documentary analysis

annabelfenn Documentary

There are 6 different Documentary modes: poetic, expository, observational, performative, reflexive, participatory.

Documentary films approach their subject matter in a variety of ways.

“John Grierson’s definition of documentary filmmaking – ‘the creative treatment of actuality’ – summarises its overarching fallacy. The fallacy being that documentaries often purport to reveal truths, however by the very act of documenting actuality, the director inadvertently alters its ‘truth’.” (Arielle Richards)

What Are Documentary Modes?

In 1991, American film critic and theoretician Bill Nichols proposed that there were six different modes of documentary—poetic, expository, reflexive, observational, performative, and participatory—each containing its own specific characteristics. Each mode is a category that can be boiled down to a few specific elements.

*No Place to Hide (2019) Leibovitch is a short expository documentary which provides an insight into the workings of a Michelin Star kitchen.

Expository documentary definition –

Expository documentaries are created with the intent of showcasing the ‘truth’ about a subject. These often showcase some form of omniscient voice-over and one or more interviewee. In expository documentaries, the cinematographer gathers footage to strengthen and support their ‘truth’, including re-enactments, archival footage, historical events and more.

Throughout this doc It features montages throughout, typically showing them at work, cooking. The documentary as a whole was a blend of rythmic and eliptical montages. These montages are quick and short, representing the fast-paced nature of the kitchen environment of a Michelin Star restaurant. These montages are paired with fast-paced percussion music which can be used to evoke feelings of stress within the audience and reflect the atmosphere being shown. 

 

 

The documentary ‘problem.’

annabelfenn Documentary

This documentary was watched in lesson and we discovered the concept of objective and subjective truths within a documentary. We spoke about the fallacy of documentaries and also the manipulation used within shot types and also with music and voiceovers. All documentaries are also biased and cannot be objected and leave an impact on the documentaries audience. A documentary’s aim is also to manipulate and emphasise issues.

“John Grierson’s definition of documentary filmmaking – ‘the creative treatment of actuality’ – summarises its overarching fallacy. The fallacy being that documentaries often purport to reveal truths, however by the very act of documenting actuality, the director inadvertently alters its ‘truth’.”

In the documentary Hanging on, we see all sorts of emotion and the extended metaphor of the people within the documentary “hanging on.”  We experience different emotions and also with the use of archival footage and photos we empahise with the people, we are introduced to a sense of suspense and sadness for these individuals.

www.mediafactory.org.au. (n.d.). – ‘the creative treatment of actuality’ |. [online] Available at: http://www.mediafactory.org.au/arielle-richards/2018/03/05/18-1-the-creative-treatment-of-actuality/.

 

Silence Of The Lambs (1991) Demme Analysis

annabelfenn Textual Analysis

EDITING AND TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

When analysing Silence Of The Lambs many different editing techniques are noticed one of which being Parallel editing. Parallel editing is an editing technique where two or more different scenes are intercut in order to suggest simultaneity.An example of this is showed in this Master the Hollywood Technique of Parallel Editingscreenshot. At the end of the movie we also witness a parallel editing example as it is cutting between two scenes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the time stamp in which i’m analysising however is

  • 1.02:09 – 1.10:43- in this shot we witness Clarisse’s last interview with Lecter.

When we look at this silence of the lambs sequence we establish the relationship between Lecter and Clarice. Clarisse is clever in the fact that she is disobedient and emphasises the power of women in this film. The dynamic between Hannibal and Clarrise is peculiar in the fact that we notice the fact he is willing to help Clarrise with finding Buffalo bill. This extract is significant because we see lots of different shot dynamics such as the establishing shot, long shots and close up shots of Lecter, we also see editing techniques such as an eyeline match (between lecter and the file) and the 180 degree rule used when they are talking.  When we see lecter we also notice the difference in power dynamic between the two of them in the fact that he is always shown to be ‘above’ Clarisse and she is at a lower angle to him. We also notice certain techniques such as pedding with the camera. Towards the beginning of this sequence we witness Hannibal talking to Clarisse differently than he spoke to her in Baltimore and it peds when she starts moving therefore adding more suspense. The camera also focuses very much on Hannibal’s gestures and actions, we feel scared for Clarisse as he creates a chilling presence, this is done by Hannibal always looking into the camera at an extreme close up angle aka using the editing technique of an eyeline match. It is especially tense when we have the ECU on the file for Bufalo Bill’s case.  During this scene it is a POV we hardly ever leave a Close up angle, which makes it extremely chilling. 

