The Five Components of a Documentary

 

While watching any documentary, there are five basic components that are easily identifyable. Copy the following headings, write the descriptions and some examples from any documentary you have watched in your Process Journal. Notice when a particular element (for example, dramatization) is not used at all in some documentaries.

 

Interviews

The success of a documentary as a film rests on the power of the interviews. Questions asked of the subjects are mostly appropriate and lead them to tell the story in a personal and honest way. Depending on the desired effect on the audience, the questions are geared as a way of laying out the story or as a method of learning more about them as characters.

After the story and interviews are completed with interesting people, set up of the focus of the visual and technical elements of story telling can begin.

 

Dramatizations

Reenactment are staged re-creations of events from the past in order to recreate the feel of real life events; the settings may be recreated or staged, and the people involved are all actors. In most documentaries, when a re-enacment is used there is voice-over narration used to describe the action. This ensures the audience that a) the visual IS a recreation and b) that the audience receives the intended message/ narrative that the filmmaker wants.

 

Voiceover Narration

Voiceover narration (in one case, we hear a character speaking about some issue/problem/conflict), and we may or may not see that person engaged in some action on the screen at the same time; gives impression of audience overhearing the character reveal thoughts and feelings / in another case, the voiceover is done by a narrator (someone not seen in the film) who comments on action; this suggests a more objective voice than the prior example)

Direct narration (we see and hear the narrator of the film as the narration is presented; suggests an intimacy between narrator and audience; this type of narration is seldom objective‑‑its biases reflect the speaker's background, conflicts, values)

 

 

Graphics, Sound, Music

Music can be used to add drama and emotional tone to documentary films. In historical documentaries music from the relevant period is often used. Music can also be used to generate a sense of irony. Sound is an integral part of many sections of a documentary film. It is important that the narrator's and interviewee's voice levels are at an appropriate level and quality.

 

Graphics consist of anything that appears on the screen that was not actually filmed. They are widely used in documentary films. The opening titles and credits will make use of graphics, as will subtitles and translated text. Graphics are also used to explain complex ideas in a visual diagrammatic form. Computer-generated graphics are often used in documentaries to create images that would otherwise not be available to film, such as ancient buildings that have since been demolished and extinct animals.
 

Related Media

Archive or stock footage is film shot for purposes other than the particular documentary film in which it is shown. It is often used to portray famous historical events or to give a sense of context of a particular historical period. Archive footage is often cheaper for the documentary maker to procure than original film and interviews.

 

Location shots are used in documentary films when discussing a particular place. In historical documentaries, location shots may show the place where particular events took place. These might be overlaid by computer generated reconstructions of what the location looked like in the past. Location shots are often used at the beginning of a documentary film to provide a context for the start of the narrative.
 

 

 

 

DOCUMENTARY TIPS - THE STORY PARTS

All documentaries have a backstory. From research, the backstory should provide a brief background context or summary of the character or situation. It should concisely focus on the main characters and their situation and relationships and should logically lead the viewer into the story. The backstory may or may not be included as a component of the film.

 

Documentary stories generally have 4 main parts:

1.The beginning... called ‘The Set Up’ - the ‘why the story exists’

This is the opening part of the film. It is essential that the start strongly:it can begin provocative if necessary. What event / idea/ moment / situation forms the riddle or question? This might be stated in the form of a question, a premise, a problem, an issue, an investigation. The beginning includes elements of the backstory to establish context if required.

A bold opening statement or posing a provocative question. The opening must also establish where the story takes place (using narrative and visuals) and introduce and describe the people in the story (narrative and visuals). It is important to establish the protagonist (the main character) or the person who has the most to lose or gain in the story. The protagonist could also be the storyteller.

 

Summary...

a. Establish the setting /location and describe the setting (visuals and narrative)

b.Set up the problem / issue / ask a question

c. Introduce the characters

d. Set the tone

 

2a. The middle (part a)... called ‘the essence of the story’ - ‘what happened and how it happened’

This is the part where the film maker can create interest and build suspense, emotion and feeling in the story. This part of the story generally contains the most information. The use of danger, hazard, conflict, hardship, joy, excitement, and how these are imployed, is important. This is where the main point of the story is captured. It is critical to plan the visuals (shots) that  connect to and complement the narrative.

 

Summary...

a. Describe the unfolding action

b. Put the issues up front – prompt curiosity -the cause

c. Build towards the main plot – the climax

d. Use shots that are visually interesting and dynamic?

 

2b.The middle (part b) ... called ‘the essence’ - ‘what are the consequences’

This is the part that follows the main message of the story. This is where the after effects and consequences of the climax are exposed and works the story towards completion in the final resolution or conclusion.

 

Summary...

a. Describe the consequences of what happened, the results or implications and the effect.

 

3. The end - called ‘the conclusion’ or resolution... ‘what’s the solution’

The conclusion is critical! Finish on a strong point and connect the beginning and end. Provide the solution, the  answer, the transformation - what changed- how – why?

 

Summary...

a. Wrap up...