codes and conventions of Documentary:

                                    codes and conventions of a documentary                  

      

Codes and conventions of a documentary 

The techniques used for creating texts

Technical

Creating meaning to how we record an image

Written codes

Constructing meaning through the use of text

Audio codes

Creating meaning to the use of sound, use of emotive music

Symbolic codes

Creating meaning by what we see in an image, use of mise-en-scene or props to reinforce ideas about characters or themes

CONVENTION = repeated ways of constructing media works using codes that have been accepted by audiences over time. Examples include:

…fade to black - indicating time has passed

Car chase scene backed by dramatic music

The meanings constructed by codes and conventions are culturally determined

The hand held camera or jiggly camera is often attributed to the documentary - bringing realism and truth.  With equipment becoming more portable promoting on-location shooting by filmmakers, Examples include The Blair Witch Project, it’s hard to keep the camera steady when filming action shots.

Narrative voice over -  leading the audience into a preferred reading of the scene. The voice is usually heard over a soundtrack without watching a matching source in the image.  You cannot see the speaker, often explaining the visuals a good example of this is Ansel Adams. 

Re-enactment

The staging of real events that have already taken place. Most filmmakers shoot events where they actually occurred whilst others staged the event.

Real people

The real people in the documentary. Understanding the purpose of the documentary, to entertain, to inform, to educate, to shock, to satirise or for propaganda purposes. Critical viewing of documentaries requires moving beyond the education and entertainment factor all the bias and the truth it must be objective.

A point of view

It’s important to recognise that all documentaries are biased, which equates to prejudice within an audience therefore a better term to use what is the point of view to use to identify a narrative.

- from what point of view are you talking or speaking

- what perspective is it offering

- can you relate to this view point or understand where it’s coming from

- are there multiple viewpoints and do they contradict 

- any other perspective 

- what’s the tone behind the viewpoint

Why is Critical viewing important

In order to view our documentaries through the right lens we have to accept that multiple truths exist.

~ What truths are presented in the documentary 

~ How are they presented

~ What information does it put forward

~ what information is left out