Codes and Conventions of a Documentry

The voice over - Usually authoritative,suggesting knowledge
The voice over/narrator informs us as an audience of factual detailed information. By using a voice over, it gives more detailed information rather than the people being interviewed explaining and giving us statistical data to back up the points that are being discussed. It is used a coherence to make the story flow and tie all the elements together, making it more interesting and having a stable storyline.

Contains 'real footage' and often seen as less mediated than regular broadcasts.
By using real footage, it makes the narrator sound more objective, and his opinions more accurate, because there is visual evidence of what the narrator is trying to suggest, therefore we think is truthful.


Often Convert in nature and entertaining a sceptical audience-
Shows evidence to an audience that persuades and convince them of the truthful data that  you are trying to suggest.

Documentaries have the convention to be seem and everything shot is real life events.
That it is non-fiction.
Documentary film makers go to great lengths to convince us that the footage is real and unaltered, (although by using editing and voice over can greatly effect out opinion of the piece and the reality of how the viewers see it.

Natural sound and Lighting
When using natural light and sound this can make documentaries look more realistic and therefore can support the evidence  of the narrator. These elements also create intense atmosphere and helps sets the scene a mood, making things for emotive and intense in some cases (depending on the documentary)  for the audience.

Archive footage and stills.
By using real life footage, eg magazines and news reports, it helps support the point you are trying to suggest, It also makes what you are informing more objective to the audience.

Interviews with experts:
When having interviews with experts/well known famous people it helps convince the audience that what you are trying to suggest is more reliable.

Graphics and tittling
Text can be used to use as subtitles in the documentary, introducing an interviewee talking; name and occupation. It can also be used to label images, shown of location and time/date, which can answer any questions from the audience

Non diegectic post production audio, sometimes emotive of progressive
Listen and focus for non diegectic sounds. If music has been added what type of emotions does it convey? How does it effect our audience? What is the meaning of that non- diajectic sound


Re construction

Reconstructions can be of events that happened in the past, or also setting up certain scenes to match what the narration is discussing, similar to cutaways.
Reconstructions can be criticised because it grows away from the idea of reality, and certain stereotypes can be introduced.




Hidden documentary makers
This again shows realistic footage that can be used as evidence when the narrator is trying to suggest something. This footage can help back up the suggestion and because its natural the audience will consider the suggestion more.


Talking Heads
Green screening. This can be a successfull way to use for interviews because you can create your own mise en scene by inputting it on later.


Hand held cameras
These can create realism in a documentary, because it creates the sense of a natural environment and it is not set up, the hand held cameras are quick and easy to film which enables us to capture more frequent everyday footage that we wouldn't normally if we had to take the time to set up a camera and tripod.