This document summarizes techniques used in the documentaries Educating Yorkshire and Don't Tell The Bride. Over-the-shoulder shots are used in Educating Yorkshire to show power dynamics between teachers and students. Voiceovers are also common to move scenes along without a presenter. Direct address, where characters speak to the camera, helps audiences relate to characters and understand their perspectives. Voiceovers are sometimes used to fill in emotional backstories. Direct address and establishing shots similarly help involve audiences and make them feel invested in the documentaries.
3. Educating Yorkshire
• Voiceovers are probably one of the most common features of EducatingYorkshire, as they
allow the audience to stillbe informed byeither the off screen teacher, or by the series voice
over. They are useful in Educating Yorkshire, asthere isn’t apresenter that stands in front of
the camera and moves scenes along. I think that in my documentary I will stilluse a
voiceover, but not to the extreme that this one does, I willstill choose to have a presenter in
the filming.
4. Educating Yorkshire
• Direct address is something that makes the audiencefeel involved in the documentary. It
occurs when one of the characters talksdirectly to the camera about an issue or a situationat
hand. In this situationthe head master istalkingto the camera about the way in which some
students behave and why it is not what’s expected from them. Thisis effective in this
situation, because it can relate to the viewers that are watching at home and helpthem
understand the point of view of a teacher at aschool. In my documentary, I am going to
ensure that I use a number of these to create a similar effect.
6. Don’t Tell TheBride
• Direct address has been used in this instance to talkabout their relationship with on another.
They are speaking to an interviewer, but they are situated behind, or right next to the camera.
This gives the impression that the couple are talkingalmost directly to the audience at home.
This technique allows the audience to feel very involved in the programme and that the
couple is talkingexclusivelyto them. This is a key part of a documentary and is used in
almost every one that you come across andthis is because it works well with boosting
audiencenumbers, asviewers are feeling involved.
7. Don’t Tell TheBride
• An establishing shot tends to be used at the start of a scene, and when one of the characters
hasmoved location, it gives the viewer and over view of where they are and what they might
be doing. This instance isno different. In the clip, the groom hasgone into the city centre to
order something for the wedding. As the audience are able to see the location before they see
the reason why they are there, the audience are able to start thinking or guessing what might
be happening, this further involves them into the documentary, makingthe viewing a more
enjoyable experience for them.