Documentary Analysis #2

Name of programme: My Transsexual Summer. Type of programme: Observational Documentary. Channel it is broadcast on: Channel 4. Topic of documentary: Males and Females going through the stages and processes of a sex change. The documentary has a linear narrative which is shot in chronological order. The only exception to this is when archive stills are used - usually photographs of the subjects before they became a transsexual. Voiceover: The voiceover is a well-spoken, English woman. I soon realised it was actress Nina Sosanya who is quite popular in British television and using her would allow the public to make that connection. She also has an appropriate, easy to understand voice. Talking to camera: When the subjects want to speak about their thoughts and feelings away from everyone else, that is the only time in the programme it is directly spoken to the camera - however sometimes it appears they are speaking to someone who is off camera in these segments. Talking off camera: Are questions asked by someone off camera? Does the person being questioned answer to the person off camera? No questions are asked by someone off camera but when the subjects are speaking on camera, they are facing someone who is behind the camera and never speaks or is seen. Vox pop: Does the programme include street interviews to get 'ordinary people's views'? When the transsexual subjects go out to bars, several members of the public speak how they feel to the camera - even though they aren't especially wanted and are being offensive. Interview: When the subjects give insight into their feelings, they are in artificial light, highlighting the way they look to show you how long along their sex change they are. Their identities are not kept a secret and occaisionally their name is shown at the bottom as a caption. The subjects are allowed to answer freely, however they like so the language is very informal and has manty pauses. This shows realism in the way they act and behave and thus reflects upon the rest of the documentary. Literisation: Captions are used to anchor the meaning of what is currently going on in the programme. Dates, times, place names, people's names. This is done in order to assist the viewer and allow them to know what is happening, when and where. This, along with establishing shots is very effective. Music: The overall feeling the programme gives is a positive, playful one. The music is almost completely non-diegetic and upbeat piano music - this also moves the programme along between cuts and transitions. When a particular scene is sad and for instance shows one of the subjects is upset, the music changes from being upbeat to being slow piano music which connotes sadness and empathy from the audience. Camera techniques: The majority of the programme is filmed in a fly on the wall style, with a high quality camera producing high quality images. The camera is hand-held so it gives the documentary a sense of realism as it is observational. Many camera shots and angles are used such as hand-held close ups and over the shoulder shots. There are occaisionaly dolly shots moving towards the building the subjects are staying in - these work as establishing shots to tell the audience what is going on and where it is taking place, it also works as a transition from one part of the programme to the other. A lot of the programme is "chill footage" and this is when the subject is followed around by the cameras and they are tracking their non-rehearsed moves.