Genre Analysis and Themes

John Grierson came up with the term documentary in 1926.

He created documentaries such as: ‘Housing Problems’ and ‘Coal Face’

John Grierson – history of Documentaries

“Old style documentaries included a sense of persuasion in them” – John Grierson

The purpose of documentaries is to document something that has actually happened.

It can be shown using literal fo0tage or a reconstruction.

It can use a narrators voice over to anchor the meaning or rely on the

participants themselves with perhaps an occasional interjection by the

narrator.

What is a documentary?

An example of a documentary is ‘Blackfish’ released on 26th July, director by Gabriela Cowpethwaite

Another example is ‘National Gecraphic’

A documentary is a broad term to describe a non-fiction movie that in some way “documents” or captures reality.

Central to documentary is that it focuses on the questions actual people and events, often in a social context, placing the audience in a position to form an opinion about who or what we are seeing.