Codes and Conventions of a Documentary

• People are framed in a medium shot, medium close up and close up when being interviewed.
• When there are a number of interviewers thy use a range of shots and frame them from the left or right of the screen.
• The rule of thirds is used, this is where a persons eye line is a third of the way down the frame.
• Interviewees do not look at the camera they look at the interviewer.
• The interviewer and interviewee are always on opposite sides, if the interviewer is on the left the interviewee is on the right.
• The background reinforces the content of the interview.
• The light is always in front of the interviewee and never in front of the interviewer.
• When a interviewer asks questions they are always edited out.
• There are two reasons for why cutaways are used. 1. To avoid jump cuts when the questions are edited out. 2. To show what the interview was talking about and to break it up.
• Cut aways are used when some one suggest something after the interview so they film it after, when they incorporate other cameras e.g to do close ups etc.
• Graphics are used to show the relevance of the interview and the interviewee. 

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