Documenting Documentaries Nicholls modes

  Documenting Documentaries- Nicholls modes

In documentaries there five different modes and mostly they only stick to one. The five different modes are:

 .Expository mode

 .Interactive

 .Observational

 .Performative

 .Reflexive

 
Also through the documentaries there are three mains conventions that are shown which are:

Narrativisation- This would be showing a story from start to finish during the documentary and showing the journey of the subjects and what they have to come across/face. A narrative also makes the audience more entertained as they are given a narrative along with facts in some cases and just makes it more enjoyable with a story to follow.

Realism- which would include interviews with people who witnessed what happened or people are a part of the event/situation. Also realism includes actuality footage, which is able to come across to the audience as being more reliable and trustworthy.

Dramatisation- This would make the documentary more entertaining to watch and will be able to engage the audience more with whats happening, by including techniques such as music that matches the footage, to create suspense or happiness, fast/slow camera movement and sometimes the possibility of ending the show with a cliffhanger, which would make the audience want to watch more and find out what really happens.

The expository mode (voice of God)

This mode here often uses a narrator, where it presents and emphasizes verbal commentary and argumentative logic. Also this mode uses direct address, which is where it looks like the presenter is directly talking to the audience. The voice of God indicates to the audience that the voice over is a voice of authority and it gives the audience no reason to disbelieve them because of this.

                     

This is an example of a expository mode, as throughout the documentary there is a voiceover explaining what is happening in the shots. Throughout this documentary, the voiceover can be considered a voice of authority such as at 0:40 where the man begins to talk about the dry season and the effect that it will have on the animals and their habitats. The voiceover explains in detail what will be happening throughout the months to come and he uses sophisticated detailed language when it comes to describing it such as "withering desiccating heat", which instead of just using the word heat which has a more simplistic tone to it, the voiceover emphasizes the temperature and makes the audience aware of how hot it's really going to be. Also this is able to make the audience more engaged with the documentary, as they would want to know how the animals are going to cope with the weather and what the outcomes will be for them, as he ends the introduction of the documentary by saying at 1:09 "when vigulence and adaptability will determine who makes it through Africa's most savage season" keeping the audience intrigued and wanting to watch the full documentary. This documentary also has a narrative throughout it, which is the journey of the all the animals in Africa and how they are going to survive the months ahead. By including a narrative in a nature documentary, it makes the audience more engaged and also more knowledgeable, as the documentary isn't focusing on just one type of species, but a variety such as at 1:54 the voiceover explains what is happening in the shot and how some animals have already started to leave their homes due to the low amount of available food and water. Also at 1:54 it shows buffaloes leaving their home in search of food and with the voiceover narrating this part, it makes it come across as more believable to the audience and that the documentary is providing them with factual information, as footage is included to back up what the voiceover is saying. The editing pace for this documentary is reasonably fast paced such as at 7:38 where it cuts from a shot of animals eating a corpse of an antelope, to an alive antelope, this here shows that the story of the antelopes are still being shown and that there is much more to uncover about the animals. Also from the editing pace, it would suggest that this documentary was filmed with a handheld camera, as the shots cut quite quickly and also some of the movement is rough such as at 7:40 as the camera is trying to get a full shot of the antelope being devoured, but the camera keeps moving from one side to another, which shows that this was handheld, as if there were multiple cameras the camera crew would be able to record it from more than one angle. The music used through this documentary is emphasized greatly when it comes to the cheetah chasing the antelope as at 13:34 this is where the music reaches it's climax, making the audience become more engaged with what is happening.

The voiceover explains in detail to the audience how antelope fight and 

what some of the out comes are such as at 5:48. After talking about how 

they fight,the voiceover then moves onto what happens to the antelope 

such as what would happen if one lost their horn?and how this would

effect their lifestyle. The voiceover is able to make this seen as believable

to the audience as when he is describing it, there is actual footage to back

up his points, which is able to not make the audience question what he is 

saying.

In this documentary there is a sense of realism which is shown through the camera movement, as the the majority of the documentary has quite slow paced filming , which to the audience makes it feel more realistic for them and make them believe that they are actually at that location. Also there is narrativisation shown through the whole documentary, as the filmmakers focus on different types of animals and their journeys such as from the beginning to 12:00 the main narrative is about the antelope but from 12:00 it moves onto the cheetahs lifestyle. But through this the documentary, the filmmakers show continuity through the animals that they are filming, as at 13:21 the second story which is about the cheetahs links back in with the antelopes. By keeping the story's linked together, it is able to make it more enjoyable and understandable for the audience, as everything will be clear to them in the end and there will be a smooth flow throughout it, while if the filmmakers decided to start from land animals to sea animals, it would come across as confusing for the audience and there wouldn't much of an interesting storyline. Also dramatisation is presented through the music in this documentary, such as at 13:22 the music starts of soft and slow, then at 13:34 the pace picks up as the animals begin to run. Through the music it is able to build anticipation in the audience and makes them more eager to find out what's going to happen next.

