The purpose of a documentary is to document, i.e. Report with evidence, something that has actually happened.

It can show this by using actuality footage or reconstructions. It can use a narrators voiceover to anchor the meaning or rely on the participants themselves, with the occasional interjection by the narrator.

The term documentary was coined by film maker John Grierson in 1926 to describe a film made about life on the south sea island. He defined documentary as the creative treatment of actuality (or reality).

Documentaries are not just about facts, instead facts are used to create socially critical argument thereby inviting the audience to draw conclusions.

Types of documentaries

Fully narrated- the voiceover is used to make sense of the visuals and dominates the meaning e.g. Natural history documentaries like David Attenborough’s Planet Earth.

Fly on the wall- The camera film the subjects without interference e.g. 24 hours in A&E

The mixed documentary- uses a combination of interview, observation and narration.

Self reflexive- The subjects of the documentary acknowledge the presence of the cameras and often speak to the film maker. They draw attention to the film makers role in constructing a view of reality. E.g. My big fat gypsy wedding.

Docudrama- Reconstruction of a re-enactment as they are supposed to have actually happened. E.g. BBC’s docudrama ‘End Day’

Docusoaps- These programmes follow the daily lives of particular individuals within an organisation.

Features of a documentary

John Corner- There are five central elements to a documentary.

1. Observation- The programme makers pretend that the camera is unseen or ignored by the people taking part in events. It places the audiences as an “eye witness” to the events.

2. The interview- TV documentaries rely on interviews. The interviewee addresses the unseen interviewer rather than the audience. Interviews are intercut with images of observation to illustrate what they are talking about.

3. Dramatisation- All documentaries use a sense of drama throughout the observation element.

4. Mise-en-scene- Documentary makes carefully compose shots so that they contain the images they want the audience to see.

5. Exposition- The line of argument. The way the argument unfolds.

Gatekeeping

Gatekeeping is the selection and rejection of information.

Gatekeeper = Producer

Sheep = facts

Types of narrative structure

Open v closed

Questions left unansweredat the end of the narrativee.g. Soaps.

No loose ends and all questions are answered. E.g. Finding nemo

Single strand v multi-strand

There is only 1 narrative threade.g. Finding nemo.

More than 1 narrative thread, sometimes they do converge but not always. E.g. soaps.

Linear v non-linear

Follows chronological order . Doesn’t follow time order. Often the use of flashback and flash forward.

Circular- At the end of the narrative it has gone full circle returning to the beginning.