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2. WHAT IS A DOCUMENTARY & ITS PURPOSE?
THE PURPOSE OF A DOCUMENTARY IS TO DOCUMENT
WHICH IS TO REPORT WITH EVIDENCE SOMETHING THAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENED. THIS CAN BE SHOWN BY USING
ACTUAL FOOTAGE, OR RECONSTRUCTIONS. A NARRATORS
VOICE CAN BE USED TO ANCHOR THE MEANING OF THE
PROGRAM OR RELY ON THE PARTICIPANTS THEMSELVES.
IN ADDITION, AN UNSEEN VOICE OVER (SUCH AS IN SIR
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH DOCUMENTARIES) CAN BE USED
TO INFORM THE VIEWER WHAT IS HAPPENING.
THERE ARE 6 PURPOSES OF A DOCUMENTARY IS TO
PERSUADE, ENTERTAIN, ATTACK A PERSPECTIVE, OBSERVE
REAL LIFE, DEFEND AND CRITIQUE.
THE TYPES ARE, FULLY NARRATED, FLY ON THE WALL,
MIXED, SELF REFLECTIVE, DOCU-DRAMA, DOCU-SOAP.

3. JOHN GRIERSONJOHN GRIERSON CBE (26 APRIL 1898 – 19 FEBRUARY 1972) WAS A
PIONEERING SCOTTISH DOCUMENTARY MAKER. HE IS OFTEN CONSIDERED THE
FATHER OF BRITISH AND CANADIAN DOCUMENTARY FILM.
GRIERSON DIRECTED ONE OF THE FIRST DOCUMENTARIES, DRIFTERS, SET UP
THE INFLUENTIAL GPO FILM UNIT MAKING NIGHT MAIL, AND WENT ON TO BE
THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA.
THE ANNUAL AWARDS FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY ARE MADE IN HIS NAME.
GRIERSON SET OUT TO MAKE FILMS TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND COULD
MAKE THE CAREER OF A FILMMAKER. HE COINED THE PHRASE “IN
DOCUMENTARY WE DEAL WITH THE ACTUAL, AND IN ONE SENSE THE REAL.
BUT THE REALLY REAL, IF I MAY USE THAT PHRASE IS SOMETHING DEEPER
THAN THAT”.
GRIERSON PRODUCED/DIRECTED APPROXIMATELY 40 DOCUMENTARIES.
GRIERSON WROTE DOCUMENTARIES BECAUSE HE HAD A DESIRE TO
DOCUMENT THE ORDINARY (SOCIAL) AND HIGHLIGHT WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
ON THE SUBJECT, GRIERSON SAID THE FOLLOWING: “THE BASIC FORCE
BEHIND [DOCUMENTARY] WAS SOCIAL AND NOT ÆSTHETIC. IT WAS A DESIRE
TO MAKE A DRAMA OUT OF THE ORDINARY, TO SET AGAINST THE
PREVAILING DRAMA OF THE EXTRAORDINARY: A DESIRE TO BRING THE
CITIZEN’S EYE IN FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO THE STORY, HIS OWN
STORY, OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING UNDER HIS NOSE.”

4. EXAMPLES
DRIFTERS (1929)
HERRING FISHERMEN IN THE NORTH SEA GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY ROUTINES.
NIGHT MAIL (1936)
ROYAL MAIL STAFF SORTING POST ON A NIGHT TRAIN FROM ENGLAND TO SCOTLAND
COAL FACE (1935)
PRESENTING A VIEW OF THE SCOTTISH MINING COMMUNITY AND HIGHLIGHTING THE POOR AND
DANGEROUS CONDITIONS EXPERIENCED BY THE MINORS.
TERMINUS (1961)
BASED ON A DAY AT LONDON WATERLOO TERMINUS FOLLOWING THE STAFF AT THE STATION.

5. JOHN CORNER’S 6 TYPES OF DOCUMENTARY
- FULLY NARRATED – IT HAS A VOICE OVER THE DOCUMENTARY TO HELP THE AUDIENCE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS GOING ON, THESE USUALLY FEATURE
DIRECT ADDRESS (KNOWN BY SOME AS VOICE OF GOD) AND THE VOICE OVER FITS WITH THE VISUALS BEING DISPLAYED
AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS NATURAL WORLD.
- FLY ON THE WALL - CAPTURES WHAT SEEMS LIKE A NATURAL SETTING TO THE AUDIENCE BUT WITH EDITING, CAMERAWORK AND THE WAY THE SETTING IS ARRANGED
AFFECT WHAT IT IS THE AUDIENCE IS SHOWN. IT IS MAINLY AN OBSERVATIONAL DOCUMENTARY AND IS DESIGNED TO BE THERE JUST TO RECORD THE EVENT BUT NOT
NOTICED AND PORTRAYS REAL LIFE.
AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS ROAD WARS.
- MIXED - USES A COMBINATION OF INTERVIEWS, OBSERVATION AND NARRATION TO HELP TO STATE THE ARGUMENT THE WRITER IS TRYING TO PORTRAY TO THE
AUDIENCE. OFTEN IN MIXED DOCUMENTARIES THE JOURNALIST IS SPEAKING WITH PICTURES CONTINUING OVER IT.
AN EXAMPLE OF A MIXED DOCUMENTARY IS THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT.
- SELF REFLECTIVE - THE FILM MAKER SHOWS THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND PROVIDES A NARRATIVE TO THE DOCUMENTARY.
AN EXAMPLE OF A SELF REFLECTIVE DOCUMENTARY IS THE LOUIS THEROUX DOCUMENTARIES
- DOCU-DRAMA – A DRAMATIZED TV FILM BASED ON REAL EVENTS.
AN EXAMPLE OF A DOCU-DRAMA IS APOLLO 13
- DOCU-SOAP – A PROGRAM FOLLOWING THE PEOPLE IN A PARTICULAR OCCUPATION OR LOCATION OVER A PERIOD OF TIME SHOWING THEIR LIVES AND JOBS.
AN EXAMPLE OF A DOCU-SOAP IS AIRLINE, FOLLOWING EASY JET WORKERS.