Docu Drama
A docu drama is a TV or drama mixed with a real life story or actual events. This is mostly done for entertainment and also to connect with the audience a lot more , this is done by presenting the basic facts about the subject with a non bias point of view. Certain events are over dramatised to show certain situation in a more dramatic and engaging way. Music is used to empathise points such as when a sad scene is shown the music would be slow and sad.
Here are some Docu Drama's ...
Road to Guantanamo :
This is a docudrama which is centred around a group of boys , they travel to Pakistan and then cross over to Afghanistan and get held up into a war which leads them to be suspected of terrorism and taken to Guantanamo. The film re creates scenes which have happened to these boys and also includes interviews with the real life characters during the film , these characters give their own opinions and state the situations which where happening to them during their torture at Guantanamo. Facts are also given throughout the movie by graphics and also the interviews by the real life characters. Scenes from this film may have been over exaggerated and words and statements might have been made in this film which the real characters may have not said , this is done for the viewers entertainment and to add to the drama so the viewer is drawn in even more.
127 Hours :
127 hours is an American film which is another example of a docudrama , this film is based on a true story showing a guy stuck between two enormous rocks in the middle of nowhere. This docudrama tries to stick with the facts and emotions that the actual character felt. This was done by leaving the character in the film stuck in a room with a camera rolling, this is how the true dramatic emotions were captured and the docudrama is somewhat very believable. The framing of the film really helps it to connect with the character struggling to survive as it uses certain types of camera languages to make the viewer also feel trapped like the man in the movie.
Another example would be ...
Docu soap
Docu soap is when peoples every day lives and duties are filmed and put into a series for people to watch as entertainment and drama. This type of documentary is non scripted and involves real people exposing their own lives and day to day routine to the viewers , many common characters form an ensemble and many story storylines are formed and this development of a story and the drama between characters is shown in each episode. This is done by the disjoint editing as different events and situations occurring with different characters are split up throughout the episode so it switches from story to story.
Luton Airport:
Luton airport is an a example of a docu soap , this show follows the staff at luton airport and film their every day duties. Many characters are reoccurring and the story develops per episode. The documentary uses on camera to follow the characters about this gives us the documentary type of fill towards it. The voice over also helps to add humour to certain situations to keep the viewer entertained and also the voice over does help guide the story and highlight the important situations which are going on. This specific example called Luton Airport uses a lot story lines based in Luton Airport , this showcases the lives and duties of air pilots , check in desk staff and also interview the passengers who are waiting for a flight.
Here are another 2 examples of a Docu Drama ..
Infotainment
Infotainment is a information based program which is also driven with elements of entertainment and discussion. These shows have a constant and very memorable host's and presenters , this is done by having them over exaggerate and also act in a more entertain way rather than present the show in a more formal and neat way. These shows are claimed to also dumb down the audience as it's tone is not very serious and more of the entertainment side to it is shown rather than all of it being factual and about information.
Top Gear is a type of infotainment , this show is based on Cars, the show has interviews with experts and also outside of the studio filming to test out these mortar vehicles and carry out experiments. The hosts are very memorable characters who like to over empathise certain points and also these types of shows are put in a more lighter tone and not serious as it tend to hold a lot of humour . The show has its dose of humour , facts , interviews and stupidity all thrown into each episode as sometimes the viewer might be learning something from an interview or maybe a VT based on facts about a car , but then the next minute the viewer might be hit by some random topic which has nothing to do with the show or even the topic but as an infotainment documentary this is allowed because it keeps the viewer away from being bored and also adds to the fact that anything unexpected could be said and done like a reality tv show.
Here are another examples of Infotainment ..
Reality TV
Reality is maybe one if the most famous style's of documentary around today , this style of documentary shows actual events of situations of real life people broken into episodes. These show mostly showcase ordinary people being filmed on their day to day basis as it shows story lines and narratives being formed and created , some of these shows also include game shows in which a 'prize' is received at the end but filmed in a 'fly on the wall' style and then edited and put all the interesting footage together for the episode.
Shah;s of sunset :
This is an American reality TV shown broad casted in America on a TV channel called Bravo. The program consists of 5-6 reoccurring characters who live in Beverly Hill's in America , the show allows the audience to take a look into these rich and famous people's lives. This type of documentary is heavily edited as many cameras follow these characters about. Many situations occur during the show which may be heated up by the producers to add entertainment, these are not scripted shows because these are real people living real lives. However even though this might be a reality TV show sometimes to create drama and to get extra attention and ratings towards the show during promo , the director or producers may heat up situations or ask some characters to stir trouble so this show cannot be really classed 100% real. This show aims to make the viewer feel as if he or she are in some what way jealous of these rich and famous people but at the same time makes the viewers want to stay tuned to see how different story lines develop and after a couple episodes this fly on the wall type of show makes you connect with some cast members and hate others. This also adds to the fact the viewer is some way taking a short break from their own lives to see someone else's for entertainment or other purposes.
