Features of documentaries

There are five elements of the documentary according to John Carner from the University of Liverpool:

These are:1. Observation- ‘Like a fly on the wall’ uses a fixed rig set-up. The

camera is up on the wall, not disrupting the action that is going on with a voice over clarifying on events. E.g 24 hours in A&E.

2. Interview-most documentaries will have interviews which will be cut with relevant footage to make it clear what is being said in the interview.

3. Dramatisation- A reconstruction of real life events to help the audience clearly understand what’s happened.

4. Mise-en-scene-The director has to use the mise-en-scene to anchor what the meaning is and what the documentary is about. Mise-en-scene features the setting, lighting, costume and movement. For example a documentary on cakes would be in a bakery.

5. Exposition- this is the line of the argument that the documentary is following so that the audience can make up their minds based on the information given.