ASSIGNMENT

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THE DOCUMENTARIES I WILL BE ANALYSINGLifers

• Lifers is filmed in a prison in Leicestershire following inmates facing life imprisonment.

• It was on Channel 4

• Target audience for Lifers is 25-35 year olds.

• It was broadcast at 9pm

• It was shown on Channel 4, Channel 4+1, More 4, 4oD

• Produced by Century Films

CONVENTIONS

• Handheld

• Supporting images

• Supporting documents

• Archival footage

• Available lighting

• Voiceover

• Background music

• Interview

• Title/credits

• Real life setting

• Quoted material

• Selection of footage that is most consistent

with intended perspectives and attitudes of topic

• Facts and figures

• Natural lighting• Position of interviewee on screen• Establishing shot• Mid shot• Close up shots• Supporting clips• Archival images• Montage editing• Clear aim of documentary• Presenter• Tone of presenter• Theory and style• Font• Animation• Ambient sound• Intervals• Structure• Quoted material• Special effects

LIFERS

ARCHIVAL FOOTAGEUseDevelop Challenge

Lifers uses the convention of archival footage in the documentary but develops it as news reports are typical archival footage in documentaries. Here, the archival footage is a CCTV recording.

INTERVIEWUseDevelopChallenge

Lifers uses the convention of an interview to inform the audience of the inmate’s circumstance.

Lifers uses the convention of real setting to show the audience what it is really like.

REAL SETTINGUseDevelopChallenge

ESTABLISHING SHOT

Lifers uses the convention of an establishing shot of the outside of the prison.

UseDevelopChallenge

VOICEOVER

Lifers challenges the convention of a voiceover. Here, the presenter talks about the statistics of prisoners etc

UseDevelopChallenge

INTERVIEW WITH EXPERTUseDevelopChallenge

Lifers uses the convention of expert interviews as the experts were discussing the types of people convicted from different social classes

BACKGROUND MUSICUseDevelopChallenge

Lifers uses the convention of background music to suit the mood of the topic. Low piano music is being played here.

DESCRIPTION

Lifers uses the convention of factual description to inform the audience of the person before they see him being interviewed.

UseDevelopChallenge