Documentary

Formats
Expository

Observational

Definition

Expository documentaries speak directly to the viewer through a

specific person such as a narrator or presenter. They often in the
form of an authoritative commentary employing voiceover or
titles, suggesting a strong argument and point of view. These films
are rhetorical, of which the purpose is to persuade the viewer. The
(voice-of-God) commentary often sounds objective and wellinformed. Images are not used often although they can be used as
evidence to improve the argument and convince the viewer.
The purpose pf observational documentaries is to try to simply
spontaneously observe life with a minimum of intervention. This
can be the life of people or animals. An example of a documentary
genre that uses the observational format a lot is wildlife
documentaries. In wildlife documentaries they observe the actions
of animals and film them live. Then using this footage they analyse
and inform the audience about this information. Often, this mode
of film avoids, matched dialogue and music, or re-enactments. The
aim of the films is for the live event to be filmed in close proximity
without interference.

Reference

Example

Name (2009) 6 types of

documentary. Available at:
https://collaborativedocume
ntary.wordpress.com/6types-of-documentary/
(Accessed: 19 April 2016).
BBC (2016) A history of ancient Britain, series 1:
1. Age of ice. Available at:
http://bbc.in/1S1EwLv (Accessed: 19 April
2016).

Name (2009) 6 types of

documentary. Available at:
https://collaborativedocume
ntary.wordpress.com/6types-of-documentary/
(Accessed: 19 April 2016).
Imit Zata (2015) Africa episode 1
Kalahari with David Attenborough documentary. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y
EgFDX78bbM (Accessed: 19 April
2016).

Interactive

Interactive documentaries are used to engage with the

audience or viewer so that the people are more directly
involved with the documentary meaning that this form of
documentary is one of the most entertaining and engaging to
the audience. Interactive documentaries give filmmakers
visual or auditory evidence for past events by using witnesses
and experts whom viewer can also see and listen too.

DOCUMENTARY MODES
(no date) Available at:
http://condor.depaul.edu/
dtudor/DOCUMENTARY%2
0MODES.htm (Accessed:
13 June 2016).
Clarity Films (2009) Have you heard
from Johannesburg. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I
U48nQUEYtI (Accessed: 13 June 2016).

Reflexive

Performative

Reflexive documentaries are when the narrator or filmmaker

acknowledges the existence of the camera. This may be by
talking directly to camera. This is to prompt the audience and
the viewers to see the legitimacy of the documentary and its
information. Reflexive documentaries focus on a specific
topic is the most self-assessing of documentary modes, and is
doubtful of realism.

Name (2009) 6 types of

documentary. Available at:
https://collaborativedocume
ntary.wordpress.com/6types-of-documentary/
(Accessed: 19 April 2016).

Performative documentaries stress the subjective of

experience and emotional response to the world.
Performative documentaries often have situations and
scenarios that are purposely created or altered for the
purpose of entertainment. They are often very personal,
unconventional, and could be considered poetic. They are
designed to make the audience experience what it might be
like for us to possess a certain specific perspective.

Name (2009) 6 types of

documentary. Available at:
https://collaborativedocume
ntary.wordpress.com/6types-of-documentary/
(Accessed: 19 April 2016).

Milo De Kinderen (2015) Super size me.

Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAnC
OHCVjyU (Accessed: 15 June 2016).

ZahranicniTrailery04 (2013) Bowling for

Columbine (2002) - trailer. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NOT
FxgB-5s (Accessed: 15 June 2016).

Realism

Dramatisation

Realism documentaries use facts and figures and present

accurate information that is supported with evidence. This
evidence can be images, archive footage, passages from
writing and other things. These documentaries are reliable
and therefore believable to the audience or viewer. The
presenters are usually a person of authority, possibly an
expert. These documentaries are often informative and
educational.

Dramatization is often used in documentaries that are

prejudice or bias. Dramatization is used to exaggerate the
information presented within the program built up the story
within the documentary to make it more powerful.
Dramatization can sometimes be negative as it has very
strong options and points of view that shift towards a certain
side. But also because the general narration within the
documentary has become over exaggerated or over dramatic.
Conventions used to make the video dramatic is dramatic
editing, music, and images. These image are often
reconstructed for the purpose of the documentary.

93, guest 798 C. (2008)

Girishgk11. Available at:
http://www.slideshare.net/g
uest798c93/realismpresentation (Accessed: 15
June 2016).
Jonatan Heach (2015) Documentary - A
night with the stars. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYWp
3Y4HE-g (Accessed: 15 June 2016).

Jacob Van Kelly (2012) The day Britain

stopped (BBC 2003 Mockumentary).
Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6BxS
bx1Fm0 (Accessed: 15 June 2016).

Narrativisation

Narrativisation documentaries tell a story (or narrative) in the

form of a journey both physically and/or emotionally. The
layout of this genre has a beginning in which the story is
introduced, a middle, which often includes a problem or selfassessment and an ending which concludes the program and
what has happened.

Codes & conventions (2005)

Available at:
http://mariamedia.weebly.co
m/codes--conventions.html
(Accessed: 15 June 2016).

Charlie Gale (2016) Billy Connollys tracks

across America season 1 episode 1 HD
1080IP. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eX1I
bSTEZc (Accessed: 15 June 2016).