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Documentary


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Definition

deal with factual informationreal events

Common sense understanding

Creative treatment of actuality

John Grierson


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FM4ExaminationSection B

Spectatorship Topics - Spectatorship andDocumentary 35 Marks

The study of the impact on the spectator ofdifferent kinds of documentary for example,the overtly persuasive and the apparentlyobservational film. Examples may be taken from

both historical (such as 30s and 40s BritishDocumentary or 60s Cinma Verit) andcontemporary examples, including work onvideo. A minimum of two feature-length

documentaries should be studied for this topic.


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Old Questions

1. Which documentary techniques are mosteffective in presenting spectators with the

real

? Refer toat least

two

documentaries you have studied. (2006)

2. Compare two or more approaches todocumentary film-making and discuss

which you feel has thegreater impact onthe spectator (2007)


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Beware of the real

Documentaries construct a versionon reality

But what is REALITY? Reality is PEOPLE, PLACES and IDEAS

THEREFORE Documentaries

REPRESENT REALITY


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Representation

Documentaries are the the product ofrepresentation

Representation involves three processes1. Selection of material

2. Ordering of material

3. Constructing the material within generic,technical and institutional conventions(modes)


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History

Early film can be classed as actuality, forexample the Lumiere Brothers film

Workers Leaving the Factory.


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First documentary film

Robert Flaherty film Nanook OfThe North, is generally cited as the

first feature-length documentary. 1926: John Grierson, a young

Scottish academic writes a review

of Robert Flahertys film Moana for

the New York Sun (February 8,1926).

In the review he coins the term"documentary."


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Documentary Modes

Bill Nichols identified four modes inREPRESENTING REALITY (1991)

1. EXPOSITORY

2. OBSERVATIONAL

3. INTERACTIVE4. REFLEXIVE


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Documentary Modes

Expository Reflexive

Ethnography

Nanook of the North - Robert Flaherty(1922) Canada

Classic Reflexive Documentary

Man with a Movie Camera - Dziga Vertov(1929) Soviet Union

Social RealismCoal Face - John Grierson(1934) UK

Cultural Reflexive DocumentaryThe Selling of a Serial Killer - NickBroomfield (1992) UK

Propaganda

Triumph of the Will - Leni Riefenstahl(1936) Germany

Campaigning Reflexive Documentary

Bowling for Columbine - Michael Moore(2002) USA

NatureWinged Migration - Jacques Perrin(2002) France

Experiment based ReflexiveDocumentarySupersize Me - Morgan Spurlock (2004)USA


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Definition attempts to expose the truth

Emphasises the impression of objectivity

Poetic mise-en scene to symbolise ideas

Some staged events made to look real Judicious editing of material to present a

particular and consistent point of view

Voice of god technique of narration

Usually offers a solution to a problem or issue


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Examples

John Grierson and BDM (social realism)

Leni Riefenstahl and Nazi (propaganda)

Robert Flaherty(anthropological/ethnographic)

Jacques Perrin (nature)


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Narrator

Voice of God technique

Anchorage Intertitles


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Editing

Creates narrative order

Todorov and Equilibrium Theory

Continuity Conventional POV, Shot/Reverse shot

Propp and Character Types


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Cinematography

Conventional framing

Establishing shot


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Sound

Use of sound bridge

Emotive music chosen to fit with the image


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Reflexive Mode


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Definition

It is the most self-aware mode

The viewers attention is drawn to the

process as well as the effect of makingdocumentary

Makes clear the constructed nature of the

documentary


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Examples Classic Reflexive Documentary

Man with a Movie Camera - Dziga Vertov (1929) Soviet Union Cultural Reflexive Documentary

The Selling of a Serial Killer - Nick Broomfield (1992) UK

Campaigning Reflexive Documentary

Bowling for Columbine - Michael Moore (2002) USA

Experiment based Reflexive Documentary

Supersize Me - Morgan Spurlock (2004) USA


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Difference over time

One of the oddities of the reflexive documentaryis that it rarely reflects on ethical issues as a

primary concern

This is classic version of the reflexive mode that

has been rejected by the new breed of politicalfilmmakers

Modernreflexive

documentaries are lessformally pure with many interactive features


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Another key difference

Recent examples of the mode offer features

derived from the interactive mode and fromtelevision documentaries

Far from the experiment from Vertov are arange of features that would not have fitted with

his pure version of the (reflexive) documentary

There are also sometimes influences from theobservational mode


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Recent additions

Animation

Interviews

Statistics/graphs Archival footage

Fly on the wall techniques


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Techniques - Filmmaker

Filmmaker is part of the process

Filmmaker has a number of roles: interviewer, voiceover,subject, sound person, camera person, interrogator, victim

Filmmaker part of a small crew Filmmaker explain choices about the films content and the

form/order of the documentary


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Techniques - Viewer

Emphasises encounter between filmmaker and viewer, notsubject

Substantive points are made through (in theory) allowing theaudience to make up their own mind

Allows for contradictory participation which audience has towork out

Forces the viewer to evaluate information or pose problems,who is saying what and why?


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Techniques - Narrative

While character types (Propp) do emerge, theydo so slowly with careful cinematography andediting to present the various types

Certainly evidence of a character on a journey(Propp)

Less likely to fit E/D/E (Todorov) because of theopen ended nature of the narrative

Often leaves the audience to then complete thestory by doing


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Techniques - Cinematography

Apart from the formal experimentation of MWAMC, modernreflexive documentaries stick to a generally realistconventional mode of framing

Sometimes, there are conscious attempts to interrupt theconventions of realism

Some experimental use of film form


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Techniques - Mise-en scene

Use of symbolic codes to position the audience towards thefilmmakers perspective

Often shots chosen to conflict with sound, in order to get the

audience to

think


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Editing

Use of montage editing (3rd effect) to position audiencetowards filmmakers view

We are allowed to see behind the scenes footage of

negotiations, debates etc Apart from this conventional continuity editing employed


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Sound

Mostly diegetic sound to enhance the

realness


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Essay

To what extent are documentaries real?

Refer in detail to filmmakers and

documentaries in your response.


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Introduction

Facts, Truth

Reality - people, places and ideas

Representation - selection, ordering,construction

Modes - expository, observational,interactive, reflexive


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Expository Mode

EthnographyNanook of the North - Robert Flaherty (1922) CanadaSocial RealismCoal Face - John Grierson(1934) UKPropagandaTriumph of the Will - Leni Riefenstahl (1936) GermanyNatureWinged Migration - Jacques Perrin (2002) France


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Reflexive Mode

Classic Reflexive DocumentaryMan with a Movie Camera - Dziga Vertov (1929) Soviet UnionCultural Reflexive DocumentaryThe Selling of a Serial Killer - Nick Broomfield (1992) UKCampaigning Reflexive DocumentaryBowling for Columbine - Michael Moore (2002) USAExperiment based Reflexive DocumentarySupersize Me - Morgan Spurlock (2004) USA


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Conclusion

Which is the more truthful mode?

Creative treatment of actuality? John

Grierson What have you learnt in your study


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Keywords


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Too abstract

Too intrusive

Too didactic Too much faith in history

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