The observation mode (window on the wall)

This mode was best shown by the Cinema Verite or Direct Cinema movement in the late 1950s. The aim of this mode is to capture reality as accurately as possible, while the filmmaker is the observer. The filmmaker remains hidden behind the camera, is ignored by the surrounding environment and the filmmaker does not change or influence the events that are being recorded. Due to there being nothing staged, the camera rushes about a lot to keep up with the events happening, which can result in the camera work looking shaky and rough.

                 

This is an example of observation mode, as through this documentary the filmmaker is directly behind the camera and is able to capture the events as they happen.  At 0:21 we see doctors helping a patient onto a chair and form this we see the filmmaker just recording what is happening, instead of offering help. This suggests that even if the filmmaker was to get involved with the situation, the documentary would still be realistic but it would come across as bad to the audience, as they want to see how the doctors deal with patients and not outsiders, as there is a possibility that the doctors might change what they do if someone unprofessional in that job area gets involved. So by the filmmaker being a fly on the wall, they are able to capture events on how they actually happen and portray this to the audience, which gives them a sense of realism. Also the editing and sound quality through this documentary is very realistic, as the filmmaker focuses on the subject for a long period of time before moving on to another patient such as from the beginning to 1:43, this is able allows them to capture reality and also build suspense within the audience, as they would want to know what is going to happening to the patients and how they are going to be dealt with.  The sound quality in the documentary is very static but at 1:10 the audience are able to get an insight into what the personality's and attitudes of some doctors were like, as the filmmaker doesn't exclude the dialogue between the doctors and patients. By keeping the original sound footage that is recorded and not including a voiceover, it is able to have more of an impact on the audience, as they rather witness what is going on, rather than having someone explain the situation, this allows the audience to create the own opinion on the matter, without being influenced by the voiceover. The camera language through out this documentary is handheld such as at 2:06 can gives off the feeling that it is being seen through someone else's eyes and not a camera lens, as the editing is quite slow and there is not a lot of fast paced movement, as the cameraman is recording everything how they are seeing it, which is adding the realism to the situation. Through this documentary we are able to get a sense that this actuality footage due to the filming quality and also we are given the impression that none of the events happening are staged such as at 8:52 the camera zooms into the mans face and then begins to move it around trying to capture his facial expression, this here suggests to the audience that this is reality, as if it was staged the camera man wouldn't be moving the camera around that much as they would have known where exactly to be at that moment, but instead the camera movement is shaky, rushed and looks unprofessional, which adds to the realism of the documentary.

At 9:27 the audience are shown the young man throwing up, 

after he had taken some pills. With the observational mode,

the audience are able to get a full glimpse of the patient and

what is wrong with him and gives them a taste of realism

through this. This shows that by the camera man filming 

everything how it is, it is able to have a bigger impact on the 

audience, as they are being shown the truth of how some

people are treated and how the professionals deal with

their patients.

In this documentary, the main convention that is used throughout it is realism due to the handheld camera movement and the rushed camera techniques such as the zoom in at 8:52 and how they did not use any voiceovers or interviews, as the camera man just wanted to capture how everything really is without interfering. The observational mode is able to portray to the audience the actual truth of some situations that go one behind close doors and by being a fly on the wall, the camera man is able to expose the truth and also maybe persuade some of the audiences opinions on mental health. As at 0:16 the audience are able to get a glimpse at how the doctors treat the patients and the methods they use such as at 1:27 a man is being tied to a chair and some of the audience might disagree to this treatment method. Also the other convention that is used through this documentary is narrativisation such as at 5:55 the audience are introduced to a man who a taken too many pills and from there it begins to set the story for the audience, as they will want to know if he is going to be okay. By having a narrative feeling through this documentary, it makes it more engaging to watch, as there is no editing, while if there was editing it might leave out main parts of what the male is going through that is why it's better to be captured how it is exactly happening. But, dramatisation is shown through this documentary, as there is no music or voiceover through it, which is a good thing when it comes to the observational mode, as if music was included there is a chance that it would take away the realism of the situation.

The Participatory mode ( Also called interactive)

Compared to the observational mode, participatory mode is different as it has direct engagement between the filmmaker and the subject(s). The filmmaker becomes part of the events that are being recorded. The filmmakers impact on the events being recorded is acknowledged and can often be celebrated.

