TYPES OF DOCUMENTARIE

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Expository, Observational, Participatory, Poetic, Reflexive and Performative

WHAT IS A DOCUMENTARY?

A documentary is a movie, television or radio program that provides a factual record or report.

Speak directly to the viewer

Often in the form of an authoritative commentary employing voiceovers or titles proposing a strong argument and point of view

The documentaries are usually rhetorical and try to persuade the viewer

For example: Super Size Me (Morgan Spurlock, 2004)

EXPOSITORY DOCUMENTARIES

OBSERVATIONAL DOCUMENTARIES

Attempt to simply and spontaneously observe lived life with minimum intervention

Often includes voiceover commentaries, post-synchronised dialogue or music or re-enactments

The type of documentaries aim for immediacy, intimacy and revelation of individual human character in ordinary life situations

For example: Big Brother (TV Series)

PARTICIPATORY DOCUMENTARIES

Emphasises interaction between filmmaker and the subjects

This type of documentary usually takes the form of serious interviews or other forms of direct involvement

For example: Atari: Game Over (Zak Penn, 2014)

POETIC DOCUMETARIES

Organises images of the material world by means of associations and patterns (both in terms of time and space)

These type of documentaries are fragmentary, impressionistic and lyrical

For example: Koyaanisqatsi – Life out of Balance (Godfrey Reggio, 1982)

REFLEXIVE DOCUMENTARIES

Aids the audience in their understanding of the process of construction in film so that they can develop a sophisticated and critical attitude

They prompt us to question the authenticity of the documentary in general

For example: A Man With A Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov, 1929)

PERFORMATIVE DOCUMENTARIES

Acknowledges the emotional and subjective aspects of a documentary

Addresses the audience emotionally

For example: Tongues Untied (Marlon Riggs, 1989)