group 1

2. We will need to know about the types of
documentaries so that we can decide what type we
will be making our documentary into, so making this
post will help us to understand what these types of
documentary are. Knowing this will also help us to
decide which target audience we will be choosing.

3. DOCUSOAPS
A docusoap is the result of both the documentary genre and soap opera
and they use a combination of fact and fiction though most of the time
the fiction outweighs the truth.
They use multiple character led story lines and generates its own stars of
the show, the events that are recorded are kept to one location
Docusoaps aim to entertain their audiences rather than inform. Elements of
scripting, editing and voice over are used in the production of a
docusoap.
Examples:
-My Big Fat Gyspy Wedding
-Rescue 911
-The Real World

4. DOCUDRAMA
Docudramas are based on reconstructions of events that have actually
happened.
The documentary aims to show the truth to the audience through its
reconstructions
Examples:
-12 Years a Slave
-Crime Watch
-Hillborough
Documentaries that are a mixture of Docusoap and the
Docudrama type are mostly scripted so that it is more
Entertaining to the audience, an example of this is
Made in Chelsea

5. REALITY TV
Reality TV is a type of documentary where ordinary people are being
continuously filmed
Reality TV is another type of documentary that aims to entertain its
audience, it does give information but this is distributed through its
entertainment
This type of documentary uses surveillance with camcorders and
commentary
Examples:
-Keeping up with the Kardashians
-The Real Housewives

6. FLY ON THE WALL
A fly on the wall documentary makes it seem that what is shown is a natural
setting, however editing and camerawork affect what the audience is
shown.
These documentaries are mainly observational and little narration or
commentary is used in the documentary, the events that take place are
not staged and shows what has actually happened
In this type of documentary the audience has to reach their own
conclusions
Examples:
-Big Brother
-Educating Essex
-The Family

7. MIXED
Mixed documentaries use interviews, narrative and archive material to help
the argument that the creator of the documentary is trying to explain.
A feature that mixed documentaries can use is pictures or videos showing
onscreen while someone else is speaking over them.
Examples:
-Unexplained Mysteries
-The Devil Made Me Do It
-Music Biz

8. SELF REFLECTIVE
In a self reflective documentary the camera follows a person or group of
people, the ones being filmed are aware of the camera and speak into it.
The initial aim of the documentary is to talk about the subject rather than
the person being filmed
Examples:
-Teen Mom
-Sex and Suspicious Parents

9. FULLY NARRATIVE
A fully narrated documentary uses its narration to help the audience to
understand the situation and addresses the audience directly
It uses what is known as ‘the voice of god’ and the audience takes what is
being said as the truth, the narration that is being given also relates to
the visuals of the documentary.
Examples:
-Human Planet
-The Blue Planet

10. INFORMATION GATHERED
We have learned about the different types of documentaries there are and
have looked at examples to give us a clearer idea of what we are to
create, out of the range of types the mixed documentary seems to fit
well with the approach we want to take in making our documentary.
The interviews and voice over are elements that are used to guide the
audience through the documentary and yet come up with their own
conclusion, rather than the documentary telling the audience what to
think. This type of style best fits the audience which we are aiming for,
16-25 year olds. Though age matters we do not think ethnicity or gender
does.