Final Idea: Zombie Documentary (Part 1: research into final idea)

The final and decided idea is going to be a group documentary about zombies. For this I have done some research regarding zombies in general as well as special effects, costumes, editing techniques for such a genre and actual aired zombie documentaries. These things all provide an informative and helpful framework to filming our documentary

'The Walking Dead' is a post-apocalyptic TV series about zombies called "walkers" who take over the world.  Below is a behind the scenes video of a specific walker in the series and how they designed the very good costume, make-up and entire physiognomy of the girl.



Here's some fun articles about zombies!:
5 Popular Zombie Survival Tactics (That Will Get You Killed)
5 Reasons You Secretly Want a Zombie Apocalypse
7 Scientific Reasons a Zombie Outbreak Would Fail (Quickly)

Remember to follow the rules of Zombieland!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY0D6qUrRCg&feature=related

I have recently re-watched an anime series I love called 'Highschool of the Dead'. It is about an infection that breaks out in a school that turns people into zombies. The infection is cause by one zombie outside the locked school gate trying to break its way into the school. One man tries to push the man away from the gate but is attacked as a result, causing him, on the inside of the gate, to become infected, causing the spread of the infection through the school. It follows a group of characters trying to escape from the school to find out what has happened, only to discover that their city and entire country is rapidly being infected. They are then forced to keep on the move and survive.

This is the opening for the anime:



I have found an informative 5 part 2008 documentary titled ZombieMania which details zombies and how they have evolved over the years, evident in the montage editing at the beginning, taking into account all sorts of zombies in things such as horror films and even mockumentaries such as Shaun of the Dead. It also includes interviews with various famous people such as make up artists.

Initial Ideas

Before filming the final documentary idea I had various initial ideas prior to making a final decision on what to film, and this section of my blog is dedicated those initial ideas. You will also find below various hyper-links that I have provided and highlighted blue for further reading and information of the topic of interest. There will also be some Japanese words that you may not know the meaning of that I have also provided links to definitions and descriptions for.

Japanese Culture
Discovering that I would be having to film a documentary upon starting A2 Media Studies my initial thought was to go for something in my top interests - I then remembered watching the documentary 'Justin Lee Collins: Turning Japanese' at the beginning of 2011 and decided to re-watch it. The series is a three part travel documentary in which Justin Lee Collins travels to Japan in an attempt to integrate into and understand Japanese culture. Below are some images taken from the show:

Here is the opening video of the documentary:



The idea for filming such a documentary was one of my initial ideas where I would film by myself; a solo piece of documentary coursework. I was thinking of adapting my interest of Japanese culture by means of filming Japanese events that I often attend, one of which is upcoming in March 2012. I wanted to do it similar to Justin Lee Collins's documentary by showing the different elements of amazing Japanese culture including traditional (e.g. kimono and calligraphy) and contemporary pop culture (i.e. anime). This would be filmed by means of general observation mode and interactive mode in which I participate in events and narrate over the camera. The purpose of the documentary would be to educate, entertain and inform people about amazing Japanese culture.

Anime and Otaku Culture
Another part of Japanese culture includes anime. Anime is actually the Japanese word for 'animation' but in the West its taken to specifically mean Japanese animation. I have a great interest in Japanese anime (my wall in my room is filled with posters and I have a big collection of anime and related items) and have attended anime festivals in the past. Below is an example clip of an anime, from one of my favourite series called 'Clannad' (click here for more information on this series, adapted from a 'Visual Novel'):



This anime interest is sometimes stretched further in people and some people consider themselves 'Otaku' (click here for the definition and brief description). There is an event in Japan called Comiket held twice a year in Japan dedicated to Otaku interests where they can buy various goods. These events are attended by many people every year. Below is a video of people waiting to enter Comiket 81 to pick up their Doujinshi and other goods (people are more visible around 1:28):



I was thinking of filming a documentary on the topic of anime interests and the breadth and dedication it extends to. It would be filmed using a lot of interactive mode followed up with interviews of anime enthusiasts. The purpose of the documentary would be aimed at people interested in this part of Japanese culture and would be to inform them about this growing Otaku culture.

