Documentary Film
A broad facet of visual expression that is based on an attempt to document reality and educate audiences. In general, documentaries share one or more of the following goals:
To document a subject in order to preserve.
To reveal something about the subject of the film.
To allow the viewer to experience what it's like to be the subject.
To advocate on behalf of the subject.
Specific Questions To Ask Yourself Whilst Watching A Documentary
1. What other genres of television programme does it contain elements of? Is it a hybrid?
2. What was the programme really about?
3. What is the main, 'overt' purpose of this programme?
4. What 'covert' purposes does it have?
5. What kinds of documentary is this- what is it trying to do? (educate, entertain, inform, persuade?)
6. Where was it filmed?
7. How was it filmed?
8. What effect does the presenter's presence have on this documentary?
9. Does the presence of the crew affect the documentary?
10. Do you believe what you are being told?
11. Does this documentary truly reflect reality?
Techniques Used (Codes and Conventions)
Voiceover
Narrator
Captions
Subtitles
Archive Footage
Audio Clips
Observation
Images/Photos
Presenter
Witness Statements
Video Diaries
Handheld Cameras
Commentary
Montage
Creativity vs Actuality
It is only ever representing reality
Reconstruction
Re-enactment
Someone's interpretation
Mediation- the documentary itself is a 'mediator' between the real event and audience.
Reality and Truth
The nature of 'reality' can be questioned:
What is reality?
How do you know what the truth is?
How credible is it?
Consider what the filmmakers' intentions might have been?
Is it manipulative?
Does it contain bias?
Could it be propaganda?
Popular Sub-Genres
Docu-dramas
Indie documentaries
Shock documentaries (or what used to be shocking)
Biographies
Scientific documentaries
Nature documentaries
Mockumentaries
Documentary Modes
Developed by American documentary theorist, Bill Nichols the 'Documentary Modes' are split into six different types of documentary:
1. Poetic Mode
2. Expository Mode
3. Observational Mode
4. Participatory Mode
5. Reflexive Mode
6. Performative Mode
When considering modes of documentaries, all documentaries can overlap into different modes. It is not expected of documentaries to link into only one mode, they are simply there to determine styles and significant aspects of documentaries.
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History of Documentary
Nanook of the North is considered to be the first documentary in existence.
It was created by Robert J. Flaherty and is about the lives of the indigenous Inuit people of the Canadian north region of Quebec.
It shows that the narrative is an important part of documentaries as it dictates what direction it will go in and what type of message it will end up conveying at the end.
Some scenes in the documentary film have been accused of being fudged and affected in a way that will improve the audience's enjoyment, changing how much entertainment they derive from it.
Dziga Vertov- He hated fictional film and thought it was the opium of the people. He was a Russian-Soviet pioneer of film directing who was well known for his practices/theories that influenced the Cinéma Vérité style of documentary.
Cinéma Vérité combines improvisation with the use of cameras to give an unfiltered look at truths about topics that are often hidden to make it seem like the issue with what is being looked at in a documentary isn't as bad as it seems when in reality it is.
The Nuremberg Rally, the annual rally of the Nazi Party in Germany held from 1923 to 1938, was filmed cinematically and is considered an important part of documentary history, despite the controversial connotations surrounding what was filmed.
"Free Cinema" was originally intended as a marketing gimmick in order to get attention onto independent filmmaking and the films that are made by them.
The Drew Associates were the creators of Direct Cinema, the American version of Cinéma Vérité.
Nick Broomfield- English documentary filmmaker who is known for asking tough questions and influencing many filmmakers of the present day with the way in which there is a lot of self-awareness found in his documentaries.
Is It Worth It?- Walking Together, Miles Apart (Rob's documentary on homelessness)
1. Caroline- Runs the intervention centre/hostel where homeless people live. The people she homes don't become homeless by choice and they want to get their lives back, not just living on the streets doing nothing all day. (key player)
2. Jo- 32 years old and a recovering drug addict, he lived in the intervention centre/hostel Hulford Court for 4 months. He was in and out of prison for his drug addiction and the last straw was when he passed out from his use of crack two minutes after getting out of prison. He ended up doing well for himself but rejected being interviewed with the staff of the intervention centre as he didn't want to be associated with the place any longer. (key character)
3. Graham- Part of a drug intervention program that works and he is the expert on the topic. He is the person that knows and explains why Jo acts the way that he does.
4. David- He was sleeping rough on the streets for 4 years until he was able to get back on his feet, find a home to live in and become a better uncle to his nephew/nieces after getting off the streets which he ended up on because of killing his girlfriend as a result of his own drunk driving but he is a better person after getting his life back together. (sub plot/success story)
5. Connie- She worked at the intervention centre/hostel for 10 years and worked with Jo since he arrived at the intervention centre/hostel and she considers her relationship with Jo to be a good working relationship. She was essentially Jo's support as part of the intervention programme provided for him.
6. Claire- The manager of the church that takes in homeless people in Leeds.
7. Helena- David's sister who was the one who took care of her children while he was getting himself back to a point where he was in accommodation and at least in the process of becoming a good uncle and a good person again.
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