DOCUMENTARY
'A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a historical record".'
Embedded Files
Film reveals what the eye often can’t see.
Documentary deals with fact, not fiction
At the very heart of documentary, there is an issue and a message at hand (or theme).
Aims and Objectives
Aims and Objectives
To explore and illustrate:
The most important skill of a screenwriter is that he must be able to write visually
The ‘relevancy test’.
The structure including “the hook”
Five channels of information in film
The basic journalistic questions and understanding and using the structure of a documentary, including 'the hook'.
Asking Basic Questions
Our first task was to read through these basic questions and apply them to any documentary that we have watched recently, whilst feedbacking to our peers. The documentary that I chose was 'The Menendez Brothers' documentary that I recently watched on Netflix.
What is the present situation?
The present situation regarding the Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, is that they are both serving life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989.
How has it come about?
The situation has evolved with various appeals and discussions around the fairness of their trials and the role of mental health in their defense. There have been ongoing debates about whether they received a fair trial or not.
What will happen if it isn't remedied?
Without changes, they will likely remain in prison, and discussions about justice and mental health will continue.
What steps are being taken?
Steps being taken include ongoing appeals by the brothers and advocating efforts from various supporters who question the fairness of their trials.
Who is taking them?
Legal teams and organizations focused on criminal justice reform are involved in pushing for a reevaluation of their case, emphasizing issues like trauma and abuse. Additionally, some lawmakers and public figures have voiced support for revisiting their situation.
When can we see a change?
Changes could occur if new evidence emerges or if a legal appeal is successful, though it is difficult to predict a timeline in this case.
What is that change likely to be?
Possible changes might include a retrial, a reconsideration of their sentences, or even potential parole hearings in the future.
Film is Visual
"The words that a screenwriter writes will never be read by anyone. They will only be seen and heard as images on a screen. The most important skill of a screenwriter is that he must be able to write visually. Theorizing or explaining a concept in a script is pointless; if the audience can’t ‘look’ at the theory, it’s not worth writing. A screenwriter must think, ‘Is what I’m about to write visual in nature? If not, then how can I make it visual?”
Film Emphasises
"Films can evoke different kinds of reactions in the audience, from grief to anger. They can make the audience think and send powerful messages across to them."
Film Shows Motion
"There is a reason why film is called ‘moving images’. Shots are made of action. Something needs to be ‘happening’ in a shot for the audience to see – a man walking, a dog barking, a crowd marching, a machine working, a river flowing – anything at all that has action, images moving. These actions form events that drive the shot forward to completion. Most of the images you see on screen have action. It’s what separates moving images from photographs."
Film Reveals What We Can't See
"A tiny cell in our bodies, a country we’ve never been to, details that we would normally miss. The screenwriter must bring things to life for the audience who may have never before experienced what they see on screen."
What is Documentary?
Documentary inspires movement and action. At the very heart of documentary, there is an issue and a message at hand (or theme). The passing on of this message to the audience is usually the reason that the film was made in the first place. Documentaries have long been used as an instrument to inspire change in their audience, be it social change or inner change.
Most importantly, documentaries delve into a non-fictional world with real events, real issues, real conflict, real people and real emotions. Everything seen and heard on screen is grounded in accuracy and has no element of fiction.
Relevancy Test
The scriptwriter must ask him/her/themself:
Is this information or source of information directly related to the subject of my film?
Is it necessary for the audience to know this information?
Will this information add to the overall quality of the film?
Even if it is relevant and will add value, is it more relevant than all the other information I have gathered so far?
Will I be able to incorporate this information into the script even if it is relevant to the subject?
Which Visuals Show the Story?
Beginning: Which visuals “hook” the audience? Which visuals create curiosity? Set up the problem or the issue. Make the audience ask: “Why is this happening?”
Middle: Which visuals establish the stories themes and the main characters (heroes and villains) and setting (a hero/villain can be a person, thing or event). What are the characters motivations, goals, needs. How are they met or denied? What are the most powerful moments in the narrative? The key to a good middle is structure! Does the mood change? Think in short sequences exploring the theme.
End: which visuals show the outcome of the events and resolution to the story.
