This document outlines the purpose, inspiration, and mode for a documentary on social media and culture. The purpose is to educate viewers on social media types and their positive and negative impacts on culture. The filmmaker took inspiration from documentaries like "Don't Blame Facebook" which used interviews, and "Breaking the Taboo" which used statistics. The expository and performer modes will be used, with a presenter addressing the audience directly and the filmmaker participating through interviews.
3. What is the purpose of the documentary ?
The purpose of the documentary is to:
Educate people on the topic
Teach them important facts
Inform them of the impact on culture
4. What would people learn about this topic from
your documentary ?
People will learn about
Social media – the different types
Culture - subcultures
The positive and negative impact
6. How did other documentaries inspire you ?
Don’t Blame Facebook:
Forms:
• 1) non-diegetic background music
• 2) voiceovers
• 3) cutaways
Conventions:
• 1) public interview
• 2) expert interview
• 3) archival footage + photos
• 4) narrator
• 5) reconstructions
I liked the way in
which they used
transitions to link to
the next case study
In the documentary they
had a lot of interviews
which made it really
interesting to watch, so
in my documentary I
would like to have a lot
of interviews.
7. How did other documentaries inspire you ?
Breaking the Taboo:
Forms:
1) background sound
2) handheld camera movements
3) voiceovers
4) cutaways
5) sound bridging
Conventions:
1) archival photos and footage
2) statistics
3) expert interviews
4) narrator
5) credits
I like the fact that it uses
the convention of
statistics because it is
really hard hitting and I
would like to use this in
my documentary
because of that.
I also liked the way in which they
used background sound to
heighten the mood.
8. How did other documentaries inspire you ?
The Culture Show: YouTube – The Future of TV:
Forms:
1) Cutaways
2) Handheld camera
movement
3) Voice overs
Conventions:
1) Presenter
2) Interviews
3) Credits
4) Archival footage
I liked this documentary because
it relates to my topic and gave
me ideas on how I should make
mine.
The presenter had loads of
interviews with famous
YouTuber's and some expert
interviews
10. Which Documentary mode applies to your documentary ?
Mode Conventions & Examples How it applies to your
documentary
Expository mode (voice of God) Narrator to address audience
directly to present exposition.
e.g Blue planet
I will be using a presenter who will
address the audience directly
asking them questions.
Observational Mode (window of
the world)
Objective reality with filmmaker as
neutral observer.
E.G Skint
n/a – This is not relevant to my
topic or any footage that I will be
getting. E.g I would not have to rush
to get footage.
Participatory Mode (filmmaker and
subject together)
Direct engagement between
filmmaker and subject
E.G Sicko
I would like to do an experiment in
my documentary so he filmmaker
will be taking pat in this.
Reflexive Mode (aware of process) Acknowledges construction of
documentary
e.G Catfish
n/a – I don’t think that this would
be needed as it is not something
which is related to my topic.
Performer Mode (filmmaker as
participant)
Emphasises emotional and social
impact on the audience
It relate to my topic and the
filmmaker will be participating in
the documentary.
11. Which mode will I use?
Expository mode:
The presenter will be addressing the audience directly asking them questions.
Performer mode:
It relates to the topic of my documentary which is to show the impact of social
media
The filmmaker will be participating in the documentary by presenting and
through public and expert interviews
