Monday 28 June 2010

Codes and Conventions of a documentary

Camera Work

- Interviewee positioned to the left of the right
-Interviewees are filmed in medium close up, mid shot or close up
- Questions are edited out
- Mise - en - scene relates to intervieww and reinforces content of the interview, it also provides more information about the interviewee
- Interviewee looks at the interviewer not directly at the camera
- Positioning of the interviewer is important, if the interviewee is on the right then the interviewer must be on the left of the camera
- The interviewer should sit or stand as close to the camera as possible
- Framing follows rule of thirds (eye line must be approximately a 3rd down the screen)
- Interviews are never filmed with a light source behind the interviewee, for example in front of a window.


Editing

- Cutaways are editing into the interviews for 2 reasons
- To break up interviews
- Or to illustrate what the interviewee is saying.
- Cutaways are either
- Archive material
- Footage filmed after the interview after being suggested by the interviewees.
- Sometimes aspects of the interviews are filmed in extreme close up such as facial features or hands to show emotions.