The document discusses the history and purpose of documentaries. It notes that documentaries began in the late 19th century with short factual films created by the Lumiere Brothers to document aspects of reality. The first feature-length documentary was Nanook of the North from 1922, though the term "documentary" was coined by John Grierson. Documentaries aim to inform and educate audiences based on true facts and real situations. Common documentary techniques discussed include interviews, observations, cutaways, narration, and reenactments.

1. Documentaries
DOCUMENTARIES

2. PURPOSE OF A
DOCUMENTARY
★ The purpose of a Documentary is to
document aspects of reality and
maintaing a historical record.
Documentaries are based on true
facts as they are based of real life
situations. Documentaries also have
to inform, educate and entertain but
most importantly is to inform and
educate.

3. HISTORY

4. 1922 1930s 1950s-1960s1895
Your TextThe year that Documentary
began. The first films were
invented by the Lumiere
Brothers. They created a
camera which could only hold
50 feet worth of film. The films
were very short and unedited.
These were called ‘Actualities’.
An example of this would be
train pulling into a station
which their most famous film.
A documentary that began was
called Nanook of the North which
was made by Robert Flaherty, but
the term ‘Documentary’ was
invented by John Grierson to
describe this type of film. The film
Nanook was the first feature length
factual film and the first to use ‘the
creative interpretation of reality’.
This means that in this film Robert
Flaherty had staged most scene for
the camera in order to make the film
more dramatic and enjoyable for
the audience.
John Grierson went on to head of
the film unit in england and
became a major exponent of this
poetic realist approach to
documentary. Night mail began as
an international film about a mail
train, however the filming and
editing emphasised poetic elements
of the film form such as
movement, rhythm, light and
sound.
The next development of documentaries
was called ‘Direct Cinemas’, it began in
the United States of America. Its aim
was to present social and political events
directly, in an unmediated so people
thought that the footage is recorded
exactly as the events happen, without the
use of a film maker. Cameras also
developed which allowed them to be hand
held, so this meant that the recording
could be more realistic.

5. Observation
An observation is
where it is filmed in a
way
that suggests the camera
is unseen or ignored
by the actors.
Features of a Documentary

6. Cutaways are used
during interviews to
show other footage
that illustrates the
points that are
made.
Usually set up in
a particular format.
Interviews are
usually with experts
or people relevant to
the subject.
The interviewee is
questioned and
responds to the
interviewer which
can be seen or
unseen rather than
directly to the the
audience.
Interviews
Features of a Documentary

7. Features of a Documentary
Dramatisation
Some Documentaries use
this
to portray people and
events
that the producer can’t
access in real life.
It is used in the
observational
footage
by adding an
element of
dramatic events.

8. Features of a Documentary
Mise-en-
scene
Shots are carefully
composed
to contain images that
they want the
audience to see.
Particular angles, shot
sizes may create
different
meanings and effects
to allow the audience to
access information.
Interviews may be
filmed during a
particular
setting and lighting to
create an
understanding
and meaning.

9. The line of
argument in a
documentary.
Some expositions
are direct and
some are indirect.
It is essentially
what the
documentary is
saying.
Exposition
Features of a Documentary

10. This type of Documentary has a combination of interviews,
observations and narration with elements of participation,
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It includes direct mode of address and has an off screen voice over
which could have a dominate meaning of image. The voice over is
normally called the voice of God. This type of Documentary is most
frequently used in nature Documentaries. It ancures the visuals the
audience is seeing, it is parallel and has a sense of authority.
Mixed
Fly on the
wall
Fully
Narrated
This type of Documentary relies on observation and has very little
narration, it also relies heavily on editing, with huge amount of footage
that they cut down. There is no interviews.
Types of Documentaries

11. This type of Documentary is events that have been constructed and
is reinacted e.g. crime watch
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In this type of Documentary the audience sees the presenter or the
narrator, and they acknowledge the camera.
DocuDrama
DocuSoap
Self
Reflective
This type of Documentary follows the lives of individuals
Types of Documentaries