Narrative Commentary/Voice Over
Narration is the sound-track commentary that sometimes accompanies a visual image in a documentary. It’s also often called a ‘voice-over’ and it can be spoken by one or more off-screen commentators. The commentator can be virtually anybody, from a character in the film, the filmmaker to even someone completely unidentified, whom the audience only relates to by his/her voice. Voice-over narration has always been a very popular tool in documentaries because it is an easy and effective way to communicate verbal information in the absence of dialogue between actors. However, many filmmakers choose to do away with narration, preferring to communicate verbal information to the audience through talking heads.
Talking heads
The speech element of talking heads, or interviews, is an important element of the soundtrack and also an effective way to communicate information to the audience. In documentary, filmmakers often choose to discard narration completely in favour of talking heads, as they come across as more credible and in keeping with the non-fiction nature of documentary. The audience is able to identify the person talking, thus making their experience more organic for them. The filmmaker is then also able to show the interviewee talking, cut to visual images while continuing the voice of the interviewee over these images, which may support or supplement what he is saying. This provides a smooth flow of sound for the audience, who will ‘know’ the voice they are listening to and thus feel more empathy with it.
War In Passaic Task
Read the text 'War in Passaic' and discuss how this could be adapted into a documentary.
Analyse the text and find the visual elements of the story.
What sound could you use as part of the story?
Quotes, Talking Heads/interviews, V/O etc?
Other thoughts on showing this kind of story?
Visual elements could include historical reenactments, and depictions of the setting and environment (The bleakness of textile mills and the cramped, unventilated living conditions could be described through dark, claustrophobic shots of the factory). Close up shots of intimate moments, such as families being affected by wage cuts, capturing their vulnerability. Footage or images of workers in oppressive conditions, working long and painful hours.
Sound elements could include melancholic or haunting instrumental music to highlight hardships. Sound effects such as the sounds of heavy machinery can symbolise the grueling work environment. voiceovers and quotes from workers can provide context and perspective into their lives.
Interviews with historians or experts to add depth to the documentary and help the audience understand its significance. Modern reflections and interviews could also leave a lasting impression on viewers.
On-screen text could provide key dates, statistics, and other details that help to provide context.
Visual effects such as lighting could be used symbolically - dark and dimly lit scenes for the factory interior scenes, whilst brighter and well-lit scenes in which the workers are protesting or fighting for justice.
Real photographs from the events could be used to establish historical authenticity and ground the story in it's historical context.
'War in Passaic' into a Documentary
Read through and pull out the visuals to try and make a documentary – use the previous slides to find the visual story first, then the other channels of information.
Task
Visuals: Which visuals are essential to “showing” this story?
Then SOUND! Dialogue/Voice-Over [V/O] Talking Heads. Music.
Find the message in the text and explore the best way to convey this to the audience.
Think of other categories that will help you state the theme, set a tone and inform, persuade and entertain the audience?
Are there any contemporary issues that resonate with this story?
Beginning;
Middle:
End:
Exploring and Analysing Documentaries
Watch a documentary and use the channels of information slides and the Basic Questions and Relevancy Test to analyse the story.
Identify specific visuals, images scenes that show the story.
What are the showing?
How do they show the story?
Which visuals are essential to telling the story?
And any other thoughts?
For this task, we were given a range of documentaries to watch and analyse. I chose to look at the documentary 'Believe in Ghosts' from the ShortVerse website. Below I have answered the relevant questions and analysed:
Analysis
In Believe in Ghosts, directed by Courtney Dixon, visuals play a crucial role in conveying the themes of grief, loss, and the supernatural. Key scenes such as shots of cemeteries, family portraits, and dimly lit home interiors set a somber tone, representing the family’s emotional journey through mourning and their belief in an afterlife. The eerie footage of alleged paranormal activity, like flickering lights or moving objects, serves as the documentary’s central focus, prompting viewers to question the existence of ghosts and the boundary between life and death. The blending of home videos, interviews, and ghostly phenomena creates an intimate, personal atmosphere, allowing the audience to connect with the family's experiences on a deeper emotional level. Visuals like old photographs and portraits of deceased relatives emphasize the family's attachment to memory and legacy, while intimate interview shots highlight the raw emotions of those who have lost loved ones. These images are essential to the narrative, as they not only illustrate the family’s belief in the supernatural but also explore how grief and the search for closure shape their lives, ultimately making the documentary both a personal story and a broader exploration of the human experience with loss and the afterlife.
