2. Topic
The documentary topic we have chosen to do is about Obsessions, as shown through our
questionnaire results, obsessions are much more common than originally thought and there’s a
large variety of obsessions such as; gambling, shoes, hoarding, cleaning and shopping. This will
allow us to look at both the novelty and the professional sides of obsessions, through focusing
on slightly more obscure obsessions – such as hoarding – as well as achieving our secondary idea
by interviewing appropriate professions; for example, a psychotherapist who can give us – and
the audience – a professional, serious insight on the topic.
4. Type of Documentary
Our documentary is going to be mixed; a mixed documentary uses a combination of interviews,
observation and narration to help to advance the argument the creator is trying to put forward.
Within a mixed documentary as the interviewee/voice over is speaking pictures continue over it,
in a montage fashion. A strength of mixed documentaries it that it is representing an objective
reality and not just a selective construction.
5. Style of Documentary
The documentary is going to be informal because we are going to give information in a relatively
low register, and include commonly used vocabulary to ensure total understanding from both
sides of the spectrum of our target audience, but unlike nature programmes where the voice
over tells you everything in detail as the voice over will mostly include facts. The documentary
will be heavily factual and the soundtrack will be appropriate and likely linked to the topic. The
language is going to be spoken in simple English, who is a middle age male for it to seem more
serious and informal vocabulary to appeal to the younger of the target audience whilst also
appealing to the older target audience.
6. Target Audience
Our target audience that we planned to have was teenagers and young adults between the ages
of 19 – 35 years old. We don’t target any specific gender, however as we found from our
questionnaire analysis, 62% of the answers were from females; implying that they are likely to
find the topic most interesting and so mostly females will watch. This target age – 19 through to
35 – will influence the time we air the documentary as they’re likely to be in work, or some form
of further education, hence why we’d like to air our documentary during primetime.
7. Primary Research needed for
Documentary
Interviews
Numbers/Details for CAMs therapist/psychiatrist
Cut away – relevant to obsession
Details for relevant interviewees
Possible photography – relevant to obsessions, for montage(?)
Questionnaire results - statistics
8. Channel and scheduling
We chose Channel 4 to air our documentary on as this channel targets a slightly more educated
audience and their age range is approximately 18-30, which overlaps with our own target
audience which is between the ages of 19 – 35 years old. We also chose to air our documentary
at primetime as we think this would attract adults, and teenagers as they would have finished
work and/or school, meaning they would have time to watch it, away from their families which
is why we chose this segment rather than teatime. Lastly, our schedule would be hammocking.
Hammocking is a technique used in Broadcast programming whereby an unpopular television
programme is scheduled between two popular ones in the hope that viewers will watch it. This
is the time that’ll likely receive more teenagers, and young adults due to just not changing the
channel.
9. Secondary Research needed for
Documentary
Photography of obsessions – Obsessive cleaner’s houses, crowds at concerts,
sequences/patterns (OCD), etc for possible montage, archive footage
Indiegetic sound that’s relevant to obsessions
Possible books on obsession, for statistics
National statistics
Clips from relevant documentaries/TV shows, e.g. Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners.
10. Outline Content
Beginning: Narration to introduce the topic, and to
vaguely explain the documentary’s topic over a
montage of still images of obessions. This narration
will halt when the interviews commence, and then
an interview with a therapist will begin.
Vox pops will then continue the content, and so will
provide an overview of the audience’s view rather
than specifically just who we choose to interview;
giving more variety throughout the documentary.
Middle/ Exposition: Further interviews with
professions, obsessive people and perhaps OCD
sufferers.
Archive footage of Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners, to
reference the influence for the documentary topic.
End: Overlook of a few obsessions, pan across a
collection of merchandise (maybe archive footage, if
necessary) related to one obsession. Narration with a
statistic, to finish. Cross fade into end credits.
11. Narrative Structure
Singular stranded – one line of exposition (obsessions are common)
Linear/Chronological – one event after another
It will be open, as we’re going to leave it to the audience for interpretation, this will allow us to
meet our aim of educating our audience and so allow them to come to their own conclusions.
Informal/colloquial vocabulary in order to suit and appeal to the target audience’s age, however
some sophisticated vocabulary due to us targeting mostly educated young adults.
Male, English voice
Spoken in standard English
The voice over will speak at the beginning - after the opening sequence – to introduce the topic
of the Documentary, this will cut off when the first interview commences. It’ll continue with a
statistic, perhaps that ¼ of British adults spend 2 ½ hours cleaning per weekday.
