Tattoo Promotion:

Within our documentary we are keen to promote the art of tattoos and to present both the positive and negative aspects.




Hazelle Moscrop, supports the idea of tattoos and is a good example of a person who expresses her personality through her body art and style. She is excited to therefore speak to us about her different tattoos and the ones she has planned for the future.


She has recently been on a photoshoot for a website called 'The Suicide Girls', which promotes young women with body-art such as tattoos and piercings, and is happy for us to view and show the pictures in our documentary.

Initial Ideas and Footage...

Initial Ideas and Footage...

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Location:

During half term Lauren Claudie and myself went to Camden to take some initial footage and location shots for our documentary. We managed to interview a man who had many tattoos for our actual documentary which was so useful and is perfect for our footage.

As well as that, we decided to leave the camera running and walk around Camden, through all the market stools etc. We want to use this footage in the opening part of our main documentary as we will be editing the colours to make them brighter and exciting, as well as speeding up the footage. We are hoping that this as an introduction will meet the needs of our young target audience and give them an initial taster of life in Camden Town.

As well as doing this we also filmed shorter clips just of location, such as rotation shots and high angle shots which we can use as a montage within our work.

Tattoos presentation

Tattoos presentation

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Initial Ideas:

We decided to change our documentary idea. We wanted a theme which is controversial (so we could document a range in opinions), easily understood by an audience (so they can perhaps relate to our footage) and relates to our age so we can add our own opinions.

We chose the topic of tattoos because, as I have already mentioned, they are a controversial issue, so we can interview people of all ages about their views. We want to especially talk to tattoo artists themselves to see why they chose such a profession to see whether they enjoy it.

We want to make our documentary young and urban through our editing skills, so it is fast paced and there is a variety of colour and music used to grab audience attention.

We are planning to film the majority of our footage in Camden as it is the perfect location when finding people who have tattoos themselves, work in the professional and it also links to the poetic documentary theme we aim to produce as it is a fun, entertaining place.

Subliminal Messaging:

A starter into our research for our new documentary.
We are interested in the ideas of subliminal messaging within the media, focusing around the ideas of size zero and the effect this can have on teenagers growing up.

Here are a few links to youtube videos I have watched as inspiration. They are rather useful when developing a wider knowledge into the ideas and the fasinations with subliminal messages:

Derren Brown:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ1fyOWsrFY&feature=channel


Subliminal Messaging Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoOuXHlNErI&feature=fvst

The September Issue:

An observational documentary exposing the chaos, work and effort which goes into the production of Vogue's September 2007 issue. This film documentary, directed by J.R. Cutler documents the life surrounding the editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her staff.

The documentary is seen as a literal version of the film 'The Devil Wears Prada' starring Meryl Streep, and written in 2003 by a former assistant of Wintour, Lauren Weisberger.

This is a good documentary to watch based on our early ideas for a documentary, as we are thinking of a subject concerning size zero and subliminal messaging in the media (magazines.)

Dispatches: Britain's Witch Children:

I didn't watch the whole documentary however, this is an influential documentary, especially when looking at the styles of expository documentaries as it incorporates the use of hidden cameras and uses techniques such as anonymous interviews and voice-overs.

I would love to use such techniques in our documentary if necessary as they are effective when uncovering any controversial issues for the viewer.

A good shot which was used in this documentary was a long-shot of an estate in London. In the very foreground just in front of the camera was a metal fence, yet the shot firstly focused on the building and then the focus changed to be focusing on the fencing. This shot was effective as a symbol for the imprisonment of these people who are trapped by their religion/beliefs.

Louis Psihoyos - The Cove

A True Stories Movie-Documentary that describes the illicit slaughter of 23,000 dolphins, annually at Taija, a rural Japanese cove.

This chilling film surrounding the topic of whaling was directed by former National Geographic photographer Louis Psihoyos and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 82nd Academy Award.

The two hour long film is such a poigiant and eye opening documentary which exposes such tragedy and devastation.

It is an Expository Documentary, however it is also Observation.

This documentary is also unique as at times the people being interviewed are tricked or there are secret cameras used to undercover the footage, which makes it more engaging and intriging to the viewer who almost feels privaliged to be a witness to the evidence.

