1. Assignment 2: Group TV
Documentary Analysis
By:
Fatou Panzout
Laura Cuk
Rosalin Zein
Jodie Foster-Pilia
Maria Fashakin

2. Skint
• Series
• Aired on Channel 4.
• The length of the show is 46:47.
• This series originally aired on
Monday 20th May – 9:05pm.
• This documentary is rated G –
Strong Language – 16+ to watch it.

3. Topic & Purpose
• The purpose of the show is to inform
the audience as to how under
privileged people in Scunthorpe
survive, everyday life and the different
problematic situations they come
across.
• People in similar situations as the
people in skint, may be able to relate
and understand some of the issues
raised, and feel somewhat comforted
by watching the documentary.

4. Audience
Niche Audience • This documentary is targeted at a niche
audience due to the fact that it is a hard hitting
topic regarding the lives of deprived
individuals .
• There would only be a specific group of people
who would be interested in this, as they too
may have been involved in similar situations.
Target Audience • 16 – 35
• Female
• Precariat (The most deprived
members of society)
• English – British (Irish)
Secondary Audience • 36 – 50
• Male
• Working Class
• All ethnicities and nationalities

5. Analysis of introduction
1) Establishing shot The establishing shot establishes the
location and orientates the audience.
2) Voiceover The voice over is used to inform and
explain to the audience about what the
documentary is going to consist of.
3)Montage editing Montage editing is used as an enigma,
as the use of non- linear footage
ensures that the audience are eager to
find out what's happening
4) Establishing character The characters are introduced to the
audience through the voiceover, the
character then talks directly to the
camera

6. Analysis of introduction
Establishing shot
Introducing character
Introducing character with voice over
Character talking directly to camera.

7. Forms
Form Fatou Laura Rosalin Jodie Maria
Form#1 Camera
movement
Sound Camera shots Montage
editing
Form#2 Sense of
realism
Composition

8. Forms
• Camera Movements –
• They have a great use of panning throughout
the documentary, which is hand held, giving
the emphasise of the sense of realism
throughout the documentary

9. Forms
• Camera Movements
• Also they had a minimal of tilting, which made
it seem more realistic

10. (Credits) Forms
Credits are used to introduce the
people within the documentary.
USE
CHALLENGE
DEVELOP

11. Sound - Form
There is also non-diegetic background score music which is fast paced and helps to create
a hectic atmosphere. This atmosphere also relates to the life styles of the people within
the documentary.
BACKGROUND SCORE MUSIC
VOICE OVERS & SOUND BRIDGING
During the first few minutes of the documentary there is a voice over of the narration
which introduces the topic of the documentary. There is also sound bridging as the voice
over carries on to different shots.

12. Sense of Realism - Form
Handheld camera movement :
Hand held cameras are
usually used if it is too
time consuming to
prepare a tripod.
In documentaries like
this, because the case
studies that are non-
scripted the
cameramen don’t know
what the people will be
doing.
For example, In this part of the
documentary the girl and her
friends are running down the road
so the camera man has to pan.
The hand held camera movement provides a sense of
realism as it has a more “home made” or dramatic feel to a
shot.

13. Sense of realism - Form
Natural lighting :
Natural lighting creates a more gritty, realistic tone, It makes the
documentary seem authentic as nothing artificial is used.
This type of lighting is good for a non-scripted documentary as it reinforces
the idea of realism and the fact that the case studies are of real people.

14. Specific Camera shotsFORMS
Two shot
Wide shot
Here a wide shot is used to
show the establish family to
the audience
Here, a wide shot is used to
show the bigger picture, of
what happens on the streets,
and the way in which they
socialise
A two shot is used to show
people having a conversation,
whereby it is clear to the
audience, what issues they are
facing
Body language (hands pointing)
demonstrates that she is reprimanding
her daughter
Body language (crossing arms)
represents character as rebellious
Clothing (hoodies)
represent gang members

15. FORMS Specific camera shots
Different cuts
Here the character
is talking
It then cuts to a shot
of her makeup
This to keep the
audience interested,
as they are not just
focussing on her face
all the time
Close-ups
Close-ups are used to
show the characters
facial expression
They give an insight
as to how the
character is feeling
Facial expressions
show emotion

16. FORMS - Composition
Balance
Rule of Thirds
Balance is shown in this footage at
the beginning of the documentary in
the introduction as the sky and the
land meet exactly in the middle
The character is placed at the
right hand side, to highlight the
that what she is talking about
makes her quite upset, placing
her on the side gives a sense of
vulnerability
Here the character has been
purposely placed on the left
hand side, in order to give room
for the credit, as she is
introduced
The use of balance
immediately attracts the
audience

17. (Montage editing) Forms
• Montage editing is used in the documentary to sustain the viewers interest by showing the audience smaller clips from the
episode of what to see.

18. (Animation) Forms
• Animation is not present in our documentary hence the reason why it challenges the form of animation.
• This is a serious documentary so animation would be inappropriate and would distract the viewer from
the sense of realism.

19. Conventions
Convention Fatou Laura Rosalin Jodie Maria
Convention #1 narrator Interviews Statistics
challenged
Voice over Montage
editing
Convention #2 Presenter
(challenged)
Credits Sense of
realism
Case studies Animation
(challenged)

20. Conventions
• Narrator
• They use a narrator in the introduction of the
documentary to inform viewers as to what
they’re expected to watch and the basics of how
and why the people within the documentary are
in that sort of lifestyle
• Presenter
• This convention is challenged because its not
used as there is no presenter, that is shown to be
presented

21. (Interviews) Conventions
The camera man asked from behind
the camera interacting with the
interviewee.
USE
CHALLENGE
DEVELOP
Most of the camera shots used during these interviews
are mid shots, close up shots or two shots. This is
because this keeps the audience focused on what the
interviewees are saying.
Within the documentary there are
interviews with people who live in this
situation.

22. Non scripted footage or material :
In this part of the documentary, the girls is upset after loosing the court case
for her daughter.
We can see that it is non -scripted because the producers wouldn't have known
that she would lose her child.
Sense of realism - Convention
Non- scripted material helps to create a sense of realism as it means the people
within the documentary are able to talk more freely about their experiences
giving the audience insight into their life.

23. Statistics are numbers that help
prove a point which make it more
believable to audience.
In this documentary no statistics
were used, so it challenges the
convention.
Statistics - Convention
Statistics can be abstract or
explicit.
Explicit (top) statistics are placed
on a blank or non-moving
background.
Abstract (bottom) statistics will
usually be presented through an
animation, graph or chart.
From the documentary ‘food inc’

24. (Case studies) Convention
In documentaries there is usually
some sort of case study
Here is a case study, whereby she is
followed throughout the documentary
The way in which she lives her life, and
her journey is monitored throughout the
documentary so the audience have an
insight into her everyday life style
Body language and facial expressions are
present in case studies in order that they can
communicate how they feel
They give the documentary a feel of
realism as the cases are real