Unit 27 LO2.

2 Codes & Conventions of factual programming

for TV
Documentary formatsExpository documentaries are the type of documentary which is dominant
on television. Expository documentaries are led by verbal commentary
and argumentative logic which is usually directed by a narrator. The
conventions in this type of documentary are voice overs used to
accompany the images, the voice over is commonly known as the voice of
god because it assumes a logical argument and proper answer using
direct address.
In-line Citation: (Terms, 2016)
An example of an expository documentary will include factual information
and figures, having interviewers to back up the topic also. Americas most
wanted is a good example, the documentary begins with a presenter
introducing the topic and content. It then shows a series of secondary
images showing the person who is the focus of the documentary,
including a voice over. There is an interview with the police to support the
topic including a caption at the bottom of the screen. Some parts of the
interview is used as a voice over on top of videos relevant to what he is
saying. Factual footage is then shown which had not been filmed or
produced. This kind of footage backs up on the topic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMCVH3wdU2w
In-line Citation: (BPDMediaRelations, 2012

Observational documentaries use a lot of filming, where the filmmakers

will be hidden behind the camera and be the neutral observer. The
filmmakers are hidden so they cant influence what is happening. The
subjects pretend as if theyre not being recorded, they act how they would
normally, as if they werent being filmed. There will be a voice of god,
which will mostly be a man who will show authority.
In-line Citation: (Terms, 2016)
An example of an observational documentary is Big Brother as it allows
the viewers to reach their own conclusions of the documentary. To begin,
there is a clip of a talk between big brother and a housemate where they
talk privately, there is also a caption below showing the audience who the
person talking is. There is then footage from different parts of the house
and the garden of the other housemates doing natural things. All the
cameras are hidden throughout the house and garden, hidden behind
mirrors and in corners of the room. The cameras zoom into whoever is

talking. Because the cameras are hidden it allows the housemates to act
naturally, and film their natural behaviour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQeLi5dbZgw
In-line Citation: (BigBrotherArchive FullEpisodes, 2012)
Reflective documentaries include the filmmaker on screen and involved
with what is going on within the documentary, they often provide a
narrative voiceover for the documentary as well. They often get involved
with what is going on and the people they are talking to so they can get
an in depth view into the way other people act and think. However
because the voiceover is done by the filmmaker it can often, without
meaning, give a bias influence about the subject matter. The audience will
listen to the filmmakers voice as the documentary is going on and can
make them often side with the same views as the filmmaker.
In-line Citation: (Terms, 2016)
Louis Theroux is a well-known reflective documenter as he often gets
involved with activities for his documentaries or he hides information so
he can entice information out of people. For example in his documentary
Louis and the Nazis he doesnt reveal that he is a Jew so that he can
befriend them to ask questions. If he had revealed that he was a Jew from
the start he wouldnt have been able to get as much information or insight
into the Nazi lifestyle. The documentary follows the code and conventions
of a reflective documentary as it includes Louis as the narrator and voice
his opinions. He is also the presenter and provides factual information and
interviews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo_DuXWJgRM
In-line Citation: (BBC Brit, 2015)

Performative documentary acknowledges the emotion and subjective

aspects of documentary, and presents ideas as part of a context, having
different meanings for different people, often autobiographical in nature.
Performative documentary is often seen as very honest and usually
involves the film maker themselves being the subject of the documentary,
this is what makes it autobiographical.
In-line Citation: (Terms, 2016)
An example of a performative documentary is Tongues united, the
documentary shows a proud lifestyle of a gay black man. The
documentary emphasises the power and strength in the man standing for
who they are, it also shows some intimate scenes so it is open and
reaches out to show the audience how normal it is and to stop prejudice
against gay men. The documentary captures the feelings and emotions

accompanied by a voiceover of a man speaking the words of

encouragement and about his new equal life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ-JBiY8IZo
In-line Citation: (MOCA, 2015)

Interactive documentarys is where there is direct engagement between

the filmmaker and subject. The interviews are very formal and mostly the
questioning is on the run because they have lots of tasks to cover so the
questioning takes place very fast. Lots of material is used like footage,
newspaper headlines, letters etc. There is an interviewer and the camera
man who is holding a hand held camera.
In-line Citation: (Terms, 2016)
An example of an interactive documentary is Life of Michael Jackson by
Bashir (2004). The subject of the topic is introduced by a montage of
videos of Michael Jackson. A voiceover of the filmmaker/presenter is used
in the background also to introduce his documentary. There is then a one
to one talk with the filmmaker and Michael Jackson, introducing the
documentary type to be interactive. Michael Jackson is presented to be
the subject due to having more focus on him. Clips of Bashir with Michael
are shown in his own home. This shows how its interactive as the
presenter is getting involved with the subject instead of simply speaking
about him. Due to how interactive it is it means that the presenter is able
to speak to Michael Jackson on a more personal level, recording clips of
information which are more personal and emotional.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl0uqobeVDM
In-line Citation: (R.I.P Michael!, 2009)