Languages, Polyglottery and Open-mindedness
The topical interest of this documentary would be to entertain and inform people of language learning, polyglots and open-mindedness, and the beneficial results of language learning. Due to my interest in language learning coupled with my college being a language college I thought that this may have been an interesting documentary. It would show language learners and their background in language learning, as well as their methods. Much observational and interview filming would be used to inform people and let them see people using and explaining their methods, the result of this being an informed target audience - language learners.  I would also show how far language learning can go and the dedication people put to it; below is an amazing video of Alexander Arguelles (click here for his Wikipedia page) and his polyglottery work:



The documentary would also take into account 'open-mindedness', a concept I was motivated and influenced by from Moses McCormick, a famous polyglot. He too
has his own YouTube channel; below are two very interesting and important videos that I really like and that I highly recommend watching:





Moses also has his own website that offers material that can be purchased for learning languages using the 'FLR technique' - Moses's technique for language learning. Click here to visit his website.

Some other influential Polyglots that have inspired me include Luca, Steve Kaufmann and Richard Simcott, all with YouTube channels videoed below:

Luca:


Steve Kaufmann:
Steve Kaufmann made and compiled a very helpful and interesting playlist of videos in regard to language learning which he calls 'The Seven Secrets of Language Learning'. Click here to view the playlist.

Kaufmann also has his own website designed for people to sign up to and learn via what he stresses to be the most effective way of learning languages - reading text in the native language while listening to that text and building vocabulary. The website is called LingQ and I am a member.

Richard Simcott:

Target Audience Questionnaire

The documentary questionnaire aims to provide us with information by gathering information about what kind of target audience a Zombie documentary would mostly appeal to. This questionnaire is split into two parts: the purpose of the first part is to provide general information about whether or not people in fact watch documentaries; the second part consists of information about our Zombie documentary, and if this would appeal to people.

Part one of our documentary questionnaire consists of general questions regarding whether or not the viewing of documentaries is integrated into people's television viewing habits, and if they follow them on a regular basis. The purpose of this questionnaire is to inform us of what kind of documentaries people are interested in. The questions are multiple choice in order to gather more quantitative data in order to provide us with information relevant to our research before we begin to film our documentary.

Part two of the questionnaire focuses more on the topical interest of our documentary - Zombies. It consists of questions regarding whether or not people have watched a Zombie documentary and, if not, if they would be interested in this idea. It also takes into account the process of content on television in relation to the watershed - what time people think such a documentary should be shown, taking into account children's viewing habits and if parents would allow their children to watch a potentially frightening and gory documentary.

Newspaper Articles

Documentary Notes

'Cloverfield'

> Mockumentary - text used at beginning to make it seem like real footage
> Ubiquitous use of handheld camera - shaky at points of detestation - that would happen; realism
> Date/time on camera
> Realism - cuts in camera filming disaster
> Distant police/ambulance/fire engine alarms
> Screaming
> Helicopters
> Megaphone
> When the monster first attacked - crowds of people running away - lost in crowds of people: use of realism

'Kids Behind Bars: It's Just My Life - Trouble'

> Intro sequence:

> Fighting/knives/language - they want us to be shocked, want us to know they are violent by means of this portrayal

> CCTV cameras - from a height - they are being monitored by someone "higher up" than them

> Fast editing - hooking audience in - cramming info

> Style of music builds tension

> Shots from a trampoline - childlike

> Camera is always shaky, but subtle, when interviewing boys (to create a sense of ubiquitous unsteadiness - keeping audience on the edge as if the kids will lash out at any point); yet camera is still when interviewing staff - the staff are portrayed as "stable" and kids "unstable", portrayed so we view the staff as "right"

> in interviewing room with all staff - a head in the way - we are literally positioned in with these people, so the audience are positioned and invited as one of these "right" people, further enhances kids as outsiders

'How the Other Half Live'

> Establishing shots of the scene/area

> Emphasises how poor they are (broken bed, debts, wishes for new bed) - "I have a mountain of bills"

> Emphasises crime - isolated in home; many locks on door

> Dark lighting/colours used

> Juxtapositions with white wealthy family, shows how 'great' their lives are

> Much brighter lighting/colours used

> Emphasises how rich and educated the white family is

> Big, luxurious garden

> Contrast between the rich and the poor emphasised largely through mise-en-scene to create contrasting representations that are then juxtaposed

> The editors choice in using specific toy - the girl presses a button and it speaks, "What should I buy?" - highlights sum of money they own and what they can freely think of buying

> Visits Gumpo's home - use of sad, melancholic music

> When white girl is being interviewed - lays on her expensive bed

'The Conspiracy Files: 9/11 Ten Years On'

> Dramatic reconstruction

> Use of the clock - builds tension

> Interviewed on stairs

> Filming an interview on TV - referring to a source

> "Sources say..." - reliable?

