This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Marie Gardiner
Most of us probably just think of documentary films as non-fiction, but there's a bit more to it than that. What is a documentary and what can you expect to see in documentary films? Let's take a look!
What Is a Documentary Film? Definition and Purpose
A documentary is a non-fiction film (or series) that usually has the aim of instructing, educating, or generally giving us a factual account of a story or period of time. Unlike fiction, documentaries focus on real-life subjects and events, and their aim is to be as accurate as possible about whatever they’re covering.
Documentaries vs. Fiction Films
Documentary films are pretty different from fiction in content, purpose, and production. They tend to use real footage and interviews of people, rather than working from a script with actors, although dramatisation can sometimes form part of a documentary. Storytelling techniques are used in both non-fiction films and fiction, and there’ll be similarities in the editing, sound design and so on. After all, documentaries still need to be entertaining and watchable! The major difference is that documentary films commit to an authentic representation of the topic they cover and the people involved. This may involve more ethical considerations than some other types of film production.
What Are Common Techniques of Documentary Films?
What makes a documentary easy to identify?
Interviews
Interviews are usually the backbone of a documentary or docu-series, and they either provide first-hand accounts of something or they’re with experts who can add authority and credibility to the narrative. Interviews with individuals are often introduced as the equivalent of ‘main characters’ in fiction, who we then follow through the film as they reappear and help piece together the story.
Archive Footage
Archival footage can play a big role in documentaries when it comes to context and background. This could be old video clips, photographs, or even documents like newspapers. These can enrich the story, and they become essential when there’s nothing ‘new’ to film, but you need more than just the interviewees or the film would be dull to watch.
Looking for footage for your documentary? Check out 10 Free Public Domain Footage Sources.
Observational Filming
You might have heard this called fly-on-the-wall, where events are recorded as they happen, without a formal setup or interference from the filmmaker. This usually provides quite a raw look at whatever is being captured, and it requires long takes and minimal editing to make sure what’s been shown keeps its authenticity.
Narration
Voiceover narration can be used to:
- provide context
- explain complex information
- help with continuity
- emphasise important parts of the story
Narration is helpful if the visuals and interviews have gaps in detail.
Re-Enactment
If footage is scarce, then re-enactment or dramatisations can form part of documentaries. This usually involves actors recreating the scenes that are described elsewhere in eyewitness testimony or via documents. Re-enactments should be accurate and help to support the documentary evidence that’s already been presented rather than being there purely for entertainment or shock value.
Philosophical Debates Around Documentary Films
Objectivity vs. Subjectivity
It’s said that documentaries should be objective, that is, impartial, but can anything be truly objective? Even subconsciously, the filmmaker will undoubtedly bring their own perspective to a project. The choices of what to include and leave out in the final cut will also shape the narrative and influence any outcomes, so the editor (if a different person) has some sway in this too. Instead, a balanced view is usually achieved by making sure diverse perspectives are included and that, where appropriate, ‘both sides’ of the argument are presented.
Ethics
We’ll go into ethics a little more in a separate article because it’s a big subject to cover, but because of the issues of representation and power that documentaries often deal with, ethical considerations are important. Participants in documentaries should be able to give informed consent, meaning they have to understand all of the potential implications of being in it, not just sign a legal waiver.
What Makes a Good Documentary Filmmaker?
It’s hard to pin down what makes a good documentary as that can depend on your taste, but what about the filmmaker: what makes a good documentarian?
Curiosity
A natural curiosity to explore and ask questions, plus the patience to understand more complex issues, is an essential starting point. The process of researching and making a film can be long, and the filmmaker needs to keep the same enthusiasm for the project the whole way through. This skill will probably also lead someone who’s good at asking questions to get to the heart of what’s required for interviews.
Storytelling Skills
We have a saying in our house, ‘documentary as drama’, because the storytelling aspects of non-fiction need to be just as compelling as fiction if people are going to watch it. Cinematography, lighting, sound, and all of the usual production essentials in filmmaking also apply to making a documentary.
Empathy
Connecting with participants and being able to tell stories with sensitivity and respect is really important. Trust needs to be built up so that people feel comfortable and willing to share what they know or have experienced. Understanding different perspectives or experiences will help make that connection between the audience and the person on screen.
Types of Documentary Films and Examples
There are generally considered to be six main types of documentary, but remember some will fit in more than one box, and there can be a fair amount of overlap.
