A documentary is a film, television, or radio program that provides a factual report on a particular subject using original documents, pictures, or interviews with people involved in real events. Good documentaries utilize voiceovers, real footage, interviews with experts, titles, sound, visual elements, and different modes like being reflexive by acknowledging the filmmaker's presence, being observational by documenting events as they unfold unseen, being expository by analyzing and arguing a perspective, or being participatory by engaging with subjects. Documentaries come in different types depending on the filmmaker's role and approach.

1. What is a documentary?
By Emily Thompson

2. What is a documentary?
 Consisting of or based on original documents.
 Using pictures or interviews with people involved in real events to provide a factual report on a
particular subject.
 A film, or television, or radio programme that provides this factual report.

3. What makes a documentary good?
 Voiceover
 Real footage of events spoken about
 Interviews with experts on the particular subject
 Use of texts and titles
 Sound
 Set ups
 Visual coding (mise-en-scene)

4. Different types of modes
 Reflexive: In which the filmmaker acknowledges their presence – they are in front of the camera and
give maximum narrative guidance. The documenter attracts the viewers whilst informing and
entertaining them.
 Observational: Being there as events unfold. Tends to follow an event or person by documenting
their journey as it occurs. The camera remains as unseen as possible, allowing the audience to make
their own mind up about the subject.
 Expository: An analysis of an exposition of an event or person. Argues and tries to persuade the
audience to have a certain opinion – the same one as them. Can be a risky type of documentary.
 Participatory: Welcomes directing engagement between the filmmaker and subjects. Filmmaker
becomes apart of the events being recorded. Filmmaker has the same opinions and experiences as
the audience.