2. The Definition of a Documentary.
A documentary is a non-fiction exposition (or an exposition based on non-
fiction) which present facts to create socially critical arguments, inviting the
audience to daw conclusions on the story told (eg. “Death of a Princess”).
A documentary can put across a story from many genres:
Crime
War
Politics
Documentaries can be achieved through using actual footage or dramatised
reconstructions in the exposition, with help from a narrator to anchor the
points made, or rely on the participants themselves in the form of
interviews.
3. The History of Documentaries.
The term “Documentary” was first coined in 1926 by a man named
John Grierson when reviewing the film “Moana” by Robert Flaherty
in a New York publication.
J. Grierson (1898 – 1972) was a Scottish film maker who pioneered
documentaries and is considered the father of British and Canadian
documentary films.
In his essay, “First Principles of Documentary”, Grierson stated that a
documentary was defined as ‘the creative treatment of actuality’
(or reality).
4. The Purpose of a Documentary.
The purpose of a documentary is to document, that is, to report with
evidence, something which has actually happened to aid the recording of
historical or scientific information.
As stated previously, documentaries are created with the intention to inform
the audience, therefore helping to engage them to make socially critical
arguments.
6. 1. Observation.
Usually the programme makers pretend that the camera is
unseen or ignored – quoting unseen observation.
Observation involves the exposition not interfering with
events or living things (eg. Nature Documentaries which
star David Attenborough).
7. 2. Interview.
A lot TV documentaries rely on interviews as they give
anecdotes to help anchor the point the exposition is trying
to make. The interviewee is interviewed and addresses
the interviewer and not the audience (doesn’t look at the
camera).
8. 3. Dramatisation.
The dramatisation of Documentaries are seen in many
Crime Documentaries in the form of dramatic recreations
to give the audience an idea of how events unfolded. They
help build up the documentary and make the audiences
seem like eyewitnesses to the events unfolding when
merged with observation.
9. 4. Mise-en-scéne.
Mise-en-scéne involves everything which makes up the
documentary such as the use of people (actors). These
features are used to help the director carefully compose
the shots, anchoring the point further.
10. 5. Exposition.
The exposition is the line of argument put across by the
documentary (or what the documentary is trying to say to
the audience).
11. Types of Documentaries.
There are many different types of documentaries which are used in
different genres of the documentary:
Fully narrated – Story is told through Narration (eg. David Attenborough).
Fly on the wall – People are less aware of the cameras (eg. Big Brother).
Self reflexive – The presenter speaks directly to the camera, presenting the
documentary’s points (eg. Bear Grylls).
Docudramas – Re-enactment of events as they happened in the past with
dramatization to progress the story (eg. Narcos).
Docusoaps – Follows the daily lives of individuals (eg. Made In Chelsea).
Mixed – Mixture of two or more of the above (eg Kenny Rodgers).