> Experts interviewed

'The Boys who Killed Stephen Lawrence'

> Chance police to confront racism...

> "...not enough evidence"

> Surveillance footage of suspected murderer - investigating them undercover

> Interview with best friend (Duwayne Brooks) with crime writer, family solicitor: "didn't act in the first 24 hours" - most important hours, forensic evidence

> Reconstruction footage of murder

> Crime scene photos (blood on ground; real footage)

> Fade to black/montage section repeated

> Black bin liner photograph - police did not act on it - forensic + identification evidence - "a golden opportunity missed"

> Took 13 days until arrest warrants were attained

> Use of real police tape recorded interview

> Photographs of various knives/weapons of suspects

> Montage of gang/group (group photograph) - they had a passion for knife usage - in order to join this group you had to stab somebody - 4 successful, but no prosecutions

> Interview with a victim

> Covert police camera footage in a plug socket - "vicious, racist material"

> But - didn't talk about murder, only caught racist behaviour

> Told how to behave

> Interview footage of each suspect

> Visits their homes - do not answer their doors

> Operation Athena Tower - case could still not be solved

> John Davidson - suspicion of corrupting - for money - bribed (£500)

> "...a gross miscarriage of justice"

'Bowling for Columbine'

> Michigan - open an account at North Country Bank and you get a free gun - "Do you think it's a little dangerous handing out guns in a bank?"

> Can buy bullets in the hairdressers

> Michigan Militia - "...American tradition to be armed, if you're not armed you're not responsible. It's your job to defend you and yours."

> Columbine High School shootings - uses real police phone calls

> 11,127 gun shootings a year in US - more than any other country

> use of animation, historical footage, modern footage, interviews

> Moore emphasises his points through facts - Y2K, killer bees (year 2000), hidden razorblade in apple at Halloween - kids not allowed to go out at night - scaring the American public (propaganda: media, politicians)

> "Black crime" - choosing what people watch ("African" killer bees; "Africanized bees") - Arthur Butsch: "...black people have become an entertainment")

> Crime crates dropping, fear of crime increasing

> Moore: "You can't see the Hollywood sign because of pollution - why no coverage on that?"; "Arrest for polluting up the air" - sergeant ignores him

> "do a show called 'Corporate Cops'"

> Canada, Windsor, across from Detroit - 1 gun crime in 3 years - "very low"

> Canadians - not pumped with fear via the chosen content of the media

> Canadians - don't have to pay for healthcare

> (Kayla Rolland shooting)

> Flint, Michigan

> After 9/11 bombings - gun sales 70%, Ammo 140%

> Kids won against K-Mart to stop selling fire arms and ammo

> Expository and interactive style of documentary

> Intervention - Moore mostly acts in a proactive mode (involved in the important questions of the film and in answering them)

'Best in Show'

> Camera: handheld at beginning - unstable, psychiatrist - 2 shots, interviews

> Lots of medium/close ups - a lot of conversation/confined in

> Talks to camera - cameraman passive

> Setting - dog owners' homes

>  Long shots of dogs - examining

> Handheld camera - realistic - places the audience within the frame

> Sound: Diegetic - interview/voices/clapping

> 'Champion' music when dog show starts

> Commentary/megaphone, audience clapping

> Crowd's applause dims when guy tells awkward joke; crowd dies down when commentators speak

> Mise en scene: dog show

> A lot of different locations - different kids of dog owners. Stadium.

