Task 3 U27 LO2.

2
Different Documentary formats Expository:
Expository documentaries speak directly to the viewer often in the form of
an authoritative commentary employing voiceover or titles, proposing a
strong argument and point of view.
Some things you are likely to see in an expository documentary:
-

Rhetorical
Persuasive
Objective and interpretive views
Strong argument and point of view

One example of this is Americas most wanted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqbmr86OrFs

This is expository because it is very
objective and shows the complete truth
as to what is going on as well as
theyre constantly being a strong point
of view.
Observational:
Observational documentaries attempt to simply and spontaneously observe lived
life with a minimum of intervention.

Some things you are likely to see in an observational documentary:

-

Heavy voice over commentary

Synchronised dialogue and music

This type of documentary is popular because it means the cameras can

catch whatever they are filming; most of the time the focus would be
wildlife because that is harder to get naturally and a lot of audiences will
be interested in this.
An example is David Attenboroughs Life Documentary
Life is an example of an observational documentary as it
completely captures the wildlife without them noticing and
definitely has commentary over the top, which David
Attenborough is now known for.
This documentary is also an example of a realist
documentary because it shows the truth and the footage is
honest. Realist documentaries are always truthful and the
cameras are hidden so that the footage is natural.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhO0GCNSZ_w

Interactive:
Interactive documentaries are ones that engage with the audience more
directly.
This means the filmmakers can account for past events via witnesses and
experts and the audience can also see.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5wAxKaUfI8
The And is an interactive
documentary, the audience can tell this
because throughout the documentary
the people on the panel talk to the
camera and look at the camera so it
makes the audience feel as if they are in
the room with them, which will make
them feel more engaged with the
documentary.
Reflexive:
Reflexive documentaries draw attention to their own construction and
they try to show they are representations. This type of documentary
usually aim to ask the audience how is the world being represented
through this documentary? to really make the audience think about what
they are watching and this also makes the documentary a lot more
intense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdbU-4tPq5o

Performative:

Man with a movie camera

shows exactly what the camera
sees and the truth which is the
purpose of a reflexive
documentary. The film example
shows all the clips in black and
white which highlights they are
completely real and have not
been edited.

Performative documentaries stress subjective experience and emotional

response to the world.
Performative documentaries are usually:
-

Strongly personal
Unconventional
Poetic or experimental

These types of documentaries will sometimes include hypothetical enactments of

events designed to make the audience experience what it might be like for them
to possess a certain specific perspective on the world that is not our own to
make them think. Performative documentaries often link up personal accounts or
experiences with larger political or historical realities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAnCOHCVjyU
This is a clear example of performative as it
is definitely unconventional. A lot of people
view this programme as unusual and off
putting but other viewers like to see him go
through the pain of eating so much
McDonalds and it is talked about a lot. This
is also quite personal because the man
doing it goes through a lot of health issues
whilst doing it.

Dramatization:
Dramatization are often seen in documentaries that are prejudice and biased, it
is an exaggeration that builds up within a documentary. The general narration is
usually very over the top too.
These types of documentaries can be dangerous because they can be seriously
built up in a bad way towards one particular view which is exactly why they are
known to be very biased.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1W8I8uoVPo
Inside the mind of Adolf Hitler is
an example of a dramatized
documentary because it shows in
a lot of detail what has happened
and dramatizes everything even
more.

Narrativisation
Narrativisation is to communicate (events or experiences) in narrative form, in
order to better understand them.
Narrativisation is normally always seen or heard in a documentary it is a popular
method with documentaries because they are an effective way to address
audiences so that the people watching know what is going on. However
Narrativisation documentaries can sometimes drag on, so producers have to be
careful with how much they add.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhO0GCNSZ_w
David Attenboroughs Life is an example of a narrative
documentary because throughout the whole documentary
there is narration which helps to keep the viewers
entertained. But again this documentary can become very
intense with the footage and narration.

Ref.me
references
Bibliography
ACB (2015) Man with a movie camera. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdbU-4tPq5o
(Accessed: 20 April 2016).
Charles Sciascia (SciA) (2009) Dominique on Americas most wanted. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqbmr86OrFs (Accessed: 19 April 2016).
Documentary 2016 (2016) David Attenborough - life 2009 ep 3 - BBC documentary: Mammals.
Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhO0GCNSZ_w (Accessed: 19 April 2016).
Google (no date) Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chromeinstant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=facts%20on%20teenage%20sleep (Accessed: 27 April 2016).
Name (2009) 6 types of documentary. Available at:
https://collaborativedocumentary.wordpress.com/6-types-of-documentary/ (Accessed: 19 April 2016).
Sleep loss: 10 surprising effects (2005) Available at: http://www.webmd.com/sleepdisorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss (Accessed: 27 April 2016).
Supersize me (no date) Available at: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=supersize+me
(Accessed: 20 April 2016).
TheLipTV (2015) THE AND - interactive documentary with Dir. Topaz Adizes. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5wAxKaUfI8 (Accessed: 20 April 2016).
We love documentaries as much as you do (2011) Inside the mind of Adolf Hitler. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1W8I8uoVPo (Accessed: 25 April 2016).

Citations, Quotes & Annotations

ACB (2015) Man with a movie camera. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdbU-4tPq5o
(Accessed: 20 April 2016).
(ACB, 2015)
Charles Sciascia (SciA) (2009) Dominique on Americas most wanted. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqbmr86OrFs (Accessed: 19 April 2016).
(Charles Sciascia (SciA), 2009)
Documentary 2016 (2016) David Attenborough - life 2009 ep 3 - BBC documentary: Mammals.
Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhO0GCNSZ_w (Accessed: 19 April 2016).
(Documentary 2016, 2016)
Google (no date) Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chromeinstant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=facts%20on%20teenage%20sleep (Accessed: 27 April 2016).
(Google, no date)

Name (2009) 6 types of documentary. Available at:

https://collaborativedocumentary.wordpress.com/6-types-of-documentary/ (Accessed: 19 April 2016).
(Name, 2009)
Sleep loss: 10 surprising effects (2005) Available at: http://www.webmd.com/sleepdisorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss (Accessed: 27 April 2016).
(Sleep loss: 10 surprising effects, 2005)
Supersize me (no date) Available at: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=supersize+me
(Accessed: 20 April 2016).
(Supersize me, no date)
TheLipTV (2015) THE AND - interactive documentary with Dir. Topaz Adizes. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5wAxKaUfI8 (Accessed: 20 April 2016).
(TheLipTV, 2015)
We love documentaries as much as you do (2011) Inside the mind of Adolf Hitler. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1W8I8uoVPo (Accessed: 25 April 2016).
(We love documentaries as much as you do, 2011)
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