Documentary Analysis 5, Madeleine Was Here

Documentary Analysis,
Madeleine Was Here



Old home video footage
of Madeleine.



This documentary follows Kate and Jerry McCann in their on going search for their daughter, who was abducted 3rd May 2007 when on holiday with her parents and younger twin siblings in the Algarve Region of Portugal.

The documentary contains interviews, old home video clips and various angles and shots following Kate and Jerry's lives.

Camera Work

The documentary starts with an evening establishing shot of where it all happened, Portugal. This sets the scene and creates an eerie atmosphere for the audience, in a way it recreates the night Madeleine went missing.

A medium shot shows Kate McCann explaining to the audience what happened the night she came back, showing us how she opened the door and noticed Madeleine was gone.

There are various over-the-shoulder shots when Kate and the children painting picture, the camera is positioned over Madeleine's brother's shoulder as Kate talks to him about Madeleine.

There are many close-ups and extreme close-ups throughtout the documentary, this isparticularly effective when Kate and the twins are painting pictures, there is an extreme close-up on Kate's painting as it's her children's names' painted colourfully, including Madeleine's name, this is effective as is shows Kate still has hope and faith that her child is still alive and will one day return home. There are several extreme-close-ups on the children's paintings and another close-up of a drawing of what an eye-witness saw the night Madeleine went missing.

The interviews are filmed using the rule of thirds, in a formal way, some of the interviews are with both Kate and Jerry McCann, so the interviews are filmed as a two shot with both of them in the frame.

There is home footage shown of Madeleine playing with her presents at Christmas time, around 5 months before she went missing. This is provokes a meaningful response from the audience as it gives an insite as to what life was like before Madeleine went missing.

Sound

The majority of the documentary is narrated and partially interviews, the narrator helps the audience understand the facts and what happened, these are things that Kate and Jerry might have been to upset to talk about. Kate and Jerry talk more about their hope in trying to find her.

Non-diegetic emotional music plays as the home footage of Madeleine shows, this is a meaningful and upsetting part of the documentary. More non-diegetic investigative music plays after Kate has talked about what happened on the night Madeleine went missing. Peaceful music also plays as Kate and Jerry play outside with their children.  The music continues to play whilst the narrator talks, but lowered slightly so we can concentrate on what the narrator is saying.

Editing

The title of the documentary 'Madeleine Was Here' fades in, in a very simple font, the title also indicates the beginning of a story.

Elements of internet searches have been edited it, to show the audience what the narrator is talking about and also Kate talks about the websites that have been set up in search of Madeleine, this shows she still has hope and thinks she can still find her daughter.

Themes

The themes of the documentary are Crime, Abduction, Children, Faith, Family, Fear, Hope, Love, Memory, Normality, and Optimism.

Mise en Scene

There are no specific costumes apart from Jerry wearing formal clothing for work, and on the home footage the children are dressed up in fairy costumes, this emphasises the theme of Children and Family.

The lighting is very bright throughout the documentary, this connotes the theme of Hope and Faith, a hidden message that gives the feeling of a light at the end of the tunnel.

None of the people in the documentary are actors, they are all real people going through this ordeal, and there are real investigators and people helping to try and find Madeleine. There isn't any specific use of make-up in the documentary, just what the people wear normally.

Props used are things such as the internet in looking for Madeleine, Kate and Jerry use the apartment in Portugal as a setting and evidence leading into Madeleines disappearance. The settings are mainly Kate and Jerry's home, but also the apartment in Portugal where it all happened, Kate and Jerry sometimes revisit to keep the search ongoing.

Narrative

The documentary is set up a a story, Kate explains how Madeleine went missing and how everybody is coping, including the other children and her husband. The documentary contains many personal interviews based around Madeleine's disappearance and the search that is still ongoing.

There is a narrator that explains and states the facts of Madeleine's abduction, this helps the audience understand the things that Kate and Jerry may not be able to talk about as it is a sensitive subject.


Type and Style of Documentary

The style of this documentary is expository as it looks into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

The documentary is focused on the McCann's point of view and also looks into how the investigators looked at the case and dealt with the situation.
Audience Response

I think the audence will be greatly interested in this documentary as it looks into a major past event that is shocking, i think lots of parents and families will be touched and quite upset by the documentary as it is something that would be unbearable for anyone it happened to.