DOCUMENTARIES

Based on documents. A film, book presented objectively without the insertion of fictional matter. A film, TV program, publication etc. which presents a social, political, scientific or historical subject in a factual or informative manner.

Some believe that documentaries are enclosed and structured type of films, they often offer more freedom than fictional movies, as personal opinions drive them.

Definition of Documentary Film The term ‘documentary’ stems from the verb ‘to document’ – to convey information on the basis of proof and evidence to support it. In the realm of films and cinema, a documentary is a film that is an attempt, in one fashion or another, to show reality as it really is. Another way of defining documentary is the necessity to capture life as it is – as it naturally appears. It needs to be filmed surreptitiously, while the goal is to capture life’s unawareness and natural beauty.

Documentary films differ from the typical Hollywood movie because of one clear reason. While movies tend to be fictional stories acted out by known celebrities or striving stars, documentaries are non-fictional stories that are perhaps narrated by a single individual. The goal of a documentary is not to develop a fictional story, but essentially to tell a realistic and true story by presenting facts and interviews.

Few Rules and Restrictions Restrict Documentary Films One of the only demands that documentaries must fulfill is its purpose. The film must have a given purpose, whether it is to inform, teach or entertain. Furthermore, this purpose should be presented in a manner that makes it dramatic and attractive, so it stands out from any other materials ever written or presented on the topic.

The documentary structure provides fair chances to communicate this purpose in terms of providing opinions on the topic in question or a specific message concerning the topic, while supporting the claims with proper facts and proofs. The topic or issue presented in the documentary needs to be relevant, in focus and interesting for it to become a success. By informing and teaching about the topic, it is possible to educate individuals on subject matters that were not thought of or significant, prior to watching the documentary.

Besides the purpose and goals of the documentary, there are no specific rules or regulations when planning and filming a documentary. It is up to the director what is more effective in terms of presenting the topic or issues in question. In terms of the degree of involvement, the director must decide what is more effective. While some favors the distance between film and producer, others deem it necessary to have direct involvement with the film, such as narrating the story or conducting the interviews.

There is simply one thing that one must keep in mind when making a documentary – keep it entertaining, informative and factual. Only then does it appear to be much more realistic and believable.

Documentary style Expository There is no one way of telling a story using documentary, but there are different ways of addressing the subject matter and the audience. Expository A very traditional form of documentary in which an unseen speaker performs a voiceover commentary that literally explains the images that we are seeing. It is the form often associated with wild life or historic documentaries, in which the viewer might feel in need of information about what they are seeing. The audience is not particularly ‘empowered’ by this kind of approach, finding itself in a subordinate role listening to the version of events that the filmmakers choose to prioritise.

Observational This is the mode associated with ‘fly-on-the-wall’ type documentaries. They appear to have been filmed in ‘real time’, as if the camera has happened upon events while those involved are seemingly unaware of the filming going on. The filmmakers correspondingly attempt not to interfere in what is underway. We do not hear their questions and we do not see them. There is no voiceover telling us what to think or what conclusions we should draw.

Interactive Many documentaries feature a certain amount of interactive mode filmmaking. Such sequences will involve those being filmed responding to questions asked of them. In such interviews, the questions of the filmmaker may be left in or edited out. This may be a way that individuals in a film can make their own case, but it is also a mode that can act to undermine the interviewees, making them look foolish or deluded. Their interpretation of events or personal account may be rendered to seem trustworthy or untrustworthy depending on the context of surrounding shots or the nature of the statements being made in their own right.

Reflective This is a style that is usually associated with more experimental documentaries, ones in which the filmmakers are interested as much in the process of making a film, of how reality can be constructed, as the actual content. At the simplest level the film may make no attempt to hide aspects of its construction - showing us the camera people for example.

Guidelines for producing a short documentary The starting point is, of course, to think of an interesting topic that all the members of the group are enthusiastic about. It is hard to give advice about this phase, except "be patient.“ If you haven't previously worked in the documentary genre, it is a good idea to find some examples that you can draw inspiration from before laying down the aesthetics and method of your film.

The preparation phase is very time consuming in the documentary genre The preparation phase is very time consuming in the documentary genre. It requires thorough research on your topic or source of inspiration. In order to get a fairly good understanding of your person and his or her story you need to visit him or her and make some test interviews. This will give you an impression of the person's limits and boundaries, and what s/he is willing to talk about

There are many ethical questions involved in the production of a documentary. From the beginning you must consider whether you are portraying people appropriately. Are you twisting in any way the images) of your subjects)? What should and should not be shown? Are you crossing their boundaries? Are you invading or exposing their privacy? Will they feel good about the film afterwards? How will the film influence their lives? and so on. Along with a documentary film project come some moral obligations, and the responsibility for the people involved goes beyond the finished film; you also have a responsibility for the emotional aftermath of the film. Respect for the people involved (which includes an honest representation of them) must come before making a great film.

As you develop your method for the interview, try out different ways of asking questions. Your questions should be phrased in such a way that the answers are delivered within a limited time and do not omit any important information.

To those who question whether clarity is all that important, I can only say that it is the most important quality in the making of a film,just as important as clarification, I think, is the need to simplify. A film director must have a sense of simplification. (François Truffaut, 1985, pp. 17 and 93)