Formal Proposal

• Formal Proposal
  
• Topic: Christmas: Why people who don’t believe in God believe in Christmas.
  
• Type of Documentary: Expository
  
• Style of Documentary:
  
• Channel and Scheduling: BBC1- 8 pm Monday
  
• Target Audience: 16 -24 years old
  
• Primary Research needed: Interviews with a vicar, retail person, jahovers witness, Muslims and children
  
• Secondary Research needed: Clips of films with Christmas extracts in them. E.g. Love Actually, It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Friends, The OC,
  
• Narrative Structure: The shops then into the interviews with a retail person, showing the non-believer putting up decoration and then into interview. Show clips of films then into the interview with the vicar.
  
• Outline Content: Look into the reasons why people who don’t believe in god believe in Christmas and asking people their opinions on the commercialisation of Christmas.
  
• Resource Requirements:

Running Order: Christmas-God Vs Gifts

• Montage of different shops showing Christmas trees, presents and card etc with Coca Cola advert music playing in the background throughout all of it. (20 Seconds)
• Opening title with music in the background. (20 seconds)
• Vox Pops of people of different ages with their opinion of Christmas. (1 minute)
• Someone putting up decorations and the voice over of the interview. Then cut to her interview about how she celebrates Christmas but doesn't believe in God. (40 seconds)
• Interview with Rahima and Ema about how they celebrate Christmas(Muslims). (40 seconds)
• Interview with Shelter (30 seconds)
• Interview with elderly people about Christmas has changed over the years. (30 Seconds)
• Interview with Mr. Swindell: He celebrates Christmas because of God. (40 Seconds)
• Interview with Manager of B&M and Card Factory about how Christmas effects their sales. (40 Seconds)
• How homeless or poor people cope with Christmas. (30 Seconds)
• Interview with Shelter representative. (40 Seconds)
• Clips of White Christmas, The Snowman, Its a Wonderful Life, Holiday Inn. (Cut aways in interviews)
• Queens speech- what significance does it connote? (30 Seconds)
• Recycling Presents. (20 seconds)
• Film of a school nativity play with voice over. (1 minute)
• People who work over Christmas; Service Stations, Police, Fire Brigades, Hospitals, Chefs etc. Do they mind? (30 Seconds)
• Filming of a traditional family at Christmas. (1 minute)
• Interview with the Pope, Cardinal, Chief Rabbi. (40 Seconds)
• Traditional Christmas Dinner. (20 Seconds)
• TV Schedule-40's Top of the Pops. (40 Seconds)
• How people abroad celebrate Christmas. (40 Seconds)
• Children's and Parents opinion on Christmas. (50 Seconds)
• Why do people get stressed by Christmas? (1 Minute)
• How shop sales sore over Christmas. (30 Seconds)
• How people living on their own deal with Christmas. (40 Seconds)
• The Show Box Appeal. (50 Seconds)
• The History of Christmas. (1 minute)
• Christmas Catalogues that help people with money troubles over Christmas e.g Park. (40 Seconds)
• Last minute shopper Vs careful planner. (1 Minute)

• Documentary-Christmas:God Vs Gift
• BBC 1
• Scheduling - Thursday 24th December 8.00pm-8.30pm
• Duration- 30 Minutes

Final Brainstorm

Final Idea

• Christmas: Why do people who don't believe in God believe in Christmas?

Look into people why people who don't believe in God still celebrate Christmas.

Why if they don't believe in God they still celebrate a Christian celebration.

Is it just for the presents and the food?

First Brainstorm

Ideas for Documentary

• EMA:Is it fair or not?
• Fashion
• Mobile phones:Do they damage our health
• Christmas
• Retail Therapy

Questionnaire Results- images added

From this graph I have learnt that most people watch the TV in the evening and late evening so it would be sensible to broadcast our documentary in that time.


From this graph I can tell that the majority of people do not get stressed by Christmas.


Most of the people that filled in my questionnaire were female which doesn't really make the results fair but i couldn't get many males to fill it in.

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

Age:….. Occupation:……….......................... Gender:  Male  Female

Do you believe in god?
 Yes  No

Do you celebrate Christmas?
 Yes  No

Is there any mention of god during your Christmas celebration? E.g. a prayer.
 Yes  No

If yes please state.
………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………..

What colours do you associate with Christmas?
………………………………………………………………………………

Do you get stressed by Christmas?
 Yes  No

If yes what is it about Christmas that gets you stressed?
………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………..


Do you think the commercialisation of Christmas is an important issue?
……………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………..

What song reminds you of Christmas? (Please State)
……………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………..


What words do you associate with Christmas?
………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………...

What makes documentaries authentic?
 Montage  Archive  Reliable voice  Talking heads

 Other Please State ……………………………………………………….


