Codes and conventions

* Interviewees are always filmed in medium shot, medium close-up or close-up.
E.g Steven Spielberg in the 'Jaws' documentary- medium close-up.

*Always framed with the interviewee to the left or right hand-side of the screen, facing the interviewer who is sitting diagonally to them.
These positions are also alternated, for different interviewees; from left to right to signify a new person speaking.

*Framing follows the rule of thirds; eye line is roughly a third of the way down the frame.

*Interviewee- looking at interviewer, NOT the camera.

*The mise en scene reinforces the context of the documentary and MUST be relevant.

*No light source behind the interviewee (E.g not in front of a window).

*Questions are edited out, so tell the interviewee to use the words from the question in their answer.

*Cutaways are used to avoid jump cuts and to illustrate an answer. They are either archive material OR filmed separately (afterwards).

*Use graphics- E.g labels, names, job/title etc.
E.g 'Voice of marge Simpson' in 'The Simpson's' documentary.