Documentaries
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| The Insider |
- An Idiot Abroad
- Planet Earth 1 and 2 - David Attenborough
- Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
- Secret Life Of the Zoo
- The insider
- Making a Murderer
- Antique Roadshow
Format
Documentaries are split into series that contain many episodes or are a singular episode that run for longer and could be considered a documentary film. They usually run for 1-2 hours and are shown later in the day, depending on the content in them. Documentaries such as An Idiot Abroad or The insider are typically scheduled to be broadcast at night time after the watershed, because they feature more mature adult content, whereas The Secret Life Of the Zoo or Planet Earth are shown mainly early in the morning or throughout the day, because they can appeal to all ages. They normally provide factual content, but present them in different ways, for example they can be comedic to express information.
Appeals
Documentaries can appeal to people in lots of different ways, such as some are factual and are about the world around us, appealing to peoples need to satisfy curiosity and this is because these programmes can provide answers for questions people have, while letting the audience escape. They can also recall historical events and be used as a way to educate people or appeal to the explorer and their need for discovery. Some documentaries like An Idiot Abroad are used to inform people through entertainment in a comedic way and therefore letting people escape and immerse into the show. Certain documentaries like Antique Roadshow use the same format when they are aired and follow the same narrative, leading to appealing to traditionalists who like things to stay the same. Being about real life and primarily providing information means that the conventional aspects of documentaries appeal to people, such as mainstreamers, as we can expect each episode to follow on from the previous one and develop the narrative further or the episodes may be completely isolated and not link together, but each one follows the same format and provide information for the audience.
Target Audience
Documentaries usually have an underlying message of the world and how it is changing targeting at utopians who want to make the world a better place. They are also usually thought of having a more elderly audience, because they are more about informing and educating the audience, rather than entertaining them which would appeal to a younger audience. But, now documentaries have become so broad and varied they can attract lots of different types of audiences, depending on what they feature. On the whole, the genre is targeted towards the reformer and explorer, as they fulfil the need for enlightenment and discovery, even though documentary topics are now very widespread.
Opening Sequence
The opening sequence for An Idiot Abroad is panning shots of the seven wonders of the world. This iconography is instantly recognisable, informing the audience of where the documentary will be set and showing them that it is about travel. It uses a deep male voice over accompanied with dramatic music to emphasise that documentaries are usually serious and factual. After this, both audio elements stop to further tell the audience that this documentary doesn't follow typical conventions as the protagonist Carl doesn't want to part take in the journey or documentary. The quick cuts of Carl in the different countries show the audience that the programme is action packed and full of content, also highlighting the some of the best bits giving them a sense of what to expect, for example comedy, as well as learning about different culture and religion.
Setting
This documentary is set in a different each showing, usually a completely different country and part of the world to the previous episode. Carl is seen interacting with people who live in these different places and this is where he part-takes in daily rituals and activities that they do. Through this, the audience are entertained through his negative attitude and outlook on life, while being educated on how other people live their daily lives. The cities and villages he visits, range from densely populated urban cities such as Tokyo in Japan, to sparsely populated rural areas to visit tribes. This means that the documentary covers a wide range of lifestyles to be explored.
Technical Codes
Non-diegetic music seems to be used frequently in documentaries, to bring them to life and make them interesting. An idiot abroad uses it for example to increase comedy in specific moments, however other documentaries such as planet earth may use it to make it more appealing to watch, rather than just being bombarded constantly by the factual information given throughout. Close-up's are often used too, to give the audience a very clear and accurate image of the information that they are actually being given and match the visuals with the audio. A typical technique, often used particularly in wide life documentaries is a voice over. This is usually a males voice and linked to this is normally David Attenborough. This shows the audience how documentaries are factual, because the narrator of the episodes isn't in the shots, typically if it involves animals as we can see them in their natural habitat. However, some documentaries choose to challenge these conventions, such as an idiot abroad, where the narrator actually visits different places and learns and retrieves the information at the same time as the audience. This can make it seem more authentic, because the information is given to use directly from its source.
