Documentary styles and types of genre.

1. Documentary genre

2. Definition of “Documentary”
Documentaries represent a form of reality with
gathered facts and figures(information) in order
to educate and inform to its audience. Before a
documentary is created the team usually
researches and looks for fact and figures in
order to input and educate into the
documentary.

3. Codes and Conventions
• Actuality
This is the recording of real life events as they unfold.
They are not fictional in any shape or form.
• Exposition
Introduces the content to the viewer and any important
themes, it is known to be the problem of the
documentary.
• Voiceover
Commentary over the documentary which guides the
viewer through the documentary. This is usually inputted
by the filmmaker, it’s similar to telling the events to the
reader.

4. Codes and conventions continued…
• Interviews
This is a common documentary technique and interviews are
held based on the theme of the documentary. Vox-pop is also
a type of interview where the producers film a number of
people from the public telling their view on the topic.
• Archival footage
This can be obtained through existing films or library. It is not
recorded by the makes or the documentary but can be shown
to show historical happenings.
• Reconstructions
This are artifical scenes of what have already happened. They
are based on true facts, usually on a event already happened
but reconstructed for the viewers to see.

5. Types of documentaries
• Realist
This is usually minimal material on recorded
material. An example of this can be a fly on the
wall.
• Formalist
This has a particular narrative story and has a story
behind it.
• Subjective
This is a documentary which tells the story from the
producers personal perspective.

6. Narrative
It explores the conventions of:
- Genre
- Character
- Time
- Form
Linear structure consists of a beginning, middle and a end.
Open structures are when the audience wonder what is going to
happen next and make sense themselves to think of what is going to
happen next.
Closed structure have a concise conclusion and have a definite end to
them.
Circular structures are when the narrative starts at the end, usually
arriving at a journey where they started.