Documentary+Questions

Documentary Questions

What Is A Documentary?

> > > > Observational documentaries are like expository documentaries, except generally with no narrator. Instead, filmmakers choose to show their subject through pictures, shots, interviews and POV shots. Observational documentaries were made popular with advancements in portable video and sound equipment. > > Reflexive documentaries operate on the premise that audiences are aware that all video is manipulated, so they actively show the shooting process and expose the filmmakers and their opinions in the documentary itself. They reflect on the process of filming, and include 'the making of' videos and documentaries on the filmmaker seeking answers and evidence. > > First person documentaries involve the filmmaker using the documentary to answer questions and get inside about him or herself as an instrument for self-discovery and self-revelation. These are often seen as hybrids of reflexive documentaries and home videos. > > Poetic documentaries aim more to reveal something amazing about the world rather than to present an argument or idea. Poetic documentaries focus more on the 'artistic' aspect of documentaries rather than delivering solid facts and opinions. The filmmaker shows audiences a world by expanding, warping and manipulating video and audio, using the camera and editing software as artistic tools. > > TV hybrids, such as American Idol and The Amazing Race, stage shows in a realistic environment. They take the documentary look of hand-held cameras and interviews and often mesh them with staged scenes, or place them in a 'game show' or 'contest' environment.
 * 1) The four goals of a documentary are to document a subject in order to preserve knowledge, to reveal something about the subject, to allow the viewer to experience being a subject, and to advocate on the behalf of a subject.
 * 1) One of the appeals of documentaries is that it lets viewers participate in another world, and open our eyes to subjects that we previously wouldn't know about.
 * 1) Expository documentaries are much like expository essays, directly showing viewers the surface of a reality. It presents information and states arguments through a narrator, and is generally what we expect a stereotypical documentary to be.

The ABC's of Documentary Cinema

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 * 1) Documentaries reflect the ideas and opinions of the filmmakers because they are made by people, and therefore will be left to those people's interpretation. As the makers of the film, the filmmakers' ideas and opinions will bleed through to the final product, whether intentional or not.
 * 1) A wide or establishing shot will show the subject from a distance, and possibly include his or her environment. A long shot is generally a full body shot of the subject, shot using a telephoto lens. A medium shot may be waste-up from the subject, a close shot will include the subject's head and possibly shoulders, and an extreme close up will focus on one part of the subject's face, most likely the eyes or mouth, to show strong emotions.
 * 1) A cutaway is when a shot takes the viewer away from the main action, such as when the shot shows what an interviewee is talking about. A cut-in is a close-up detail that is inserted in a longer shot.
 * 1) An over-the-shoulder shot is shot when multiple people are in dialogue. It is shot over one person's shoulder, with the subject that the first person is facing in focus behind. Complementary shots are when over-the-shoulder and close ups are switched and reversed depending on who speaks in the conversation.
 * 1) The term 'MOS' means 'silent' and originates from when German directors in Hollywood would say 'mit out sound'.

