What are Documentaries?
A documentary is, defined by google dictionary, a movie or a television or radio program that provides a factual record or report. Other than that, Wikipedia also defines documentary by "A documentary film is a nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record." These are the definition of a documentary.
There are few types of documentary according to Wikipedia, such as participatory documentaries, reflexive documentaries and performative documentaries.
Participatory documentaries believe that it is impossible for the act of filmmaking to not influence or alter the events being filmed. What these films do is emulate the approach of the anthropologist: participant-observation. Not only is the filmmaker part of the film, we also get a sense of how situations in the film are affected or altered by their presence. Nichols: "The filmmaker steps out from behind the cloak of voice-over commentary, steps away from poetic meditation, steps down from a fly-on-the-wall perch and becomes a social actor (almost) like any other. (Almost like any other because the filmmaker retains the camera, and with it, a certain degree of potential power and control over events.)" The encounter between filmmaker and subject becomes a critical element of the film. Rouch and Morin named the approach cinéma vérité, translating Dziga Vertov's kinopravda into French; the "truth" refers to the truth of the encounter rather than some absolute truth.
Reflexive documentaries do not see themselves as a transparent window on the world; instead, they draw attention to their own constructed-ness and the fact that they are representations. How does the world get represented by documentary films? This question is central to this sub genre of films. They prompt us to "question the authenticity of a documentary in general." It is the most self-conscious of all the modes, and is highly sceptical of 'realism'. It may use Brechtian alienation strategies to jar us, in order to 'defamiliarize' what we are seeing and how we are seeing it.
Performative documentaries stress subjective experience and emotional response to the world. They are strongly personal, unconventional, perhaps poetic and/or experimental, and might include hypothetical enactments of events designed to make us experience what it might be like for us to possess a certain specific perspective on the world that is not our own, e.g. that of black, gay men in Marlon Riggs's Tongues Untied (1989) or Jenny Livingston's Paris Is Burning (1991). This subgenre might also lend itself to certain groups (e.g. women, ethnic minorities, gays and lesbians, etc.) to 'speak about themselves.' Often, a battery of techniques, many borrowed from fiction or avant-garde films, are used. Performative docs often link up personal accounts or experiences with larger political or historical realities.
The reason feature films get made is to entertain the audience; to give people an escape from reality. Documentaries are meant to inform; to confront people with reality: and sometimes to promote a point of view.
Documentary makers certainly want to engage and captivate their audience, and some feature films can be very informative, but a key difference between the documentary and feature film is in the filmmaker’s motivation.
Feature films are mostly fiction, sometimes total fantasy. Some may be based on real events or people, but the director and screenwriter will be adding drama and impact with their creative license. Genres include comedy and musical, action and western, romance, crime, horror and science fiction, among others.
Documentaries are non-fiction films. Directors and writers help structure the film, rather than creating characters or taking liberties with the facts of the story. Documentaries can take on social, political and economic issues, or profile a person, place or thing.
Feature films can cost millions, even hundreds of millions of dollars, thanks to top stars with top salaries, directors and scriptwriters, music scores, exotic locations and costumes. A top feature film often has its “money on the screen” with lush cinematography, gorgeous actors and actresses, big bang special effects with large and talented production teams in the background.
Of course, big-name actors sometimes do participate in documentary-making, often with a reduced fee and a strong belief in the project. And some low budget or “indie” feature films turn out to be huge successes.
In fact, documentaries have become big box office, with serious Academy Award weight sitting with them. Often very entertaining, they can be as controversial nowadays as the subjects they cover.
And some feature films today are taking on very serious topics, with some post-911 war-themed movies seeming more real than the stories they relate. The difference between documentary and feature film can be obvious or subtle.
There are few types of documentary according to Wikipedia, such as participatory documentaries, reflexive documentaries and performative documentaries.
Participatory documentaries believe that it is impossible for the act of filmmaking to not influence or alter the events being filmed. What these films do is emulate the approach of the anthropologist: participant-observation. Not only is the filmmaker part of the film, we also get a sense of how situations in the film are affected or altered by their presence. Nichols: "The filmmaker steps out from behind the cloak of voice-over commentary, steps away from poetic meditation, steps down from a fly-on-the-wall perch and becomes a social actor (almost) like any other. (Almost like any other because the filmmaker retains the camera, and with it, a certain degree of potential power and control over events.)" The encounter between filmmaker and subject becomes a critical element of the film. Rouch and Morin named the approach cinéma vérité, translating Dziga Vertov's kinopravda into French; the "truth" refers to the truth of the encounter rather than some absolute truth.
