Nickels mode of Documentary

Realism:

Realism is when the actual documentary is filmed with a camera usually hand-held and they film actual footage, they could also have interviews who are involved in the topic/issue. This gives the audience a sense of realism as there is only raw footage and so it makes it realistic as there are no editing or extra things happening in the background. This will mean that the documentary is realistic as there are no secondary information and so it would be reliable as there is only a primary source of information. An example of this is in the video below, as it has raw footage and interviews who were involved in the documentary.

Dramatisation:

This is when effects are used to create drama and to try and influence the audience. They usually have voice-overs to say things that they have recorded afterwards. They will most probably use enactments as they will not have the raw footage from the actuals scene so they will have to re-act the scenes with actors to give the audience a more in-depth look at the topic. They will also add in sounds or music to make the documentary more engaging with the viewer, this will also add more depth into the documentary as the music can provide more emotion and help the audience understand the context of the topic. An example of this is in the video below as it has special effects to try and engage the audience more.

Narrativisation:


This is when there is a story created within the documentary. This is used to get the audience to be more engaged within the documentary as it follows a narrative structure so they will wait for the climax of the documentary with the build up that that it has to engage the audience slowly into the documentary and so create almost a 'movie' for them to enjoy, but with actual facts and information to be given to the audience it allows for an engaging yet informative experience for the audience and so if an effective way of getting an audience to watch and enjoy a documentary.

Expository:

This is when the whole documentary is done with a voice over, with a authoritative voice to try and influence the audience to try and recognise or follow what the documentary is trying to teach them, this in return causes the audience to feel under pressure and so be more  accepting, this is also referred to as 'voice of god' as there is a voice that speaks directly to the audience to manipulate them into thinking in a specific way. An example of this in wildlife documentaries with a voice over to try and teach the audience about the wildlife and how they act etc. Another form of communicating with the audience will to work as well in these type of documentaries.

Observational:

This is when the documentary is shown from a viewpoint that is not directly involved in the documentary, this is forma  'spectator' view, so they just follow the subjects or topic and give information in ti without actually being involved. this gives the audience more room to develop their own ideas and allows to them to have their own idea about the topic as they are not being influenced by anything so that they are free in their choice, this then has a benefit to the audience as they can do what they like at the end of the documentary and it allows for a more low-key approach to an issue.

Interactive:

This is when the maker/producer of the film is usually in the frame of the camera, and is actively interviewing or actively taking part in the documentary, this gives the audience a opinion as they can see that the film maker is involved and it can engage them by seeing  more activities and its not just on the sideline as they are actively having a role in the film meaning that they are a part of it, so the audience can relate and feel to them as they are more likely to see and feel how the film maker is and so this gives them a rough idea of what their opinion on the topic is going to be.

Reflexive:

This is when the producer acknowledge their presence within the documentary, this is when they are actively in front of the camera. This in return allows the audience to understand how the film is produced and the stages they go through, so that they can develop their own idea about it, and give their opinions on the topic the documentary is covering. The advantage of this is that it is similiar to interactive documentary's so it is more engaging to the viewer as the film maker is in the documentary as well.

Performative:

This is when the presenter leads his own documentary and pushes forward the narrative becoming a part of the story itself. Allows the producer to have their opinion and be a part of it and have responses to certain events, and so this engages the audience further as in reflexive and interactive documentary's.

Conventions of a News Package

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36081204

Tone/Pitch:

The correspondent is in the north of Iraq, who is the leader of the terrorist group the PKK. The news report mostly consists of an interview with the terrorist group's leader, but at the start of the report it shows the correspondent and talking about the conflict and then briefly get in to a car to start the interview, the mode of address is quite neutral and does not show any bias towards one side.

The report structure is mostly of of an interview and then it links it back to the studio. The report structure is a introduction, a leas summary first, then a interview and then a link back to the studio, there are is some actual footage of the terrorist groups actions. but is kept to a minimum.

The link to the studio in the report is just at the end when they are finished with the interview, there is also no summary in the news report. as it only consists of an interview.

The mode of address in the news report is quite neutral as it only has a interview in it, the interview is meant to be impartial and not bias meaning that the mode of address has to be neutral and not be taking a side.

Te field reporter in the main part of the news story, he is actively going to Northern Iraq to interview the terrorist groups leaders to see hi view and opinions on the conflict that is going in the area. The field reporter is making the whole story and is the only reporter we have, as there is only one story to tell, there is no studio needed and the field reporter is the person who is telling the news. after a brief introduction he goes ahead and starts the interview there are no other bits in this news package.

Actuality footage: In this news package there is all footage recorded from the actual place, there is an interview and it is recorded on sight and there is no voice-over's etc. there is clear interview with the leader. There is no other footage other than then interview except for the introduction where the field reporter is in a cemetery.

Eye witness: There are no eyewitnesses, but you could argue that the terrorists's leader is an expert witness as he is in charge of the terrorist group and so he is giving his opinions/views on the matter. This could technically be an expert witness, due to the news story only consisting of an interview there are no eye witnesses to ask questions to.

