Documentaries are non-fiction films that are commonly an hour long and shown on TV. They were defined in 1936 as the "creative treatment of actuality." There are several key features of documentaries including observation, interviews, dramatization, mise-en-scène, exposition, and establishing a line of argument. There are six main types of documentaries: fully narrated, fly on the wall, mixed, self-reflective, docu-drama, and docu-soap. Fully narrated documentaries include an off-screen narrator, fly on the wall relies solely on observation, mixed uses interviews and narration, and self-reflective has the director speak directly to the camera

1. Introduction to
documentary
By Mariah Gorman

2. What is a documentary?
Documentary's are short films which are commonly found
to be a hour long and usually shown on tv.
Documentary's were created by John Grierson in 1936
He defined the documentary's as "creative
treatment of actuality"

3. Features of a
documentary

4. Features of a
documentary
observation interview
dramatization
Mis en scene
exposition
The line of argument in a
documentary a series of
sequences which make the
the audience decide there
own decision
What the directors put in to the frame eg
setting props lighting
If the director cant us people that are linked
to the topic for example a plane crash they
then uses facts like intercoms and phone calls
to create a drama using actors.
Interviews are reflected in two ways inter
cut fragments of observation or a
uninterrupted sequence with Q&A.
Giving the audience a point of
view shot where the camera isn't
seen with indirect address

5. Different types of
documentary's
There are 6 different types of documenters.

6. Fully Narrated
• Fully narrated include a off-screen voice over this can be
subjective depending on the person that is talking and
there own personal opinions.
• Most of nature documentary's are fully narrated.
The off screen
voice over is often
referred to as a
voice of god

7. Fly on the wall
Fly on the wall documentary's rely on observation as some
people can call them a true form of documentary as there is
no impact from any bias people imputing there own
personal views. However most of these type of
documentary's have some impacts through the editing
chosen and there is usually very little narration.
Some examples of fly on the wall documentary's are
Big Brother Educating Essex's

8. Mixed
• Mixed documentary is a combination between interviews
observation and narration this is the most common type
of documentary
The narration is sometimes within the frame like a self
reflective documentary.
Some examples of mixed documentary's are
The devil made me do it

9. Self Reflective
• Self reflective is where the director or narrator talks
directly in to the camera and often to the camera men.
• Some examples of self reflective documentary's are
Teen Mom Ross Kemp
This way of
documentary
often gives a
sense of realism
to the audience
watching

10. Docu-Drama
• A docu-drama is where the director uses actors to reanact
things that have happened this usually happens when
there is nobody left to intervew.
• Examples
See no evil

11. Docu-soap
• A docu-soap is where the documentary is based around a
workplace or street.
• Examples
• Benefit street