For my
pre-liminary documentary, we aimed to follow all the codes and conventions set
out for documentaries. We managed to include most of these conventions, however
of a lower standard. We aimed to use mise en scene to show what the documentary
was going to be about. Behind each interview we set up Iphone and blackberry
phone boxes to link in to the topic. These were arranged to the opposite side
of the interviewee, as part of the background. Iphone’s were also used in the
cut away shots, which is a great link to the topic of the documentary and also
fits in well to the title which is ‘I can’t believe it’s not an iphone’.
Another
thing we did quite well was make sure the interviewee followed correct
instructions. The interviewees answered the question directly in full sentences
and in a good amount of detail which gives the documentary context, the
interviewer was not videoed speaking in the clips. Also, as each interviewee
comes onscreen, they are in the opposite corners of the screen which alternate
for each clip. The interviewees also do not look into the camera, and look at
the person who is questioning them.
As part of
editing we put two interviews before the title page, this sets the topic for
the documentary and people will be able to guess what it will be about before
the title screen comes on. For the title page the title is in a clear font and
in the middle of the screen. Below the interviewees we also put the name of the
interviewer and their occupation. We used two cut away shots spread equally
between each interview. This was to again show the topic of the documentary. We
aimed to link these cut away shots with what the interviewee was saying.
Along with
the matched cut away shots, we edited the sound so that the interviewee was
talking over the clips, which was related in topic. The music is constant
throughout and goes quieter and louder depending on how far along the song is
(how upbeat it is) and whether you need to hear what the interviewee is saying.
We also made sure that the actual singing begins as the title is shown, there
is just a short tune in the first two interviews before the lyrics begin, and
also the music becomes more upbeat and louder on this clip. The music we chose
in the background was Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’, which seems very predictable,
however fits in well with the documentary being about mobile phones, it is also
a song that most people know and like.
During the
interviews, the camera stays completely still. This ensures that the focus
stays on the interviewee and overall looks more professional. Both interviews
were done viewing the interviewee at a medium shot which is a common feature of
documentaries, rather than a full long body shot. This closer shot meant that
you could concentrate more on what the person was saying rather than what was
going on behind them.
Despite, sticking to many of the codes and conventions
a lot of mistakes were made and a lot could be improved. To begin with the
background music of Lady Gaga’s ‘telephone’, is too loud. It is difficult to
hear the interviewee speak over the music, and also it is difficult to
understand what the person is saying with so much sound going on in the
background. The music may be a bit too upbeat for such a simple documentary.
We used a
range of shots within the documentary however the camera is often shaky on most
of the bits, this makes the whole documentary look unprofessional. To begin
with the shot behind the title screen is extremely shaky and moves around in
all angles and doesn’t focus on a specific point. We used a high angle over the
shoulder shot, however the camera was extremely shaky and the phone was in the
main focus and point of the shot.
We did not
have enough cut away shots, due to them not being saved on the computer, so
this is something we need to improve on and make sure we save all the bits of
video that we take as soon as we get it. As we did not have enough cut away shots,
we had to repeat the close up of an iphone from the title, to after one of the
interviews later in the documentary, this was also quite shaky.