                                 

This here is an example of participatory mode, where the audience are able to see the presenter interact with Courtney and Kurt friends and find out what their relationship with them was like and uncover what they were really like. This here is a good example as the documentary starts by explaining who Kurt what and how he had taken his own life as at 0:17, by including this it is able to update the audience on some facts that they may have not known and also talks about what it was like for his fans and family. The presenter Nick Broomfield engages directly with people who had known Kurt and by being direct with them, he is able to gather more detailed information about his lifestyle such as at 4:10 the audience are introduced to a young Cobain. At this moment the camera is still on his aunt, watching her reaction to the sound recording, which suggests that Broomfield wanted to make the audience see that Kurt's family was greatly affected by his loss and the impact that it had on them and how they have coped with it for the past years. Broomfield also provides a voiceover with facts about Kurt growing up such as at 5:24 which then leads on to his aunt explaining how old his was when he started recording his first tracks. By editing the documentary like this, it is able to make Broomfield come across as reliable and that he is telling the truth of what he has learnt from Kurt's aunt and is able to make the audience more knowledgeable about his family. Also even though Broomfield is not in the shots near the beginning, the audience are still able to hear him asking questions such as at 5:56 which shows him engaging slightly and not directly for the time being, which might be because he just wants to get some questions out of the way first for the audience and then later on go and engage more with the people that the is interviewing, but this could also be seen as him recording the documentary and interviewing himself, which would present him as wanting to get all the information heard first. Also at 6:55 there is a long car journey to Broomfields next location until 7:24 which would suggest that he wants to keep his audience feeling anxious and builds up tension, as they would want to know more information and also it gives a sense of realism, as if the audience are in the car with Broomfield are on this journey with him. Also this documentary isn't scripted such as at 7:37 when the presenter are approached by a teacher asking what they are doing and what they want, this is able to show the audience that everything that will be shown will be the truth, as the teacher seemed surprised and cautious to see them and then Broomfield had to explain what they were recording. Also the camera language is handheld, which is able to add the realism to that it's not scripted such as at 7:35 it shows the teacher walking towards them, while if it was scripted they would have already known where  he was and gone directly to him, but instead they wait and see if he arrives. The reason why the visit to the school gives the audience a sense that this is the truth, is because the teacher was surprised to see them and answers the questions they have for him about this teenage years, while if they shook hands when they met, it could have indicated that it was scripted.

When Broomfield is interviewing Kurt's old teacher at 9:00 it
add the feeling of realism and shows that it's not scripted
as the man has to think about what he is saying and from that
it shows that the documentary is not scripted and the truth
is being told.

This documentary mainly shows narrative throughout it and focuses around the life of Kurt Cobain, as the story starts by introducing who he is with archive footage and then the presenter Nick Broomfield starts at his hometown and works his way around, interviewing people who may have known Kurt, his family and friends. A participatory mode is effective in this documentary as Broomfield interacts with his interviewees and asks them questions about Kurt's life, he dives himself into finding out more about him and wants himself to be the first who could receive the most information about Kurt, more than previous documentary's about Kurt. There is not much Dramatisation shown, as there is nothing really to emphasis or make more engaging, as if this was included more, the documentary wouldn't have the effect that it does and wouldn't come across as serious, as the thing explored in the documentary is Kurt and the audience wants to know the truth about him and not an over exaggerated response about his life, just what his past was like and how he was. The documentary includes a lot of realism which is shown through the editing pace and the handheld camera movements such as at 7:43.

In this image at 23:07, it shows Broomfield engaging with an author who wrote a book about Kurt Cobain background, where he questions the author on what he wrote and his opinion on him.

The performative mode (filmmaker as participant)

Performative mode is when the documentary emphasizes the subjective nature of the documentarian as well as acknowledging the subjective reading of the audience. The facts are told through this, as the documentarian will say what they have experienced and the effect it had on them emotionally and physically. This mode also emphasizes the emotional and social impact on the audience.

