A documentary aims to document real events using footage, reconstructions, and narration. John Grierson coined the term "documentary" in 1926 to describe films documenting real life. Documentaries use facts to make socially critical arguments and invite audiences to draw their own conclusions. There are many types of documentaries that use different combinations of interviews, observations, narration, and reconstructions to represent reality. Producers act as gatekeepers in selecting what factual information to include. Documentaries employ various narrative structures, such as linear, non-linear, or multi-threaded approaches.

2. The purpose of a documentary is to document, i.e. Report with evidence, something
that has actually happened.
It can show this by using actuality footage or reconstructions. It can use a narrators
voiceover to anchor the meaning or rely on the participants themselves, with the
occasional interjection by the narrator.
The term documentary was coined by film maker John Grierson in 1926 to describe
a film made about life on the south sea island. He defined documentary as the
creative treatment of actuality (or reality).
Documentaries are not just about facts, instead facts are used to create socially
critical argument thereby inviting the audience to draw conclusions.

3. Types of documentaries
Fully narrated- the voiceover is used to make sense of the visuals and dominates
the meaning e.g. Natural history documentaries like David Attenborough’s Planet
Earth.
Fly on the wall- The camera film the subjects without interference e.g. 24 hours in
A&E
The mixed documentary- uses a combination of interview, observation and
narration.
Self reflexive- The subjects of the documentary acknowledge the presence of the
cameras and often speak to the film maker. They draw attention to the film makers
role in constructing a view of reality. E.g. My big fat gypsy wedding.
Docudrama- Reconstruction of a re-enactment as they are supposed to have
actually happened. E.g. BBC’s docudrama ‘End Day’
Docusoaps- These programmes follow the daily lives of particular individuals
within an organisation.

4. Features of a documentary
John Corner- There are five central elements to a documentary.
1. Observation- The programme makers pretend that the camera is unseen or
ignored by the people taking part in events. It places the audiences as an “eye
witness” to the events.
2. The interview- TV documentaries rely on interviews. The interviewee
addresses the unseen interviewer rather than the audience. Interviews are
intercut with images of observation to illustrate what they are talking about.
3. Dramatisation- All documentaries use a sense of drama throughout the
observation element.
4. Mise-en-scene- Documentary makes carefully compose shots so that they
contain the images they want the audience to see.
5. Exposition- The line of argument. The way the argument unfolds.

5. Gatekeeping
Gatekeeping is the selection and rejection of information.
Gatekeeper = Producer
Sheep = facts

6. Types of narrative structure
Open v closed
Questions left unanswered
at the end of the narrative
e.g. Soaps.
No loose ends and all
questions are answered. E.g.
Finding nemo
Single strand v multi-strand
There is only 1 narrative thread
e.g. Finding nemo.
More than 1 narrative
thread, sometimes they do
converge but not always. E.g.
soaps.
Linear v non-linear
Follows chronological order . Doesn’t follow time order. Often the use of
flashback and flash forward.
Circular- At the end of the narrative it has gone full circle returning to the
beginning.