This documentary is an observational documentary, which follows two peoples story about their fascination with cosplay. It could also, however, be seen as a expository documentary as the investigator is known in the background and interacts with the people being interviewed occasionally. It runs for 12 minutes, which is twice as long as my short documentary is going to be, but it reflects on the topic and genre I am focusing on and this idea about the culture of cosplayers.
The narrative structure is non-linear and continuously uses cross cutting and montage clips. The narrative is non- linear as it continuously cuts between two locations in which one shows the interviewee discussing cosplay and cons, and then cuts to a different location of the same person at the con they were just describing in the dialogue, wearing a different cosplay outfit to the one he was wearing at the interview. The narrative shows no structural order like there would be with a linear narrative( e.g. preparing for the con, being at the con and after the con) and instead shows clips of them at the con between interviews. There are no transition effects between these clips and instead the editing just cuts to these clips without transitions.
By using cross cutting, it adds more to the narrative and helps to create this non-linear element. The camera has collected a sequence from various locations, the interview, the cosplayers house and the convention so by combining together creates a narrative in which when the experts being interviewed reminisce about the convention, the camera then cross cuts over the convention as to set the scene for the audience and to give them a clearer idea of what its about and goes further to show why they reminisce about this event.
Using montage clips is a good way to show collective clips about the topic in a short space of time. It shows the audience more of a variety about the lifestyle of a cosplayer in the use of lots of little clips pieced together that use different angles and shots to keep the audience interested, rather than a couple of longer clips which limit what can be shown and aren't as interesting for the audience to look at.
Titles and credits
The documentary starts off with a brief introduction through use of titles. There is an animated sequence of a description into what cosplay is, which is then followed by a short clip from the interview. This title screen uses a different typography style to the other titles, in which is more formal to show its a dictionary definition which is factual and informative. The purpose of this title is to give the audience an idea to the technical terms of what cosplay is so they get an understanding of it before the documentary starts.
After the short clip from the documentary, the editing then cuts to titles saying "Revontulet Entertainment presents", "a Marti Silent film" and the main titles saying "Cosplay Schmosplay". All of the titles use the same font and background colour, and they also use the same typography, which is sans-serif and unformal, which reflects upon the relaxed style of the documentary and the characters.
The credits at the end of the documentary also use the same font. Some of the credits use a white background drop and black text like in the introduction, but others use a background from the clips in the documentary and instead use white font. This is to further expand and reflect on the documentary as even though the film is finished, it reveals more footage from the convention which further expands upon the audiences understanding of the location setting.
Interviews
In this documentary, they use interviews to give the audience a better idea of what the topic is from people who are experienced in this topic area. They have used a medium close ups for the interview shots as well as "talking space" which basically means, in media terms, that they have positioned the interviewee slightly more to one side so to give a sense of space in the area surrounding them and so there is more for the audience to see in terms of mes en scene so to give them a better idea using props in the scene about the topic through iconography e.g. in the talking space provided, you can clearly see anime posters which is connected to cosplayers as its where their inspiration to cosplay comes from. There are two people featured in the interviews, in which the documentary focuses on their cosplay stories and why they do it.
Asking questions are an important process in the interviews, as to obtain information about the subject from the experts. Even though you can't hear the investigator ask the questions, we can take from the interviewees response what they're being asked;
- What is your name?
- What are you cosplaying as?
- What is cosplay?
- How did you find out about cosplay?
- Why did you take interest?
- How would you put together a cosplay?
- Who is your favourite character to cosplay?
- Where do you cosplay?
- Why do you cosplay at conventions?
- What is a convention?
- What is it like?
- What is the cosplay community like?
- Have you ever been criticised for getting a cosplay wrong?
- What does your family think about cosplay?
- How long do you plan to cosplay for?
- Are there any cosplay's you plan to do for the future?
- What are the reasons you cosplay?
The questions asked in this topic is the kind of questions I'd like to investigate for my documentary, however I would ask half the amount of questions (8-9) as this documentary is twice as long as the timing for my documentary (5-6 minutes).
Soundtrack / incidental (non diegetic) music
The soundtrack used for this documentary is non-diegetic and unchanging. It creates an upbeat and cheery atmosphere, in which is continuous for the entire documentary as it is a cheery subject topic and the dialogue itself is positive and never delves into anything negative about the subject matter. It continuously plays in the background for the documentary and the volume is also unchanging.
A range of clips relating to the documentary topic
Other than just using shots from the interviews at a medium close up, this documentary has used a basis of two locations to show the audience about the topic of cosplayers. They have used a range of camera angles and shots from both locations to show life as a cosplayer, for example;
Medium Close-up, Low angle, high key lighting
Extreme Long shot, eye-level, high key lighting
Long shot, Low angle, high key lighting
Close up, Eye-level, high key lighting
Mid shot, Eye-level, low key lighting
They have used a range of shots of both people and objects to express their interests and how they dedicate themselves towards it. The use of high key lighting creates a brighter and generally more positive atmosphere which works with the soundtrack and the topic being discussed by the interviewees. By using a mass range of clips with different people in different costumes shows the audience the extent into how big the community is and how accepted it is as a subculture.
Changes in the music according to the mood created by the person talking
The mood created by the documentary was conclusively positive and happy, and this atmosphere was continuous for the whole documentary. As a result, there were no changes to the soundtrack as the people who were discussing the subject kept up a positive tone towards the topic under discussion.
Locations
In this documentary there are two established locations which includes an indoor location, home of the cosplayers in question, and the cosplay convention, which was brought up in the dialogue;
MCU, bedroom location
MS, cosplay con location
The bedroom setting is iconic to the cosplay culture which is visible through the mes en scene, where in the background you can see anime posters which reflects on their interests. This is also the case for the cosplay convention location, where in the background of shots you can see stalls full of posters with anime, as well as books and toys and other merchandise that reflect on their anime interests which have inspired their culture.
The characters in this documentary are reflected through their costumes;
Two shot, MCU
The costumes they wear in the interview are unconventional and different to what we would normally wear. They should their efforts and dedication to their costumes in a series of montage clips, where they prepare their costumes in numerous ways;
CU
MS
CU, high angle
MCUMS, low angle
During their montage sequences, there is a non-diegetic voice over that describes the outfits they are preparing for in the shots and why it means so much to them. By dressing up in cosplay, they are expressing their interests in anime and cosplay culture, which reflects on their personality and characteristics, and also refers back to the title "Cosplay" as well as the topic under discussion in the dialogue which then makes it relevant. The two cosplayers being interviewed in this documentary are presented as the main characters who we follow around at the convention in the other location.
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