Observational Documentary

By …Caitlin O’Mara

Angelika Zubrzycka Shannon Sloyan

Observational key facts

This is where the documentary maker follows the person around to observe the events that happen in their life. Equipment can be informal, such as the use of hand-held cameras. Usually no interviews are included. Voiceovers are used to tell us about the people we see in the documentary, but sometimes this might not be the case, a voiceover may not be used at all. By maintaining the observational mode, the director allowed the subject to forget the presence of the camera and behave more naturally, thereby letting the audience get a better sense of how people really act.

Example : Big Brother

The are cameras hidden throughout the house, hidden behind mirrors and placed in corners of rooms. Cameras can zoom and focus on certain housemates who are talking. The cameras are hidden to allow housemates to not act different due to being aware constantly they are being filmed. This means they will be them natural selves, allowing cameras to observe their behaviour. There is footage from the garden of the housemates, these clips are not produced or edited.

Techniques:

Editing: shot / reverse shot is used at the start, where the camera alternates between two people having an argument which makes the show interesting.

Sound: direct address is used throughout the show as the crew ask them questions to create tension in the house.

Camera work: close ups appeared to see who the voiceover is talking about.

Example: Keeping up with the Kardashinas

Techniques:

Editing: eyeline match is used so that the viewer can see the people having the conversation.

Sound: the music helps engage the viewer. Camera work: a variety is used especially long shots.