Assignement 4 analysis of tv documentaries

Assignment 4

Analysis of a TV Documentary

Kaya Sumbland

LIFERSLifers is a Channel 4 documentary following the life on men in Gartree prison in Leicestershire over a six month’s who are in there for a range of murder crimes in the UK. It presents feelings and thoughts from the prisoners on the crime they committed, how they cope, and live.

It was shown on Channel 4 at 9pm, targeting towards a more mature British audience as its about a serious topic, and its edited in ways of being more sympathetic and serious.

Cherry Healey – How to get a lifeAre we all Addicts?

This is a BBC three documentary series following Cherry Healey looking into differed aspects of life. Which this particular episode named ‘Are we all addicts?’ looking at different peoples addiction to certain legal drugs for pleasurable circumstances in the UK.

It was shown on BBC Three at 9pm, which is known to be quite quirky channel with documentaries targeted towards youth in the UK through their editing and presenter.

Conventions in Documentaries

• Interview • Position of interviewee on screen• Hand held camera• Establishing shot• Natural lighting• Mid shot• Close up shots (insert shots)• Background music• Supporting images• Supporting clips• Archival footage• Archival images• Montage editing• Voice overs• Real life setting• Personal (bias) presence of

interviewee

• Clear aim of documentary• Presenter• Tone in which they speak• Documentary purpose• Theory/style• Use of text• Font• Animation• Setting (back and forth between

settings)• Special effects• Statistics• Ambient sound• Volume control• Intervals• Structure• Quoted material

LIFERS Conventions

Voiceovers

They used a formal male voiceover, with an informative

tone to narrate the documentary from the beginning to introduce

the programme and what its about as there is no presenter

involved.

Also, to get the interest of viewers, they used actual news reports over the clips to make it seem more real and dangerous,

making the documentary exciting and serious.

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

LIFERS Conventions

Camera Angle

They use a ‘fly on the wall’ type angle to capture

everything within a certain room or location, to possibly present to the audience how enclosed and intense prison is, informing the audience

how horrible it can be

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

LIFERS Conventions

Hand held

They use hand held camera movement as they are constantly on the move, following prisoners

from each location and follow what they’re up to.

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

LIFERS Conventions

Interviews

The camera man asked questions from behind the camera

interacting with the interviewee

Then while he answered, the clips switched while sound bridging to show what's he’s talking about –

going back and forth

Sound Bridge

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

LIFERS Conventions

Mid shot

Mid shots are used instead of full body shot as main body language is represented from head to arms

Close up regularly used to present the bad conditions they live in and

to show more detail for their audience

Close up

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

LIFERS Conventions

Statistics

During a simple clip, they used a voice over to say a supposed shocking statistics

without distracting on the screen

700 inmates which 85% serving life sentences

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

LIFERS Conventions

Lighting

Natural lighting throughout the prison is used, as its not very realistic to bring

light equipment to this kind of location

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

LIFERS Conventions

Music When he recapped over what he had

done, violin, soft music is played to emphasise

the emotion and create empathy with

the audience

During the title ticking music is played creates tension and

emphasises the wait to leave prison

Sound bridge of the ticking music to soft violin so the audience to make a calmer

relaxed tone to introduce prisoners

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

LIFERS Conventions

Supporting images

A photo of one of the murderers photos as a child, – although they’ve done something really bad – possibly to make the audience

feel bad for them, and know they weren't always bad

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

Conventions

Voiceovers

There is a voice over throughout by the presenter of the

documentary, who straight away gets quite personal with the

audienceShowing clips of her from previous documentaries

As she is also a well known presenter for BBC Three

Cherry Healey – How to get a life

Are we all Addicts?USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

Conventions

Supporting images

Clips and images are shown while a voiceover to support what the

episode of the series is about – in order to get a better

understanding, and to attract the audience eyes



Conventions

Editing

Through fast forward, they made it seem as though everything is moving fast – to go along with a statement told, also with deep focus on the main object of the

clip to show a rush


Are we all Addicts?

Clouds moving fast

Clock moving fast

People around her moving fast

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE

Conventions

Interviews

Interviews were done with the presenter present, showing how

they react against each other, and could possibly create a personal bias on the interviewee – though

making it a more calm and relaxed setting



Conventions

Statistics

Statistics were written in text on the screen

accompanied by a voice over by Cherry with an internet supportive clip

underneath to go with the subject



Conventions

Lighting

Natural lighting is used throughout as the

equipment wouldn’t really be necessary – or fit – in the

locations of the documentary



Conventions

Music

Background music is upbeat and quite electrical – quite common on BBC Three

documentaries


Are we all Addicts?

First establishing shot plays Rizzle Kicks – Possibly to attract young audience

Second establishing shot plays LMFAO – Also to get a feel of the location

USEDEVELOPCHALLENGE


LIFERSSimilarities

Interview with professional

Both documentaries have an interview with a professional to get factual information on their topic.

Though, both use a different style – e.g Lifers uses a close up shot accompanied by text on the side to inform audience on who it is, where as

How to get a life uses Cherry in their interview, with a voice over stating who is .

Lifers How to get a life


LIFERSSimilarities

Credits

Both of the documentaries have visual similarities, by having a black background with white text on top, while sliding upwards, accompanied by

music that suited their documentary. Though both put the billing in different orders.

Capitals on top

Put the text on the left side

How to get a lifeLifers


LIFERSDifferences

Presenter

BBC Three documentary used a well known presenter of the channel throughout the episode and series as she was used as a participial observer of their research making the atmosphere more relaxed and fun throughout, However, Lifers only had a formal male narrator Stephen Mackintosh, which

created a more intense atmosphere.



LIFERSDifferences

Titles

Lifers had a black screen with white text fading onto and getting bigger on the

screen accompanied by ticking sounds creating that intense and symbolising the wait for release while using a black font

which seems quite harsh

Where as, How to get a life was more quirky and fun, featuring the presenter in

the titles. They wrote the text onto objects which is quite eye catching accompanied by

upbeat music to create a light hearted atmosphere with their audience –

attracting youth as an audience


LIFERSDifferences

Series


Lifers was a one time documentary, which six months of footage all put into one hour as there was only one research aim, so there was no episode to follow.However, how to get a life will follow numerous episode to research different aspects of ‘How to get a life’ – so at the end of the programme, they showed

what will happen next week on another topic vanity. Whereas lifers ended on a conclusion.


LIFERSDifferences

Channel

Channel 4

BBC Three

Channel 4 documentaries have a certain style to them. Commonly channel 4 don’t use a presenter in their

documentaries, but a narrator over what they’re presenting. Also they focus on educational or informative topics, for

examples, ways of life and medical

BBC Three documentaries also have a certain style. Their documentaries are commonly targeted towards youth, being quite quirky and fun. They usually focus

on modern and young adults – though this is expected as the channel in general focus on themes

to do with youth culture.


LIFERSDifferences

IntervalsLifers How to get a life

Lifers was split into four parts during the 1 hour episode due to breaks from channel 4. After each part, the topic didn’t change, but added a new prisoner to

the documentary, so there wasn’t much change from each interval, however, How to get a life didn’t have any breaks (due to it being on the BBC) , but was split into parts going from different topics and people in drugs, splitting

the documentaries into parts.

Before and after interval title was shown on screen

When moving to a differed topic, instead of a break, it showed a full body shot of her moving

the next location

Assignement 4 analysis of tv documentaries

Education

lifersconventions use

mid shotchallenge mid

camera tone

camera man

camera movement

screen presenter hand

serious topic

differed aspects of