Documentary Genre

Purpose: Documentation of facts that actually occured by using actual footage

or reconstructions to portray it.

With the recent development in the digital age documentary filmmakers work much harder to attain

their audience.

They entice their audience with interesting stories and incorporating celebrity presenters in their

documentaries as they are famous and people will more likely to watch the documentary.

Types of Documentary

Fully Narrated

Off screen voice over to make sense of the visuals and documents their meaning.

Eg. Natural History Documentaries, Blue Planet by the BBC

The Fly on the WallObtrusively set up cameras which records the truth of

the situation. Participants do not acknowledge the presence of it

observing the action. Eg. Educating Essex, Educating Yorkshire

Mixed Documentary

With a combination of interviews, observations and narration to advance

the narrative or argument. Eg. The Devil Made me Do it Documentary

Self Reflexive

The subjects featured acknowledge the camera and often speak directly at the

interviewer/documentary maker. Eg. Driving Me Crazy by Nick Broomfield

Docu-drama

Re-enactment of events that supposed to have happened.

Eg. The Mummies and The Wonders Of Ancient Egypt, The Real Face of Jesus

DocusoapFollowing the daily lives of individuals in an

organisation. Combining Soap opera and documentary together.

Eg. BBC Call Center