Review Starter –write down Summer
Homework: Analysis 1
• Write an analysis of Dreams of a Life:
2011 drama-documentary: 40D. ( 1,000
words) 90 mins. How does this
documentary conform to the codes and
conventions of the drama documentary
genre?
Starter –write down Summer
Homework: analysis 2 ( 5 mins)
• Write an analysis of short reality documentary extract
from YouTube: ‘Educating Yorkshire - Mushy - The
Journey’ Extract 28 mins for summer homework. ( 1,000
words) How does this documentary conform to the
codes and conventions of the reality documentary
genre?
• conform= fit the rules, follow the rules of.
• Why? Will form part of your research for the Advanced
Portfolio. ( 5 analyses are required.)
• All must be able to state and
identify some codes and
conventions of the reality
doc mode.
Why?G324 Advanced Production
Documentary Brief
• Should write the start of an
evaluation: how much these
codes and conventions apply
AO1 - Demonstrate
to example provided.
knowledge and
understanding of media
concepts, contexts and
• Could write some of the
critical debates, using
terminology appropriately
analysis this week.
and with accurate and
coherent written expression.
• Ext activity: Reality TV
slideshare. +‘The Media
Students Book’ in library.
OUTCOMES
Reality TV Codes and conventions.
Notes ( 10 mins)
• people playing themselves
• performed at least partly in living/work environments, rather
than on set
• without a script
• placed within a narrative context
• created primarily for the purpose of entertainment
Reality TV Codes and conventions
The main codes and conventions of Reality TV are:
•
Controlled environment, but unpredictable outcome
•
Many situations work on deprivation – participants are deprived of basic things
•
Contestants/guests are ordinary people and/or celebrities
•
Non scripted material
•
Live and edited footage
•
Use of voice over narration by a presenter to link short segments and deliver an
ongoing narrative
Reality TV Codes and conventions
•
Controlled tasks
•
Use of character types e.g the villain such as ‘Nasty Nick’ Bateman who plotted to get
other contestants to vote against each other in the first series of Big Brother
•
Selection of contestants to annoy each other and create the equivalent of dramatic
conflict
•
Emphasis on outgoing personalities who can be seen by the audience as ‘ordinary’
•
Use of confessional to gain an insight into character
•
A created realism that simulates the linear aspect of everyday life
•
The situations are controlled to create ‘television entertainment’
•
‘All seeing’ cameras in multi camera set ups
James Poniewozik (2006) identified
three techniques used
• Creators of reality shows have several
techniques to turn their raw footage into
interesting and compelling storylines. Their
goal is to create stories than can be told
clearly and are entertaining for viewers. James
Poniewozik (2006) identified three techniques
used to accomplish this objective:
frankenbiting, selective editing, and story
fabrication.( making a story up that didn’t
happen.)
‘frankenbiting’.
• Another way to manipulate footage in order to make
a more interesting episode is in the editing process.
In the world of reality TV, this technique is called
‘frankenbiting’.
• Jeff Bartsch, a reality-show editor, worked with the
series Blind Date. According to Bartsch, if a date was
dull, the video editors would run clips out of
sequence. If they wanted to make a man seem
bored, they would cut from his date talking to a shot
where he was just looking around, not caring.
(Poniewozik)
Creating Plots Before Shooting
• While editing scenes are obviously altering
reality, viewers think that the essence of the
drama being portrayed onscreen is real. Sadly,
it is not. Much of the relationships, fights, and
even certain lines of dialogue are planned out
beforehand in storyboards. (Poniewozik) And
the influence of producers, who are never
mentioned in the actual TV shows, is usually
very extensive. (Deggans) ( 6 mins)
TASK
• Go to YouTube clip.
‘Educating Yorkshire - Mushy - The Journey’
• Identify and list as many reality TV codes
and conventions as you can. How many?
(10 mins)
Plenary and references
• RAG codes? ( 5 mins)
Ref: Reality TV: How “Real” is it?
http://www.evankropp.com/2013/02/08/reality-tvhow-real-is-it/
The Guardian, showing it will go to any lengths to attract a young audience, has pages
of online content dedicated to Reality TV http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/reality-tv
Gill Branston, Roy Stafford The Media Student's Book 5th Edition
‘Documentary and Reality Debates’.
There are 2 copies of this book in the library.
TASK
• How does this documentary conform to
the codes and conventions of the
reality documentary genre?
• In pairs, write a paragraph on the above
question. From your identified list, evaluate (
weigh up how far these codes and
conventions apply? How many do / do not
apply? ) Hand in after writing names on top of
page.( 15 mins)
Plan analysis of Educating Yorkshire
for summer homework.
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The doc is a reality TV genre. A mixture of the observational and expository mode and reality TV. Such
programmes are cheaper to produce than drama.
Say a bit about the programme….story, audience etc. Research this…
Media Language: shows pre-planning by producers. This indicates little reality. Camera shots show that
shot reverses are used showing the doc has been planned like a drama. Some may have been shot after
the interview. Say more about media conventions from list…
Sound is clear showing that radio mics have been used, indicated pre planning. A voice over narration is
sometimes used to guide the viewer.
School is the location. Activities are set up – such as the visit to the office by Moshi.
Characters are chosen before shooting for narrative interest and audience identification ( uses).
Narrative: Moshy has a problem to create an enigma and interest the audience ( what will happen?) and
cause empathy ( uses and grats.) An intervention by the super teacher ( the helper) will cure Moshy and
cause a return to equilibrium ( Todorov) Levi Strauss binaries are used disability/ability.
Moshy is represented as a character who must search for a cure. Teenagers are often seen as helpless and
a problem needing help from an adult. He is seen as ordinary but extraordinary. The children at the school
are seen as supportive and represent the message that schools are supportive places. The representation
of the teachers is…
Channel 4 is an institution that targets….