Rationale

Inital Ideas Focus Group.

The feedback i received was generally very positive, the focus group seemed to like the fact that my ideas carried a strong psychological and emotional tie. I thought that there was a lot that i could think about and explore in relation to what route i want to take with my ideas, with a strong focus on the conclusions to my documentary ideas. The focus group gave me some strong feedback and ideas on how i should construct my end points, whilst it also really made me think about how each of my ideas would appeal to the target audience because my ideas were more sophisticated. I felt that the focus group gave me a greater insight as to how i construct the ideas, and how i really engage my target audience.
I have decided to work with Franki and together we both decided that we would go with my first initial idea in my journey to happiness.

Initial Ideas

Nicholls Documentary Mode

The Expository Mode

Expository mode style documentary is the more typical, conventional documentary that is usually shown. It will often use a a narrator to guide us through the documentary, whilst we are seeing more artistic visuals.
The expository mode can mainly be seen in wildlife documentaries. David Attenborough's, Blue Planet is a good example of how an expository documentary is constructed. At (0:19) we see the waves crashing in a very rough ocean, whilst we hear David talk about the weather and how it is the roughest sea on the planet. By using an expository mode for a documentary it allows the audience to given this more direct approach to the subject giving us direct information whilst watching an artistic piece of content.
The documentary further uses a sense of dramatisation at (1:33) we see this long swooping tracking shot, following this one bird as it unveils a whole mass of them. This, coupled with the compelling orchestral music creates a more dramatic and entertaining visual for the documentary instead of showing the audience with a stationary camera. For the audience this keeps us engaged, creating this 'wow' factor as we see the vast size of birds on the island.
we then see a sense of realism in the documentary at (1:44) which denotes another visual of the amount of birds on the island but what perhaps makes it more real is what we hear from the narrator who tells us that its set in the Falklands. As the documentary gives the audience a sense of place it connects the visual and documentary to the real world, which ultimately engages the audience.

The Observational Mode

The observational mode of documentary is where the camera does not interfere with the action, we are seeing everything unfold from a neutral point of view. The action would happen even if the camera was not there, we sit and we observe what is happening on screen.
Through this documentary, Welfare by Frederick Wiseman, we see an Observational mode being used. At (8:09) we see a more heated conversation happening between an employee and 2 people trying to claim welfare money. The camera is left in a 2 shot for the entirety of the conversation, there is no music, no narrator, no graphics etc. This would really highlight the mode being used as either way that conversation would have happened if the camera was there or not. From an audience perspective the purpose of this technique is to present the action in a more raw form, it leaves us with the feeling that what we are seeing is more genuine because nothing is influencing the action.
As this style of documentary is very raw and natural it means that there is little manipulation used to add drama or realism because whilst they can choose what to show and what to cut and they can use different camera shots/angles ultimately all entertainment is based on action and reaction. At (9:03) we see the camera being used in a different way, the camera went from a 2 shot and into a close up of the woman's face as she explains herself. As she talks about her past which is very sensitive the camera dramatises this by moving in closer towards her, this not only shows the audience more of her emotions but it is mainly used to evoke more emotion from the audience.
We further see this sense of realism at (14:06) where the conversation thats lasted for roughly 8 minutes ends, but the next scene is just another conversation with a different woman trying to claim welfare. This encapsulates the mode of documentary and the realism that the audience are seeing, because there is nothing more too see. There is no different action that can be shown but rather the same thing is repeated just with a different person. The action can only be changed if the person decides to become more angry or have a certain emotion.

The Participatory Mode 

This mode is very different, instead of being neutral to the action the participatory mode invites a direct relationship between the filmmaker and the audience. The documentary would not exist without the filmmaker as they are actively seeking out an answer making this mode more investigative.
During this documentary Sicko, Michael Moore investigates health insurance and health care in america, however we see at (51:48) that he is actively going in to hospitals and waiting rooms, not jut in America but in Canada and in England. The scene though denotes him coming from one hospital where apparently he was lied too, and going across town to another hospital to ask the same question. This mode perhaps invites a manipulation of the audiences thoughts, because we are watching the documentary through the eyes of the filmmaker. We have to trust and believe what he says has truth to which it guides our thoughts on the subject too.
During Michael Moores visit to Britain he talks to a pregnant women and asks how much she will pay to receive her care, but it is the scene afterwards at (56:15) where she talks to the staff away from Michael that we see this sense of realism. We can see that she is surprised at the fact in the US people would have had to pay, this scene almost seems like an outtake yet they have left it in because now the audience can relate because we share the same view and emotion  that she does.
Michael Moore further uses this over dramatisation of the NHS by asking more people and more staff where is the bill payed and how much would it cost. At (56:36) he asks a couple, 'how much did you pay for the baby.' He has already interviewed and made his point that in Britain we receive free healthcare but he keeps on pointing it out multiple times adding this ignorant dramatic tone. But he does this to constantly show the audience, which are mainly Americans, a definitive contrast in health care systems. He uses this dramatic effect to manipulate the audiences thoughts and make them almost see how ridiculous their system is compared to ours.
dramatisation

