DISPATCHES: Do you know your partners past? Synopsis: Dispatches in a TV series which covers current affairs and issues. This particular documentary I viewed follows Tina Nash, a victim of domestic violence. Her partner is jailed after gouging her eyes out and domestically abusing her in her own home. Tina is now blind and she follows the investigation into how social workers and the Police prevent any damage or risks to victims of domestic violence by their partner. |
Content of documentary:
It informs the audience of the programmes and skills that is available to support victims of this ongoing violence. The investigation specifically looks into how support workers and the Police can find out about a partners past to see whether they have any history connected to domestic violence. We hear two sides of the story from the victims and the social workers to show how affective these schemes are to prevent any victims getting hurt.
The main scheme that is introduced is called 'Clare's Law' where support workers talk to the abusive partner and help the victim aswell as seeing if there is any history of violence. If there is no history the support workers can not take any action and the victim is left suffering. However the problem which arises is whether these schemes and other programmes such as the 'Freedom programme' work and help victims to prevent them getting hurt.
The 'Clare's Law' scheme also seems to invade in the privacy of the relationship which as result can ruin the relationship further between the partners.
The documentary shows how social workers and Police interact and communicate with the victims
How it affected me:
The documentary makes the audience become more aware of the ongoing issue of domestic violence and what support is out there. It also questions whether your own partner may have a possible violent history you are unknown to. It creates a bigger concern to the issue as you become shocked to Tina's unfortunate and sad incident.
When I watched this documentary it really shocked me how much you can not necessarily trust your partner as anything can happen to you. Tina's incident was very upsetting and it does make you want to help people like Tina.
I particularly liked the way the two sides were displayed from the support workers and victims so you can gain two different perspectives of the issue and how domestic violence can be stopped.
You respect and appreciate the amount of work that is put in by the social workers and empathise to how much they want to help victims.
Elements used in documentary:
A female narrator, uses direct form of address, interviews with social workers and victims, shows statistics of the amount of men and women were victims in 2010, shows a resolution to the issue, shows how the social workers help with two different types of domestic violence support programmes, uses actors voices to when a victim doesn't want to be seen or heard, uses images, subtle music to create an atmosphere and mood.
Modes of documentary:
Observational Mode:
Allows the audience to think for themselves, creates meaning and emotion and shocks the audience, shows how easy it is for a person to be isolated and manipulated by their partner who claims to love them.
Performative Mode:
This issue needs to be heard and viewed by a wide audience as domestic violence affects many people.
Expository Mode:
The narrator helps shape the story, moves the story forward, introduces each section, directly informing the audience, engages the audience.
Participatory Mode:
The support workers are made aware of Tina Nash and when she will be arriving at the location where the Freedom programme and Clare's Law is run. They are involved in the investigation.
Camera work:
Mainly establishing shots, mid shots, people placed mainly to the left or right of the camera, close ups to create an emphasis of emotion, panning shots, simple shots.
All You Need Is Cash - The Rutles 1978 Mockumentary by Eric Idle about a band called The Rutles who are an interpretation of The Beatles. The Rutles are a fictional band created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes in a television programme. The programme became so popular they decided to produce a mockumentary about the band. The mockumentary itself takes the mick of the seriousness of documentaries and does this by using subtle humour. The comedy is also gained from the journey of The Ratles and the events taken place using drama and exaggeration. The narrator within this mockumentary acts as a comedian by acting witty and spontaneous. |
Content of mockumentary:
Gives the audience a fake and constructed interpretation of The Beatles lifestyle and fame.
Insight into the Beatles history.
To make the audience laugh.
To educate the audience.
Follows the chronology of The Beatles.
Music driven.
How it affected me:
I never really watch mockumentaries as they are not popular but when watching this I found it simply hilarious and genius. The documentary is so cleverly constructed as the events fit to reality. It is such an easy watch and I actually absorbed more information in contrast to documentaries as they can be boring at times. I think the genre isn't explored so much nowadays because the film makers can get accused of humiliating people within the cast and offensive issues can arise from the audience.
Elements used in mockumentary:
Faked archive footage of The Rutles.
Narrator on screen mocking participatory and expository mode where narrators drive the narrative and act as 'voice of god'.
Witty comical humour taking the mic out of the serious elements within the documentary.
Bad camera operating.
Narrator playing the fool.
Fictional characters, made up names.
Stereotyping characters.
Modes in mockumentary:
Observational:
Allows the viewers to watch the action and observe events and characters.
Poetic Mode:
Constructed documentary and is edited to make the audience laugh.
Participatory:
The narrative appears through out the film and he drives the narrative and influences the humour and gets involved with the action and characters.
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer This is Nick Broomfield's secondary documentary broadcasted in 2002 and is about Aileen a highway prostitute who was executed in 2002 for serial killing, murdering 7 men in Florida. Broomfield digs in deep in this documentary by investigating her murder cases and finding out what possessed Aileen do kill so many men. Broomfield talks to Aileen face to face whilst in jail so we get to hear from her perspective. |
Content of documentary:
Examines the exploitation of the death sentences given to Aileen and how this was publicised through the media.
Hear the story of her life and history and how she became a prostitute.
Investigating into her killings and understand what possessed her to murder.
Follow the journey of her court case.
Revealing the truth to her allegations.
How it affected me:
The subject relates to one of the most famous murder cases so I instantly wanted to hear Aileen's story and see the woman from herself. The documentary shocked me as Broomfield went deep into the subject and got emotions out of Aileen. In a way I felt sorry for her as she was clearly not in a right way when she murdered these men and the murders acted as revenge to the men who mistreated her during her prostitution. The documentary also gave me a view into America's prison its system and how different America's law is from Britain's.
Elements used in documentary:
Nick Broomfield is the narrator and he shows himself upon screen so the audience instantly establish who he is and the part he is playing in this documentary. Broomfield makes friends with the subject Aileen to get information out of her and give the audience an insight into her side of the story.
Broomfield uses a deadpan voice over and slight humour makes the documentary more entertaining.
The documentary climaxes in the very end interview with Wournos the day before her excecution. In the interview she states she was tortured in prison and said the prison used sonic pressure to manipulate her mental mind.
Interviews.
Handheld cameras.
The questions are aimed to the audience aswell as answering them.
Voiceover from Nick Broomfield.
Modes in documentary:
Participatory:
Broomfield is always involved with the subject and influences the subject by asking particular questions to shock the audience and this will engross the viewers to continue watching. Broomfield has almost constructed the documentary as he is in control of the journey.
Observational:
The audience experience the court case as though the are sitting in court with everyone else. Allows the viewer to give their own opinion to the subject and think about Aileen's views to the court case.