> Editing: Slow cuts - formal/realistic, names of interviewees and dog owners on screen

> Mayflower Dog Shows

> Brings characters together

> Realistic portrayal of owners and pets

'This is Spinal Tap'

> a parody of the heavy metal rock genre - "rockumentary"

> people thought they were a real band - ended up releasing music as that band

> setting - venues - 'opening party night', NYC; Fidelity Hall, Philadelphia

> Interview in garden - deadpan interviews

> Text over video

> Band members talking over each other - not scripted - improvised talk

> Archive footage as children - grew up together writing songs, emphasises its conveying it as real

> Handheld camera - interviews, backstage footage, live convert

> Medium/close ups of band members on stage - interviews/up in conversation

> Low angle shots coupled with medium/close ups in fan crowds - as if we're to admire them, makes us feel as if we're in the crowd

> Can see the interviewer on screen

'The Most Hated Family in America'
> Protests about homosexuals/homosexuality: protest signs, shouting/confronting public about their arguement
>Theroux - narration - informative/sarcastic
  - challenges their views + religion - 10 commandments - adultery, not homosexuality
> Interactive - Theroux in documentary, follows them on their protests, interviewing family members - especially mother - supposed to raise children in a positive manner (the children will be told their mother is right because she is one of their socialisation figures) - conveys his message about their wrong doings.
> Family driven by religion - "God hates fags"
> Handheld camera, tracking - following family to observe their messages in a realistic situation. Theroux "keeps distance" when they protest - not part of it - further emphasises his arguement, limited to that community
> Public questions - children are made to be involved in discriminating
   - out of touch with contemporary society
> Megan + Bekah - daughters - "no posters of boy bands"; never had boyfriends - "a waste of time." Friends are limited to the people within the group who agree with the message.
> Theroux defines their following as a cult
> The entire community of the group all singing their message in a parody of Christianity - extremists
> Looking at photographs of family members - "Is she gone?", "Those who have gone away" - seems as if they are discussing who has passed away - but they only left that negative community, and no longer accepted as part of the family


> Theroux always keeps a straight face - serious, jokes about it
    - gets a reaction of the girl in regard to "temptation" - a touchy subject
> Fades to black - end of interview - that's it, definite
> A lot of close ups when talking to man - between Louis and the man - up in conversation to discuss the topical arguement
> Louis challenges with facts - gets a reaction out of him
> Children - "they have friendly aquaintences" - not friends - "Do you think they would want to come to our house?"
> Louis asks child "Do you know what the sign means?" - "No." - mother pumping hatred into him; she is socialising them this way to integrate within that community, "Grooming them into the weird behaviour of this group" (Louis)
> University - girl - "I have aquantences"
   - Louis, questions about dating
> "As the time passed I could feel myself getting to know the family"; "...a more human side to their personalities" (girls) - scene provides a sense of friendship and companionship, then immediately contrasts/juxtapositions with the child being injured as being part of that group - 7 years old - their children are victims via their socialisation to discriminate
> On sign - "FAG USA" - American flag flipped upside down, indicates America as a whole is twisted and different from the group
> Crosscutting - "eat your babies", then cuts to shot of a baby - juxtaposition
> A man tied American flag to his shoes - stepping on his own country's values
> Shouting at American troops
> There is a big focus on interviewing the mother
> Their message is reflected back at them, limiting them to their religious community and restricting them from integrating into mass society
> Theroux gets the girl to open up to him

'The Family'
> Establishing characters - close ups
> Fast paced editing, some blurry editing - hectic household - crams info, then cuts to observation
> Fly on the wall
> Many different camera shots, close ups etc. - observing all aspects and areas of their lives
> Filming every day activities (Dad going to work)
> Camera is unobtrusive
> Camera is very still, only moves when tracking them - but slowly
> Close ups during arguement between Mum + Emily + Dad (faking being ill to not go to work to go out with friends) - captures realistic emotions/expressions - confrontation - a family integrated situation - we are invited to observe
> Mixture of low & high angle shots, zoom - Emily and mum, panning, static
> Setting - the family's house (lounge; bedroom; kitchen; porch, high angle shot)
> Lighting - not altered, fly on the wall - observes morning/afternoon/evening - natural, realistic
> Dressing gown
> Narration of son
> Girl's music - club music, black clothing and make up - party girl
> Radio becomes the non-diegetic sound
> Mostly diegetic - makes it seem more realistic; snoring, phones, silence - natural
> Interviewer - unseen, off-camera

Modes of Documentary

Observational
An observational documentary allows the film maker to document life or a situation in an unobtrusive manner while still moving with subjects and staying in the action, allowing subjects to forget about the presence of the camera to behave in a more natural manner. In doing so, it allows audiences to view a more realistic situation i.e. the content including sound, image and words of the subjects being filmed is recorded at the moment of filming without any scripting, scene arrangement or narration. The documentary is not built on editing to distort the frames, which allows an emphasis on the realism of the situation. In addition, there is also less, and even no control of lighting within the documentary. More than any of the other documentary modes, the film maker has less control over the events filmed in contrast to voice-overs evident in the expository mode of documentary.