Expository
An expository documentary has a direct address to the audience, usually through voiceover to guide us through the story. It's usually on a particular topic or issue and uses the narrator and expert interviews. Lots of nature documentaries are expository, including March of the Penguins (2005), which uses the dulcet tones of Morgan Freeman in a ‘voice-of-God’ style narration who takes us on a journey of Emperor penguins in Antarctica.
Observational
You might also have heard this style of documentary called cinéma vérité or direct cinema, and it aims to document something as it happens, without any direct input from the filmmaker. These films usually don’t have any voiceover, interviews, or re-enactments, and they feature a lot of long takes and fly-on-the-wall footage (as briefly mentioned earlier). Salesman (1969) follows four bible salesmen as they go door to door, with the focus shifting to one in particular as he struggles with sales.
Participatory
This is a more interactive style of documentary, with the filmmaker actively involved in the narrative, sometimes even becoming the ‘main character’. Think of documentaries like Super Size Me (2004) and pretty much anything made by Louis Theroux! Here, the personal involvement and experiences help to drive the story, and there’s usually more of a focus on the film being entertaining, or on spectacle.
It’s worth mentioning that sometimes this type of documentary falls foul of too much focus on entertainment and less on factual representation… in recent years, Super Size Me has been criticised for this, and you can read a little more on that in our article on ethics in filmmaking.
Reflexive
This type of documentary is focused on the actual process of filmmaking and the relationship between the filmmaker and the audience. It questions the nature of truth and representation and can be a little meta by examining itself and its role(s).
‘The reflexive documentary does not attempt to provoke intense emotional responses from the audience but encourages thoughtful consideration of the material’ — Masterclass
Man With a Movie Camera (1929) is a well-known example of this style and was an experimental Soviet silent film that’s famous for a whole variety of techniques.
Performative
This is another one that features the filmmaker heavily, but this time in personal engagement with the subject matter. Documentaries like this often look at subjective experiences and very emotional things, with the filmmaker at the heart of it all.
‘The filmmaker’s personal experience or relationship with the subject serves as a springboard for probing wider, subjective truths about politics, history, or groups of people’ — So The Theory Goes.
In Bowling for Columbine (2002), Michael Moore takes on the USA’s obsession with firearms, particularly in the wake of the Columbine High School massacre. This could also fit under "participatory documentary", and there’s certainly overlap, but the emphasis on the emotional pull and less objective approach makes it more performative.
Tips for Beginner Documentary Makers: How to Make a Documentary
Now that you know what a documentary is and some examples of great ones, you might be wondering how to make a documentary yourself. So here are some documentary filmmaking tips to get you started.
Choose a Compelling Subject
This needs to be something that interests you (so you don’t get bored!) but that also appeals to your intended audience. Something that’s relevant and significant to the current time can be a bonus as it’s likely to have more impact, but even something of personal interest to you can work well.
Do Lots of Research
Research thoroughly, check your facts… and then check ‘em again. And once more. Gather any historical or contextual information, talk to experts and people who are linked to your subject, and try to uncover the nuances of the story you’re looking at. Oh, and check your facts one more time.
Plan
Start with an outline, but know that you can be flexible and that things will likely change as you move forwards. As you would with fiction, look at your beginning, middle, and end, and work out the main themes and messages you need to get across. Having a plan, even a rough one, will help massively with the filming and editing processes.
Get Filming!
You don’t need loads of fancy equipment to get started. Just use what you have or what you can borrow from someone or buy within your budget. Where you can, try to get an external microphone as in-camera ones generally do a poor job. There’s tons of great software for editing, including DaVinci Resolve which is, believe it or not, entirely free for the non-Studio version, which should be more than enough for you to get started.
Conclusion: Documentary Films
Documentaries are great ways to make sense of topics, and even the wider world! They can be a nice mix of factual storytelling, drama, and education. Remember that regardless of the type of documentary, its primary goal is to be factual and honest in its representations. It should be entertaining too, so don’t be afraid to push the boundaries sometimes—just never at the expense of things like ethics.
More Free Articles to Help You Make Documentary Films
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About This Page
This page was written by Marie Gardiner. Marie is a writer, author, and photographer. It was edited by Andrew Blackman. Andrew is a freelance writer and editor, and is a copy editor for Envato Tuts+.
This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Marie Gardiner
Marie Gardiner | Sciencx (2024-05-22T16:30:03+00:00) Understanding Documentary Films: A Beginner’s Guide. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/05/22/understanding-documentary-films-a-beginners-guide/
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