Planning the Documentary

In class we have discussed the issues we need to analyse in order to have a successful Documentary.

Form and Conventions

• Observational\ Expository documentary mode
• Voice-over
• Not A series- One off
• Interviews
• Archive footage

These are our initial ideas which will be developed into our documentary. We have decided to produce our documentary partially in an observational mode because we want the Viewer to make his mind up himself rather than being influenced by our opinions. We want it to be a One off because 1. I don't think people would be to keen on watching a series of documentaries about Christmas and 2. to put impact on the importance of our subject. The interviews we are going to show

Institutions

• film four
• Sponsorship

These are the initial idea about how our documentary will be financed and produced. However I think after further research our Idea will change.

Audience

• TV audience - possibly 20-35 years of age ?
• Middle-class
• Family-orientated

The audience we are trying to target is middle-aged and relatively mature. We want our audience to have basic knowledge of sociological aspects in order to understand the point we are bringing across. I think our documentary could be of interest to younger generations too, however we want our documentary to be at an intellectual standard that one would need simple understanding of the economy, religious values and society in order to be interested.

Representations

• Messages and Values -> children -> Socialisation of children in traditional/ non- traditional Christmas
• Religious diversity
• Commercialisation
• Capitalism

What we are trying to show is the Perception of Christmas in society. Another issue important to us is to try and portray whether Christmas is an invention of capitalism and how much today's Christmas still has to do with its origin, the birth of Christ.