The document discusses six modes of documentary film identified by Bill Nichols: expository, poetic, observational, participatory, performative, and reflexive. It provides examples for each mode. The expository mode uses a voiceover to directly address the viewer. Poetic documentaries are subjective and focus on imagery over narrative. Observational documentaries act as impartial spectators. Participatory documentaries involve the filmmaker interacting with subjects. Performative documentaries acknowledge their constructed nature. Reflexive documentaries emphasize subjectivity and emotional impact.

1. Bill Nichols in ‘Introduction to Documentary’ notes six types of modes of
documentary.
1.Expository
2.Poetic
3.Observational
4.Participatory
5.Per formative
6.Reflexive

2. This mode is often referred to as the hypothetical voice of God, often portraying a
strong view and talking directly to the viewer trying to persuade them. It is often
objective and often using a strong male voiceover to give that almost omniscient feel
to the documentary.
A good example of the expository mode of
documentary would be nature
documentaries etc. An example of this
would be The Living Planet - The Frozen
World, David Attenborough

3. The poetic mode, really
came about in the 1920s, Poetic documentaries are subjective as each person will
most poetic documentaries take something different, they are creative and abstract
do not follow a structured with the use of diegetic and non diegetic music just no
narrative with main voiceovers.
characters and sub plots etc.
It’s main focus is on imagery A good example of this would the poetic
of a personal feeling of the documentary/film Baraka, a film with no voiceovers just
director or representation of the sound of nature and non-diegetic music match the
something, sacrificing content shown in the feature, it is very subjective and
certain sensations such as abstract and in some aspect making you question our role
sound creating spatial in the world and exploring a wide range of themes.
juxtaposition from simply
filming and editing.

4. This mode is essentially a window on the world, this A good example of this would be my
sort of mode has little or no interaction from the big fat gypsy wedding channel 4, as
producer, mainly staying behind the camera ignored there is constant narration, however
by the surrounding, essentially acting as an impartial there is no direct contact from the
spectator. Giving a glimpse of the objective reality, it filmmaker or camera crew providing
attempts to capture society as accurately as possible. that conventional objective reality
perception of gypsies. Another
example would be What Katie did
Next.

5. This mode is the opposite of : “The filmmaker steps out from behind the cloak of voice-over
the observational style of commentary, steps away from poetic meditation, steps down from a
documentary as it promotes fly-on-the-wall perch, and becomes a social actor (almost) like any
direct engagement. This other. (Almost like any other because the filmmaker retains the
mode suggests that it is camera, and with it, a certain degree of potential power and control
impossible for a group of over events.)”
people not to be affected by Nichols:http://www.godnose.co.uk/downloads/alevel/documentary/Do
the awareness of a camera, c%20Modes%20nichols.pdf
the filmmaker becomes part Emphasis on the interaction between filmmaker and subject. An
of the events being example of this would be Ross Kemp in Afghanistan
recorded.

6. This mode challenges things to an The art of making pictures of this new mechanical work and
extent, oppositional and it to is part of the film which literally points in the film being
subjective. It acknowledges the constructed. The mode constructs its own reality. A good
constructed nature of the example of this would be For example Louis Theroux - A
documentary, conveying to Place for Paedophiles, he discusses the many views of this so
people that what is shown may called clinic to rehabilitate paedophiles.
not be true, therefore suggesting
that all documentaries are non Reflective documentaries tend to be the trustworthy, as they
fiction to an extent. always focus on realism, and to try to show things exactly as
they happen, without editing or special effects. However, as
the film maker narrates and addresses the audience
specifically, viewers opinions are swayed by those of the
documentary makers.

7. This mode documentary This mode emphasizes the emotional and social
emphasizes the subjective nature impact on the audience, good examples for this
of the documentarian as well as would be Supervise Me Morgan Spurlock.
acknowledging the subjectivity of Arguably, films by Michael Moore.
the audience, notions of
objectivity are replaced by affect. This mode emphasizes the emotional and social
impact on the audience. An example of this would
be An Inconvenient Truth, The Science of Global
Warming.

8. Additional information taken from the following websites:
http://www.slideshare.net/cheffernan/reflexive-documentaries
http://condor.depaul.edu/dtudor/DOCUMENTARY%20MODES.htm
http://www.godnose.co.uk/downloads/alevel/documentary/Doc%20
Modes%20nichols.pdf