introduction to documentary. documentary – a definition…

Introduction to Documentary

Documentary – a definition…

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

What makes a film realistic?

•Blair Witch Project

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.”

Nanook of the North

One of the world's first examples of a ‘cinema verite' documentary

A 1922 silent documentary film by Robert Flaherty

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.”

John Grierson• 1898 – 1972• Scottish documentary maker• Founder of British documentary film making.• Influential friendship with Robert Flaherty (who

he referred to as the ‘father of documentary’)• Argued that documentaries should combine

information with education and propaganda.• He oversaw the production of over 40

documentaries on aspects of British life in the 1930s and 1940s.

• The idea was to engineer social reform by highlighting some of the deprivation endured by working class people (‘Coalface’ 1935)

• Focus on ordinary lives (‘Night Mail’ 1936)

Night Mail1936 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

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.

1960s• The television had become the principal

medium for documentary production.• The genre was typified by the use of an

authoritative presenter and/or voiceover,• Recorded interviews with experts and

ordinary people• Visual ‘evidence’ via location shots, archive

film, photographs etc.• Seamless editing and smooth narrative flow

of such documentaries (still prevalent today), contribute to creating a sense of irrefutable truth and authenticity.

• This disguises the editorial values and choices which shape the making of all documentaries.

2000•This is an era where it has been argued that

the documentary is outmoded.•“We are in post documentary times.”

(Corner 2002)•However, the success of ‘nature’ or

‘wildlife’ documentaries continues to grow.•Popularity of BBC series such as ‘The Blue

Planet’ (2001)•Recent successes for cinematic

documentaries – ‘Touching the Void’ (2003)

Touching the Void2003 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

Michael Moore American film maker, activist, author

His presence and performance are key components of his popularity

Makes openly rhetorical documentaries –

films which are upfront about wanting to persuade the audience of a particular viewpoint

Farenheit 9/11 has made more money than any other documentary to date

Supersize Me2004 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

Documentaries on TV

Homework

•Find a definition and example the different types of documentary.

•Expository•Observational•Interactive•Reflexive

•Wednesday 2nd Feb

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.

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.

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.

Convergence •There is a growing overlap and

convergence of documentary and drama on TV.

•As early as 1966 – Ken Loach applied cinema verite style filming to a drama about homelessness.

•Cathy Come Home•The documentary feel of the film created

a stronger sense of realism and contributed to its strong impact on audiences.

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.

Reality Television

•Covers a wide variety of programmes featuring people in different roles…

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.