Documentary Codes and Conventions

• Interiewee in medium close up or close up whilst filming. E.g. A medium close up of The Simpsons interviewee.

• The interviewee is frameeed to the left or right hand side of the screen, however this can be varied if there is more than one interview to keep the audience interested. E.g. In the Jaws' interview the producer is filmed on the right hand side whereas, the editor is filmed on the left hand side.

• The rule of thirds is followed with the framily as the eyeline is roughly being a third of the way down the screen E.g. Jaws is filmed this way.

• The interviewer must be sitting opposite the interviewee so they are not looking directly at the camera. E.g. the interviewee is positioned on the left hand side therefore, the interviewer is positioned on the right hand side.

• The mise-en-scene must be relevant to the interview to reinforce the content to provide more information for the audience.

• Questions asked are usually edited out meaning that the interviewee must reinforce the question for their question to make sense to the audience.

• A light source must not be seen in the background of the interview however, The Jaws interview is filmed in front of window but the blinds have been shut to make sure no light is let in to avoid distractions.

• Cutaways are usually edited into interviews to break it up and to give the audience more information about the content. Cutaways are also used to jumps in the interview from editing. E.g. In Jaws the cutaways are of the film to show the relevance.

• Graphics are also used which anchor who the person on the screen is and their input into the documentary. E.g. the producer's name and title is used on the screen.