The Secret Life of Twins

In this documentary analysis I will concentrate on television techniques applied in Secret Life of Twins and how interviews are structured. The documentary style is a expository mode as its more direct in addressing the audience it outlines key facts and opinions.

This two part series investigates world of identical twins and how significant they are to science concerning nature and nurture debate ‘Are we born or are we made’. They look at identical twin’s personalities and their approaches to life.
The first part concentrates on what science can learn about the mysterious similarities between twins and the second part researches the differences between identical twins and how they can help science understand what makes us all who we are.

The opening sequence reveals a bird’s eye view of an establishing shot of London to the gathering of Two hundred and fifty pairs of twins at St Thomas' Hospital celebrateing their contribution to science. There are cuts of individual pairs talking about their opinions on themselves and their fascination of other twins, there is many mid shots and close ups of twins during the cuts. The voice actor comes aside this, telling the audience of the allure of identical twins and the topic of documentary nature versus nurture debate ‘Are we born or are we made’ and presents people who will occur in the throughout. Next there’s a short interview of a scientist saying how twins can uncover really important diseases that affect all. During that, there are cutaway of twins taking part in procedures and others relaxing. This is an example of how the short cuts relate to what interview and what the main topic is about. The music throughout the sequence conveys the tone and mood for documentary. The score music is light and cheery; this draws the audience on what is to occur in programme.

Next the voice over mentions a key fact (Each year in the UK identical twins a born to around 4000 couples), during that there is another establishing, bird eye view shot showing buildings and houses, this emphasises the fact.
An example of quality interview in this documentary is the couple (Hermie and Colin Willets) who are having identical twin boys. There are cutaways of scan photos of twins and the family at home with their eldest son Thomas. Afterwards there’s mid – close up shot of an interview with the family at a table. They are positioned on the left looking off screen at a mind point diagonal, there space around them showing photographs and furniture, this links in with the interview. There dialogue of Colin and Hermie talking about their reactions to the news of having twins. Between the interview cutaways of extreme close up of shots displaying Thomas using a fetal Doppler to listen to the twins heartbeat. There is a fade in and out of bold, white onscreen graphics notifies the audience of the names of the couple. The instruments are used for the score they are calm and smooth matching to the interview.

This is a BBC documentary meaning the it should deliver impartiality, accuracy showing clear expression of key sources in document, originality and to be balanced. In my opinion it is difficulty to fulfil those elements as editing leads to mediation which is selection , so it is not possible not be totally impartial. The Secret Life of Twins did show balance of for and against of the debate.