Codes and conventions of a documentary

Codes and conventions of a documentary

In the first weeks of media we watched a number of documentaries, here are the codes and conventions of a documentary;

-Interviewees are filmed in a media shot, medium close up or close up.

-Framed to the left or right of the screen- positioning alternates if more then one interviewee to create variety.

-Framing follows the rule of thirds therefore the eye line is roughly a third of the way down the frame.

-Interviewee looks at the interviewer and not the camera

-Mise end scene- the background reinforces the content of the interview or is relevant to the interviewee providing the viewer more information about them.

-Interviews are never filmed with a light source behind them, its always in front of them.

-Cutaways are edited to break up interviews and reinforce what the documentary is about.

-Questions are edited out to avoid jumps.

-Cutaways are either:

Archive material

Suggested by something said to the interviewer and therefore filmed after the interview

-Sometimes aspects of the interviewee are filmed wth another camera such as extreme close ups of eyes, mouth and hands and used as cutaway.

Here are two examples of a documentary :