Documentary Techniques

What is a documentary?

• A collection of real life documents

• A film or TV program that presents information in a factual and informative manner

• A film or TV program about real life

• A film based on a true story

What is a narrator?

• Anyone in the documentary

• The subject of the documentary

• The main character in the documentary

• The person who provides the narration or voice-over in the documentary

Archival/File Footage is...

• Footage filmed specifically for the purpose of the documentary

• Footage from a handheld camera

• Footage from 'the archives', or older footage that has been re-used in the documentary

• Footage that has been edited heavily

The Exposition is...

• The preview clip for the documentary

• The beginning sequence of the documentary

• The end sequence of the documentary

• The trailer for the documentary

An interview is...

• A dialogue containing questions between the narrator and the subject in a documentary

• A casual conversation between the narrator and the subject in a documentary

Voice-over is...

• Whenever the narrator of the documentary talks

• When the narrator provides a pre-recording of them talking over a separate clip

Documentary/Actuality Footage is...

• Footage from actual life

• Archival footage

• Footage filmed specifically for the purpose of the documentary

• Footage from another documentary

Photographs/Sketches/Maps are mainly used in a documentary to...

• Give the viewer more "context" or backstory

• Help the viewer understand an issue more clearly

In a documentary, Music usually...

• Entertains the audience

• Influences the audience mood

Graphic Traces are...

• Any traced image in a documentary

• Any graphic images in a documentary

• Not usually in documentaries

• Any text on the screen in a documentary