 

character - Did Dr. Hannibal Lecter like Clarice or was he attracted to her? - Movies & TV Stack Exchange
Photos from Juicy Secrets About The Silence of the Lambs

The Psychology of Hannibal Lecter - YouTube

Performative documentary modes

annabelfenn Textual Analysis

Definition

Performative documentaries focus on the filmmaker’s involvement with their subject, using his or her personal experience or relationship with the subject as a jumping-off point for exploring larger, subjective truths about politics, history, or groups of people. A cinematographer is often asked to capture the documentary production process, as well as intimate footage that illustrates the direct and often personal relationship between filmmaker and subject. Supersize Me (2004) by filmmaker Morgan Spurlock documents his experience eating only McDonald’s fast food for 30 days, chronicling the body issues, health problems, and the ensuing doctor’s visits in an attempt to question the food sold at the famous fast-food chain.

Reference

Masterclass (2021). Film Documentary Guide: 6 Types of Documentaries. [online] Masterclass. Available at: Film Documentary Guide: 6 Types of Documentaries [Accessed 10 Jan. 2024].

SOUND&EDITING
When listening to this sequence we hear some examples of both non-diegetic and diegetic sound. This is evident by the use of upbeat music and also the beeping when they are inside the Mcdonalds. There are less examples of sound as it is a documentative style of filming however there are some examples in which we notice.

-When a joke is told the sound cuts out

-When they are going around Mcdonalds they add music & he also voices over to add impact with a rhetorical question.

-He has a slightly comical analysis of the money aswell.

-He adds dimenuendos after this also.

-Between asking for the food and nutrition thing the tempo of the music is also high, it’s strange as it sets Spirlog as a bit of a trickster, sometimes they also cut the music to punctuate the quality.

-There is also a cut in music when he asks about menu’s to add affect.

-In this documentary the fact that it starts with the kids demonstrates the significance that fast-food restaurants have on kids, it helps emphasise the problem!

-There are loads of cuts from people to the fast food restaurants, 3 shots,3 different Mcdonalds- it is an establishing montage.

-There is a sign that pans to Hungry Valley to represent how food based America is,shows him travelling also.

GRAPHICS

-There are different cartoon animations throughout this clip, it is significant as it shows what corperate guys do and it is trying to be persuasive- this is known as a characerture which is known as a form of political satire.

-The whole thing is clearly there to saferise and mock these chains.

-The use of the clown looking unfriendly is also another demonstration of political satire to structure the documentary.

Performative Documentary Plan

annabelfenn Editor

Screenwriter/Director/ – Bel&Rin

Cinematographer/Editor – All of Us

 Performative documentaries focus on the filmmaker’s involvement with their subject, using his or her personal experience or relationship with the subject.

LOCATIONS:

Outside (on Netball Court in front of Sixth Form) – for Hopscotch 

Inside (in a classroom or in front of business) – for Healthcare professional interview 

 

EQUIPMENT:

Chalk (to draw the Hopscotch grid)

Long white coat (worn by health professional)

Stethoscope (worn by health professional)

Books (placed behind health professional (mise-en-scene) to create a sense of higher intellect and knowledge)

Tripod + Phone Mount (for filming)

Phone (for filming)

 

CONTEXT:

Some theories suggest it originated in ancient Rome where the soldiers used it for military training. The Roman soldiers would have been dressed in full battle armour and trained to hop up and down a 100 foot-long series of squares that had been scratched into the ground to improve their strength and agility. Roman foot-soldiers ran the course in full armor and field packs to improve their footwork

 

SET UP
Establish nature of challenge – Hopscotch

Introduce the challenge as a whole – such as – I will learn to Hopscotch within 10 days. Discuss how Hopscotch is a game of balance, coordination and dexterity. 

Introduce Context – Discuss the history of Hopscotch.

Provide insight of prior ability and fabricate some form of health check from before featuring an interview from a ‘health and exercise professional’.

 

TRAINING (MONTAGE)
Demonstrate the performers’ abilities improving as they practise and train at Hopscotch.

SUCCEED / FAIL?

Showcase the succession/failure of the performer.

Provide insight of new ability and fabricate some form of health check for after having completed the hopscotch challenge featuring an interview from a ‘health and exercise professional’.

Anon, (n.d.). Hands-on History – Hopscotch – Dales Countryside Museum. [online] Available at: https://www.dalescountrysidemuseum.org.uk/hands-on-history-hopscotch/#:~:text=Some%20theories%20suggest%20it%20originated [Accessed 19 Jan. 2024].

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