This document defines a documentary film as a nonfictional motion picture intended to document aspects of reality for instruction or maintaining a historical record. It can now include video and digital productions. Documentaries are meant to inform audiences about reality, using non-fiction, while feature films are mostly fiction and meant as escape. Documentaries benefit society by conveying important social messages, sharing cultural experiences, generating interest in other cultures, encouraging critical thinking, educating people, and inspiring change.

1. Enrollment Nos. 43-49 (IT)

2. Glance view
 Definition
 Introduction
 Example
 Documentry Vs Feature Flim
 Benefits

3. Defination
 A Documentary film is
a nonfictional motion picture intended
to document some aspect of reality,
primarily for the purposes of instruction
or maintaining a historical record. Such
films were originally shot on film stock—
the only medium available—but now
includes video and digital productions
that can be either direct-to-video, made
into a TV show or released for screening
in cinemas.

4. Defination(conti.)
 "Documentary" has been described as a
"filmmaking practice, a cinematic
tradition, and mode of audience
reception" that is continually evolving
and is without clear boundaries.

5. Introduction
 In popular myth, the
word documentary was coined by
Scottish documentarian John
Grierson in his review of Robert
Flaherty's film Moana (1926), published
in the New York Sun on 8 February
1926, written by "The Moviegoer" (a pen
name for Grierson).

6. Introduction
 Grierson's principles of documentary
were that cinema's potential for
observing life could be exploited in a
new art form; that the "original" actor
and "original" scene are better guides
than their fiction counterparts to
interpreting the modern world; and that
materials "thus taken from the raw" can
be more real than the acted article.

7. Introduction
 In this regard, Grierson's definition of
documentary as "creative treatment of
actuality" has gained some acceptance,
with this position at variance with Soviet
film-maker Dziga Vertov's provocation to
present "life as it is" (that is, life filmed
surreptitiously) and "life caught
unawares"

8. Example
 The documentary titled “Into great
silence,” inspired quite a few people to
practice meditation and value silence as
a major part of their lives.

9.  David Attenborough’s classic series, “life
on earth,” changed the way we looked at
life and existence on earth. We learnt to
respect life, its creation and evolution in
a new way through these series.

10. Documentary Vs Feature
Film
1. Escape vs. Reality
 In general, the main reason feature films
get made is to entertain the audience; to
give people an ‘escape’.
 Documentaries are meant to inform; to
confront people with ‘reality’.

11. Documentary Vs Feature
Film
2. Fact or Fiction (Feature)
 Feature films are mostly fiction,
sometimes total fantasy. Some may be
based on real events or people, but the
director and screenwriter will be adding
drama and impact with their ”˜creative
license’.

12. Documentary Vs Feature
Film
2. Fact or Fiction (Documentry)
 Documentaries are non-fiction films.
Directors and writers help structure the
film, rather than creating characters or
taking liberties with the facts of the
story.

13. Documentary Vs Feature
Film
3. Format (Feature)
 Feature films take care in introducing
complex characters and spinning an
intricate storyline over a running time up
to three hours. There’s an ebb and flow
to the action, with carefully timed and
structured mini-climaxes and dramatic
highlights.

14. Documentary Vs Feature
Film
3. Format (Documentry)
 In documentaries, often the action leads
the way. People don’t have scripted
words to say or scenes to enact;
handheld cameras might be the only
way to follow the story. Even the director
doesn’t always know what happens
next.

15. How Documentary Films
Benefit the World
 Documentaries are very powerful means
of conveying social messages to the
world.
 Documentaries are also means by which
young people can share and learn about
cultural experiences with others.
 Watching documentaries about other
cultures and nations can generate
interest in various subjects like
languages and culture of a nation.

16. How Documentary Films
Benefit the World(conti.)
 Documentaries also encourage critical
thinking about the world, and seeing
facts, can eliminate many myths and
superstitions about issues.
 Documentaries can educate and inspire
people into taking certain steps which
would not have been possible otherwise.
 Many people get a new direction in life
when they are positively influenced by
these films.