The document discusses the nature of documentaries, emphasizing the need for real evidence while acknowledging that reconstructions are often necessary for visual representation. It highlights the creative balance required in documentary filmmaking, concerns about authenticity, and the role of narrative conventions in storytelling. Additionally, it covers the evolution of documentaries, their societal impact, and the challenges they face in addressing controversial topics.

2. THE AIM
To report something real with evidence.
Often, they contain actual footage and/or
reconstructions of events and situations which support
the film makes account.
Narration is included to anchor the meaning behind the
documentary and sometimes this narrator is unseen.
Documentaries are frequently defined as ‘problematic’.
Documentaries must be real but unfortunately real
evidence can’t always be used and therefore
reconstructions of events must be created in order to
give the audience a visual portrayal of evidence.
All reconstructions have to be based on fact but they
don’t have to contain an analysis of the event.
Reconstructions often cover a wide range of
documentaries including politics, history, sociology,
religion and culture.
THE BALANCE OF CREATIVITY
As documentaries have become more popular, there
have been a range of arguments regarding the
creative aspect about them.
Many issues surrounding authenticity arise, as the
more creative the documentary is, the more it runs
away from focus.
It must be ensured that the correct balance of
creativity is maintained.
Often the accuracy of reconstructions are disputed
as people act differently when they are on camera,
therefore arguably the recording can’t be branded as
reality.

3. ACCORDING TO FILM
MAKERS
As regards to the argument about creativity,
many film makers state that reconstruction is
inevitable, mainly down to the fact that not
everything can be captured as it happens.
‘I think that the truth is what you actually
come away with at the end of seeing a film. I
mean it’s your truth that you’re seeing.
Everybody who makes a film is putting their
own truth on screen’ – Diane Tammes, Film
Maker.
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Over the years documentaries have developed so much so that
now the term documentary covers so many different
production methods.
Some argue it should be replaced with the term ‘non-fiction
programme’.
Despite disagreeing on the styles and terms of a documentary,
many people do have common beliefs when it comes to what a
documentary is and what it should contain:
• Recorded sound – actual reality / experiences
• Not just facts – socially critical arguments, also inviting the
audience to draw their own conclusions
‘Documentaries present facts about a subject using real events,
people places then creatively interpret all comments on those
realities and people’s concerns’ – Peter Mayeux

4. FIVE ESSENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS
John Corner, a documentary makers and professor at the University of Liverpool, stated five
central elements to documentaries:
Observation – usually it is pretended that the camera is unseen, therefore the audience are
placed as an eye witness. Observations are used as evidence for interviews, but they have
been criticised for showing participants of objects and not subjects.
Interview – documentaries rely on interviews as they are used to support or contrast the
observation. The interviewer can be seen or unseen and pictures are often inserted alongside
in order to anchor meaning and make the interviews more interesting. Interviews can just
simply run as one or be cut and edited with other material.
Dramatisation – done through the observational element. It creates a sense of conflict and
builds up arguments. The audience is placed as an eye witness. The events are based on fact.
Mise-en-scene – used to construct reality and is extremely important and must be relevant to
the documentary. It includes elements such as set, props, costumes, make up, lighting and
colour.
Exposition – reveals what argument is being explored (the topic of the documentary), which
is done through description and commentary. Exposition can be obvious, direct, indirect or
hidden. Documentaries can also leave it up to the audience to make up their own mind as to
where they stand, as regards an argument.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
These are midway between
documentaries and the news, an effective
example being panorama.
Current affairs go more in depth about
what is happening on the news and are
important for exploring weighty issues and
social development.
They tend follow expository conventions
and discuss very controversial and high
profile topics.

5. TRUTH AND REALITY
It is critical that the film makers be rid of the fantasy that the
documentary can be unproblematic representation of reality
and that the truth can be conventionally dispensed and
revealed like Valium’ – Dennis O’Rouke
Documentaries are real, though they have elements of fiction,
such as scripted voice overs.
The most popular documentaries are the ones that look at
topics such as sex, violence and law and order; the most
watched documentary is US Violence In America.
Controversial documentaries are not popular with TV as it is
difficult to get advertisements to be played around it, as
companies don’t want to be associated with controversial
topics.
Normally documentaries aim to tell the stories of society’s
victims. Human beings are used as evidence and lives are
exploited and exposed.
PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO KNOW
Documentaries aim to work on this, for instance
sharing information that the government aren’t
openly saying to the public.
They expect the audience to notice there is a
problem, and then propose a solution.
The intention is to alert people to the fact that
something needs to change, in the hope that the
audience may then go out and do something

6. STEVE BARNETT’S THEORY:
‘DISNEYFICITON'
Barnett looked at the need for television to
broadcast things that win ratings instead
of programmes / documentaries that
actually deal with serious subjects.
He suggested that documentaries have
been ‘dumbed down’ as audiences have
become used to such broadcasts.
There have been claims that this shows TV
to be cheap and being more concerned
with ratings, rather than expressing useful
or important information.
CONVENTIONS
Documentaries rely heavily on narrative conventions and have
a definite beginning middle and end, as well as focusing
strongly on conflict.
Non diegetic music and sound effects make them more
interesting.
Beginning – lays out the central question for the documentary
and shows some action footage or quick clips of interviews.
Middle – it becomes more complicated and will examine the
issue in more detail. Different opinions are voiced and the
argument becomes strengthened. A range of different
arguments are put forward which often created complication
and conflicting evidence.
End – the exposition is made fully apparent. The complications
are often solved so there is no doubt for the audience.
Overall, to create a good documentary, the film maker must
have knowledge of their chosen subject and discuss and plan
techniques and content.