Documentary Mini-Task

Introduction – (Mini Task)

What is a documentary? How would you define ‘documentary’?

A documentary is a non-fictional motion picture which captures moments from real life events. For the purposes of education or to maintain a historical record. They are very informative and often used in schools and colleges as a resource to teach students.

-              Identify the key features of expository documentaries

These types of documentaries set up a specific point of view or argument about a subject where the narrator is speaking directly to the viewers. By emphasizing the relationship between the images and people on screen and offering verbal commentary. There are many expository documentaries. Some that are more popular than others, for example: Louis and the Nazis. This documentary is about Louis Theroux going on his travels to interview ‘’the most dangerous racist in America’’ Tom Metzger. Louis meets him, and his family and his publicity manager as well as following him to skinhead rallies on a visit to Mexico.

-              Identify the key features of observational documentaries

Observational documentaries eschew interviews with voice over narration and a soundtrack, and instead present footage of real life as it unfolds. The purpose of this is to show, not tell. To invite each viewer to draw his or her own conclusions from the film. They aim to record realistic, everyday life without intrusion. There are many you could choose to explore like for example: A documentary called The Mother, which is about exploring the aspects in a small village in Thailand, where someone called Pomm works in a care center for Europeans with Alzheimer’s.

-              Identify the key features of interactive documentaries

Interactive documentaries also known as participatory documentaries, also known as interactive documentaries often present the film makers version of the truth as ‘the’ truth, focusing on direct engagement with subjects and capturing real emotional responses and interactions. For an example: the documentary the world in ten blocks is a documentary about 10 blocks between a street called Bloor St. and Crawford and Dufferin. Where immigrants become entrepreneurs.

Identify the key features of reflexive documentaries

Reflexive documentaries focus mainly on the film maker and the audience, pushing viewers to reflect on their perceptions and re analyze their notions of truth. Unlike expository documentaries the reflexive does not examine the outside subject matter but exposes the documentary making process. It doesn’t attempt to provoke intense emotional responses from the audience but encourages thoughtful consideration of the material.

-              Identify the key features of performative documentaries

Performative documentaries focus on the film maker’s involvement with his or her subject, using his or her personal experience or relationship with the subject as a jumping off point for exploring larger, subjective truths about politics, history, or groups of people. A cinematographer is often asked to capture the documentary production process, as well as intimate footage that illustrates the direct and often personal relationship between filmmaker and subject.

-              Conclusion – what is your documentary filmmaking philosophy?

In my opinion I believe that documentaries are made with contracts. So the viewers that are involved in the specific events that are being displayed on television have given their permission so the confidential information could have been recorded and put onto the documentary for millions of viewers to see.