Unit 27: Factual ProgrammeProduction Techniques For Television

BY CHIZERA WHITROD

In this powerpoint I shall attempt to understand the codes and conventions of factual programming for television. To do this I shall firsty cover the historical context of the factual progamme, before analyzing the codes and conventions of up to three different types of factual programmes. It is hope that my own factual programme will improve as a consequence.

During the period of the 1930s-1940s there were documentaries made talking about the wars that were common during this period. Most of the films were produced in the major economies such as the USA and Britain as well. In Britain, a documentary film maker known as Humphrey Jennings produced two successful war propaganda documentary film; Fires Were Started and A Diary for Timothy. During 1960 to 1970, most of the documentary films were used to drive political agendas against neocolonialism and capitalism especially in Latin America. Some of the most influential documentary filmmakers of this period are Octvia Getimoand Fernando E. Solanas.

History

Here are a few of the codes and conventions of a factual programme; Anchor/Presenter, field reporter/correspondent, new readers, links to the studio, modes of address to viewer, interviewing, experts witnesses facts and statistics, report structure, documentary formats and actual footage/

images.

Codes And Conventions

An Anchor/ presenter is someone who simply introduces the content of thefactual programme. These can work in many formats of broadcasting withinfactual programming such as radio or TV. Often in TV the presenter are in agreen screen in order to add visuals to the story, such as relevant videos andimages. The presenter themselves are often dressed formally and professional.They also talk formally and only use appropriate language as they are notthere to offend audiences. Finally they are also non-bias as the audienceshould be allowed to decide on there own opinion without feelingoverpowered by opinion. However they can change the way in which they talkdepending on the content of the factual programme.

Here are some examples of presenters within factual programming; BillTurnball and Sian Williams from the BBC, Jon Snow and Cathy Newman fromchannel 4.

Anchor/ Presenter

A field reporter also known as a correspondent is someone who reports from another area which the programme is associated with. They also provide the finer detail and additional coverage. Field reporters often take out their own research and write their own script. One of the disadvantages with field reporters is some people from the public attempt to get in shot and this cant be edited in live new broadcasts.

For example if the content is associated with the prime minster there will be a correspondent outside of 10 Downing street

However many correspondents actually specialise in a specific area. For example MichealCrick is a political correspondent for Channel 4.

Another important type is an overseas correspondent who will report from a foreign country. Many institutions have an overseas correspondent in majority of countries who are on call in case a story takes place in that country.

An example of some correspondents are; Juliet Bremmer and Ben Chapmen from ITV and Alex Thomson and Siobhan kenny from channel 4.

Correspondent/Field Reporter

News reader don’t use certain dialect as they have to have a formal approach for the news. Also they don’t use specific dialect as it may confuse the audience. News reader also are not allowed to a bias approach and have to be politically correct.

National news readers often dont have an accent but instead have a neutral accent which is understandable by all audiences. However regional news readers usually have local accent which allows the local audiences to relate to the news reader.

News readers often use loaded language as a propaganda technique. For example during the Falklands war politicians pressured news readers to say ‘our troops’ rather than ‘British tropos’. However news readers would prefer to say ‘British troops’ so they are considered to be trustworthy by other countries.

News Readers (language)

Links to the studio is simply where the main news studio will link to another filming set whether it be to a correspondent or an interview with someone. Often this will use presenters in the studio holding a conversation with another person. This is a common convention in mainstream news such as ITV or BBC

Links To The studio

The mode of address is how the reporter presents the news to the viewer or listeners depending on the target audience. For example the BBC and ITV use formal and precise language, where as BBC Three or Channel 5 is less formal as they have younger target audience. Also BBC Three contains a lot of celebrity news due to their younger target audience. BBC Three does have 60 second news as the news doesnt actually appeal to the audience of BBC Three.

Modes of Address To Viewer

Interviewing is when a reporter will question someone in order to add content to the programme. There are many types of interviews within factual programming. One of them is interviewing the public this is often done to create a non-bias approach to the programme and will feature two opinions to support this. Another one is an interview with and expert to allow the programme to provide more information to the audience. Finally there is often an interview with a witness if the content is about an event which happened.

Interviewing

An expert in a specific area if often used in order to provide facts and figures to inform the audience. This then reassures the audience, and provides them with extra information to decide on their opinion. Facts and statistics also are used to inform the audience to create a more knowledgeable approach to the facual programme. However these all are often used to inform the audience but with a different approach, as its to create a knowledgeable approach to what’s actually happened rather than the facts associated with the intent. This often happens when strange or shocking event had took place. These witnesses would be interviewed in order to provide the factual programme with original content.

Experts, Witnesses, Facts and Statistics

A report structure is simply to steps which the programme follows while putting it across to the audience. It will often start with the presenter putting across the headlines for the progamme (usually 4/5) and then will refer back to the first story in more depth. This will start with the headline name and then and introduction explaining the story to the audience. Then the presenter will cross over to someone else whether it be an expert, witness, or correspondent. This will either be vis a video call or by joining to presenter in the studio. Or the factual programme will go into cutaways and visual effects with a correspondent providing a voice over. This structure is what makes the factual programme recognizable as a factual programme.

Report Structure

A documentary format is simply a format which follows the convention of a documentary. Six different ‘modes’ have been identitfied. These are; poetic, expository, observational, participatory, reflexive and performative.

Reflexive- A reflexive documentary reflects on real life. An example of this David Atenborough’s “Frozen Planet”.

Expository-This is a documentary which is less formal that contains visuals which are more pleasing and enteratining to the audience. These don’t follow the strict conventions of a documentary. An example of this is ‘Nanock Of North’.

Observational- This is where the documentary uses only one camera which ‘observes’ the world. An example of this is ‘lift’.

Documentary Formats

Performative- This is a documentary which empathizes the ‘subjective nature of the documentary’. It also empathizes the emotional and social impact of the audience. An example of this Morton Riggs ‘Tounges United’.

Poetic- This is a documentary which focuses on the subjective interpreation of the subject rather than the objective interpretation. An example of this is Robert Flasherty’s ‘Man of Aran’.

Participatory- This is where the film maker has direct address with the subject and is actually included within the documentary. An example of this is Nick Broomfields ‘kurt and courtney’

This is where actual footage or an image has been taken of the subject. This is often done in and epic public event. An example of this is when 9/11 as there was real footage of the plane crashing into the second twin tower.

Actual Footage/ Images

http://media-studies.tki.org.nz/Teaching-media-studies/Media-concepts/Codes-and-conventions

http://www.channel4.com/producers-handbook/c4-guidelines/factual-programme-guidelines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factual_television

http://media-studies.tki.org.nz/Teaching-media-studies/Media-concepts/Codes-and-conventions

Bibliography