The Reflexive Mode 

The reflexive mode looks at the story from multiple points of view. It takes us on a journey of on side of an argument or one persons story, the documentary will then flip to show the audience the other side.
The unknown known is a documentary by Erol Morris where he interviews a former secretary of defence about all of the memos that he had written over the years and poses the question to him about what was required of him in the job. At the beginning of the documentary the secretary of defence would reply by saying, 'to evaluate the unknown knowns' which perhaps is more ambiguous but a definitive answer. However by the end of the documentary the same question is posed and the former dance secretary answers very differently perhaps more inverted. The point of this mode is to make the audience see both sides, it wants to open the subject or the person up and really expose whats happened. In this instance the audience have been allowed to see the lies and deception and further see how they are covered up.
The realism happens during this documentary as Erol Morris asks an abundance of varied questions and topics, Whilst they talk about events that have happened e.g. Abu Gharabi they also talk about the, 'definition of terrorism' which is perhaps another topic all together. By having so much variation in the interview the sense of realism happens when Erol Morris is breaking things down to the fundamentals and by simply talking about a definition is something that becomes very real to the audience.

The Performative Mode 

This mode of documentary puts real emphasis on the subject, the filmmaker is actively involved in and around the action typically searching for an answer to a question they had at the start of the documentary. This documentary is perhaps more subjective as there is constant speculation throughout. 

Ross Kemp Extreme World is an example of a performative documentary as he is in with the action talking to Jihadist in Gaza where everything is very speculative. At (2:50) we see the mode in action, as he is in an undisclosed location somewhere in Gaza, interviewing the fighting Jihaddi militants. This mode of documentary leaves the audience almost with a sense of hope, the more direct approach taken feels as if we will get a more straight and honest answer, when actually we just receive more speculation. This mode is surrounded by drama yet the audience find a sense of realism because its someone we trust to be more forceful in what he asks. 

Another element to this documentary is the realism that it contains, which can be seen at (1:10) where we don't actually see very much, the camera is very shaky but what we do hear are the other crew members telling the cameraman to put the camera away. Of course this could have been easily edited out the documentary to create a more professionalism, however by leaving it in it allows the audience to really see the true danger that is happening. Whilst this does create entertainment for the documentary it also means that the audience become more anxious because of the severity of the situation that they are watching.
Lastly the documentary adds this heightened drama at (2:39) where we can see Ross Kemp in complete darkness talking directly to the camera, listing all the guns that the militants are carrying around. This again is a piece of information that didn't have much relevance in the documentary, but it almost keeps the documentary on a knife edge as we constantly get this feed of anxiety. By constantly highlighting the exceeding danger of the situation, it always keeps the audience hooked, we know that nothing will happen to Ross but there is still this lingering possibility that some could always happen. 

Factual TV rules for beginners.

The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds

 Accuracy 

Accuracy within a documentary is how truthful the information that is presented to the viewer is, it is also how trusting the audience is to the information that is exhibited through the documentary.

During the documentary on suicide in south Korea we can see the accuracy and levels of accuracy through the interview that is conducted with the Seoul suicide prevention center whereby his argument is back up with numbers adding to the trust that the documentary has with the audience. At (3:38) he backs his argument by using the national statistics service by saying that 15906 people had committed suicide in the past year. By using statistics it builds up the trust with the view because we are don't have to struggle to believe him, instead it becomes easier because he has supporting research.

Balance

A documentary must have balance, it must present both sides of the argument or make it clear that they will only pursue or investigate one side.

During the ecstasy documentary we see at (2:46) Matt Shea is talking to two employees that work for UK border force, where he has a conversation about intercepting and stopping the packages of ecstasy coming through. However at (5:55) he then goes and talks to two 'entrepreneurs' that make and sell the drug. This connotes the use of balance within the documentary as he has not sided with the state and the fact that its illegal and equally he has not just interviewed and talked to drug dealers that want to make profit. For the audience its a very sensitive topic and to remain balanced allows everyone to form and have their own opinion.

Impartiality

Impartiality is where the documentary needs to remain neutral to the subject, they cant have an opinion and need to be completely independent to what they are exhibiting.

By the end of the ecstasy documentary at (17:50) there is a voice over of Matt Shea summing up the whole documentary, he describes its uses and how it was clear that the British wont stop taking it. Throughout though, he does not give his own opinion of the drug or what should be done, this therefore allows the whole documentary to remain impartial to the subject. As the documentary does not pass judgment on the subject it perhaps allows some viewers to open their eyes up to the subject. The documentary in turn gains a credibility from the audience as it doesn't forma an opinion it leaves the audience to think and remain a neutral considering that the subject carries a very negative/dark light with it.

