This document defines and provides examples of different types of documentary films, including fly on the wall, docusoap, docudrama, reality TV, mixed, self-reflective, and fully narrated documentaries. Fly on the wall documentaries do not acknowledge the camera and show real life events without narration. Docusoaps follow individuals in a community over multiple episodes. Docudramas reconstruct past events to help audiences understand the atmosphere. Reality TV combines information and entertainment. Mixed documentaries include interviews and archival footage. Self-reflective documentaries feature presenters who address the camera. Fully narrated documentaries use narration to guide the audience throughout.

1. TYPES OF
DOCUMENTARY

2. FLY ON THE WALL
 Fly on the wall documentaries are ones where the camera is not seen
or acknowledged by those involved – as if they go about there normal
business.
 They show real life events taking place where there tends to be very
little narration or non at all.
 The events shown tend to be subjective and let the audience come to
their own conclusions and opinions about the events taking place.
Examples of Fly on the wall documentaries:
 Big Brother
 Educating Essex
 Geordie Shore

3. DOCUSOAP
 A documentary type where the audience follows the lives of individuals
who all are part of a community.
 They often are long running and switch which character they follow
every episode, following them in depth.
Examples of Docusoaps include:
 Educating Yorkshire
 Benefits Street

4. DOCUDRAMA
 Usually a reconstruction of particular case studies and events as
though they had just happened.
 Helps the audience as they can understand and experience of the
atmosphere and the feelings that surrounds the event.
Examples of Docudramas include:
 The road to Guantanamo
 An adventure in space and time

5. REALITY TV
 It is a type of documentary, that is just factual televsion.
 Reality TV can also be known as infotainment, as it is a combination of
information and entertainment.
 Reality TV was established between 1989 and 1999 and first tried to get
played on news magazine programs.
Examples of Reality TV include:
 Real Housewives
 Keeping up with the Kardashians

6. MIXED DOCUMENTARIES
 Mixed documentaries include a combination of all different
documentary typical elements such as interviews, narration,
observations and also include archival footage of events if necessary.
 Narrators are an important part of these types of documentaries as help
present arguments and link everything together whilst developing the
narrative.
Examples of Mixed Documentaries include:
 Island of the apes
 The devil made me do it.

7. SELF- REFLECTIVE DOCUMENTARIES
 A documentary where the person being filmed knows that the camera is
following them and sometimes talks directly to the camera, addressing
the audience.
 The narrative is usually driven around the presenter and they usually
reflect on both sides of a related event.
Examples of Self- Reflective Documentaries include:
 The boy with the incredible brain

8. FULLY NARRATED DOCUMENTARY
 Fully narrated documentaries are ones where there is a narrator that
guides the audience through an event.
 They talk throughout the documentary to convey sides of an argument
and help the audience understand a situation.
Examples of Fully narrated documentaries include:
 David Attenborough's programs