This is documentary includes a variety of codes and conventions found within many documentaries, this means it is classed as a ‘mixed’ documentary. This Documentary follows the creation of the game character Lara Croft and how people perceive her and eventually her popularity resulted in the making of a film based of her. This is shown through the use of interviews with relevant people with close connection with the game/character, archived footage of the game that links in to the dialogue within the documentary, evidence is used to support arguments made and observation provides first hand footage of game playing.
The themes of this documentary are clear, gaming is a theme as it follows the succession of a gaming character, gender is also a theme as people are shocked by the popularity of a female game character that are very unconventional. The effect of media is also a theme of this documentary because it shows how the use of media can transform a gaming character in to a sex icon through the usage of CGI.
Like all documentaries Lara croft that thing has a clear narrative structure. The start of this documentary explores the conflict and controversy of a female violent character, as females aren’t usually portrayed as violent or aggressive within the media. The middle of the documentary shows the different opinions of what Lara croft actually is and what she means to people. We are shown that it wasn’t meant to be controversial that she was female by the Game creator and how she has become a sex icon for many people. This mid-section of the documentary also touches on the fact that a game character became transformed in to a film. This leads to the end of the documentary were we are shown Lara Croft in the form of Angelina Jolie and eventually in to a sexual icon for many teenagers who like gaming.
Close ups and static camera are conventional of a documentary during interviews and this documentary uses them too. There is a zoom used during the interview with the game creator to give him a significant importance to the audience. Full shots of Lara are used to show the whole body of the character as this is what the interviewees where talking about. Video game footage is used in this piece and also a pan of kids playing the game Lara croft to anchor meaning to the documentary.
The entire documentary is relevant to the subject of gaming and Lara croft this means that there were often cutaways to game footage and game consoles and people in gaming environments. Instead of using a blue screen to add effects in the background of the interview there was a projector of some relevant gaming footage being played over the interviewees face and background. This gave the interview a more sinister feel and looked good for the mise-en-scene as it was relevant to the themes.
The natural sound of the interview was used as diagetic sound in the documentary this ensured that the audience were clear on topics. This was re-affirmed by the usage of cutaway sots to anchor meaning. Sound of the archived footage was played during segments of the documentary, and also sound effects such as lions and guns to show the audience what is entitled within the game. The use of the grunting noise Lara makes in the game was used effectively too as this was relevant to the talk of her becoming a sexual icon. Cutaways were used frequently through out this piece and included games, game footage, people playing games, and advertisements.
The archived footage in this piece included adverts, film footage, game footage and website coverage. These where used effectively as they anchored meaning to interviews and made the documentary flow more and become more interesting. The graphics used again in this documentary were very simple and straightforward, almost looked like computer text, this linking in with computer gaming. Lara Crofts name was displayed at some points in the documentary very large to show the importance of this character within the game. The interview of the game creator was played almost through a computer screen, this added meaning as it was demonstrating how real people can become characters on screen and how characters can eventually become ‘real’ people.
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