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6 Modes of Documentaries Task 5

The document summarizes the six main modes of documentaries as described by Bill Nichols: expository, reflexive, participatory, performative, poetic, and observational. It provides examples for each mode, such as historical documentaries like Twain (2001) for the expository mode, Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) for the reflexive mode, and observational documentaries like Benefits Street.

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Ras Gill
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95 views

6 Modes of Documentaries Task 5

The document summarizes the six main modes of documentaries as described by Bill Nichols: expository, reflexive, participatory, performative, poetic, and observational. It provides examples for each mode, such as historical documentaries like Twain (2001) for the expository mode, Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) for the reflexive mode, and observational documentaries like Benefits Street.

Uploaded by

Ras Gill
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Part A- Modes of Documentaries

There are 6 modes of documentaries based on the Bill Nichols introduction to documentary.
Nichols broke down the many sub-genres of documentaries into 6 main categories.

They include the:

Expository mode
Reflexive mode
Participatory mode
Performative mode
Poetic mode
Observational mode

The information I explore was found on InfoTrac Six modes of doc production Published
by Peter Biesterfield in May 2016.
Expository

This is the most common mode that documentaries use, this is


more like a essay style information documentary. Expository
documentaries educate and explain topics and one of there
elements include scripted dialogue. Other important elements
include interviews, photos, narrator. More recent uses of
expository mode have included historical documentaries such
as Twain (2001) and Dust bowl (2012). Another example of
this mode would include the documentary Living planet with the
much loved David Attenborough.
Reflexive

Documentaries made in this mode provoke the audience to


question the authenticity of documentaries in general. Reflexive
documentaries are seen by the film maker as they provide
narrative for the documentary. This means that people dont
purely watch it for the information or the content included yet
more for the structure of it. Work that follows the reflexive
mode include Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy, 2010); The
Spaghetti Story (BBC, 1957). Also including Louis
Theroux documentaries.
Participatory

Bill Nichols describes the participatory mode as "[when] the


encounter between filmmaker and subject is recorded and the
filmmaker actively engages with the situation they are
documenting. this mode acts for immediacy and usually is the
point of view of the film maker. Some work shown in this form
include filmmaker Nick Bloomfield e participatory mode-Kurt
and Courtney (1998); Thles of the Grim Sleeper (2014). This
can also include Living with MJ.
Performative

This mode is opposite to the observational where unobtrusive


observation of subject is creators aim. This mode usually
involves filmmakers own involvement with the subject. This is
usually a political or historical window of personal experience.
Makers and users of this documentary style include Night And
Fog (Alain Resnais, 1955); Paris Is Burning (Jenny Livingston,
1991); Forest of Bliss (Robert Gardner, 1986). This can also
include Michael Moores work Bowling of Columbine.
Poetic

This mode aims to create an impression on the audience or


mood for the audience rather than argue a point. The poetic
mode is also known as the abstract mode as it is not usually
narrative driven. Visual poetry is attempted through this
documentary style. Poetic style can be traced back to the
popular City Symphony film movement of the 1920s, out of
which came such classics as Walter Ruttmann's Berlin:
Symphony of a Metropolis (1927).
Observational

This mode is the most analysed mode of them all, following a


direct cinema or a fly on the wall sort of style documentary.
This documentary style strives for a realistic cinema view. Some
elements that may occur in this documentary style include low
lighting condition shot, hand held camera and spontaneous
filming as things are caught in actuality. This could be a take on
Benefits Street. Although this documentary is becoming sparse
it still exists. This isn't around as much as it isn't right to film
someone without their permission.

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