This document discusses different types of documentary films: 1) Docusoaps are long-running documentary series that follow individuals or groups, like Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, and were popular in the 1990s. 2) Reality TV progressed in the late 20th century and provides both entertainment and useful information using techniques like observation and commentary. 3) "Fly on the wall" documentaries film events without the subjects' awareness, like Big Brother, capturing natural reactions.

1. Different types of Documentary
Nina Flowerday

2. Docusoaps
A docusoap is a hybrid genre, it is observational. It is a long
running documentary series which follows an individual or
group of people. An example of this could be; The Family, Big
Fat Gypsy Weddings. Docusoaps started in the 1990’s. This
genre of documentary was popular because people liked that
it was a real soap opera. Docusoaps follow a central
protagonist, the means that the audience willbegin to know
the character.

3. Reality TV
Reality TV is factual TV. It progressed between 1989 and
1999.This type of TV gives you useful information in the form
of entertainment. This is a mix of authentic material with
serious information and commercial content. They have a use
of camcorder, observation, surveillance and commentary.

4. Fly on the Wall
A fly on the wall is when the camera is unseen or the people
ignore it. Therefore the cameras record the events which are
unrolled. An example of this would be Big Brother, as the
cameras are hidden which makes the people in the house act
as if they were not there.

5. Mixed
A mixed documentary is a combination of interviews,
observation, actuality footage, archive material and narration.
The narrator links the story together, it also advances the
narrative. A lot of the time newer documentaries are mixed.

6. Self Reflexive
This type of documentary is when the camera follows a
person or group of people around. The person/people know
that that camera is there and they stop to talk to it.

7. Docudrama
A docudrama is a reconstruction or re-enactment of
something which has actually happened. They show events
which have happened at the time.

8. Fully Narrated
This documentary is when the narrator narrates the whole
way through the documentary. It is used to convey the
exposition, and used to make sense of what they see. They
dominate what is happening. An example of this would be
Human Planet