Documentary 'mini' task

Documentary mini task 

A documentary is non-fictional motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record. Documentary formats were first created by a man called John Grierson.

The key features of expository documentary include an authoritative voice-over which directly addresses the audience on what is happening. Also facts and arguments are provided by the voice-over to provide caption to the image. An example of expository documentary is the documentary 'The Shock of the New' published in 1980 directed by Robert Hughes. This documentary does a very good job at addressing the audience and lets the audience know exactly whats going on.




The key features of observational documentary include unobstructed construction and depictions, there is also no intervention of the reporter and the director/reporter is hidden from the camera. An example of observational documentary is the documentary 'Bob Dylan, Don't Look Back' directed by D.A Pennebaker published in 1967. This documentary does well because it just explains Bob Dylan's music career and has no interventions from anyone else.






The key features of interactive documentary is mainly that the filmmakers presence is known, they are part of the story but there is no interaction between the interviewees, the presenter and the audience and arguments (agendas) are almost always presented.  An example of interactive documentary the documentary 'Welcome to Pine Point' released in 2011. This documentary does a very good job at interacting with their audience and does a very good job at crossing across comedy apects of documentary.



The key features of reflective documentary is the filmmaker attempts to expose the conversations of documentary to the audience and the documentary attempts to catch everyday life. An example of reflective documentary is 'The Man with A Movie Camera' made in 1929 directed by Dziga Vertov. This documentary does a good job at catching what life could be like with a camera because back in the 1920's hardly no-one owned a camera because they were new and very rare to find.

The key features of performance documentary  is the use of re-enactments and it represents the world indirectly. An example of performance documentary is Forest of Bliss published in 1956. (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/forestofbliss). This documentary does a very good job at addressing the world the documentary  is shot in indirectly and unbiased and also the cinematography is especially good because off all of the wide angle shots said throughout the documentary.


My favorite form of documentary will be observational documentary. This is because I will not be seen in the frame. I believe the type of documentary which will be the most unbiased is expository documentary because they provide facts and arguments for both sides. I believe that documentary's are made to inform people and not to entertain. If people want to be entertained they can watch a movie not a documentary. I believe that expository will be the most honest and reliable because their is almost always a male authoritive voice voicing over making it sound more appealing and honest.