The document discusses the purpose and features of documentaries. Documentaries are meant to document and educate audiences about specific topics while also potentially entertaining them. Key features include observation of subjects without their awareness, interviews that provide different perspectives, mise-en-scene to construct the visuals, and exposition to outline the argument. Common documentary types are fly on the wall with minimal narration, fully narrated with voice throughout, docudrama which acts out events, and mixed which combines elements.