The Devil Made Me Do It

Analysis

Type, Themes, Narrative Structure

• The devil made me do it is a mixed type of documentary; it contains narration interviews, archive footage and observation. The purpose of the documentary is to document and to inform the audience about the crime, the aftermath, investigated media influence and to entertain the audience.

• The documentary is based on Marilyn Manson and his music influence on young people. The main themes that are portrayed in the documentary are crime, youth, influence of the media and religion vs. devil worship which is a binary opposition creating conflict between the two.

• The narrative structure in the documentary is single stranded so it’s based on one topic which is Marilyn Manson and his music influence on murder. The documentary is also open so it leaves some questions unanswered, for the audience to think about. The documentary is non-linear as the events in the documentary didn’t happen in chronological order but instead followed the unchronological structure.

Camerawork• There is a variety of camerawork that has been used

throughout the documentary. The interview set-ups were usually medium close up or a close up and the interviewees we usually sat on one side of the frame not looking directly at the camera which shows that it followed the conventions of an interview.

• However some interviews were less conventional such as the one where there are two interviewees sat on a sofa, and the camera frame was set up where they are sat in the middle of the frame which is less conventional. Throughout the documentary there are also close-ups of religious and devil iconography and zooms into the signs such as the Christian cross which highlights the key themes of the documentary.

• In the documentary there are establishing shots to set the scene and give context. During the Marilyn Manson concert there are crane shots of the crowd highlighting the devotion of his fans. In the documentary there is a lot of handheld camerawork which makes the documentary more realistic and truthful but is also allows the cameraman to move more quickly. During the interview there are low angle shots of Marilyn Manson demonstrating his power. The interview includes observation which links to the points and provides evidence for the exposition.

Mise En Scene

• The use of mise en scene in the interview where Marilyn Manson's face is partially shaded could signify darkness, good vs. evil and a dual personality. The fact that he is sat in his dressing room may also signify that he is ordinary just like everyone else.

• Throughout the documentary there is religious and non-religious iconography to emphasize the good vs. evil which is one of the themes in the documentary creating conflict. The fact that the documentary is set-up in real locations and around real people backs up the idea of truth and realism. The mise en scene in the interviews anchors the relevance of the interviewee and the topic that is being talked about. The interviewees are either experts or witnesses to the situation which provides stimulation and evidence for the exposition.

Sound• There are various different sounds in the

documentary which are diegetic and non-diegetic. The main sound in the documentary is the voice of god narration which provides exposition. The voiceover also provides anchorage to what is going on.

• The narrator is a male who is English but does not have a particular accent which gives a sense of authority and knowledge. In the documentary there is also a translator to make sure that the audience understands what some people are saying. In the documentary there are various sound effects.

• During the reinacment there is a knife and heartbeat sound which emphasises brutality. The music in the documentary are either religious classical hymns or Manson’s rock and metal music which again shows the binary opposition in the documentary. The music fits in with the points that are being made and visuals.

Editing, Archive Material

• In the documentary there are a lot of cutaways to visuals that fit in with what is being talked about at the time. The pace of editing changes to also fir with what is going on at the time. At the beginning of the documentary there is a montage to give insights to the documentary and what is going to be happening in the documentary engaging the audience.

• There is a use of archive material which are old music videos, news reports and a chat show. To emphasise the points being made.

Graphics

• The on screen graphics show the date and contextual information on the screen. During the interviews they also show the interviewees information such as their name and who they are which shows their relevance in the documentary.

• At one of the gigs the on screen lyrics show the audience clearly what is being said and highlights the content of the lyrics. The graphics on the title screen have been stylised in a gothic way which fits in with the documentary itself and the main themes. Also information has been given on the court outcome at the end.