A reflective documentary reveals aspects of its own production to viewers. It shows camera operators and acknowledges how the film is being constructed. Nick Broomfield and Louis Theroux are known for their reflective style, with Broomfield often filming with just himself and one camera to seem more personal. Theroux also participates in the activities he documents to gain insight but remains impartial. Reflective documentaries engage audiences by revealing the filmmaking challenges and focusing on realism and truth with minimal editing. However, the filmmaker's narration can sway viewers to their perspective.

1. REFLECTIVEDOCUMENTARY

2. What is a reflective documentary?
◦ It’s a style inwhich is usuallyassociated with moreexperimental documentaries.
◦ At the simplest level the film may makeno attempt to hideaspects of its construction, e.g. showing camera menand workersin the background.
What yousee is what youget.
◦ Inexperimental documentaries, the viewer is often just as interested about how the film is constructedas they are the actual content.

3. Nick Broomfield
◦ Best knownfor his reflective style of documentary making.
◦ Heoften films with minimalcamera crew, most of thetime just himself and a single cameraman, this makesthe documentaries seem more
personal.
◦ Hehas been a great influencein thedocumentary world, as lots of film makershavebeen inspired to do what they do because of his
reflective techniques.
◦ Thebest knownexamples of his workare Kurt&Courtneyand Biggie &Tupac.
◦ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuNs3FSteN8

4. Louis Theroux
◦ Another well knownfilm makerthat creates reflective documentaries.
◦ Know for his controversial methods, as he presents in front of the cameraand is sucha casual interviewer.
◦ Sometimes he takes part inthe activities that heis documenting on, so to get aninside look, but he still remains slightly detached and
impartial to the topic at hand.
◦ Hetackles irregularcases such as prisoners, porn stars and prostitutes.
◦ Examples of some of his pieces of work are“When Louis Met Jimmy Savile”, “Louis and TheNazis”and most recently“Transgender Kids”
◦ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeP78RHGLPg

5. How reflective documentaries engage their audience
◦ Theaudience areable to become more aware of the problems at hand,from seeing theproblems that the film makerfaces while the film is
being made.
◦ Thesetypes of documentaries tend to bethe most truthful,as they always focus onrealism and try to show things exactly how they
happen.
◦ Thesedocumentarieshave verylittle, if any, editing and special effects on them before being shown to the public.
◦ However, as a film makernarrates over thedocumentary and addresses the specifically, the viewers opinion can be easily swayed to that
of the film makers.