I have looked at the documentary techniques and they include montages, expositions, voice overs, direct and indirect interviews, archival footage, wallpaper technique. I will talk about how the techniques are used in documentaries and how I will be able to apply them in my own work when it comes to filming, planning and editing.
Voice over in documentaries are commentaries by the filmmaker, while the camera is filming or has been added to the soundtrack during the production. This helps the filmmakers speak directly to the audiences and offers information, explanations and opinions. A voice over doesn’t always directly relate to the text that appears on the screen and the narrator does not usually read the text but the narrators job is to support what is viewed on screen.
The voiceover’s job in my project will be to introduce the documentary to my audience and it will also introduce the contributors who will appear right throughout in the documentary. My voiceover will support what is being shown on screen but also will give some facts on the different segments in the documentary. For example, when I introduce the music part, I will mention some facts when doing this so the audience already have an idea of what will be spoken about.
Archival footage is material obtained from library and inserted into a documentary to show historical evens and helps add detail to what the narrator or interviewee is talking about without additional filming.
If I am to use archival footage in my work, it will be over the history parts in the interviews. If I use archival footage, I will have to get the owners permission or I will have to get it copyright free. When I interview my grandad, I will ask him if he has any images from when he was younger and in Anfield so I can use them and have him sign a permission form.
Direct and indirect interviews are very common in documentaries. It allows people being questioned to speak directly about the events by answering the questions asked by the filmmaker. The interview may take place on or off the screen. Interviews in documentaries give the audience a sense of realism, that the documentary maker’s views are mutually shared by another person or source.
I will have interviews right throughout my documentary which will all be direct interviews asked by me behind the camera. Each interview will be on different things such as a musician will talk about the music in the city, a historian on the history of the city and man artist in the art of the city. They will all give information on different segments in the documentary – this also helps break up the voiceover speaking all the time.
A montage sequence conveys ideas visually by putting clips into a certain order in different parts of the film. Narrative montages involve in the planning of the sequence of shots used to indicate changes and time and place.
A different positioning of shots conveys different ideas to the viewers. Like a montage including a negative theme follow by a positive theme may gibe the viewer the idea that the positive theme might be the main part of the montage.
Montages in documentaries usually link with what the narrators are saying, this visual representation of the characters thoughts helps the viewer in the story and understand what the character is saying.
A photo montage is used in the same fashion but uses pictures instead and a voice over supports it.
A montage in my documentary will be used at the beginning of the documentary, in between the scenes to break them up and also over the voice over which helps let the audience know that the topic is changing and gives the audience a visual representation of what is being talked about. This will be played under the voice over so that there isn’t a blank screen either.
Exposition in a documentary occurs at the beginning and introduced the main themes and events of the film. It is important because it gives the viewers their first impression and introduces the audience to the content.
Whsd.net. (2019). [online] Available at: https://www.whsd.net/userfiles/1441/Classes/54973/DOCUMENTARY%20FILM%20TECHNIQUESx.pdf [Accessed 22 Mar. 2019].
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