Documentary: Introduction

This week we started our next unit: Documentary.

The Brief:

• Produce a 10 minute documentary based on the theme 'Doorstep Wildlife'.
• To be transmitted at 8pm on the 'Eden' Channel.
• Answer the question 'why?'.
• Keep it relevant to the brand and the audience.

During pre-production on this unit we need to think about:

• The people connected to the stories.
• The 'Eden' brand and audience.
• The duration, transmission time, channel and intended audience.
• Format, style & mechanisms.
• Producing something achievable.
• Finding a narrative.
• Originality

Information to consider when coming up with ideas:

• They're non-fiction.
• Each have their own conventions.
• All are constructed to some degree.
• Different genres involve different levels of human intervention.
• Genres-
• Current Affairs
• News
• Docs
• Reality TV
• Types of doc-
• Observational
• Participatory
• Reflective docs
• Expository
• Educational
• Hybrids (drama-doc, docu-soap, reality tv, fact-entertainment)
• Formats-
• Multi-camera observational
• Presenter/reporter
• Magazine show
• Authored
• Discussion/debate
• Conventions-
• Style
• Structure
• Format
• Shots (handheld?)
• Commentary
• Narrator?/Presenter?/Reporter?
• Experts?
• Music
• Purpose-
• Revelation
• Entertainment
• Storytelling
• Style & content
• Practical considerations- budget, timescale, weather, access, size/skills of team, kit restrictions, availability, locations and travel.

I'm looking forward to working on this unit. Next I will start thinking of some ideas, and begin carrying out some research to expand on these and hopefully find a story.

*Image: http://documentary-studies.utah.edu/_images/documentary-studies-banner.jpg*