Characters and Representations
The presenter or narrator of documentaries are usually considered quite serious, due to their stern voiceovers. In other documentaries like an idiot abroad, the narrator is considered the 'idiot' and follows this stereotype. He usually is seen confused and uncultured when he visits different places in the world, often asking lots of questions and querying everything he does. His function is to retrieve information directly from its source to feed it back to the audience and he is also used for entertainment purposes. Carl is asked to take part in different activities of that culture that we would find strange for the purpose to create comedy, while entertaining and educating the audience. Certain groups that he goes to visit such as tribes, are normally represented as very different to us and this is highlighted through the presenters unwillingness to immerse into their cultures and rituals.
Narrative
Documentaries may use action and enigma codes, for example enigma codes that pose questions for the audience such as 'Where in the world is this?' 'Why do they do that?'. These questions arise, because they intrigue the audience and they want these questions to be answered and therefore continue to watch. Action codes are also used, these are significant things that happen within the documentary and this teaches the audience new things about the topic being explored. Documentaries usually follow the theme of the world around us. They teach the audience about the world that we live in.
Target Audience
Documentaries usually have an underlying message of the world and how it is changing targeting at utopians who want to make the world a better place. They are also usually thought of having a more elderly audience, because they are more about informing and educating the audience, rather than entertaining them which would appeal to a younger audience. But, now documentaries have become so broad and varied they can attract lots of different types of audiences, depending on what they feature. On the whole, the genre is targeted towards the reformer and explorer, as they fulfil the need for enlightenment and discovery, even though documentary topics are now very widespread.
Opening Sequence
The opening sequence for An Idiot Abroad is panning shots of the seven wonders of the world. This iconography is instantly recognisable, informing the audience of where the documentary will be set and showing them that it is about travel. It uses a deep male voice over accompanied with dramatic music to emphasise that documentaries are usually serious and factual. After this, both audio elements stop to further tell the audience that this documentary doesn't follow typical conventions as the protagonist Carl doesn't want to part take in the journey or documentary. The quick cuts of Carl in the different countries show the audience that the programme is action packed and full of content, also highlighting the some of the best bits giving them a sense of what to expect, for example comedy, as well as learning about different culture and religion.
Setting
This documentary is set in a different each showing, usually a completely different country and part of the world to the previous episode. Carl is seen interacting with people who live in these different places and this is where he part-takes in daily rituals and activities that they do. Through this, the audience are entertained through his negative attitude and outlook on life, while being educated on how other people live their daily lives. The cities and villages he visits, range from densely populated urban cities such as Tokyo in Japan, to sparsely populated rural areas to visit tribes. This means that the documentary covers a wide range of lifestyles to be explored.
Technical Codes
Non-diegetic music seems to be used frequently in documentaries, to bring them to life and make them interesting. An idiot abroad uses it for example to increase comedy in specific moments, however other documentaries such as planet earth may use it to make it more appealing to watch, rather than just being bombarded constantly by the factual information given throughout. Close-up's are often used too, to give the audience a very clear and accurate image of the information that they are actually being given and match the visuals with the audio. A typical technique, often used particularly in wide life documentaries is a voice over. This is usually a males voice and linked to this is normally David Attenborough. This shows the audience how documentaries are factual, because the narrator of the episodes isn't in the shots, typically if it involves animals as we can see them in their natural habitat. However, some documentaries choose to challenge these conventions, such as an idiot abroad, where the narrator actually visits different places and learns and retrieves the information at the same time as the audience. This can make it seem more authentic, because the information is given to use directly from its source.
Characters and Representations
The presenter or narrator of documentaries are usually considered quite serious, due to their stern voiceovers. In other documentaries like an idiot abroad, the narrator is considered the 'idiot' and follows this stereotype. He usually is seen confused and uncultured when he visits different places in the world, often asking lots of questions and querying everything he does. His function is to retrieve information directly from its source to feed it back to the audience and he is also used for entertainment purposes. Carl is asked to take part in different activities of that culture that we would find strange for the purpose to create comedy, while entertaining and educating the audience. Certain groups that he goes to visit such as tribes, are normally represented as very different to us and this is highlighted through the presenters unwillingness to immerse into their cultures and rituals.
Narrative
Documentaries may use action and enigma codes, for example enigma codes that pose questions for the audience such as 'Where in the world is this?' 'Why do they do that?'. These questions arise, because they intrigue the audience and they want these questions to be answered and therefore continue to watch. Action codes are also used, these are significant things that happen within the documentary and this teaches the audience new things about the topic being explored. Documentaries usually follow the theme of the world around us. They teach the audience about the world that we live in.
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