Introduction to documentaryBy Mariah Gorman

What is a documentary?

Documentary's are short films which are commonly found to be a hour long and usually shown on tv.

Documentary's were created by John Grierson in 1936

He defined the documentary's as "creative treatment of actuality"

Features of a documentary

Features of a documentary

observation interview

dramatization

Mis en scene

exposition

The line of argument in a documentary a series of sequences which make the the audience decide there own decision

What the directors put in to the frame eg setting props lighting

If the director cant us people that are linked to the topic for example a plane crash they then uses facts like intercoms and phone calls to create a drama using actors.

Interviews are reflected in two ways inter cut fragments of observation or a uninterrupted sequence with Q&A.

Giving the audience a point of view shot where the camera isn't seen with indirect address

Different types of documentary's There are 6 different types of documenters.

Fully Narrated

• Fully narrated include a off-screen voice over this can be subjective depending on the person that is talking and there own personal opinions.

• Most of nature documentary's are fully narrated.

The off screen voice over is often referred to as a voice of god

Fly on the wall

Fly on the wall documentary's rely on observation as some people can call them a true form of documentary as there is no impact from any bias people imputing there own personal views. However most of these type of documentary's have some impacts through the editing chosen and there is usually very little narration.

Some examples of fly on the wall documentary's areBig Brother Educating Essex's

Mixed

• Mixed documentary is a combination between interviews observation and narration this is the most common type of documentary

The narration is sometimes within the frame like a self reflective documentary.

Some examples of mixed documentary's are

The devil made me do it

Self Reflective

• Self reflective is where the director or narrator talks directly in to the camera and often to the camera men.

• Some examples of self reflective documentary's are

Teen Mom Ross Kemp

This way of documentary often gives a sense of realism to the audience watching

Docu-Drama

• A docu-drama is where the director uses actors to reanact things that have happened this usually happens when there is nobody left to intervew.

• Examples

See no evil

Docu-soap

• A docu-soap is where the documentary is based around a workplace or street.

• Examples

• Benefit street