Genre Analysis: Types of Documentary

Types of Documentary
Fully Narrated- off screen voiceover that makes sense of the visuals (tells the audience the meaning of images), e.g. nature documentary

Fly on the Wall- camera is unseen/ignored and captures things that would not be seen otherwise; unfolds real events and does not require voiceovers/narration

Mixed- uses a combination of interviews, observation, etc. to advance the argument- narrator is often infront of the camera

Self-reflective- when the subject of the documentary acknowledges the camera and speaks to it directly

Docudrama- a reinactment of the events as though it has just happened/is happening; like a fictional story, using techniques of documentaries to reinforce realism

Docusoap- the camera follows the lives of individuals so we get to know the characters

Documentaries may contain:
Visuals- e.g. archive footage- intended to suggest a meaning/emotion

Interviews- mise-en-scene affects the meaning; can contain factual/more emotional questions (usually closer to the end)

Voxpops- street interviews of the general public; asked the same question. Then all strung together in a fast sequence- can show general agreement/diversity of opinions

Documentary Narratives
Open- no answers have been given; there is no conclusion made so audience have to make up their own mind about what happened

Closed- all answers are given and there is a definite output/ending
Single-strand- one story/plot/theme throughout the documentary

Non-linear- the information is given in a way so time is disrupted and is not given in chronological order- contains flashbacks

Linear- the information is given in chronological order (there is a beginning, a middle and an end)

Circular- begins and ends in the same way (question is asked at the beginning and the end)

Beginning: includes dramatic footage to get the audiences attention
Middle: focuses on peoples opinions/examines issue of documentary; conflict shown in beginning may be strengthened
End: exposition- the answer is there at the end and the audience has no doubt about the argument- may be an action that the audience can take