Documentary Self Reflection

 This blog post features my (Beatrice) critical self reflection.

        Our documentary, Prescription for Deceit, delves into a gripping investigation surrounding a nurse accused of poisoning students within the educational environment.

Branding plays a important role in establishing a documentary’s identity, attracting and retaining audience. To do that, me and my teammates started by creating a visually consistent elements such as the colour theme and typography, while the images in the thumbnail provides meaning and clue regarding to the crime in the documentary video. This decision was made so our documentary develops an instantly recognizable identity. This is particularly important on streaming platforms and sites such as Netflix and YouTube, where a strong visual brand is needed to help a documentary stand out among countless others. The use of low-key lighting, with its deep shadows and high contrast in both the video and thumbnail adds to the branding. Low-key lighting is often used in crime documentary as it creates a sense of mystery, tension, and intrigue, which, according to Barthes' Hermeneutic Code, the shadows and obscured visuals function as an enigma (suggesting that not everything is revealed), encourages the audiences to engage with the investigation by heightening their curiosity about who the real culprit is. The visual tension is further enhanced through the strong contrast between light and dark (chiaroscuro technique) that is present in both video and thumbnail, which is used to create an unsettling atmosphere. By hiding important details in shadow or silhouette, the documentary visually builds suspense, making viewers question the nurse's guilt and leaving room for doubt. This aligns with Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory, as different audiences may interpret these visual cues differently, based on how much they trust the nurse. The purpose of these products is to spread awareness about the crime and to engage the audience in questioning the narrative. The eye-catching thumbnail helps to draw audiences’ attention which ensures them to choose this documentary over others on streaming platforms. 

Our documentary largely conforms to the genre conventions of crime documentaries as we employ techniques that enhances realism and emotional impact. We utilized close-ups and medium shots to capture the nuanced expressions and contexts of our subjects. Close-ups focus on the faces of interviewees, such as victims, suspects, and experts which allows audiences to engage deeply with their emotional states. We also utilized medium shots to frame subjects within their environments to provide a balanced view of their body language and interactions. It is made this way to enrich audiences’ understanding of the subject’s experiences. For the mise-en-scène, we incorporate essential props and settings to ground the narrative in reality so it can enhance our documentary's authenticity. The use of lighting in our documentary also varies to reflect the narrative's mood (low-key / dark lighting creates a sense of mystery and tension, while soft and brighter lighting during the opening and interviews fosters positive representations and intimacy. Furthermore, the uniform and bare-faced of subjects in re-enactments are meticulously designed to match the characters situation and school’s setting which adds accuracy to our storytelling. For the sound, conforming to the conventions, we featured voice-over narration to provide context and guide the narrative. We also utilize ambient sounds to immerse audiences in the setting, and soundtracks are utilized to underscore emotional and suspenseful moments. Moreover, interviews are recorded with clear audio to present testimonies effectively. Cutaways are also used to relevant footage or photos supplement the narrative while the pacing of our documentary is aligned with the intensity of the subject matter, using faster cuts in tense scenes and slower transitions to emphasize key revelations. However, our documentary subverts conventions by incorporating slightly shaky camera movement during interviews. While crime documentaries typically use still cameras to maintain professionalism and credibility, our use of a slightly shaky camera introduces a sense of urgency and raw emotionality. This approach is inspired by The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping (2024), where handheld camera movements reflect the unpredictability of the subjects’ experiences, which enhances the realism and emotional intensity of our documentary. This unsteady footage mirrors the panic and unease experienced by the characters, fostering a more immersive and visceral connection with the audience. 

We engage our audiences by using psychographics and demographics associated with our target audience. Our target audience are students, educators, and medical professionals in Indonesia, aged 17-25, encompassing both genders and those in higher education who are bilingual, as the film is in English. This audience is characterized by their interest in mystery, psychological crime, and the impact of medicine, making them thrill-seekers and thinkers intrigued by the plot twists and darker aspects of human nature. Our documentary starts with bright, positive scenes that gradually shift to a darker, suspenseful narrative, creating a compelling journey from normalcy to tension. This transition not only captivates but also provides an engaging form of escapism from everyday life. The thumbnail plays a crucial role in attracting this audience by featuring blood spatters on a prescription form. Blood, a direct symbol of harm and danger, coupled with the prescription form representing the medical system, creates a striking visual metaphor of trust violation within a medical context. This combination immediately communicates a narrative of violence and medical deceit, aligning with the semiotic code of urgency and violation. The bold, modern typography and cold tone further conform to the conventions of crime documentaries, ensuring the thumbnail stands out and conveys the seriousness of the content. To fulfil the Uses and Gratification criteria, a theory by Blumler & Katz, the thumbnail of our documentary includes dark lighting and blood-stained imagery offer a dramatic escape, drawing audiences into a suspenseful narrative for diversion. For personal identity, it resonates with individuals who have experienced medical mistrust, prompting reflection on their own encounters with institutional failures. For social relationships, it sparks discussions around issues like bullying and institutional failure, encouraging dialogues both online and offline. For surveillance, the thumbnail piques curiosity about the documentary's investigative content, motivating audiences to seek answers and delve deeper into the story. Furthermore, by employing Barthes' Hermeneutic Code, the thumbnail effectively creates intrigue and compels the audience to click and explore the documentary for its mysterious revelations, calling them to action.

 In our crime documentary, social groups such as students, nurses, and investigators are depicted with a nuanced approach that reveals deeper layers of narrative and character. The students are being portrayed as potential perpetrators due to their mistreatment, implying that such negative experiences might drive them to commit extreme acts. The nurse's role explores the impact of wrongful accusations, highlighting how they can drastically affect an individual's life. Furthermore, the investigator is presented through a stereotypical lens, reflecting the seriousness and determination typically associated with this role. The technical elements of the documentary employ different types of camera techniques to convey these perspectives. Medium shots are used for interviews with the nurse, student / classmate (Kanaya), and the investigator, which provides a balanced view of their expressions and emotions. Medium and slightly lowered angle shot, at an empty, eerie corridor of the perpetrator's friend offer context and distance, while close-ups capture the intensity of the investigator's emotions, aligning with Barthes' Hermeneutic Code. This technique creates suspense and engagement by focusing on the investigator's serious demeanor, drawing viewers into the gravity of the situation. A slightly lower camera angle on the investigator emphasizes their authority and control, enhancing their dominant presence in the narrative. Furthermore, we also use Levi Strauss' Binary Opposites theory by suggesting order vs chaos in the re-enactment scene of the perpetrator. We did this by purposely showing the lack of gloves during the medicine tampering to symbolize the chaotic nature of the crime, in contrast to the order that the nurse represent. The handheld shaky camera during the nurse's scenes reflects the emotional tension and instability surrounding the investigation, adding authenticity and rawness to the portrayal. This approach connects to Andre Bazin’s Realist Theory, where “realism is the most important function of cinema” which values unfiltered perspectives. The sound design progresses from minimal background noise to a dreading sound effect to build tension and foreboding. Additionally, editing with straight cuts maintains continuity and realism, while slow motion during critical moments such as the re-enactment scenes, highlights their importance which enhances suspense according to Barthes' narrative techniques. The mise-en-scène, including the school setting, students’ uniforms, and the investigator's black shirt—conveys innocence, mystery, and authority, adding layers of meaning and enhancing the audience's engagement with the documentary’s themes.