Rhetoric in Documentary

Film

Great thanks to Andy Carvin

(andycarvin.com)

What is a Documentary?

A filmed production that uses footage of real events, interviews, animation, and other film techniques to either

inform or persuade about a nonfiction subject.

Things to think about

•The Tease

•The Body

•The Conclusion

Story Structure

Tease: Establishing shot of U Street, montage of activity; Why is its history relevant today?

Body: History of U Street; archival footage from library, old postcards; jazz and civil rights; interviews w/ community members, parents, grandparents; recent trends

Conclusion: What does the future hold?

A-Roll

B-Roll

Image Credit:

Grunt.com

Why?

Narration

“Voice of God”

Establishing Shots

Transitions

Transtions

• Cut: simplest transition from one shot to the next, usually in same location and time frame

• Dissolve: graduate transition where shots overlap; often used to show change in location/time

• Wipe: special effect transition where one scene seems to "wipe away" the other scene

• Fade to Black: Scene literally goes black;end of chapter or story

Transitions

Point of View

• What is the purpose of this documentary?

• Is the mode persuasive or informative?

• How do the choices the filmmaker makes reflect bias or intent?

Credits:

• Image Credit: Grunt.com

• Image Credit: Warhistorian.com

• Image Credit: www.film.dc.gov