2. Definition
A documentary is a nonfictional or factual motion picture made with the purpose to
document an aspect of reality. Documentaries are primarily made in order to instruct
viewers or keep historical records.
Originally, documentaries were captured on the only medium readily available – film
stock. Nowadays they are commonly made using both video and digital production
methods and are either direct-to-video, released as a TV show or shown in cinemas.
3. History: Pre-1900
Originally, the most popular films were shot clips that simply showed everyday life. These were
known as “actuality” films and showed events such as a ship docking in a harbour, workers
walking to work or a train arriving at a station. These films were often made in order to generate
money. People filmed were happy to pay in order to see themselves projected onto the big screen,
as were their families and friends.
Due to the basic technology levels of early film cameras, films were rarely a longer than a minute
and often were far shorter. One of the earliest films with a long length was Enoch J. Rector’s 90
minute film The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight which chronicled a famous 1897 prize-fight.
As film became a more commonly used medium, doctors, surgeons and scientists started using
film to capture surgeries, operations and experiments. This was done as it was an easy way of
keeping records on the advancements in science and medicine. Some famous examples include
Les Opérations sur la cavité crânienne (1911) by the French surgeon Eugène-Louis Doyen and
The Walking Troubles of Organic Paraplegies (1899) by the Romanian professor Gheorghe
Marinescu.
4. History: 1900-1920
Films known as travelogue films were very popular at the start of the 20th century.
Travelogue films or “scenics” were films that documented travels and/or tourist
attractions. These were exciting at the time as viewers may have been seeing different
countries and continents for the first time. Documentaries started to change with the
release of In the Land of the Head Hunters (1914), which used a staged story presented
as a truthful coverage of the life of Native Americans.
Biographical Documentaries also started around this time, such as the film Eminescu-
Veronica-Creangă, which documented the relationship between the writers, all of
whom were deceased at the time of production .
Early forms of colour motion picture were created at this time, too. These techniques
were used in films such as With our King and Queen Through India (1912) and
Everywhere with Prizma (1919).
5. History: 1920s-1940s.
Many documentaries made during this time were made as propaganda in order to rally
support for various countries and political parties. One of the most well-known and
controversial propaganda films is Leni Riefenstahl’s 1935 film The Triumph of Will
which documented the Nazi Party’s rise to power in post-WWI Germany.
Propaganda films were made by almost every country in order to encourage people to
think a certain way. Films were made with both leftist and far-right ideals either subtly
or blatantly.
During World War II, many propaganda films were made by the allied nations in order
to counter the Nazi’s psychological warfare (that was orchestrated by Joseph
Goebbels).
6. History: 1950s-1970s
Documentaries saw a new light during this time with the arrival of Cinéma-vérité,
which went against the constraints caused by studio-based production. Cinéma-vérité
relied on several technological advancements in order to exist: light, quiet and reliable
cameras and portable sync sound.
Documentaries were still, however, used as propaganda throughout this turbulent
period. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, documentary films were often conceived as a
political weapon against neo-colonialism and capitalism. These views were especially
prominent in Latin America, but also in a changing Quebec society. An example of a
political documentary made during this time is Chile: A Special Report which was
public television’s first look of the September 1973 overthrow of the Salvador Allende
government in Chile by military leaders lead by Augusto Pinochet.
7. History: 1980s-Present
Documentaries as a genre has become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to theatrically
released films such as Fahrenheit 9/11, Super Size Me and March of the Penguins. Documentaries
generally have far lower budgets than that of dramatic narrative films, so they are more appealing
to film companies as even limited box office success is enough for the film to be profitable.
Advancements in technology have also made documentaries more personal; the use of handheld
cameras, for example, allows for the creation of an intimate relationship between the filmmaker
and the viewer.
Documentaries have also become more popular through services such as Netflix, which make
documentaries more widely available and also create their own, such as the 2014 film Virunga,
which documents the efforts made by brave individuals to protect endangered mountain gorillas in
the Virunga National Park.
8. Controversial Documentaries
Blackfish (2013)
Blackfish documents the life of Tilikum, an orca who was infamous for killing three people while in captivity.
The documentary looks into the practices carried out at SeaWorld and questions how wild animals can maintain
their health and wellbeing whilst simultaneously being exploited for entertainment. By revealing Tilikum’s
origins and showing the dangerous confines he faced, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite proved to audiences that
their preconceived stereotypes were unfair and uninformed. The film has caused SeaWorld an estimated $15.9
million loss and has lead to the marine entertainment company creating a section on their website entitled “Truth
about Blackfish” in order to deal with the fallout caused by the documentary.
Bowling For Columbine (2002)
Michael Moore’s 2002 documentary Bowling For Columbine ridicules the American government's role in the
deaths of 13 students during the Columbine High School Massacre of 1999. Moore the US’ lax gun laws as the
ultimate contributor to the violent atmosphere Americans live in and claims that the government has influenced
Americans to feel comfortable with violence. Still a relevant and controversial documentary tot his day, it is also
considered a masterful documentary and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2003.
9. Mockumentaries/Rockumentaries
A mockumentary is a type of film or TV show that presents fictional events in order to
create a parody of something. Mockumentaries are often used to comment on current
events and issues using fictional characters and/or events. Mockumentaries are
commonly comedic, although some mockumentaries are dramatic.
Some notable Mockumentaries include: The Thick of It/In the Loop, Twenty Twelve,
Borat, The Blair Witch Project, The Office and This is Spinal Tap.
Similarly to mockumentaries, a rockumentary is another sub-genre of documentaries
that chronicles music and musicians. The term was first used by Bill Drake in the 1969
History of Rock & Roll broadcast.
Notable rockumentaries include: Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Amy, This Is It, Katy
Perry: Part of Me, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Marley and VH1’s Behind the
Music series.
