Types of Documentary

There are 7 main different types of Documentaries

These include-• Docusoaps• Reality TV• Fly on the wall• Mixed• Self Reflective• Docudrama• Fully Narrated

DOCUSOAPS

Docusoaps were started in the 1990’s and became hugely popular straight away with millions of viewers. A docusoap was a long running documentary series, which meant that each show was almost like an episodes as if it were an actual drama series.

Docusoaps are of the observational genre, which means that they have a central protagonist and will follow a particular character in detail. This mean the audience is getting to know the character/ group of people.

As a hybrid, this means that a docusopa is almost like a mixed drama.

Some example of Docusoaps are-• The Family• Big Fat Gypsy Wedding• Driving School• Airport• One Born Every Minute

REALITY TV

Reality TV emerged in 1989-1999 and became more used to being described as new factual TV. It is sometimes known as ‘infotainment’ as it is a mixture of entertainment and information all in one.

Reality TV is a mix of authentic material with serious information with commercial content. When we watch Reality TV there is an element of observation and commentaries through the use of camerawork.

Examples of Reality TV genres are-• News• Police, camera, action• 999

Nowadays we have casted reality TV into programmes such as-

• Big Brother• Shipwrecked

FLY ON THE WALL

The camera is hidden or unseen. The camera records the events which unfold, and the audience act like the fly on the wall.

Examples of this are-• Big Brother• The Family• Educating Essex

MIXED DOCUMENTARY

A mixed documentary has a combination of interviews, observation, actual footage, archive material and narration, pulling everything together, it advances both sides of the argument.

SELF REFLECTIVE

The camera is following someone, and they know they are being followed so sometimes purposely talk to the camera

For example-• The secret millionaire

DOCUDRAMA

A Docudrama has reconstruction and re-enactments. They show the events that happened at the time in a Docudrama.

For example-• Who Bombed Birmingham• CrimeWatch

FULLY NARRATIVE

This means that a documentary has narrative all the way through. A voice over is used to display the exposition and to make sense of what the audience can see. The voice over dominates the experience.

Examples of this are-• Wildlife Documentaries• Human Planet

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

DOCUMENTARIES AND CURRENT

AFFAIRS

Current affairs are things which take place that affect society. Journalists normally lead current affairs Documentaries. The aim of current affairs documentaries is to address the news and political genders in more depth than news bulletins do. They explore issues and important social developments.

Current Affairs come across as a journalistic report but might be arguing a case, trying to prove something wrong.

Reports in a current affairs documentary frequently appear in vision, but there may be a voiceover.

For example-• The World in Action• Tonight with Trevor McDonald

Current Affairs are midway between documentaries and news.

For example-• Newsnight• Dispatches

DIFFERNECES

• Documentaries may take more time to produce

• Current affairs need to get stories together more quickly