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Research Into Documentary Genres and Modes

This document discusses research into documentary genres and modes. It defines documentaries as factual films or TV programs that present political, historical, or social issues and facts. However, documentaries cannot be truly objective since they involve constructing a perspective of reality and may be edited in a particular way. There are six modes of documentaries discussed: poetic, observational, participatory, reflexive, expository, and performative. These modes correspond to different phases in the development of documentaries and are sometimes challenged or reinvented by new generations.

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139 views

Research Into Documentary Genres and Modes

This document discusses research into documentary genres and modes. It defines documentaries as factual films or TV programs that present political, historical, or social issues and facts. However, documentaries cannot be truly objective since they involve constructing a perspective of reality and may be edited in a particular way. There are six modes of documentaries discussed: poetic, observational, participatory, reflexive, expository, and performative. These modes correspond to different phases in the development of documentaries and are sometimes challenged or reinvented by new generations.

Uploaded by

rainna2010
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Research into Documentary genres and modes

The definition of a documentary is that it is a factual film or TV programme which


presents facts, information on political, historical and sociol issues.

Documentaries are suppose to document reality, however it is impossible to present


this reality without it being a construction of the truth as people may present the
Hawthorne effect or the documentary may be edited in a way where it presents a
particular perspective, therefore they cannot be objective. Documentary makers often
decide on a thesis before the construction of the documentary.

There are 6 modes to a documentary…

1. The poetic mode


It transforms historical material into an abstract and lyrical form. This mode also
resembles sections of the world.

2. The Observational mode


This is where technology advanced resulting in smaller and lighter cameras,
which made is easier and less intrusive to document real life, in its own habitat,
actor where free to act, and the documentary makers where free to film without
having to interact with each other.

3. The participatory mode


This is where the film- maker and the interviewee interact with each other in a
conversation entailing a series of questions and answers, whilst filming. This
enables the documentary to express genuine thoughts and feelings for the
interviewee.

4. The reflexive mode


This mode relates to the quality and truthfulness of the documentary, it criticizes
the observational mode as it questions the ability to present the truth. In this
mode it considers the pragmatics and implications and tries to get the audience
to read in-between the lines to construct a informed opinion.

5. The expository mode


This is where an argumentative frame is constructed is direct and narrative form
from sociol issues.
6. The Performative mode
This is where emotional and subjective aspects of the documentary are
acknowledged. These ideas are presented as part of the context, but there are
different meanings for different people.

These different modes respond to the phases in which documentaries have


developed, as new generations emerge, these modes are either challenged, or
re-invented new forms and conventions.

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