This shot of a still image of King Arthur highlights to the viewer the genre of the documentary, as it is only in a historical documentary that old-fashioned still images are used. A slight zoom is used on this shot with moving coloured shapes in the background which is meant to be fire, which highlights the character of the historical figure in question. This technique creates a subliminal effect on the viewer, which collaborates with the narration that King Arthur was a powerful figure.
The use of the 'fade' editing technique is also typical of historical documentaries, as it is quite slow paced which suggests the slow progression through history. This fade effect also collaborates with the narration which reaches a climax, as the words 'King Arthur' are said in a slow, meaningful way and the shot fades to a battle scene which highlights Arthur's importance as a historic war leader.
This head-and-shoulder shot is classic for interviews. It is a close enough shot for the viewer to see the emotion of the interviewee, and is far back enough for the audience to get some idea about who the interviewee is. In this case for instance, the man is very interested and passionate about King Arthur, but the shot shows his white robes and headdress, showing he is more of a fanatic than an intellectual. I intend to do a wider shot than this for my interview as I want to show the background of the interviewee, which is a historic roundhouse, which will enhance the topic of the interview and make it more relatable to the viewers.
This shot shows captions which inform the viewer of the identity of the interviewee, in this case a professional with a history of learning about King Arthur. This both assures the audience and informs them of the people within the world of researching King arthur. The captions are typically at the bottom of the shot which allows a mid shot of the interviewee to show the person and the surroundings.
This is an establishing shot which is used in documentaries to set the scene. I will use them frequently in my documentary as I move to different historical locations throughout Southend. This shot precedes an insert shot which further informs the viewer of the situation. This shot, in particular,shows a selection of landscape and people, and the mise-en-scene is also used to create a historical ambience, such as the period dress and instruments.
This is two-shot showing two Roman soldiers outside a door. This shot is useful for a historical documentary as it displays authentic costume of the Roman era, and so sets the scene for the viewer, which in turn, assists the narration in educating the viewer about the period. The shot is well-framed, as the rule of thirds has been used to align the soldiers, and therefore has a more intimate effect on the audience.