                            

Catfish is an example of a performative mode documentary, as the voiceover and the main man involved within the series has experienced someone pretending to be someone else in the past and through this, he is able to have a massive influence on the people and is the main subject besides the people who are asking for his help, who then get to hear his opinion on what they should do next. At 2:03 we are introduced to the person who they will be helping out through the show and straight away we are given an insight to what has been going on with her for the past few years and what her situation is now. When the presenters are reading through her email such as at 2:16 we are able to get the presenters opinion on what they think about the situation which he says is "crazy" and then dives into more detail about the females relationship, which makes the audience have more trust in his opinion more,as in the past he had been in the same situation, so his opinion will have a big impact on the audience. From 2:25 the show introduces the narrative of the show which is a woman's father dying and then finding romance on the internet and also adds drama to the situation by adding sad piano music at 2:26, which makes the audience begin to feel sympathetic for the woman, but once it's revealed that she as met someone 2:39 the music quickly becomes more energetic and makes the audience feel happy for her. By including dramatisation, it makes the show more enjoyable and entertaining to the show, as the music reflects on how the situation or the subject is feeling. Also with the narrative convention, it makes the audience want to know what happens at the end of it all, and if it all really does end in a happily ever after. Also the camera language is handheld, which is able to add the realistic feeling to the show such as at 5:05, but the ending style seems to be more professional due to the jump cuts at 5:24 and by this it is able to show the audience their journey. When they arrive at the girls home, the presenter decides to do a recap on her situation so far such as at 8:03 they include archive footage of her when she hit rock bottom and to the man who she met on the internet. By doing this is it is able to keep the audience engaged, as they slowly reveal more about her each time, which makes the audience want to know how everything it going to turn out and what else is going to be revealed about her. Due to the presenter having experienced this sort of situation before, he is able to get all the detail and information out of the woman, so that he is has a better understanding of the situation and can put his own experience towards it, which might end up helping her out. By mixing the subject and the presenters emotions together, it is able t have a bigger impact on the audience and they will start to feel sympathetic towards the subject. Also the presenters are honest with her and what the outcomes could be such as at 10:02 where the man says " I just want you to be realistic" which shows that even though they want to help her the best they can, they want her to grasp that what she wants might not be the truth, which is based of the presenter experiencing someone pretending to be someone who their not  in the past and him not wanting anyone else to feel the pain he felt.

During catfish, narrativisation is a main part of it all, as from the beginning of the show we are introduced to the person who the presenter will be following step by step and coming to the truth at the end of it all. The presenter goes into a lot of in depth detail about who the woman's partner really is and if he/she is the real deal, as the image on the left after doing research, the presenter found out that the man who she was talking to wasn't who she thought he was. There is also a sense of realism through the show, as this documentary series is based of real life people, but at the same time it could be questioned if it is an reenactment, due to the camera knowing when to film, but it seems to be more real than fake, as the as the people being filmed, seem just like ordinary people that want their questions answered. Dramatisation so is an important part of it, as the music is able to create tension,sympathy and happiness all through it and makes the audience really feel for the the presenter has gone through and also the people who are suffering from being lied to. 

The Reflexive mode ( awareness of the process)

The reflexive mode acknowledges the process of making the documentary and showing the audience that this is not necessarily the "truth" but a reconstruction of the truth. Through this, the documentary is exposed to the audience as they are made aware of the recording,editing and sound.

             

Footage of the film being filmed.

This here is a good example of reflexive mode, as this documentary is about the films own making, which is to show the audience on how reality really was during those times, as the film maker captures everything of that and at 11:57 we see the camera taking a picture, which shows the process of the filmmakers creation. To the audience, this is able to show them the time and effort the filmmaker went it to to create his film. Also at 23:05 it cuts to a female editing the clips together and the process that she has to go through to put the film together. By mixing the clips of her editing and the actual film together, the creator is able to show the audience the reality that he has captured and the hard work that had gone into it. There is no dialogue or any vital characters throughout the film, it's just a combination of life over a period of days, which is able to show the audience everything that happens at once and gives of a montage essence. Also at 23:15 we see the editor looking at the footage he has captured and then at 23:18 it cuts into the footage moving, from this it suggests that there is a small narrative which is focused on human lifestyles or personalities and to capture how people really are/act. The editing style of this film, has a massive impact on the audience, as the editing flows together smoothly and goes together well such as at 26:42- 26:43 it cuts from what it seems people discussing the film to a shot of a train track. The editing is able to tell the story of how the film was created without using any words or subtitles and is fully shown through the footage. I think this is a effective way to show the audience a how a film is made without using words, because it is left to the audiences imagination and lets them become more intrigued on how the filmmakers do it.

During this film there is mainly a sense of realism shown through it all, as all the footage shot seems to be archive footage and was able to capture the editing time for the film and also the production. By doing this it allows the audience to acknowledge the creation of the film. The film does slightly use dramatisation as at 26:50 it the music drops from an up beat chime to a more sombre tone and then a shot of a woman crying near a grave, the reason for this could be that the filmmaker is showing that their are happy times in life and then dreadful times. Also the narrative shown through this film, is the creation of the film itself and what the filmmakers had to go through and what they filmed, but also besides that it could be considered, that the narrative is an everyday in a town in the world and all of the things that go on within that one day.