Here are another 2 examples ...
Educational TV
Education TV tends to educated the viewer on a topic or most likely a subject , educational TV is used for open university in which students can view these videos to gain more knowledge and information about the topic they are studying , this is mostly shown as someone directly speaking to the camera and explaining things about the topic the student watching is learning. The other method which educational TV takes is that it uses children's TV programs and uses this to indirectly teach children watching it by using animation and maybe recurring cartoons , and some decide to take a straight forward method like some BBC shows which directly teach you about the topic.
Chocablock :
Chockablock is a BBC 2 educational TV program which provides children with education by using elements such as cartoon and characters which children will memorise and get to know. The set is also very bright and colourful which attracts attention to the younger audience, this show also indirectly teaches at some point to keep the viewer entertained an also learning something. The show is already pre recorded and the main character tends to use easy language spoken slowly so that the younger audience and can grasp onto things more easily. She also has a very normal or next to posh accent so the viewers understand what she is saying as this show would be watched by children all over the UK. As you can see from the example i have provided at one point of the show (1:44) the presenter wants the audience to guess the animal she is displaying on the screen , to do this she plays the noise which the animal makes and repeats it 2-3 times this shows us mainly who the show is actually aimed at which is a very young audience who maybe still learning their animals and also the fact that she repeats the noise so it help to connect with the child so they can easily learn and pick it up.
Here are another 2 examples ..
Wildlife Documentary
Wildlife documentaries show a wide range of topics about nature , animals , wildlife and showcase different aspects of it. Footage's are shown which a viewer might have never seen before and the program most of the time is very educational and in a serious tone. These programs are often broadcasted on television and also on some mainstream channel's and others often on channels which dedicates it self to nature and wildlife programs.
Planet Earth :
Planet Earth is broadcasted on BBC One , showcasing very fascinating footage of nature and wildlife around the world. This show attracts a lot of viewers because of the footage which is shown in the program , from the trailer above you can see things which you may never witness with your own eyes and this is what drags the viewers attention in. David Attenborough is the voice over used for the show and he is also known famously for his documentaries and fascinations of wildlife. The voice over really sets a tone for the audience and really makes or breaks a wild life documentary , David uses his soft and mellow tone to guide the audience in what is happening and just adds to the viewers interest even more by communicating with the viewer's with his posh accent . This is mainly done so all types of viewers can understand the voice over and also in a way be some sort of subtitles instead of having to read the graphics which may disturb you from actually watching the show so it helps the viewers understand the situation and what is actually happening while their eyes are fixed onto the action taking place. The wildlife is also shown in vary rare detail using the best of technology to get every bit of action on film.
Here another 2 examples ...
Special Interest Documentary
Special interest documentary is aimed at a small minority of people showcasing maybe a one off special or a different topic per episode documentary , these documentaries are mot aimed at the mainstream rather it is intended to interest the niche appeal which is why it is not broadcasted on mainstream TV such as ITV or BBC. The type of topics and interest's it covers are targeted at a specific culture ,tradition and age group.
Diana : Story of a princess :
Diana the princess is a special interest documentary because it has a very niche appeal and the viewers to a documentary show like this are not many. These types of shows tend to drag and going to very long details with footage or archive footage, there is also a voice over in the background which is stereotypically a white male with a posh accent so it can be understood by the majority and even plays a part into the target audience which is a older generation. Diana's story was not shown on mainstream channels because this was aimed at a more older audience and also someone who is interested in the royal family or wanted to gain more knowledge about it. The show uses a lot of montage of pictures and achieve footage to show the history of Diana and also to back their points up , this adds the fact that the viewer can feel as if the program has done its research and is showing some sort of reliable evidence. This show is also flooded with experts and interviews giving their opinion about Diana's life , this adds to the aspect of having professionals with more knowledge on the subject to give more stronger views an ideology on the subject so the viewer can learn and gain knowledge based on what they say.
Here are another 2 examples ...
Makeover Show
Makeover shows aim at changing someone or a group of people's lives in the public for the better , this type of documentary is seen as an offspring to a reality TV show. This type of documentary has a lighthearted and positive tone and aims to transform someones features or aspect/issue in someones life , mostly a different situation occurs with different people in each episode and the host's are mainly an expert in the filed which the show is based on.
Extreme makeover Home Edition :
Extreme home edition is an American TV program which shows normal families in America with problems with their homes , the program then has a group of builders and decorators to build their house from scratch and re-event the house into a more bigger and nicer home. As you can see from the episode above the show first starts of with showing the families background this drags the viewers in and makes them emotional , after this the team go ahead and demolish the homes and then build it back up. The show is set in a very positive tone and makes the viewers want to help these people and also find out the final result , a lot of cameras are used and this is also heavy edited to make it more interesting and also not to drag during parts such as the building of the actual house which takes a week because this would be boring for the viewers. A lot of shot types are used such as long shots to view the house before and after and also captures a wide range of reactions when the house is revealed to the family , this helps with also capturing the audience emotions as this is also the first time the viewer would see the families new home.
