▪ Voice-over Narration: A voice-over providing context or commentary

throughout the film.

▪ Interviews: Audio from interviews with subjects or experts.
▪ Ambient Sound: Background noise that enhances the sense of place.
▪ Music Score: Instrumental or lyrical music that sets the tone or mood.
▪ Sound Effects: Specific sounds added to enhance storytelling.
▪ Direct Address: When subjects talk directly to the camera/audience.
▪ Natural Sound (nat sound): Real sound recorded at the scene.
▪ Diegetic Sound: Sound that originates from the scene or environment
(e.g., people talking, traffic noise).
▪ Non-Diegetic Sound: Sound that does not come from the cinematic
environment (e.g., narrator's commentary, background music).
▪ Archival Audio: Historical or previously recorded audio material.

▪ Archival Footage: Historical footage to provide background or context.

▪ Talking Heads: Interviewees speaking on camera.
▪ B-roll: Supplementary footage that adds depth to the story.
▪ Re-enactments: Staged actions to recreate past events.
▪ Still Photographs: Use of photographs for visual context.
▪ Text and Graphics: On-screen text or graphics to provide information.
▪ Direct Cinema: The fly-on-the-wall approach; observing without
interfering.
▪ Cinéma Vérité: Combines natural actions with candid interviews.
▪ Animation: Animated sequences to illustrate concepts or events.
▪ Point of View (POV): Footage that shows what a subject is seeing.
▪ Aerial Shots: Shots from above, typically filmed from drones or
helicopters.
▪ Infographics: Visual representations of information or data.

▪ Exposition: Setting up the background or context of the documentary.

▪ Personal Journey: Following a subject's personal story or development.
▪ Investigative: A journalistic approach to uncover a truth or expose facts.
▪ Observational: Presenting events as they happen without commentary.
▪ Participatory: The filmmaker becomes a part of the story being told.
▪ Reflective: The filmmaker’s personal thoughts and feelings are part of the
narrative.
▪ Expository: A style that communicates directly to the viewer, often with a
voice-of-authority figure.
▪ Poetic: Emphasizes mood, tone, and affect rather than a linear narrative.
▪ Interactive: Incorporates viewer engagement or interaction with the
content.
▪ Thematic Montage: Sequences that convey a theme or emotion through a
series of shots.
▪ Chronological Sequence: The events are presented in the order they
occurred.
▪ Non-chronological Sequence: Events are presented out of order to create
a specific narrative effect.