DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS

Different Types of Documentary

Fully Narrated: This type of documentary has a direct mode of address which is an off screen voice over,
that makes sense of visuals. Example of this is a nature documentaries. The voice over usually has a
sense of authority - "Voice of God".

Fly on the Wall: This type draws on cinema but mostly observational documentary that has no
commentary or narration. It’s just the cameras left to record subjects without interference. The camera
can also affect the behaviour of the subjects.

Mixed: A mixture of observational and narrative to advance the exposition. This type of documentary mixes
the use of interviews, voice over and observational footage.

Self-Reflexive: This one is where the person acknowledges the presence of the camera and speaks
directly to the film-maker, talking to the interviewer who is behind the camera or sometimes on screen.
Critics say this is a confusing way to do a documentary because it makes the documentary look more about
the film-maker than the subject it meant to be about.

Docudrama: This is a reenactment of events that are based on the truth. has style-elements of argument
and exposition are combined with fictional narrative, with the story based on facts

Docusoap: This a phenomenon of recent years where it follows daily lives of people in a range of different
jobs or positions in society. E.g. airports, cruise liners, however there are disputes that if these docs are
actuality documentaries.

Narrative

For this section on the analysis sheet, you need to explain and describe how you think the narrative is
structured.

It would also be useful to use terms you learnt about when studying Homeland, e.g. is the narrative linear
or non-linear, open or closed, single or multi-stranded?

Camerawork, Mise en scene, Editing, Sound, Archive Material and Graphics

For these sections, please ensure you identify specific examples – just for some examples…e.g.
● For graphics quote the graphics for particular interview(s) or any other times graphics are used and
why?
● How is the mise en scene in an interview relevant for the topic/themes of the documentary and the
person being interviewed?
● Are there establishing shots? Why?
● Does there seem to be a conventional set up for an interview? If so, what is the shot construction?
TITLE OF PROGRAMME: The Final 24 – Tupac Shakur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Bc1BMTZWQ08&list=PLanxfg3ReJtEU0c8e6mY_C_vQ5bCMHz38&index=26

TYPE OF DOCUMENTARY
 
 
 Mixed

THEMES
 
 Hip Hop and pop Culture
 
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
 
The structure is the final 24 hours in the order in which it happened, whilst giving specific details of what
happened. However, it starts with a short reconstruction of his death, so you already know whats going to
happen. Also I think it is single stranded because its talking about Tupac
 
CAMERAWORK
 Interviews were medium close up.

When the documentary starts getting more emotional it zooms into their face.

In the interviews if someone would talk about a place such as LA, there would be an establishing shot to
give you a better picture of the location.

In the opening sequence it showed small parts of the whole documentary to make the audience stay and
watch. This incises the audience as it shows how Tupac was killed in a reconstruction.
 

MISE-EN-SCENE
 
In this documentary the rise en scene is always relative to the interviewee or the subject of the interview. For
example, Tupac studio team are sat infant of platinum records to show that they were his music team.
 
 

SOUND
 
 All through the documentary, hip hop music is playing as the show is about Tupac.

In some tense pats there is more serious music towards the end.

Non diegetic with the music so it doesn’t clash with the narrator.

Stings are used a lot along with sound effects.

 
 
 
 
 

EDITING

Cross cutting between scenes

Cut aways

Establishing shots

Montages

ARCHIVE MATERIAL
 
 
 I don’t understand this one.
 
 
 
 

GRAPHICS
 
 
 Shallow depth of field and rule of three
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
TITLE OF PROGRAMME: Don’t Blame Facebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=nRm6EjY8ZWo&list=PLanxfg3ReJtEU0c8e6mY_C_vQ5bCMHz38&index=105

TYPE OF DOCUMENTARY
 
 Mixed
 

THEMES
 
 Horror/ Thriller
 

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
 
 
 Multi-stranded because it is talking about more than one person and there are multiple events and it didn’t
just happen to one person
 
 

CAMERAWORK
 
 
 Interviews were medium close up.

When the documentary starts getting more emotional it zooms into their face.

When talking about the underground, if they were in an interview, and then started talking about a place,
they’d then have an establishing shot
 
 

MISE-EN-SCENE
 
 When doing interviews and reconstructions, they have to use a dark background, maybe with an outcast of
white light. This is to show the audience that this documentary is more serious than previous ones

In the interviews the peoples clothes were the clothes they’d be wearing if they were on the job
 
 
 
 
 
 

SOUND
 
 
 Very dull.

The music in this is quite bleak and scary.

Non diegetic music to once again not clash with the narrator
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

EDITING
 
 
 Montages
Cross cutting between scenes

Cut aways

Establishing shots

Quick cutes
 

ARCHIVE MATERIAL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

GRAPHICS
 
 Variety of shots and movement

Close up if people are getting emotional

Tule of thirds

Shallow depth of field on interviews

 
 
 
 
 
 
TITLE OF PROGRAMME: Ghosts on the Underground
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3Bf_bxfE5gw&list=PLanxfg3ReJtEU0c8e6mY_C_vQ5bCMHz38&index=208

TYPE OF DOCUMENTARY
 
 
 Mixed

THEMES
 ~Reality
 
 
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
 
 Follows multiple people on their journeys
 
 
 
 

CAMERAWORK
 
 Similar to the other documentaries. Interviews are a medium close up. it zooms in when they get emotional
and establishing shots are used when talking about a place.
 
 
 
MISE-EN-SCENE
 
 When doing interviews and recreations, its very reality tv like not very serious but maybe it should be. This
is to show the audience the topic

In the interviews the peoples clothes were the clothes they’d be wearing if they were on the job
 
 

 
 

SOUND
 
 
 Non diegetic music. Its like pop culture and hip hop.

When the dramatic parts come, they use stings

Incidental music
 
 
 
 
 

EDITING
 
 
 Montages

Cross cutting between scenes

Cut aways

Establishing shots

Quick cuts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

ARCHIVE MATERIAL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

GRAPHICS