The reality TV documentary '16 and Pregnant' is an example that uses observational filming techniques. It follows the lives of 16 year old mothers showing how they deal with the stress, difficulty and hardships of being such a young mother while still at High School. It is observational in that it follows the girls around their daily lives and they are able to speak through and explain the processes of their actions, expressing their feelings and possible outcomes. Here is a trailer previewing one season of various girls and how they cope, their parent's reactions and thoughts to them being pregnant and their state of mind:




Expository
The expository mode of documentary has a distinct emphasis on narration - a 'voice of God' narration. This narration allows the film maker to directly address and convey issues, particularly social issues, by shaping them into an argumentative frame through the intertwining of the voice-over and images which builds a dramatic sense of involvement, perhaps around a particular issue that the film maker would like resolving.

This is evident in film director Michael Moore's documentaries, for example in 'Bowling for Columbine' he takes the role of the 'voice of God' to argue his message and opinions, though he reinforces it with his more primary use of the interactive/participatory mode. Below is a trailer from the documentary, beginning with a voice of God narration to outline his points, to a scene where he interviews Marilyn Manson in regard to the Columbine shootings:




Interactive
An interactive or participatory mode of documentary relies on the film maker as being both the author and a character within the documentary, so they are visible on camera, to engage in interacting with individuals or groups in relation to their topical argument, thus enhancing the validity of their argument through the viewing of real life situations.

Michael Moore is again another great example for this documentary mode as he uses multiple modes. This is a clip from his documentary 'Sicko' in which he interviews a British doctor in regard to how much they are paid, by what means and asks questions in relation to people paying for healthcare in the UK, comparing the American healthcare system with the UK's. By using an interactive style documentary by means of participatory interviews Moore is able to show validity for his points to back up his intended argument:




Personal
A personal documentary involves the film maker addressing the camera directly to share their thoughts, opinions and views of their intended topical matter.

Justin Lee Collins made a three part documentary called 'Justin Lee Collins: Turning Japanese' in which he intended to film himself in an environment as far away from what he knows is possible, by travelling to Japan. He learns about their amazing culture to which he finds unusual and in this he shares his thoughts with the camera regarding his opinions and feelings towards their traditions and ways:




Poetic
Bill Nichols defines the poetic mode of documentary as 'reassembling fragments of the world' to transform intended content into a more 'poetic' form, where there is an emphasis on creativity by the film maker in order to explore interpretations of its subject. As a result, this may open up the possibility of alternative forms of knowledge of an audience as opposed to a manipulative transfer of knowledge.


Mockumentary

A mockumentary is presented in documentary format but parodies the forms and conventions of a traditional documentary, sometimes as dramatic but more usually in the form of humour.

Mockumentary style is used in the sitcom TV series 'The Office', which is about the every day lives of office employees. While being a scripted series, the camera is acknowledged by the characters to parody a real documentary in a humorous way, thus being a mockumentary:




Fly on the Wall
A fly on the wall documentary intends to record people in a natural environment by observing them over a period of time as they go about their daily lives in an unobtrusive manner, though subjects are sometimes interviewed or asked questions usually by an off-camera voice so as to not disturb the realistic portrayal of the participants; so the focus is entirely on them and not any external disruptions.

'The Family' is a classic example of a fly on the wall documentary mode which observes the lives of family members.  The purpose of this documentary was to attempt to show a real example of family life by means of no camera obstruction; cameras would be set up and just observe and there would be very little editing used to try and enhance the naturalness of the situation and keep it raw. It would show how families interact with one another and how they may resolve any conflict.


As embedding is disable by YouTube for all the videos of this documentary, click here for a trailer.


Drama Documentary
A drama documentary is a genre of documentary that intends to create dramatic reconstructions of actual historical events, and this is sometimes supported with real archival footage.

An example a drama documentary is 'Fair Game', which is a biographical film drama based on former United States CIA Operations Officer Valerie Plame's memoir 'Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House':