ResearchCorrie Wheeler

Codes and Conventions of a Documentary

There are different genres of documentaries; codes and conventions may differ slightly depending on this.

Interviews

Voice-over

Soundtrack

Slow motion / fast motion footage

Close-ups and extreme close-ups

Establishing shots

Archive footage

Video diaries

Text and graphics

Juxtaposition

Codes and Conventions of…

a double page spread from a listings magazine focused on the documentary

Images, usually large and/or multiple and with captions

Columns

Informative content

Date of airing

Synopsis

Rating

Main features tab

a newspaper advertisement on the documentary

Large image showing main feature

Reviews

Large title

Majority printed in colour and high resolution

Channel or company logo

Audience Research

Audience Research

Do you watch documentaries on a regular basis?

Audience Research

What genre of documentary do you most enjoy?

Audience Research

Which channel do you usually watch them on?

Audience Research

How much time do you usually spend on the internet per day?

Audience Research

What do you mostly use the internet for?

Audience Research

Which of these websites do you use on a regular basis?

Audience Research

Do you attend any internet community events?

Audience Research

(a) Have you ever made any friends on the internet? (b) If yes, have you ever met them in person?

History of Documentaries

“a film or television or radio programme that gives facts and information about a subject”.

The first documentary piece was done in 1877 by EadweardMuybridge – a series of sequential images on the way a horse runs

In 1895 Auguste and Louis Lumière made a series of short actuality films

In the 1920s, Nanook of the North was filmed by Flaherty

After the 1920s, documentary films mainly consisted of propaganda e.g. Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will on the Nazi Party

From 1950 to 1970, cinéma vérité was developed where handheld equipment enabled film crews to follow a natural disaster

According to IMDb, the most popular documentary in the US box office was in 2004, named Fahrenheit 9/11. It grossed $119 million (Wikipedia states it grossed more, with $222,446,882), while Jackass grossed $117 million.

We can now watch documentaries on the go due to technological advancements and the internet.

Consideration of Institutional Platforms

BBC Three and Channel 4’s target audience is 16-34 year olds

Both channels air documentaries on controversial topics, such as Horsemeat Banquet (BBC Three) and Crazy about One Direction (Channel 4)

Our documentary would be independent –BBC Three airs documentaries from independent studios like Studio Lambert

Both channels have an on-demand service: BBC iPlayer and 4oD.