There are some good shots used in the documentary such as many sped up shots to show the passing of time and the credits are engaging through the use of music and editing techniques such as blur transitions.

An effective shot constantly used was of an area such as a busy city centre or a cloudy sky. The shot would be sped up to convey the passing of time and also how time is running out for their issue.

It is different to other documentaries I have watched as it is more like a film through the use of editing and shots at times.

Trailer >>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYKNCN1ESZM

Mockumentary

Here is a Mockumentary Zoe, Calum, Jack and I made yesterday about 'The Boy Who Carries Around Personal Information Around In A Tube.' Mocking a boy's obsessions with a cardboard tube which he hides secrets inside. (Jack's idea.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEttmAcfNrg

The History of The Documentary:

The term documentary has evolved over the years as a 'film-making practise' and a 'cinematic tradition' which enhances audience feedback, before, during or after filming.

The word DOCUMENTARY was first originated in 1926 in a review of Robert Flaherty's Moana, published in the New York Times.

Pre 1900:

The beginnings of film development began prior 1900. People were beginning to test shots and single shot movements were being created and captured such as a train entering a station or a boat docking.

Very little story-telling commenced before the twentieth century due to technological difficulties, so in a way making it difficult to have audiences respond in feedback as little comment could be made.

Throughout the beginnings of the 1900's, documentary films were almost being made subconsciously, without being labelled.

• The french surgeon Eugene Louis Doyen started a series of surgical films, saying that even his own films helped him to correct professional mistakes/errors.


• Between 1898 and 1901, the Romanian professor Gheorghe Marinescu made several science films. The professor called his work 'studies with the help of cinematograph'

Romantisism:

With the help of Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook Of The North in 1922, documentary film embraced Romanticism. The documentaries usually showed how his people lived 100 years earlier and not how they lived right now.

This draws a link to the films made by Marinescu and Doyen as they are created in order to educate or inform audiences.

Here is a short clip of the documentary Nanook of the North (1921):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLERFRQl5EY

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Russia's developments in documentary film flourished in the 1920's with the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks party (1917) when heavy propaganda and controlling regimes were implemented.

Dziga Vertov was a Soviet Pioneer Documentary Film-Maker who worked central to the Soviet-Kino Pravda ("cinematic truth").

• He believed that the camera could render more of a reality than the human eye, yet his work completely juxtaposed this philosophy due to the propaganda used to brainwash the public.

A similar influence would have been Joseph Goebbels who worked as the Reich Minister of Propaganda under the ruling of the Nazi's throughout Germany.

He used his documentary propaganda, along with other sources to psychologically prepare the German people for aggressive war as well as accusing many German ethnics and national minorities (such as homosexuals, The Jews, The French and The Pols) of trying to destroy Germany, claiming any unjust actions as self-defence.

Here is an example of Goebbels's work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-19ZztG13kg

Here is a clip from the film 'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas', there is a good example of a remade example of a Nazi Propaganda film, promoting concentration camps in a documentary style.

(Skip to 1 minute)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lrCfyfukgA&feature=related

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Cinema Verite: (1950's-1970's)

Such technology advances meant there were not as many constraints against studio based film production. This meant that smaller crews could film on location where film-makers could take advances in technology allowing smaller, hand-held cameras.

This could almost be seen as the time when documentaries were split into sub-genres concerning degrees of involvement with the subject.

There are important differences between Cinema Verite and the North American 'Direct Cinema' concerning the ways in which it is shot with the use of interviews, observational styles, hand-held movement, on screen presentation etc.

Mockumentary

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Extraordinary People:

Extraordinary People is a channel five series documentary, following the lives of unique individuals, with either a medical condition or an unusual ability.

The programme explores their lives and their achievements. Each hour long episode follows their day to day activites, painting a picture for the viewer of the routines they undertake due to their illnesses/conditions, and how they have perhaps overcome their difficulties.

It is a touching and moving documentary which would be classed as Observational as it chronologically follows each person, but most importantly it is styled as Poetic as it documents topics of human interest.

