Conventions of a DocumentaryThe definition of a documentary is a recording of an event that is generally based on peoples perspectives and/or genuine facts. Documentaries typically follow certain codes and conventions to make them appealing for their target audience.Voiceovers are normally used to encourage the audience to think that they have some kind of specialist knowledge and therefore are encouraged to believe that what is said is the truth. The unseen commentator explains or tells a story during a documentary stating what is happening and/or adding extra information such as facts.Also in documentaries real footage of events is played to further convince the audience that the documentary is real. Documentaries are also seen as non-fiction therefore the real footage is used to prove that the story is real and unaltered. To further make the documentary have a technicality of realism, natural lighting along with natural sound is used to indicate that the footage hasnt been heavily edited. Interviews with experts, such as doctors, tend to occur in documentaries to authenticate the views expressed in the documentary. They are used to give factual evidence to influence the audience to believe what is being said. Furthermore, interviews allow people being filmed to speak directly about events prompted by specific questions. Filming an interview also gives the opportunity to capture the emotion of a person whilst they may be telling a personal story.Words written on screen can be used to anchor images in time and space. The text can be titles, labels, dates, names etc. They are believed to be a way on quickly conveying information to the audience. Typically in a documentary there is non-diegetic sound that is added to reflect the emotion of a scene to attempt to make the audience feel a certain way. Documentaries also quite often use the bridge effect for the sound, for example the may be coming towards the end of a scene where you will hear someone talking, the scene will then change to the person that is talking, their voice bridged over from one scene to another. Finally, visual coding is used to further influence the audience e.g. mise en scene and props. A doctor could be wearing a coat to convince the audience that they are a doctor as they are in the correct uniform.Types of documentariesExpository Doesnt follow the strict conventions of most documentaries. Uses voiceovers and addresses the audience directly, may gather a variety of material to support argument. Example- Backstairs Billy: The Queen mums butler Observational This type of documentary focuses on just using one camera, it observes the world. Location shooting, no interviews are used and rarely uses a voiceover Example- 16 and PregnantParticipatory - The documentary maker is visible within the documentary, they normally also Participate as the voiceover. Example- Supersize meReflexive - Bases on real life moments and objects, these types of documentaries are based more on Suggestions and opinions rather than facts. Example- Driving me crazyPerformative Based on emotion, the documentary maker/crew may interact with the subject. Example- Tongues UnitedPoetic Subjective representation of reality.Example- Man with a movie camera