Documentary analysis 3

Skateboarding in Madagascar 

This skateboarding documentary documents what its like to skateboard in Madagascar as a professional and as a local. This documentary follows the conventions of the performative mode style of documentary. Experiences in the film are portrayed to the audience on a one to one level creating a somewhat personal experience in the hopes to create a emotive reaction from the viewer. The film explores the local culture of Madagascar which is what we would like to do with our documentary, like capturing key locations for example the souq an open air marketplace traditionally found in the middle east.

A juxtaposition is found between two major demographics, the professional foreign skaters and the locals initially highlighting the major differences between the two but over time unity is found via the act of skateboarding much like 'we are blood' emphasising on the 'international skateboarding family'.The film explores the different cultures through the locals, and professional view points via interviews creating a personal relation in the hopes to interact with the viewer.

Visually,  the film is very professional making it more pleasing for the viewer. The cinematography and mise en scene follow specific techniques to achieve such visual effects. Colour correction has been used throughout to match the locations overall vibe. The film emphasises the locals struggle with poverty, rugged surfaces and lack of equipment. The Cinematic visuals and colour correction also help to promote the locals viewpoint. Numerous establishing shots of Madagascar donates information to the audience about the Malagasy culture.

The strong verisimilitude shows a more personal connection between the audience and the skaters by handheld film techniques and high key lighting. A great deal of camera movement has been used which is common when filming skateboarding. The POV style makes the scenes more deeply engaging and conveys the subjective experience of riding a skateboard to the audience.

The dialogue is conveyed through the use of voice-overs, interviews and a mix of continuity with non-continuity editing. The establishing shots at the  beginning, serving the purpose to introduce the viewers to the location of the film, Madagascar. The following shots introduce the primary theme of skateboarding to the text, contrast the foreign habitual practices and the local population.

The mixture of continuity and non-continuity editing within the text allows for the film to both convey a loose narrative following a chronological order of events, as well as generating a mood reflective of Malagasy culture. Interviews with skateboarders carry on across shots of skateboarding as voiceovers offering the audience greater insight into the activity, as well as effectively conveying the skateboarders subjective experiences, as is conventional of the Performative mode.