I have watched many episodes of the series shown on Channel Five. They are certainly interesting as they do follow bizzarre conditions which seem so extraordinary to the viewer.

It is a rather positive for the audience and is a documentary which doesn't exactly target a specific age group as lots of people watch the programme.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iELWqpWJxi8

Planet Earth:

The original BBC Version of Planet Earth was narrated by David Attenborough and produced by Alastair Forthergill, where the series comprises of eleven episodes, featuring a global overview of a different habitat on Earth.

This type of documentary would be styled as a hybrid of genres:

Observative/Poetic/Reflexive and also Expository.

It is aimed at a wide audience as it is of high interest to many viewers. From young children to the elderly, it would cater to all interests as it shows an indepth but easily understood overview of our planet.

Mark Dolan:

Mark Dolan is an English writer, comedian and presenter.

He is well known from his Channel Four show 'Balls Of Steel', however, recently he has been involved in a new project/documentary known as 'The World's... And Me'.

He explores the remarkable worlds of some incredible people (Poetic/Observational/Reflexive/Expository).

• The World's Smallest Man And Me
• The World's Tallest Woman And Me
• The World's Fastest Pet And Me
• The World's Hairiest Person And Me
• The World's Cleverest Child And Me
• The World's Most Enhanced Woman And Me
• The World's Strongest Child And Me
• The World's Biggest Child And Me
• The World's Most Identical Twins And Me
• The World's Fattest Families And Me
• The World's Richest Teenage And Me
• The World's Strangest Plastic Surgery And Me
  
  
  

Fearne Cotton Looking At Pro Ana:

I watched a documentary called Fearne Cotton Looking At Pro Ana recently.

This is a poetic/observational/Reflexive Documentary which delves into the lives of anorexics struggling with their condition and their dependence on the online support system known as Pro-Ana, which disturbingly blogs rapid weight loss.

Fearne undercovers the life-threats from anorexia and talks to people dealing with the condition, families who have lost people to the disorder, a woman who creates and relies on her pro-ana website and finally trials some of these dangerous tips to see the profound effects they will have on her health.

This documentary is aimed at young adults and teenagers. Documentaries such as these are so crucial as they are warnings to people of the risks one to do to themselves if they are not careful. It is also a useful documentary for parents who may have concerns for the health of their child. I myself had not even heard of these Pro Ana websites before watching the documentary and it just shows how naive people can be to such an issue and how easily accessible it is to strugglers without anyone knowing.

This is a good documentary to look at and analyse as I was thinking of pretending to trial a certain way of living in my documentary to see the profound effects it may have on my living.

Fearne Cotton Meets...

This is a observational and poetic styled documentary aimed at a teenage/young adult age group.

I watched the series of this documentary last year and it was really interesting as it catered to the needs of my target age and delved into the lives of celebrities, so that the viewer could understand them as an individual, stripping away the media's perception and influence.

She is now pre-production of a new series, hoping to follow the lives of yet more celebrity icons.

In the last series she followed the lives of people such as:

• Paris Hilton
• Alesha Dixon
• Peaches Geldof

This was a reflexive documentary as Fearne was seen on camera as well as narrating the dialogue, however, it was importantly observational as she followed their lives of the celebrities, documenting their journey as the story unfolded.

Morgan Spurlock:

Morgan Spurlock is an American Documentary Film-Maker, Television Producer & Screenwriter commonly well-known for his blockbuster, Academy Award Nominated documentary 'Super Size Me'. He self- tested eating nothing but McDonalds three times a day, every day for 30 days, to demonstrate the negative effects fast food has on ones health.

Such documentaries would be regarded as Poetic, Observational and Reflexive as it is of human interest, Spurlock's presense is acknowledged by the viewer and finally, it the events unfold as the story continues.

His second documentary was: 'Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden' exploring the fight against terrorism, with a view from both sides. However, unlike his first documentary, this recieved rather negative reviews.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Spurlock#Where_in_the_World_is_Osama_Bin_Laden.3F

Louis Theroux:

Louis Theroux, a British/American broadcaster, who is well known for his documentaries:

Louis Theroux's weird weekends (1998 - 2000)

• He followed mostly American subcultures like survivalists, black nationalists, white supremacists and porn stars, often living amongst or close to the people involved.


