Five Types of Documentary

What is a documentary?

A documentary is a piece of non-fiction media which presents elements of truth through factual events. The term documentary was coined by the Scottish documentarian John Grierson, originating from the french word documentaire meaning 'travel book' in Latin. The documentary genre, according to Bill Nichols, divided into five sections; 'Expository', 'Observational', 'Interactive', 'Reflexive' and 'Performative'. The documentary is commonly believed to be telling the 'truth' however, documentary film makers do not just simply observe and record. This is because they make editing choices like what particular angle, what type of shot, what content to film and from what bias they plan to choose to present the documentary in; for or against.

Expository Documentary

According to Bill Nichols, "an expository documentary emphasises its typical characteristics; a disembodied and authoritative voice over commentary combined with a series of images that aim to be descriptive and informative."[1] The voice over either provides information that the image cannot present or comments on the events/action that is not evident to the viewers. The information addresses the viewer directly, with the use of titles/voices that back an argument regarding 'actualities'. This expresses the aim of expository documentaries; to provide information as well as an argument. For example it may follow/celebrate a particular type of culture or lifestyle, a commom reference which ccan partly relate to this type of documentary is 'fly on the wall' . Example's of this documentary style are We are the Lambeth boys and Night Mail. Expository documentary has become a popular use of modern documentaries, for example David Attenborough: Lost World' and Penguins - Spy in the huddle. "The overall effect of the expository documentary is one objectivity, of direct and transparent representation."[1]

In the 20's and 30's the British documentary film movement founded by John Grierson created a number of documentaries with this style, with a poetic edge to it. Some examples are Drifters, 'Spare Time' and as I previously mentioned, Night Mail. The aim of these documentaries again, was to show the public everyday working lives of industries and corporations. This was seen as a great advantage to the large corporations as the documentaries were improving their public image, thus leading to a larger consumer culture.

It is widely thought that there is a sense of middle class bias in the way the movement presents the working class. In certain GPO documentaries the film makers are glorifying the working class by presenting them as heroic instead of revealing that they're really under paid, over worked labourers. An example of this, is the documentary Spare Time.

Observational Documentary

Observational documentaries attempt to spontaneously observe real life with a minimal amount of intervention with its content. In this sub-genre there is no voice over, no interviews nor inter-titles, just a 'fly on wall' documentary which isn't self referential and doesn't break the 4th wall.The first observational documentaries date back to the 1960’s. . The observational documentaries aim for immediacy, intimacy, and a look at individual human characters in ordinary life situations to present 'real' life, also commonly referred to as actualities. It is therefore attempting to express to the viewers that the documentary is a real slice of life. However, as I previously mentioned, it cannot be completely true as the filmmaker chooses specific footage to film for a particular reason to receive a particular reaction or emotion from the spectators, therefore, we are seeing what the director wants us to see, sometimes there can be hours and hours of footage but edited down to around an hours worth. A famous documentary of this style is Wiseman's High School. The Film makers aims were to "observe and capture the typical, day-to-day events that take place in this school"[1]

Another example of this sub-genre is French filmmaker Nicolas Philibert's Etre Et Avoire. A documentary which observes a group of young children in rural France being educated by a dedicated teacher.

Interactive Documentary

Unlike the two previous sub-genres, interactive documentries do not have the intentions to hide the film makers from the spectators vision.  The film maker interacts with the events or people on the screen, including mainly interviews which draw out views or opinions on past events/information. Having the film maker involved with the documentary first hand, asking questions and interacting with the viewers means there is a usually a bias and a certain 'point' of what the documentary/film maker wants the audience to receive.

The film maker is usally the main person on the screen in an interactive doc and strings the film together. Although, there are a number of ways the film maker can interact with the people being filmed, he/she can either be on screen and the spectators can view the interaction between the film maker and interviewee. Or the film maker can remain off screen and jsut let his/her questions being heard and then the interviewee replying. Also they could just edit the footage and not play the audio of the questions and just allow the viewers to listen to the interviewee's answers and what they have to say about the matter/situation, therefore the film makers presence becoming less evident.

