1. Types of Documentaries
Docusoaps
Reality TV
Fly on the wall
Mixed
Self Reflective
Docudrama
Fully Narrated

2. Docusoaps
• Observational, a hybrid
• A long running documentary series.
• Follow groups and individuals. For example One Born
Every Minute
• Started in 1990`s and were a new thing which
challenged what was on TV.
• Docusoaps follow central characters which go into
lots of detail so the audience gets to know the
character better.

3. Reality TV
• Factual television and can be known as
infotainment(information and entertainment)
• Emerged in between 1989 and 1999.
• Improved factual TV.
• Reality TV is a mix of authentic material with
serious information with commercial content.
• Use of camera work, surveillance and
commentary.

4. Fly On The Wall
• People being filmed ignore the camera.
• Events that we see are supposed to be “real”
Mixed
• Combination of
interviews, observation, actuality, footage, archiv
e material and narration(who advances the story
and narrative on)

5. Self Reflective
• The camera follows a person and the know
they are being followed. They often talk
directly to the camera
Docudrama
• Have reconstruction and reactant.
• They show the events that happen at the
time.

6. Fully Narrated
• Voice overs conveys the argument.
• Voice over is also used to make sense of the
visuals used.
• Voice over dominates and tells the audience
what is going on. For example Human Planet

7. Current Affairs Programmes
• Mid way between documentaries and the news. For
example News Night
• Based on aspects that affect society.
• Journalist aims to address the news and political
agendas in more depth than news bulletins.
• Journalistic report which could be for arguing the
case.
• Journalists frequently appear.
• Explores issues and important social development.

8. Differences between current affairs
and Documentaries
• Documentaries may take more time to
produce and current affairs need to get stories
together more quickly.