Task 3

Documentary formats

Expository
This type of documentary is someone talking directly to the viewers. This
style of Documentary is one of the main four types to have a documentary
like. Usually used in the form which makes authoritative commentary
involving voiceover or titles, creating a strong argument and point of view.
These programmes are usually rhetorical to try and convince the viewers
about what they are talking about. They usually use a voice which is rich
and sonorous male voice.
Main conventions:
Facts
Opinions
Rhetorical questions
A commentator
Persuasive techniques
This is a link to one of David Attenboroughs
programmes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhO0GCNSZ_w
David Attenborough - Life 2009 ep 3 - BBC Documentary: Mammals. The
BBC Natural History Units productions help film and produce this series.
This clip fits this format because it you are either seeing David talking
about it or you can just hear him talking about what you are watching. He
has a very calming voice which makes you as the viewer wants to hear.
Name (2009) 6 types of documentary. Available at:
https://collaborativedocumentary.wordpress.com/6-types-of-documentary/
(Accessed: 18 April 2016).

Observation
This type of documentary involves the creator of the programme follows
around the person to observe what is happening in their life. They dont
usually put interviews or voice overs in these types of documentary. The
equipment can be a bit messy in the scenes that they can choose to use
hand held cameras. They use longer takes to make sure they dont miss
any of the real footage.
Main conventions:
Location shooting.
Synchronous sound recording.
No voiceover.
No interviews.
Subjects pretend that they are not being
filmed.
This is a link to one of MTVs Teen Cribs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMH9X6INm4o

MTV Teen Cribs: season. 2 Ep. 1 (Ep. 201) was shown in 2009. The person
who developed the show is someone called Nina L. Diaz. This is an
observational documentary because it shows the MTV crew following the
teenagers around there house which they are giving the crew a tour, to
show off how nice there house is. The cameras looks mainly at all the
wealthy furniture and items in there house and outside in their gardens.
Modes of documentary (no date) Available at:
http://aliceyoudd.blogspot.co.uk/ (Accessed: 18 April 2016).

Interactive
This type of documentary welcomes direct engagement between the host
and the subjects. The presenter of the programme becomes part of the
events that are being filmed. By the presenter joining in on the events
they are often celebrated by the subjects. Interactive documentary has a
big impact on the viewers because it helps
them get involved with the programme.
Main conventions:
Long takes dominate.
Direct sound recording.
Voiceover.
The presenter is visible to the audience
intervenes and participates in the action.
This is clip is about Kurt Cobian and Courtney Love. It is a Nick Broomfield
film. It was released on the 3rd July 1998.
http://nickbroomfield.com/Kurt-Courtney
This movie is all to do with Kurt Cobian and Courtney love and about their
life together and the person who filmed all the clips where close friends of
their.
About (2016) Available at: http://i-docs.org/about-idocs/ (Accessed: 19
April 2016).

Reflexive
In this documentary the person making the film recognizes themselves in
front of the camera and speaks to the camera which provides a narrative
for the documentary. This type of documentary is usually joined with
documentaries which specialises in experiments. They use this to style
because the viewers are usually just as interested about how the film is
constructed as the actual content.
Main conventions:
Borrows techniques from fiction topics for an
emotional reaction.
Voiceover- used to portray questioning and
uncertainty.
Inherences the expressive nature of the
documentary.

Expresses meaning instead of fact.

This is just a short clip about Louis Theroux doing an interview with a drug
dealer back in 2010.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NBVQB-Srpw
Louis Therouxs documentaries are a good example of reflexive
documentaries because he is in front of the camera as a casual
interviewer and he also takes part in the activities he is trying to make a
documentary about. He gets a proper inside look at what is actually going
on but is still detached and impartial.
Reflexive documentary on the Colbert report critical commons (2010)
Available at:
http://www.criticalcommons.org/Members/ccManager/commentaries/reflex
ive-documentary-on-the-colbert-report (Accessed: 18 April 2016).

