Types of Narrative Structures of Documentaries:

• Open- There are questions left unanswered at the end. The audience is left to make there own minds up, about the issue.
• Example: 'Assisted Suicide'.
• Closed- There are no loose ends, everything is tied up at the end, there is a definite ending.
• Example: '9/11 documentaries'.
• Linear- The documentary is in chronological order, where events occur in the time they did in real life. 
• Example: '9/11 documentaries'.
• Non-Linear- The events do not occur in chronological order, the events are out of sync with each other. 
• Example: The use of flashbacks.
• Single strand- There is only one narrative thread. Most documentaries are this type.
• Example: It only follows the life of one person, or event of or one animal.  
• Multi-strand- There is more than one narrative thread in the same programme. These may overlap and tie together at the end of the programme. Thre are documentaries with a central theme.
• Example: 'Dissabilities', but they follow different stories.
• Circular- At the start a question is asked, the narrative explores the question then returns to it at the end.
• Example: 'Topic Loop', The start and the end of the documentary are asking the same thing. 
• Visuals- Television is a visual medium. The programme needs to be visually stimulating, and maintain audiences interest. 
• Archive material- This would include the stock footage.
• Example: street scenes, countryside, motorways, cityskapes, football crowds, historical footage, extract from TV, film and radio, newspaper front pages etc. 
• Interviews- This is the most important aspect of a documentary. Interviews can be held anywhere but the mise on scene is important when relating to the topic or issue.
• Vox pops- This is short for 'Vox populis' which is the voice of the people. Ask one question to lots of people and then most interesting or entertaining to use in the programme it can get a good cross section of audience. 
• Voice Over- Can affect or alter the meaning., it anchors the meaning of the visuals and the voice over acts as glue holding the narrative together.
• Gate keeping- selection and reflection of informalities far from the programme.
• Construction of reality- By editing and gate keeping procedures contruct an artificial picture of reality.

Different Types of Documentary:

• Fully narrated- An off screen voice over is used to make sense of the visuals and dominate there meaning e.g. natural history documentaries. The narrator always seems authorative "voice of god".
• Foley Artists create sound effects. 
• Mixed- These use a combination of interview, observation and narration to advance the arguement.
• Fly OnThe Wall- The camera is 'unseen' or 'ignored' and simply records every minute of real events as they happen. There is often no narration leaving audience to reach their own conclusions.
• Example: 'Terry Prattchet is from a french film movement 'Cinema Verite' which means 'Truth Cinema'.
• Self reflective- When the subject of the documentary acknowledges the presence of the camera and speaks directly to the documentary maker.
• Towie- These type of documentaries are a docusoap but scripted. They blur the boundary between fact and fiction.
• Docudrama- A re-enacment of events as though they have actually happened.
• Example: 'Crime Watch'.
• Docusoap- These documentaries follow the lives of individuals usually with designated occupations.
• Example: 'Airline'.
• 'The Only Way Is Essex and The Hills are examples of a docusoap but taken to the next level, they are sripted. This blurrs the lines between the documentary and soap.

About The Documentary Genre:

A documentary is documenting something that has actually happened. The purpose being to provide the audience with an insight into a topic they may not know about. Documentaries inform and can educate an audience about a topic. This must be done in an entertaining way, to sustain the interest of the audience. John G Pierson coined the term 'documentary' in 1926.

Entertainment is more important today due to the range of new programmes and the choice of channels today; due to audience fragmentation. There are specific channels used for documentaries e.g. 'The History channel' and 'Blighty', which are examples of narrowcasting.

Introduction

For my A2 Media coursework, we will get into groups and produce the opening 5 minutes including titles of a 30 minute television documentary programme. We will also produce a radio trailer and a newspaper advertisement to promote the programme.