Production: Shot List

I decided to make a list of all the shot types that I needed to make sure I have got enough footage for my documentary. To make sure my documentary has similar generic conventions, I feel that using similar shot types will reflect the genre. Steve Neale theorised about genre and repetition and believes that all genres contain aspects of repetition and difference which establish the codes and conventions.

Research: Textual Analysis 1

This textual analysis was taken from an episode of Don't Tell the Bride from BBC3 from series 8 episode 9. There is a link to the episode here.

Audience: My Focus Group

My focus group contains a variety of people which can provide me with different viewpoints of the different production stages I am at.

Research: Techniques of Documentary Realism

Techniques of realism:

Present - conventions of film language that enhance the audiences sense of 'being there'

•Location shooting

•Hand, held camera 

•Natural lighting - not harsh artificial lighting 

•Synchronous sound recording

•Film makers visible presence 

Distant - conventions that allow the audience to feel objective about the subject

•Voiceover narrative

•Use of archive material e.g. expert footage

•Material shaped into a narrative

•Expert testimony

Modes of a documentary:

Expository Conventions

•Voiceover, which may be the 'voice of god' (heard not seen) or 'voice of authority' (seen and heard) and the voiceover addresses the audience directly.

•Images are used to illustrate and continuity editing is used to link images that support the argument. 

•A variety of footage, stills, interviews and archive material used to support the argument.

•There is an attempt to persuade the audience of a certain point of view by using logic and the idea of common-sense response.

Observational Conventions

•No voiceovers or interviews, documentary maker's presence is hidden

•Synchronous sound recording

•Location shooting, hand-held cameras often used

•Subjects pretend that they are not being filmed

Participatory or interactive conventions

•Documentary maker and the crew interact with subjects. The documentary maker is visible to the audience, participates and intervenes in the action.

•Voiceovers are usually by the documentary maker

•Interviews dominate the documentary but tend to be informal

•Location shooting, hand-held cameras often used

•Synchronous sound recording

•Long takes dominate

Research: My Initial Ideas

I have been considering my documentary and have decided to brainstorm my initial ideas. These are the different segments that I wish to include in my documentary and allows a base from which I can start my research. I want to include at least two interviews - one from a wedding shop owners perspective and another from a fashion students. I would like to include an interview from an actual bride however I feel this may be more difficult to do as some brides may not want to reveal their chosen dress or feel comfortable discussing the price of it.

Production: Practice Editing (The Phone Call)

Research: Documentary Treatment

Documentary Treatment from Ella Brown


This is the email I received giving me permission to film in the wedding dress shop: