codes and conventions

Codes and Conventions

Documentarys have a waide range of codes and conventions that we need to be aware of when we are creating our own.

• Documentarys use real facts howeveer some of these may be dramatized to make it more interesting to watch


• Interviews with experts aswell as people who know about the subject are used usually used to authenticate the views expressed in the documentary.


• documenarys use many ways to interest the audience, some of these include; cutaways, interviews and reconstuctions


• the main camera angles include close ups, and long shots


• cutaways are used to express what the interviewee/voice over are talking about


• narrative structure normally begins with and exposition to make them want to keep watching followed normally by a question which makes the audience question the documentary. Then finally an explanation to the origional exposition


• During interviews graphics are usually bold and simple.


• Interviewees are asked to look to the left of the camera so that they are not looking directly at it and are positioned on right


• many camera angles are used during the documentary with appropriate cutaways are nessecary


• reconstructions are used to see points of view


• Every documentary contains an opening title


• voice overs are used when needed to explain in detail or help the audience understand the documentary


• vox pops are used when nessecary to get the general publics opinion on the subject


• music and sound effects are used to create specific moods that they are trying to make


• During documentarys evidence is usually used to make it more factual


• Experts are used when trying to emphasise the facts in the documentary