Preparing To Film

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 * 1) The filmmaker's attitude towards a subject is what moulds the documentary into what it will be. They will choose subjects that mean something to them, and stances on the subject that they support, as that way they can throw their passion and inspiration into the documentary.
 * 1) It is important to be clear about what is being said and why, as most documentaries are made as a commentary by the filmmaker to the audience. the whole point of a documentary is to bring across a message based on truth, and this cannot be accomplished if the documentary is confusing and unclear.
 * 1) Showing action and interaction is important because viewers like watching things and people that they can identify with, and helps us become more interested in issues that affect others' lives.
 * 1) A documentary should have good perspectives so that it can send across a message and allow audiences to take all the content in and make a judgement for themselves. However, a documentary that is too biased will also turn viewers away.
 * 1) Filmmakers may read about a subject, watch other documentaries on the subject, and ask experts about the subject. Some filmmakers may even spend time living with the subject to get better personal insight. Scouting out locations and people and conducting pre-interviews are also useful research techniques.
 * 1) Audiences may determine the documentary's approach, as different age groups and types of people will like different types of film. For example, a nature video catered to children may show lots of cute animals and simple narration, while a video for teenagers may involve more action shots and 'wow' moments, and older audiences may appreciate more hands-on interviews and scenery shots.
 * 1) Organization in pre-production is important, although less important than in fictional films, as they deal in reality and one can never know what to expect. However, having a shooting plan and general script can give the filmmaker an idea of what shots they want to aim for in the finished product rather than stumbling blindly.
 * 1) Storyboards work for fully scripted films where the filmmaker has a very specific vision, or when a scene must be recreated as a part of history or as a staged version of reality.
 * 1) A shooting plan is created to show how the filmmaker wants the arc of the documentary to be. It gives an idea of the plot line or flow of the documentary. An arc satisfies the 'artistic' element of documentaries and makes it more compelling to watch.

Essentials

> > The assistant director is an assistant to the director, managing actors, coordinating schedules, helps to manage production and takes care of things like food and breaks. > > The production manager draws up budgets and shooting schedules, and also manages and coordinates all the actual shooting in smaller-scale productions. > > The camera operator sets up shots under the directions of the script and director. He must understand the director's visions and work with him to make successful shots. > > The sound recordist deals with all the audio recordings in a documentary. Nowadays, independent sound mastering allows recordings to be even clearer and an element in itself. The sound recordist also deals with environmental sound issues. > > The gaffer and best boy place lights under the orders of the camera operator. The grip moves equipment on set. > > The picture editor takes all the shots and puts them together in post-production. He or she is in charge of picking the best shots, creating an arc out of them and making a finished picture that goes with the director's vision. > > The foley artist, or sound editor, works with the soundtrack of the documentary, adding sound effects and laying in narrations.The sound editor must make sure that the audio syncs in with the video to create a flowing product.
 * 1) The director, also known as the filmmaker, the person who comes up with the concept, visualizes the plan, conducts research, and supervises filming. The director is often also the interviewer, and indirectly oversees post-production.

Shooting The Documentary

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 * 1) A shooting schedule plots out when and where the different pieces of the documentary will be captured.
 * 1) Pre-interviews allow the director to refine questions for the actual interview and to root out subjects who are more responsive or interesting.
 * 1) The director may want to use the location of an interview to enhance the tone of the scene. The interviewee's comfort and the location's significance should also be taken into account.
 * 1) If the interviewer does not want his questions to be part of the interview, he or she has to make sure that the response can stand as an independent quote, or that the response has the question rephrased within it, while remaining at ease and spontaneous.
 * 1) A common practise for framing an interviewee is to shoot the subject at the third right of the screen for half the interview and then at the third left for the remainder, adding some variety to the final edit.
 * 1) If there are multiple speakers, the camera operator should shift between them to show that dialogue is occurring. The filmmaker should also plan to shoot the setting of the interview.

Putting It All Together

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 * 1) Shot logs help the director and editor to find exactly what they are looking for amidst the mass confusion of many different tapes.
 * 1) Transcribing interviews can allow the editor to take parts of the interview that are effective, and cut and paste them into a paper edit of the documentary. It can also be easier to indicate where cutaways and such come in.
 * 1) The problem-solution structure is a common arc in documentaries, where a problem is presented, various issues and angles are outlined, and then an answer or resolution is presented.
 * 1) The rough cut is the first test of the movie, and the first glimpse of what the final product will look like. The director and editor can take feedback from people watching the rough cut, and refine it for the final product.
 * 1) Often, shots that do not contribute to the theme or overall effect of the documentary are cut from the final product.
 * 1) Good narration informs the audience of the important aspects of the documentary, but allows them to come to their own conclusions. Bad narration tells viewers how they should feel and gets between them and the film's theme.