Documentary Codes & Conventions

Documentary Codes & ConventionsAll documentaries all follow the same codes and conventions and this is what they might be or include:

• All have interviews
• Cut aways

• Reconstructions

• Camera angles to show status and power

• Archive footage

• Voice overs

• Narrations

• Linear narratives
• Music

• Themes which are relevant
• Graphics

• Non Diagetic and Diagetic sounds• Relevant Mise en scene

• Don’t hear the questions being asked during the interviews
• The people being interviewed never look into the camera                                         

• Always have a problem or conflict in the middle
• Don’t flip people being interviewed
• Snappy transitions
• Shot Reverse Shot
• Camera Angles to fit with status (Low angle shot to make someone seem more powerful)
• Narrator leads the narrative
• Footage on location
• Green/Blue screen to create relevant Mise en scene
• Simple graphics don’t distract the audience
• Appropriate graphics
• Actual Footage
• Exposition
• Voxpops
• Match on action
• Rule of Thirds
• Montages
• Dramatisation
• Different camera angles
• Witnesses
• Evidence
• Ambient sounds
• Alternate interview sides
• Closer or tighter shots on important people
• Always use cutaways in interviews
• Unbiased