2. Disruption - oppositional character(s) appear and the story takes a particular direction.
2. Recognition of distruption - the lives of characters and events are interwoven. Tension builds.
3. Attempt to repair distruption - the highest point of tension after which there is a change in dynamic.
4. Reinstatement of equilibrium - problems are solved and questions are answered. Equilibrium might be different.
Propp's Characters
1. Protagonist (hero)
2. Antagonist (villain)
3. Hroine (reward for the hero)
4. Helper (sidekick)
5. Donor (give the hero something)
6. Mentor (teaches/guides the hero)
Binary Oppositions - Levi-Strauss
All narratives are driven foward by conflict that is caused by a series of opposing forces:
good/evil powerty/weath youth/ age light/dark sanity/madness peace/war
Barthe's Narrative Codes
He argues that every narrative is intewoven with multiple codes and identifies five different types. A combination of these codes describes the meaning of the text - if there is only one meaning, they are "closed" texts. If there are multiple ones, they can be described as "open". He describes these five code as following:
1. Proairetic (action) code - the code of actions. It referes to any action or event which suggests that something else will happen. It isused yo build tension in the audience.
2. Hermeneutic (enigma) code - the code of enigmas or puzzles. It referes to any element of the story that is not fully explained and hance becomes a mystery to the audience. These make the audience want to watch on, but cacn also frustrate them.
3. Semantic code - this code refers to connotation within the story that gives addditional meaning over the basic denotative meaning.
4. Cultural/Referential code - this code refers to the established base of shared knowladge across cultures and includes elements such as science, history and religion, as well as sayings and cliches.
5. Symbolic code - this code deals with binary oppositions or themes. The main emphasis is in antithesis where new meaning arises out of opposing and conflict ideas. Often used to create drama and character development.
Beginning of the documentary:
Music and Sound Effects - creates an emotional response from the audience.
Selection and Construction - the creators must understand the topic of the documentary that they are going to produce, as well as its type. During the process of editing, they must make sure that they stay factual and that the context is not changed in anyways.
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Dramatic Structure
Aristotle (335 BC) - identifies tragedy as the most refined version of poetry dealing with lofty matters and comedy as the most refined version of poetry dealing with base matters.
Aristotle defines tragedy according to seven characteristics: (1) it is mimetic, (2) it is serious, (3) it tells a full story of an appropriate length, (4) it contains rhythm and harmony, (5) rhythm and harmony occur in different combinations in different parts of the tragedy, (6) it is performed rather than narrated, and (7) it arouses feelings of pity and fear and then purges these feelings through catharsis. A tragedy consists of six component parts, which are listed here in order from most important to least important: plot, character, thought, diction, melody, and spectacle.
http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/aristotle/section11.rhtml
He put forward the idea that drama should be based on a three act structure: beginning, middle & end.
Three - Act Documentary Strusture
1. the introduction to the main character, introduction to the mood and introduction to the setting.
We meet with Caleb. The mood is very mysterious. We are far away from others in a forest. It makes he film seem even more mysterious. The viewers want to know what is happening and what is going to happen nex.
2. Caleb meets with Ava and interacts with her.
We are introduced to the answer of our first questions whichwas "where are we, ahat is goingto happen?"
good/evil powerty/weath youth/ age light/dark sanity/madness peace/war
Barthe's Narrative Codes
He argues that every narrative is intewoven with multiple codes and identifies five different types. A combination of these codes describes the meaning of the text - if there is only one meaning, they are "closed" texts. If there are multiple ones, they can be described as "open". He describes these five code as following:
1. Proairetic (action) code - the code of actions. It referes to any action or event which suggests that something else will happen. It isused yo build tension in the audience.
2. Hermeneutic (enigma) code - the code of enigmas or puzzles. It referes to any element of the story that is not fully explained and hance becomes a mystery to the audience. These make the audience want to watch on, but cacn also frustrate them.
3. Semantic code - this code refers to connotation within the story that gives addditional meaning over the basic denotative meaning.
4. Cultural/Referential code - this code refers to the established base of shared knowladge across cultures and includes elements such as science, history and religion, as well as sayings and cliches.
