“My family and autism” follows many of the typical codes and conventions of documentary filming, which makes it very effective and immediately obvious it is a TV documentary. For example, it features Luke speaking on a video diary. I think this technique is more successful in playing with the audience’s emotions than a normal interview, because the audience may think perhaps it is an insight to their true thoughts and feelings, hence the word ‘diary’. At one point in the documentary where the video diary is used, the audience is made to feel extremely sad when the mother is shown crying in the middle of the night. The video diary is effective because it is an insider view on what it is like to either have autism or a family member with it, whereas the rest of the documentary shows what it is like from an outsider view. For example, the camera follows the family to everyday, ordinary places like the supermarket, and shows close ups of the strangers expressions and reactions to how the boys are behaving.
Another familiar technique that enables us to recognise it as a TV documentary is the use of voice over narration. At some points in the documentary you hear Luke’s voice, but you cannot see him speak the words, he is just commenting or explaining what is seen on the screen. Also, old photographs are shown and a wobbly camera is used throughout to reinforce its documentary style.
The choice of background music was very irrelevant to the subject matter. The instrumental, peaceful music gives a relaxed, harmonious atmosphere, contrasted with the chaos seen on the screen. I think the reason the background music is so calm is to emphasize the hectic lifestyle and family life of the Jackson’s.
During the documentary there is no expert or doctors view on the children’s difficulties heard, it only features the family. Although this makes it a very personal programme, audiences tend to rely on facts.
“My family and autism” finishes with the same clip of the family together from the beginning of the documentary, but this time with a voice over of one of the sisters reading a very loving poem she wrote about her family. This leaves the audience feeling very pleasant about the family and satisfied with the programme they have just watched. The documentary has very good closure, although, you only hear about the two younger boys and Luke himself, this leaves the audience wondering about the eldest.
