What is a Documentary?
Defining the Characteristics of a Documentary Film
Documentary films differ from the typical Hollywood movie because of one clear reason. While movies tend to be fictional stories acted out by known celebrities or striving stars, documentaries are non-fictional stories that are perhaps narrated by a single individual. The goal of a documentary is not to develop a fictional story, but essentially to tell a realistic and true story by presenting facts and interviews.
Definition of Documentary Film
The term ‘documentary’ stems from the verb ‘to document’ – to convey information on the basis of proof and evidence to support it, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. In the realm of films and cinema, a documentary is a film that is an attempt, in one fashion or another, to show reality as it really is.
Another way of defining documentary is the necessity to capture life as it is – as it naturally appears. It needs to be filmed surreptitiously, while the goal is to capture life’s unawareness and natural beauty.
The term has expanded to encompass many additional aspects than its original definition. ‘Documentaries’ was a term used to describe movies shot on film stock, which is a term used to describe the discovery of celluloid – a product much less fragile than the paper film previously used. It has now come to involve video and digital productions, whether for private use, made-for-TV or for the big screen.
The continuing goal of documentaries is to constantly work to identify a film making practice that captures life as it truly is, create a cinematic tradition that remains interesting and lively, and finally, to gain and maintain a connection with the audience.
Few Rules and Restrictions Restrict Documentary Films
Similar to fictional movies, there are few rules and restrictions when planning, filming and producing a documentary. One of the only demands that documentaries must fulfill is its purpose. The film must have a given purpose, whether it is to inform, teach or entertain. Furthermore, this purpose should be presented in a manner that makes it dramatic and attractive, so it stands out from any other materials ever written or presented on the topic.
The documentary structure provides fair chances to communicate this purpose in terms of providing opinions on the topic in question or a specific message concerning the topic, while supporting the claims with proper facts and proofs.
The topic or issue presented in the documentary needs to be relevant, in focus and interesting for it to become a success. By informing and teaching about the topic, it is possible to educate individuals on subject matters that were not thought of or significant, prior to watching the documentary.
Besides the purpose and goals of the documentary, there are no specific rules or regulations when planning and filming a documentary. It is up to the instructor what is more effective in terms of presenting the topic or issues in question. In terms of the degree of involvement, the director must decide what is more effective. While some favours the distance between film and producer, others deem it necessary to have direct involvement with the film, such as narrating the story or conducting the interviews.
There is simply one thing that one must keep in mind when making a documentary – keep it entertaining, informative and factual. Only then does it appear to be much more realistic and believable.
Source: Ellis, Jack C. A New History of Documentary Film. New York, 2006.
Film Strip
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Film & TV
Latest Articles