Would you watch a documentary about the commercialisation of Christmas?
 Yes  No

If yes, do you think this is an important issue?
………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………...

Where do you buy your Christmas cards? (Please state)
………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………...
………………………………………………………………………………...


When do you watch TV?
 Morning  Day-time  early evening  late evening

How much do you spend at Christmas?
 Less than £100  £100-£300  £300-£500  Over £500


Thank you for your cooperation.

Research into the Codes and Conventions of Documentaries

Expository

• Voice of God narration which talks at the viewer as if they were there.
• Voice over anchors what the images on the screen show so that they viewers can follow the documentary.
• The narrator's speech is backed up with images to show what he means.
• These documentaries are normally about an issue or a recent affair that needs covering in detail.
• They are usually an hour long.
• An example of this type of documentary is "The Devil Made Me Do It."

Observational

• Often known as a "Fly on the Wall" documentary.
• Avoids voice overs or commentary and the camera is as out-the-way as possible but not always hidden from sight.
• It normally means that the viewers are seeing it as its happening without it being edited or changed in any way. This is shown by having some really long shots.
• The people in the documentary do not speak directly to the camera. Its like they don't know that the camera is there.
• The main event that the documentary usually unfolds in front of the camera.
• This style dominates TV documentaries.

Docusoaps

• Prioritisation of entertainment over social commentary sets these documentaries apart from any others.
• Examples of Docusoaps are "Airport", "Driving School" and " A Life of Grime".
• Docusoaps were able to be made due to lightweight camera equipment which meant they could be carried round easily and catch any action with ease.
• Docusoaps almost have a soap like structure. Meaning they have several story lines going at once.
• The genre does not tell us anything that is going on in the world, just about the people are being filmed.
• This is also known as "Tongue and Cheek" entertainment.

Reality TV

• This is sometimes also known as "infotainment" as it combines entertainment and useful information.
• Examples of reality TV are "Castaway" and "Big Brother".

Interactive

• The genre acknowledges the presence pf both the camera crew and the audience.
• The audience is given constant reminders that there are various different view points in the programme.

Drama Documentary

• There are quite a lot of re-enactments in these documentaries to show that they have already happened and they haven't got archive footage of what happened.
• Examples of this are "Who Bombed Birmingham?"

Docudrama

• Example "The Office".
• A fictional story that uses the techniques of documentary to reinforce its claim for realism.

Dramadoc

• A documentary reconstruction of actual events using techniques taken from fiction cinema.

Current Affairs

• These are documentaries led by journalists looking to discover an answer to a problem in the world E.g war, politics etc.
• An example is "News Night".
• The topics of discussion have usually happened in that week and are fresh in the news.
• The presenters are normally narrating it but do sometimes come into view in the programme to interview someone or something.

Documentary Dilemmas

• Footage from these documentaries are not normally broadcast without being edited.
• The subject being filmed is in the film makers hands.

Analysis of TV Documentaries

Class Research





The Devil Made Me Do It





Type of Documentary


Expository

• Voice of God
• Observatory
• Voice over

Themes

• Religion
• Media
• Satan vs God
• Influence of Marilyn Manson (Brain washing)
• Technology (information age)
• Establishment vs Culture (alternative)
• Children and Parents

Narrative Structure

• Use of reconstruction
• Puppet Master (Pulling someone elses strings)
• Levi Strauss, Vladir Propp, Toderov (Equilibrium)
• Binary Oppositions (opposites)
• Hero-Nun
• Villain- the three girls and Marylin Manson

Camerawork

• Tracking shots-put in a position to follow someone
• Cut aways
• Reaction Shots
• Establishing Shots
• Close ups of Marylin Manson hands when he is being interviewed
• Low angle show of Marylin Manson, connoting he has power
• Indirect address
• Parallelism

Mise-en-scene

• It comes across as a very religious town(icons and Satan)
• Light at the end of the tunnel (one of the three girls starts to crack under the pressure

Sound

• Voice of God
• Violin solo to create a sombre atmosphere

Editing

• Italian man speaking but has in English Over lay
• Cut aways are in time with the heart beat (music)
• Long takes of graffiti on the church wall

Archive Material

• Footage of the nuns funeral
• Press conference
• Marylin Manson gig and videos

Graphics

• Dark and Evil
• Lyrics at the bottom of the screen when Marylin Manson is singing so we can tell what he is saying.

