Documentary Notes :

The purpose of a documentary is to document an event, this must be done with evidence, actual footage can be used, or the documentary makers can recreate footage for effect, the definition of documentary is problematic. sometimes documentaries may resemble elements of truth, though essentially they can be ficticious.

When a documentary claims to be "real" we should question it. "What distinguishes documentary is the portrayal of the recorded sounds and images of actuality" - John Corner (1995)

Documentaries have a high level of construction. A documentary does not have to have analysis, it can be descriptive and at the end allow the audience to form their own opinion.

Documentary was defined in the 1930s by John Grierson

DEFINITION : The creative treatment of actuality.




Documentaries were originally used to boost morale during the war, scheduling of a documentary is important, positioning of a documentary is tricky. what is being shown before and after the documentary is vital.

British documentaries are renowned for their investigate journalism, usually this will impose the views of the government and sometimes society.

Authenticity of a documentary is important it is impossible to catch all events in their raw state, most documentaries are a version of the truth.

"Everybody who makes a film is putting their own truth on the screen" - Dianne Tames

There are now a range of subgenres that fit into the term documentary, documentary makers agree that there must be some bits of actuality.

Current affairs programmes are halfway between a documentary and the news.

Weighty issues and social will be discussed during current affairs programmes such as Trevor Mcdonald.



There are five central features to a documentary, they are :
1) Observation
2) Interview
3) Mise-En-Scene
4) Exposition
5) Dramatisation

Interviews are used in two ways :

A Full Flowing Interview

Placing The interview in segments in between elements of observation

All documentaries use a sense of dramatisation, the audience is an eyewitness to the dramatic events, the drama appears to take place naturally infront of the camera

Documentary makers carefully consider mise-en-scene ensuring that this allows the drama to unfold.

Exposition - This is the line of the arguments (What argument you are trying to make)

Current affairs programmes are on a shorter deadline than documentaries, current affairs programmes are aiming to provide information and entermainment (Info-tainment)

The publics right to know is sometimes the main reason for a documentary

Documentaries can sometimes result in change of laws and legislations, documentary makers rarely question the deeper organisation and fairness of society.

Ideas of truth and reality can be conflicting at times. sometimes they can attract counter claims of lies.

Corner believes evidence rather than truth would help this, the documentary represents the transformed world, documentaries, documentaries are often about societys victims -people who are unable to defend themselves

The Three Way Process Of An Documentary :

1) Who it is aimed at

2) Who is in the documentary

3) Reaction of the audience after watching the documentary

Fly on the wall documentary :

These are almost observational, there is no commentary or narration, the cameras are left to record the subjects without interference.

The camera effects the behaviour of the subjects.

Here is an example of a fly on the wall documentary :


The Camera Effects the behaviour of the subjects.

Mixed Documentary :

Many documentaries take a mixed approach of interview observation andnarrative to advance the argument.

Self Reflective Documentary :
When the sibject of the documentary acknowledges the prescence of the camera and often speaks directly to the camera.

Docudrama :
A reenactment of events as tey are suppose to have happenned the story will be based on fact, docudrams can someimes be misleading.

Docusoaps :
A phenomenom of recent years following the daily lives of people in a range of different jobs or positions in society, many people would dispute if these are actual documentaries

Disneyification :
Steven Barrett has blamed the docusoap type of documentary for dumbing down the real issues of documentary and choosing to win ratings with ratig friendly topics.

Interviews :
Interviews can be held anywhere but the setting will affect the meaning that you create for the viewer, and an unusual setting can add drama to the interview.

VOXPOPS :
These are a must and can be used as light an humorous, they can give a sense of relief from the hard facts.