DocumentaryEvaluation

&EditingTechnique

Iplayedthemajorrolesinthisproduction,Scripting,directing,editing,
producingetc.Ihadtocreateandplanadocumentarytowriteaswellas
takechargeoftheproductionsartisticanddramaticaspects,also
visualisingtheshotlisttohelpguidethetalenttowhatIwanted,asktherightquestiontoget
desiredanswersandthenfinallyeditallthescenestogethertocreatethefinalvideo.

ThestylesofdocumentaryordocumentarymodesweredevelopedbyAmericantheoristBill
Nichols.Theconceptwascreatedashewantedtodistinguishtheparticulartraitsanddifferent
conventionsusedindocumentaries.

The6typesare:Poetic,Participatory,Expository,Reflexive,Observational&Performative

ThestylemydocumentaryfollowsisExpository,documentariesinthisstyleareusually
non-fictionfilms.Thereisdirectaccesstotheaudience.Therearesocialissuesassembledinto
anargumentativeframewithanarrationvoice-overemphasizingwhatishappeningwith
argumentativelogic,alsoknownasVoiceofGod.

Thetargetaudiencethiswasaimedatwasfromyoungadultsandupwards,thisisduetotwo
mainfactors,onebeingthestyleappealsmoretothisaudienceandtwoisbecauseofthe
natureofthesubjectbeingdiscussedasitishasscenes,imagesorinformationpeoplemay
findupsetting.Thingslikecolourandtheagepeoplefeaturedinthisdocumentaryalsoplaysa
roleintowhythisappealstothistargetaudience.

The mise en scne in this documentary is vital in setting the mood of the film. The colours used
inmydocumentaryaremainlyblue,white,orange,grey/blackthesecolourshelpillustrate
certainemotionstotheaudience,thefeelingsthecoloursinmydocumentaryemoteare:
passion,love,sensitivity,joy,wisdom,health,healing,softness,understanding,knowledge,
goodness,innocence,perspective,power,death&lossetc.

Thesoundusedthroughoutthedocumentaryinthebackgroundhelpedsetthetoneandmood,
thesongusedwasLETTINGGObyNicolaiHeidlas(RoyaltyFreeMusic).Itwasasoftpiano
tunewhichfittedwellwiththesubject.

Comparedtomyoriginalintentionstheideashowtogoarounditalteredquitealotbutthe
subjectissuestayedandstylestayedthesame,Originallyiwasgoingtointerviewsomeparents
whowerewillingtotalkabouttheirexperiences,butthendroppedout,soIthenhadtocomeup
withotherideas.TheideasIthenchosewastowriteascriptandnarrateitandputfootagetoit
andthengetpublishedstoriesonlinetobereadoutbyactors,theoutofluckIhad3parents
whothenwantedtotakepartafterseeingmypostonamumsonlinegrouptoaskforadvice
etc.

Overallimverysatisfiedwiththeoutcomeofmydocumentaryusingallmyskills
andknowledgetocreatethisfilm,Ilearnedalotofthingswhilstmakingandresearchingthis
project,Ihadsomeamazingfeedbackfromthefinishedandpublisheddocumentary,itmeanta
lottomajorityofpeoplewatching.ComparedtomyoriginalideaIpitchedIbelievethisfinal
outcomewasofamuchhigherstandardandthestoryflowedverywell.

Feedback:

EditingTechniques

EditingthedocumentarywentquitesmoothlybutIdidhavesomemajorchallengeswithsound.
DuetosoundequipmentbeingfaultyIostalotofaudiofromtheinterviews,luckilyIdidhave
somesoundbackupfromotherdevice(Laptop)andprograms(Audacity),thismeantthatIhad
todoalotoflipsyncingandequalingvolumeswhichwasnteasy,butIresolvedtheseissues
usingFinalCutPro,thiswastheonlyissuesIhad.

(ScreengrabfromequalisingsoundinAudacity.)

IrecordedthenarrationstraightintoAudacityasoundrecordingprogramme,thismadeiteasy
toeditandgetthebestqualitysound,Ihadtocutbitsofsound,removebackgroundnoise,
equalisesoundlevelsandthenExportittoFinalCutPro.Iusedthenarrationasthebaseofmy
documentaryandeditedalltheotherlayersover/underitintheFinalcutStorytimeline.

Iinsertedfootagethatfitwithwhatwasbeingsaidinthenarration,Ialsoaddedtexttopartsof
thedocumentaryasyoucanseehere.

HereIaddedthemusicandblendeditinwiththenarrationandinterviewaudiosoitwasan
ambientinthebackgroundandnotoverpowering.

Ialsoplacedfootageandimagescropping,transformingandblendingthemintotheirdesired
place.

Overalltheeditingwasmajoritycutting,placing,croppingandaddingsound.