D o c u m e n t a r y
Genre:
- Documentaries (or cinema verite) are non-fictional, factual works of art sometimes being propagandistic or non-objective, with the intention to document some aspect of reality. A documentary is meant to inform, educate, investigate, and entertain the public on a specific event or topic. Documentaries remain subject specific with a clear point usually including facts (possibly presented in different styles). Early film was dominated by the novelty of showing an event, they were single-shot moments captured on film. These short films were called "actuality" films; the term "documentary" was not coined until 1926. Many of the first films, were a minute or less in length, due to technological limitations.
Genre Conventions:
Documentaries are usually fully narrated with an off screen voice playing throughout, sometimes called the “voice of god” since it knows everything about the subject and gives specific information to the topic for the audience. The narrator may be pushing a certain idea or topic, the narrators gender, vocabulary, accent, or social status also depends on topic discussed. Graphics within a documentary are usually quite simple to not distract the audience, no harsh editing or camera filters.Within most documentaries an establishing shot is used to set the scene or topic, Mise-en-scene must also be consistent containing neutral lighting and neutral attire. Conventional and consistent editing containing many cuts followed by long camera shots is used throughout leaving no questions left for the viewer to ask.Types of Documentaries :
- Biographical: About the life of a real person.
-Well known event: Documentaries describing and containing first and second hand sources from that specific event.
-Rockumentary: Documentary on a concert or rock festival.
-Comedy show/live performance
-Nature/science related
-BTS (behind the scenes)
-Mockumentary
- Mixed: Uses a combination of interviews, observation and narration to entice the audience and persuade the viewer to look at the topic in a certain way.
- Re-Enactment of Events (docudrama): A re-enactment of a real life event in order of how they happened.
Sample 1: Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
Revolving around "Mister Fred Rogers", Won't You Be My Neighbor? takes a look at America's favorite neighbor. A charmingly soft-spoken and yet powerful man expressing his ideals, Fred Rogers was a unique presence on television for generations. Through interviews of his family and colleagues, the life of Fred Rodger was retold through documentary style film.
Sample 2:When We Were Kings (1996)
Based on famous boxer Muhammad Ali as a 32 year old individual. The film follows promoter Don King who wants to make a name for himself and offers fighters Ali and George Foreman five million dollars apiece to fight one another. This documentary follows King as he has to come up with the money. Using interveiws and non-scripted events the film follows their fight and Alis ride to victory.
Other Examples:
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
March of the Penguins (2005)
Woodstock (1970)
Shoah (1985)
Zelig (1983)
The Endless Summer (1966)
