Types of documentaries.

There are at least six different types of documentaries that include..

FULLY NARRATED:Direct address documentaries use of the screen voiceover to convey the exposition. The narrator seems authoritative about the topic allowing them to make sense of visuals. A.k.a ‘Voice of God’

FLY ON THE WALL:Rely almost totally on observation, as the cameras are left to record without interference and viewers come to their own conclusions.

MIXED:Uses a combination of interview, observation and narration to advance the argument. Narrator is within the frame and this style is most common in news reporting.

SELF REFLEXIVE:The subjects of a documentary acknowledge the presence of the camera and speaks directly to the film maker. Makes a point of drawing attention the film maker to create a view of reality.

DOCU-DRAMA:A re-enactment of events as they are supposed to of happened. Fictional narrative is combined with elements of the exposition, however critics claim that docu-dramas will only ever deliver fiction.

DOCU-SOAP:A phenomenon of recent years which follow the daily lives of particular people. E.g. ‘Airport’. Many dispute whether these are real documentaries in any sense.