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Types of Documentary Filmmaking Explained

The document discusses six types of documentary films: fly on the wall, participatory, expository, interview, dramatization, and mockumentary. Fly on the wall films observe subjects without interaction, participatory films involve the filmmakers, expository films include narration, interview films allow subjects to speak directly, dramatization films recreate events with actors, and mockumentaries satirize subjects by mimicking documentaries. Examples are provided for each type.

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255 views7 pages

Types of Documentary Filmmaking Explained

The document discusses six types of documentary films: fly on the wall, participatory, expository, interview, dramatization, and mockumentary. Fly on the wall films observe subjects without interaction, participatory films involve the filmmakers, expository films include narration, interview films allow subjects to speak directly, dramatization films recreate events with actors, and mockumentaries satirize subjects by mimicking documentaries. Examples are provided for each type.

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Fly on the Wall.

Film where subjects and events are recorded naturally, in real time
and day to day without being interacted with by the filmmakers. This
is to gain first hand, first person and authentic knowledge of the
subject on film.

An example of ‘Fly on the Wall’


documentary is ‘My Strange Addiction’
as it follows a range of different
individuals in their day to day lives,
presenting and telling their experience
of their own story and situation with
no second hand opinions.
Particapatory
film where the interviewer plays an active role in the documentary
interacting with and/or events being filmed, cast and crew and the
filmmakers themselves often make an appearance.

An example of a participatory Documentary


would be the ‘Jackass‘ franchise, as the
events that happen throughout the film,
feature the cast and crew involved with the
objectives of the film itself.
Expository
film where the subject or events are recorded alongside verbal
commentary and descriptions by the narrator. This allows the
documentary to go into a finer detailed account of the images
being presented.

An example is David Attenborough‘s nature


and life documentaries, as the narration
and commentary, describing what is
happening and informing the audience in
real time, paired with the presence of the
subjects on screen.
Interview
Film that centers around the subject and allows the people being
filmed to speak directly about events, prompted with questions by the
filmmakers. This can allow an audience to delve deep into the person’s
life experiences, personal insights and emotions.

Documentaries like ‘Stutz’ and ‘Jeffrey Dahmer


Tapes’ are direct, unadulterated accounts of
real life events discussed by the primary
people that the films are directed about,
giving their accounts of their life or events in
it.
Dramatisation
Film that recreates or allows actors to reenact a
real life scenario, historical event or figure using
props and costume and designed sets to present that
imagined scene.

An example of this would include these


documentaries as they hire actors in
costume and on sets to reenact and
perform historical and memorable
events that the film is based on.
Mockumentary
A film that takes the form of a serious and well theorised documentary
to poke fun and satirise its subject or premise.

An example of mockumentaries would be


sitcoms like ‘The Office‘, ‘Parks and
Recreation‘ and ‘What we do in the shadows‘
as they all take well-known, historical,
mythological or everyday occurences and
satirise them.

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