Joshua Adekoya A2 Media Blog: Codes And Conventions :

Documentary Codes And Conventions :
Cutaways
Narration
Archive Footage
Conflict of opinions
VOXPOPS
Beginning-Middle-End
Fast paced from the start
Informative
Mostly Mixed
Observation
Opinion of an expert
Problem that is unsolved
Different locations used
Interviewees in thier own environment
Graphic below people talking
Eyeline needs to be a third way of the screen
Relevant Background
People need to be a third way of the screen
Light always behind camera
Music used in the background
Exposition made clear
Reconstructions
Match On Action
Sound effects used
Variety of interviews used
Variety of camera angles used
Editing
Opening title sequences
Simple Graphics

To find out what makes a good documentary i had to watch some examples for myself to find out the typical codes and conventions, this would then allow me to make my own documentary, and make sure it featured the common codes of conventions that a documentary should have.

Here are the Two Examples I Watched :

Simspons 20th Anniversary Documentary

In The Teeh Of Jaws Documentary

I found out many different codes and conventions while i was wacthing the Simpsons 20th Year Anniversary and the In The Teeth Of Jaws Documentary.

I found that while the interview was taking place the camera angle normally used was a medium or a close up shot.
The frame on the screen is also normally kept the same, where as the person being interviewed is normally framed to the left or the right of the screen.
I also noticed that the person being interviewed does not look directly at the camera but looks directly at the interviewer we took this into consideration and used this for ourself.
There is also a rule when it comes to what side the frame is on when the person is being interviewed, where as if the interviewee is on the right side of the frame then the interviewer should be postinoned on the left side and vice versa.
I also noticed that mise en scene around is always related in some way to the topic of the documentary or the topic of what they are talking about at that very moment and by doing this it informs the viewer more of the topic of dicussion and will give them more information about the topic of diccussion.
The interviewee is rarely filmed with any lighting behind them because it would make the focus of the shot more harder to see.
While watching the two documentaries i also noticed that you could not hear the questions being asked you could only hear the answers so the questions have been edited out, and instead shown in text form on screen.

I also noticed that there are two reasons why cut away shots are edited into interviews ;
1. As they break up the interview and it shows the current topic that is being talking about and makes it alot easier for the viewer to understand.

2. If it was just the interview with no cut away shots there is a possible chance there could be skipping within the filming and would make the documentary not flow very well, so to avoid this, the questions are edited out cut out shots are used.

Cut away shots either archive material or something the doucmentary has just been talking about.

Radio Advert Codes And Conventions

Ident at the end of the advert
Mentions the time and date of the programme
A voiceover which uses persuasive language to try and encourage listeners to watch the documentary
Catchy music which will stay in the listeners mind throughout the day, hopefully persuading them to watch the programme.