Documentary

Question 1

What is a documentary?

Answer 1

A work, such as film or TV show, presenting political, social, or historical subject matters in a factual and informative manner. Often consists of actual news, films, or interviews accompanied by narration

Question 2

Objectivity

Answer 2

storytelling in which we hear from a variety of voice to bring balance and deliver a more complete story

Question 3

Non-fiction

Answer 3

attempting to convey information only about the real word, rather than being grounded in imagination. Aims to present topics objectively based on historical/scientific/empirical information

Question 4

Construction

Answer 4

the way the documentary is organised and shaped, whether it’s using certain techniques eg editing. Leads to how biased things are

Question 5

Truth

Answer 5

delivering verifiable, non controversial facts with no bias

Question 6

Reality

Answer 6

truthful representation of events/subjects/issues

Question 7

Cinematic

Answer 7

combining elements of traditional documentary storytelling with cinematic techniques often found in fictional narrative films - combination of elements/aesthetics

Question 8

What was considered the first true documentary?

Answer 8

‘Nanook of the North’ (1921) - Robert Flaherty (an American explorer who used a camera to record his travels in the Canadian Arctic)

Question 9

Who first applied the term ‘documentary’ to film?

Answer 9

John Grierson

Question 10

What did Grierson argue film should be used for?

Answer 10

social purposes (to inform)

Question 11

What did Grierson say about Flaherty?

Answer 11

Flaherty had shown the way, but had not gone far enough: he still organised his films around the exploits of an individual hero and tended to present a romantic view of exotic cultures
- Claims Flaherty deliberately misrepresented a culture and was too concerned with making his images beautiful - not concerned enough with the social purposes

Question 12

What are modes?

Answer 12

way of organising texts in relation to certain recurrent features/conventions

Question 13

Observational Mode

Answer 13

• takes a detached ‘neutral’ stance towards subject matter
• avoids overly ‘interpretive’ techniques eg voiceover or music, in order to favour an apparent capturing of reality as it unfolds
• arose from available lightweight portable synchronous recording equipment
• allowed filmmaker to record unobtrusively what people when not explicitly addressing the camera
• stresses non intervention of the filmmaker; concedes control of events more than any other mode
• editing does not attempt to construct time frame or rhythm, but enhances impression of lived/real time
• used indirect address and relatively long takes

Question 14

Participatory/Interactive Documentary

Answer 14

• the filmmaker does not remain aloof from the subject matter, but actively engages with it by openly participating/interacting with people and institutions on the show
• wants to engage with individuals more directly while not reverting to classic exposition interview styles
• allows filmmakers to account for past events via witnesses and experts whom viewers can also see
• archival footage becomes appended to these commentaries to avoid hazards of reenactment and monolithic claims of voice of God commentary