Angry Boys

Synopsis:  the show explores the issues faced by young males in the 21st century – their influences, their pressures, their dreams and ambitions. In Angry Boys, Lilley plays multiple characters: S.mouse, a black American rapper; Jen, a manipulative Japanese mother; Blake Oakfield, a champion surfer; Ruth "Gran" Sims, a guard at a juvenile detention facility; and her grandchildren, South Australian twins Daniel and Nathan Sims.

Background Info:

• It's Chris Lilley's next series after Summer Heights High
• It includes characters Daniel and Nathan from 'We Can Be Heroes'
• Australian Television
• Follow on from 'Summer Heights High'

Comments from Critics:

• The result is a joy, excruciating but somehow also warm, the funniest thing I've seen for ages. I really did lol. - Sam Wollaston (Guardian)
• Pushing the boundaries of political correctness to breaking point, Lilley has delivered exactly what his fans expect - and why TV critics have hailed him an ``outrageous comic genius.'' - Holly Byrnes and Shoba Rao (Herald Sun)

Style Of Documentary: Mockumentary, fictitious events are presented in documentary format for comical effect.


Guidance: Some Strong Language

Ali G Indahouse

Synopsis:  Ali G is the leader of Da West Staines Massiv, a fictional gang composed of a group of wannabe gangsters from Staines (a small suburban town to the west of London); their chief rivals are Da East Staines Massiv. Ali and Da West Staines Massiv are heartbroken to learn that their beloved local leisure centre will be demolished by the local council. Ali and his friends decide to protest this injustice.

Background Info:

• Ali G is played by British comedian Sacha Baren Cohen
• Michael Gambon who plays Professor Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films plays the Prime Minister
  
  
  
  
  

Comments from Critics:

• Delivers more than its fair share of saucy hilarity. - Neil Smith (BBC)
• A raw comedy that is intermittently hilarious as it attacks pretty much every taboo around. - Mark Adams (Hollywood Reporter)

Style Of Documentary: Mockumentary, fictitious events are presented in documentary format for comical effect.

Summer Heights High

Synopsis:  It is a parody of high-school life epitomised by its three protagonists: effeminate and megalomaniacal "Director of Performing Arts" Mr G; self-absorbed, privileged teenager Ja'mie King; and disobedient, vulgar Tongan student Jonah Takalua.

Background Info:

• All 3 main characters are played by Chris Lilley, he is also the creator of the series. Obviously this means that these 3 characters never interact.
• It lampoons Australian high school life.
• It followed on from Chris Lilley's last successful series (also a mockumentary) 'We Can Be Heroes'
• Australian Television

Comments from Critics:

• All in all, it's a rich work, full of detail and small moments, and grounded in reality by an utterly believable supporting cast partly drawn from the school where the series was shot. - Robert Lloyd, (Los Angeles Times)
• Lilley's script and performances are rife with recognizable personalities, neuroses and human absurdities. - Tom Shales (Washington Post)
• The only bad thing about Summer Heights High is that it makes a lot of American comedies look pathetically unoriginal and lackluster by comparison. - Heather Havrilesky (Salon)

Style Of Documentary: Mockumentary, fictitious events are presented in documentary format for comical effect.

Biggie and Tupac (2002)

Synopsis: Documentary on the deaths of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls and the East Coast/West Coast, hip-hop/rap rivalry that culminated in late 1996 and early 1997.

Comments Made By Broomfield:

• "They were extremely intimidating," Broomfield told Current. "They weren't saying anything like they were going to beat us up, but they were asking which hotel were we staying in, what kind of car were we driving. And they intimidated us to the point where half of my crew refused to do the interview."
• "I was asked to employ off-duty police officers for security," Broomfield said, "which was prohibitively expensive. You just can't do that for each showing. So distribution was an enormous problem. They imagined gunfights breaking out and all kind of stuff. In fact, none of that happened."

