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Introduction to Documentaries

ENG 4CI. Introduction to Documentaries. What defines Documentary?. A broad category of film or television show that attempts to “document” some aspect of reality Non-fiction (true), un-staged Presents “life as it is” or “a factual film that is dramatic”

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Introduction to Documentaries

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  1. ENG 4CI Introduction to Documentaries

  2. What defines Documentary? • A broad category of film or television show that attempts to “document” some aspect of reality • Non-fiction (true), un-staged • Presents “life as it is” or “a factual film that is dramatic” • Can use various methods such as observation, interviews, narration and has an artistic element • Attempts to inform or get us to think about an issue in real life

  3. History of the Documentary • Early film (pre-1900) captured single-shot moments and were called “actuality” films • ex. a train entering a station, a boat docking, or factory workers leaving work • The term "documentary" was not coined until 1926 • Box office analysts have noted that this film genre (documentary) has become increasingly successful in theatrical release with films such as Bowling for Columbine, Supersize Me, An Inconvenient Truth, March of the Penguins, The Planet Earth, among the most prominent examples. • Source: Wikipedia

  4. Some Early Documentary-Type Films • Edwin S. Porter directed the first American documentary or realistic narrative film: The Life of an American Fireman (1903) • Another one of the firsts was The Great Train Robbery (1903)

  5. Nanook of the North (1921) is generally considered to be the first anthropological documentary film ever made

  6. Documentaries attempt to be unbiased Still, documentary film-makers edit and present information to address the issue through a variety of techniques Michael Moore is an American filmmaker, author and liberal political commentator He is the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine, Farenheit 9/11, Sicko, and Capitalism: A Love Story, four of the top ten highest-grossing documentaries of all time (source: Wikipedia) Documentaries Today: Michael Moore

  7. Purposes of Documentary: • Portray real life • Focus on an issue or truth • Attempt to: • bring about awareness of an issue • inform or teach • record, reveal or preserve • analyze, interrogate • persuade, promote • engage!

  8. Types of Documentary –Reflexive Purpose: To explore and experiment with the form of documentary (the aesthetic aspects) • Experimental, “artsy” form • Draws attention to the art of documenting • Uses an artistic form to represent an idea • Example: Ryan(focuses on animation techniques to depict an artist’s life), How I Met the Walrus (illustrates the words of an interview with John Lennon)

  9. Type - Expository Purpose: To propose an argument or deliver an interpretation • Investigative (fact-finding, journalistic) • Essay style (collects evidence, then proposes an argument) • Usually authoritative narration explains content (this is called voiceover) • Can be descriptive, informative, persuasive, didactic • Visuals complement the information being spoken, but they are not the central focus: what is being said is important • Examples: An Inconvenient Truth, Are We Safer?, Football High

  10. Type - Observational Purpose: To observe aspects of life with minimal interference or manipulation • Filmmaker is like a “fly on the wall” • The cameras and film crew seem not to be disturbing the scene or even be noticed by the participants • Camera follows action that is beyond the control of the filmmaker • The story unfolds in chronological order • The filmmaker’s point of view is hidden in the narrative structure • Techniques: subjects speak to one another • Example: Babies,The Cove, Armadillo

  11. Type – Interactive/Participatory Purpose: To interact with the subject directly in order to study it • Film-maker’s presence is obvious • Includes interviews, editing, questions to the audience • Manipulates and (mis) interprets events • Examples: Bowling for Columbine, The Dark Side of Chocolate

  12. Type - Performative Purpose: To explore or produce subjective emotional responses to the world • Similar to interactive, but less objective (filmmaker constructs subjective truths) • The filmmaker, who is the subject of the film, undergoes some sort of physical process solely for the purposes of making the film (source: HotDocs Library) • Topic is usually something personal to the film-maker • Subject speaks directly to the camera or in voice-over • Examples: No Impact Man, Beyond the Horizon, SuperSize Me

  13. Features of Documentary: • Thesis • The film-maker’s message for the viewer to take away from the film • The film-maker may want you to agree with his/her position • “Talking Heads” • People interviewed on a particular subject • Meant to either agree or disagree with the thesis

  14. Features of a Documentary, cont'd. • Bias • We trust the film-maker to be objective (unbiased) and seek the absolute truth • As viewers, we need to ask the question: Are film-makers fair to each side of the argument? • Atmosphere • Mood or tone of each scene or interview or overall film • What kinds of techniques are used to create atmosphere?

  15. Documentary Filmmaking Techniques (source: Wikipedia) • Voice-over: a commentary by the filmmaker, spoken while the camera is filming or added to the soundtrack; the filmmaker can speak directly to the viewer • Interview: • Common technique • People being filmed speak directly about the issue, events, etc. • Interviewees are called “talking heads” and they may represent various sides of the issue

  16. Documentary Filmmaking Techniques (cont’d) • Masked Interview:an interview in which the filmmaker is both unseen and unheard • Archival Footage: material obtained from a film library or archive and inserted into a documentary to show historical events • Reconstructions:artificial scenes portraying an event (have been reconstructed and acted out based on information about the event)

  17. Documentary Filmmaking Techniques, Cont’d. • Montage:conveys ideas by putting them in a specific order in the film; contains a sequence of shots that often link action with words (as manipulated by the filmmaker) • Juxtaposition: both sides of the issue are presented immediately following the other (ex. two interviews side by side)

  18. Methods of Development • Narration: telling stories or anecdotes to illustrate a point or show the seriousness of an issue • Description:characteristics or features of the unfamiliar are described • Examples:illustrations of a concept, event, idea are given • Classification: ideas are grouped in categories to show or explain a bigger idea

  19. Methods of Development (cont’d) • Comparison/Contrast: ideas are arranged to show the similarities and differences between things • Process: outlines the steps that are taken to explore the issue • Cause/Effect: Ideas are arranged to link a result with a series of events, showing a logical relationship (ex. Describe the cause first and then explain the effects)

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