Performative
This type of documentary recognizes the emotional and subjective sides
of the documentary. This shows lots of ideas as a part of a circumstance
which has different meanings for different people and is often
autobiographical in nature.
Main conventions:
The crew interacts with the subject
Comments on the process of making the documentary.
Shaped into the narrative of an investigation.
The audience is addressed in an emotional and direct way.
Subject matter often concerns identity.
This clip is an example of homophobia and racism. This was launched in
2008. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=S2T0UdNaWlo&playnext=1&list=PL5B1A0AB28ADFDBDA&feature=res
ults_main
This type of documentary shows a proud lifestyle of a black gay man. It
emphasises the power and strength in these males standing up for whom
they are.
Anderson-Moore, O. (2015) Nichols 6 modes of documentary might
expand your storytelling strategies. Available at:
http://nofilmschool.com/2015/09/nichols-6-modes-documentary-can-helpexpand-your-storytelling (Accessed: 18 April 2016).

Realism
This type of documentary is also known as a fly on the wall. Realism
documentary is filmed exactly when the events happen. Most of the time
you can tell that what is happening in the programme is being filmed first
hand because you can see the camera people and they may even have to
interfere with the cast if they start fighting which you can tell is not
reacted because they will use the only good footage they got of the

events. The people in the programmes agree to be in the programmes

and to be filmed.
Main conventions:
Recorded interview.
An authoritative presenter.
Voiceovers.
Visual evidence.
This clip is from a programme called come dine
with me. It is composed by Nick Crofts. It is shown on channel 4 and was
first released on 10th of January 2005.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/come-dine-with-me/ondemand/50155-002
This clip is shows realism because it is 4 people competing to win a 1000
over 4 days where they all cook a 3 course meal for each other and get
scored by each other in secrete at the end of each day. At the end of the
week they reveal the score and found out who won.
2002, V.P. (2002) Realism. Available at:
http://www.litnotes.co.uk/realism.htm (Accessed: 19 April 2016).

Dramatisation
This type of documentary is usually something that is based on a true
story but has been reacted for everyone to know what happened. By
doing this can help the viewers understand what actually happened
instead of someone just telling them. There could also have been
live footage of the event but otherwise it might just
have been all made up footage with actors.
Main conventions:
Interviews frame from left to right.
Pan and zooms used on still images.
Real events using actor to reconstruct the
event.
This clip below is from a film called touching the Void. It was produced by
John Smithson. And was released on the 5th of September 2003.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379557/
This clip is just the trailer of the film. It is about 2 climbers and their
journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Ander in 1985. In
the film they show real footage and interviews from when it actually
happened.
Flaherty, R. (no date) BFI Screenonline: Drama documentary. Available at:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1103146/ (Accessed: 19 April 2016).

Narrativisation
This type of documentary is normally always something that is made into
a story which is then made into a programme. This is an effective way of
addressing to the audience and trying to attract them more with a story
of. They do this in order to help the audience get a better understanding.

Narrativisation are usually used to make something that is happening

more interesting. For example Disney made a story out of a pack of lions
who just go about their everyday lives but they added names to the lions
and have made a story to attract the viewers.
Main conventions:
Someone telling a story
Voice over
This is a clip of the TV show Catfish. It was developed
by Ariel Schulman, Yaniv Nev Schulman and Max
Joseph. It is shown on MTV and was released in
November 12 2012.
http://www.mtv.co.uk/catfish-the-tvshow/videos/catfish-the-tv-show-405-chitara-priscilla
this show is based on two guys who travel around America helping people
who are in online relationships and have never met there other half so
Nev and Max travel to them and help them see if the person they are in a
relationship with is actually the person who they are talking to or if it is a
fake profile.
Terms, P.I. (2016) Factual Programme. Available at:
https://prezi.com/xahe8qh4yo0e/factual-programme/ (Accessed: 19 April
2016).