2. JOHN GRIESON
John Grieson first came up with a term “the creativity
of actuality”. Film makers argue that all films are fake
so reconstruction becomes more inevitable. When
people attempt to record reality it becomes impossible
for the people being film to be real and true because
they know that they’re being filmed and other people
are watching them.
3. DIANE TAMES (FILM MAKER)
“I think the truth is what you actually come away with at the end of seeing a film.
Mean it’s your truth your seeing. Everybody who makes a film is putting their own
truth on screen” - Diane Tames, (Film maker).
Some analysts argue that it should be replaced with non-fictional programming.
Even though people disagree on the styles of documentaries, there is a common
tread across all types of documentaries. Documentaries are not just about facts
are used to create socially critical trends for the audience to show coincidences.
Current affairs are different to documentaries; they are midway between
documentary’s and news for example News Night, and Panorama which usually
last either a few minutes or up to 15 minutes. When it starts to become over 30
minutes it then makes it a Documentary. Current affairs usually show weighty
issues and social development however there is a growing concern for them as
people have accused current affairs of distorting and/or misrepresenting.
4. JOHN CORNER
Features of documentaries according to John Corner –
University of Liverpool
5 things documentary’s should have:
- Observation
- Interviews where the interviewer can be seen or unseen.
And pictures/clips dubbed over to support the
interviewee’s point of view.
- Dramatization: All documentaries use drama through eye
witnesses to create a sense of events.
- Mise en Scene
- Exposition is the line of the argument which is made up
of description and commentary.
5. “It is critical that film makes belief of the fantasy the documentary can be an
unproblematic representation of reality and that truth can be conveniently
dispensed and received like valium” - Dennis O’rourke.
Documentary's rely heavily on traditional Narratives such as:
The Music and sound used
Beginning is very important because you pose the question to the interviewee
and either shows the person speaking or action footage over the top.
In the Middle documentaries usually examine the issue and focus on the conflict
and the argument should be strengthened. Then a second argument should
be brought in including the conflict and evidence to support it.
At the End the argument should be clear with both points proven and music and
sound effects used for reconstruction.
6. CONSTRUCTION OF CLIPS
The selection and construction of clips is important when editing as it
depends on the type of document, the time frames we have and the
selection of clips we choose. You must also be careful about what the
people are saying so you get the correct cutaway over the top. There must
be a minimum of 5 different people that you interview. The people who you
are filming need to be trust worthy and trust you. Everything must be set up
before the interviewee enters the room so you can get straight into filming
and look professional. You must find out everything about the topic before
making the questions. The questions must be read out loud but cut off in
the editing.