Die toepassing van Field se drietoneelstruktuur op drie dokumentêre rolprente van Michael Moore

Abstract

Internationally, there is concern among judges and organisers of documentary film festivals pertaining to the lack of a proper storyline in documentary films. According to certain documentary film producers and theoreticians, however, there is a solution. They are of the opinion that the three-act structure that was originally applicable to fiction films can also be applied to documentary films. The three-act paradigm serves as a guideline for the writing of successful fiction film screenplays. Should the three-act structure be applied to documentary films, the three-act paradigm could possibly achieve the same measure of success. Therefore, the research questions are, firstly: What are the basic elements of successful screenplay writer, Syd Field's three-act structure? Secondly, to what extent do the three selected films by Michael Moore namely Bowling for Columbine (2003), Sicko (2007) and Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) adhere to the requirements of Syd Field's three-act structure? The research for this study was performed by means of a literature overview of Field's three-act structure; secondly, by means of semi-structured interviews with four South African documentary film producers; and thirdly, a qualitative content analysis of three of Michael Moore's films. The interviews consisted of semi-structured questions about the problem pertaining to story structure in documentary films, and how Syd Field's three-act structure can make a contribution to the success of the documentary film. The study entails a qualitative content analysis of three selected documentary films by Michael Moore. The three-act structure of Syd Field was analysed by means of a literature study and seven main elements were identified as the important elements for a three-act structure. The three films by Michael Moore were analysed by means of a qualitative content analysis based on the seven elements to determine whether the three films adhere to the three-act structure elements. The findings of the study are as follows: The three documentary films by Michael Moore, namely Bowling for Columbine, Sicko and Fahrenheit 9/11, possess all seven elements of the analysis framework that was composed according to Syd Field's three-act structure. The conclusion can therefore be drawn that a large part of the success of the three selected films by Moore is based on the three-act structure elements that can be found in all three films.