5. Symbolic code - this code deals with binary oppositions or themes. The main emphasis is in antithesis where new meaning arises out of opposing and conflict ideas. Often used to create drama and character development.
Beginning of the documentary:
- the central question of the documentary
- some action footage or quick interview conflicts.
- the documentary will become more complicated
- it will examine the issue in more detail
- the argument becomes strengthened
- different arguments creating complications and conflicting evidence
- the exposition fully apparent
- the complications are resolved and there is no doubt for the audience
Music and Sound Effects - creates an emotional response from the audience.
Selection and Construction - the creators must understand the topic of the documentary that they are going to produce, as well as its type. During the process of editing, they must make sure that they stay factual and that the context is not changed in anyways.
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Dramatic Structure
Aristotle (335 BC) - identifies tragedy as the most refined version of poetry dealing with lofty matters and comedy as the most refined version of poetry dealing with base matters.
Aristotle defines tragedy according to seven characteristics: (1) it is mimetic, (2) it is serious, (3) it tells a full story of an appropriate length, (4) it contains rhythm and harmony, (5) rhythm and harmony occur in different combinations in different parts of the tragedy, (6) it is performed rather than narrated, and (7) it arouses feelings of pity and fear and then purges these feelings through catharsis. A tragedy consists of six component parts, which are listed here in order from most important to least important: plot, character, thought, diction, melody, and spectacle.
http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/aristotle/section11.rhtml
He put forward the idea that drama should be based on a three act structure: beginning, middle & end.
Three - Act Documentary Strusture
Traditionally, "Act One" is
where the main character (the protagonist/hero) is introduced and then
confronted with a challenge or obstacle that is keeping them from reaching
their goal.
Here is where we would ask a question that we will answer later on. We must introduce some kind of a conflict that will attract the audiences interest. It shold make them want to watch the documentary to discover the solution to the introduced conflict.
Traditionally, Act Two is where the protagonist attempts to resolve the problem(s) and comes against numerous obstacles - often facing an ever worsening situation before overcoming them.
Here is where we are building the stroy, however the audience is still aking questions about the stoyline. In this part we must introduce many things such as theories, flashbacks or possible answers to the question that has been asked in Act 1. The audiences should keep on guessing and be excited to find out the real answer.
Traditionally, Act Three is where all the tensions come to a head and the main obstacle/question posed in Act One is answered and resolved.
Here is where we give the answer to the question that we asked in the Act 1.
A good tip is to start with scripting from the last Act. Knowing what we want to tell to our audiences can help us with building the question we gonna ask and how we will keep the answer unknown throughout the Act 2 .
Traditionally, Act Three is where all the tensions come to a head and the main obstacle/question posed in Act One is answered and resolved.
Here is where we give the answer to the question that we asked in the Act 1.
A good tip is to start with scripting from the last Act. Knowing what we want to tell to our audiences can help us with building the question we gonna ask and how we will keep the answer unknown throughout the Act 2 .
Gustav
Freytag (1863)
https://archive.org/stream/freytagstechniqu00freyuoft#page/28/mode/2up
- exposition,
- rising action,
- climax,
- falling action,
- catastrophe/resolution
For
example EX Machina ( film that we went to see in the cinema )
1. the introduction to the main character, introduction to the mood and introduction to the setting.
We meet with Caleb. The mood is very mysterious. We are far away from others in a forest. It makes he film seem even more mysterious. The viewers want to know what is happening and what is going to happen nex.
2. Caleb meets with Ava and interacts with her.
We are introduced to the answer of our first questions whichwas "where are we, ahat is goingto happen?"
3. Caleb falls in love with the machina. She pretends to be in love with him, however he does not know that she is not saying the truth. Caleb wants to help her escape.
4. The plan works, but for the machina. She escapes. Turns out that she was laying and she wanted to escape from the begining. The experiment was on Caleb not on her. We learn more about the machines and Nathan
5. Ava escapes. Nathan isdead. Caleb is trapped. The situation from the begining of the film changes in 180 defrees.
Joseph Campbell - The
Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949)
He
suggested that most stories old & new follow the same structure.
