Codes and Conventions of a Documentary

In all documenatries certian codes and conventions are used in order to allow the audience to see that the genre of the piece is a documentary. These conventions are suitable and particular to the genre.

• Interview with an expert - this adds facts into the documentary and makes it more informative, which documentaries should be
• Graphics - The name and occupation appears at the bottom of the screen to introduce the expert. This is only seen when the expert first comes on screen
• Rule of thirds - This positions the interviewee on eye level with the camera and allows the interviewee to connect with the audience better.
• The expert looks at the interviewer rather than straight at the camera - this makes the interview look professional
• Talking heads - this puts emphasis on what the interviwee is saying and allows the audience to focus on just the expert rather than lots of different images
• Cutaways - these are insertes when the expert is speaking so that the audience doesnt get bored by just looking at the expert, also, the audience have visual stimulus.
• Montage - a montage is normally seen in a documentary in order to show the audience different ideas
• A variety of camera angles - this is so the audience can see the chosen topic from different angles
• Voiceover - these are used to say what just images on there own cant.
• Music - the music suits the topic of the documentary.
• Sound effects relating to the documentary - sound effects relating to what is being spoken about is used
• Reconstruction- are used to illustrate what is being spoken about
• Mise en scene - the mise en scene is is relevant to the documentary
• Title - the title suits the documentary and an opening title sequence is seen
• Vox pops - vos pops of the general public are used in order to add opinions to the documentary.
• Simple open questions when interviewing - so the interviewee cant just answer yes and no
• Archive footage - to show different view points