Here are another 2 examples ..
Discussion
Discussion shows are based in a studio generally with a panel discussing serious topics. This type of show mostly has a serious tone and discusses topics which are up to date which means sometimes show's like this are live or maybe near to live.
The Big Question:
The Big Question is a discussion show which takes place every Sunday morning in different parts of England , the discussion is mainly political and religious driven and consists of experts , audience and a main presenter which introduces the show and controls who gives out their opinion during the show. This show is set in a studio and uses multi camera to covers the discussion going on in the studio, this show is also live and is edited live, the show also includes the audience participation using social media. and also the people on the show giving their opinions about the topic which the show is discussing. I would not say this show is very bias as most of the time a ride range of people with different backgrounds and opinions are invited to give their say towards the things being discussed. The camera set up is mostly the usual three , but sometimes extra cameras are used to capture extra emotions and footage. The set of this show is very professional and simple compared to other discussion show such as 'loose women' which has a lot of funky and over the top set design to attract its audience , another key difference is that the big question is more serious and on point with what they are discussing so no extra chit chat or off topic discussions occur but compared to show's like 'The view' most of the time unnecessary discussion occur which in some way is entertaining to watch.
Here are another 2 examples ...
Review Show
Review shows commit them selves to reviewing something in a specific fields like books , cars , films etc. The show includes the presenters trying out these products and then talking about them , or may show the presenter doing a voice over over pre recorded footage or archive footage. These shows may have interviews with experts giving their opinion about the product and also be based in a studio as the main scene even though they may go out to test these products outside and have audience involvement.
The TV Book club :
The TV Book club broadcasts on channel 4 which has a very niche appeal , the programs aims to attract viewers who are interested in reading and books. The show hosts regular people in a set designed like a living room , each week the show reviews a book and the panel give their opinion on the book and review its content , they also have VT's of maybe the Author discussing why he or she may have written the book etc. The panel is kept the same as the people who are presenting the show love reading books and do it as a hobby , this is pretty much needed as the viewer would be able to tell the passion of the panel and how much they either liked or disliked the book they had decided to review.
Here are another 2 examples ...
Chat Show
Chat Shows are programs which talk about every day issues , these programs include judges who are very opinionated and over exaggerate situations and topics to entertain the viewer, Programs like this are very audience driven as the audience who are sitting in the usual scene which is a studio tend to boo or cheer to control the mind set of the viewers at home , this is normally done by the situations which and topics which are played out and discussed on the program and sometimes there are things such as a lie detector test and the audience judge the people on the show from these different elements.
Jerry Springer :
Jerry Springer is a chat show which shows the American public come onto a show to reveal their secrets and sort out their affairs and conflicts. Jerry springer is famous for its most outrageous situations and hard to believe situations , this is what makes the show very interesting for the viewer and most of the time people tune in to laugh at what is happening rather than sympathise with any characters , and purely because this show is not set in a serious tone compared to other chat show's. This type of documentary uses its multi camera and is most likely based in a studio to capture all the action thats taking place on set. The show has a very biased presenter who takes the situations less seriously and rather creates more humour and throws in punch lines even though sometimes he would voice his bias opinion on the situation. Other chat show's may consist of interviews with celebrities and experts but this show is based on normal people and their situations , this makes the show just a little more unreliable as we know nothing about the background of the characters appearing on stage so the question 'is this situation real or are these paid actors' does come across many peoples minds.
Another 2 examples ...
Magazine Show
Magazine shows bring together different elements of each documentary type , Magazine show's are mostly based in a studio with a regular presenter with constant VT's , live links and small discussion segments. The show ma also showcase other features like discussion , review etc with a group of experts they may interview , these type of shows some time's stick to one topic but some shows such as Daybreak may have lots of different segments such as news's which is live or next to live to keep the news up to date when it broadcast's on TV.
The one show :
The one show broadcasts on BBC ONE , this show has a lot of different elements towards it including reviews , interviews and also VT packages. The One Show is live or next to live as the news segments are kept up to date and so is the discussion , this is to make sure that these topics being shown and discussed are relevant to the viewers understanding, The show has different elements thrown into it such as interviewing celebrities , VT packages about cars and even clips about sheeps in Yorkshire so the layout of this show can change and be very unpredictable. Multi camera is used on basic studio set up and the cameras are always rolling as sometimes because this is a live show anything unexpected can happen and this can be vital to the audience and the show , another element to this is thats sometimes depending on how fast or slow the show is moving it can either be short on time or the show has more time to kill off , this calls for extra segments and extra lines in which the presenters might want to quickly cover this up for but they have to be ready for any type of situation as this is a live show and anything could happen. The mode of address is also important as the one show is a more of a very laid back and casual show so the on going presenters may wear causal clothing but compared to a show such as 'watch dog' this serious tone makes the show's presenters be dressed in a suit and tie so they can look the part.
Here are another 2 examples ...
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