How Do You Analyze A Documentary Film?

1. Identify the film’s main argument and / or purpose.
2. Provide a brief summary of the film and the “main characters” in and “plot” of the film.

What are the 5 elements of a documentary?

• Subjects. The subject is what your documentary is about. …
• Purpose. The purpose is what the filmmaker is trying to say about the subjects of their film. …
• Form. The form is the formative process of the film. …
• Production method and technique. …
• Audience experience.

What important elements do you need to consider in analyzing a documentary?

• Each scene of a documentary film is like a paragraph in a written paper: it presents one main idea that helps support the main idea or argument of the entire film. …
• What sights and sounds does Moore present in the scene?

How do you analyze a film?

1. Plot: What was the movie about? …
2. Themes and Tone: What was the central goal of the movie? …
3. Acting and Characters: Did you like how the characters were portrayed? …
4. Direction: Did you like how the director chose to tell the story? …
5. Score: Did the music support the mood of the movie?

How do you characterize a documentary film?

The American film critic Pare Lorentz defines a documentary film as “

a factual film which is dramatic

.” Others further state that a documentary stands out from the other types of non-fiction films for providing an opinion, and a specific message, along with the facts it presents.

How do you write a good documentary analysis?

1. Step 1 Give details of the documentary. …
2. Step 2 Explain the purpose of the documentary. …
3. Step 3 State your prior knowledge of the subject. …
4. Step 4 Summarise the documentary. …
5. Step 5 Talk about the sound effects, camera work, interviews and special effects. …
6. Step 6 Give personal comments and recommendation.

What is the meaning of documentary analysis?

Documentary analysis (document analysis) is

a type of qualitative research in which documents are reviewed by the analyst to assess an appraisal theme

. Dissecting documents involves coding content into subjects like how focus group or interview transcripts are investigated.

What is the key element of documentary?

Documentaries

focus on something other than the general human condition

. It involves individual human actions and relationships. These elements are considered a region of narrative fiction, and drama. Generally, documentaries focus on something more specific and factual.

What are some documentary techniques?

• Voice-over. The voice-over in a documentary is a commentary by the filmmaker, spoken while the camera is filming, or added to the soundtrack during the production. …
• Archival footage. …
• Reenactment. …
• Direct and Indirect Interviews. …
• Montage. …
• Exposition. …
• Wallpaper Technique. …
• Actuality.

How do you film a documentary by yourself?

1. Tell a story you care about. Start with a subject that excites you. …
2. Research. Learn everything you can about your documentary subject. …
3. Make a Plan. Create an outline. …
4. Create a Shot List. …
5. Start Shooting. …
6. Write a Script. …
7. Begin Editing. …
8. Check Legal and Copyright Issues.

What are the 8 elements of film?

• Theme. Central idea of a film. …
• Screenwriting. Narrative Structure, what makes it good.
• Visual Design. What the scene is made up of. …
• Cinematography. Various points of view the camera can take.
• Editing. Joining shot to shot an combining the video. …
• Sound and Music. What we hear?
• Acting. …
• Directing.

What should a film analysis include?

A good script has

a logical sequence of events, completion of scenes, characters development, and dialogs

. So, these are the elements you should analyze when it comes to the scenario. After watching the film, try to reproduce the plot mentally and see if you understood the logic of events and the motives of the actors.

What are the elements of a film review?

The Essential Elements of Film Reviews. David Bordwell suggests in his book Making Meaning, that there are four key components present in film reviews. These components consist of

a condensed plot synopsis, background information, a set of abbreviated arguments about the film, and an evaluation.

What is the importance of documentary analysis?

Documents

can provide supplementary research data

, making document analysis a useful and beneficial method for most research. Documents can provide background information and broad coverage of data, and are therefore helpful in contextualizing one’s research within its subject or field (Bowen, 2009).

What is documentary analysis in history?

Documentary analysis is a popular method in a wide range of social sciences, as well as the arts. In essence, it means

taking a systematic approach to understanding and interpreting documents

. It can be used as a research method in history, looking at archives of soldiers’ diaries, for example.