Comments Made By Critics:

• Compulsively watchable and endlessly inventive as it transforms Broomfield's limited materials into a compelling argument. - Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)
• Broomfield turns his distinctive 'blundering' style into something that could really help clear up the case. - Alan Morrison (Empire Magazine)
• The footage of the rappers at play and the prison interview with Suge Knight are just two of the elements that will grab you. - Peter Travers (Rolling Stone)

Style Of Documentary: 'Biggie & Tupac' the documentary is shot in mainly participatory style yet also includes an expository style side of things as he tries to get to the bottom of who the shooter was.

Other: While the film remains inconclusive, when asked "Who killed Tupac?" in a BBC Radio interview dated March 7, 2005, Broomfield stated (quoting Snoop Dogg) "The big guy next to him in the car... Suge Knight."

Nick Broomfield

Nick Broomfield

Documentary Modes and Conventions

Reflexive - This documentary style aims to gain an emotional, subjective response from the viewer. The voiceover (when present) is usually questioning and uncertain. It relies on suggested and implied meaning rather than the facts. Louis Theroux's documentaries are all reflexive but do share their conventions with other modes.

Observational - In this documentary mode there is location shooting carried out on handheld cameras, long takes dominate, there is lots of synchronous sound and it has no voiceover or interviews. The documentary-maker's presence is hidden and the subjects pretend that they are not being filmed. Luc Jacquet's March Of The Penguins is a good example of this mode.

Participatory - The documentary maker and crew interact with the subject, interviews dominate but they usually tend to be informal. Archive material is used throughout and location shooting is done with a handheld camera. Long takes dominate and there is usually a voiceover performed by the documentary-maker. Nick Broomfield participates and gets involved with the subjects in his documentaries and can often be seen in the final film.

Expository - In this documentary mode there is normally a voiceover which addresses the audience directly. It may either be the 'voice of god' (heard but not seen) or the 'voice of authority' (heard and seen). Images/footage used to ilustrate the voiceover. Editing is used for continuity and the aim of the documentary is to persuade the audience of a particular point of view. Michael Moore's documentaries are very expository.

Poetic - Documentary-maker gives subjective view and there is a particular mood/tone created. It is percieved as avant-garde and most situations are under-developed and can be left unsolved. Robert J Flaherty's documentaries are an example of this mode.

Proposal

We were asked in class to create a proposal for a documentary, this was to give us the experience of a real-life proposal and allow us to analyse a documentary by its style. Here is the proposal:

"This is a proposal for a one-hour documentary based upon the death of Chris Benoit (former WWE wrestler), to be shown on terrestrial television on a weekday between 7pm-10pm.

This documentary would be shot as a reflexive/expository style documentary with the filmmaker being in front of the camera and conducting interviews with people close to the deceased. This would be the reflexive element of the documentary and the exposition of Chris Benoit’s suicide and double murder would be classed as the expository part of the documentary.

Unfortunately due to the fact that Chris Benoit is already dead, the observational technique can not be used and therefore the two chose documentary forms would be the most suitable for this documentary, fully engaging the audience and narrating them through on-screen footage throughout.

The documentary will be filmed in and around Fayetteville, Georgia in the United States of America. The main footage will be based at the location of the double murder and suicide which is also the home of Chris Benoit. The filmmaker will also travel to the homes of relatives and surrounding area to gain an idea of the everyday lives of those around him.

Chris Benoit’s parents, Michael and Martina, will be the main interviewees throughout because he knew him best and the problems he experienced, this is obviously only an option if he chooses to oblige. If possible then an interview with the officers who discovered the bodies would be good because it allows the filmmaker to give the audience a deeper insight into the case and how it unfurled.

The filmmaker will simply give a voiceover and pose questions and engage in conversation with the interviewee’s to gain an insight into the life and times of Chris Benoit.

3 examples of similar documentaries:

Kurt and Courtney

Michael Jackson’s death

Princess Diana’s death"

Louis Theroux and The Nazis - Class Viewing

In this documentary that we watched in class, Louis travels to meets the man dubbed 'the most dangerous racist in America', Tom Metzger. Along the way he meets other modern day Nazis and investigates their beliefs and way of life.

In terms of construction this documentary involves:

• Several interviews with subjects

• Around a couple of minutes of footage before the title sequence which engages the audience and introduces the subject matter at the same time.