Objectivity & Subjectivity

A documentary must remain objective in its evidence and its information that it presents. To be objective is to present only fact and not provide an opinion. This in contrast to being subjective whereby the evidence doesn't have any numerical data to back up the argument, meaning that everything is based on theory and opinion.

During the ecstasy documentary we see some objectivity being used at (13:08) where the presenter talks to the founder of the global drugs survey, he further tells us that 12,000 people took a survey where by 2% said they had used re-agent kits and over half said they would use them if they were available. This numerical data provides this segment of the documentary to be objective in the sense that their are figures that back up what is being said. For the audience to have these figures provides a stability and a trust in the documentary, but not for the data that its produced but rather the documentary as a whole becomes more trustworthy. However there are parts of the documentary that perhaps are more objective, at (3:28) where Matt Shea is talking to UK border force he asks about the amount of packages that slip through, and there is no numbers that are produced. The employees do not give us any information as to how many slip through or to how many they seize. Whilst this may be seen as subjective because there is some speculation they do say they would never estimate the number which for the audience perhaps leaves them more bitter sweet.

Opinion

Some documentaries however do form opinions on the subject that they are presenting, they provide a thought or view, perhaps with an emotion attached around the subject.

During the documentary, on patrol with south Korea's suicide rescue team, we see are following the captain at (12:04) he is talking about the subject and how he feels about the people that come to commit suicide and says, 'I feel sorry...' in which he gives an opinion of the subject. For the audience an opinion perhaps makes the subject more real, the documentary becomes less investigative and more about the emotional responses. By adding opinions into the documentary it almost adds a more humanistic approach to the subject and forms an emotional tie with the audience to which it perhaps manipulates their feelings too.

Bias

Bias is closely linked to having an opinion however to be biased is to be on one side of the argument and to prove it whilst neglecting the other side to the argument put forward.

In terms of bias we see in the suicide documentary that it only follows workers and people that are trying to prevent suicide they dont interview or talk to people that perhaps have tried to commit suicide. At (1:44) we see the introduction of the captain for the rescue unit, and at (3:20) the documentary further talks to another person working for the prevention center. This can be seen as a form of bias because the documentary sets out to tell the story of prevention not the story of how/why people try and take their lives. For an audience the documentary uses this bias to manipulate the viewers thoughts and emotions, they can make the audience see all the good that is being done to prevent the vast suicide problem. However, it perhaps can leave the audience feeling less engaged with the documentary because it doesn't give both sides and it doesn't investigate the depth of why the suicide rates are so high.  

Representation

Representation in terms of documentaries is how the subject is put forward, whether it is shown in a negative way or a positive way or exhibited in both lights.

Through the South Korean suicide prevention documentary we see a certain representation occurring where at (1:36) the captain talks about the situations that he finds himself in and why some things happen, he further says though, 'we just take over the situation.' This told the audience that they don't know why people do it or what has happened in their life but it does show that the documentary represents the subject in a more neutral position. It connotes that the documentary does not aim to investigate the subject in a negative light, which is perhaps some of the audiences pre-conceptions. This further builds the trust that the documentary has with the audience as the subject is very sensitive and the viewer can appreciate that the documentary remains neutral.

Access & Privacy

Access and privacy is more specific to the locations of where the documentary is filmed and who they are allowed to show, it is more about the legal side of the documentary and less about its content.

At the very start of the ecstasy documentary we see access and privacy being used at (1:16) where we see the presenter, Matt Shea, in London, Dalston meeting up with some drug dealers. Here the location of this segment of the documentary is showed to the audience, which does connote how they want to exhibit the areas that the drug is popular in. Furthermore during this segment of the documentary at (1:27) we see the people that Matt Shea is talking to with their faces blurred out. This highlights the use of privacy and permission and how the documentary could not disclose who these people were. This for the audience adds a certain realism to the documentary, to disclose the location and blur the peoples faces makes the audience feel that they are in close proximity to the action.

Contract with viewer 

Contract with the viewer is a verbal agreement that must be said to allow the audience to know that some elements have truth to it or some of the documentary has a set up environment. 

During the secret life of 4 year olds, at the start of the documentary there is a verbal contract with the viewer in which the narrator explains that the class was all set up and rigged with cameras, he further explains that this is not where the children go to school. This contract allows the documentary to gain credibility because the viewer can watch knowing that the behavior of the children will vary because they arent completely familiar with the surroundings. The viewer doe not have to watch and consciously try to criticise the documentary for how real or how set up it is.
Furthermore, in the documentary about ecstasy at (0:12) we hear the presenter say that through the documentary we will meet with dealers, users and manufactures. This is also a contract with the viewer as they are telling us exactly what we will see and hear. This perhaps is a different type of contract, because this outlines what we will see rather then how the documentary was made. From an audience perspective this type of contract means that it builds a relationship because it tells the truth of what will be shown.