research into existing products: documentary

Analysis of a Documentary: In a documentary there are codes and conventions that have to be followed and are used to make the documentary as effective as possible. In terms of camera angles/shots there is a master shot of San Quentin prison which is similar to the concept of using a master shot in a film, it sets the scene of where the documentary will take place. Then when it gets to being inside the prison the way the camera is used changes, it becomes hand held and this is obvious because of the way the camera slightly shakes in the documentary. This is effective because it can show that the camera man is uncomfortable or genuinely fears for their life, but is also more practical because in the context you cannot take a whole camera crew to a prison where you will be filming in a dangerous environment in a confined space, the crew would have to be to a minimal. On top of this it makes the whole programme seem as if it’s your point of view which adds effect as it gives the viewer the feeling of actuality or realism. Due to the fact the camera is always hand held then it allows for a lot of pans between the presenter, Louis Theroux and the inmates he interviews. Due to these pans it can also create some shot reverse shots by facing the inmate then focusing on Theroux’s question before panning back to the inmate to answer. The type of shot range is normally a close up or mid shot because generally the interviews are in close proximity in between cells. In the title sequence there is also a montage, this ranges the angles and shots of the inmates that you may see throughout the series between interviews and will general start as long shots as they film people in the distance and end as close ups because they are usually walking towards or past the camera. In terms of editing at the beginning it seems to fit the codes and conventions of a film with the use of a fade in as it starts form black before fading into the master shot of the prison, this again sets the scene by acting as a curtain raising to reveal the location. Within the documentary it uses cuts between scenes and in some short and quick conversations where the camera can’t speak fast enough then they are used their instead of a pan. The only other use of editing is of the fade out at the end where it acts as the opposite to the way the documentary began as it goes from light to darkness as he leaves the prison to signal the end , more like a curtain falling. In the mise-en-scene we can quickly identify the type of prison he is in based on the surroundings, for example in the first interview the bars around cells are an inch thick in metal and are ringed in barbed wire around the top which suggests it is more secure than most and then when the hook is used that says ‘500 years in prison’ it tells you that it is a maximum security prison. Another part of the mise-en-scene that we see is just before the title sequence as it shows the BBC logo which is the stamp of quality for the programme as it is universally recognised as a high quality channel known for good quality television. The title also contrasts the programme well because it is a cartoon which almost makes the programme seem more relaxing which helps to break down the idea that prison is a harsh and dangerous place and makes us accept that it is just another community, though it may be made up of criminals. The sound that we hear right at the start is that of basketball as it is the stereotype of yard time and sports and gives you a sense that he is in the middle of a prison. It fits with the image that most people have from films and television drama that prison pastime is filled by prisoners using gym weights and free weights or enjoying physical activity which is exactly the image that this sound creates. The sound used at the beginning of the documentary as well is non diegetic and is used at the end of the first scene to coincide with the title sequence, this particular piece of music acts as an oxymoron to the situation as we expect the prison to filled with depression and a lack of hope or ambition based on its ruthless reputation as housing some of the worst criminals in the USA but the music contrasts this image as it is positive and quite bubbly which gives the idea that the prison actually is in fact been looked at in the wrong way and that there aren’t hateful relations and separations but there is some harmony; proving to be true in some cases where inmates share some form of bond/ attachment to prison guards. So the music is used to breakdown the point of the documentary: Prisons are not as bad as we expect them to be and there are positive stories within them as well as people willing to accept their wrong doing and improve their life. To conclude all four of the main codes and conventions are used in a similar way to film in a documentary but instead of being used to create a story or stereotype of a genre they are used to break down the questions created by the topic that the documentary is based on and to give an insight to the chosen topic.