Documentary Analysis

'Public Enemy Number One: The Devil Made Me Do It'

Type of documentary- Expository (Voice of God)
Themes- Murder and investigation
Narrative Structure-START- Marilyn Manson, Then moved onto a murder of a nun- This makes you wonder how the two are linked (ENIGMA CODE- Clues, questions)
MIDDLE-Enigma code from the beginning is starting to be answered.
END- Conclusion, and what happened to the murderers- CLOSED NARRATIVE.
Camera Work-
-Tracking shot with coffin, makes the audience feel involved so therefore provokes emotion.
-Interview- Mid shot (head and shoulders)- conventional.
-Establishing shot to cemetery, to signify the start of a new sequence.
-Hand held camera work in the woods- makes it seem eery, and as if it is a p.o.v shot.
-Hand held camera work- tracking shot into the trial; frantic feeling, involves the audience.
Mise en scene-
-Marco Politi (Vatican reporter, La repubolica)- Placed him in front of a religious backdrop and books to make him seem intelligent and well-read.
-Phone box- eery framing, trying to communicate and provoke specific feelings within the audience.
-Shot through the door- voyeuristic, makes the audience feel as though they are being included in something secret.
-Police officer- Dress and desk- to show importance.
-Dark images- add drama and communicate a feeling.
-Teenagers-slouching, cigarette- makes them seem uncaring.
Sound-
-Narrator and translator (non diegetic)
-Music- sad, spooky (to create meaning subtly)
-Heartbeat sfx- To add drama
-Voice of God- Formal mode of address- male.
Editing-
Cutaways- To make the interviews more interesting and to illustrate the points made in the interview.
Archive Material-
-The funeral at the start.
-Marilyn Manson footage- Not filmed from the documentary, taken from a secondary source.
Graphics-
Title graphics- Stereotypically gothic design to match the theme.
Conventional- same colour and font design.

The Music Biz- Marketing Meatloaf

Type of Documentary- Educational documentary, expository.
Themes- The music business- informative.
Narrative structure-
START- music industry introduction.
MIDDLE- Meatloaf, will he succeed?
END- closed narrative, he did succeed, followed a journey.
Camerawork-
Opening- Handheld camera work, exciting and involving.
P.O.V shot- Involves audience.
Mise en scene-
-Background for interviews- Superimposed, use of green/blue screen- overlapping images.
-Journalist behind messy desk- To make him look busy.
Sound-
-'Voice of God'- Male, Authoritative- male- to match the theme, male artist.
-Quite opinionated voice over
-Music- dramatic to reflect dramatic moments.
-Keep replaying verses to keep the audience in suspense for the chorus.
Editing-
-Fade in and out for the interviews.
-Not as many original cutaways, more archive footage.
-Cross fades- move in and out.
Archive material-
-Meatloaf performing and videos.
-Uses alot of archive footage, eg: Video footage, interviews, press, concerts/live shows etc.
Graphics-
-Opening credits- imitating a magazine front cover with sound bites from people who may later appear in the documentary.
-Used logo of the programme to match any captions and give the programme an identity.
-Quotes across the middle of the screen- Rolling across.

That thing Lara Croft

Type of documentary- Expository
Themes- Games, films with Lara Croft in.
Narrative structure-
START- Introduction to who and what Lara Croft is.
MIDDLE- Talks about sociological and psychological links (e.g Lara compared to Barbie and Lara as a puppet figure to males.)
END- Ends on summing up what Lara is to people.
Sound-
-Narration all by interviewees.
-Voice of God narration male to match target audience.
Editing-
-Blue/green screen behind interview with game footage superimposed onto the background.
-Fast paced- to reflect target audience.
-Lots of use of cutaways from game footage.
Archive material-
-From film footage and game footage.
Graphics-
-Computer screen with interview placed inside to match the theme of the documentary.