Documentary Film

A Documentary Film is a non-fiction film that documents reality through recorded footage, interviews, and narrative techniques to inform and educate audiences about real world subjects.

• AKA: Documentary.
• Context:
  • It can capture Real Events through documentary footage and interview.
  • It can preserve Historical Records through archival material and expert commentary.
  • It can examine Social Issues through investigative journalism and expert analysis.
  • It can educate about Technical Subjects through visual explanation and demonstration.
  • It can explore Cultural Topics through anthropological observation.
  • It can range from being a Short Documentary Film to being a Feature Length Documentary, depending on its content scope.
  • It can range from being an Observational Documentary to being an Essay Film, depending on its stylistic approach.
  • It can utilize Voice Over Narration for providing context and interpretation.
  • It can incorporate Primary Source Material with historical footage.
  • It can feature Expert Interviews from subject matter experts.
  • It can employ Visual Storytelling through cinematography and editing techniques.
  • It can distribute through theatrical release, television broadcast, and streaming platforms.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • • Historical Documentarys, such as:
      • The World at War (1973) examining World War II.
      • The Civil War (1990) covering the American Civil War.
    • Social Issue Documentarys, such as:
      • Inside Job (2010) investigating the financial crisis.
      • Ethos (2011) exploring systemic issues and corporate power.
    • Nature Documentarys, such as:
      • Planet Earth (2006) documenting global ecosystems.
      • Blue Planet (2001) exploring marine life.
    • Biographical Documentarys, such as:
      • The Last Dance (2020) profiling Michael Jordan.
      • What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) examining Nina Simone.
    • Travel Documentarys, such as:
      • Parts Unknown (2013) exploring global cuisine and culture.
      • Long Way Round (2004) documenting motorcycle journeys.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Narrative Films, which present fictional story rather than factual accounts.
  • Mockumentarys, which use documentary style to tell fictional narratives.
  • Reality Television, which prioritizes entertainment over documentation.
  • Docudramas, which dramatize historical events with actors.
• See: Film Genre, Documentary Technique, Documentary Production, Film History, Non-Fiction Storytelling, Recorded History, Documentary Theatre, Educational Film, Docufiction.

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References

2020

• (Wikipedia, 2020) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/documentary_film Retrieved:2020-5-13.
  • A documentary film is a non-fictional, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record". Documentary has been described as "a filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries". Documentary films were originally called “actuality films", and were one minute, or less, in length. Over time, documentaries have evolved to be longer in length, and to include more categories; some examples being: educational, observational, and docufiction. Documentaries are meant to be informative works, and are often used within schools, as a resource to teach various principles.

     Social media platforms, such as YouTube, have provided an avenue for the growth of the documentary film genre. These platforms have increased the distribution area and ease-of-accessibility; thereby, enhancing the ability to educate a larger volume of viewers, and broadening the reach of persons who receive that information.

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