DOCUMENTARY ((lecture with Helen)) INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENTARY

Purpose of documentaries:
Documentaries speak about or allow others to speak for themselves. Voyeurism-inevitably docs have elements of voyeurism, they provide a particular view, interpretation or understanding of the evidence which they give the audience.

Learning aims:

• Introduction to factual programming and the documentary genre
• Ideas and angles
• Research
• Pitching docs
• Ideas lab and discussion
• Screening "Dreams of a Life"

What is factual programming?

Factual programming is an over-arching term for non-fic programming and filmmaking, there are a lot of varied genres, devices and formats within factual filmmaking. Each has their own conventions and fictional and factual programmes take from each other's style and treatment. All films ((fictional and factual)) are constructed to some degree. Different genres of factual programmes ((in particular documentary films)) involve different degrees of intervention.

The Mirror

Ben Osborne photography

Factual programmes ((and its sub genres))

• Current affairs ((current affairs looks at current issues at the time, there are a lot of current affairs programmes covering most topics covered in the news: consumer, political and health etc))
• News
• Documentaries
• Reality TV
• Factual Entertainment

Current affairs programmes are often 'reporter led' and deal with weighty subjects with a harder news edge, they are more obviously constructed. 

Documentary genres and hybrids:

• POETIC - 1920’s development reacting against early fiction films – using montage juxtaposition to create meaning e.g 
• EXPOSITORY- aka ‘Voice of God’ conveys meaning directly to viewer(strongly takes particular view point) e.g used in science and nature.  
• EDUCATIONAL- e.g. History, science etc 
• OBSERVATIONAL- (minimal intervention) aka ‘Cinema Verite – realism ‘real people in undirected situations’ (Steven Mamber, 1972) – developed since 1960 Eg The Family 
• REFLEXIVE DOCUMENTARIES- (a la Nick Broomfield) ‘fly in the ointment documentaries’ expose construction and urge us to question the content and develop critical understanding (empowering audience?), 
• PARTICIPATORY- (acknowledge intervention/involve filmmaker) – “The filmmaker steps out from behind the…. Commentary and away from ….. His perch …. And becomes a social actor …. [retaining control of the ] ….camera” (Bill Nichols) e.g Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (Nick Broomfield) 
• PERFORMATIVE - hypothesising subject matter through experimental interpretations – highly personal e.g Dreams of a Life. 

Hybrid forms and evolving new forms:

• DRAMA-DOC – entirely dramatised e.g “Sunday” (Channel 4) 
• DOCU-SOAP – emerged in the 1990s e.g. Driving School, Paddington Green 
• REALITY TV – simiilarly emerged in 1990s – often CCTV like footage ‘unadulterated’ observation e.g Big Brother 
• FACT-ENT – (aka Factual Entertainment) – can include many of the styles mentioned – docu-drama, reality TV etc e.g Masterchef or Eat Well for Less (BBC) • STRUCTURED/SCRIPTED REALITY – late 1990s onwards - e.g TOWIE • Multi Camera Observational – take on the fly-on the wall techniques with new technology to ‘observe’ from afar e.g Educating Essex 
• BILL NICHOLS “An introduction to Documentary’ (2001) and ‘Representing Reality’ (1991) – applied study methods/taxonomy of film and media studies to documentary study

Factual formats
There are many formats available for factual programming including;

• Multi camera observational
• Presenter/reporter led
• Magazine
• Authored
• Discussion/debate

PURPOSE OF FACTUAL PROGRAMMES 
Documentaries serve many and varied purposes, but there are some common themes: 

• Revelation – revealing to us something new 
• Entertainment – whether documentaries make us laugh, cry or shout, they still need to entertain and engage us in some way
• Storytelling - Portrayal of ‘REAL’ life - portray and convey this as accurately as possible 
• Style and Content – varied styles used but style should never be relied on over content

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Screening:'Dreams of a Life'
Directed:Carol Morley
Dreams of a Life unravels the story of Joyce Vincent whose body was discovered after nearly three years in her flat above a shopping mall in London