The Music Biz-The Marketing of Meatloaf



Type of Documentary

• Expository

Themes

• Voice of God
• Music Industry
• Meatloaf
• Informative (audience would use it for information)

Narrative Structure

• Starts off by setting the scene of the music industry
• Then focuses solely on Meatloaf and how his career has unfolded and developed.
• Smaller case study of The Village People (YMCA)

Camera Work

• Pans down The Radio City Music Hall NY
• External shot of music hall
• Point of view shot
• Talking head interviews don't face the camera. They are sitting side on.
• Establishing shot of head quarters. (new location)

Mise-En-Scene

• Sound engineer has been filmed in his studio in front of the sound desk which anchors his authority.
• He is shown as a rock start with him wearing sun glasses.

Sound

• Diagetic noise from the crowd
• Non-Diagetic heartbeat in one of the interviews to create a dramatic effect.

Editing

• Cut away while they are interviewing different people.

Archive Material

• Footage from an awards ceremony(Grammies)
• Footage from Meatloafs music videos
• Making of the videos (anything for love)
• Top of the Pops

Graphics

• The magazines with loads of different people saying different things on them at the beginning.
• Photographs.
• Album covers as the background in the interviews.

That Thing: Lara Croft



Type of Documentary



Themes



Narrative Structure

• Introducing the computer game
• Ended with comment from the game creator.

Camerawork

• Talking heads are done in close up.
• Fish Eye Lens (bend at the edges)
• Speeded up shots inside a gaming cafe. Matches the theme of the computer game.

Mise-En-Scene

• Background shows that game being played.

Sound

• Music always in the background of the interviews
• Voice of God
• Guns shooting
• Video games
• Layers of sound.

Editing

• Interview with Toby Gard done in a computer screen to fit with the mise en scene.


• Short sharp interviews

Archive Material

• Footage of video games and film


• Footage of Barbie adverts.

Graphics

• Shows how Lara Croft is made

Target audience is clearly young people.

Wounded

Type of Documentary

• Expository

Themes

• Wounded soldiers

Narrative Structure

• Starts with the wounded soldiers being introduced.
• As the documentary goes on their stories are explain and it follows their road to recovery.
• It ends with the soldiers reaching their goals ie walking, being able to see again etc.

Camerawork

• Panning shots
• Long shots
• Talking heads-Andy's mum, doctor, girlfriend, sister, brother and best friend
• Establishing shot
• Zoom in
• Close up of Andy's burns and amputates legs.
• Tracking shots of Andy's mum walking across the field to the hospital
• Point of View shot of Andy's mum walking across the ward to see him.
• Reaction shots of Andy's family as they see him walk again for the first time.
• Extreme close up of nurse.

Mise-En-Scene

• War-Battle field, soldiers, black out, blood
• Hospitals-Very plain, clean
• Operations
• Everyone is really supportive of each other
• His friends come to visit and reassure him.
• Hospital rooms all white and bland
• Blood in the canals
• Trees, mud and grass.

Sound

• Bangs
• Sad music
• Voice of God
• Squeaky doors
• Power Amputation Saw
• Footsteps of Andy's mum and Commanding Officer
• Telephone in the hospital
• Tense music in the background

Editing

• Cuts to shots of Andy when his mum is speaking
• Photos of war and injuries.
• Mostly just cuts

Archive Material

• War material-footage of Andy's accident and photographs of his injuries.
• Andy's operation

Graphics

• information between archive footage at the beginning
• BBC Icon in the corner of the screen throughout the whole programme.

Merlin:Secrets and Magic

Type of Documentary

• Expository

Themes

• Magic
• Sorcery
• Fantasy
• Talking heads

Narrative Structure

• Hero-Merlin and Prince Arthur
• Villain- Mackenzie Crook
• Jealousy
• Humour on the Princes part
• Starts with clips of the episode that they are about to explain
• Explains how the episode was made and how it was put together
• Ends with a preview of the next episode

Camerawork

• Talking heads
• Panning
• Establishing shot of castle
• Extreme close up
• Looking up at Artur and his horse
• Tracking shots
• Extreme close up
• Medium close up
• Long shot

Mise-En-Scene

• Medieval
• Dull colours
• Forest-full of mythical creatures
• Flying monkeys
• Gargoyles comes alive at night(dark and evil)
• The soldiers red cloaks on the floor look like blood
• Mackenzie gets slicker and tidier throughout the episode as he gets more evil and powerful

Sound

• "Don't Upset the Rhythm"
• Screeching and roaring of gargoyles
• Blink 182
• Dramatic music when the evil scene is being filmed again and again and again
• Mackenzie's voice echoes when he says the spell

Editing

• Camera shots in time to the beats of the music
• Cut aways
• Close ups of Colin Morgan(Merlin) and Prince Arthur

Archive Material

• Filming of the new series
• Clips of the first episode and clips of other episodes

Graphics

• Names of the people talking
• Flying monkeys and gargoyles
• Flames around peoples names
• Dragon