Documentary film analysis
Genre: A documentary film is a non-fictional film aimed at depicting e.g. an actual event or a life story. The setting is real and the cast are people appearing as themselves. The documentary film pioneer John Grierson defines the genre as creative treatment of actuality, granting that any presentation is the result of choices made.
How?
1. Describe the composition of the documentary in scenes or sequences.
Analyse the use of climax, flash back or flash forward, suspense etc.
2. Analyse the use of subgenres such as interview, archive footage, animation, hidden or
handheld camera and reconstruction. Discuss whether fact or fiction codes dominate,
and what atmosphere is conveyed.
3. Pick out a few picture frames or scenes and analyse them (focus, perspective, light,
colours, symbolic elements, camera movements, cutting). What visual effects do you
notice – and what is the function of them?
4. Analyse the soundtrack (e.g. real or recorded sound, music, voice over, sound effects).
Discuss the interaction between sound and visuals and the role of the sound.
5. Describe the role – or roles - of the narrator (e.g. observer or personally involved).
What is his or her interest in the story?
What?
6. How is the setting (time and place) established?
7. Describe the central characters of the documentary. Are all relevant types and attitudes
represented equally?
8. Use e.g. the actantial model to identify the conflict(s). How has the presentation
been angled? What forms of appeal dominate?
9. Make a catalogue of issues dealt with in the documentary. Does it provide any answers
or leave it up to the viewers to draw the conclusions?
Why?
10. Discuss the intention of the documentary: What is the message, and who is it
addressed to? Do you find it relevant and reliable?
11. What do you see as solutions to the problems it brings up?
