3MW: Documentary 'Mini-Task'

Documentary is a depiction of factual information, which can be almost about anything such as real people, places, events and other more subject interest. It can have almost any elements into it, in example; documentaries can be very disturbing, inspirational, funny or other more combination. 

There is many elements into making a documentary such as video and film footage, photographs and possible interviews from real people, which is then compiled and edited all together to create a point, message and as well as experiences that could be brought to the viewers.

Expository documentary involves with directly speaking to the viewer. It has the elements of lecturing and being overly didactic. It is often presented with a commentary accompanied with titles and voiceovers, or a present of coherence in proposing a strong argument to create a point or showing a point of view. The images and footage used in expository documentary are present to add more depth to the argument or point that is being made.

Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d3/Biography_tv_series_logo.png

An example of this would be and American documentary television series which is called Biography. Biography contains the use of narration to tell what’s happening, stock footage, on-camera interviews, and photographs of the people’s lives, who grew up. Most of the episodes that was featured in the series were mostly life stories of historical figures, present political or social leaders (Wikipedia). 

The documentary generally focuses on successful people and the series takes the positive outlook towards them. Although, setbacks and struggles are mentioned - they're not majorly focusing onto it. It has footages to accompany it, to make a point. The tone of the documentary is quite serious, but it has light side on it too. 

Observational documentray focuses on minimal intervention to the film they're documenting. They mainly just observe spontaneously. Observational documentary is mostly done post-production after the footage has been filmed. It is accompanied with voice-over commentary, post-synchronised music and dialogue and perhaps re-enactments. The aim of this type of documentary is immediacy, intimacy, and revelation of an individual in an ordinary life situation (Source). In this type of documentary the camera or any other equipment of the film crew should not be noticeable by the participants or at least not disturb the participants.

Source: http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/975886/624full-les-raquetteurs-poster.jpg

Les Racquetteurs is a Canadian observational documentary which depicts the life in the rural area of Quebec. The documentary shows the annual meeting of snowhoers in Sherbrooke, Quebec. It's a short documentary and it incorporates agile camera work and a largely synchronous soundtrack, uninterrupted by any narration (Source).

Interactive documentary is when the film crew takes part directly into the filming. In this type of documentary you would be able to see the desired perspective of the film maker. Interectional documentary's key features would be that the filmmaker would be a big part of the production itself, crew would be heavily involve in the filming - their presence is fully acknowledge by the others. However, if faced with conflict, the film maker may or may not take sides. The key important element of the interactive documentary would be the participation between the film maker and the subject.

Source: http://www.gstatic.com/tv/thumb/movieposters/91046/p91046_p_v8_aa.jpg

This documentary focuses on whether it or it is not possible for people to act sincerely in front of the camera. The topic focuses on the themes of French society and happiness in the working class, and with the information that they have gathered from the interviews could be created as fictional moments. It discusses the images created with their own words and see if the movie obtained the level of realism based by the words spoken by the participants.

Access and privacy can greatly affect any types of documentary. It is necessary for film makers to acquire the correct permission (releases) before filming this kind of documentary (especially), they could end up losing money, as well as a chance of being sued. Access is a vital part of this type of documentary, they ask questions subtly to get a personal views and opinions on the subject chosen without asking them directly.

Privacy is also a huge element of this type of documentary. Some aspects of someone's life aren't to be shown as it is 'private', therefore, filmmakers finds way to put hidden cameras and hidden mics to obtain this information - however, this could lead to them being sued.

Privacy and Access could greatly manipulate the situation which allows the documentary to have facts included, which makes the documentary as close to truth on the subject they're tackling.

Reflexive documentary acknowledges the issue of realism where it is associated with experimental documentaries. The audience engages as it peaks their interest on about how the film will be constructed as they are the actual content. The film maker makes their presence in front of the camera and also provides a narrative to the documentary.

This type of documentary makes the audience more aware of the presented problems and the film maker engages to talking about the matter as they make the film. Reflexive documentary tends to be truthful - its aim is to focus on realism, as they happen - this comes without editing and special effects. However, as the narration is added to the film - it is more likely to sway the audience to a side.

http://myweb.wvnet.edu/~jelkins/adcrimlaw4/images/Aileen%20Wuornos.jpg

Nick Broofield is known for his reflexive documentaries. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer is an example of it. Boomflield films with minimal camera crew - himself and the camera man. This makes the documentary seem more personal. This is about Aileen who began he killing spree in 1992. It was a documentary a day before her execution.

Performative documentary involves emotional and subjective approach to the documentary. It presents ideas as a portion of an established context of which have different meanings for different people - this are often presented in the same nature as autobiographies.

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The film blends documentary footage with personal account and fiction in an attempt to depict the specificity of black gay identity. The "silence" referred to throughout the film is that of black gay men, who are unable to express themselves because of the prejudices of white and black heterosexual society, as well as the white gay society (Wikipedia).

I think the purpose of documentaries are to show a depiction of reality for the viewers to see. I don't think that the film maker and the viewer has a contract between them to present truths and authentic information. However, I don't think that documentaries shows the whole truth - it just shows a part of what true, there's a lot of factors that could contribute on how how the audience would answer. Therefore, I think documentaries only just a part, but not the whole truth.