My Dad, The Serial Killer

Type of Documentary

Themes

Narrative Structure

Mixed:Fly on the wall and interviews

-Murder-Rape

-Family

-Single Strand-Linear-Closed

Camerawork

The documentary begins with an establishing shot and an external shot to give viewers a

sense of location.In addition there are a

few nightime shots used

which creates an eerie

atmosphere and links

back to the theme of murder.

This is an example of a long shot used within this documentary- she appears to be isolated due to the crimes her father

has committed.

The documentary also featured quite a lot of tracking in various

locations.

The theme of family is shown through the use of two shots and a wide shot (showing all sisters) to highlight their close relationship and how they’re sticking together through

their current situation.

There are many close up’s used to display old family

photographs (linking back to the theme of family) and

newspaper clippings relating to the murders their father

committed.

The codes and conventions of

documentaries are followed by using the

rule of thirds and positioning the

interviewee to the left/right of the

screen; the interviewee is also

looking at the interviewer rather than the camera.

However, unlike other documentaries that I have analysed, these interviews are very informal and do not have backgrounds

relating to the interviewee.

Mise-en-sceneThere is natural (low

key) lighting used throughout this

documentary and the code of attire is very

informal, e.g. sweatpants; this is in

addition to the interviews being rather

informal aswell.

Additional camerawork: -medium close up of girl being interviewed-close up of paperwork being signed-aerial shot of the neighbourhood (give a sense of location)-over the shoulder shot of newspaper clippings-close up of letters written by the father

Sound Editing

Graphics

Diegetic:-dialogue

-traffic-laughter

Non diegetic:-voiceover (male)-slow incidental

music

There is superimposition used within

this documentary

to show photographs of the girls who were

killed- superimposed

over a nightime shot,

creating an eerie

atmosphere and linking to the theme of

murder.

The title is the only use of

graphics within this

documentary.

Archive MaterialThe archive

material used within this

documentary included

footage from the interview in the police station and

video footage taken from

just before he followed a girl from the bus

and murdered her.