• This falls under the genre or type named 'Reflexive' as he seen on camera as well as creating the documentary itself.
  
  

When Louis Met... (2000-2002)

• He accompanied a different British celebrity in each programme as they went about their day to day business. He interviewed them about their experiences and lifestyles in their own usual environments. He mimicked the lifestyles of Sir Jimmy Savile, Tory MP Neil Hamilton and Max Clifford.


• This would fall under the genre of poetic as it constructed to suit the needs of the audience, playing towards their human interests. However, it is also an observational documentary as it follows a person's journey as events unravel.

He has also done special shows for BBC 2 such as:

• Louis Theroux: Under the Knife - following patients undergoing plastic surgery


• Louis Theroux: Gambling In Vegas - investigating high rollers and those who manage the Las Vegas casinos.


• The Most Hated Family In America - following the members of a highly controversial Westboro Baptist Church and their strong family community, infamous for their anti-homosexual beliefs.


• A Place For Paedophiles - where he visited a hospital in California where they attempt to rehabilitate sex offenders.


• The City Addicted To Crystal Meph - documenting the numerous drug addictions.

Here is a link to his documentary The Most Hated Family In America:

I watched this documentary recently and it was extremely disturbing and controversial. However, it was documented through the use of Louis Theroux's on-screen opinions and debates to be rather light hearted, in an attempt to satify it's viewers so as not to be too depressing or heavy, which reinstates it as a poetic documentary, catering to the needs of the audience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOrz5k0jWdU

Michael Moore:

Michael Moore is an American filmmaker, author and liberal political commentator.

• Bowling for Columbine
• Fahrenheit 9/11
• Sicko
• A Love Story

These are four of the top eight most grossing documentaries of all time.

Fahrenheit 9/11 examines America in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, having a profoundly devastating effect worldwide. It was awarded the Palme d'Or, the top honour at the Cannes Film Festival and was the first documented film to win the prize since 1956.


Sicko was a film documentary formed around the American Health Care System. It is currently ranked the third highest grossing documentary of all time and received an Academy Award Nomination for 'Best Documentary Feature'.


Bowling For Columbine was a film documentary (2002) which probed the culture of guns and violence in the United States, initially beginning at the crux of the Columbine High School Massacre in 1999. It won the Anniversary Prize in 2002 at the Cannes Film Festival, France's Cesar Award as best foreign film and finally an Academy Award for best Feature Document.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Moore

Nick Broomfield

Nick Broomfield is an English Documentary Film-Maker who works with a minimal crew of around two to three people in a distinctive style.



He was awarded the BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution To Documentary.

It is Nick's reflexive film making style - a film being about the making of it as much about it's subject - that he is well known. He draws similarities concerning his styles of work to Louis Theroux and Morgan Spurlock who have all adopted the same techniques in their current Blockbuster hit documentaries.

Documentaries by Broomfield:

• Driving Me Crazy
• The Search For Signs Of Intelligent Life In The Universe
• Kurt & Courtney

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Broomfield

Kurt & Courtney: Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6EvqHeVXkQ

A Level: Introduction to Documentary: Advanced Portfolio:

For the next and final year of A Level media, we are researching and creating our own documentaries, which can be on whatever we choose.

We are researching well known documentarists such as Nick Broomfield, Michael Moore and Louis Theroux, the variety of stories they have retold, the different audiences they have targeted, how conventional their documentaries seem and finally the different purposes their documentaries have created.

PURPOSES:
Documentaries are created to either:

• Record, reveal or preserve


• Persuade or promote


• Analyse or interrogate


• Express views or opinions
  

There are four types of documentaries

• Reflexive


• Poetic


• Observational


• Expository
  

1. Reflexive: In which the film maker acknowledges their presence - they are in front of the camera & give some narrative guidance.


2. Poetic: In which an artistic narrative is constructed - sometimes the topic is more human interest rather than current affairs led.


3. Observational: Being there as events unfold these documentaries tend to follow a person or event & document their journey as an important events occur.


4. Expository: An analysis & expository of a person or topic - for example Michael Moore exposes society to forms or political corruption.