Realism shows actuality footage, techniques that would be seen would be

things like handheld camera, interviews with people involved in the topic,
statistics and graphs to support the facts.
In-line Citation: (MorganMedia and profile, 2012)
An example of a realism documentary would be Life and death of a serial
killer-Aileen Wuornos. They show some actual footage and interviews that
are based on real facts of what happened.
In-line Citation: (The Attorney Depot, 2013)

Dramatisation is mainly creating a drama out of a real situation so it may

include things like cliff hangers, voice overs, music, graphics and this is all
done through a re-enactment of the situation.
In-line Citation: (MorganMedia and profile, 2012)
An example of a dramatisation documentary would be The people v OJ
Simpson. It is a dramatised version of events of the OJ Simpson trial in
1995. Actors re enact what happened in the famous trial and make it into
a dramatised documentary.
In-line Citation:(Ryan M. Harvey, 2016
Narrativsation is the narrative side if things are purely about creating a
story based on facts.
In-line Citation: (MorganMedia and profile, 2012)
An example of a narrativisation documentary would be David
Attenborough Origin of life. David Attenborough explains the facts of
whats happening throughout the documentary but he also tells a story of
what happens.
In-line Citation: (EVO101, 2013

Bibliography
Expository definition
Bibliography: Terms, P.I. (2016) Formats of documentary. Available at:
https://prezi.com/tvamu53eamkf/formats-of-documentary/ (Accessed: 18
April 2016).

Example
Bibliography: BPDMediaRelations (2012) Americas most wanted: Steven
Perez homicide. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=EMCVH3wdU2w (Accessed: 18 April 2016).

Observational definition
Bibliography: Terms, P.I. (2016) Formats of documentary. Available at:
https://prezi.com/tvamu53eamkf/formats-of-documentary/ (Accessed: 18
April 2016).

Example

Bibliography: BigBrotherArchive FullEpisodes (2012) Big brother UK

2006 - day 24 - diary room uncut. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQeLi5dbZgw (Accessed: 20 April
2016).

Reflective definition
Bibliography: Terms, P.I. (2016) Formats of documentary. Available at:
https://prezi.com/tvamu53eamkf/formats-of-documentary/ (Accessed: 20
April 2016).

Example
Bibliography: BBC Brit (2015) Louis Theroux & the Nazis - louis most
memorable moments - BBC Brit. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo_DuXWJgRM (Accessed: 20 April
2016).

Performative definition
Bibliography: Terms, P.I. (2016) Formats of documentary. Available at:
https://prezi.com/tvamu53eamkf/formats-of-documentary/ (Accessed: 22
April 2016).

Example
Bibliography: MOCA (2015) Tongues untied. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ-JBiY8IZo (Accessed: 22 April
2016).

Interactive documentary
Bibliography: Terms, P.I. (2016) Formats of documentary. Available at:
https://prezi.com/tvamu53eamkf/formats-of-documentary/ (Accessed: 22
April 2016).

Example
Bibliography: R.I.P Michael! (2009) Michael Jacksons personal life [Part
1]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl0uqobeVDM
(Accessed: 22 April 2016).

Realism definition
Bibliography: MorganMedia and profile, V. my complete (2012) Unit 27Factual Programme production techniques for television. Available at:

http://productiontechniques12.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/codes-conventionsof-documentary.html (Accessed: 25 April 2016).

Example
Bibliography: The Attorney Depot (2013) Aileen Wuornos: Life and
death of a serial killer (full documentary). Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trty0OObpK8 (Accessed: 18 May
2016).

Narrativisation definition
Bibliography: MorganMedia and profile, V. my complete (2012) Unit 27Factual Programme production techniques for television. Available at:
http://productiontechniques12.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/codes-conventionsof-documentary.html (Accessed: 25 April 2016).

Example
Bibliography: EVO101 (2013) David Attenborough origin of life, arrival
HD BBC documentary animals & nature [MIRROR]. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCeHQfCjgJM (Accessed: 18 May
2016).

Dramatisation
Bibliography: MorganMedia and profile, V. my complete (2012) Unit 27Factual Programme production techniques for television. Available at:
http://productiontechniques12.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/codes-conventionsof-documentary.html (Accessed: 25 April 2016).

Example
Bibliography: Ryan M. Harvey (2016) THE PEOPLE v O J SIMPSON
EPISODE 10. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uuzrnYNvhLc (Accessed: 18 May 2016).