1. Introduction to Documentary

2. Documentary – a definition…
An approach to the ‘real’ as opposed to the fiction.
Deals with issues of fact, of real events and of actuality.
‘Documentary’ is often set up in conflict with ‘fiction’ – creating a binary opposition
The fictional = lies….entertainment films
The factual = truth…documentaries & ‘realist’ films
“The creative treatment of actuality.” – John Grierson

3. Realism
In terms of representing the ‘truth’, documentaries are generally accorded the highest status.
To ‘document’ a subject implies keeping a factual record for future reference.
However, even the most realistic documentaries have to be constructed.
Bruzzi (2000) “We need to accept that a documentary can never be the real world…documentaries are performative acts whose truth comes into being only at the moment of filming.”

4. Nanook of the North (1921) is generally considered to be the first anthropological documentary film ever made

5. Nanook of the North A 1922 silent documentary film by Robert Flaherty
One of the world's first examples of a ‘cinema verite' documentary
Explores the struggles of the Inuk Nanook and his family in the Canadian arctic.
The film is considered the first feature-length documentary
Flaherty has been criticized for staging several sequences and thereby distorting the reality of his subjects' lives
“A film maker must often distort a thing to catch its true spirit.”

6. Purpose of Documentary:
Portray real life
Focus on an issue or truth
Attempt to:
bring about awareness of an issue
inform or teach
record, reveal or preserve
analyze, interrogate
persuade, promote
engage!

7. Types of Documentary –Reflexive
Purpose: To explore and experiment with the form of documentary (the aesthetic aspects)
Experimental, “artsy” form
Draws attention to the art of documenting
Uses an artistic form to represent an idea
Example: Ryan (focuses on animation techniques to depict an artist’s life), How I Met the Walrus (illustrates the words of an interview with John Lennon)

8. Type - Expository
Purpose: To propose an argument or deliver an interpretation
Investigative (fact-finding, journalistic)
Essay style (collects evidence, then proposes an argument)
Usually authoritative narration explains content (this is called voiceover)
Can be descriptive, informative, persuasive, didactic
Visuals complement the information being spoken, but they are not the central focus: what is being said is important
Examples: An Inconvenient Truth, Are We Safer?, Football High

9. Type - Observational
Purpose: To observe aspects of life with minimal interference or manipulation
Filmmaker is like a “fly on the wall”
The cameras and film crew seem not to be disturbing the scene or even be noticed by the participants
Camera follows action that is beyond the control of the filmmaker
The story unfolds in chronological order
The filmmaker’s point of view is hidden in the narrative structure
Techniques: subjects speak to one another
Example: Babies, The Cove, Armadillo

10. Type – Interactive/Participatory
Purpose: To interact with the subject directly in order to study it
Film-maker’s presence is obvious
Includes interviews, editing, questions to the audience
Manipulates and (mis) interprets events
Examples: Bowling for Columbine, The Dark Side of Chocolate

11. Type - Performative
Purpose: To explore or produce subjective emotional responses to the world
Similar to interactive, but less objective (filmmaker constructs subjective truths)
The filmmaker, who is the subject of the film, undergoes some sort of physical process solely for the purposes of making the film (source: HotDocs Library)
Topic is usually something personal to the film-maker
Subject speaks directly to the camera or in voice-over
Examples: No Impact Man, Beyond the Horizon, SuperSize Me

12. Features of Documentary:
Thesis
The film-maker’s message for the viewer to take away from the film
The film-maker may want you to agree with his/her position
“Talking Heads”
People interviewed on a particular subject
Meant to either agree or disagree with the thesis

13. Features of a Documentary, cont'd.
Bias
We trust the film-maker to be objective (unbiased) and seek the absolute truth
As viewers, we need to ask the question: Are film-makers fair to each side of the argument?
Atmosphere
Mood or tone of each scene or interview or overall film
What kinds of techniques are used to create atmosphere?