Writing my own Documentary
Analyzing Believe in Ghosts has sparked a lot of ideas for my own documentary. I’m inspired by how the visuals are used to set the tone, like the way they create an eerie atmosphere with dim lighting, intimate shots, and old photographs to connect the past with the present. I also see how powerful it is to weave personal stories with larger themes, using individual experiences to explore universal emotions like grief or belief. The mix of subjective and objective storytelling is something I want to experiment with—allowing my subjects’ personal perspectives to coexist with factual context to create a more nuanced story. Additionally, the way the documentary plays with ambiguity and lets the audience interpret the supernatural for themselves makes me think about how I could leave certain things open-ended in my own film. Overall, I’m thinking more about how I can structure my narrative creatively and engage deeply with the emotions of my subjects to really connect with the audience.
Evaluation
This week, we deep-dived into the process of analysing and creating documentaries, and exploring various techniques that are central to the genre. I learned about the importance of visuals in storytelling, the use of talking heads, and how documentary content can be shaped through questions, visuals, and sound. Throughout the sessions, I became more confident in understanding how to craft a documentary that not only informs but also engages the audience.
We began by discussing basic documentary questions and how these can be applied to films we've recently watched. This exercise helped me recognize how every documentary begins with a central inquiry or theme, and how this shapes the narrative. I found it useful to reflect on the questions asked in documentaries, as they are the backbone of the storytelling process. This analysis sharpened my ability to identify what makes a documentary effective, especially in terms of clarity and focus.
Next, we learned about the relevancy test and how visuals are essential in communicating a documentary’s message. This was particularly interesting to me, as I sometimes struggle with how to balance words and images. I discovered that effective documentaries often allow visuals to tell much of the story, and how powerful imagery can convey meaning without the need for heavy narration or exposition. The idea of using visuals to enhance the narrative without explicitly stating everything was a concept I took away and will apply in future documentary work.
Another key element we explored was the use of talking heads, which are a staple of many documentaries. I found this particularly insightful as it allowed me to consider how the inclusion of expert or personal testimony shapes the tone and direction of a documentary. Through analyzing examples, I understood how talking heads can establish credibility and intimacy with the audience, while also serving as an anchor to the overall narrative. This lesson in integrating human voices into a visual medium helped me to refine my understanding of how interviews and expert opinions should be woven into the larger story.
One of the most hands-on activities we did was turning an excerpt from the article The War in Passaic into a documentary. I initially struggled with the format of this task and how to display the important visual aspects, though I ultimately resolved this issue by looking at the example on the powerpoint and discussing my issues with my tutor. This task was challenging but rewarding, as it required me to distill complex ideas into a visual format. I learned how to select key moments from a text and visualize them in a way that is both informative and engaging. By reinterpreting the material in this way, I better understood the creative process of transforming written content into documentary form.
Lastly, I analysed the documentary Believe in Ghosts, which gave me the opportunity to apply everything we had learned. Watching this documentary and breaking it down scene by scene helped me appreciate how the director used visuals, pacing, and interviews to build tension and tell a compelling story. I was particularly drawn to how the film balanced skepticism with belief, showing how a documentary can leave space for the audience to form their own opinions. This analysis was incredibly valuable as it showcased how documentaries can operate on both a factual and emotional level, creating a powerful experience for the viewer.
In summary, this week has greatly expanded my understanding of the documentary format. I have developed new skills in analyzing and creating documentaries, from asking the right questions to understanding the power of visuals and talking heads. The activities helped me see how important it is to engage the audience visually while staying true to the core message. This process has sparked my interest in further exploring documentary filmmaking and I feel more confident in my ability to create a documentary that resonates with viewers, and I think it is something I will implement into my writing in the future.
Greg's Feedback
An imaginative approach to the Passaic tasks that clearly recognises and identifies the visual opportunities and then explore the channels of information effectively in your short scrip - good work
Have you also looked at a selection of other docs From the resources discussed in session and analysed with a view of helping you write an idea of your own ?
plus evaluate.
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