Often documentaries filmmakers will
encounter issues that may prevent them from making the factual programme. These
issues must be addressed to ensure that no offense is taken by the viewers, and
no legal issues arise. There are necessary precautions made to ensure that the viewers
aren’t offend or hurt by the content of the film.
Accuracy – The definition of accuracy is “the quality or state of being
correct and precise”, which in the case of documentary filmmaking means whether
or not the footage being shown is close to the truth and reality of the
situation. For a factual programme to be informative and appropriate for
television, it must be accurate otherwise it could potentially be rejected. Any
information presented as fact must be just that, and not the opinions of the
filmmaker. An example of where accuracy is paramount is in a news show like ITV
News. ITV have to ensure that their information and fact is correct, as it is
their job to inform the public on current affairs with scripted and researched
news. Ofcom, who are in charge of broadcasting and telecommunications
regulations, stated in their guidance codes they have a duty “To ensure that
news, in whatever form, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due
impartiality”.
Balance – Balance in a factual programme is to do with maintaining
both sides of an argument, and presenting them fairly and equally for the
audience to create their own decisions. The whole point of ensuring balance is
maintained in a factual programme is to avoid coming across as bias. Often the
filmmaker will interview and individual on either side of the argument, getting
both of their perspectives on the subject. When two sides of the argument are
provided, a factual programme is then considered to be balanced. The entire
purpose of a factual programme is to deliver information and inform an
audience, and when an unbalanced argument is presented, it goes against the
entire point of the programme.
Impartiality – Impartiality in a factual programme is when the
filmmaker ensure that they remain neutral when presenting both sides of the
argument, and that no sides are taken to allow the audience to make their own
decision and judgement on the programme. For example, BBC News legally have to
remain impartial when it comes to any of their services as they “must be
inclusive, considering the broad perspective and ensuring the existence of a
range of views is appropriately reflected”. This means that they have to be
presenting facts neutrally, and not attempting to sway the public’s opinion
based on their opinion.
Objectivity – Being objective as a filmmaker of a factual programme
is when you step away from your own personal viewpoint and perspective on a
subject matter, and you don’t let those feelings influence the style of the
film. This means that you are completely open to hear multiple arguments and
viewpoints, and create a judgement solely on what you have heard, and not
letting your prejudices or emotions cloud that judgement. Objectivity is important
in factual programmes to allow the information to be presented in such a way
that the audience are able to form their own opinion based on what they have
seen, and the filmmaker’s opinion has not affected the audience’s view in any way.
Subjectivity – You would be subjective as a filmmaker of a factual
programme if you were to only take your opinions and prejudices into account
when forming a judgement on a particular subject matter rather than looking at
the facts and statistics, or listening to all the sides of the argument. It isn’t
uncommon for documentaries to be labelled subjective, where the audience feel
as though the filmmaker is attempting to push a certain argument and attempting
to influence the audience’s view on the topic of the film. An example of a film
that might be considered subjective is Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine.
He presents the argument that guns are bad in every circumstance, and he uses
exaggerated scenarios such as instantly receiving a gun for signing up to a
local bank, to support his view. Subjectivity is often avoided in factual
programming however, as the filmmakers intent is not to sway the audience’s
view, and just present facts and let the audience make their own judgements.
Opinion – An opinion is a personal view or judgement that an
individual would form about a topic, and this view doesn’t necessarily need to
be supported by fact or knowledge. A filmmaker’s opinions are not always used
in factual programmes to ensure that the audience is getting a completely ‘vanilla’
look at the subject matter, and the filmmaker is simply there to help present
that to them. This links back into the idea of a factual programme needing to
be objective and that opinions are avoided to prevent a presene of bias.
Factual news shows like the BBC have to ensure they do not express any of their
own opinions, and try to remain as balanced and as fair as possible, so as not
to influence the public’s opinion.
Bias – Being biases is when you are being completely one-sided and
you lack a balanced or neutral viewpoint. You may look at a subject and be
swayed to one side of the argument, and you would be considered biased towards
that side. Often if you are considered bias, there comes along a hint of
stubbornness to be unable to accept or hear the other side of the argument,
though this is not always the case. It’s imperative to avoid this in factual
programming to ensure the balanced delivery of fact, rather than the opinions
and prejudices of the filmmaker and allow the audience to form their own
opinions instead.
Representation – Representation in factual programming refers to
the way you portray someone or something in the context of media. Often in
factual programming, the representation of a character or a persona can be
manipulated to generate a certain reaction/response from an audience. This is
especially prevalent in docudramas where the filmmaker is able to script the
characters in a certain way. Filmmakers have to ensure that when representing a
certain group of people, that they aren’t misrepresenting them by stereotyping
them or attempting to put them in a bad light, so that the audience can see a
balanced and fair view on the subject of the documentary. An example of this
might be the stereotype of teenagers who wear hoodies are considered ‘dangerous’
or ‘threatening’ to society and therefore they must avoid showing this in a
factual programme, as it can easily be considered offensive. The programme “must
not materially mislead the audience” according to Ofcom.
Access – Access to something is having the freedom or permission to
use it or obtain it without hindrance. In terms of factual programming, access
refers to the ability to film a certain subject or film in a certain location.
The filmmaker may not have access to a certain building where they can meet
someone to help them to film the footage they need which might hinder the
production of the documentary. Filmmakers must have access/permission to use
the footage they have filmed, and that whoever features in the film knows
exactly where the footage is going and has given their consent for them to use
it.
Privacy – Privacy is the ability for someone to keep something (usually
personal information) to themselves and only share as much as they feel
comfortable doing so. In terms of factual programming, privacy is allowing
anyone featured in the film to be either removed from the footage, or blurred
out with their voices distorted to help hide their identity. Anyone has the
right to their privacy especially when being featured in a factual programme
that is intended for television or cinema and that the public eye will
eventually have access to. If someone’s privacy is not respected (IE if they
asked to be blurred out of the footage, and they weren’t), then legal action
can be taken against the filmmaker so the producers must ensure everyone is
comfortable with their information/identity to be featured in the film. Often
privacy becomes a much bigger issue to contain when the person’s privacy you’re
trying to protect is high profile or a celebrity.
Contract with viewer – The contract with the viewers refers to the
unwritten and unspoken promise that the filmmakers make to the audience. This
contract involves the filmmaker promising that they will do everything to
ensure that all facts are accurate and all arguments that are presented are
fair, balanced and objective and that if they had promised prior to the release
of this factual programme, that it will be informative and interesting, then
they have made a pact with their viewers promising to supply them with exactly
that. This contract allows the audience to rest assured that the factual
programme they are watching has been made with them in mind, and that the
opinion that they form has not been influenced by the filmmaker’s viewpoint. An
example of a contract with viewer is in BBC’s Charter which states its purpose
is “to inform, educate and entertain”.
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