14. Documentary Filmmaking Techniques (source: Wikipedia)
Voice-over: a commentary by the filmmaker, spoken while the camera is filming or added to the soundtrack; the filmmaker can speak directly to the viewer
Interview:
Common technique
People being filmed speak directly about the issue, events, etc.
Interviewees are called “talking heads” and they may represent various sides of the issue

15. Documentary Filmmaking Techniques (cont’d)
Masked Interview: an interview in which the filmmaker is both unseen and unheard
Archival Footage: material obtained from a film library or archive and inserted into a documentary to show historical events
Reconstructions: artificial scenes portraying an event (have been reconstructed and acted out based on information about the event)

16. Documentary Filmmaking Techniques, Cont’d.
Montage: conveys ideas by putting them in a specific order in the film; contains a sequence of shots that often link action with words (as manipulated by the filmmaker)
Juxtaposition: both sides of the issue are presented immediately following the other (ex. two interviews side by side)

17. Methods of Development
Narration: telling stories or anecdotes to illustrate a point or show the seriousness of an issue
Description: characteristics or features of the unfamiliar are described
Examples: illustrations of a concept, event, idea are given
Classification: ideas are grouped in categories to show or explain a bigger idea

18. Methods of Development (cont’d)
Comparison/Contrast: ideas are arranged to show the similarities and differences between things
Process: outlines the steps that are taken to explore the issue
Cause/Effect: Ideas are arranged to link a result with a series of events, showing a logical relationship (ex. Describe the cause first and then explain the effects)

19. Night Mail 1936 documentary about a mail train from Scotland to London
The most commercially successful film of the British documentary movement
Made with a budget of £2000
A promotional film for the post office (produced by the GPO film unit)
A poem by English poet W. H. Auden was written for it, used in the closing few minutes

20. Cinema Verite
1950s – more detailed and naturalistic approach to documentary film making developed
Cinema verite (cinema truth) style developed in France.
The intention was to observe and record the reality of everyday life as it happened without the usual organisational planning & structured direction.
The approach was made possible by new lightweight mobile cameras.

21. Touching the Void
2003 documentary film about 2 climbers almost fatal attempt to climb a mountain in the Andes
Hugely successful at the box office
“The most successful documentary film in history” – The Guardian

22. Michael Moore American film maker, activist, author
His presence and performance are key components of his popularity
Makes openly rhetorical documentaries –
Farenheit 9/11 has made more money than any other documentary to date
films which are upfront about wanting to persuade the audience of a particular viewpoint

23. Supersize Me
2004 American documentary written by & starring Morgan Spurlock
Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003 during which he eats only McDonald's food.
explores the fast food industry's corporate influence
Nominated for an academy award

24. Fly on the wall
During the past 20 years, the cinema verite style of documentary film making has become increasingly popular in TV.
Known as ‘fly on the wall’, this approach represents the subject apparently unmediated by a film crew, a presenter or reshooting.
Those participating tend to speak for themselves.
Their words and actions are apparently merely recorded and observed, not reflected on or mediated by a presenter.

25. Fly on the Wall
In helping to define the distinctive fly on the wall approach, Roger Graef listed certain rules to be applied in the production:
Filming events exactly as they happened
Agreeing in advance the specific subjects to be filmed
Showing the edited version to the participants, but only to ensure any factual errors may be corrected.

26. Critics of fly on the wall have argued…
While seeming more natural’ and unmediated, these documentaries are subject to considerable editorial control during post production.
Shooting ration - up to fifty hours of recorded video to one hour broadcast
Editors will try to generate as much dramatic interest and entertainment as possible.

27. Reality Television A hybrid of the documentary genre.
Emphasis that they feature ‘real life’ and ‘real people’.
A growing phenomenon which seemingly allow people to appear as themselves.
They utilise actual (or sometimes reconstructed) scenes, often made possible by the growth in availability/technical sophistication of the camcorder.

28. Reality Television
Covers a wide variety of programmes featuring people in different roles…

29. Criticism Seen by many as a corruption of the documentary genre.
Many argue that reality TV fails to be genuinely informative or revelatory.
Video footage of ordinary people’s personal experiences may be exploitative in pandering solely to audience voyeurism.
Achieves high ratings at relatively low expense.
Cheap programming which drives serious, expensively well researched programmes off our TVs.

30. Our Five Questions Type? What is the thesis/focus?
How is this thesis supported?
What are the filmmaker’s biases/angles?
How is this a “creative treatment of actuality?”