This document discusses different types of documentaries: fully narrated documentaries which use voiceovers to guide viewers; fly on the wall documentaries which use little commentary to give an observational view; self-reflexive documentaries where filmmakers talk directly to viewers; docu-dramas which reenact real events through dramatization; and docu-soaps which follow groups of people in an observational style. Each type has strengths and weaknesses in how they inform or engage audiences.

1. A L E X C O O K E
Types of Documentaries
Research

2. Fully Narrated
 A fully narrated documentary has a voice over the
documentary to guide the audience to gain a better
understanding of what is going on. Fully narrated
documentaries often us direct address and the voice
over goes along with the visuals that the audience is
seeing; meaning that everything is based around the
visuals. Fully narrated documentaries use the voice
of 'God' and so people take what they hear as the
truth.
 An example would be Planet Earth.

3. Fly on the Wall
 Fly on the wall documentaries use cinema verite
which captures what seems like a natural setting to
the audience. A fly on the wall documentary is
mainly observational and there is little commentary
or narration. This type of documentary is filmed as
and when it happens and is thus not staged.
However, it is down to the editing that can give a
final meaning to a situation as you are actually only
seeing what the views of the creator of the
documentary and so it cannot be taken as complete
truth and hence has a few negative points.

4. Self-Reflexive
 Within a self reflexive documentary the documentary
maker or creator talks to the camera to try to draw
the attention of the audience. Self reflexive
documentaries have many negatives and are often
said to being confusing to an audience as they can be
said to be drawing attention to themselves for
publicity. Additionally they have also been criticised
for the documentary being about the person rather
than the subject or the content that they are
supposed to be talking about.

5. Docu-Drama
 A docu-drama is a re-enactment of real life events as
they happened for example 9/11. However although
docu-drama's claim to relive the truth, some critics
often claim that they can only ever hope to deliver
fiction because they cant really know what went on
or how people acted or felt unless they have done
extensive and meticulous research.

6. Docu-Soap
 Docu-soaps originated in the UK and within a docu-
soap it follows a group of people around. There is a
lot of dispute over whether a docu-soap is actually a
documentary or not. However, documentaries are
based on eavesdropping but are extremely popular
both with the audience and documentary makers as
they require no cast, very little crew and are cheap to
make.