Bill Nicholas

Different Modes Of Documentaries

Bill Nicholas’ modes of documentary are significant as the different modes allow for us to recognize the different types of documentaries, making it much easier to identify all of the different codes and conventions. This research would be essential when it comes to making our documentaries. The importance of this research will be seen later on when shooting the documentary as we are the able to refer back to the mode we are creating and check if we have the same codes and conventions present in our final product.

Poetic Mode

Conventions Lyrical and Emotional Filmic conventions Artistic Continuous editing Audience is shows abstract subjective representations of reality this is usually achieved through the use of continuous editing throughout the documentary.

Documentary Evidence

“moves away from the ‘objective’ reality of a given situation or people, to grasp at an “inner truth” that can only be grasped by poetical manipulation. – Nicholas

Regen | Rain (1929) | Joris IvensSlow paced editing but very quick transitions Text on screen at the very beginning with documentary name and background Non-diegetic music Random collection of videos not necessarily connected Birds eye view shots, close ups , medium shots

Leni Riefenstahl’s Olympia (1938) - low camera angles and slow pace editing. Transitions included a lot of also fading and merging between the images – glorifying the Aryan athlete's Camera Shots – Extreme close –ups , long shots close-ups and lot of low angle shots.

Expository Mode Conventions Voice Of God Narration Archive footage Verbal commentary Interviews Evidentiary editing

Documentary Evidence

Taxi To The Dark Side:Archive footage, evidentiary editing to show George W Bush hypocrisy archive footage from newspapers and news reports. Interviews with the prison guards at the camps. Voice of God Narration throughout the documentary Frequent use of diegetic music

Participatory Mode CONVENTIONSThese films usually take the form of a series of interviews or other forms of even more direct involvement from conversations to provocations. ∆ Archival footage to examine historical issues∆ Range of different interviews with different subjects ∆ Narration by subject

DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE Man on WireSmall reconstruction scenesNarration by subject of documentary explaining the historic event/ answers to interview without audience hearing the questions.Range of different subjects speaking of own perspective of events Close up of subjects Range of archive footage Subtitles Text on screen showing names of subjects and relationship to main subject

Observational Mode Conventions Observe historical events as they happen and can also use the observations of an unobtrusive camera to create direct engagement with the everyday life of subjects.∆ No voice overs ∆ No interviews ∆ No supplementary music ∆ Social actors behave as if the camera is not there

DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE Vladimir in Titicut Follies Extreme close ups when subjects are interacting with each other. Followed By Zoom Outs. Very Little amounts of cuts between scenes there is more zooming in and out. No non-diegetic music No voice overs Fly on the wall kind of vibe, social actors do not acknowledge the cameras presence

Reflexive Mode

CONVENTIONS This mode, which includes the mockumentary format, calls attention to the assumptions and conventions that govern documentary filmmaking to increase our awareness of how films construct representations of reality

Documentary Evidence Land Without Bread Transitions – majority is Fade to blackSlow paced transitions/editingIntroduction – text on screen at the beginningArchive footage used (pictures) – at the beginning Voice of God narration throughout the whole documentary Non diegetic music throughout the whole documentary

Perfomative Mode CONVENTIONS Highlights the subjective or expressive aspect of the filmmaker’s own involvement with a subject.

∆ Reject Objectivity, Favour Emotion ∆ Non-diegetic music ∆ No Narration ∆ Voice- overs ∆ Archive footage

DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE Tongues Untied Subject was Marlon Riggs who was also the filmmakerFavours emotion through the use of archive footage showing gay males getting attacked Voice-over of poetry/ spoken word written by Marlon RiggsA lot of close -ups and medium shots Non-diegetic music