THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT.

Analysis of a documentary.

Type of Documentary: ‘The Devil made me do it’ is a mixed

documentary as it includes; narration, observation, interviews, archive footage and recreations.

Themes within the documentary: This documentary is about how the

media affects people and why. It also looks at how people respond to something that they see within the media.

Narrative Structure:

Beginning: During the beginning of the documentary it shows Marilyn Manson and his followers. It also begins to set up the murder that is the focus of the documentary.

Middle: Though out the middle of the documentary it informs us on the techniques and methods used by the police on how they caught the girls who murdered the nun. It also paints Marilyn Manson in a negative light as they blame him for the murder as the 3 girls listened to his music and idolised him.

End: Towards the end of the documentary it concludes the documentary with the sentences that the 3 girls received for their crimes. It still shows teenagers in a negative light with the use of a montage showing teenagers misbehaving, it also still shows Marilyn Manson in a negative light as it shows his fans at the concerts swearing and being rude.

Camera Work:

Throughout the documentary a variety of camera angles where used.

During the recreating a high angle shots of the city where used to show that the city is vulnerable. High angle pan shots are also used over the city to emphasise its vulnerability.

Close ups of satanic symbols on walls are used during the recreation.

During the concert footage shot reverse shots are used with low angles of Marilyn Manson and low angles of his fans. This shows how his fans look up to him and idolise him. The high angles of the fans show reinforces the idea that they look up to him as a god, this also makes them look weak.

Slow motion is also used within the concert footage which reinforces that fact that his fans idolise him.

During the interviews of Marilyn Manson his face is lighted in a certain way so half of his face is in shadow. This suggest that there are two sides to him, a good side and a bad side.

Mise-en-scene:

During the start of the documentary the town is shown as peaceful, high angle shots of the city make it look vulnerable.

During the interview of the Lawyer on the train she is the only person on the train wearing red, this shows that she stands out and that she is powerful.

Also with the interviews of Marilyn Manson his face is lighted so that half of him is in shadow, this shows two sides of his personality; a good side and a bad side.

The interviews of the teenagers take place within their bedrooms and them smoking, this shows the negatively.

Sound:

Sound effects are used though out the reconstruction during this documentary.

A heartbeat sound effect is used as well a eerie non-diegetic music which adds tension for the audience and makes them synthesise with the victim. Footsteps are also used to emphasise scenes and moments within the event.

Editing:

A montage of criminals and mug shots is used at the start of the documentary.

A montage is used at the beginning and end of the documentary showing teenagers in a negative light.

Shot-Reverse-Shot is used during the Marilyn Manson concert and it shows how his fans idolise him and look to him as a God.

Slow motion is also used during the clips of the concerts of emphasise the way his fans look up to him.

Archive Material:

Archive material is used though out the documentary.

Marilyn Manson concert footage: This footage is used to show how fans of Marilyn Manson look up to him and idolise him. This also shows the fans in a negative light as they are seen being rude and swearing.

Arrest footage: Arrest footage of the girls shows them being driven away, this tells the audience that it is real and isn’t fantasy.

Leaked audio of the girls confessions: This audio of the girls confessions is used over the top of the recreation this informs the audience of how they committed the murder.

Police footage: Police footage of how the police investigated the murder and how the caught the 3 girls. It also tells us about techniques and methods that they used to catch the girls.

Graphics:

Graphics are used at the start of the documentary to show the title of it. ‘The Devil made me do it’ is shown in an unusual font and in the colour red. This sets up the theme of the documentaries which is about murder.

Graphics are also used throughout the documentary with the title of the documentary after breaks at the bottom of the screen in a plain white font, they have used a plain font and colour so it doesn’t distract the audience from the documentary. The same font and colour is used during interviews to show the names of the interviewees.

Subtitles are used during the Marilyn Manson concerts so we can read what he is singing.

Simple white text on a black background is used at the end of the documentary stating the girls sentences, this gives the documentary closure.