Documentary Analysis –“That Thing”

Type

The documentary is a mixed documentary, as it includes archive footage & interviews with narration & graphics.

Themes

• Games

• Feminism

• Representation of Gender

• Culture

• Popular Culture

Narrative Structure

The documentary was open ended, non-linear and single stranded. It discussed various points about the Lara Croft franchise for brief periods of time before quickly moving on and allowing the viewer to make their own opinion.

Camera Work

The interviews were mostly shot on the rule of thirds, which follows the conventions for documentaries. They all used medium close-ups. However, some interviews were cantered, to emphasise the interviewee, for example the interviews with the games creator or Angelina Jolie.

Mise en Scene

The main developer of the Lara Croft game was shown from inside a laptop, and at a cantered angle. This connotes his increased importance. Laptops and keyboards were shown throughout, to show the gaming theme. This is also shown by the frequent use of green colours, which has digital connotations.

Sound

The documentary has fast paced electronic non-diegetic music throughout, which adds to the documentaries fast pace of editing. It also includes sound bites from the games and film.

Editing

The documentary uses a fast-pace of editing, and makes use of cutaways from A-Roll to B-Roll footage.

Green-screen is used to occasionally show archive footage behind an interviewee.

Archive Material & Graphics

Archive material is used with the usage of video game clips and movie clips, as well as showing a copy of the Time Magazine cover.

The ‘That Thing’ title was done graphically, showing a speech bubble on the right-hand third.

Interviewees were introduced with a caption.