DOCUMENTARIES By Emily Sophie and Ross

What is a documentary?

Using pictures or interviews with people involved in real events to provide a factual report on a particular subject.

What makes a good documentary?

Entertainment Informational Entertaining narrative or likeable

presenter Interesting subject matter Up to date with current events or

extreme past events e.g 9/11

Modes of documentary

Reflexive- In which the film maker acknowledges their presence, they are in front of the camera and give some narrative guidance.

Observational- being there as events unfold, these documentaries tend to follow a person or event and document their journey as it occurs. The camera remains as unobtrusive as possible, allowing the audience to make up their own mind.

Expository- An analysis and exposition of a person or topic, for example Michael Moore exposes society to form or political corruption. Persuades and argues.

Participatory- Welcomes direct engagement between filmmaker and subjects, the filmmaker becomes part of the events being recorded.

Example:

Louis Theroux- Westboro baptist church

Plot/Theme/Message

To show the views and lifestyle of the “Most hated family in America”.

To make the audience create a negative view of the subjects religion.

Some religious people (extremists) can be hateful and dislike change.

Documentarian

Louis Theroux

a British journalist and broadcaster. He is best known for his documentaries in the television series Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends and When Louis Met..., as well as his Louis Theroux's BBC Two specials. His career started in journalism and bears influences of notable writers in his family, such as his father Paul Theroux and brother Marcel Theroux. He currently works with the BBC, producing his documentaries and popular television series.

Interviewees

The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is an American unaffiliated Baptist church known for its extreme ideologies, especially those against gay people. The church is widely described as a hate group. It was headed by Fred Phelps who died in March 2014. It consists primarily of members of his extended family; in 2011, the church stated that it had about 40 members. The church is headquartered in a residential neighborhood on the west side of Topeka about three miles west of the Kansas State Capitol.

The church has been involved in actions against gay people since at least 1991, when it sought a crackdown on homosexual activity. In addition to conducting anti-gay protests at military funerals, the organization pickets other celebrity funerals and public events. Protests have also been held against Jews and Catholics, and some protests have included WBC members stomping on the American flag.

Camera Composition

He uses mainly wide shot to show the whole group activities e.g protests and peoples reaction to the protesting.

He uses two shots when doing interviews with a few people.

He also often uses shot/ reverse shot when interviewing, mainly when he is interviewing the youth of the group as they are often doing things whilst being interviewed.

Interview/ Voiceover techniques.

His interview technique is to remain calm. He also asks questions that can provoke

reactions from the interviewee. He narrates (often in post production) his

interviews and other activities and expresses opinions that, if had been said directly to the interviewee, could cause offense.

Which mode?

This documentary is reflexive with expository content.

The way in which he narrates and films the documentary in which he is involved but not taking part in events makes it a reflexive documentary however he is trying to expose the views of the WBC and their lifestyle making it have slight expository content.