1. Week 6
Non-Fiction Film

2. Documentary Conventions
What is the last documentary that you saw and why did you have to watch it?
What are some of the conventions that documentary film frequently uses?
Why do you think these conventions developed?
What is the goal of a documentary film?

3. What defines a documentary film?
There is a fine line between the realm of documentary and narrative film, but traditionally we define documentaries as:
Existing in the same historical world that we live in
We believe that the events in the film happened within the same historical world that we occupy
Not fully re-enacted
There is an especially a blurry line between Biopics (Narrative films about historical figures) and Documentaries
Discussion: What is the last biography film that you watched? Would you define this as a documentary?
A film like American Splendor straddles this line as it mostly contains re-enacted scenes from the life of Harvey Pekar, however, it includes voice over narration from Pekar as well as appearances from Pekar alongside Paul Giametti, the actor who portrays him

4. What are some common Misconceptions about Documentaries?
Documentaries are boring
There is a documentary for any subject of interest
The storytelling of a documentary can be more compelling than a narrative film
Documentaries are or should be objective
This is a common criticism of filmmaker Michael Moore
In truth, every film is made from a particular point of view and contains biases
Documentaries are easy/cheap to make
While documentaries often do not require as much pre-production and manpower as a fiction film, they can take a while to shoot and edit

5. A little bit of doc history
1900 – 1920:
Early Muybridge Experiments
Lumiere Brother’s films (travelogues)
Expeditions and Adventure – South (1919)
1920s – 1940s:
Nature films – Nanook of the North (1922)
Poetic Reality – Berlin: Symphony of a City, Man with a Movie Camera
Propaganda films
1950s to 1970s:
Cinema Verite
Maysles Brothers: Salesman, Grey Gardens
Political films: Primary, Harlan County, USA

6. Where are documentaries now?

7. Objectivity vs. Subjectivity
One of the best ways that we can analyze documentary films is by looking at the relationship between the filmmaker and the subject.
Typically documentary films are categorized by the measurement of this relationship
More Objective
Less intrusion on the part of the filmmaker in the filmmaking process
Audience is left to make judgment on the meaning, argument, and characters
More Subjectivity
More intrusion on part of the filmmaker, maybe even going as far as creating everything themselves
Filmmaker presents a very specific argument, or tries to evoke a specific emotion
Observational
Expository
Reflexive
Participatory
Poetic
Performative
Modes of documentary filmmaking

8. Global and Cultural Awareness
One of the great uses of documentary filmmaking is that it can foster awareness of cultures in us as both an audience and as filmmakers

9. Modes of documentary films
Because documentaries cover such a wide variety of topics, it is difficult to develop a classification system for all of them
Nichols (2001) devised modes by which we may organize the conventions and expectations of documentary films:
Poetic Mode
Expository Mode
Observational Mode
Participatory Mode
Reflexive Mode
Performative Mode
Documentary films can borrow elements from each of these modes

10. Poetic Mode
Films in the poetic mode have a heavy concentration on the power of the image and editing
There is not an emphasis on the transfer of information about the historical world, but rather the filmmakers seek to evoke emotion in the audience in reference to a subject
Often relies Heavily on music to create emotion
We can see influence now in many music videos
Style would be considered more subjective as filmmaker is manipulating the way that we see the historical world in order to present a particular viewpoint of it
Cons:
Films are incredibly abstract and audiences may find it difficult to watch as there is no traditional storyline
Examples (Click links to watch)
Berlin: Symphony of a Great City
Koyaanisqatsi : Music by Philip Glass
Baraka
Chemical Brothers: Star Guitar

11. Expository Mode
Films in the Expository Mode rely on voice-over narration as the presentational mode
The images serve a supporting role to the narration – Evidentiary Editing
This voice over narration is often referred to as the Voice-of-God, it is an attempt to be authoritative and objective on the given subject
A common example of this mode is the History Channel: They make documentaries on subjects and use a top-down approach to history (i.e. “These were the people that were involved”, “this is what happened”)
An objective approach to history
Often used for propagandistic purposes; To give the illusion of authority and truth
Is closer to the objective end of the spectrum, but this can be manipulated by the filmmaker
Cons: Can be overly didactic, not account for all perspectives on events
Examples:
Why We Fight Series (1944): A series of war propaganda films made by Frank Capra to support WWII

12. Observational Mode
The observational mode is defined by the fly on the wall approach to a subject; the filmmaker’s role is simply to observe actions as they take place
Mode allows audience to make judgments on the nature of the characters as well as overall themes of the film
Purely observational films have little narration or editing
Cons:
Can be quite boring; no storyline
Lack of history; cannot give historical context of the events
Examples:
Don’t Look Back: Film following Bob Dylan on Tour of England
Salesman

13. Participatory Mode
The film relies heavily upon the interaction between the filmmaker and the subject
Use of interviews to get a view of history from people who participated in it
Filmmaker often has influence over the outcome of the story because of their interaction with the subject
Cons:
Excessive faith in witnesses
May be seen as too obtrusive on the part of the filmmaker
Examples:
Roger and Me
Ross McElwee: Sherman’s March

14. Reflexive Mode
Questions the very nature of representation in documentary film. Uses multiple methods of representation to draw attention to the fact that the film itself is a representation.
Often uses actors to represent historical events
The filmmakers use of different techniques of representation move it away from subjectivity to objectivity.
Cons:
Can be too abstract, may lose sight of the actual issues that need to be addressed
Examples:
American Splendor: Uses many of these techniques even though it would be classified as a narrative film
Thin Blue Line: Uses recreations of a crime to show subjective viewpoint

15. Performative Mode
Films in the performative mode are often auto-biographical, based on the experiences of the filmmaker.
Films in this mode try to tackle larger issues through the lens of the subjects life
Often bridges on the Poetic or Avant Garde
A more personal approach to societal topics/problems
Examples
Tarnation