There are many conventions within nature documentaries. One very common feature is the use of extreme close up shots. There are often very advanced cameras used to zoom in very closely so that we can animals very clearly. In some cases, these extreme close ups are used simply just to give us as an audience a better view of smaller animals that cannot be seen as clearly from normal range. Furthermore, these extreme close up may be used to emphasise particular body parts or details on the animals skin. These technique improve the audiences experience watching these type of documentaries as it gives them better footage and insights on certain thing they may not ever be able to see anywhere else.
Another common feature within nature documentaries is the used of a voiceover. In almost all wildlife documentaries, a voiceover is present to provide narration and commentary alongside the visual footage that is shown. Well known nature documenter David Attenborough has made a name for himself in this industry as his voice accompanies many documentaries very well, and his commentary on scenes has provided satisfaction amongst viewers. Voiceovers are common in nature documentaries as it allows the audience to gage an understand as to what exactly is happening. AS we are human being, it is sometime hard to comprehend how wildlife animals work, however the voiceovers often give clear description to the audience so they can follow the story easier and engage in the scene. In some cases, the voiceovers help to create tension and drama.
Various types of music are conventional in nature documentaries for many reasons. One type of music is non diegetic music. Linking to the previous point, non diegetic music is used similarly to the way voiceovers are used. Voiceovers sometimes create tension, and non diegetic music assets these voices often. For example, a quicker tempo of music may suggest to the audience that a predator may be getting ready to pounce on its prey, an the voiceover will comment accordingly to the music. More so, if there was a high pitched saw tempo music, it may suggest that there is peace in the wild life and all is. Non diegetic helps the audience to develop an idea of the atmosphere within nature, and intrigues the views to continue watching. Ambient music is often used in these type of documentaries too as it generally gives the audience the impression that it is in fact a real nature documentary and is reliable as they are real sounds you'd find out in nature.
Ethnographic culture: typically documenting those who are not from he western world and sometimes documenting anthropology.
In these type of documentaries, dialogue between the camera man and the natives of the foreign land is common. These are often interview styles discussion that essentially help us to develop an understand and idea of whatever the topic of the documentary is. These type of discussion are so common in ethnographic documentaries, as it helps us as an audience to gain information as to how other people who don't live in the western world live. Ganging this access links to Blamer and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory, as the audience watches this media product in order to be educated about a certain topic they don't not know much about.
As ethnographic culture documentaries often show how culture works in foreign lands, the language that is featured in these films are other languages that aren't english. Due to the citizens not speaking fluent english, subtitles are regularly used to help clarify what is being said. By doing this, it helps the audience not become disengaged due to the fact that they can't understand what is being said, and it helps viewers keep up with the storyline as whole. Furthermore, it may put emphasis on how non-westonised the culture is, hence why they have been unable to have the education to learn how to speak english, which a globally spoken language. (first subtitles at 2:18)
Just like nature documentaries, voiceovers are used to. However in ethnographic documentaries, it is used to describe the way lives are lived in the culture. The voiceovers are used to provide in depth information bout what is going on in the scene and educate the audience further on the specific topic. Relating to the previous point made, the subtitles allow the viewers to understand what is being said by the natives, however sometimes it can be hard to fully understand the point being made and can be lost in translation, therefore voiceovers are present to provide a preview or review to scene that is being shown.
Travel Documentaries:
A common camera angle within travel documentaries is an ariel shot/birds eye view of wherever they are located. An ariel shot is one that is shown directly above the location so that we are able to see how big our setting is. This is often used to set the scene of a wherever the next scene will been, and in many cases in travel documentaries, it is done to perhaps express the beauty of the foreign land that is being documented. Furthermore, one of the purposes of travel documentaries is to convince viewers to visit, and creating an appealing scenario in audiences minds will help persuade viewers to visit.
Political/ Crime Documentaries A common feature within crime documentaries is a montage of pictures of the criminal. Whether they are pictures of the criminal from previous years, in their youth or a mugshot, there is always a wide portfolio of pictures of the person who has convicted the crime. This may be done to emphasis the fact that they are the subject of the documentary. Along with these picture are brief description of the subject and how time has developed up till present day. These brief background descriptions would consist of information from prior months before the initial start of the crime, how the crime developed into a more serious offence, and finally how it concluded. These are so common in crime documentaries as it grips the audience immediately by explaining how everything has progressed so much into the current situation. Once the audience have a back story as to what has happened, they feel engage and intrigued to find out what happens further on and want to know how everything ends.
Mockumentaries:
A mockumentary is one that takes real life issues and situations and add humour to them to highlight the comedy in the various issues. Rockumentaries are often express in such a way that they explore the different opinions surrounding topics and directors use the more humorous interpretation and develop story lines based around them. One conventional feature that is present in mockumentary is the use of more regional/ specific dialectal choices in the dialogue. Accents from other areas are common in these type of documentaries and often are used to express the subject as different to society. Accents commonly create wit as foreigner are seen as humorous (Alvarado's Four Key Racial Themes Theory) and audiences enjoy seeing/ hearing people from other backgrounds.
Docudramas: Docudramas are scenes that take real life issues and situation and reenact them as a if they were developed storylines. Actors are normally hired to illustrate these situations, and the plot adheres to the reports given by investigators. The use of various camera shots, including close up shots of characters are common in docudramas. These types of shots are so regular as the create profiles for the characters and give them more personality. Focusing on one character makes the audience focus on them and slowly helps to build their personas so that the reenactments gain more of a realistic feel. Audiences enjoy these type of shots as it helps them understand further who everyone is and their roles in the docudrama.
Personal Journeys Personal Journey documentaries are short films that document the inside lives of particular individuals and the journeys and challenges they have encountered in their lives. These are often challenges such as health problem, losses of loved ones or rehabilitation from dramatic events in their lives. Due to these being personal accounts, a very conventional feature is the use of hand held camera shots. Hand held like shots are so common in personal journey documentaries as it give us a direct look at their lives and it give it a very realistic feel. The shakiness of the camera often makes the footage more sentimental and intimate, and audiences enjoyed this because it really adds personal value to the overall documentary. Ganging insight on other peoples lives is something that audiences enjoy, as it provides escape from their own lives (Blumer and Katz Uses and Gratifications Theory).
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