Website Analysis 3: Welcome to the last bookstore

Website Analysis 2: Pink Boy

Website Analysis 1: Chau, Beyond the lines

Conventions of Short Films (PREZI)

Conventions of Short Films

Codes and Conventions

Sound:

Usually, sounding documentaries contain both diegetic and non-diegetic. Both these are used for the audience to engage with the film that they are viewing. Every documentary must include sound or else it wouldn't interact with the audience the way it is meant to. Diegetic and non-diegetic sounds are conventional as it will allow documentaries bring out emotion. Diegetic sound is sound that can be heard by both audience and context. For example, sound from an interview would be considered diegetic. Non Diegetic sound on the other hand is used when a soundtrack is played, although the type of soundtrack played always deeds on the theme of the short film. For example, if the documentary were to be about a sportsman and his glory, then the music would be upbeat and motivational, whereas if the genre was based on crime and death etc, then  the music will be slow and more thrilling. This is important because it always affects the audience making them feel  a specific way toward the film. Making it that if there were no non-diegetic sound whatsoever it wouldnt be worth watching at all.

Real Footage: 

This is used in documentaries to make it seem as real as possible without the use of reconstruction shots to make the audience believe what they watch. The realer the footage, the more the audience will feel as if they are living the life of the people involved in the documentary and allow them to understand it more than they would if the footage was non-fictional. Also the audience would be viewing truthful documentaries rather than untruthful ones.

Reconstructions:

In documentaries these are artificial scenes that have been re-filmed to make it as close to what had happened in real life. This is usually done because it gives knowledge to the audience if there were no site of real evidence in order for them to have an idea of what had happened. However, most documentaries use techniques such as blurring or even distorting the shots to indicate that its not the real deal.

Voice Over:

These are one of the most common aspects of documentaries. A voice over is a type of non-diegetic sound, the reason for this is because it is often from a narration that aims directly nat the audience to understand what is happening and what sort of information is being given out throughout the short film. 

Textual Analysis 3: AT&T texting and driving documentary - 'The Last Text'

The documentary shown talks about how text messages being sent or received may be the cause of deaths around the world. If you take your eyes off the road for even a second, it will cause you regret for the rest of you life. No matter the length of the message, a glimpse away from the road is a glimpse to your death bed.

This documentary is based on texting and driving. It involves the relatives of the lost ones being interviewed as well as the ones who had survived and suffered. Various shots are of the accident sites or even the victims' homes where their family show the pictures of the lost ones.

Editing in this short film is very generic, basic and slow paced. This is shown throughout the documentary due to a clip cutting to a picture then back to either the same interview or even another one. This was done because the main focus was to inform the viewer how others would react to car accidents whether a life was taken or not. No transitions were included other than fades at both the beginning and end, making the documentary as emotional as possible.

There isn't an attire set specifically because of this documentary being informative that is based more on interviews than a fictional story. Genre is shown to be dramatic caused from the emotion and sadness in the body language of the interviewees. For every scene the lighting is more or less Low key giving the perfect gloomy mood which then instantly relates to the story. The camera works are very simple and consistent through out. Most of the shots went from close ups, Mid close ups and wide shots. 

Textual Analysis 2: The impact of your choice-underage drinking and reckless driving

This documentary looks at deaths of people which are caused by car crashes due to the reckless driving of underaged children. They dive straight into the accidental deaths of victims of DUI's from the families and enforcers perspective of such crime. The enforcers are shown expressing how they regret their reckless and irresponsible driving, wishing that they were able to take back the damage they had made. The grieving of the family members is shown as well, even years later.

The documentary is introduced to us with a shot of a teenage girl sitting by a gravestone making it set in the graveyard, immediately setting the funereal and mournful mood. Using natural light they make it as low-key as possible to create the dark atmosphere.

Afterwards, the screen fades to black while the dynamic sentence, 'We Make Choices', appears on screen, this, in addition to the previous shot work together to deliver a powerful emotional impact on the viewer which results in the audience considering and thinking about the choices they have made throughout their life.

Editing in this documentary is slow paced in the sense that there are many long takes that linger over the characters expressions that are within the film showcasing their inner problems to the viewer. Continuity editing is very carefully calculated to alternate between shots of the family members and the victim themselves in unravelling the events of the night of the victims deaths. Each member in the documentary is in agreement of disproving the acts on reckless driving and even driving whilst they're intoxicated.

The music being played in the background is an intensified piano tune used to raise the extremity of the audiences emotions.

Textual Analysis 1: Sealine Reckless Driving

This short film is based on deaths and injuries committed by young reckless drivers at sealing beach in Doha, Qatar. The documentary portrays the concerns of younger people being killed specifically at sealine beach and informing the audience on the dangers of such careless acts.

 Editing in this documentary is relatively slow. This is very clear because the cuts occur during the interviews whereby the interviewee would provide knowledge about the topic later cutting into an example of what is being described. This showing that there is not much suspense when it comes to the genre and how the editing of the shots have been done. Another aspect of the editing was nthe use of faded transitions going into information added on a black screen. Using straight cuts allows the documentary to seem more serious and let the information intrigue the audience watching it.

The documentary is very informative considering because it is being portrayed as slightly adventurous and also due to there being very clear explanation throughout by both paramedics, witnesses etc.  Lighting is both high key and low key making it conventional because it shows both emotion and perfect exposure of the interviewees to allow their expressions to be more clear. There isn't a set costume or even prop theme due to having all shots be realistic rather than reconstructed. These accessories are unnecessary as they would make the documentary less gloomy. Although the camera work was very simple throughout and there was a constant use of mid shots. This is sen because the interviews need to be clearer to show all the body language to explain the stories in more detail. The footage used in Sealine were all in wide mode and even mid shots to bring out the atmosphere and life.

In conclusion the documentary was created not for professionalism but for the sake of saving peoples lives therefore allowing the editing to be less skilled than usual. The documentary overall has a variety of shots in different angles of each perspective of the environment. The cuts between each shot were quick and sharp allowing it to be more efficient.