There are 7 types of documentaries: docusoaps, reality TV, fly on the wall, mixed, self reflexive, docudrama, and fully narrated. Docusoaps follow individuals or groups over time in an observational style. Reality TV progressed in the late 20th century and mixes authentic material with entertainment. Fly on the wall documentaries film events without subjects' awareness. Mixed documentaries combine interviews, footage, and narration to advance the narrative.

1. There are 7 different types of documentaries. These are as follows;
• Docusoaps
• Reality TV
• Fly on the wall
• Mixed
• Self reflexive
• Docudrama
• Fully narrated
I will now explain these 7 different tyoes of documentaries on the next
slides.

2. A docusoap is a hybrid genre, it is observational. It is a long running
documentary series which follows an individual or group of people. An
example of this could be; The Family, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings.
Docusoaps started in the 1990’s. This genre of documentary was popular
because people liked that it was a real soap opera.
Docusoaps follow a central protagonist, the means that the audience will
begin to know the character.

3. Reality TV is factual TV. It progressed between 1989 and 1999.
This type of TV gives you useful information in the form of entertainment.
This is a mix of authentic material with serious information and commercial
content. They have a use of camcorder, observation, surveillance and
commentary.

4. A fly on the wall is when the camera is unseen or the people ignore it. Therefore
the cameras record the events which are unrolled.
An example of this would be Big Brother, as the cameras are hidden which makes
the people in the house act as if they were not there.

5. A mixed documentary is a combination of interviews, observation, actuality
footage, archive material and narration.
The narrator links the story together, it also advances the narrative.
A lot of the time newer documentaries are mixed.

6. This type of documentary is when the camera follows a person or group
of people around. The person/people know that that camera is there
and they stop to talk to it.

7. A docudrama is a reconstruction or re-enactment of something which has
actually happened.
They show events which have happened at the time.

8. This documentary is when the narrator narrates the whole way through the
documentary.
It is used to convey the exposition, and used to make sense of what they see.
They dominate what is happening.
An example of this would be Human Planet.