DOCUMENTARY - AN INTRODUCTION IN MY OWN WORDS.
The first day of the documentary unit was so exciting. I couldn't keep up on the notes of the power point but I will write the re-cap down for what we need to do and interpreting them in my own way to what I feel I should be doing.
There is no joy of for me to blog the exact words that were on the power point so I took some screenshots and will follow with some examples of what I have seen and what I feel about watching these type of documentary.
Everything that I discuss in this blog post is going to be my own interpretation and is open to debate.
Everything that I discuss in this blog post is going to be my own interpretation and is open to debate.
WILDLIFE
The first documentary that comes to mind is Sir David Attenborough 'Planet Earth' but that is only because it is such a talked about show.
Attenborough has been presenting wildlife documentaries from as far as my memory goes back and he has gained enormous respect worldwide to the point that he has also been knighted by the Queen.
Sir David has even updated a book that he wrote almost 40 years ago 'Life On Earth', I read that it has been widely regarded to be the greatest living storyteller telling the greatest story.
Tinbergen, N. (2019) 'Life on Earth by David Attenborough – archive, 25 February 1979' In: The Guardian 24 February 2019 [online] At: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/24/back-pages-david-attenborough-life-on-earth-review-niko-tinbergen (Accessed on 14 March 2019).
What do I like or not like about wildlife Doc's?
I remember in the 1990s of wildlife documentary's they I would now class them (from researching this term) as poetic mode doc's, as on a Sunday afternoon round my Great Grans flat, we would sit there, whilst she knitted, watching lions hunt, whilst dramatic music played in the background or a deer would be gliding along to happy 'Hoppy' music. The whole programme would consist of a composed sequence throughout but would tell a story and give information to young and old audience alike, it was like watching a real-life 'Walt Disney' version of Bambi!
The good thing about the 90s version is that it did capture all ages of an audience but as studies where still going on and technology was only just being experimented in regards to animal behaviour, there was only so much information that could be given and this was mainly through a lens without a presenter or very little narration.
As time has moved on and Animal behaviour has been studied more, understood more and the techniques of filming has adapted so much in the last 30 years, an audience can not only get captivated in the programme with all the older conventions, like dramatic music and real footage but they can also learn so much more with a narrator and interaction of presenters.
Some presenters really go wild, like the late Steve Irwin (one of my favourites) on 'Crocodile Hunter' he used to take risks and keep the audience on the edge of there seats with his 'Wild' rescues of dangerous animals, yet he also let the audience into his family life and it was the first docu-soap I had ever seen (I think, but as I go along I may discover more). Below is a clip from the show 'Crocodile Hunter' It is a great example of why he was so loved and still today.
I have chosen the discovery channel as the first scientific source that came to mind.
In my early 20's I used to watch a show called 'How it's made' it fascinated me and taught me about all the little things in life that I may have never have thought about and it's being shown in front of my eye's.
The show demonstrates the making of items with very little narration, but again with music and moving images, maybe a step by step guide but not a major detailed instruction manual.
below is an example of the show 'How it's made' and it's a 5-minute clip of how crayons are made.
It may have been my age but I was fascinated by the stuff that trivia to me. This show has been running now for 20 years, it's first show appeared on our screens on . the January 6th 2001. So it still has a massive audience appeal and there is so much 'Stuff' in the world, people are always going to be fascinated in how things are made.
Today I watch shows about devastating weather, hurricanes, Tsunamis, volcanic activity, basically anything to do with natural disasters. Science documentaries are different now to the ones I use to watch in regards to their conventions. I watch science doc's that show the actual footage of a natural disaster and then show an experimental example of the same natural disasters but in a controlled facility.
Below is a trailer from a channel 4 program that I watched.
Attenborough has been presenting wildlife documentaries from as far as my memory goes back and he has gained enormous respect worldwide to the point that he has also been knighted by the Queen.
Sir David has even updated a book that he wrote almost 40 years ago 'Life On Earth', I read that it has been widely regarded to be the greatest living storyteller telling the greatest story.
What do I like or not like about wildlife Doc's?
I remember in the 1990s of wildlife documentary's they I would now class them (from researching this term) as poetic mode doc's, as on a Sunday afternoon round my Great Grans flat, we would sit there, whilst she knitted, watching lions hunt, whilst dramatic music played in the background or a deer would be gliding along to happy 'Hoppy' music. The whole programme would consist of a composed sequence throughout but would tell a story and give information to young and old audience alike, it was like watching a real-life 'Walt Disney' version of Bambi!
The good thing about the 90s version is that it did capture all ages of an audience but as studies where still going on and technology was only just being experimented in regards to animal behaviour, there was only so much information that could be given and this was mainly through a lens without a presenter or very little narration.
As time has moved on and Animal behaviour has been studied more, understood more and the techniques of filming has adapted so much in the last 30 years, an audience can not only get captivated in the programme with all the older conventions, like dramatic music and real footage but they can also learn so much more with a narrator and interaction of presenters.
Some presenters really go wild, like the late Steve Irwin (one of my favourites) on 'Crocodile Hunter' he used to take risks and keep the audience on the edge of there seats with his 'Wild' rescues of dangerous animals, yet he also let the audience into his family life and it was the first docu-soap I had ever seen (I think, but as I go along I may discover more). Below is a clip from the show 'Crocodile Hunter' It is a great example of why he was so loved and still today.
SCIENCE
I have chosen the discovery channel as the first scientific source that came to mind.
In my early 20's I used to watch a show called 'How it's made' it fascinated me and taught me about all the little things in life that I may have never have thought about and it's being shown in front of my eye's.