The interactive documentary typically begins with setting out an argument or situation which is usually highly controversial or not usaual brought into the 'lime light'. Throughout the documentary the film makers whether they are on or off screen will go into detail and investigation into the matter and by the end will have received some kind of resolution or opinion. An example of this type of documentary is the controversial documentarian Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine which goes into depth on the tragic shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado and why the US in such a 'trigger happy' part of the world. Another example is Louis Theroux's Louis and the Nazis which sees Louis Theroux talk to Nazi's and question why they believe in what they do.

When filming people, it is important to consider access and privacy. This is due to the fact that people may not want to be filmed therefore having to receive their say-so. Under eighteens (minors) are not allowed to be filmed unless written approval is made via their parent or carer. If you do not gain written approval then this can be seen as illegal and you could be taken to court. When filming in public however, if their is 10 or more people, then due to this amount being a large group, filming is allowed. Furthermore, it is common for signs to be nearby filming locations to make people aware that they may be filmed within a certain area, therefore, if you step into that area you are forming an agreement or contract and allowing yourself to be shot on camera.

Reflexive Documentary

Reflexive documentaries do not consist of the usual elements of documentary films; instead they draw attention to their own construction, and the fact that they are representations. This style of documentary pushes us to question the authenticity of documentary in general. It is the most self-conscious and peculiar style of documentary, it is also highly skeptical of 'realism'. The film maker attempts to expose the conventions of documentary representation, the sub-genre typically shows the audience the whole process of film making.. Reflexive documentaries use alienation or non-mainstream strategies to confuse the spectator, in order to ‘de-familiarise’ what we can see and how we are seeing it.

One of the most well known examples of reflexive documentary is Dziga Vertov's Man with a Movie Camera. The documentary film shows "unstaged events, scenes from everday life that add up to represent the working day - from waking up, going to work and finally, to leisure activities." [1]

Another example is Isaac Julien's Territories which raises the question that Britain is a very stereotyping nation. In the film we see the "sounds and vision of reggae whilst a narrator comments on territories, class and the decline of urban, industrial centres. Although it sounds like a typical documentary, the film reinforces it's message by breaking up its own narrative through change and repetition." [2]

Performative Documentary

Performative documentaries present true subjective experiences and emotional responses to particular events/situations. "The result is that the subject matter is rendered in a vivid way that encourages the spectator to experience and feel them."[1] The style is personal, experimental, sometimes over dramatised and may include re-enactments of events designed to make us experience what it might have been like in that situation/event, however, the events can sometimes be presented untrue and then become blurred/distorted. Performative documentaries often link up personal experiences with larger political/historical realities.

A good example of this sub-genre is Errol Morris' Thin Blue Line. This documentary film looks into the murder of Dallas police officer Robert Wood in 1976. "A drifter named Randall Adams was convicted of the murder, while the chief witness against him, David Harris, had been sentenced to death for another murder."[1] We eventually discover Harris was the one who murdered Wood due to the making of this documentary. It discovered a vast amount of information and eventually uncovered the truth after Adams spent a a number of years in prison accused for something he did not do . This film shows the impact and power documentary and what the form can really do, in Randall Adams case, a lot.

The dramatisations and re-enactments are used to give the spectators a higher understanding of the event. This then helps the spectators make up their mind on what they think of the event and whose side they are on. Although the Director has some control over what you think as they are the one deciding on the mise-en scene and the way the re-enactment is presented, it's possible for the film makers to use this as a device to manipulate the films spectators. The technique also helps create intensity and pace. With Thin Blue Line we see the murder happen, it helps us understand the seriousness of the situation.

Another relevant example of this style of documentary is BBC 1's Crimewatch. A TV show which takes a closer look at crimes committed in the UK with the common use of re-enactments and dramatizations to heighten the intensity of the show but also to present the terrible situations which are happening on a daily basis. The show has to be in a performative style as 9/10 the crimes are not filmed therefore have to be re-enacted.



Conclusion

These categories aren't the only strands of documentary, there is also poetic or participatory. These five sub-genres simply serve as the main forms for us to reflect on the documentary film genre and the various alternative approaches within it. 

The sub-genre which I think I would like to use for my own documentary is interactive. I feel that although it is one of the most manipulated and almost bias styles of documentary it looks like it would be challenging and interesting at the same time. Out of all the documentaries I've seen my favourites are interactive, featuring the likes of Michael Moore and Louis Theroux.

References

[1] - Teach yourself Film Studies (2009) Buckland, W

[2] - Studying Documentary Forms Handout
All the above images are from Google Images