2. DOCUMENTARY HISTORY AND
PURPOSE
Documentary
The purpose of a
documentary is to
document
Inform and Educate
• It primarily informs
and educates the
audience about a
specific subject/topic
Entertain
• Most documentaries
entertain which
attracts an audience
Documentaries are
truthful/factual
There are different
styles of
documentaries
John Grierson
3. JOHN GRIERSON
Coined the word
documentary
He defined it as ‘a
creative treatment
of actuality’
The purpose is to
document real life
situations in Britain
Shows the country at
work
• National identity
• Creates empathy
1930’s
General
post office
4. CONSTRUCTION VS REALITY
Different editing and the
selection of footage
• Footage is selected
which makes it less of
a reality as this can be
subjective.
Interviews are subjective.
Certain people are selected to
be interviewed.
The narration can have a
particular point of view
Setting and location is
also subjective which
can change the
perception of the
subject dissolving the
feature of reality
5. DOCUMENTARY TYPES
Fully Narrated
Fly on the wall
Mixed
Self reflexive
Docusoap
Docudrama
Voice over
narration
Direct mode of
address
Anchors the
visuals
Voice over
gives a sense of
authority
There is a host: you
see the narrator
Subject of the
documentary
acknowledges
the camera
Subjects speak directly
to the film maker
• Narration
• Observation
• interviews
Advanced
exposition
‘voice of god’
Style of news reporting
Real life events
Usually set
around a
workplace etc.
More focused on
what happens in
their daily life
Based on
speculation
Facts and real life events
An event that
has been rein
acted
All observation No interviews
or narration
The
camera
observes
the action
6. FEATURES OF A DOCUMENTARY
Observation
• Sequences of observation
• Filmed in a way that
suggests that the camera is
unseen or ignored by the
people taking part
• Places the audience in the
role of witnessing events
• Provides events for the
exposition
Interview
• Usually set up in a particular
format
• Interviewee responds to the
interviewer not the camera/
audience
• Usually with experts of the
topic/subject
• Cutaways used of other
footage to illustrate the
points
Dramatisation
• Drama is used in the observational footage by adding an
element of dramatic events
• Use it to portray people and events that producers cant
access in real life
7. Mise-en-scene
• Refers to things being ‘put in the shot
• Carefully composed to contain images that relate
to the subject and topic
• Filmmaker must use what already exists: no
sets/setups
• to advance the argument of the exposition the
documentary maker can still carefully compose a
shot so that it contains the images he or she wants
the audience to see.
Exposition
• The line of argument in a documentary
• made up of description combined with commentary
• The exposition is what the documentary is 'saying‘
• It may be either plain and direct or indirect and hidden. Nevertheless it always exists
• documentaries can be said to have strong evidence but weak exposition. Other
documentaries can be the reverse of this.
• usually serious but they can also use humour to make a point.
John corner
