Unit 27

Activity 1.

• What do we mean by factual programmes?

Something that's informative and educates the audience. It's a programme that can be objective which has an aim of representing the topic that the programme is about. It includes all opinions so it's unbiased and it reflects all points of view.

• Give some examples of the different types of factual programmes on TV.  

The news - ITV evening news, documentaries - Trevor McDonald ones, fly on the wall - Gogglebox and reality programmes - Geordie Shore. 

• What is a documentary? 

A documentary is a non fiction programme that is there to inform/educate the audience. They're constructed (Big Brother) and selected and reflect the various opinions that people have. They represent the world in a realistic style. There's truth (facts) vs. construction (scripted)

• What are the different types of documentaries? Give examples to demonstrate your points. 

Expository documentaries - they speak directly to the viewer. E.g. The Kyle Files.

Observational documentaries - a simple way to observe someone living their life. E.g. 16 & Pregnant.

Participatory documentaries - the film maker participates. E.g. Catfish.

Performative documentaries - they want an emotional response and are personal. E.g. Holocaust and 9/11 documentaries.

Activity 2.

Identify and write down what you think are the conventions of a documentary.  

• Interviews
• Following a persons story
• Statistics
• Various opinions
• Controversial subject
• Voice over by the narrator 
• Cut aways

Conventions of a news bulletin

•   In a studio
• A reporter
• Interview with an expert
• Interview with the public
• Footage of the topic
• Graphic intro with music that's distinctive 
• Formal

Issues facing factual programmes.

• Accuracy

Correct information that's truthful, if it's not these then what's the point?

• Bias

One sided opinion. Skewing the facts in favour of something is not on in a factual programme.

• Representation

The way *it's shown to the audience. Misrepresentation of these things is unfair and unbalanced. 

* subject/topic/facts/people.

Positive values of factual programmes.

You're being informed

You're being educated

Gives you an insight

They're entertainment

Create empathy

Can encourage change

Do you agree with Channel 4's description of the programme? List your points under the following headings:

• Accuracy

- Participants are real so information is likely to be accurate.

- Participants claimed they had been duped into taking part under the pretence it was a series about community spirit.

• Bais

- Negative bias approach to people on benefits.

• Representation

- People are represented negatively.
- They would agree they have been misrepresented.

ITV Fake Footage
What effect does 'fake footage' or lying to viewers have on the reputation of a programme/channel/ documentary filmmaker?

• Accuracy

- Inaccurate footage; makes them seem untrustworthy and unprofessional. Makes the viewers lose trust in the company or producer and creates the impression they're amateur. 

• Bias

- Their own opinion, mis selection of clips; wanted to show him negatively so used whatever they had.

• Representation

- The 1988 attack is being misrepresented leading up to debates/conflict 
- Can be offensive to soldiers/ service men and women. 


Frozen planet
Article about the white lie

• Accuracy

- The zoo filmed footage; makes them look unprofessional for not explaining that they couldn't film a polar bear in their environment.

- Makes the viewers dissapointed as David Attenborough is a well known person, damaging his reputation.

• Bias

-

• Representation

- Misrepresentation of polar bears in their natural habitat.
- Playing off that polar bears are tame etc; but they're in a zoo so will be trained. In the wild they're vicious animals. 

The documentary "Supersize Me" got people talking about its lies and controversy. Link to the article. Doctors claim that the amount of calories he claimed he'd eaten didn't add up when they counted the calories found in the meals at McDonalds. 

Morgan Spurlock started his journey as a healthy weight, over the next 30 days he could only eat food off the McDonalds menu, having to supersize his meal if the offer was made. By the end of his "experiment" he'd gained weight as well, gained liver damage as well as mood swings and depression. 
This documentary painted McDonalds in a really bad way because the affect it apparently had on his body afterr the 30 days. It put a lot of people off of McDonalds because the impact grossed them out. 

Layout of assignment 1 
Deadline - 20th April 

• Outcome 1; Issues.
• Outcome 2; Conventions.

In a powerpoint or prezi.

1st slide; Accuracy, bias and representation. (P1)

2nd slide; Examples of these issues in a programme; Benefits Street

                                                                                   ITV

                                                                                   Frozen Planet

                                                                                   Your own biased one

E.g. "This programme showed issues of A, B and R. (M1) The impact on the audience is... " (D1)

3rd slide; List the conventions of news programmes. (P2)
4th slide; Give examples of these conventions in; BBC News
                                                                              Newsround
                                                                              Your own - use stills and time codes (M2)
5th slide; Why are these programmes using/not using them? (D2)

6th slide; Define the two modes of documentary and the conventions (P3)
7th slide; Examples of conventions in; The Imposter
                                                             Stacey Dooley
                                                             Your own - use stills and time codes (M3)
8th slide; Why these conventions and modes are used (D3)