12 Issues in Doccumentary

Issues in documentaries

Accuracy:

The first issue is Accuracy, this is when the the information provided must come from a reliable and trustworthy sources. Accuracy will mean that the information that is given is true and it is not altered or changed, a 1st person interview would help solidify the evidence/information given as they would have witnessed it them selves, and so they would not miss out important details as they will remember it. Accuracy is important as it will allow the documentary to be close to reality and it also has to be accurate as there are regulations set by OFCOM, so reporting has to be done from a reliable source, so that the viewers do not feel doubt of the information. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36068972

In this documentary it talks about the possibility of ISIS taking over Libya, it gives accurate facts and also has an interview with a minister form the Libyan government who would know more about the geographical area and so this allows for more reliable and precise information as he would know the weak points of the country are and how they could prepare for a defence, this allows for more detail and a reliable source of information so that the viewer does not feel disorientated or isolated as they would know what is going on in that specific area, and the interviews with the minister and local people gives the viewers an insight into what is going on in Libya.

Balance:

Balance is to show the both sides of an argument, so if there was a debate it would show two people giving their different opinions to give the viewer a sense of balance and that it does not favour a particular side, so that the viewer can listen to both sides without having to feel that it may not be fair on the 'losing' side. The show must be balanced so that the viewer can experience both sides of the argument, this will make the show seem more fair and also make sure that there are no issues raising with favouritism as this can lead to the show being disliked by people.

In this video it shows, two sides of an argument where if the western world or people in general misunderstand/interpret the islam faith wrong, and it starts off with the people who say that islam is misunderstood, and then it switches over the people who argue that it is not misunderstood. This shows both sides of the argument and it allows for the audience to see both sides of the argument and to be influenced by some of it to show their emotions as the people will also be involved in the argument and they would take a side and see what the other party has to say.

Impartiality:

In this issue. it checks to see if there is no favoritisms for a particular issue. This checks to see if there is impartiality in the information provided. This is usually in the news reports to show the news without taking a side, impartiality can also be to not be biast and so be neutral in their output of the information and only report so this is only seen in the news as they have to be impartial in their news, such as the BBC in this report as they have to be impartial in order not to make the report biast towards a particular side.

In this issue it shows the news without the reporters, giving their information without taking a side, however in the report they have a interview which shows that the is against the current president in power and a interview of a anti-goverment can show a bit of biast but for the rest of the report it is impartial.

Objectivity:

Objectivity is when the experiences of the reporters do not the effect the outcome of a report. This would be to make sure that they do not effect the report. objectivity is important as it will effect the viewers experience as they watch the program, objectivity is also similar to impartiality as it will have no views inside it that may effect the outcome of the report or documentary. Objectivity is similar to make sure that the experience is not altered in a way that the audience would not like, also to be biast in a documentary or report would go against the OFCOM regulations as there has to be a solid good information and no changing of the facts to suit the biast.

In the report/documentary above it shows the information without actually showing a biast of any sort, this then in return allows the audience to cast their vote without feeling pressure form what they are watching it simply gives them information about the EU referendum and tells the UK a bit of information about it, there is no opinions of experiences altering the final product.

Subjectivity:

Subjectivity is when the experiences and opinions of the person creating the documentary alters what the product would be, this could also be a biast view as they could only see it from their point of view and so the documentary would revolve around them and their experiences, this will give the audience an insight to what they have been through, and it will also make it seem more relateble or realistic as they will be telling things that happened to them in a 1st person and so it would be reliable and more accurate as well.

In this documentary it shows two DEA agents talking about their experiences, views and opinions about Pablo Escobar as they work together as a team to try and track him down, this is a subjectivity documentary as they interview the two DEA agents and they say their opinions and views, this in return alters the output of the documentary as they influence it with their opinions.

Opinion:

An opinion of someone can also alter the output of the documentary, as they see it from their point of view and so will tell the story from their point of view, this will change the documentary completely as they will be baist towards there side, and so influence the audience to make them believe what the documentary is saying, this can be dangerous  as it can lead to manipulation of people.

In the documentary above it has opinions based upon the terrorist group ISIS, it gives opinions form a variety of people and it shows ISIS in a bad manner, as the opinions are all against them and so gives the audience the same feeling and encourages them to not like ISIS either,

Bias:

Bias is when a documentary report is one sided and it only gives one side of the argument, this is also linked in with subjectivity as they will only give one side of the documentary or their possible views, this can lead to indoctrination of the audience as they will be lead to believe that what the documentary is saying is right and is the only way to look at the issue.

there are many bias documentaries as they go out and look further into an issue that they have researched and give their opinions on their findings, being biast is allowed in documentaries, but not in news reports. in the documentary above it talk about gun crime in the UK, and it a bias towards the police's view of the matter.

Acces:

This is when all the people that appear in your documentary and the specific people that you interview, have to agree and accept to be filmed, some of the documentaries might require multiple interviews with the same person and over a long time so they have to accept being interviewed on specific days. Also if they are under the age of 16 they will require permission from their parents for them to be filmed. This is an issue as some people will not want to be filmed and some parents will not want their children to be filmed either, so finding permission can be a difficult task and can lead to delays in documentaries.

Privacy:

By law, everybody has the right to their own privacy, however in certain circumstances the media does not abide by this law and especially the paparazzi break the law to especially get photographs of celebrities as they can be worth a lot of money. The correct way to do so would be to get permission from the celebrities or who ever they are filming. This however in reality is not a possible as they would all be rejected and so invading some people's personal life is a thing with the media.

Contract with viewer:

This is basically when there is a 'code' or rule, that all the information in the documentary is accurate, honest and engaging. This 'contract' involves the producers and the viewers, As the viewers can believe the documentary but it might be false information, and so this is a really important issue and has to be addressed directly by the producers. By making sure that their information is reliable and they have found evidence to back it up so that they do not mislead the audience that is watching the documentary.