John Grierson is considered the father of documentary film. He coined the term "documentary" and directed the first British documentary film Drifters in 1929, which portrayed the fishing industry and emphasized the professionalism of fishermen. Grierson's most famous work was Nightmail, produced in 1936, which was a documentary short film made for the British General Post Office that chronicles the journey of the postal train service.

1. John Grierson

2. Recap codes and conventions Are they real? Who is John Grierson?

3. John Grierson Who is he? First used the term documentary to describe Canadian Robert Flaherty’s Documentary Moana . Unfortunately though lost all footage due to a cigarette fire. Then made Flaherty made Nanook of the North , which already began to question the authenticity of documentaries when the participants were asked to use old methods in catching fish instead of their new and improved ones.

4. John Grierson At the same time these documentaries were made Grierson influenced by Flaherty’s work directed his first film Drifters (1929) . A film about the herring fishing industry and in using Flaherty’s ethographic observation and the soviet (futuristic) style of placing the relationship between man and machine at the core with ordinary men as heroes led to success for Grierson and documentary.

5. Drifters Showed the fishing industry as modern Emphasised the professionalism of the fishermen and the social interaction of the men. Importance of the fishing industry to the economy and Britain. Importance of the wider working class community All themes in Grierson’s later work. All on location at a time when all GB film was studio bound.

6. John Grierson and Nightmail Most successful time for GB doc is from the mid 30s to the end of the Second World War. Government agencies such as the GPO (general post office) developed film units. Many companies used documentaries to promote their work. Such as Shell.

7. Nightmail Read through the short paragraph on Nightmail … and when watching the documentary note codes and conventions (selection and construction).

8. City Symphonies and Kino Pravda What influences are their from past films that we have seen?? Are we being shown the truth?