Documentary Modes

Codes and conventions of a documentary is to have

• Realism - For example handheld camera, actuality footage, interviews, news footage, statistic etc...
• Dramatisation - For example cliff hanger, graphics, CGI, reinactment etc...
• Narrativisation - For exmaple, creating a story by using voice over

All the Documentary modes:

1. Expository -

Expository mode is when the commentary in other words the voice over is emphasized in different ways due to what is happenig in the clip, alsoo has an argumentative logic towards the footage been shown, this is a really good way in showing what to audinece shoul feel becuase it makes a realy big difference, also if you do not what is going on exactly in the footage the 'vice over' would be able to explain for you and tell you how to feel with their persuasive and emphasized voice.

In the march of the penguins there are many exmaple in where the narrative use's an emphasized voice one example is at 0:50 till 1:00, the tone of his voice tells you how big the deal is also the music helps the voice exagerate on the specific things he talks about.

2. Observational -

Observational is when the filmaker is a natural observer of the whole objective, overall telling you want to think, or either thinking you self as you are observing. the filmake is always hidden behind the camera they do not involve them seves in the video, however they may have voice over's and definitely have archive footage, also nothing is staged for observational as you have to give your own opionin or thinking on actual footage, so the camera is shaky and rough often amteur looking footage.

In Central Park five they include the interivews with the police officers also interviews with the victims throughout the whole trailer you can still observe and guess what is going to be in the documentary clearly know what it is about.



3. Reflexive -


Reflex is a mode of documentary which not necessarily tell you the truth but it reconsructs 'a' truth but not the exact truth, the article of the document is revealed and exposed to everyone for exmaple all of the editing and sound and etc are all shown to the viewer, so they have to be aware of it.

In the Catfish trailer it shows bits of what the documentary is about also it shows you the people that are in the documntary and shows them actualy filiming every little bit of the footage and jounrey they are showing to the viewers. This is reflexive mode (awareness of the process)


4. Performative -

Performative mode is when the subject is exagerrates and emphasized about the documentarian, this mainly focuses on the emtional and social impact on the audience (evocation and affect). In supersize me documentary the guy eats Mc donalds for a month and through outhe shows what he is doing constantly and what he eats this gives impact and emotion towards the audience, everyone woul have a different reaction and that is the main target for this documentary, also the main point on the documentary is about the documentarain themself.

5. Interactive -
 

Interactive Mode is when the filmaker is also involved in the documentary themself, the filmaker becomes part of the events being recorded, this accepts direct engagement unless like observational mode. In Tupac and Biggie documentary the filmaker trys tofind out who was involved and who was responsible for the murders or Tupac and Biggier, he invloves him self and does everything himself for exmaple all of the interviews also he includes everything he does for exmaple even knocking on the door for permission becuase he needs to show the audience at all times what he is doing. A few exmaple like between 0:3:50 to 0:4:40 in between that time you can see how the camera technique is really shaky and rough also how everything is recorded and not fully staged as you would expect in other documentaries.