CODES & CONVENTIONS

OF FACTU

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PROGRAMMING

B Y LE W I S

RO L L I N

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INTRODUCTION.This presentation is a illustration of what

the codes and conventions of factual programming and how they inform and determine an audiences responses. I will be looking at News Reports and Factual based Documentaries.

WHAT ARE THE CODES AND CONVENTIONS?

Codes and conventions. Codes are systems of signs, which create meaning. Codes can be divided into two categories – technical and symbolic. Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text, for example the camera work in a film.

THE 5 MODES.

Observational Expository Participatory Reflexive Performative

EXPOSITORY DOCUMENTARY Expository mode is most commonly used to speak

directly to the viewer, often in the form of an authoritative commentary employing voiceover or titles, proposing a strong argument and point of view. These films are rhetorical, and try to persuade the viewer. The main C&C’s are a commentator, Rhetorical questions, Facts, Opinions and Persuasive techniques. They include footage, interviews and pictures exclusive to the documentary. Chanel 4 and More 4 have made 541 documentaries in total thus far. They are mainly about history, biographic, health, science, nature, environmental, music or even sport.

CODES & CONVENTIONS OF A NEWS SHOW• Studio News Reader• Field Reporters • Links to Studio • Modes of Address to Viewer • Interviewing • Experts & Witnesses • Report Structure • Actuality Footage

• Link to BBC News at 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRa7mLXbMe4

PARTICIPATORY DOCUMENTARYDocumentary maker as well the crew interact with subject;Interviews dominate but tend to be formal and include use of

archive material – still, news; footage, newspaper headlines, letters etc;

The Documentary maker is visible to the audience – intervenes and participates in the action.

Examples of Participatory Documentaries are ‘Supersize me, Biggie and Tupac and Louis Theroux’s many many different documentaries.

REFLEXIVE DOCUMENTARY The reflexive style of documentary is usually associated with experimental documentaries, where the viewer is just as interested about how the film is constructed as they are the actual content. In a reflexive documentary, the Film maker acknowledges their presence in front of the camera and provides a narrative to the documentary.The reflexive style of documentary is usually associated with experimental documentaries, where the viewer is just as interested about how the film is constructed as they are the actual content. An example of a reflexive documentary maker is Nick Broomfield, he is best known for his reflexive style of documentary making, he films with minimal camera crew, often just himself and a camera man, who makes his documentaries seem more personal.

OBSERVATIONAL DOCUMENTARY Observational documentary follow people around to observe the events that unfold in their life. Normally it doesn’t normally feature voice overs however the likes of Gogglebox do. 16 and Pregnant is classed as an observational documentary because it follows pregnant teens around and observes their every day life and how they deal with it. They are not any interviews but the girls involved do talk through what they are doing, how it makes them feels. Long takes are used in the programme.

Another great example of an observational documentary is Gogglebox, I know thisbecause producers of Gogglebox have aimed to create a documentary about normal people watching popular TV shows expressing their opinion on whatever they are watching. They do this by putting a natural environment and comfort zone. MTV Cribs is also another example.