He called it the monomyth.
Monomyth
The 12 Stages of The Hero's Journey
1. Ordinary World
The safe place for the hero. We meet they there and we learn about them, their everyday life, their personality and theyway they look at things. It helps the viewers with identify with them.
2. Call To Adventure
The adventure begins when they receive a call to action.
It might be direct threat to their safety, their family, their way of life or to the peace of the community in which they live. It starts the challange, where they must do something to be able to go back to their ordinary life.
3. Refusal Of The Call
Hero may accepts the quest although they will need to face their fears They wll daubt in themselves. When this happens, the Hero will refuse the call and as a result may suffer somehow. They rather go back to their normal lives even if it is not possible for them at the moment.
4. Meeting the Mentor
The hero will be given something. A lesson, a object or anything that will help them to go back to the thought of completing the quest. They will feel ready to face the challenge.
5. Crossing The Threshold
This action signifies the Hero's commitment to his journey. They cross the line between their ordinary life and the world or actions they have not meet with before. Something that they were scared of before or somethingthey they have not had done before.
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
Hero must overcome each challenge they are presented with on the journey towards theie ultimate goal. The Hero needs to find out who can be trusted and who can't. They might meet enemies and all those little chalanges will build their skills to be able to face the main goal. The obsticles they face, mistakes they make and every victory they have, bring the viewers closer to them.
7. Approach To The Inmost Cave
7. Approach To The Inmost Cave
Thats where the tension for the audience is build. The hero must face some kind of a greater challange, where they will use the skills they learned before. They may daubt in themselves and reflect on what they have gone through so far.
8.Ordeal
Hero faces the hardest challange. It is the most important part of their life as everthing impotant to them is put on a line. It is the point where hero must "die" to be "reborn".
9. Reward (Seizing The Sword)
The hero survives and comes out with some kind of a prize. The yare stronger than before and ready dor the last part of their journey.
10. The Road Back
The moment before the Hero finally commits to the last stage of their journey may be a moment in which they must choose between their own personal objective and that of a Higher Cause.
11. Resurrection
The final battle for the hero.
12. Return With The Elixir
Hero goes back to their ordinary life. They grew as a person. It represent three things: change, success and proof of his journey.
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Within the Norwich For Jobs Documentary:
(screenshots added after recording all of theinteviews to help with visualisation of the idea)
Act 1
Introduce Shain as the strongest character. Let him talk about himself for a short period of time and then move on to his mentor, who will give more deatils to the topic. Let Shain talk a little bit more and go back to his mentor once again.
Act 2
Introduce Matt. Let him talk about himself for a short period of time and then move on to his boss, who will give more details to the topic. Let Matt talk a little bit more and go back to his boss again.
Act 3
Introduce James who will be summarising what has been said before. Then let Shain's metor and Matt's boss give the finall message to the local employers.
8.Ordeal
Hero faces the hardest challange. It is the most important part of their life as everthing impotant to them is put on a line. It is the point where hero must "die" to be "reborn".
9. Reward (Seizing The Sword)
The hero survives and comes out with some kind of a prize. The yare stronger than before and ready dor the last part of their journey.
10. The Road Back
The moment before the Hero finally commits to the last stage of their journey may be a moment in which they must choose between their own personal objective and that of a Higher Cause.
11. Resurrection
The final battle for the hero.
12. Return With The Elixir
Hero goes back to their ordinary life. They grew as a person. It represent three things: change, success and proof of his journey.
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Within the Norwich For Jobs Documentary:
(screenshots added after recording all of theinteviews to help with visualisation of the idea)
Act 1
Introduce Shain as the strongest character. Let him talk about himself for a short period of time and then move on to his mentor, who will give more deatils to the topic. Let Shain talk a little bit more and go back to his mentor once again.
Act 2
Introduce Matt. Let him talk about himself for a short period of time and then move on to his boss, who will give more details to the topic. Let Matt talk a little bit more and go back to his boss again.
Act 3
Introduce James who will be summarising what has been said before. Then let Shain's metor and Matt's boss give the finall message to the local employers.
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