Documentary: Parodies of the Documentary Genre

KEITH LEMON SKETCH SHOW

I've decided to look at "The Keith Lemon Sketch Show" as part of my pre-production research. My reason for doing this is because the show often parodies a few documentary techniques. I think that a good way to learn about these techniques is to watch how people imitate and parody them, because these people need to know them inside out, to ensure they parody them right.

The show is a sketch series that parodies numerous television shows and celebrities. The show also parodies the documentary genre. One such parody is entitled 'The Urban Fox', which is a parody of the wildlife genre, mixed with an observation documentary style.

'The Urban Fox' follows a well-meaning fox, played by Keith Lemon, as he terrorises his local neighbourhood, as well as a local dog. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of the Fox's life.

Here is how 'The Urban Fox' parodies the documentary genre:

• The use of a narrator.
• The narrator starts off the documentary by using some factual knowledge to set the scene and introduce the characters/situation.
• The use of GVs to fill gaps when either the narrator is talking, or a character on screen is talking.
• The use of mid-shot interviews shot on location, with GVs and sequences cut over the top.
• The use of interviews to tell the story.
• The use of classical/easy listening orchestra based music in the background.
• Title of the documentary series layed over a shot that relates to the story.
• The use of handheld shots. Often zooms and quick pans are left in the final cut.

By watching this parody, I have picked up on a few documentary techniques. I find it is easier to spot them in a parody, because they are purposely obvious, as part of the mick take.

W1A

I have also decided to look at "W1A" because the show is a 'mockumentary', which means it entirely mocks the documentary genre. The show is set up as documentary about a select group of people who work at the BBC. However, the entire show is a scripted comedy that uses actors as subjects. The show is entirely fictional.

Here is how the show parodies the documentary genre:

• A narrator, who most of the time tells us things that are obvious to us because we can see them on screen.
• Narrator introduces characters and sets up each scene.
• Handheld shots, with zooms and quick pans left in the final edit.
• Unlike some other documentaries, the camera seems to stay at a distance for most scenes.
• GVs are used to fill spaces when either characters or the narrator is speaking.
• There are no sit down, formal interviews used. Instead the story is told using 'actuality'.
• The characters do not talk to the cameras, like in some documentaries.
• The show uses time lapse sequences to bridge scenes together.
• The show parodies the types of people that work in television, and the sorts of characters you might feature in a documentary.
• The show uses happy/easy listening orchestra based music in the background.

'W1A' parodies the documentary genre in a different manner to that of 'The Keith Lemon Sketch Show'. It's a more 'fly on the wall' style, where the characters act out their lives as though they're not being followed by cameras. This style adds perfectly to the comedy of the show.

By watching these two shows I have been able to think about the style of my groups documentary, because I have been able to look at the specific elements of a documentary, as a parody. These parodies purposefully exaggerate the elements of the documentary genre, and this made it easy to analyse them.

Images:

http://italktelly.com/2014/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/THE_KEITH_LEMON_SKETCH_SHOW_SR2_14.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/03/19/article-0-1C2FB1A000000578-272_634x529.jpg