Reflexive documentaries do not see themselves as a transparent window on the world; instead, they draw attention to their own constructed-ness and the fact that they are representations. How does the world get represented by documentary films? This question is central to this sub genre of films. They prompt us to "question the authenticity of a documentary in general." It is the most self-conscious of all the modes, and is highly sceptical of 'realism'. It may use Brechtian alienation strategies to jar us, in order to 'defamiliarize' what we are seeing and how we are seeing it.
Performative documentaries stress subjective experience and emotional response to the world. They are strongly personal, unconventional, perhaps poetic and/or experimental, and might include hypothetical enactments of events designed to make us experience what it might be like for us to possess a certain specific perspective on the world that is not our own, e.g. that of black, gay men in Marlon Riggs's Tongues Untied (1989) or Jenny Livingston's Paris Is Burning (1991). This subgenre might also lend itself to certain groups (e.g. women, ethnic minorities, gays and lesbians, etc.) to 'speak about themselves.' Often, a battery of techniques, many borrowed from fiction or avant-garde films, are used. Performative docs often link up personal accounts or experiences with larger political or historical realities.
How is documentary different to film?
The following arguments are from the website: https://www.videouniversity.com/videou-how-tos/whats-the-difference-between-documentary-and-feature-film/. It compares documentary to film in every aspect briefly.
Escape vs. Reality
The reason feature films get made is to entertain the audience; to give people an escape from reality. Documentaries are meant to inform; to confront people with reality: and sometimes to promote a point of view.Documentary makers certainly want to engage and captivate their audience, and some feature films can be very informative, but a key difference between the documentary and feature film is in the filmmaker’s motivation.
Fact or Fiction
Feature films are mostly fiction, sometimes total fantasy. Some may be based on real events or people, but the director and screenwriter will be adding drama and impact with their creative license. Genres include comedy and musical, action and western, romance, crime, horror and science fiction, among others.Documentaries are non-fiction films. Directors and writers help structure the film, rather than creating characters or taking liberties with the facts of the story. Documentaries can take on social, political and economic issues, or profile a person, place or thing.
Format
Feature films take care in introducing complex characters and spinning an intricate storyline over a running time up to three hours. There’s an ebb and flow to the action, with carefully timed and structured mini-climaxes and dramatic highlights. The scripted story, characters and actions all are pointed in the same direction, leading the viewer through events with a sense of beginning, middle, dramatic climax and end.
In documentaries, often the action leads the way. People don’t have scripted words to say or scenes to enact; handheld cameras might be the only way to follow the story. Even the director doesn’t always know what happens next. Documentary makers often say that discovery and surprise is a big part of their job.
In documentaries, often the action leads the way. People don’t have scripted words to say or scenes to enact; handheld cameras might be the only way to follow the story. Even the director doesn’t always know what happens next. Documentary makers often say that discovery and surprise is a big part of their job.
Production Costs
Documentaries are usually less expensive to make than feature films, with less elaborate production frills. Documentaries can cost only a few thousand dollars, with small crews, single camera set-ups and few if any paid talent. The result is often raw, unpolished but effective nevertheless.Feature films can cost millions, even hundreds of millions of dollars, thanks to top stars with top salaries, directors and scriptwriters, music scores, exotic locations and costumes. A top feature film often has its “money on the screen” with lush cinematography, gorgeous actors and actresses, big bang special effects with large and talented production teams in the background.
Of course, big-name actors sometimes do participate in documentary-making, often with a reduced fee and a strong belief in the project. And some low budget or “indie” feature films turn out to be huge successes.
In fact, documentaries have become big box office, with serious Academy Award weight sitting with them. Often very entertaining, they can be as controversial nowadays as the subjects they cover.
And some feature films today are taking on very serious topics, with some post-911 war-themed movies seeming more real than the stories they relate. The difference between documentary and feature film can be obvious or subtle.
Example of Documentaries that I enjoy watching
I always liked documentaries that show the beauty of nature. These include documentaries that show the life of a certain animal, fights that happen between animals and so on. I find these kinds of documentaries very interesting because there is more information than what we read in printed media. Other than that, documentaries that include science and futuristic inventions are also my cup of tea.
Comments
Post a Comment