THEORY

OF

DOCUMENTARY

JOHN GRIESON

John Grieson first came up with a term “the creativity of actuality”. Film makers argue that all films are fake so reconstruction becomes more inevitable. When people attempt to record reality it becomes impossible for the people being film to be real and true because they know that they’re being filmed and other people are watching them.

DIANE TAMES (FILM MAKER)

“I think the truth is what you actually come away with at the end of seeing a film. Mean it’s your truth your seeing. Everybody who makes a film is putting their own truth on screen” - Diane Tames, (Film maker).

Some analysts argue that it should be replaced with non-fictional programming. Even though people disagree on the styles of documentaries, there is a common tread across all types of documentaries. Documentaries are not just about facts are used to create socially critical trends for the audience to show coincidences. Current affairs are different to documentaries; they are midway between documentary’s and news for example News Night, and Panorama which usually last either a few minutes or up to 15 minutes. When it starts to become over 30 minutes it then makes it a Documentary. Current affairs usually show weighty issues and social development however there is a growing concern for them as people have accused current affairs of distorting and/or misrepresenting.

JOHN CORNER

Features of documentaries according to John Corner – University of Liverpool

5 things documentary’s should have:

- Observation

- Interviews where the interviewer can be seen or unseen. And pictures/clips dubbed over to support the interviewee’s point of view.

- Dramatization: All documentaries use drama through eye witnesses to create a sense of events.

- Mise en Scene

- Exposition is the line of the argument which is made up of description and commentary.

“It is critical that film makes belief of the fantasy the documentary can be an unproblematic representation of reality and that truth can be conveniently dispensed and received like valium” - Dennis O’rourke.

Documentary's rely heavily on traditional Narratives such as:

The Music and sound used

Beginning is very important because you pose the question to the interviewee and either shows the person speaking or action footage over the top.

In the Middle documentaries usually examine the issue and focus on the conflict and the argument should be strengthened. Then a second argument should be brought in including the conflict and evidence to support it.

At the End the argument should be clear with both points proven and music and sound effects used for reconstruction.

CONSTRUCTION OF CLIPS

The selection and construction of clips is important when editing as it depends on the type of document, the time frames we have and the selection of clips we choose. You must also be careful about what the people are saying so you get the correct cutaway over the top. There must be a minimum of 5 different people that you interview. The people who you are filming need to be trust worthy and trust you. Everything must be set up before the interviewee enters the room so you can get straight into filming and look professional. You must find out everything about the topic before making the questions. The questions must be read out loud but cut off in the editing.