Evaluation - Question 1 - Cinematography

One of the most well known forms and conventions present in the style of a mockumentary would be the 'talking head'. This is a device usually used to deliver punchlines, exposition, or even (as shown below) intense emotional character development. I have included an example of Talking Heads from 'Spinal Tap' below...





This is a way to give character information, exposition and (most importantly) a punch line. This is one way in which I followed the forms of the mockumentary genre through my camerawork as seen below.

This is an example of how I have followed forms and conventions of the mockumentary style through camerawork. I think that the 'talking head' is an extremely useful way of moving a story along in a believable way, and allows a way to present the main narrative features within the story such as the equilibrium and disequilibrium and the new equilibrium.

Evaluation - Question 1 - Introduction

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The genre of my piece is what is called a 'mockumentary' which is a fictional piece, often grounded in comedy and a through line of self awareness, shot in the style of a documentary. A heavy influence on Lecture was 'The Office'. This was the first largely serialised TV mockumentary. The creator/star/runner of the show has since moved on to do more work in a similar style such as the show 'Derek', and this style has become well known and accepted, which is shown by how well it transferred to American TV with 'The US Office'.

Another example of the 'mockumentary' style is a film called 'This is Spinal Tap'. They joke in the film about it being a 'rockumentary', but the same forms and conventions are still largely present. It is a fictional story shot in the style of a documentary that draws its comedy from highlighting the mundane and through the ridiculousness of the characters, just as 'The Office' does.

I primarily tried to follow the forms of this genre in the script, as well as the cinematography and the editing of the piece, at least as far as my actual film goes. When it came to my ancillary tasks, I stuck to a simple design/house style, which took inspiration for the advertisements/house style for 'The Office'. I didn't feel that 'Spinal Tap' would be an appropriate inspirational text for this part, primarily due to the style of that being reflective of heavy metal music in it's design.