Professional & Critical Practice (Commission): Documentary Style Research

Due to the client deciding that the promotional video should be in a loose documentary style, I decided to conduct some research into documentaries. Comparing the overall advice for their creation, analyse short documentaries and compare the key differences and similarities between a promotional video and documentary that make up a docu-style promo.

When researching guidance on documentary creation, I found the following key tips...

• 'Tell a story you care about
• Research - Learn everything you can about your documentary subject
• Make a plan - Create an outline. Think about HOW you’re going to tell your story. What’s the structure? The style? Is there existing footage or photos that help tell your story or will everything need to be shot brand new? Who is your primary character(s)? What are you core story points?
• Create a shot list
• Write a script' (www.desktop-documentaries.com)

I found this advice to be extremely relevant, although basic. It has key similarities in planning advice such as focusing on core points and style, and making sure to plan through shot lists and scripts. However I think that in comparison to creating a promotional video, documentaries can often be based on creative decisions rather than needing to include key facts on the company being advertised and making sure to appeal to a certain audience.

To identify the key differences between a documentary and a promotional video, along with the documentary features needed in a docu-style promotional video, I decided to analyse a short and simple documentary...


Enjoy Your Intermission by Tansy Michaud and Adam Carboni
www.shortoftheweek.com/2015/01/29/enjoy-your-intermission/

Key differences between documentary & promotional videos:

• Constructed scenes - acted out rather than actuality. Unnatural for a promotional video that represents the way that a company really functions day to day.
• Shots of still objects/buildings etc. For my promotional video, it is heavily based on the activities involved as opposed to building exteriors or equipment not in use.
• An artistic approach of shots rather than factual, explanatory and activity / action based.
• A slightly overdramatic approach at times.

Documentary features to add to my promotional video:

• A variety of shots on one subject - for example an extreme wide shot, wide shot and close-up of the opening scene. Compared to a wide shot, mid shot and close-up of a sparring match.
• Voice-over taken from an interview to inform the audience while they watch.
• Lower-thirds to introduce the person and their role.
• Unscripted but prepared interviews using Q&A.
• Actuality sequences - usually three varying clips or more in a row.
• Low key music during interviews and voice-overs. The music rises during sequences.

I found that the key differences between an artistic documentary such as Enjoy Your Intermission and a promotional video approach is the dramatic music, constructed sequences and static shots. I think that where the main focus of a documentary is to provide the audience with information in an artistic form, it differs from a promotional video that's sole purpose is to inform the audience through key visuals and narrative.

However, I found many features included in the above documentary that will prove to be useful when creating Alpha Weapons Academy's video. Including a large amount of varied shots, voice-overs, structured interviews, lower thirds, a backing soundtrack and most importantly; actuality shots. The combination of these features will allow the end result of the promotional video to be both heavily informative with entertainment and production value, without crossing the line from promotions to documentary.

Being Gay Today by Mary Green & Megan Waters

As I have prior experience and knowledge of the documentary style from a 1st year unit, I decided to look back on the documentary created by a fellow student and myself to analyse it in the same way as the professionally created documentary.

I found that while this documentary has a less artistic and dramatic focus as the last, there are a number of differences between the approach that I took with that video in comparison to the promotional video. Including the aforementioned artistic still shots, constructed sequences and archived material such as web footage and family photographs.

While the similar approach between this documentary and Alpha Weapons Academy consists of the use of a soundtrack, the use of GFX, structured interviews and activity-based shots.

I've found this research and reflection to be an effective way to find the line between a documentary and a promotional video that consists of documentary-based qualities. It has also allowed me to plan on the use of certain documentary features such as sequences of clips and avoid other features such as static shots of items or exteriors not in use.