This document discusses the history and genres of documentaries. It identifies six genres: expositional, observational, participatory, reflexive, poetic, and performative. The expositional genre focuses on social propaganda and was pioneered by John Grierson. The observational genre allows actors to be filmed without interaction. The participatory genre involves interaction between filmmakers and subjects. The reflexive genre brings attention to the filmmaking process. The poetic genre lacks narrative and character development. Finally, the performative genre presents personal and emotional experiences. The document also outlines some key developments in documentary history, including the first fictional films by the Lumière brothers and the staged documentary Nanook of the North.

1. Post 3 – History & genre
By Jonathan Wade

2. • The six genres are: expositional mode, observational
mode, participatory mode, reflexive mode, poetic mode
and performative mode.
Genre

3. • John Grierson was the creator of the expositional mode,
this is where the information concentrates on social
propaganda to persuade. There is a running narrative to
share a view through the ‘voice of God’. The argument is
rhetorical which has supporting evidence and we
understand what we see as fact.
Genre: Expositional mode
John
Grierson

4. • This mode allows actors to act freely with the recorder
recording without interaction. We watch it as a fly on the
wall documentary as we watch the actors in natural
conditions without any editing.
Genre: Observational
Mode

5. • In these documentaries there is clear interaction between
the film maker and the actor, they often make
contributions to the subject matter such as questions for
the actors.
Genre: The participatory
mode

6. • The individuals know that they are being filmed for a
documentary and there is sound and music. There is also
narrative whilst there is a large amount of attention to the
filming process for example Nick Broomfield.
Nick
Broomfield
Genre: The reflexive mode

7. • There is little focus on narrative and the truth is hidden
for the audience to judge. There is a subjective
representation of reality where there is a lack of character
development and the audience can draw their own
conclusions.
Genre: Poetic Mode

8. • The documentary is personal to the film maker and there
is a have importance on subjective experiences as well as
emotional responses. They are free to be unconventional
but ideas are often presented as part of a context or in an
autobiographical nature.
Genre: Performative
mode

9. • In 1895 The Lumière brothers became recognised as the
first people to create a non fictional film.These contained
single shot moments, known as actualities.
• John Grierson first used the word documentary to
describe Nanook of the North ( 1922 ). Robert Flaherty
directed this cleverly as he manipulated his film to what
the audience would see as the truth, when in fact most of
the film was staged.
History

10. • In 1935 Triumph of the will was released, it used advanced
camera movements and was the first political propaganda
documentary
• A major development came in the 1950’s-60’s where direct
cinema started. They aimed to present social and political
issues, they were shown exactly how they are without
intervention from the film maker.
• At the same time as direct cinema France started a new genre
of cinema verite ( cinema truth ). This is when the viewer gets
the sense that they are given a direct view of what is actually
happening. Using these techniques the genre of mockumentary
was created, this is where we are tricked into thinking the
footage is real.
History

11. • The theory was put forward by Steven Barnett, he
suggested that documentary's are adapted to achieve high
ratings rather than to be serious and factual.
Documentaries are said to be “dumbed” down so they are
amusing for the audiences, they are cheap and no longer
deem quality as the main objective.
Disneyfication