• The documentary is dominated by long takes.

• Present are synchronous sound for example the speech and any other noises on screen and asynchronous sound when the voiceover is used and when music is played during the title sequence and at relevant points in the documentary. An example of the asynchronous sound is the mexican band music which is played when they enter Mexico on their trip.

• The manner of the interviewing and whole documentary is quite informal which is often the best way when dealing with the people Louis does!

• Most of the shots are taken on a handheld/steadicam camera apart from the location shots/establishing shots at the beginning of scenes which are shot using a tripod.

• At the end of most scenes there is a black screen transition into the next scene, this is more prominent in controversial parts of the documentary after a particularly shocking or disturbing scene because there isn't anything else that can be said after it.

• The scenes in this documentary are very tense and awkward, particularly because Louis is Jewish and obviously the modern day Nazis (and original Nazis) would have normally beat up/killed a Jewish person.

• Seeing as the camera crew are following Louis throughout the documentary therefore the main shot used along with motivated cuts and mid shots is the tracking shot as they follow Louis as he moves from one place to another.

• The documentary ends in the same way it began with Louis approaching the house, of Tom Metzger (above) and a frog figurine croaking at him, completing a full circle story.

Here is an extract from the documentary:

Michael Moore

Michael Moore is an American author, liberal political commentator and filmmaker. He is the director and producer of:

• Bowling For Columbine
• Fahrenheit 9/11
• Sicko
• Capitalism: A Love Story

These are four of the top ten highest-grossing documentaries of all time!

Moore is very critical of certain people and things in his documentaries, for example the documentary Bowling For Columbine takes a critical look at the causes of the Columbine High School massacre and other acts of violence with guns.

Some examples of his work are:

Sicko (2007)

• The film investigates health care in the United States, focusing on its health insurance and the pharmaceutical industry.
  
• 'Sicko' was awarded the Palme D'Or (top honour) at the Cannes Film Festival and was the first documented film to win that award since 1956.
  
  
  
  
  

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

• The film takes a critical look at the presidency of George W. Bush, the War on Terror, and its coverage in the news media.
  
• 'Fahrenheit 9/11' was also awarded a Palme D'Or and recieved a 20 minute long standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival (the longest standing ovation in the festival's history)
  
  
  
  
  

Here's a clip from the documentary film:

You can take a further look at Moore and his work at Michael's website!

Louis Theroux

Louis Theroux is a British/American documentary maker known best for his BBC2 specials in which he documented all sorts of controversial and challenging topics.

Louis has made a name for himself by seeking out the weird and the wonderful characters in the world and managing to get up close and personal with them. He uses his good natured and harmless manner to reach the heart of the people and let them show more of themselves than they intended to.


He has presented 42 documentaries in total over 13 years and these have gained critical acclaim from many critics.


Some examples are:


The Most Hated Family In America (2007)

• In this documentary Louis finds himself struggling to come to terms with the infamous family who picket the funerals of soldiers in protest against an America that tolerates homosexuality.
  
• This documentary invokes emotion in the viewer because the subjects religious views are so extreme therefore the viewer will either strongly agree or strongly disagree. The audience may not know about these sort of people and therefore it enlightens them and allows them to form opinions on these people and agree or disagree with their views.
  

Miami Mega Jail: Part 1 (2011)

• In this documentary Louis spends time in "Main Jail" (PTDC), one of the most notorious sections of the Miami jail system, including time on the fifth and sixth floors of the PTDC. This is where many of the most volatile inmates are held.
  
• This documentary is an eye opener to the audience as to what goes on in the Miami jail system. It is quite unknown so when Louis goes in and documents what goes on, how it is organised and talks to inmates it is highly interesting for the viewer.
  
• Here is an extract from the programme:
  
  
  
  

Considering he's metres away from serial killers and rapists he stays fairly calm I'd say!

Here is a list of all the documentaries Louis Theroux has made:

• Louis Theroux Documentaries

You can also keep up to date with the documentaries and goings on at Louis' Website!