The show demonstrates the making of items with very little narration, but again with music and moving images, maybe a step by step guide but not a major detailed instruction manual.
below is an example of the show 'How it's made' and it's a 5-minute clip of how crayons are made.
It may have been my age but I was fascinated by the stuff that trivia to me. This show has been running now for 20 years, it's first show appeared on our screens on . the January 6th 2001. So it still has a massive audience appeal and there is so much 'Stuff' in the world, people are always going to be fascinated in how things are made.
Today I watch shows about devastating weather, hurricanes, Tsunamis, volcanic activity, basically anything to do with natural disasters. Science documentaries are different now to the ones I use to watch in regards to their conventions. I watch science doc's that show the actual footage of a natural disaster and then show an experimental example of the same natural disasters but in a controlled facility.
Below is a trailer from a channel 4 program that I watched.
What do I like or Dislike about Science documentaries?
I don't like hospital or biology science doc's or anything to do with cutting open an animal or a human 'in the name of science'.
However, I like easy going science programs with words that I understand or can interpretative through visual elements like experiments to back up a theory that has been shared, this is because it is visual proof of what I have just witnessed.
HISTORY
BBC One - Six Wives with Lucy Worsley (s.d.) In: BBC At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0854cjm (Accessed on 14 March 2019)
When it comes to History Documentary's I find it hard where to start as I love watching History doc's and anything to do with history, there is always the thought that when I watch such shows at BBC1 'Six Wives' that this time something may be different, maybe one of them didn't really get killed (although this is never going to happen) and a story can be told over and over but I still find myself intrigued, I especially enjoy watching the dramatic reconstructions of the past happing on the screen, the costume, make-up, language and buildings.
It isn't just English History that I love nor that era, I am also a Major Ancient Egyptian doco' fan, I can never see enough of 'How did they build this pyramid' or ' When this or that tomb was discovered ..' I still find it fascinating and the new ways the stories are being told and slowly a little more information is being broadcast due to new findings, thanks to new technology and ways to experiment.
Channel 5 is the main channel that I turn too for my history fix, I think it's because it is consistent with its programming and repeats shows that I may have missed, also having My5 online has made searching for my favourite documentary is a great platform for me to have.
Channel 5 is the main channel that I turn too for my history fix, I think it's because it is consistent with its programming and repeats shows that I may have missed, also having My5 online has made searching for my favourite documentary is a great platform for me to have.
Egypt Unwrapped is the latest history documentary that I have watched and in every doc that I have seen about Ancient Egypt that I have seen this guy pop's up ...
This is Dr Zahl Hawass, he is a world-renowned archaeologist, the former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities and director of excavations at Giza, Saqqara, Bahariya, Oasis and the Valley of the kings.
I get eager to see when he makes a cameo in any documentary about Ancient Egypt, I have found this an exciting part about the watching experience.
What do I like or dislike about History documentaries?
There are not many conventions within history documentaries that I dislike as I am a big fan of history, however, I enjoy history doc's better that is performance-based with dramatic music and scripted scenes, as it makes me feel apart of time as it happens.
HEALTH
HEALTH
Channel 4's Embarrassing Bodies is at the top of my list for health documentary 'Entertainment' we get right in with the experts and the patients ' Who are too embarrassed to go to the GP' but will happily show the world there bits and pieces, I used to enjoy watching this documentary when it first started but now I think it's too predictable and at the time this show aired there wasn't anything like it, so it was fascinating, nowadays it is normal for the world to see this type of show on TV so it's not much of a shock factor.
Below is a short clip of what a typical scene may look like.
Below is a short clip of what a typical scene may look like.
What do I like and dislike about Health Doco's?
I am not too fond of health documententarys but I only watched this one because it was obscene and I like weird stuff.
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These are just a few examples of the different type of documentaries I can identify straight away with, of course there are many more but I only have 3 years on the course so not enough time to explore each one in depth, the one that wasn't on the list which has got to be one of my favorite subjects as well is 'Crime Doco's'.
Below is a list of regular crime shows that I watch on the CI channel.
I am not too fond of health documententarys but I only watched this one because it was obscene and I like weird stuff.
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These are just a few examples of the different type of documentaries I can identify straight away with, of course there are many more but I only have 3 years on the course so not enough time to explore each one in depth, the one that wasn't on the list which has got to be one of my favorite subjects as well is 'Crime Doco's'.
Below is a list of regular crime shows that I watch on the CI channel.
- First 48 - Actuality Documentary, a film crew follow homicide police departments on call-outs of actual murders and follow their progress in the case, in actual time, then on a time.
- Homicide Hunter - Detective Joe Kender takes the seat as the narrator of his past cases and it is played out in a dramatic reconstructed and scripted version, with an emphasis on how he was as a young detective.
- Crime that shook.... - These programmes can vary from older cases to newer fresher cases but solely concentrate on the cases that stick in our mind that were of a public interest at the time of the crimes, I have put '...' at the start of this bullet point because there are so many countries now that are connected with this show and 'Yes' i have seen many.
- Murder in Suburbia - This show is about murders in the most unlikely places in America, also reconstructed dramatised sequences with a commentary.
- 999 Killer on the line - This is a reconstructed account of what the police 'think' may have happened to the deceased and the voice of the person who turns out that they are the killer who is the ones who reported.
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So what else did Helen say?
Common themes are also known as conventions and as a group, we need to deliver at least 3 of these purposes otherwise it would be like wasting good living time on something that really didn't matter at all.
Yep! all of the above was what today lecture was about but there are also a lot of links we have been given to broaden our minds and explore for research and I have so many of my own as well I am hoping I keep up, so far Helen is amazing at feeding us great information I hope I can keep up.
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