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THE 6 TYPES OF DOCUMENTARIES
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THE 6 TYPES OF DOCUMENTARIES
by Louis Hogarth
Definition of a documentary
Introduction
A documentary is “a nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspects of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record.”
Bill Nichols, an American film critic, outlines 6 types of documentaries, these are the six main categories of the genre in which all documentary films can be cast.
Poetic Documentaries
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Poetic documentaries were first seen in the 1920's. They mainly focus on experiences, images and showing the audience a world in a different pair of eyes.
This type of documentary can be very unconventional and experimental in form and content in which the ultimate goal is to create a feeling rather than a truth.
Example of a Poetic documentary
Expository Documentaries
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Expository documentaries are the closest thing to what most people consider "documentaries." It contrasts to poetic documentaries as it aims to inform/persuade through often, omnipresent "Voice of God" narration.
Example of a expository documentary
Observational documentaries
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Observational documentaries are exactly what they sound like. They aim to observe the world around them. They originated in the 1960's with the advances in portable film equipment. Observational documentaries are also known as 'cinéma vérité.' This style of documentary is much less pointed than expository, it attempts to give a voice to all sides of an issue by giving audiences first hand access to some of the subject's most important moments.
Example of an Observational documentary
Participatory documentaries
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Participatory documentaries have elements of both observational and expository documentaries, however, they include the filmmaker within the narrative. This could include things such as the filmmaker's voice being heard behind the camera, or prodding subjects with questions or cues, and also the filmmaker directly influencing the major actions of the narrative.
Example of a Participatory documentary
Reflexive documentaries
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Reflexive documentaries are similar to participatory documentaries due to the fact that they often include the filmmaker within the film. However, differently to participatory documentaries, they make no attempts to explore an outside subject, instead they focus solely on themselves and the act of them making the film.
Example of a Reflexive documentary
Performative documentaries
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Performative Documentaries are an experimental combination of styles used to stress subject experience and share an emotional response to the world. They connect personal accounts/experience juxtaposed with larger political or historical issues. This style is sometimes called the 'Michael Moore' style as he often uses his own personal stories as a way to construct social truths.